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James Marchesani has been waiting for his ball-striking to match his putting on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and it’s finally happened over the first two rounds of the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport.
With impressive rounds of 63-65 at Millbrook Resort, the Victorian holds second spot on the leaderboard at 14-under-par, three behind Korean Guntaek Koh, who matched the course record on the Remarkables layout today, shooting a 10-under-par 61.
Marchesani is a shot clear of China’s Bobby Bai (65-64), while first-time Millbrook visitor, West Australian Ryan Peake (67-64), is in a share of fourth at 11-under with two Asian Tour regulars, American John Catlin (67-64) and South African Ian Snyman (66-65).
Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit No.1 Elvis Smylie (66-66) is lurking, equal seventh at 10-under.
After some equipment adjustments pre-event, Marchesani didn’t miss a green in regulation on Thursday and was almost as clinical in day two.
He made his way to 16-under-par after 35 holes, only to slip up with a double-bogey six on his closing hole on the Remarkables course, one of two in use over the 36 holes.
The 31-year-old, who had just four pars in his second round to sit alongside an eagle, eight birdies and two bogeys, is ready for what could be a career-defining weekend.
He has come close before to winning on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia but has had to settle for four top-three placings.
“The game’s felt close,” Marchesani said.
“I probably haven’t driven it as well as I would’ve liked the last couple of months and was able to get in here earlier than I was meant to and do a bit of work with the Callaway boys on Monday.
“I found a little bit with a driver, which has been nice.
“The putting’s been really good the last sort of six months. I sort of knew if I could get a lot of looks, the hole’s going to start looking pretty big, which it has.”
But it’s Hendry and Geary who are sure to have the most support from the local crowd on Saturday as they continue to try to become the first New Zealanders in eight years to win their national open.
As the last winner, Hendry is the perfect man to offer a reason why the home players have been experiencing a title drought in Queenstown.
“After winning a major this is my next tournament that I want to win,” the 45-year-old said.
“All the Kiwis come into this week feeling that way and that is potentially why we haven’t had a winner in a while because we want it more than the other guys.
“They can cruise around doing their thing while we are fighting for every little bit to try and win it.”\
Like his regular roommate, Geary has also had two 66s to start the week, hitting a purple patch on the back nine Friday afternoon when he grabbed four consecutive birdies.
“I had a good hot streak there for seven or eight holes,” the Vic Open champion from a fortnight ago said.
“I knew I needed to stay in touch somewhat and what I was doing at even-par or 1-under wasn’t going to cut it.
“I’m happy with how it’s turned out. It could have been a little worse.”
The next best Kiwi after 36 holes is Daniel Hillier (68-65), who is 9-under, while hometown favourite Ben Campbell (67-67) is one shot further back.
Koh’s 61 featured a hole-out for eagle on the 398-metre par-4 ninth, nine birdies and a solitary bogey.
“My iron play worked really well today and helped me to attack the greens,” Koh said.
“I’ve been working hard on my game and this week it’s paid off.”
First-time Millbrook visitor Peake’s share of fourth at 11-under-par continues his steady summer which has included four top-10 finishes on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
A win here would be huge for the West Australian who doesn’t have status on any overseas tour and would automatically become an Asian Tour member and earn a trip to The Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
“Subconsciously everyone knows what’s on the line this week, but for myself, I’ve just got to stay in the moment,” Peake said.
“My goal just basically was to get here, make sure I make the cut and give myself a reasonable chance come the weekend.
“I’ve kind of set myself up decent enough to do that.”
Another big move on Friday came from Australian David Micheluzzi, the DP World Tour member pouring in nine birdies in an 8-under-par 63 on the Remarkables course.
At 9-under overall, he’s eight shots from the lead.
“There was glimpses yesterday. I just got off to a very slow start,” Micheluzzi said.
“The last 20 holes I’ve played very solid. Played them in 10-under, so I’ll take that.”
