Brown leads NZ Open by three strokes

Updated November 24, 2012 16:46:49

New Zealander Mark Brown has jumped to the top of the leaderboard at the New Zealand Open with a third-round 6-under 66 in Christchurch.

Brown's score, the equal best at the Clearwater Golf Club, put him 5-under for the tournament on Saturday.

He will go into the final day with a three-shot buffer, giving him a great chance of being the first New Zealander to win the title since Mahal Pearce in 2003.

His closest pursuers are the Australian pair of Victorian Peter Wilson, who carded a 71, and New South Wales amateur Jake Higginbottom, who shot 72.

One shot further back are a quartet that includes New Zealander Michael Hendry and seasoned Australian Peter O'Malley.

The 47-year-old O'Malley, the 1995 champion, came home with three birdies on the back nine for a 68.

Brown, who was four shots off the pace at the start of the day, took little time to start making his move with birdies at the first two holes.

Five further birdies had him seven under for his round after 14.

His only blip came at the par-four 17th after his approach to the green spun off the front of the putting surface.

Brown almost saved par, his attempt from four metres lipping out.

The 37-year-old Wellingtonian came into the tournament with good form after a tie for third at the Australian Masters last week.

He says his putting was the difference compared with the first two days, when he had scores of 72 and 73.

"A couple of friends helped me out last night with a tip to stay a bit steadier," he said.

"In the wind, it helps to keep the old melon down a little bit. It felt a lot better and I did what I needed today and knocked a few in early."

Hendry was Brown's main challenger over the early part of the afternoon, but sputtered with two double-bogeys on the back nine after twice finding the water.

The leader on the PGA Tour of Australasia money list, Hendry signed for a 70 that included six birdies and an eagle.

AAP

Tags: sport, golf, new-zealand

First posted November 24, 2012 16:46:49

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Woods moves three strokes clear at Sherwood

Updated December 03, 2011 13:00:10

Tiger Woods mixed dazzling brilliance with occasional moments of sloppiness while charging into a three-shot lead in the second round of the Chevron World Challenge on Saturday morning.

Seeking his first victory in more than two years, the former world number one fired a 5-under-par 67 on a relatively calm day of gusting winds at Sherwood Country Club to take control of the tournament which he hosts.

Woods, who has not been in the winner's circle since the 2009 Australian Masters, recorded two eagles, five birdies, two bogeys and one double-bogey - along with three missed putts from three feet, to post an 8-under total of 136.

Overnight leader KJ Choi of South Korea lost ground after the turn to card a 73 and slip back into a tie for second at 5-under with American Matt Kuchar (67).

Two more Americans, Zach Johnson (67) and Hunter Mahan (68), were a further stroke back in a share of fourth.

"That was probably the highest score I probably could have shot today," Woods told reporters after taking the 36-hole lead for a second successive year in the elite 18-man event.

"I hit the ball really well, hit one bad shot today and almost made birdie on that hole if I would have hit a decent putt."

Woods pulled his tee shot under trees in the left rough at the par-5 fifth from where he was forced to chip out sideways back on to the fairway.

Despite hitting a stunning utility wood to three feet, he surprisingly missed the birdie putt.

"I hit a few bad putts today, but overall I really hit the ball well all day," the 14-times major winner said.

"I didn't really miss a shot."

For his second tournament in row, Woods holds the lead going into the last two rounds, having led the Australian Open by a shot after 36 holes.

"I want the lead after the four days," he said with a smile. "Two days is nice, but four days is even better. I know I'm playing better, and it's nice to see my position on the leaderboard kind of equating to it."

Woods made a sizzling start to the second round, eagling the par-5 second after hitting a superb second shot with a five-iron from an awkward side-hill lie in the left rough to five feet.

Immediately after striking the ball, Woods charged down the hill to watch the end result and then pumped his right fist in delight.

He calmly knocked in the eagle putt to trim Choi's overnight lead to just one shot before drawing level with the Korean at the par-3 third where he sank a 10-footer for birdie.

Choi edged a stroke in front at the par-4 fourth, thanks to a monster birdie putt from 40 feet, and then benefited from a surprising two-shot swing at the par-4 sixth.

Woods bogeyed the hole after three-putting, missing a three-footer there for par, while Choi knocked in a six-footer for birdie to get to 8-under overall, three ahead.

Two holes later, though, Choi's lead had again been cut to one.

Woods drained a 15-foot birdie putt at the tricky par-3 eighth and the Korean bogeyed the ninth after missing the green to the left with his approach and duffing his first chip from the rough.

Out in 3-under 33, Woods eagled the par-5 11th after hitting an exquisite four-iron to 15 feet. A birdie at the par-3 12th gave him the outright lead for the first time which he never relinquished.

Despite running up a double-bogey at the par-3 15th, where he hit what he described as "a sweet shot" that got caught in a gust before ending up in the water hazard guarding the front of the green, he birdied 16 and then bogeyed 17 after flying over the green with his tee shot.

"There was a little bit of wind out there on the back nine," Woods said with his trademark flashing smile.

Choi, who had been three shots clear overnight, struggled on the back nine and ran up an ugly quadruple-bogey at the 15th after hitting two balls into water.

Reuters

Tags: golf, sport, united-states

First posted December 03, 2011 12:56:47

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Toms seven strokes clear in PGA

Posted May 21, 2011 09:34:00

American veteran David Toms made the most of ideal scoring conditions after a lengthy weather delay to burst seven shots ahead of the field in record-equalling style at the Colonial Invitational.

Co-leader overnight with compatriot Chez Reavie, the red-hot Toms birdied four of the last eight holes for a second successive 8-under-par 62 at Colonial Country Club.

The 44-year-old, who was beaten in a playoff for the Players Championship last week, matched the PGA Tour record for the lowest 36-hole start with a 16-under total of 124.

Fellow American Pat Perez set the same mark after the first two rounds of the 2009 Bob Hope Classic.

Australians Steve Bowditch (64) and John Senden (66) were tied for second at nine under with South Korean Charlie Wi (67) and American Mark Wilson (66).

Toms, however, spreadeagled the field with another bogey-free display at Colonial where he reached 17 of 18 greens in regulation and needed only 27 putts.

He birdied the first, fourth, seventh and ninth to stretch his lead to three but, after hitting his tee shot at the 11th, had to wait two-and-a-half hours to resume when play was suspended due to the threat of lightning.

"I guess it was a chance to lose some momentum," Toms, a 12-times PGA Tour champion, told reporters.

"But I came out and the conditions were perfect for scoring.

"My mindset was to just keep making birdies, try to separate myself a little bit. I just went out and played great the last eight holes or so, some of the best golf I have played in a long time."

Toms, whose most recent PGA Tour victory came at the 2006 Sony Open, said conditions following the weather delay were typical of late afternoon golf after a rain shower.

- Reuters

Tags: sport, golf, united-states

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