Doug and Danny in super showdown

By CRAIG TIRIANA in Taupo


GOLF

Doug Holloway had the money sewn up but the competitor in him wouldn't let go of the inaugural 2006 GTNZ Wairakei Open golf title.
The Hawke's Bay rookie professional, who leaves today for a crack at the lucrative USPGA Tour's qualifying school, headed the strong professional field by a massive eight shots in the $40,000 72-hole tournament.
However, the 22-year-old had his work cut out by one of the youngest players in the tournament as 15-year-old Rotorua amateur Danny Lee overcame a two-shot deficit in the final round to force a sudden death play-off for the silverware.
"It was a huge relief to get the money under the belt - the tournament is just a big big plus," Holloway said.
The lead switched hands several times between Holloway, Lee and Mark Purser with blustery winds and tricky pin positions making pars tough. Holloway birdied two of his last three holes to tie Lee while Purser finished third outright with Sarah Nicholson level with professionals Kevin Chun and Christopher Judd for fourth.
It was Holloway's second win in a GTNZ event. He won last year's Taranaki Open as an amateur and although he was top pro in Tauranga's Carrus Open, this was his first four-round win in the play-for-pay ranks. Lee fired a one under par 71 to Holloway's closing 73 and both birdied the last hole to finish with six-under-par totals at Wairakei International.
The Rotorua Boys' High School student was impressive. He was the only player in the field to complete both weekend rounds under par - something Holloway noted.
"He's a bloody good little player, this is the second time I've played with him, give him a couple of years and he gets some experience and he's going to be a good golfer," he said.
Lee was obviously a little disappointed to have lost the title but said he had to be happy with his finish in a very strong field.
"Lot of great players out there," Lee said. "It's a tough course to be playing and the greens were a hard combination."
He admitted a few nerves in the play-off, where he pushed his tee shot into a fairway bunker and "made a couple of mistakes from there" while Holloway calmly plotted his way down the hole and rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt for the win.
Many of the professionals will be in action in the Bay of Plenty again this week with the Te Puke Golf Club hosting a Pro-Am on Friday.