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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Three players disqualified at Ladies Masters

Updated February 03, 2012 18:14:32

Promising teenage amateur Annie Choi says she is devastated after being disqualified from the Australian Ladies Masters along with her two playing partners for a rules blunder.

Gold Coast-based 16-year-old Choi was disqualified along with Sydney's Corie Hou and Melbourne's Inhong Lim on Friday when it was discovered they had taken preferred lies in the rough during Thursday's first round.

Choi said they had misunderstood what the starter said before they teed off about the local rule allowing preferred lies on the fairways because of wet conditions at the Royal Pines course.

"I'm devastated but I accept it," said Choi, who was equal-leading amateur along with 14-year-old Lydia Ko after her opening two-under-par 70 and hoping to earn entry to next week's Women's Australian Open.

Lim and Hou had been long odds to make the weekend cut after opening scores of 80 and 81 respectively.

Choi said the trio had been told the preferred lies were in place "everywhere" and took that to include rough.

The trio had played only one hole of their second round when the rule breach was reported to Ladies European Tour Operations director Cyprien Comoy.

All three admitted to taking taking preferred lies off the fairways in the first round and were disqualified because it meant they had signed incorrect scorecards.

If it had been spotted before they had signed, they could have played on with penalty strokes.

"It was a surprise to them, certainly," Comoy said.

"The girls accepted the decision. It is not a pleasant thing but a harsh lesson learned.

"Absolutely, we accept it was a genuine mistake.

"When they've missed the fairway and in the rough, they've thought they could pick up their balls, clean them and take a preferred lie.

"They thought it was through the green, which means the entire course without the hazards.

"It's a player's responsibility to read the rule sheet and know the rules."

The tournament's Rule 4 reads: "a ball lying on a closely-mown area through the green may be lifted and cleaned without penalty".

Highly-respected Queensland coach Charlie Earp, who's seen many talented youngsters, believes Korean-born Choi has the potential to reach similar heights to Karrie Webb.

The Queensland based player won the Australian Junior Championship last year and the 2009 Greg Norman Junior Masters aged 14, the same age as Webb when she won it.

She had been hoping to qualify for next week's Australian Women's Open at Royal Melbourne by finishing leading amateur in the Masters but will have to try to pre-qualify at Kingswood Golf Club next week.

The tournament leader is South Korean So Yeon Ryu who shot an 11-under-ar 61 to storm to 17-under after two rounds.

AAP

Tags: sport, golf, australia, qld, benowa-4217

First posted February 03, 2012 16:08:17

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Stricker triumphs by three shots at Kapalua

Updated January 10, 2012 13:08:07

Steve Stricker held off Martin Laird, Jonathan Byrd and Webb Simpson to open the US PGA Tour season with a three-shot victory at the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii.

Stricker closed out the tournament at the Plantation Course in Maui with a 4-under-par 69 to finish at 23-under for the tournament, three ahead of Laird (67) at 20-under.

Simpson (68) and defending champion Byrd (68) were a further stroke back at 19-under.

Stricker started the day with a five-shot cushion but while the challengers started making ground, the 44-year-old was stagnant with early pars.

Despite having a chance at eagle on the fifth hole, a nervous three-putt left the now world number five with just a two-stroke cushion over Laird.

The scent of blood was in the water when a flubbed chip on the very next hole led to a dropped stroke for Stricker.

Byrd closed in with a birdie for a two-stroke swing - at just one back it was game on.

But Stricker refused to lie down and bounced back with a clutch 23-foot birdie putt on the eighth green, a critical moment considering Byrd missed his 10-foot par putt to post bogey and Laird also found trouble.

When Stricker tapped in for another birdie on the par-5 ninth his lead was once again three shots.

Byrd managed to gain one back on the 10th with birdie but could not find another gear and settled for a tie for third in his title defence as Stricker pulled away once more.

The now 12-time winner on Tour birdied the 12th, 16th and 18th holes to close out any challenge.

Aaron Baddeley, Australia's only competitor, finished with a 4-under 69 to move to 6-under and 21st place.

Baddeley posted three birdies and an eagle in his final round with just the lone bogey but was 17 shots off the pace.

Looking to gain some momentum for a busy upcoming west coast swing and garner as many world-ranking points as possible, Baddeley played solid golf.

His only blemish was on the fifth hole when he took an air swing trying to advance the ball from a terrible lie against long grass and eventually took bogey.

But tap in birdies on the sixth, ninth and 12th holes and a brilliant eagle on the 18th gave the 30-year-old something to smile about.

AAP

Tags: golf, sport, hawaii, united-states

First posted January 10, 2012 12:45:25

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Build a Consistent and Reliable Golfing Swing With These Three Principles

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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Appleby three back in North Carolina

Updated August 20, 2011 12:34:27

Tommy Gainey was not too happy with his game but still managed to seize a three-shot lead over Australian Stuart Appleby after two rounds of the US PGA Tour's Wyndham Championship in North Carolina.

American Gainey fired a 5-under-par 65 for a 12-under total of 128.

That gave him a the second-best 36-hole score in the history of the tournament and a three-shot advantage over Appleby, South African Ernie Els and Americans Daniel Summerhays and Webb Simpson.

Els carded a 66, Appleby a 67 and both Simpson and Summerhays posted 65s.

Another four players were tied on 132 - Jim Furyk (67), Brazil's Alexandre Rocha (66), England's Paul Casey (67) and South African Retief Goosen (65).

Gainey, who started the day tied for the lead with Jeff Quinney, had six birdies and just one bogey but said he did not hit the ball as well as he did in his sparkling first-round 63.

"I hit it worse today than I did yesterday off the tee. I hit my irons worse than I did yesterday," said Gainey, who is still feeling the effects of a sprained left wrist suffered hitting out of the rough at the Canadian Open.

