Golf: Geary on fire at Akarana Open

Josh Geary. Photo / Supplied

On a day of sensational scoring at the Barfoot and Thompson Akarana Open yesterday it was Tauranga professional Josh Geary who was the hottest, scorching round the par 70 layout in a course record equalling nine under par 61.

The conditions at the Akarana Golf Course were fine with little or no wind and most of the players in the 144 strong field took advantage.

Geary fresh from victory on the PGA Tour China Series, a feeder tour for the US PGA Tour, was back to defend the title he won last year and started his defence in great fashion.

Early in the round though there was nothing to suggest the fireworks that were to follow and Geary found himself even par after six holes with a birdie on the 1st and a bogey on the 4th. From there though he hit a another gear that is often associated with his play on the Charles Tour and birdies followed at the 7th and 8th before an eagle at the 12th hinted at things to come. From there Geary reeled of five birdies in the last six holes to join Marcus Wheelhouse on the Akarana Club honours board.

Behind Geary a host of quality players are lining up who also shot low rounds today. Doug Holloway, Josh Munn and Nick Gilliespie all fired seven under par 63's to keep Geary honest. Holloway, a prolific winner on the Charles Tour had an eagle, six birdies and a bogey in his round while Munn, who is the leading amateur golfer had eight birdies and a bogey. Gilliespie was the best of the afternoon players and was hot early making the turn in 29. Three further birdies followed on the back nine with a single blemish at the par three 16th.

Peter Lee and Grant Moorhead both signed for six under 64's and are followed by amateur's Tae Koh and Ryan Chisnall on five under.

Meanwhile the womens event also saw exceptional scoring with Pakuranga's Wenyung Keh leading the way with a bogey free four under par 68.

Keh who won the last Charles Tour event the Lawnmaster Classic made birdies on the 4th, 17th, 12th and 17th holes, continuing the fine form that she has recently shown.

Young Momoka Kobori from the Rangiora Golf Club closely follows on three under par. Kobori starting from the 10th tee kick started her round with an eagle on the 14th hole but followed it up with a bogey on the 15th. That was her only blemish of the day though and further birdies at the 1st and 8th saw the South Island Under 19 Champion sign for a 69.

Leading qualifier at the New Zealand Amateur Alanna Campbell was the best of the afternoon players signing for a two under 70. Julianne Alvarez who won the New Zealand Amateur last week, beating Campbell in the final is next best on one under par. Alvarez was steady today with two birdies and only one bogey and is well placed to win her third consecutive event.

Photo Caption : Josh Geary shot a course record 61 at the Barfoot and Thompson Akarana Open

