Golf: Teen leads from the front

Sharon Ahn may be only 14 but she played like an old hand as New Zealand established a 9-3 lead over Australia in the Tasman Cup at Titirangi yesterday.

With two foursomes and four singles to be played today, New Zealand need only two wins to take the trophy for the first time for 10 years.

Ahn, from the North Shore Club, led from the front. She was first out paired with Aucklander Natasha Krishna in the foursomes and after four holes they were three up on the top Australian pairing of Sarah Kemp and Nikki Garrett.

They stuttered a bit to be square after nine, but it was the more experienced pair who faltered from then on, and Ahn and Krishna won 4 and 2.

With Wellingtonian Sarah Nicholson and Jenny Park from Dunedin combining for a one-under 70 and a 5 and 4 win over Emma Bennett and Jody Fleming, New Zealand enjoyed their lunch at 2-0.

Ahn, who was first out in the singles against Bennett, was never headed and won four of the last five holes for a 4 and 3 victory. Park was only one over the card as she beat Kemp, the Australian strokeplay champion, 2 and 1.

Rotorua's Penny Newbrook, who had sat out the foursomes, fought back from two down after seven to halve her match with Bree Turnbull.

Australia's only success came when Garrett, a member of the last winning Tasman Cup team, accounted for Nicholson 3 and 2.

New Zealand coach Geoff Smart was delighted with the way his team performed in the perfect conditions.

"It was solid stuff," he said, "very much the same as we've prepared over the past six months.

"I was particularly pleased with the way they held together under pressure and fought back if they got behind."

Teams must retain the same pairings for the foursomes today when Ahn and Krishna will play Bennett and Fleming and Nicholson and Park will play Kemp and Garrett.

The rankings of the singles players remain the same but each team can make one change.