Huriwaka has been close over the years he has been travelling to Ūawa to contest one of Tairāwhiti’s three “Majors”.
He defeated Springfield member and former Bay of Plenty representative Marcus Lloyd 3 and 2 in the championship 16 matchplay final on Sunday afternoon.
Huriwaka’s putter had proved a weapon up to the final and anchored his game once again.
Little separated the pair over the opening nine holes, but when Huriwaka went 1-up on the 11th, he never looked back. He won the 14th, then the 15th to go dormie 3-up and closed it out on 16.
Huriwaka beat Electrinet Park’s Matt Henwood in the first round. The pair know each other well as Ōpōtiki Sports Club rugby old boys – Huriwaka having played over 100 premier games for the club.
His best golf came against Poverty Bay’s Dan Collier, the pair exchanging either pars or birdies before Huriwaka got home 1-up.
The semi-final was one-way traffic, a 12th-hole dismissal of Selwyn Lloyd (Marcus’s son), although Huriwaka said it was a more a case of “scrambling” and “ramming” home putts as they tried to stay warm on a chilly Tolaga Bay Sunday morning.
Marcus Lloyd defeated Dwayne Russell (Pātutahi), Jason Devery (Te Puia Hot Springs) and 2001 King of the Coast champion Tony Akroyd (Poverty Bay) – 5 and 4 – en route to the final.
Huriwaka has a strong affinity with the East Coast. He played club rugby for TVC and made the Ngāti Porou East Coast Kaupoi squad for the 2025 Heartland Championship, playing seven games in the front row.
The King of the Coast is also special to him. He loves “everything about it” … from the competitive element to the 19th-hole camaraderie, especially “catching up with the brothers”.
He will be looking to add to this latest feat at the region’s other two major men’s tournaments: the Poverty Bay Open at Awapuni Links in September and the East Coast Open at Te Puia Hot Springs in November.
In other finals at the KotC, home-course player Tim Adamson beat Tuakana August (Kawerau) 6 and 5 in the second 16 final; Korban Harrison-Allen beat local Roland Waru in the third 16 final; and Gray Clapham (Poverty Bay) beat Darren Thompson (Springfield) 3 and 2 in the fourth 16 final.
The field included Springfield Golf Club president and former Auckland rugby and cricket representative Paul Fox, who is the uncle of Open champion Ryan Fox.
“Good bugger, mean yarns,” said Akroyd, who beat Fox in round 2. “He can get it out there, too.”
Shot befitting a royal tournament
Joe Sheridan will forever remember the 2026 King of the Coast for one shot.
The perfect one.
The Tolaga Bay local lit up the popular men’s open tournament on Saturday with what every golfer strives for.
Not only was his hole-in-one on the 132-metre eighth hole a career first; it was the way he did it that will be a story to tell the grandkids.
Sheridan struck an 8-iron into a green with the hole cut near the back.
His ball bounced about 2 feet past the flagstick, then spun back and into the cup, much to the delight of those who witnessed it from the nearby ninth tee, a number of them running over to the green in celebration.
“It was a bit of a buzz,” the fencer said. “But it rattled me. Everything went out the window after that.”
Sheridan also had a birdie-2 in the round, but it wasn’t enough as he lost on the 19th hole to Greg Hawea, then returned to the 19th (clubhouse) for his ace shout.
“It cost me a bit of money.”
That didn’t worry him. Sheridan has become a hardcore member since taking up the game and wouldn’t miss the annual King of the Coast for the world.
“It’s an awesome weekend.”
Ace celebration … Joe Sheridan (second from left) on the eighth green at Tolaga Bay with his playing four after achieving his career-first hole-in-one at the King of the Coast on Saturday. With him are Greg Hawea (left), Watene Reedy and Max Ratana.
SATURDAY/SUNDAY – King of the Coast men’s open, championship 16, final: Micky Huriwaka (Ōpōtiki) from Marcus Lloyd (Springfield).
Third: Tony Akroyd (Poverty Bay) from Selwyn Lloyd (Springfield).
Flight: Tini Hawea (Pātutahi) from Matt Henwood (Electrinet Park).
Plate: Daniel Collier (PB) from Paul Fox (Springfield).
Consolation flight: Hukanui Brown (Pātutahi).
Second 16, final: Tim Adamson (Tolaga Bay) from Tuakana August (Kawerau).
Third: Kopua Robinson (Ōpōtiki) from Terry Reeves (Waikohu).
Flight: Wade Wesche (Mahia) from Bruce Yates (Tol B).
Plate: Andy Hayward (PB) from Will Yates (Tol B).
Consolation flight: Peter Stewart (PB).
Third 16, final: Korban Harrison-Allen (Pātutahi) from Roland Waru (Tol B).
Third: Percy Milner (Waikohu) from Toby Williams (PB).
Flight: Dave Waihaki (Mahia) from Tom Hindmarsh (Pātutahi).
Plate: Hamish Harris (Pātutahi) from Josh Hayes (Electrinet Park).
Consolation flight: Athol Glover (Shandon).
Fourth 16, final: Gray Clapham (PB) from Daren Thompson (Springfield).
Third: Peter Bain (Carterton) from Watene Reedy (Tol B).
Flight: Gary McLean (Tol B) from Max Ratana (Kawerau).
Plate: Alan Carswell (Springfield) from Vinny Robertson.
Consolation flight: Heath Tupara (Electrinet Park).
Sally Spence (left) and Sue McLaughlin were the front 9 winners of the Koco Classic women’s competition held at Poverty Bay Golf Club last weekend.
