Kennedy bags NZ Open title with a stunning final-round 63
Aussie prevails after Kim, Herbert falter
QUEENSTOWN: Brad Kennedy has become a two-time New Zealand Open champion after winning the 101st edition of the tournament at Millbrook Resort.
Kennedy capitalised on perfect scoring conditions and an ability to go low yesterday to post a bogey-free round of eight under and take a two-shot victory over Victorian Lucas Herbert.
With twin results of T3 over the past two weeks and the heartbreak of a final round fall at the Queensland PGA Championship still haunting his conscience, Kennedy was determined to set the standard early when he began the final round from two shots back.
“It’s just hard to put into words the emotion I’ve gone through the last two weeks,” Kennedy said.
“It felt like I’d lost two events and then to come back and play how I did this week, I think it’s going to take a little bit of time to really understand why the things happened for the reasons why they did and you just never know in this game.”
While overnight co-leader Kim Joo-Hyung faltered early and Herbert soared into the lead Kennedy sailed under the radar with birdies at the second, fifth and sixth holes.
A double-bogey from Herbert at 13, and a subsequent run of three birdies from Kennedy from holes 12 to 14 was all it took the 45-year-old to rocket out to a three-stroke lead. Yet it wasn’t until he arrived at the 18th hole that he was aware of the position.
“I really made a conscious effort today of head down, wait until it’s finished and then react,” he said.
Nerves filled the scorers hut on 18 as Herbert got within one stroke of the 21-under total set by Kennedy on his approach to the last but yet another wayward tee shot from the Victorian meant the Brodie Breeze Cup would again belong to Kennedy.
“I saw that Lucas got to 20 and then I putted out and I thought, well if he makes a birdie we are in a play-off, so I was never done until they said he hit it in the water,” he said.
Just months after a T3 finish at the Australian PGA Championship Nick Flanagan has again finished third at an ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia tournament but despite battling nerves throughout the final round the Novocastrian will take a number of positives home with him to Texas.
Asian Tour prodigy Kim salvaged a final round of 70 to finish in fourth place of New Zealand duo Harry Bateman and Michael Hendry.
Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert meanwhile enjoyed his best result in three outings to the New Zealand Open after a closing 69 saw him finish in 11th place.
Pavit had previously finished in tied-29th place on both occasions at the 2018 and 2019 editions.