KEY POINTS:
Phil Tataurangi's day at Gulf Harbour started well and continued to get better - much like the weather.
After shooting a seven-over 78 in the first round, Tataurangi was looking at an early exit from the New Zealand Open.
But he sank a 6m birdie putt on his first hole and had six more birdies on his way to 66 and a two-over total of 144. Six hours later he received another bit of good news: he had made the cut for the final 36 holes.
"I hit the ball pretty solidly and made a couple of putts, in fact I did what you're supposed to do," he said.
"I made a birdie from 6m on my first hole, so I was already ahead because I didn't make any birdies yesterday. I played as well as I can and if I can get two more rounds it will be great."
When the cut came at two over, it eliminated the last of the amateurs from the field. James Gill and Troy Ropiha, who finished at three over, will share the Bledisloe Cup.
Bogeys on their final hole proved fatal to both. The 24-year-old Ropiha, from New Plymouth, who at one stage was three under for the round, drove into the rough and signed for a 71. The 21-year-old Gill, who recently graduated with an accountancy degree from Waikato, also had to lay up and finished with a 72.
Auckland's top amateur, Leighton James, looked likely to make the cut when he was three under for his round after 10 holes. He came to grief on the same hole as Gill and Ropiha to finish with a double bogey and miss the cut by two.
Twelve New Zealanders made the cut, including Mark Purser, in the top 30 in his first professional tournament.
He added a one-over 72 to his opening 69. He said his swing felt a little loose but showed his maturity by keeping his cool after bogeying his first hole of the day.
Wellington amateur Peter Spearman-Burn, who shot 85 on Friday, carded a courageous 73.
