Golf: Veteran returns on a winning note after 14-year gap

At 35, Dean Sipson is one of the senior members of the field contesting the New Zealand amateur championships at Chisholm Park in Dunedin, but he's among the most inexperienced at playing in this tournament.

This is only his third appearance in the amateur after undistinguished performances at North Shore in 1988 and Taupo in 1989.

But the former professional, who earlier this year won the inaugural national mid-amateur title at the Hamilton Golf Club, caused an upset in the first round of the matchplay championship by fending off Riki Kauika, of Wanganui, at the 18th.

"He's a good player," said Sipson, who had turned three up. "I thought he was going to sneak in front - I was just surviving. I guess experience got me through."

Sipson's nervous moments began when the 18-year-old New Zealand squad member quickly won two holes on the second nine, and he was only one up playing the last after Kauika had birdied the par-five 17th.

The 18th, a demanding par four of 400m, was halved, to Sipson's relief.

The Formosa player's opponent in today's second round is Springfield 15-year-old Jae An, who is playing his third national amateur championship. Yesterday, An won a tight battle with Matthew Peter, of Rangiora, the losing finalist at Mt Maunganui two years ago.

Top qualifier Kurt Barnes, of Australia, was another to be pushed hard, beating Hawkes Bay rep Guy Penrose 3 and 2. Barnes, one down after 12 holes, broke clear with a rare birdie at the testing 15th.

The shot of the day came at the 15th when James Nitties, a team-mate of Barnes, sank his eight-iron second on his way to beating James Davis, of North Shore, 5 and 3.

No members of the NZ team who finished second in the Four Nations Cup tournament in Christchurch last week remain in the championship draw.

- NZPA