The North Island and South Island Golf Croquet Championships were played over the weekend of 5th to 8th of November in Wellington and South Canterbury respectively.
In the North Island GC Doubles, it was the pair from Rose Gardens, Dennis Bulloch and Paul Kaiser, who went through the block format undefeated. Winning all 5 matches and only dropping 2 games on route to the title. In the final round, defending champions Nelson Morrow (Auckland) and John Christie (Thames Valley) had a chance to retain their title needing to beat Kaiser and Bulloch in straight games. However, it wasn’t to be with Kaiser and Bulloch winning the match 7-5, 7-5.
Morrow and Christie finished third on count back behind the father / daughter duo of Brian and Jessica Bullen (Wellington).
The North Island singles provided plenty of entertainment with the top four from each block qualifying for the knockout stage.
In Block A, Robbie Spooner (Wellington) qualified top with 6 wins from 7 games. Christie and Te Kiri King (South Taranaki) both qualified with 5 wins each with Morrow securing the final place with 4 wins.
Block B saw Kaiser go undefeated to qualify top. Nathan Bullen (Wellington) qualified second with 6 wins, only dropping his game to Kaiser 5-7. B. Bullen qualified third while Joel Steele (South Taranaki) qualified on count back ahead Bulloch after they had each won 3 games.
Kaiser went through the knockout stage without dropping a game to complete the double and win the singles title undefeated. Beating Steele in the final 7-2, 7-5. King came third after beating Christie 7-6, 7-5 in the 3v4 playoff.
Due to a small number of entries and a late withdrawal, the South Island GC Doubles was reduced to a single best of 5 match to still allow the pairs to play. Graeme Simpson (Canterbury) and Suzanne Cleveland (South Canterbury) beat Gay Jones and Claire Horncastle (Canterbury) in straight games, 7-6, 7-6, 7-4.
In the singles it was the defending champion, Logan McCorkindale (South Canterbury), who went through the event undefeated to retain the SIGC Singles Title. After advancing through the block play with 7 wins and +32 net hoops, McCorkindale won each of his knockout matches in straight games. Beating John Borner (Canterbury) 7-3, 7-5 in the final.
Borner had enjoyed a successful run to the final, only dropping his game to McCorkindale in the block stage and his first game in the semi-final.
Full Results can be found here:
South Island Golf Croquet Championships
North Island Golf Croquet Championships