Poverty Bay
Camaraderie and fun were the overriding themes of a successful Koco Classic women’s tournament held at the weekend.
The Classic paired 18-hole players with 9-holers or those who had come through the She Loves Golf programme run by NZ Golf Tairāwhiti participation and club support coordinator Anaru Reedy.
It featured 9 holes on Saturday and another 9 on Sunday – each pair playing the back 9 or front 9 only in a four-ball best-ball net format.
Sally Spence and Sue McLaughlin won the front 9 with a 28 on countback from Birgitt Whyte and Suzy Gardner.
Countback also decided the back 9 winners – Di Sherratt and Kate Thorpe recording 27 to win from Colleen Skuse and Ros Dodgshun.
A pot luck Sunday lunch was held alongside the prizegiving.
Paul “Rick” Rickard plays so much golf nowadays he has been called “The Pro” in honour of the late Ron “The Pro” Low. And he fired on all 18 cylinders of his handicap to win the veterans’ Stableford on Tuesday with his best round of the year – 83-18-65, for 43 points.
Kate Thorpe (left) and Di Sherratt won the back 9 section of the Koco Classic.
WEDNESDAY – Women’s 6x6x6 competition: J. Muir from G. Young, C. Nelson, S. Spence.
Juliet Rickard Jug 9-hole series: S. Armstrong from R. Pettigrew.
9-hole women’s Stableford: W. Linton 22.
TUESDAY – Veterans’ Stableford: P. Rickard 43, L. Foster 38, B. Anderson 38, C. Poole 38, C. Hensley 37, B. Read 36.
MONDAY – Women’s Stableford: K. Toon 44, S. Spence 39.
SUNDAY – Koco Classic women’s 2-day, 9-hole four-ball, best-ball net, front 9: S. Spence/S. McLaughlin 28 on c/b from B. Whyte/S. Gardner.
Back 9: D. Sherratt/K. Thorpe 27 on c/b from C. Skuse/R. Dodgshun.
Longest putts: B. Kemp (on 9), D. Sherratt (on 18).
Men’s Stableford, Division 1: S. Andreassen 39, C. Taewa 38, A. White 38.
Division 2: L. Hunt 40, C. Carmody 38, K. Marshall 38, R. Chalmers 38.
Twos: R. Chalmers, C. Taewa, M. Lewin.
Nearest to pin: R. Chalmers.
SATURDAY – Men’s Stableford, Division 1: P. Clayton 39, J. Jenner 37, T. Goldsmith 37, G. Brown 37, M. Jefferson 37.
Division 2: C. Simpson 37, K. Goldsmith 36, J. Finch 35, J. Kerekere 35.
Twos: K. Marshall, V. Richardson, M. Jefferson.
Nearest to pin: V. Richardson.
THURSDAY (July 23) – Men’s Stableford, Division 1: M. Lewin 40, M. Thomas 37, W. Mortleman 37.
Division 2: K. Goldsmith 37, B. Croskery 36, T. Sherratt 36, S. Harbottle 36, H. Williams 36.
Twos: V. Richardson, J. Pittar.
Nearest to pin: V. Richardson.
WEDNESDAY (July 22) – Burke Cup President’s v Captain’s team matchplay Stableford: Captain’s team 101.5 President’s team 90.5.
Women’s Stableford: M. Allan 37, M. Shanks 36, J. Steele 36.
Twos: R. Taewa, Sally Spence.
MONDAY (July 20) – Women’s net: P. Dymock 70, J. Muir 72, R. Spence 74.
COMING UP: SUNDAY, Flog Day Play The Course Backwards open tournament, 9am shotgun start, open to all men and women district golfers, prizegiving and barbecue to follow, fundraiser for club lounge and bar renovations.
Waikohu
Kahu Tamanui discovered his best form of 2026 to win the men’s division of the Stableford plus hidden holes competition on Sunday.
Tamanui shot 94-30-64 and his 42 points plus five points for the hidden holes gave him a total of 47.
Cheryl Te Rito won the women’s division with a 37 total.
SUNDAY – Stableford plus hidden holes, men’s division: K. Tamanui 42+5=47; T. Smith 39+5=44; S. Ritchie 30+3=33.
Women’s division: C. Te Rito 32+5=37; T. Rutene 32+5=37; E. Wynyard 30+2=32.
Men’s Pairs Championship winners: Sonny Ritchie and Te Kotahi Kaio.
Te Puia Hot Springs
Entries are being taken for the 2026 East Coast Open Championship at Te Puia Hot Springs Golf Club on Novmeber 14-15.
An entry form is available on the club’s website or by contacting Mark Higham at m.higham@xtra.co.nz.
Pātutahi
It was Toa to the fore in Sunday and Friday competitions at the ’Tahi.
Shannon Toa won Division 1 of the Friday meat pack 9-hole Stableford with 20 points, then shot 78-8-70, for 36 points, to win Division 1 in Sunday’s competition.
The round of the weekend, however, came from teenager Jack Williams, who won Division 2 on Sunday with 43 points.
SUNDAY – Men’s Stableford, Division 1: S. Toa 36, D. Pohatu 36, G. Brown 34. D. Williams 34, S. Pohatu 32.
Division 2: J. Williams 43, M. Smith 38, S. Gray 37, J. Tietjen 36, A. Zame 36.
FRIDAY – Meat pack 9-hole Stableford, Division 1: S. Toa 20, G. Bramwell 19, T. Brodie 18, R. Wells 17, R. Chambers 17, B. Williams 17.
Division 2: D. Quinn 22, J. Blair 19, I. Tietjen 17, B. Tietjen 17, G. Maude 16, J. Tietjen 15.