Although numbers were down a bit this year, the annual Māori Golf tournament continues to be one of the biggest events on the country’s golfing calendar.

Two hundred and seventy nine entrants turned up for the five-day event held at the Te Awamutu and Stewart Alexander golf course in January.

The players ranged in age from 11 to 88. A person of note on the absent list was Dame Iritana Tawhiwhirangi now in her 80’s and reputed to have played almost every course in the country.

But there was a valid excuse – she was moving house. “Never again though”, she says, “and certainly never during the tournament.”

The Māori National Golf Championships have been held annually for 74-years. The first was at the Waiohiki course in Hawke’s Bay in 1932.

In it’s heyday the tournament had to be played over three courses to get everyone through, but this year – probably because of the more difficult economic times – it was confined to two courses, and the same will happen next year.

Phyllis Rangihika – the secretary of the New Zealand Māori Golf Association – says they are grateful to Te Puni Kokiri for it’s continuing support for the annual tournament, which is a real whanau event with rangatahi coming through now following their koroua and kuia.

THE WINNERS OF THIS YEAR’S TOURNAMENT WERE:

• Ladies Div 1 Stroke play - Monica Tulisi
• Ladies Div 1 Match play - Te Rongopai Clay
• Senior Men Div 1 Stroke play - Landyn Edwards
• Senior Men Div 1 Match play - Lee Neumann
• Senior Men Div 2 Match play - Luke Robinson
• Intermediate Men Div 1 Stroke play - Mel Brown
• Intermediate Men Div 1 Match play - Michael Heyes
• Junior Men Div 1 Stroke play - Garry Wairepo
• Junior Men Div 1 Match play - Michael Jones
• Golden Girls Nett - Rose Epiha
• Golden Girls Gross - Tini Tuhura
• Golden Girls Stableford - Noeleen Grace
• Masters Nett - Bill Heaslip
• Masters Gross - Les Coombes
• Masters Stableford - George Maniapoto

The 75th Māori National Golf Championships will be at Rotorua and Lakeview Golf Clubs. Practice rounds are on 7 and 8 January 2012 and the competition is for four days from 9 January 2012. The field will be restricted to accommodate 300 players – 150 players on each course. For more information email nationalsec@clear.net.nz