Pearce leads South Island strokeplay

Former Ashburton golfer Daniel Pearce had the sole leadership after the first round of the South Island strokeplay golf championships at the Christchurch club yesterday.

Pearce who moved to Hastings three years ago, and then to Melbourne last year, shot a three-under par 69 yesterday before a fierce nor’wester blew up in the afternoon.

Pearce, who grew up in Ashburton before moving further afield to develop his golf, has been in good form recently.

At the prestigious Riversdale Cup in Melbourne last week he led after the first round but failed to continue the good work. But he is determined to keep near the leaders in a strong field this weekend.

The cream of New Zealand’s amateur golfers are at the tournament including Ben Campbell (Masterton), another who spends most of his year in Melbourne.

Pearce is familiar with the Christchurch course, having played it when he lived in Ashburton and Christchurch.

‘‘I’ve been scoring well and hope to turn pro at the end of the year.’’

In the meantime Pearce hopes the New Zealand selectors will take a look at his form. He will be pushing for selection in the New Zealand team to play at the Eisenhower Trophy world amateur teams championship in Adelaide later in the year.

He started his round yesterday on the second nine and after three pars then had three birdies in four holes to reach the turn four-under par. He mixed two bogeys with a birdie on the second nine.

The early leader was Aucklander Fraser Wilkin who bogeyed his starting hole, 10, but then rattled off six birdies before the turn to be five-under par and added another at next hole before spoiling his round with two bogeys and a double bogey on the way home.

Wilkin sits on a share of second with five others on 70.

It was a sister act in the women’s section with Auckland sisters Mun Chin Keh and Wenyung Keh both shooting four-under par 70s to share the lead in the chase for the women’s title.

The pair from the Titirangi club in Auckland took advantage of the virtually windless conditions for morning starters.

Three shots behind is Elisha Crosbie (Russley).