Golf: Morgan's too good for ex-Bay teammate Olsen

Jill Morgan finished 12 shots ahead of former teammate Kathy Olsen.

Hawke's Bay's previous three-time winner Kathy Olsen finished third in the New Zealand Mid Amateur Golf tournament which ended at the Mangawhai club on Sunday.

Maraenui's Olsen finished 12 shots behind the women's title winner, Te Awamutu-based former Hawke's Bay player Jill Morgan, with a three-round total of 237. Morgan, who was a New Zealand hockey rep in 1978 and from 1981-84, opened with a one-over par round of 73 before carding rounds of 73 and 75.

Taranaki's Debbie McCullum of the Te Ngutu club finished second, eight shots behind Morgan.

Morgan wasn't the only former New Zealand rep in another code to claim a major title at the event. Former New Zealand tennis professional Brett Steven, 46, won the men's title by two shots from former North Harbour rep Ben Jujnovich of the Redwood Park club.

While Morgan is a stalwart of the Waikato masters team, the reigning New Zealand Women's Senior Champion and was awarded the best-placed women's masters individual in 2006 Titirangi's Steven's previous best result at golf was being runner-up in his club championships.

Trailing by two shots going into the final round, Steven, carded a 73 in his final round.

He finished the first nine holes even with the card but had a double bogey on the 11th and a bogey on the 13th. Birdies on the par 4 10th and par 3 17th completed his round.

Steven was on the world tennis circuit for 11 years having turned professional in 1988.

Top singles results included quarterfinals at the 1993 Australian Open losing only to the great Pete Sampras, and quarterfinals also at the 1993 Canadian Masters and 1998 Rome Masters.

An NZ representative at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Georgia, Steven, works as a wealth adviser, assisting clients with individual portfolios and family trusts - golf has been a hobby, until now.