Malnati continues fine recent Solid field lined up form to secure roundone lead for Hills ProAm
SOUTHHAMPTON, Bermuda: Peter Malnati birdied the final hole to grab a oneshot lead after the opening round of the Bermuda Championship yesterday in the first PGA Tour event to have fans since the onset of the Covid19 pandemic.
Malnati made nine birdies, including five straight over a scorching stretch around the turn, and one bogey for an eightunder 63 at Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton where fellow Americans Doug Ghim and Ryan Armour were one shot off the pace.
For world number 166 Malnati, who finished runnerup to Sergio Garcia nearly four weeks ago in Mississippi, his opening score marked the third time in his last three starts where he shot rounds of 63 or better.
‘‘My strengths that have kept me on Tour for as long as I’ve been here have been wedges and short game and putting, and I’ve worked hard to make sure that those are still sharp,’’ said Malnati, who has one win since joining the PGA Tour in 2014.
‘‘I’m starting — my long game’s starting to click a little bit and get a little better, so that definitely is what’s going on here right now.’’
Doc Redman, who holed out for eagle from 86m at the parfour 15th, was among a group of three players sitting two shots back of Malnati.
The Bermuda Championship is allowing a maximum of 500 fans at Port Royal for each tournament day, making it the first PGA Tour event to have spectators since the Players Championship in March was cancelled after one round because of Covid19.
Defending champion Brendon Todd, seeking to become the first player to successfully defend a PGA Tour title since Brooks Koepka at the 2019 PGA Championship, offset four bogeys with four birdies for an opening evenpar 71.
Some of the notable names in the field are former major champions Stewart Cink (66), Padraig Harrington (67), Danny Willett (67), Henrik Stenson (69), Jason Dufner (71). — Reuters
THE Hills Invitational ProAm has drawn a quality field.
The tournament will be a PGA sanctioned event and is scheduled for December 1920.
Working in conjunction with the NZPGA, tournament director Craig Palmer from The Hills has come up with a deep and solid field of 20 players.
The top 10 on the NZPGA Order of Merit following the October Charles Tour event in New Plymouth gained automatic entry.
“It was also decided to invite the winner of the PGA Club Professional Championship and the winner of the PGA Trainee Championship” Palmer said.
The order of merit qualifiers are Luke Toomey, Kieran Muir, Daniel Hillier, Josh Geary, Harry Bateman, Ryan Chisnall, Michael Hendry, Jordan Loof, Gareth Paddison and Woonchui Na. Queenstown golfer Dongwoo Kang, who successfully defended his club title, also booked his place.
The trainee championship qualifier will not be known until the qualifying event on December 6. The remaining spots are invited by The Hills.
This year they are defending champion Mark Brown, former winners James Anstiss, Daniel Pearce, plus Fraser Wilken. Palmer is included along with another couple of Queenstown golfers in Fraser MacLachlan and Ben Campbell making his comeback from injury.
It has been a long haul for Campbell after corrective surgery on his hip and lower back. He is upbeat about his return to competitive golf.
“I have been getting fit and back into practice and playing some rounds to see how it goes. It seems pretty good, so I’m hoping it will be fine for the Hills ProAm,’’ he said
The winners purse is $10,000 and with a total purse of $50,000 it sits alongside the Charles Tour purses.
With the forced cancellation of the NZ Open, events like this take on more importance, as opportunity is key for aspiring New Zealand professionals.
There will be 60 members of The Hills joining the professionals to make 20 fourman teams in the ProAm format.
❛ I have been getting fit and back into practice and playing some rounds to see how it goes. It seems pretty good so I’m hoping it will be fine for the Hills
ProAm