INTERPROVINCIAL GOLF: Bay soak up early victories | Hawkes Bay Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Hawkes Bay

No part of the Manawatu Golf Club escaped rain yesterday.

Players dutifully took club-length drop-outs from fairways through to the greens during the opening day of the Toro Interprovincials in Palmerston North to escape pools of water.

As it turned out, Storfort Auto Sales Ltd-sponsored Hawke's Bay senior men and Otago were the only teams to register two victories on a wickedly wet and wild day.

"They were squeezing the greens dry all day. One guy [club groundsman] said to me he cleared a green six times and every time it rained," Bay manager/selector Allen Forrest told SportToday about 8.30 last night.

"It was getting dark but we managed to finish. I must say the club did a tremendous job to ensure both the rounds were completed," said Forrest, apologising for abruptly ending the interview because the kitchen was expected to stop serving dinner at 9pm.

"We may have to end up buying takeaways at this rate because the boys are having a quick shower before heading for the kitchen," he said with a laugh.

The Bay boys were in sublime form in the morning, walloping pre-tournament favourites Waikato 4-1 after their 8.50am start was delayed to 9.45am.

"We had more rain delays in the morning - three actually - and we didn't finish the round until 2.30 in the arvo.

"Waikato got a bit of a shock but we kept the momentum going," Forrest said.

Top seed Daniel Pearce, just back from the Argentina Open, No 3 Leighton James and No 4 Supravee Phatam won their matches while No 2 Pieter Zwart and No 5 Stuart Duff were all square against the stunned Mooloo men.

 Forrest felt their practice match against Aorangi on Monday had got the boys in the mood, as well as the 8-6 Auck-Hawke Cup win against the Aucklanders at the Hastings Golf Club a fortnight ago.

Hawke's Bay and New Zealand high-performance coach Brian Doyle, of Hastings, said the Bay's slim victory over Auckland was a Houdini act as the players had a quick lunch before teeing off again at 3pm to win 3 and 2 over their opposition.

Auckland and New Zealand representative Ryan Fox, who visits Doyle in Hastings for lessons, used fellow international Pearce to mop up the pools of water with a resounding 8 and 7 victory.

Zwart succumbed 4 and 2 to Gary John Hill but James had a gritty one-up win over Ben Wallace, Phatam took care of Fraser Wilkin 3 and 1 before Duff demolished Jason Mann 5 and 4.

"Leighton was one down with two holes to go and he got up to win in the last hole," said a relieved but exhausted Forrest, who caddied for Duff.

The Bay lead division two with two wins and seven individual games, while Otago lead division one with the same figures but are half a game shy of the Bay's total.

Forrest's men will relish the bye this morning and welcome a kinder weather forecast as they prepare to lock horns with the hosts, Manawatu Wanganui, who beat Taranaki 3 1/2 and 1/2 in the morning finishing all square, 2 1/2 and 2 1/2, against Tasman in the afternoon.

Doyle said of last year's No 12 finishers at the Interprovincials: "The hosts are traditionally always harder to beat."

Nevertheless, he said the Bay were reaping the benefits of adopting a simple plan.

"We decided not to put too much pressure on ourselves and just go out and treat it like any other day of golf.

"You know you hit the same shot, you putt the same way and you go through that routine. The boys did that today and they did very well."

• Results - page 12.