Golf: Promising signs from Tataurangi at Moonah Classic

A strong finish at the Moonah Classic in Australia yesterday will ensure New Zealand golfer Phil Tataurangi has a spring in his step when he arrives in Christchurch this week.

Tataurangi had a promising preparation for the New Zealand PGA Championship starting on Thursday by finishing tied for eighth in the US$600,000 ($1.18 million) Classic near Melbourne.

A closing round of three-under-par 69 in windy conditions lifted Tataurangi into the top-10 of a Nationwide Tour event for the first time since 2006.

He ended alongside compatriot David Smail and three others on four-under 284 to trail the winner, Australian Alistair Presnell, by five strokes.

Tataurangi, 37, has plied his trade in recent years on the second tier Nationwide circuit in the United States after losing his PGA Tour card following a series of injuries.

A one-time PGA Tour winner, at the 2002 Invensys Classic at Las Vegas, he has struggled to put together four competitive rounds until this week outside of Melbourne.

He started scratchily with an opening one-over 73 but found his consistency after that with efforts of 71, 71 and 69, the latter including a pair of bogeys at the par-five second and 18th holes.

In between those setbacks he posted five birdies on the links style course, including three in succession from the fifth hole.

Smail also had a shaky start yesterday after starting the final round in a share of third place.

He posted a double bogey six at the 339m first, got one back at the par-three seventh but then shelled another shot at the 10th en route to a 74.

Left-hander Gareth Paddison ended in a tie for 13th after his 71 left him on 285, three shots clear of fellow New Zealander Mahal Pearce, who closed with a 73.

The other New Zealander to make the cut, Michael Long, shot 75 for a card of 291.

The Classic is the first of three Nationwide Tour and Australasian Tour co-sanctioning events being played in Australasia.

The New Zealand PGA Championship is the second leg of the Downunder swing which ends with the New Zealand Open starting near Queenstown on March 12.

- NZPA