The Legends Tour is set to contest the Panuani Lakes Resort Pro-Am today but yesterday they competed in the Nagle Charles Challenge.

Team Captains Roger Davis (AUS) and Richard Ellis (NZ) shake hands.

Before the 40 Legends Tour players hit the course today the annual Australia versus New Zealand grudge match was decided with 12 players from each nation representing their country in a six match 4BBB format.

Australia fielded one of its strongest teams with 10 players from the top-18 of last year’s Order of Merit as well as two captain’s picks being new comer Glen Joyner and the experienced Greg Hohnen.

New Zealand had some fire power as well with European Seniors Tour player Peter Fowler and current Australian Senior PGA champion Simon Owen headlining their team.

The matches were tight all day with only two games finishing before the 17th hole with New Zealand taking out the first match 4 & 3 and Australia the last 3 & 2.

With the second and third matches finishing all square Glen Joyner and Richard Backwell secured a 2 & 1 victory over Richard Ellis and John Griffin to give the Aussies a 3 – 2 lead with one game remaining.

It came down to Tour veteran Mike Harwood and Greg Hohnen. Harwood made birdie on the 17th to go 1 up with par down 18 enough to secure the win for Australia.

The standered of golf was of the highest quality with all games in red figures and Order of Merit champion Tim Elliott contributing seven birdies to his pair’s 3&2 victory.

Team Captain Rodger Davis collected the Trophy for the fourth time in six years. In his acceptance speech he acknowledged the significance of this year’s clash due to the passing of New Zealand’s Jim Clelland who had been the driving force behind the event and Kel Nagle the Australian golfing legend
who along with Bob Charles the event is named after.

With the score now at 4 – 2 the Kiwis are sure to come out strong next year.

Rodger Davis / Simon Jagot        lost 4&2 to        Simon Owen / Davitt Lavery
Mike Zilko / Paul Dalgleish           halved with       Peter Hayes / Alan Rose
David Merriman / Scott Ford        halved with       Peter Fowler
/ Stuart Reese
Richard Backwell / Glen Joyner   won 2&1 over   Richard Ellis / John Griffin
Mike Harwood / Greg Hohnen     won 2up over    Paul Powell / James Kupa
Tim Elliott / Hugh Dolan              
won 3&2 over    Craig Owen / Chris Treen