Golf: Three New Zealanders make cut at Open

Second round leader Niclas Fasth of Sweden tees off at the 16th today. Picture / Fotopress

UPDATE - Only three New Zealanders have made the cut at the New Zealand Golf Open at Gulf Harbour.

Steve Alker is the best placed after a round of seven under par, to be in a tie for 13th at ten under for the tournament.

Gareth Paddison and Stephen Scahill have both sneaked in on the cut-off mark at four under par.

Swedish golfer Niclas Fasth flew to the top of the leaderboard as the winds of change swept through the New Zealand Open field at Gulf Harbour Country Club north of Auckland today.


Fasth, second equal overnight, showed a magical touch to post three eagles in a course record-equalling round of nine-under-par 63 to sit on 16-under 128 for the championship, two strokes clear of Englishman Miles Tunnicliff.


Tunnicliff got in while the going was good in user-friendly morning conditions to also post 63 in the $1.15 million European and Australasian co-sanctioned tournament.


Tunnicliff was enjoying a hearty lunch in the clubhouse by the time the later starters began their rounds, as strong winds started impacting on scores.


Among them was Fasth, who carved up the Whangaparaoa Peninsula coastal course for the second successive day while the course record proved a popular figure, because Australian southpaw Richard Green was another to reach the magic number.


Green went out in 29 and later chipped-in for birdie on the last, shortly before dinner time, to end the day five behind Fasth on 133.


Englishman, Oliver Wilson, made hay while the wind stayed away in the morning to post 65 to be third on 131, while Australian Simon Nash did likewise with 67, leaving him at 132 for the championship, the same as compatriot Jarrod Moseley, who signed for his second successive 66.


Spain's Jose Manuel Lara joined the morning queue as a round of 67 left him on 133, alongside Welshman Garry Houston, who also shot 67 when exposed to the elements later in the day, Australian Steven Bowditch, the overnight leader who shot 69, and Swede Robert Karlsson, who posted 65.


Others in the hunt on 133 were Irishman Damien McGrane and Dutchman Rolf Muntz, after both shot second rounds of 66.


Among those to miss the slice, made at four-under 140, was crowd favourite Michael Campbell, whose two-under 70 left him three shots shy of the number required, while fellow New Zealander and 2001 Open champion David Smail dropped four strokes on his outward nine holes for a 73 and a total of 143.


American Ricky Barnes, a former United States amateur champion, was another making an early departure as did Australian Jarrod Lyle, who last week finished third in the Heineken Classic in Melbourne.


Fasth, second in the 2001 British Open, collected eagles at the par-five sixth, par-five 11th and par-four 12th -- the latter when he holed out from a bunker 20m from the pin -- to complement three birdies.


Probably the least impressed with his performance was the man himself, although he admitted his round was "almost flawless".


"I played really well down the stretch. I made one mistake from the tee, maybe two. It wasn't that spectacular, it was just pure good playing and good putting as well."


Despite looking bullet proof given his current form, Fasth was thinking nothing of the sort.


"No lead is safe. I just hope to keep playing like this, it's give me a good chance to win any tournament."


Tunnicliff, 36, and a two-time winner on the European Tour, was thankful for his favourable tee times in the opening two rounds which saw him largely evade blustery northerly winds which made a belated appearance today following the calm of yesterday when 116 players dipped under par.


Tunnicliff's round included an eagle three and eight birdies, the last of them on the 18th when his 25-foot putt disappeared from view to give him the outright early lead ahead of Wilson.


Tunnicliff, who finished 34th on the 2004 European Order of Merit with tournament earnings of 676,053 euros ($1.25 million), didn't encounter the growing wind until well into his back nine.


He explained their arrival meant players had to take particular care over their approach irons.


"The greens are quite slopey on the sides and if you miss it on the wrong side of the green you're left with impossible chip shots.


"Judging the wind properly and getting the ball on the right side of the hole is tough when the wind is blowing hard."


- NEWSTALK ZB and NZPA