Nisbet runs down NZ Open leader
Australian Daniel Nisbet fired a remarkable nine-under par 62 to snatch the New Zealand Open crown from countryman Terry Pilkadaris’ clutches at Arrowtown’s Millbrook Resort on Sunday.
The Queenslander was third and trailed Pilkadaris by six-shots heading into the final round, before his blistering round secured the Brodie Breeze Trophy with a New Zealand Open record score of 27-under.
Chasing his first win in 13 years, Pilkadaris’ sole birdie on the day didn’t cut it as Nisbet finished two-shots clear and pocketed the $207,000 winner’s cheque.
‘‘It’s a great feeling, it’s hard to put into words,’’ the 27-year-old said after his second career win.
His winning score bettered Australian Kel Nagle’s 26-under New Zealand Open winning score in 1964, which Nisbet labelled surreal.
‘‘We’ve got some great family ties with Kel Nagle. One of my neighbours, who recently passed, they were great friends with Kel and they always kept him updated with my very young junior golf.
‘‘It’s kind of surreal to be put up against him when there’s so much of that extended family history.’’
Nisbet, who recently had a two month break – partly due to a niggly elbow injury – drilled seven birdies and an eagle in his final round 62, bettering his 63, 66 and 67 over the first three days.
He began eating into Pilkadaris’ hefty lead with a birdie on the second, and holed an excellent 25-foot eagle putt on the parfive 10th to pull to within a shot.
Four consecutive birdies down the stretch, including one on the
16th to give him the lead for good, meant Pilkadaris needed to ace the 18th to force a playoff. It was not to be.
‘‘I got off to a rough start [on Saturday] and I definitely wanted to get out of the gates a little bit better and I managed to do it,’’ Nisbet said.
‘‘I holed a good putt on my second hole of the day which kind of gave me a good kick start.’’
Considering Pilkadaris recorded just one bogey all tournament, his seventh runner-up finish since he won the Brunei Open in 2005 was even the more painful.
‘‘They all sting, I’ve had a bunch of them now . . . but I didn’t hand it to him, he earnt it and hats off to him for that,’’ a resolute Pilkadaris said.
‘‘I didn’t make enough birdies, it was as simple as that. I didn’t hole the 10-footers that I had been making.’’ Pilkadaris battled a crook stomach through his fabulous third round on Saturday, when he shot a superb nine-under
62 to hold a five-shot lead over
Australian Callan O’Reilly.
He told media before Sunday’s final round he would need to keep making birdies to snap his winless streak, but he couldn’t build any momentum after finally holing one on the 11th.
‘‘I kept having down-hillers and curling putts, nothing that I could have a good rattle at, except for 11 and I made it.
‘‘All hats off to Danny, 62 to win, it’s amazing, that’s great golf.’’
First-year pro Nick Voke was the best finishing (tied for seventh) Kiwi. He carded a five-under 66 to finish 20-under in his first New Zealand Open.
Fellow Kiwi Tim Wilkinson, playing in just his second tournament in New Zealand in 11 years, was two shots back and nabbed a share of 11th.