Mountcastle King of Carrus Open
New Zealand Stroke Play champion Kerry Mountcastle has won his second major title this season to claim the Carrus Open by one-shot on the Jennian Homes Charles Tour today while Brittney Dryland won by a dominant five-shots in the women’s field.
In a roller-coaster final round, it took till the 72nd hole before the amateur had the outright lead at a total of 16-under par with rounds of 65, 67, 64 and 68 at the Tauranga Golf Club.
The bookies naturally had three-time defending champion Mark Brown as their favourite entering the final day, but it was Mountcastle who held his nerve with three textbook pars to finish, in front of hundreds of passionate fans who continue to provide the biggest crowds of the season.
“It’s a great feeling and great experience to win on this tour, especially one that is named after Sir Bob Charles,” said a proud Mountcastle.
A highlight of his round came very early with a chip-in eagle on the second hole, but the only part which may have not gone to plan was leaving himself a slippery three-foot putt on the last hole to seal the deal.
“The three-footer to win wasn’t the putt I wanted to leave myself, but it was very nice to see that go in and take the win.”
If he had let this one slip by, tournament officials were preparing for a mammoth four-way playoff, but the new champion found the centre of the cup with a silky-smooth stroke to join an elite group of amateur golfers to win on the Jennian Homes Charles Tour.
“The other amateurs that have won these events are achieving great things at the moment, so to join them is really nice,” said Mountcastle.
Things started to really heat up down the stretch with Dongwoo Kang shooting a sublime round of six-under (64) to join the frenzy which also included Lachie McDonald and Mark Brown.
As the lead chopped and changed throughout the afternoon, Kang and McDonald will only remember their final hole bogeys which sadly cost them a chance of a playoff while the local hope Mark Brown didn’t fire a shot with his even-par round.
Finishing earlier in the day, Hawkes Bay professional Daniel Pearce has won the season long points race to the Jennian Homes Trophy today after another great season on the national circuit.
His year will be remembered by the two big wins at the Barfoot & Thompson Akarana Open and the Ngamotu Classic which solidified his position as our most best golfer of the summer.
DANIEL PEARCE WINS POINTS RACE – FULL ARTICLE
Brittney Dryland has secured a wire-to-wire victory at the Carrus Open to win by a convincing five-shots to claim her second title on the Jennian Homes Charles Tour.
With a round of two-under par (70), which was her fourth consecutive round under-par, the Aucklander shot out to a lead that made it near impossible for anyone to chase.
Her last victory on the national circuit was at the Akarana Open two years ago, so she is starting to know and enjoy the feeling of being at the top.
“It feels pretty amazing to play solid the whole week and to have four rounds sub-par makes me very happy,” said Dryland.
“It’s been a really busy start to the year with a few overseas trips and I think all of it has helped me get better every week and I’m really happy with where my game’s at.”
Dryland will now set her sights to the Queen Sirikit cup in two weeks’ time as she looks to take this form and attempt to bring some more silverware home, not just for herself, but New Zealand as well.
Miree Jung was the next best at five-under par followed by Carmen Lim at four-under showing the depth of young women golfers coming through the ranks.
