KEY POINTS:
David Smail shares the distinction of the best Kiwi finish in the five years the New Zealand PGA tournament has been staged at Clearwater. But it isn't one he will highlight in his career statistics.
The tall Waikato professional, who is ranked 111th in the world, finished 10th equal last year matching the effort of Richard Best in 2004.
The tournament, co-sanctioned by the Australasian and Nationwide tours and starting today, draws a strong field of Americans chasing promotion through the second-level United States tour to the rich PGA circuit. And Smail believes the course near Christchurch Airport favours the Americans.
"It's more of a resort course than the tight, tree-lined courses most New Zealanders play on and I think that favours the Americans," he said yesterday.
"But it's matured a lot over the years and the rough is longer this time, which definitely puts the emphasis on driving it straight."
Straight driving has been one of Smail's strengths during his successful career in Japan, where he finished 20th on the order of merit after a good finish to his season. But he wasn't pleased with his work off the tee last weekend when he finished equal 14th in the Jacob's Creek Open in Adelaide.
"I had seven weeks off, four of those with no golf, and last week was quite a bit up and down. I made a lot of birdies but also a lot of bogeys. I hope I can play a bit better this week.
"My putting was quite good but my long game was erratic. On Saturday, I went bogey, bogey on the first two par fives where everyone else was having pars and birdies."
Smail ascribes the improvement in his putting to advice from Brian Boys, his coach from schoolboy days, who advised him to lengthen his stroke to improve his rhythm.
There are 16 Kiwis in the field, including Phil Tataurangi, Michael Long and Steven Alker, all of whom have played seasons on the PGA tour. Tataurangi turned down an invitation to play a PGA event to compete at Clearwater.
Tataurangi, Long and Tim Wilkinson will be regulars on the Nationwide tour this year, chasing a place in the top 25 that guarantees promotion to the main tour. The winner on Sunday will earn US$113,684 and be well on the way to making the step up.
Clearwater winners Ryan Palmer (2003), Gavin Coles (2004) and Jim Rutledge (2006) all made the jump, while Aussie Peter O'Malley (2002 and 2005) opted to stick with the European tour.
O'Malley withdrew from this week's event after his brother-in-law, solo canoeist Andrew McAuley, was lost in his bid to paddle across the Tasman this month.
But making his debut in the event will be another burly Aussie, Craig Parry, who is making his first visit to the South Island after playing several NZ Opens and winning the Tiger Woods Open at Paraparaumu in 2002.
Parry has lost his card in the United States and will concentrate this year on Japan, which is an easy commute from his home and family in Australia. His one US venture will be to play in a Florida interclub contest for Isleworth (members include Tiger Woods and Mark O'Meara) against Lake Nona (Ernie Els and Sergio Garcia).
One of the more exciting players at Clearwater will be big-hitting Aussie Steve Bowditch, who shot a nine-under 63 in the final round in 2005 then lost a four-hole playoff to O'Malley.
He went on to qualify for the PGA tour but lost his card and has had a well-publicised battle with depression.
The field of 156 tee off from 7.30am with the weather expected to be mostly cloudy with a brisk northwesterly.
