Golf: Pearce backing the Kiwis

Mahal Pearce of New Zealand plays a shot. Photo / Getty Images

Mahal Pearce believes the recent absence of Kiwi winners at the New Zealand Golf Open is set to end this week in Christchurch.

The Otago professional was the last New Zealander to win the title in 2003 when he claimed the crown at Middlemore by two shots.

This week's tournament at Clearwater is a chance for another New Zealander to put their name on the Brodie Breeze Trophy.

Since Pearce's triumph, the tournament has been won by Americans, Australians, an Englishman and a Swede.

"I think it will be broken," Pearce said of the drought.

"You've got Mike Hendry playing and David Smail's playing. It would be nice to see Michael [Campbell] play well again. But I mean, he hasn't shown a great deal of form lately; my form's all right too. Hopefully another Kiwi can put his name on the trophy."

This year there is a largely Australasian field and there are some handy Australians who will tee off on Thursday.

Peter O'Malley, who won the event in 1995, will lead the charge, while veteran Terry Price, former US Open runner-up Stephen Leaney and Nationwide Tour regular Alastair Presnell could feature in the mix on Sunday.

Pearce, a regular on the Australasian PGA for the past three years after playing in Asia from 2005-2008, said playing in the New Zealand Open still held plenty of allure.

"Every Kiwi that tees it up this week wants to win it. It's your national open, as a golfer you always want to win your national open. So there's that sort of pressure. But you can't treat it differently to any other event.

"I suppose there's always a little bit of pressure on yourself. But it's just another tournament and years ago after I'd won it there was a bit of pressure, but I don't feel any pressure now. There's a lot of good players out there that could win it."

The father of two still plays out of the Balmacewen course in Dunedin and said he preferred to be based in New Zealand to spend more time with his family.

"They like to see me as much as they can."

Pearce, 36, missed the cut at the Australian PGA Championship during the weekend, but finished a credible fifth the previous week at the NSW Open.

There's also a strong Kiwi amateur contingent playing at Clearwater this week led by Ryan Fox, Ben Campbell and Mathew Perry.

All three are targeting a turn to the professional ranks in the next 12 months and a strong showing this week would only further boost their confidence.

Pearce said Fox and Campbell had the makings of solid professional players.

"Foxy and Ben Campbell _ they're world-class amateurs. So I mean they're probably looking to step up to the professional ranks and it's a perfect opportunity to do it this week. I think they can do it. They've played enough golf around the world and Ben's been playing over in Australia for the last few weeks in a couple of the state events. I think they'll be right up there."