Golf: Gillespie, Hodge battle it out

First-round leader Nick Gillespie has retained his lead midway through the North Island Golf Championships in Wellington.

After a two-over 72 yesterday, he moved to one-under 139 after two rounds to share the lead with 15-year-old Levin golfer Tyler Hodge at Hutt Golf Club.

They were the only players under par as golfers battled extremely fast greens where placement of the ball was paramount with approach shots.

Gillespie (Hastings GC) and Tyler have a one-shot lead over North Harbour's Kevin Budden, who fired his second successive even par 70.

The 2008 national champion Thomas Spearman-Burn is in a share of fourth place with fellow Wellington representative Richard Pegg on one-over par after both shot 71 yesterday.

Wairarapa's Elton Nicholson is in a share of sixth place on three-over 143 with a trio of players comprising national under-19 champion Duncan Croudis (Otago), Christchurch's Keelan Kilpatrick and Wellington's Jeffrey Tuoro.

Hodge was the surprise package yesterday, firing a two-under 68, the joint low round of the day with Srixon Academy player Sean Riordan (Takaka). The Levin teenager made a hot start to turn five-under through nine holes, although his hopes of outright lead were spoiled when he dropped four shots in his final three holes.

"I only had nine putts in my first nine holes," Hodge said. "I didn't really think about my score over the last couple of holes. I just hit some bad tee shots and found the trees.

Gillespie had a mixed bag yesterday. He managed to birdie 11 and 12 but doubled the 15th to finish at two over.

All the leading charges found opportunity to make birdies but were unable to stem mistakes, especially on or around the greens. Typical was Spearman-Burn, starting on 11, who had an early birdie cancelled with a double bogey on the 18th after a four-putt. He dropped two more shots before two late birdies in his 71.

Seventy-three players made the cut on 15-over par 155.