2015 Barfoot and Thompson Men's Akarana Open Akarana Golf Club (Par 70)

Round One Scores
61 Josh Geary (P)
63 Doug Holloway (P), Joshua Munn (Manawatu), Nick Gillespie (P)
64 Peter Lee (P), Grant Moorhead (P)
65 Ryan Chisnall (Greenacres), Tae Koh (Manukau)
66 Gareth Paddison (P), Samuel Jones (Manaia), Richard Lee (P), Jim Cusdin (P)
67 Fraser Wilkin (P), Kevin Koong (Huapai), Tadhg Campbell (Muriwai), Jared Pender (P), Henry Spring (Whakatane), Charlie Hillier (Te Puke)
68 Daniel Pearce (P), Victor Janin (P, France), Troy Ropiha (P), Kadin Neho (Whangarei), Chang Gi Lee (Pupuke), Agni Bhorkar (Riverside)
69 Craig Hamilton (P), Ethan Jones (Manaia), Sam An (P), Woonchul Na (P), Joshua Bernhard Rookes (Mt Maunganui), Wesley Jeon (Whitford Park), Jon Bevitt (P), Dongwoo Kang (P), Cody Harper (P), Shanon Holden (Pakuranga)
70 George Helsby (Royal Auckland), Mason Lee (The Grange), Kieran Muir (P), Harry Bateman (P), Henry Bryden (Russley), Shaun Jones (P), Dale Williamson (Australia), Brad Shilton (P), Josh Sedgwick (Manawatu), Vaughan McCall (Gore), Kyle Wong (P), James Gibellini (P, Australia), Sam Vincent (Lochiel), Brad Hayward (P)
71 James Beale (North Shore), Nick Coxon (Narrows), Chase McKeown (Akarana), Jamie Reid (Fitzroy), Dean Sipson (P), Leonard Powell (Clarks Beach), Cameron Grant (Ashburton), Steven Heyes (P), Adam Vining (Russley), Oscar Cadenhead (Clearwater)
72 Christian Nitsche (Whangarei), Lachie McDonald (Marton), Jake Meenhorst (Huapai), Mark Purser (P), Jordan Loof (Akarana), Steven Han (P), Reid Hilton (Russley), Denzel Ieremia (St. Andrews of Hamilton (Hamilton)), Shiv Sabherwal (Manukau)
73 Cameron Jones (North Shore), Minsoo Ko (P), Nathan Kim (Akarana), Sean Blomquist (Tauranga), Braden Keown (Waipu), Tony Simpson (Maungakiekie), Michael Li (Peninsula), Joshua Leitch (Maungakiekie), Harry Hillier (Te Puke)
74 Alex Neely (Bay of Islands Kerikeri Incorporated), Sul (Banaba) Im (Huapai), Connell Kilpatrick (Russley), Kit Bittle (Peninsula), James Eng (Remuera), Jared Edwards (The Grange)
75 Micah Dickinson (P), Sam Yoshifuji (Gulf Harbour Country Club), Kunaal Singh (Whitford Park), Daniel Graham (Lochiel), Keegan Wiltshier (Omanu), Keiran Brook (Whitford Park), James Hydes (Peninsula), Michael McAuley (Russley), Tommy Liu (Remuera), Jake Lee (Huapai)
76 Julian Fowler (Northland), Peter Anderson (Titirangi), Kelvin Jones (P), James Devlin (P)
77 Mark Hutson (North Shore), Blake Cowley (P), Hayden Odonnell (Tauranga), Leighton James (P)
78 Matty Tiplady (Maungakiekie), Duncan Croudis (Otago), Sung Jin Yeo (North Shore), Brian Joe (Titirangi), Sam Reese (Peninsula), Jordan Woodall (Cambridge), Jacob Roberts (Russley), Vikrant Chandra (P), Joonsang Chung (P), Sean Roach (P)
79 Joe Tiplady (Maungakiekie), Johnny Tynan (Titirangi), Fletcher Broderick (New Plymouth Inc.)
80 Damian Kempson (Mt Maunganui)
81 Matt Vogel (Royal Auckland), Kingsley Wright (Whakatane), Chris Peoples (Manukau)
82 Davis Oh (Gulf Harbour Country Club)
83 Tyla Otene (Akarana), Peter Witton (Waitemata)

2015 Barfoot and Thompson Women's Akarana Open
Akarana Golf Club (Par 72)
Round One Scores

68 Wenyung Keh (Pakuranga)
69 Momoka Kobori (Rangiora)
70 Alanna Campbell (Omanu)
71 Bohyun Vyan Park (Gulf Harbour Country Club), Julianne Alvarez (Manor Park)
72 Munchin Keh (Titirangi)
73 Siyi Keh (Pakuranga)
74 Ela Grimwood (Gulf Harbour Country Club), Brooke Hamilton (Maungakiekie), Brittney Dryland (Titirangi)
75 Amelia Garvey (Kaiapoi)
76 Sonia (Se Eun) Bak (Whitford Park), Subin Wui (Gulf Harbour Country Club)
77 Krystal Hu (Gulf Harbour Country Club), Rose Zheng (Pakuranga)
78 Shantael Lucy Ligaliga (Aviation Country Club of NZ), Jessica Huang (Pakuranga), Jessie Ji (Howick)
80 Shani White (Gulf Harbour Country Club)
81 Yena Chang (Akarana)
82 Catherine Bell (Christchurch)
83 J'aime Bellingham (Royal Auckland), Carmen Lim (Manukau)
86 Angela Jones (Akarana)