This week we stay on the Australasian Tour and head across the ditch to Christchurch, New Zealand for the 94th New Zealand Open.
For the second year running the tournament is being held at the Clearwater Golf Club.
It is a Par 72, 7137 yard course. Several lakes and streams surround the course and feature on just about every hole. There is also extensive bunkering which will require strategic play.
According to the golf courses web site ‘the course combines elements of links golf inspired by the great Scottish courses with parkland golf, more reminiscent of Florida.’
The course is also visually stunning with the beautiful backdrop of the Southern Alps.
Many big names have won the NZ Open over the years such as Peter Thomson, Ken Nagle, Bobby Locke, Sir Bob Charles, Ian Baker-Finch, Corey Pavin and Rodger Davis.
Tiger Woods also featured in the 2002 tournament, no doubt due to his Kiwi caddy at the time Steve Williams who hails from New Zealand.
The winning score at last years tournament was -7 which was carded by two players, Brad Kennedy and Craig Parry. Kennedy went on to win in a sudden death playoff. Neither player is teeing it up this week.
Josh Geary finished 3rd at -6 and is back this year trying to find the form that had him playing so well. Rated a 22/1 chance this week he will need to find something as he is coming off eight straight missed cuts.
This week the Top 5 in betting are: Michael Hendry $9, Mark Brown $11, Nick Cullen $13, Gareth Paddison $15 and Aaron Townsend $15.
Hendry is a worthy favourite as he has had some excellent results in the last few months. His last four tournaments have been a 7th at the China Masters, 4th in the Perth International, a missed cut at the WA Open and last week he finished in a tie for 6th in the Australian Masters.
Second favourite Mark Brown is another worthy contender this week. He has had six Top 30 finishes from his last six starts. Most recent was a tie for 3rd last week at the Australian Masters where he finished behind Adam Scott and Ian Poulter. 10/1 looks a good each way bet.
Our three selections this week are-
Chris Gaunt $81.00 (www.sportsbet.com.au)
Chris returned from a three month break in August this year to play in the Bargara Pro-Am where he won the event. He was not happy with the way he was hitting the ball as he has high expectations of his game.
The break seems to have worked as he has since gone on to finish T20th in the Victoria Open and last week was T30th in the Australian Masters.
His main goal now is to regain his playing card on the Asian Tour where he has previously played in 2009.
This week could be a big stepping stone achieving that goal. At the current odds of 80/1 he represents great each way value.
Jin Jeong $51.00 (www.sportsbet.com.au)
As a former World No.1 ranked Amateur Jin has the game to see him play well this week.
Jin finished T12th at last years event and with more experience now under his belt he should be confident in finishing a lot higher this week.
He is coming off a T45th at the Perth International.
Other results this season have included a 5th in the NZ PGA Pro-Am Championship and T7th at the Victorian PGA Championship.
When you look at his 2011 season you will see that he has experience on the European Tour with a 28th at the Scandinavian Open and 52nd in the Open De France.
At the 2010 Open Championship he was the highest placed Amateur in the field when he finished in a tie for 14th.
With his experience on the European Tour, liking for links play and his good finish here last year you would expect to see him in contention over the weekend.
Steven Jones $26.00 (www.sportsbet.com.au)
Steven’s recent form has been rather good with a T8th in the China Masters, T11th at the Perth International, a missed cut in the WA Open and last week he was T52nd in the Australian Masters.
He will have good memories of this course as he finished in a tie for 9th last year and is heading into the event in much better form than last year. He had three missed cuts from four events in the lead up to last year.
I would expect to see Steven up there contending this week.
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