Golf: Alker gets 'A into G' to save local hopes

To the delighted screams of his 7-month-old son, Ben, Steve Alker sank a birdie putt on the 18th green at Gulf Harbour yesterday to move to 10 under and 13th place in the New Zealand Open.

On a day when New Zealand names were rarely among the contenders, Alker's second-round 65, seven under, lightened the gloom.

Wife Tanya pushed Ben in a stroller as the Waikato-born professional had eight birdies and a bogey, finishing near the end of the field with birdies on his final two holes.

"I took a peek at the leaderboard on number four and I was maybe 25 shots behind. It was crazy," he said. "I decided I better get my A into G. I sank a few putts and my confidence built as the round went on."

Alker said he would not mind if the wind really blew today and made par a good score.

Of the other Kiwis, only Gareth Paddison and Stephen Scahill made the cut with four-under 140. Last year at The Grange the cut came at level par and 16 locals played on the last two days.

David Smail and Michael Campbell were high-profile casualties yesterday at one under and Thursday's hero, Stu Malcolmson, slumped with a 77 to level par.

Paddison, the Wellington left-hander, had a great start to his round when he eagled his second hole, the par-five 11th, sinking a 6m downhill putt after making the green in two.

But there were also three bogeys on that half as the wind took its toll. He played his second nine two under, which could have been much better if his putting had matched some of his fine approach shots.

Scahill, playing in the afternoon, was level par for the round after 10 holes and raced into contention with an eagle and two birdies to be seven under for the tournament with three holes to play.

The par-four seventh cost him a double bogey and he dropped another shot on the par-three eighth.

Richard Lee missed the cut by one at three under, but it could have been so much better for the North Harbour professional, who has just gained a card on the Asian tour.

Starting early on the 10th, he birdied five of his first six holes to be seven under for the tournament and moving into contention.

But as the wind blew his swing faltered and he had a series of bogeys and a double bogey on the fourth, where he put his tee shot in the hay on the right, found a bunker with his lay-up and missed the green from there. He completed the round in one-under 71.

"I went out in a Ferrari and came home in an ambulance," he said. "After the first few holes I thought, 'here we go'. I could have got to 10 under the way I was playing.

"But I've been having some problems with my swing and when the wind got up I had problems."

Bradley Heaven, who finished second last year as an amateur, showed that his first-round 77 was an aberration by shooting 68. With four holes to play he was seven under for his round and two under for the tournament. But a double put paid to his hopes of making the cut.

Bay of Plenty player Josh Geary shot a 70 to finish at one under for the tournament, missing the cut but winning the Bledisloe Trophy awarded to the best amateur in the Open. He was one shot ahead of Queensland teenager Jason Day, who led the Aussies to victory in the junior international at Titirangi last year.