Golf: Pulman has confidence in Shilton

New Zealand manager Terry Pulman said yesterday that he had every confidence that newcomer Brad Shilton would do himself and New Zealand justice at the Asia-Pacific amateur teams championship starting in China today.

Pulman said Shilton had had a very good practice round.

"He's hitting the ball very well, he's very confident and I'm expecting him to do very well," Pulman said.

Shilton, 22, from Te Awamutu, was drafted into the four-man team earlier this month after Gareth Paddison, a member of the New Zealand team who finished third in the 13-nation regional tournament in 1999, turned professional.

Paddison's absence means New Zealand enter the championship without one player with previous experience at the Asia-Pacific event.

Due to visa problems, Shilton missed out on joining the other team members - Eddie Lee, of Christchurch, Sam Hunt, of Rotorua, and Tim Wilkinson, of Palmerston North - in the Hong Kong amateur tournament last weekend.

Lee finished second in Hong Kong, the New Zealanders' last warm-up before the biennial Asia-Pacific tournament at the Wuyi Fountain Palm Golf Club in Jiangmen, a city of one million people.

Pulman said the layout for the championship was a typical Jack Nicklaus-designed course.

"There are a lot of bunkers and a little water. All the trouble you can see from the tee. It will require a bit of target golf. The greens are quite big, it's quite a good golf course."

Pulman said that after a couple of practice rounds the New Zealand team were coping with the course well, although heat and smog were major factors.

The Asia-Pacific championship is played in a strokeplay format over four rounds.

New Zealand can expect strong competition, particularly from Australia, the 1999 champions, Korea, Taiwan and Japan.

- NZPA