Rain drowns national golf tournament
Heavy rain has flooded Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club causing the New Zealand strokeplay championship to be abandoned for Thursday’s opening round.
The championship on the Kapiti Coast has been reduced to 54-holes, after the famous links course looked more river delta than dry land.
Earlier on Thursday the afternoon side of the draw was told that they would not be required to play. The morning groups waited in the clubhouse until tournament officials called off play.
The original Friday draw remains in place, though rain is forecast for much of the Friday morning.
New Zealand’s top amateur golfer Daniel Hillier has yet to win the title, but has a chance to put that right on familiar greens.
Wellingtonian Hillier and defending champion Mark Hutson of North Harbour headline the men’s field.
Hillier, 19, was 23rd in the New Zealand Open in Queenstown, where he shot a third round of seven-under 64.
He won his second national amateur title at Russley, Christchurch, last year, but is yet to claim the 72-hole strokeplay title.
North Island strokeplay winner Charlie Smail and South Island strokeplay champion Mathew Tautari are in the field.
A new women’s champion will be crowned with Amelia Garvey not here to defend her Mellsop Cup title which she won by six shots at Hastings last year.
New Zealand Amateur champion Silvia Brunotti features in the field as she also looks to hold aloft two of the country’s biggest trophies at the same time after her remarkable victory at the Russley Golf Club earlier in the season.
Rain is forecast to stop be heavy on Thursday evening, then easy overnight to morning showers.
Paraparaumu, rated one of the best courses in the world, is usually a swift draining set up.