-ENDS-
George Harper Jnr
Media & Communications
george@nzgolf.org.nz
Jennian Homes Charles Tour
Carrus Open
Sunday 22 April 2018
Men’s Final Round Scores (Par 70)
264 Kerry Mountcastle (Masterton) 65 67 64 68
265 Dongwoo Kang (PGA New Zealand) 68 64 69 64, Lachie McDonald (Marton) 67 65 65 68, Mark Brown (PGA New Zealand) 70 59 66 70
266 Troy Ropiha (PGA New Zealand) 68 65 65 68
270 James Anstiss (PGA New Zealand) 66 65 69 70
271 Sam An (Titirangi) 67 68 70 66, Daniel Hillier (Manor Park Golf Sanctuary) 64 68 67 72
272 Jimmy Zheng (Howick) 69 68 66 69
273 Matthew McLean (Harewood) 67 70 66 70
274 Pieter Zwart (PGA New Zealand) 71 70 64 69, Kevin Koong (Muriwai) 69 70 65 70, Daniel Pearce (PGA New Zealand) 67 66 70 71
275 Jim Cusdin (Tauranga) 68 70 67 70
276 Ryan Chisnall (PGA New Zealand) 68 68 71 69, Brad Hayward (New Plymouth Inc.) 68 69 69 70, Jared Pender (Te Puke) 69 69 66 72
277 Brad Shilton (Muriwai) 69 74 67 67, Oscar Cadenhead (PGA New Zealand) 75 65 68 69, Dale Williamson (PGA New Zealand) 71 63 67 76
278 Tom Parker (Christchurch) 68 70 72 68, Connor Barker (Remuera) 71 66 71 70, Mark Hutson (Muriwai) 68 71 64 75
280 Douglas Holloway (PGA New Zealand) 71 71 69 69, Dominic Brettkelly (Hororata) 76 64 70 70, Jake Lee (Muriwai) 70 67 70 73
281 Steven Oh (North Shore) 72 70 68 71
282 Wesley Jeon (Whitford Park) 70 70 70 72
283 Victor Janin (Rotorua) 71 68 73 71
284 George Wardell (Tauranga) 70 72 73 69, Luke Brown (Muriwai) 72 70 73 69, Christian Nitsche (Akarana) 72 73 68 71, William Howard (Tauranga) 67 75 71 71, Hayden Beard (Mt Maunganui) 66 74 72 72, Jang Hyun Lee (Maungakiekie) 72 71 69 72, Kazuma Kobori (Rangiora) 67 74 71 72, Kwanghue Kim (Akarana) 70 73 68 73
285 Nick Loach (PGA New Zealand) 76 71 68 70, James Fellows-Ford (St. Andrews of Hamilton (Hamilton)) 72 70 72 71, Shaun Campbell (Omanu) 69 74 68 74, Hiroki Miya (Russley) 70 68 72 75
286 James Hydes (Gulf Harbour Country Club) 71 76 68 71
287 Charlie Smail (Walton) 68 69 81 69, Taylor Gill (Bay of Islands Kerikeri Inc.) 70 72 69 76
288 Dean Sipson (Mt Maunganui) 73 74 70 71, Justin Morris (PGA New Zealand) 72 71 74 71, Joshua Bai (Akarana) 75 68 71 74
289 Thomas Alderson (Hastings) 71 73 73 72, Daniel Graham (PGA New Zealand) 72 72 71 74, Trevor Marshall (PGA New Zealand) 70 68 75 76
290 Mason Lee (Royal Auckland and Grange) 76 71 71 72, Tommy Liu (Royal Auckland and Grange) 71 67 76 76
291 Peter Anderson (Titirangi) 75 70 74 72, Jordan Woodall (Cambridge) 72 69 77 73, Sung Jin Yeo (North Shore) 69 78 67 77
293 Keegan Wiltshier (Omanu) 76 71 71 75, Sanjay Modgill (New Plymouth Inc.) 75 69 73 76, Kunaal Singh (Whitford Park) 75 72 68 78
294 James Lim (Akarana) 70 77 71 76
295 Jee Hwan (Davis) Oh (Gulf Harbour Country Club) 71 73 77 74, Sul (Banaba) Im (Huapai) 70 76 73 76
296 Jesper Bengtsson (North Shore) 73 73 74 76
297 Dylan Bagley (Hastings) 73 74 72 78
300 Harry Middleton (Omokoroa) 76 71 76 77, Joshua Bernhard Rookes (Waitemata) 71 75 76 78, Thomas Woods (Miramar) 73 70 75 82
301 Sam Reese (St. Andrews of Hamilton (Hamilton)) 76 71 77 77
306 Willy Eady (Royal Auckland and Grange) 75 72 78 81
Jennian Homes Charles Tour
Carrus Open
Sunday 22 April 2018
Final Round Scores (Par 72)
278 Brittney Dryland (Titirangi) 66 71 71 70
283 Miree Jung (Titirangi) 68 73 71 71
284 Carmen Lim (Windross Farm Golf Course) 71 71 70 72
286 Caryn Khoo (Pakuranga) 67 73 69 77
290 Darae Chung (Shandon) 70 76 68 76
297 Siyi Keh (Titirangi) 76 76 73 72
303 Yoonjeong Huh (Gulf Harbour Country Club) 74 75 78 76
304 Jodae Ngaheu (Tauranga) 78 70 78 78, Silvia Brunotti (North Shore) 74 78 72 80
310 Caitlin Maurice (Omokoroa) 78 76 77 79
315 Taylor-Rose Perrett (Omanu) 76 84 76 79, Emmalee Morrell (Tauranga) 76 84 75 80
323 Erika Cui (Boulcott's Farm Heritage) 74 86 82 81