Golf: Big guns call shots in women's champs

While the minnows fired some shots, it was the big guns who held most of the ammunition after the first day of the national women's matchplay golf championships in Nelson yesterday.

New Zealand representatives Tina Howard, of Taupo, and North Harbour's Anita Boon will lead the New Zealand charge into the quarter-finals, along with some talented support from Taranaki No 1 Olivia Hartley and Canterbury No 1 Naomi Wallace.

Lurking in the wings are a powerful trio of Australians, junior internationals Sarah-Jane Kenyon, Melanie Holmes-Smith and Nikki Garrett. However, some young New Zealand players fired strong early shots.

Thirteen-year-old In-Hong Lim from Hutt Valley beat Australian amateur champion runner-up Heidi McCulkin three and one in the first round.

However, the teenager found the experience of Smith too much in the afternoon, losing five and three.

Howard was emphatic in her wins at the top of the order, as was Boon at the bottom.