Tauranga Open: Taranaki’s Ethan Jones cards 59 in opening round at Tauranga Golf Club

Taranaki’s Ethan Jones has carded a blistering 11-under round of 59 at the Carrus Tauranga Open at Tauranga Golf Club - one shot shy of the course record of 58.

Jones scored eight birdies, two eagles and a solitary bogey to lead the field by four shots after the first round.

He birdied six of the back nine holes and could have gone even lower had he not bogeyed the 375m par four 15th.

After his round Jones said he was pleased with his back nine and how he finished the round, with birdies on the final three holes.

“It feels good. To finish the way that I did is pretty cool, I knew I had a chance.”

Straight to the pool room.

The 24-year-old says he was pleased with his putting, liking his birdie on the eighth from seven feet, a 35-foot putt on the ninth also for birdie and tenth where he’d driven the green.

He was doing some serious work with the long stick as he commented on the seventh hole - he three-putted the par five to make par, meaning he’d made the green in just two shots.

Jones joins illustrious company with Mark Brown and Richard Lee as the only players to break 60 on the Jennian Homes Charles Tour.

“It’s pretty cool to be named up with those guys. Starting the week I played the Pro-am and didn’t hit it very good, then you go out there and hit everything so good. A few putts fall and then a couple chip-ins help.”

Ethan is the brother of NZ Eisenhower representative Sam Jones and said he was enjoying being the best player in the family “for once” and that he glad to see some of his hard work pay off.

“Family’s really supportive with all that. It’s finally good to see the results with the work that I’ve been putting in.”

Focused on continuing his hot form for the rest of the Open, he said his only celebration would be to “play golf tomorrow”.