Golf: Gillespie regains top form

Nick Gillespie withstood rain, wind and local experience to claim his second North Island Golf Championships in Wellington yesterday.

Gillespie, who is moving from Hawkes Bay to Wellington, shot a final round even 70 in the demanding conditions to finish on one-over 281 at Hutt Golf Club.

He finished three shots clear of experienced local player and joint overnight leader Richard Pegg (Shandon) and Tauranga's Kieran Muir, who shot three-over 73 and one-over 71 respectively.

Wellington's Thomas Spearman-Burn and Christchurch's Keelan Kilpatrick finished a further two shots back in a share of fourth place on 286 after rounds of 74 and 72 respectively.

Strong southerlies and continual drizzle made for testing conditions but Gillespie held firm to win, following on from his victory in 2007 and fourth placing in 2008.

The former international, out of sorts in the past year, was delighted to regain his good form.

The conditions favoured Pegg and 2008 national champion Spearman-Burn as Wellington players, but Gillespie was pleased with his approach yesterday.

"It was a matter of keeping the ball in play and controlling the shots into the greens. I had to keep patient. I was fortunate that when I did make a mistake and dropped a shot that I was able to bounce back with a birdie."

Gillespie started strongly with two early birdies before dropping three in a row. He countered with birdies at the sixth and eighth to turn one-under. At that stage he was three shots clear of Pegg who had three bogies and one birdie on the front nine.

Spearman-Burn, one shot behind overnight, dropped from contention with four bogies in his opening 10 holes.

Gillespie mixed two birdies with two bogeys on the back nine before a final dropped shot at the 17th although by that time he had the title within his grasp after Pegg made two late bogies.