Hull and Oh: They're at it again

BY Liz White | ALPG Tour | 2009 New Zealand Women's Open | Round Two | 31 Jan 2009

It’s round two in the Hull versus Oh battle heading into tomorrow’s final day of the New Zealand Open at Christchurch’s Clearwater Resort.

Last week the pair duelled it out at the NSW Open with Sarah Oh the victor.

Today the Sydneysider fired off a peerless bogey free round of 5 under 67 to be 9 under for the championship. She laid out the challenge to Katherine Hull, who sits three shots behind on 6 under, after a frustrating 1 over round of 73 today.

“Game on with Katherine tomorrow again,” Oh smiled.

“I love playing golf with her, we are just going to have a great day out there.”

Oh does not believe she has the advantage over Hull, despite her three-shot defeat of the Queenslander last Sunday.

“Everyone has the advantage out there, it is just who has a better round on the day and feels more comfortable,” she said.

Even though Hull wasn’t able to chase Oh down at the NSW Open last week, those thoughts will not be in her head when she stands on the first tee tomorrow.

“I don’t think I have to forget about last week because I am already focused on this week and it is not really an issue. Tomorrow is a new day,” she said.

“My game plan won’t change that much. I won’t pay much attention to what she is doing, I will just go out and play the best golf I can play and see what happens.”

Hull admits she will have to improve dramatically after a round today which included five bogeys and four birdies.

“Short game let me down, I didn’t obviously make as many putts today as I did yesterday,” she said.

“With the wind out there you had to be really precise and I wasn’t, so I got punished and that’s the way it goes.”

Hull certainly had the tougher conditions today, hitting off three and a half hours after Oh who played most of her round in a fairly calm breeze.

Today’s 67 was another sound performance by the 20-year-old, whose game has stepped up impressively from the amateur ranks, where she was just 18 months ago.

In just one week, Oh’s world ranking has dropped 128 spots down to 339. A win tomorrow could see her join the top 200.

Oh looks and feels comfortable in the company of Hull and Europe’s number one, Gwladys Nocera. She even sounds the part.

“Today I was just steady with my round,” she said.

“I was happy with everything actually, it could have been better if I dropped more putts out there, but you know, you can’t drop everything.”

Just like she was at last week’s NSW Open, France’s Gwladys Nocera will be the support act in the final grouping tomorrow.

She leapt up the leader board courtesy of a superb 4 under round, scored in the increasingly windy conditions.

“I like to play in the wind it is more fun for me because I know it is harder for everyone,” she explained.

At four off the lead, Nocera has a rather laissez-faire approach to tomorrow’s final day even if she hasn’t exactly thrown in the towel.

“It’s all about sport it doesn’t matter who wins as long as you do your best,” the European number one said.

As for Europe’s former number one, Laura Davies, the inaugural New Zealand Open has not been a happy experience.

Yesterday she shot a five over round of 77 and unfortunately things did not improve much today after another bogey littered round of 76. It left her on 9 over for the tournament, but surprisingly she will still have a start tomorrow.

Clearwater has proven a tough test for most of the players. With the swirling winds making scoring difficult, only nine players finished sub par after 36 holes. The cut was set at +12.

Tomorrow the wind is expected to shift and come from the south, changing the way the course plays again.

Hull is keenly aware of what she needs to do tomorrow to take the silverware.

“When the wind is up it is even more critical that you are picking the right targets and clubs, so it will be an even bigger test tomorrow,” she said.

“It probably won’t be easy to make a lot of birdies out there you just have to keep it steady, no matter what the conditions.”

While Oh will be keen to secure back-to-back victories, either way she is certain she will have a great day tomorrow.

“It’s fun, the atmosphere is great, there is a lot of galleries around,” she said.

“It is cheering me on.”

And she hopes those cheers will be extra loud tomorrow.