It proved a day of bungy-like proportions in the town that invented the adventure phenomenon but Kiwi Ben Campbell takes a one shot lead into the final round of the ISPS HANDA New Zealand Open in Queenstown.
It proved a day of bungy-like proportions in the town that invented the adventure phenomenon but Kiwi Ben Campbell takes a one shot lead into the final round of the ISPS HANDA New Zealand Open in Queenstown.
The 25-year-old has the opportunity to become the first Kiwi to hold the Brodie Breeze Trophy since Mahal Pearce in 2003.
Campbell will need to negotiate his way among a circling school of Australians going in tomorrow’s final round at the Millbrook Resort.
There were three different leaders throughout the day including two former winners from across the Tasman, the 2014 champion Dimitrios Papadatos and 2011 titleholder Brad Kennedy.
A birdie on the 16th and eagle on the 17th saw Campbell spring from the pack to shoot a 5-under 66 and the lead on 20-under the card.
“I didn’t have my A-game today but managed to get a good score on the board. I have talked to my coach about doing ugly well,” Campbell said.
“My caddy told me to be patient. I holed some good par putts to keep the momentum going and went for it on 17 with that eagle.”
Can he dare to dream about etching his name on the winner’s trophy?
“There is a lot of golf to be played and it could be bad weather. I have to stay patient. Something can happen on a course like this. But I will hit the ball, go and find it and hopefully hole some putts.”
Kennedy, who was around the lead all day, mixed five birdies with two bogeys in his 3-under 68 to be one shot behind the Kiwi.
“It was one of those days when I felt I was in control for most of the day. It is the first time we have seen pins here on a Saturday and there were a couple of tough ones today. It was a positive day and I can start chasing now,” Kennedy said.
“There are some guys behind who can shoot low so I know I need to play well, stay aggressive and do my best to chase down Ben who holed everything today.”
Papadatos fired seven birdies and a bogey to push into the lead before he found the water on the challenging par-3 final hole to finish on 66 and a share of third place on 17-under the card.
“I have already won one tournament this year, at the Oates Vic Open, so there is no reason why I can’t make it two,” said Papadatos.
Also tied third is New Zealand’s Michael Hendry, who had the most remarkable if nerve-wracking of days.
Hendry recorded five birdies mixed with three dropped shots and a double bogey that saw him drift back to ninth place.
The Kiwi then produced stunning back-to-back eagles at the par-4 16th and par-5 17th to fire a 4-under 68 to be 17-under the card with Papadatos.
“It was pretty ordinary, to be honest. I just kept telling myself to stay patient and hopefully I’d capitalise on some opportunities coming in and I did,” said Hendry who was troubled by a back injury that has plagued him lately.
“I just tried to stay patient and not get too down on myself. Golf is a hard enough game at the best of times – there’s a field of 70 guys trying to beat you, there’s no point trying to make it 71.”
Australian James Nitties enjoyed six birdies with one dropped some in his 5-under 66 to be outright fifth.
Three players are in a share of sixth place led by defending champion Matt Griffin, who fired a five-under 66, compatriot Deyen Lawson and Korean teenager Sung-Jae Im.
There is a bevy of four players sharing ninth place on 13-under the card led by New Zealand’s Ryan Fox who produced the day’s low score with eight birdies to record a blemish free 63. He shares that spot with Australians Andrew Evans and Andrew Dodt as well as Korean Young-Han Song.
Earlier Fox set the standard with his remarkable 63, re-finding his touch on the greens today.
“I saw a lot of 10 and 12 footers go in today that haven’t gone in the previous five or six tournaments and it’s nice to be back in the tournament,” Fox said.
With veteran caddie Steve Williams on his bag for the first time in Queenstown this week, Fox said an attitude adjustment had helped to warm up his putter.
“I don’t know what (the change) was, probably just mentality, just let go of the outcome and not worry about it. I think we read the greens well the first couple of days, I just struggled to start it on line and today I managed to start it on line and my speed was probably a little better as well.”