Barnes wins New Zealand Strokeplay Championship
IN: News | New Zealand Mens Amateur | New Zealand Amateur Championship (2003) | Final Round | 09 Apr 2003
Kurt Barnes reduced the fearsome par five at the Chisholm Park golf links to nothing more than a short par four today, much in the manner with which he dismissed the challenge of his rivals at the New Zealand Amateur golf championship.
The 21-year-old from Muswellbrook in New South Wales hit a drive of 327 metres on the 454-metre hole on his way to a four-stroke victory over his Australian team-mate Richard Moir. His second shot, with what he called a "baby wedge", brought an eagle as he returned a three-under 68 and a total of 272, 12 under par.
Lindsay Bernakevitch (Canada) took third place, a shot behind Moir, while Brent McEwan, from the neighbouring St Clair course, was the leading New Zealander when he tied with another Australian, Andrew McKenzie, on a six under 278.
The expected challenge from New Zealand No 1 Bradley Iles (Manor Park) didn't emerge. His morning 77 dropped him down the standings and when he closed with double bogeys on the 17th and 18th he had soared to 75, a four-round total of 288 and one shot out of the top 32 to begin contesting the matchplay championship tomorrow.
Barnes is a smart golfer. He used his power to tame the 14th and his brain to avoid the risk of a disaster at the par four 15th where a cliff at Tomahawk Beach sits by the fairway. The hole measures 405 metres but Barnes, with the Australian team manager Roger Hunt his caddy, played it as a hole five. He got his five without incident and then had only one more bullet to dodge, the par four 18th which Barnes had bogeyed on each of the first two rounds.
This time he played for a bogey, miscalculated and made a six but he was still the champion.
Afterwards he agreed he had never been as cold as he was for the last few holes but figured a hot shower followed by a cold beer would be on the night's programme.
But he did feel the heat of his rivals, mainly from his Aussie team-mates Moir and Michael Sim, who drifted to a tie for 10th.
It was his second win of the season, coming on top of success in the prestigious Riversdale Cup strokeplay event in Melbourne.
The final day of the strokeplay began in calm, sunny conditions which weren't reflected in the conditions. Yet when the clouds came in and the temperature dropped, the scoring picked up.
Two of the overseas players, Michael Lambert (Australia) and Matt Ian Young (Canada) each had 64s, the lowest scores posted by amateur golfers at Chisholm Park. Lambert had eight birdies and one bogey and Ion Young nine birdies and two bogeys.
The matchplay begins tomorrow (Thursday 10 April) with Barnes playing Hawke's Bay representative Guy Penrose.
Source - NZGA
