Dunedin golfer Mahal Pearce hailed his short game and his peace of mind after he blitzed the field in the A$100,000 ($112,533) Scenic Circle Hotels Classic at Chisholm Park yesterday.
Pearce, from Dunedin, set a tournament record of 22-under-par after closing with a five-under 66 to finish seven strokes clear of New South Welshman Richard Swift.
He led by three strokes after the second round, three after the third and yesterday cleared out on his closest rivals after posting birdies at three of the opening four holes.
It was his second tournament win as a professional, after taking the New Zealand Open in Auckland last year, but it came in vastly different style.
"When I won the New Zealand Open, I came from behind and went for it, but this was a different experience," Pearce said. "I birdied the first today, that got me on track and the birdies at three and four really got me going.
"I had a few rough shots out there as well, a few wayward drives and mishit irons. But my short game was brilliant and I holed a lot of putts."
Pearce said having coach Mal Tongue on the bag for the first three days was a calming influence.
"It showed me that I don't need to get ratty with myself when things don't go right, and to take it on the chin a bit more."
Not that Pearce had much go wrong after he teed off in comparatively calm conditions yesterday with Swift and Victorian Terry Pilkadaris.
While his rivals faltered, Pearce flourished, even though he was not always convincing off the tee.
"The others dropped off a bit, but that's golf. It's pretty hard to catch someone who's got a big lead.
"I'm just stoked with how I played this week and how I reacted to the various situations I found myself in."
Pearce had six birdies yesterday, with his only bogey coming at the par-four 11th. But it was a minor mishap as he birdied the 14th and 17th.
On the 18th he drove down the middle, played an iron to within 6m of the pin and his putt for birdie just slid past the hole.
As he putted in for par he received an ovation from the large gallery.
Pearce said he was confident he had the tournament won after he recovered well with a pitch and putt for par at the 194m par-three 13th.
Swift bogeyed the 13th and the 15th and from then on it was a virtual victory march for Pearce.
There were 17 scores in the 60s yesterday, and another 10 broke par, but no one could make any impression on Pearce's lead.
Pearce pocketed A$15,000 ($16,880) as the tournament winner.
Thirty-nine players finished under par in a tournament notable for the absence of the usual buffeting winds at the coastal course.
- NZPA
Golf: Storming 7-shot victory to Pearce
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