Consistent Kang wins Southland strokeplay
WAKATIPU junior Sumin Kang won the Southland strokeplay women’s title at the Invercargill Golf Club over the weekend.
Kang scored 221 with rounds of 74, 74 and 73 over the weekend. Two rounds were played on Saturday in very windy conditions while yesterday’s round was played again in the wind, mixed in with heavy rain at times.
Kang won by three shots from Aileen Du, of Remuera, with Rianne Li, of Akarana in third, eight shots behind Kang.
In the men’s division, young Canterbury player Kazuma Kobori had a comfortable seven shot victory. The Rangiora golfer shot 211 over the three rounds with 70, 70 and 71 to finish 5under for the three rounds. Conditions were not ideal for low scoring with the wind blowing all weekend.
Liam Hewitt, of Queens Park, was in the second place on 218, shooting the best round of the day yesterday with a three under 69.
Two experienced Southland golfers, Liam Balneaves and Matt Tautari, finished tied for third place on 220.
Tautari was in contention before blowing out with a 78 yesterday to finish nine shots behind Kobori.
Tom Lee was the best of the Otago players at the competition, finishing fifth with a threeround score of 221.
The competition is the first of three strokeplay events over the next three weeks. The Otago strokeplay championships will take place at the Otago Golf Club this weekend and the Canterbury strokeplay championships will follow at Clearwater early next month.