Among those who missed the halfway cut, which came at 5-under-par, were last week’s Webex Players Series Sydney winner Nick Voke (73-66), defending champion Takahiro Hataji (69-73), and Kiwi Danny Lee (75-69) in his first NZ Open as a professional.
Eight-time PGA TOUR Champions winner Steven Alker (70-67) birdied his last three holes to make it to the weekend play by a shot.
Photo: Photosport
The NZ Open is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
Australia’s Harrison Crowe rediscovered some of his form from the end of 2024 to grab the outright lead after the opening round of the 2025 New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport at Millbrook Resort today.
With nine birdies and an eagle, the Sydneysider shot a round of 9-under-par 62, his only mishap coming on the par-4 13th hole of the Remarkables course, one of two in use over the first two rounds, when his tee shot flew out of bounds, leading to a double-bogey.
Crowe, the winner of the NSW Open as an amateur in 2022 but still chasing a first big win as a professional, leads James Marchesani (Vic), who played the Coronet course, by a shot.
Two other Australians, Lucas Herbert (Vic) and Kevin Yuan (NSW), as well as Korean Guntaek Koh, are two strokes behind in a share of third at 7-under.
The leading New Zealanders, Josh Geary and Michael Hendry, are tied for ninth at 5-under-par four shots from the lead, with Ben Campbell in a share of 23rd at 4-under.
Crowe was one of the form players in the big events at the end of 2024 on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australia, rattling off a T7 at the Ford NSW Open, T8 at the BMW Australian PGA Championship and T5 at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open.
However since his Christmas-New Year break, the 23-year-old has missed three consecutive halfway cuts.
“I definitely had a lot of things going my way today, and I think to shoot those rounds you have to,” Crowe said.
“I had the putter going, so it was nice to keep the momentum going after that one mistake.
“It’s starting to feel like that (the end of 2024) again. It’s been a bit of a slow start this year after a Christmas break, and it was nice to have a few things going my way today.”
Herbert, one of the pre-tournament favourites, was happy with the new putter in his bag, although a miss from three metres on his final hole prevented him for finishing in a share of second with Marchesani, who birdied the par-5 closer.
The Ford NSW Open champion is part of a Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit dogfight this week and has an early advantage over OOM No.1 Elvis Smylie, who shot a 4-under 67 on the Remarkables course.
“I felt like I’d struggled with the putter for a while and I felt like I putted okay today without being amazing, but it wasn’t bad either,” the Ripper GC squad member said.
“I hit a lot of good putts and just couldn’t get as many to go in as I would’ve liked. But look, it’s probably going to be a week of low scoring, so it was good to get off to a hot start and not feel like we’re chasing from a long way back.”
In the morning groups which were greeted my almost still conditions, Josh Geary brought the good form from his Vic Open win at 13th Beach Golf Links earlier this month to the Remarkables course which he toured in 5-under 66.
The highlight of his day were three straight birdies from the sixth to the eighth.
“I’ve been here enough. I know what to do if the weather stays calm,” Geary said.
“You’ve just got to keep your foot down and make a lot of birdies. I’d assume that’s how it’s going to go.”
Fellow Kiwi Hendry made his way to 6-under late in the afternoon before slipping up with his first bogey of the day, at the par-4 17th on the Remarkables. The former champion still content, however, with his start.
“I’m hitting it really well off the so as long as I can keep that going, I shouldn’t put myself in too much trouble and then hopefully it’s just about making some putts,” Hendry said.
Out in the second group of the day, West Australian Brett Rumford avoided a potential disaster before he even teed off to turn in a bogey-free 66 as he tries not only to contend for the title but also to keep his game in shape for seniors tour golf which looms in three years’ time.
Even with his vast experience, Rumford almost made a huge mistake when he came within a couple of minutes of missing his 7.40am tee time, thinking he was due off at 7.50am.
“That would’ve flustered me, I’m sure, back in my prime,” Rumford said.
