Tauranga professional Jared Pender and Paraparaumu amateur James Betts hold the clubhouse lead after two rounds as the weather continued to dominate golf's Wairakei Open at Taupo yesterday.
More than half of the field had a 7am start to complete their first round following rain on Thursday before more wet weather brought a further 90-minute delay yesterday.
Pender, in his first tournament since May, impressed with his second straight two-under par 70 to move to four-under after 36 holes.
Betts followed his opening 69 with a one-under 71 to share the lead with Pender.
Royal Wellington's Thomas Brockelsby is a shot back on three-under after a two-under 70 yesterday, two shots clear of Hamilton's Matt Perry on even par with a one-under 71 yesterday afternoon.
Pender has spent much of his time over the past four months mixing practice with work at the family horse racing stables at Tauranga. He eyed a top five finish coming into the tournament but was surprised with his position.
"My goal was to beat Michael Hendry," Pender joked. "Actually a top five was a goal and after so long without playing in a tournament it feels more like a bit of a holiday, a working one.
"My tee balls and my chipping and putting have been good. My irons have been average as I only hit 12 greens out of 36 holes."
Sixty players were left on the course when play was called off and they will complete their second rounds from 7am today and officials hope to be able to complete the third round today, including the completion of the women's 54-hole competition.
Leading Wairakei Open scores
Men:
140 Jared Pender (P, Tauranga) 70 70, James Betts (Paraparaumu Beach) 69 71
141 Thomas Brockelsby (Royal Wellington) 71 70
142 Josh Munn (Manawatu) 72 70
144 Matthew Perry (Hamilton) 73 71
146 Marcus Wheelhouse (P, Auckland) 71 75
148 Trent Munn (Manawatu) 72 76
150 Thomas Spearman-Burn (Miramar) 71 79
Women:
142 Lydia Ko (Gulf Harbour) 69 73
152 Chantelle Cassidy (Tokoroa) 74 78
Tauranga pro Pender holds share of lead
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