"It's just hard to make birdies when you keep putting yourself ... in the rough.

"The harder you swing at it to get it out, just the more shock that goes into the wrist."

The 125 of Sweden's Carl Pettersson in 2008 is the only two-round total on the par-70 Sedgefield course better than Gainey's.

But Gainey said he had a long way to go in search of a first US PGA Tour title.

"I haven't really accomplished anything in two days," Gainey said.

"The only thing I've accomplished is, I've set myself up in good shape going into the weekend."

Numerous players are trying to play their way into the play-offs, which start with The Barclays in New Jersey next week.

That included number 130 in the standings, Ireland's Padraig Harrington. He birdied two of his last four holes en route to a 68, making the cut at 3-under 137.

"Look at the order of names, everybody around me seems to be in the same position with me," Harrington said.

"Obviously, I'm going to (need to) have a good weekend in order to get through."

Colombian Camilo Villegas, 125th on the list, carded a 64 for 134.

Els, 126th in the play-off standings, had three birdies in five holes late in his round to move up the leaderboard.

AFP

Tags: golf, sport, united-states

First posted August 20, 2011 12:34:27

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Scott, Day three shots off lead in US

Updated September 23, 2011 08:54:06

Adam Scott and Jason Day are just three shots off the lead and tied fifth during a weather-interrupted first round of the US PGA Tour Championship.

Australia's best world-ranked golfers each opened with an impressive 3-under-par 67 to trail American and recent PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley by three strokes in the prestigious event at East Lake Golf Club.

Rain and lightning stopped play early with four of the 30-man field yet to complete their round.

Americans Jason Dufner (66) and Chez Reavie (66) carded 4-under rounds to be tied second with Englishman and world number one Luke Donald who was 4-under through 17 holes.

Scott is looking for his second victory of the year after claiming the World Golf Championships Bridgestone Invitational back in August, while Day is on track for an impressive 10th top 10.

Both men remain mathematical chances to take out the $US10 million bonus for winner of the FedEx Cup, but must find a way to win the tournament and hope others falter.

It was a precision ball-striking day for Scott who could have shot much lower if his long putter had cooperated. He found 16 of 18 greens in regulation but missed six putts from inside 10 feet making a super low score impossible.

The 31-year-old Queenslander was behind the eight ball early when he bogeyed the fifth hole, thanks to a three-putt, but he bounced back just two holes later by making a 4.5-metre birdie.

While chance after chance then passed him by, he remained calm and kickstarted a late run with a 10-metre bomb putt on the 14th hole.

Scott then finished birdie, birdie on the final two holes to get within striking distance of the lead.

"It was a good round out there today. I played really solid," Scott said.

"I hit a lot of greens but left a lot of chances out there. To finish birdie, birdie was a nice way to end the day and make something out of what could have been a really good round.

"I had so many chances from 10 feet today so that's a little disappointing but it's good that I'm playing really great and giving myself some chances.

"If I can do that for three more days, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have a hot one out there."

Day also started with an early bogey but birdied the ninth hole to get back square on the front nine. He then gained shots on three of the last five holes to join Scott at 3-under.

Geoff Ogilvy fired a 1-under 69 to be 18th while Presidents Cup hopefuls Aaron Baddeley and John Senden had differing days.

Baddeley shared the lead at one point before finishing with a 2-under 68 to be tied 10th, while Senden struggled to be 3-over par and in a tie for 28th.

AAP

Tags: golf, sport, united-states

First posted September 23, 2011 08:10:45

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Appleby three back in North Carolina

Updated August 20, 2011 12:34:27

Tommy Gainey was not too happy with his game but still managed to seize a three-shot lead over Australian Stuart Appleby after two rounds of the US PGA Tour's Wyndham Championship in North Carolina.

American Gainey fired a 5-under-par 65 for a 12-under total of 128.

That gave him a the second-best 36-hole score in the history of the tournament and a three-shot advantage over Appleby, South African Ernie Els and Americans Daniel Summerhays and Webb Simpson.

Els carded a 66, Appleby a 67 and both Simpson and Summerhays posted 65s.

Another four players were tied on 132 - Jim Furyk (67), Brazil's Alexandre Rocha (66), England's Paul Casey (67) and South African Retief Goosen (65).

Gainey, who started the day tied for the lead with Jeff Quinney, had six birdies and just one bogey but said he did not hit the ball as well as he did in his sparkling first-round 63.

"I hit it worse today than I did yesterday off the tee. I hit my irons worse than I did yesterday," said Gainey, who is still feeling the effects of a sprained left wrist suffered hitting out of the rough at the Canadian Open.

"It's just hard to make birdies when you keep putting yourself ... in the rough.

"The harder you swing at it to get it out, just the more shock that goes into the wrist."

The 125 of Sweden's Carl Pettersson in 2008 is the only two-round total on the par-70 Sedgefield course better than Gainey's.

But Gainey said he had a long way to go in search of a first US PGA Tour title.

"I haven't really accomplished anything in two days," Gainey said.

"The only thing I've accomplished is, I've set myself up in good shape going into the weekend."

Numerous players are trying to play their way into the play-offs, which start with The Barclays in New Jersey next week.

That included number 130 in the standings, Ireland's Padraig Harrington. He birdied two of his last four holes en route to a 68, making the cut at 3-under 137.

"Look at the order of names, everybody around me seems to be in the same position with me," Harrington said.

"Obviously, I'm going to (need to) have a good weekend in order to get through."

Colombian Camilo Villegas, 125th on the list, carded a 64 for 134.

Els, 126th in the play-off standings, had three birdies in five holes late in his round to move up the leaderboard.

AFP

Tags: golf, sport, united-states

First posted August 20, 2011 12:34:27

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