Golf: Kiwi trifecta hogs placings at Clearwater

2009 NZ PGA champion Steve Alker holds the championship trophy. Photo / Getty Images.

Steve Alker and two trusted allies defended local honour by filling the top placings in the New Zealand PGA Championship golf event in Christchurch yesterday.

Alker gave his flagging career a welcome boost, pocketing US$108,000 ($212,400) for his ninth tournament win in 14 years, while Josh Geary and David Smail also had good news for their bank managers.

Alker closed with a five-under-par 67 for a tournament card of 15-under 273 in pristine conditions before the afternoon norwesterlies arrived to fray the nerves.

Geary, 24, underlined his burgeoning talents with a final round of 67 to finish just two strokes behind Alker, alongside Japan Tour regular Smail, who came home with a 68.

They completed a rare New Zealand trifecta atop the leaderboard in the Nationwide Tour and Australasian Tour co-sanctioned event at Clearwater Resort.

It represented by far the best collective performance by the locals since the championship was relaunched six years ago following a 16-year hiatus.

There was more to celebrate, too, with outrageously talented amateur Danny Lee seventh equal after shooting 70, courtesy of birdies on his last two holes.

Wellington left-hander Gareth Paddison posted 69 to finish tied for 12th on 278. His final round contained an eagle three, when he pitched in from 55m at the 10th, before his bid stalled, thanks to a double bogey six at the 13th when he blocked his second shot from fairway rough into the lake.

The other minor placings were filled by foreigners, with Australian Michael Sim shooting 67 to end tied for fourth on 276 with Norway's Henrik Bjornstad, who matched Sim's score, and American Ryan Hietala, who signed for a 69.

Seventh place with Lee was shared by Australians Gavin Coles and Jason Norris, 68 and 69 respectively, plus Americans Josh Teater, who ended his tournament with a 67, and third round leader Steve Friesen, 72.

But for once the foreign brigade played only a bit part in the championship, with attention firmly focused on the accomplishment of the New Zealanders.

The leading role was performed with poise and control by Alker, 37, who was without a win since 2002. He began one back of Friesen but took command immediately after the turn.

Once the leading group played the ninth, 16 players were banked up behind American Craig Bowden and Australian Kurt Barnes.

These two stumbled and Alker pounced, snatching the lead for the first time by draining a 21-foot downhill birdie putt on the 11th to follow up shorter efforts for the same reward in the previous two holes.

Despite shelling one shot at the par-three 16th he never looked like succumbing, and afterwards said the outcome would enable him to move back to his Scottsdale, Arizona, house in the US.

He probably needs to double the money he made today to join the 25 best Nationwide players at season's end to earn promotion to the PGA Tour, which Alker competed on without too much success in 2003.

He had been contemplating the relatively unappetising prospect of spending 2009 on the secondary Challenge Tour in Europe.

"This has come at a good time for me," Alker said.

"To come here, play well and take a title is pretty special."

Alker, the Clearwater touring pro in 2002-04, said his knowledge of the conditions helped him out on the back nine.

"Around the back is the windiest part of the course. You get out to 12, 14 and 16, it is so windy. I played conservative there, I didn't hit the best shots I hit all day but I guess I missed them in the right spots."

Alker, a clear-thinking strategist on the course, ended the tournament ranked No 1 for fairways found and greens hit in regulation.

Smail made a fast start in idyllic conditions, birdieing his opening three holes before giving one back at the next when he was caught between clubs for his approach and deposited his ball in a greenside bunker.

He birdied the next but the stiffening wind made the back nine a much tougher proposition.

Smail, who also finished second here last year, said he was personally delighted for Alker, a close friend since their primary school days in Hamilton.

'When I saw Stevie's name up on top of the board I thought I'd be playing for second. It's just a great thing for Steve."

- NZPA