Sim holds up in conditions to lead in NZ
IN: News | New Zealand Mens Amateur | New Zealand Amateur Championship (2005) | Round Three | 20 Apr 2005
Australia's leading amateur golfer Michael Sim will take a two shot lead in to tomorrow's final round of strokeplay at the New Zealand Championships in Manawatu.
The Western Australian shot a third round one-under par 71 for a 54-hole total of 201, 15-under par at the Manawatu Golf Club today. He leads compatriot Adam Porker, who shot a superb four-under 68, to move to second place on 13-under par.
The leading New Zealander is North Island champion Brad Iles who shot a one-over 73 for a three-round total of 209, seven-under par. He shares third place with Australian Mitchell Brown, who recovered from a four-putt, three three-putts and a lost ball in his adventurous two-over 74.
Strong winds and fast greens provided some ammunition for the Hokowhitu course after a mauling over the first two days. Only 14 players managed to better par today, a far cry from 36 players to achieve the feat in ideal conditions on Monday.
The Australians proved the toughest in the tough conditions, with six visitors in the top 10 after the third round.
While the winds blew hard, ironically weighing less than 70kgs each, both Sim and Porker stood up best of the main contenders to clear out from the field.
The biggest movers were Southland teenager Todd Sinclair, who raced through the back nine in 31 on the way to a six-under 66, and the in-form Taranaki player Troy Ropiha, who shot five birdies without blemish in his 67. Ropiha jumped 26 places to a share of 10th on four-under 212 and Sinclair 49 spots to a share of 11th place.
Sim, the 2004 Eisenhower Trophy representative, fired five birdies before finally dropping his first shot at his 46th hole with a double bogey at the 10th. He was disappointed to drop shots at both the 17th and 18th to allow Porker to claw his way firmly back into the contest.
Porker, the 24-year-old who missed out on a spot in the Australian team for next month's Four Nations tournament in Japan, dropped just one shot today with five birdies as he stayed out of trouble in the testing conditions.
Iles started strongly with three early birdies but made three bogies and a double to effectively rule him out of contention for the strokeplay honours.
The second Kiwi behind Iles is first round leader Travis O'Connell (The Grange) who shot a three-over par 75 for a three round total of 211, five-under par. He shares this with New Zealand representative Jae An (Springfield) and Australians Kurt Carlson and Justin Maker. Another Australian Marc Leishman is one shot further back with Ropiha in a share of ninth place, one shot ahead of New Zealand junior representative Perry Hayman (WellingtoN0, Sinclair and yet another player from across the Tasman, Andrew Dodt.
There's a log-jamb in the chase for a place in the top 32 to contest the matchplay with seven players locked for the final spot on two-over par 218. Key players on the cusp for a top-32 spot include New Zealand representatives Josh Geary (Tauranga), James Gill (Hamilton) and Mathew Holten (Te Aroha).
The final round is tomorrow with matchplay starting on Friday, quarterfinals and semifinals on Saturday and 36-hole final on Sunday.
Source - NZGA
