Park leads day two of NZ Womens Amateur
IN: News | New Zealand Womens Amateur | New Zealand Women's Amateur Championship (2004) | Round Two | 07 Dec 2004
Otago teenager Jenny Park signalled her return to the top flight when she topped qualifiers at the Lion Foundation Women's Amateur Golf Championship in Wanganui today.
Park, 17, who has not played for New Zealand since her debut at last December's Commonwealth Tournament in Auckland, shot a two round total of 147, one-over par in tough conditions at Wanganui Golf Club today.
She is one shot ahead of New Zealand representative Sarah Nicholson (Wainuiomata) with two shots back to North Harbour teenager Bobae Kim who shot 150. Nicholson's fellow Espirito Santo world championship teammate Penny Nicholson is fourth qualifier on 151, a shot ahead of pre-tournament favourite Nikki Garrett (Australia).
After some competitive morning form, the players faced fierce winds in the afternoon round which pushed scoring out on the par-73 Belmont course.
Park, 17, led the morning round with Nicholson, both shooting two-under par 71. The Otago player fired four birdies and a double bogey in her morning round, and followed with a three-over 76 in the afternoon in a mixed bag including four birides, five bogeys and a double.
Nicholson rattled home in four-under 33 for her morning 71, but struggled in the afternoon missing three birdies with five bogeys and a double.
Newbrook was solid today without setting the course alight, while Garrett, last year's beaten finalist, recovered from a disappointing first round 79 to shoot the afternoon low-round with an even-par 73. The New South Wales player, currently ranked fourth on the Australian rankings, fired five birdies in the afternoon mixed with three bogeys and a double bogey.
Garrett was joined on six-over par 152 by 13-year-old Northland player Haeji Kang and Arrowtown's Hester Wallace.
There were no significant surprises in the 32 qualifiers that include all four Australians, Garrett, Heather Warren, Karen Quinn and Michelle Coetzee.
Kang is the youngest of the qualifiers at 13, while the top 32 includes experienced veterans Robyn Boniface (Southland) and the Tarananaki pair of Debbie McCallum and Chris Wilson.
Key first round clashes include foursomes winner, 16-year-old Sally Choi against fellow Taranaki representative McCallum and Nicholson, the second seed, against Queensland's Coetzee.
There are two rounds matchplay tomorrow, quarterfinals and semifinals on Thursday and 36-hole final on Friday.
Source - NZGA
