KEY POINTS:
Josh Carmichael reckoned he was owed a few putts at The Hills yesterday after what had happened on the first day.
The former Pupuke amateur star, who these days plays out of Gulf Harbour, struck the worst of the first round conditions en route to a five-over 77 and looked to have no chance of making the cut.
But in round two, Carmichael fed off the brilliance of playing partner Steven Bowditch's then course record of 65, bouncing back with a five-under 67 himself to make the cut.
He consolidated his place with a 70 in round three but admits he got out of jail on the last two holes.
"On Thursday, in the wind, I just couldn't get comfortable over a putt. Today, I holed a 40-footer on the 17th and a 30-footer on the 18th, and they both for par. After what happened on the first day, I reckon it's all evened out now."
Carmichael, who made the second stage of the of the tortuous US PGA Tour qualifying school last month, was 49th in the Australian Masters in Melbourne last week, finishing even par for four rounds. Although he's been a consistent place getter in lower level events in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, making cuts in fully fledged European Tour events represents a jump in standard for him.
"It's just great to be playing the weekends in these tournaments. I want to go back to America next year and try and get into Nationwide Tour events through Monday qualifying, so just want to make some money in these richer tournaments now and early next year to pay for that."
Doug Holloway must have thought all was well with the world as he stepped on to the 17th tee at The Hills yesterday. He'd just birdied the notorious par three 16th, moved to four under par for the tournament and would have been contemplating another birdie up the 17th, reachable for a man of his strength in two.
Instead it became a nightmare.
He hit his tee shot into the flax right of the fairway. His second stayed there. Discretion became the better part of valour as he took a penalty drop, but his fourth hit the rocks and stayed on the side of the hill. His fifth went into more flax behind the bunker near the green, his sixth stayed there, shot seven went in the bunker and the eighth came out short of the green. Then he chipped on.
The good news was that he holed the putt - for a 10. Holloway recovered his composure to par the 18th and signed for 74.
But after twice reaching four-under for the tournament (he was on that after nine in round one) and promising to move into contention, the Hawkes Bay player is now 2 over and will be an early starter today.
