Little known Aussie leads NZ Amateur
BY iseekgolf.com | New Zealand Mens Amateur Tour | 2008 New Zealand Amateur Championship | Round Two | 24 Apr 2008
Little known Western Australian golfer James Carr is the surprise leader after two rounds of the Lion Foundation Amateur Championships on the Kapiti Coast today.
Carr, who missed the cut at his home championship last week by just one shot, fired a three-under 68 to move to five-under 137 as the scoring hotted up in the men’s championship at Paraparaumu Beach.
The men took full advantage of a pristine Paraparaumu Beach course and idyllic conditions with 19 players shooting in the 60s today.
Carr, surprisingly one of only two Australians in the field, was one-over at the turn today but zoomed home with four birdies in his second nine for his 68 and the lead.
He is two shots clear of four players on three-under 139 that includes North Harbour’s Todd Baek (Peninsula) and a trio of Wellingtonians – Paraparaumu’s James Betts, overnight leader Malcolm Gullery (Hutt) and Miramar’s Peter Spearman-Burn.
Spearman-Burn, 18, is pleased with his form and his position going into the final two rounds with a two-under 69 today following his first round 70.
“I’m pretty happy where I am, not leading and a few shots behind so I can always charge a bit tomorrow. Hopefully I can shoot a low score tomorrow. I need a low one,” Spearman-Burn said.
“I hit most of the greens but just struggled a bit on the greens. “I had plenty of chances today.”
“We have had a few Wellington tournaments, so I know the course pretty well which is a bit of an advantage. It’s good conditions, nice greens and so it’s playing pretty easy in these conditions so there’s some low scoring.”
The two-time North Island under-19 winner and former New Zealand Under-19 champion, who will lead the New Zealand junior team in next week’s Trans Tasman Cup, has his focus on winning his first national senior title.
“I am hitting it well enough and if I can make a few more putts then I can be right in it.”
“I would love to win it. I’ve not won a senior title so the strokeplay title would be fantastic.”
Masterton’s Michael Schofield and Canterbury left-hander Willie Moore (Windsor) sixth place on two-under par 140, a shot ahead of six players including 2006 national amateur champion Andrew Green and national squad member Kevin Smith (Taruanga).
Betts, New Zealand representative Jared Pender (Tauranga) and 2006 national amateur champion Andrew Green (Shandon, Wellington) shared the day’s best rounds on four-under 67.
The only surprises to miss the cut for the top 72 players and ties were the New Zealand junior representatives for next week’s Trans Tasman Cup, Masterton’s Ben Campbell and Auckland’s Seve Ha.
The cut came at eight-over 150 with 77 players to contest the final two rounds.
Source – NZ Golf
