Christchurch’s McLean wins Otago strokeplay
WITH rounds of 66, 68 and 73, Matthew McLean (Harewood) won the Otago strokeplay title, decided over 54 holes on the Balmacewen course during the weekend.
The 23yearold Christchurch player finished three shots ahead of Otago team captain Brandon Hodgson, who finished with a 4underpar 67 after a disappointing second round.
Hodgson was one shot ahead of Kazuma Kobori (Rangiora), while Cameron Beel (Arrowtown) and Mathew Tautari (Invercargill) were tied for fourth at a 5overpar 218 for the three rounds.
Canterbury was also to the fore in the women’s event, Russley’s Maddie May finishing with a 2under 72 to win by four shots from Sumin Kang (Wakatipu Junior).
Otago club golf director Shelley Duncan was disappointed with the women’s event, which attracted a meagre five entries — four from Otago and one from Canterbury.
Queenstown’s Simon Boland, who plays for the Winton Club, took the honours in the masters over40 event by one shot from Cris Idour (St Clair). Taieri’s Mark Andrews finished third a further stroke back.
Kazuma Kobori kept the Canterbury flag flying when he won the $1250 travel voucher for the best ninehole aggregate in the Canterbury, Southland and Otago strokeplay championships.
Hodgson came in second, winning a $750 travel voucher, while Russley’s Hayato Miya was the top under19 player, winning a $625 voucher.
Queenstown’s Sumin Kang took the women’s $625 voucher from Danielle Bailey (Wakatipu Junior).
In the men’s championship, McLean got off to a flyer, finishing 5underpar on 66 for a threeshot lead on Hodgson.
Starting at the 10th hole, McLean started with three threes and birdied 16 and 17 to turn 3under.
Coming home, he birdied the first, the third and the eighth to take the firstround lead.
In sharp contrast, Hodgson had a bizarre round, turning 4over after carding two bogeys and a doublebogey seven on the par5
Tipperary hole.
But he upped his game by birdieing the first four holes on the front nine to get back to square, and finished 2under after birdies on the final two holes.
On Saturday afternoon McLean carded a 68 while Hodgson (74), Kobori (71) and Turner (72) slipped down the leaderboard.
The big movers in the second round were Southlander Matt Tautari with 66 and 2018 Otago Eagles junior golfer of the year Parker Alusi (St Clair) with 67.
They remained eight shots back from McLean with one round to play. Hodgson came home strongly with 67 to claim second place in the event.