Golf: Shilton times strokeplay to perfection

By BOB PEARCE

Te Awamutu golfer Brad Shilton chose the perfect time and place to shoot his best round in a tournament.

His record-equalling seven-under 65 on the Auckland Golf Club's Middlemore course yesterday paved the way for a one-shot victory in the national strokeplay championship, and since it was in front of the national selectors, should cement a place for him in the team for the world amateur championships.

The 22-year-old followed his 65 with a 69 for a 72-hole total of 279, nine under par, to beat Queenslander Andrew Duffin, a former matchplay champion, by one shot.

Three shots back after a final round of 67 was George Kinghorn from Tauranga, one ahead of Manawatu's Tim Wilkinson and another Australian, Richard Moir.

"The 65 was probably up with the best I've played," Shilton said, "and seven under is the best I've had in a tournament.

"I didn't drive all that well, but my wedge game, which I've been working on, was pretty good and so was my putting."

The morning 65 equals the best score on the revised 6177m Middlemore layout, shot by Australian professional Lucas Parsons in the 1997 NZ Open.

Shilton had seven birdies and no bogeys. It catapulted him into a one-shot lead after 54 holes over overnight leader Wilkinson and Australians Duffin and Bronson LaCassie.

His final round of 69 included five birdies but a couple of bogeys, including a shaky one on the 18th.

"I used a wedge for my second but changed my mind halfway through the shot," Shilton said ruefully. "The ball plugged in the bunker."

He rescued the bogey with a good putt and Duffin, who played all four rounds under par, had to birdie the last two holes to force a playoff. He managed one from a bunker on the 17th, but was never close with a long putt on the last.

Kinghorn, who played well in last year's championships at Mt Maunganui, finished strongly to be six under for the day. Wilkinson hung in with rounds of 72 and 73, but was not quite at his best on yet another fine Auckland day.

Craig Choi (Waitikiri), who shared the overnight lead with Wilkinson, got off on the wrong foot by being late on the first tee in the morning and incurring a two-shot penalty. His third-round 77 dropped him out of contention.

The top 32 in the strokeplay qualified for the matchplay which begins today with one round in the morning. The cut came at 297, with Bevan Dennison (Titirangi), Arthur Parkin (Maungakiekie) and Aaron Mahoney (Russley) winning the final three places from those on 298.

There will be a new matchplay champion because Ben Gallie (Otago) had a 72-hole total of 300. But last year's strokeplay champion, Sam Hunt (Rotorua), stormed back from an opening 80 with 72, 72 and 69 to qualify in 21st place.

Shilton will play Dennison this morning and Duffin will meet Parkin.

One of the most intriguing match-ups sees Auckland clubmates Chris Johns and David Somervaille meeting on their home course.

There will be two rounds of matchplay tomorrow, 36-hole semifinals on Saturday and a 36-hole final on Sunday.