Golf: Spearman-Burn leaps into contention at NZ amateur

Thomas Spearman-Burn. Photo / Kenny Rodger

Wellington golfer Thomas Spearman-Burn was the big mover in the men's draw at the New Zealand amateur strokeplay championships in Christchurch today.

Spearman-Burn carded a superb six-under par 66 on the par-72 Russley Golf Club layout and climbed 14 places on the leaderboard to outright second after three rounds, just two strokes adrift of the leader, Auckland's Ryan Fox, who signed for a one-over 73 today.

The 2008 amateur champion will begin the final round tomorrow firmly in contention as the lead group in round three of Fox, Shaun Jones (76) and Thomas Brockelsby (74) were underwhelming in warm and fine conditions.

Gore golfer Vaughan McCall shot 69 today to share third with Jones and Brockelsby, three shots off the pace.

"You never know how the other guys are going so you just try and go low to catch up," Spearman-Burn, 21, said.

"The key to my round was my putting, I holed a few bombs, and it's a good day out there and its perfect scoring conditions."

Spearman-Burn, who had seven birdies and a lone bogey today, is confident of upsetting Fox.

"I haven't played that well for a while but I am hitting it good this week and I think I can win. Why not?"

Fox was happy to lead by two shots but disappointed with his score, which he blamed on a cold putter.

"I couldn't hole anything, it was a really tough day," said the 23-year-old, who hit 14 greens in regulation.

"There were a couple of tough pin placements and the greens are quick so you need to be putting with good speed to score well.

"Tom's round was pretty impressive - he is a former New Zealand amateur champion so he's obviously got some game.

"I hope this weather holds out so we can have a good battle tomorrow."

Meanwhile, Lydia Ko remains on track to rewrite history and become the first golfer to win both the New Zealand and Australian women's strokeplay titles in the same year.

Ko, who began the day with a five-shot lead over Cecilia Cho and lost the lead at one stage, responded to a couple of double bogeys to card an even-par 74, restoring her five-shot advantage by day's end.

"It would mean a lot to win the New Zealand strokeplay," said the amicable teenager, who will turn 14 on Sunday.

"Five shots is a big lead but this isn't a very long course and you can shoot some good scores pretty easily, so I need to keep playing well."

Cho, 16, also had an even-par 74 and is looking forward to making a move in round four.

Their closest rivals are Filipino golfer Chihiro Ikeda and Julianne Alvarez, of Wellington, who are a whopping 15 shots back from the lead and 10 back from Cho as another national title becomes a two-horse race with world No 3 Ko and world No 2 Cho in a class of their own.

Cho has the chance to make her own indelible mark on history next week when she'll attempt to become the first woman to win the New Zealand amateur title three times in succession since Kate Rattray, of the Otago Golf Club, achieved the feat from 1898-1900.

- NZPA