Mahan wins inaugural Kiwi Challenge

BY iseekgolf.com | Special Events Tour | 2008 Kiwi Challenge | Round Two | 29 Oct 2008

You could do a lot worse than play golf for a living.

Great courses, scenery that demands a second look, pleasant company – and plenty of money for those with ability.

American Hunter Mahan can attest to that after he on Tuesday picked up a cheque for $US1.5 million for winning the two-round $US2.6m Kiwi Challenge at Cape Kidnappers.

Mahan, 26, came home in a flourish, picking up six shots in five holes on the back nine to force a playoff with his Ryder Cup teammate and world No 8 Anthony Kim.

His par four in his second visit to the 439m closing hole was enough to seal the deal after Kim missed his par attempt from eight feet.

Mahan shot a closing round of six-under-par 65 on a course owned by expatriate American billionaire Julian Robertson, while Kim also had his moments in posting a 66.

That left them tied on seven-under 136 in the contest which began yesterday at Robertson’s other coastal masterpiece, Kauri Cliffs in the Bay of Islands.

The third American in the field, Brandt Snedeker, teed off on Tuesday with all the momentum in his favour, his 66 yesterday earning him a four-stroke buffer on Kim, and leaving him five clear of Mahan and seven ahead of Australian Adam Scott.

But Snedeker could not get going, eventually finishing third after his one-under 71 left him on 137, with Scott trailing the four-man field on 148 after shooting 75 in ideal conditions.

Mahan ensured the inaugural Kiwi Challenge went down to the wire, enthralling a 2000-strong gallery which traipsed after the players for close to 5-1/2 hours.

Nothing much happened for him for most of that time as he parred the opening 12 holes to trail Kim and Snedeker by four shots.

Then, all of a sudden, he located his putting radar, birdies at the 13th, 14th, 15th and 17th holes adding to an eagle three at the 457m 16th when he nailed his bid from 21 feet.

Mahan, a one-time winner on the PGA Tour in the United States, traced the beginning of some building momentum at the 11th and 12th holes when he twice got up and down from off the putting surface to save par.

“They kept me within shouting distance and then I just got hot,” said Mahan, who completed the back nine in just 30 shots.

“I’ve shot 62 before but I don’t think I’ve had a run like I did today.

“I felt as if I putted well all day but I wasn’t that sharp. Then I got a putt to fall and got another to fall. When you get some momentum you can get things happening.”

Kim, 23 and outrageously gifted, is seen by many knowledgeable judges as a future threat to world No 1 Tiger Woods, bombed it off the tee but struggled to read the Cape Kidnappers greens.

That was not an uncommon occurence on Tuesday – until Mahan starting his run.

Kim enjoyed the laid- back nature of the made-for-TV event, bankrolled by Robertson to showcase his courses to overseas audiences next month when it will be telecast to close to 80 countries.

While there was little obvious banter between the players the four-man field two-round format leaves it very much in the hit and giggle class within golfing circles.

That takes nothing away from some of the quality shots produced but there was just no way such an event could hope to replicate any of the tension and drama experienced weekly on official PGA Tour events.

Such a low-key atmosphere suited Kim, who said he liked to play loose.

So loose, in fact, that he had absolutely no idea what he shot a good 20 minutes after his round.

“No one really played that well besides Hunter.

“He made all the putts he needed to on the back nine and took the championship.”

Source: NZPA