Golf: Haywood retains lead in Taranaki Open

Christchurch professional Ryan Haywood fired his second sub-par round to maintain his lead in the Taranaki Open in New Plymouth yesterday.

Haywood added a two-under 70 to his first-round 68, to lead the field on 138 after 36 holes.

Pre-tournament favourite Tim Wilkinson from Palmerston North added an even-par 72 to his first-round 69 to hold second spot on 141, two clear of leading amateur Hamish Robertson from Taihape on 143 after rounds of 72 and 71.

There were several big movers on the second day, with another Christchurch-based professional, Carl Brooking, handling the blustery conditions on the Ngamotu course best with a 67.

Brooking's round included a birdie on the short par-three 14th after starting on the 10th tee, then five birdies on his final nine - at the third, fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth holes - with a bogey on the par three sixth.

It was a big improvement on his first round of 77 and lifted him to a share of fourth.

Others to jump up the leaderboard were Wellington's Dimitrios Amos with a 69, including five birdies and two bogeys, after a first-round 76; Wanganui's Riki Kauika with a 71 after an opening 77; and Wellington's Mark Brown with a 71 after a first-day 73.

It's been an up-and-down two days for Brown. Playing in the worst of conditions late on Thursday, he was four-under with two holes to play after starting on the 10th.

But an out-of-bounds on the par-five eighth cost him dearly, finishing with a nine to drop back to square.

A dropped shot on his final hole saw him finish with 73.

A one-under 71 yesterday has him just off the pace.

Haywood's round didn't start well. He dropped a shot on the par-four first and another on the par-three sixth.

But he got things back on track with birdies on 8, 15, 17 and 18 to finish two under.

"It was windier today and pretty tough down by the sea," he said. "I played pretty solid on the back nine and finished well with two birdies."

The field was cut from 144 to 90 yesterday, with a further cut to 60 for tomorrow's final round.


- NZPA