Last week the Heretaunga Croquet Club in Havelock North hosted the CNZ National Golf Croquet Tournament. The doubles tournament was held on the first two days and saw eight pairs competing. After a single round robin the top four pairs qualified for the knock-out stage with James Duggan and Levi Franks meeting Helen Reeves and Brian Bullen in the final. The two teenagers from the Cashmere Croquet Club lost the first game in the best of three final, but ultimately proved too strong for the more experienced pair of Reeves and Bullen. Duggan/Franks won the final in three games 2:7, 7:5 and 7:6. This was Franks’s third doubles win at the Nationals in a row, while it was Duggan’s first senior national title.
The Singles event saw 18 players, competing in three sections of six playing best of three matches. The top eight players qualified for the knock-out phase. The quarter finals saw four experienced players all playing a player competing in the upcoming U21 GC World Championship. Doubles finalists Helen Reeves (Heretaunga) and Levi Franks (Cashmere) faced each other again in the semi-finals with Franks again prevailing in three games after dropping the first game. The other semi-final saw a rematch of last year’s final with nine-time national champion Duncan Dixon (United) playing reigning champion Josh Winter (Cashmere). Dixon progressed to the final beating Winter in straight games.
In the best of five final Franks came out of the blocks roaring winning the first two games 7:4 and 7:6. Dixon won the third must win game 7:5 to keep his hopes alive. Game 4 was very tightly contested and ended up being decided on the 13th hoop. Franks stayed focused to score the last hoop winning the game 7:6 and the match and adding his first National Singles title to the Doubles he won a few days earlier.
The Plate event was won by Robbie Spooner (Wellington MCC) with seven wins from eight games.
The Levin Croquet Club hosted the CNZ 3+ Golf Croquet Championship last weekend. 16 players played each other in a single round robin to determine the top eight players for the best of three knock-out stage. After some tight matches the final saw Don Walls from the Park Croquet Club in Hawera playing against Ian Poole from the Heretaunga Croquet Club in Havelock North. Walls proved to strong for Poole winning the final in two games 7:5 and 7:3 and securing the title.
Congratulations to all winners.
