Golf: Shilton wins duel

Brad Shilton yesterday birdied the final hole to claim a breakthrough victory in the Wairakei Open golf tournament near Taupo.

The former Te Awamutu player, now based in Auckland, fired a final round of two-under 70 to hold off the challenge from Asian Tour player Mark Purser by one shot in an exciting duel at Wairakei International.

Shilton finished on seven-under 281 for his first victory in a four-round professional tournament, the second event on the domestic Charles Tour.

He began yesterday with a one-shot lead over fellow professionals Purser, of Hamilton, first round leader Josh Carmichael, of North Harbour, and Wellington's Brenden Stuart.

By mid-round Shilton had a four-shot buffer over Purser in a two-horse race but a birdie to Purser on the 13th and two bogeys by Shilton saw his lead reduced to just one shot going down the par-five final hole.

Shilton laid up with his second before hitting in an excellent approach and made a 1.5m breaking putt to claim his birdie and shut the door on Purser, who had hit his second into the greenside bunker as he aggressively chased an eagle on the last hole.

"I am pretty stoked to tell the truth," Shilton said. "It's great to win on this course like this.

"I haven't done that well here before, so it was good to get the job done today."

Purser shot a 70 to finish second on 282, three strokes clear of Carmichael, who posted a 73 to finish third alongside leading amateur Gary-John Hill, Auckland, who shot 71, and Australian-based professional Dale Clarke, 69.

Hill made his mark yesterday, with an eagle at the third moving him to five-under and one shot off the lead. He remained in contention until a double bogey at the eighth hole ended his title chase.

But his performance gave Hill the lead in the amateur race in the Charles Tour after his fifth placing in the first event at the Tauranga Open.

Clarke, like Hill formerly of Northland, impressed with his third round in the 60s although his tournament challenge was thwarted by a costly 79 on the second day.

Stuart faded to a 74 to finish sixth on two-under, a shot ahead of a trio of amateurs in Wellington's Thomas Spearman-Burn, and professionals Dean Sipson and Richard Lee, both of North Harbour. The next Charles Tour tournament is the Taranaki Open on October 1-4.

- NZPA