“That definitely would’ve got on my nerves, would’ve blamed my caddie, would’ve blamed this and that. I would’ve blamed the world for it. But now it’s just ‘oh great’.
Defending champion Takahiro Hataji started with a 2-under-par 70.
Photo: Photosport
The NZ Open is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
Twelve months on from his 2024 New Zealand Open victory, Japan’s Takahiro Hataji is a changed man – and those changes are continuing.
His one-shot victory over Australia’s Scott Hend at Millbrook Resort, his first big title as a professional, led to a significant confidence boost which in turn led to two wins on the Japan Golf Tour – the Kansai Open Golf Championship in May and the Vantelin Tokai Classic in September.
Excited to now see his name etched on the Brodie Breeze Trophy alongside a list of distinguished former campions, Hataji arrives back at Millbrook Resort for his title defence with an Official World Golf Ranking that is 277 places than this time last year.
“I’ve been playing professionally all my life, thinking I’d never win again, so I think being able to win here has changed things for the better,” Hataji said today.
“Yes it really boosted my confidence. I really became more conscious of wanting to win more.”
The New Zealand Open is Hataji’s first tournament for 2025 and like most players on Tour, he’s spending time tinkering with his game as he seeks even more rewards this year.
He’s in the middle of some swing “adjustments” and doesn’t expect to see the results immediately.
“But I really want to do my best to win again this week, and I hope to use this as a stepping stone for a great year,” he said.
Hataji is part of a 21-man contingent of Japanese professionals at this week’s championship, including a first-time NZ Open participant, former world No.29 Ryo Ishikawa.
The duo played a practice round on Wednesday with the current champion happy to share a “little advice” garnered from last year.
The defending champion tees off on the first hole of the Remarkables course at 12.58pm (NZ time) in round one.
Kiwi professional Nick Voke has never been as popular as he is this week at the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport.
A breakthrough victory at Webex Players Series Sydney on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia on Sunday has set off a torrent of congratulations in person, over the phone and online.
Voke’s popularity, which has included an estimated “300 to 500 messages in the inbox” would soar even higher if he’s the one to break an eight-year drought for home players in their national championship on Sunday.
“Growing up, this was the one that we watched,” Voke said today after completing his final practice round at Millbrook Resort.
“We know the history, we know the winners and I mean to be part of that, with your name on the trophy, would be pretty wicked.
“You have to play pretty well though. There’s a lot of good golfers here.”
Among those very happy to see Voke hold on to win by a shot from Australian Jake McLeod on Sunday – his first success in an Official World Golf Ranking event since 2018 – was former British Masters champion Daniel Hillier, who is the No.1 ranked New Zealander in the field this week.
“I’ve been a big fan of Vokey for a long time. I remember actually back when I was younger, we used to play a Wellington versus Auckland game in Taupo and he wasn’t there. He was playing for New Zealand at the time and they were all talking about him,” Hillier said,
“I was just young but coming through the ranks and I thought ‘God, actually I’d love to be like Vokey. That’d be pretty cool’. I’ve looked up to the man for a long time.”
Like Voke and the other 23 home players this week, Hillier would love to be the next New Zealander to have their name on the Brodie Breeze Trophy.
He’s in good early season form, already banking a second at this year’s Dubai Desert Clasic and two other top-25 finishes on the DP World Tour to sit in fourth place on the Race to Dubai standings.
“I think it’s every professional golfer’s dream to win their national open, myself included,” Hillier said.
“I feel like I’ve got the game to do it now.
“It’s just not putting too much pressure on myself and going out, playing the game, staying patient with it.”
And maybe holing plenty of putts like Voke did over 72 holes at Castle Hill.
“Having some confidence is really nice,” last Sunday’s champion said.
“You see some putts go in then all of a sudden the hole gets bigger. We’ve all felt it and the hole felt pretty big to me last week. Hopefully it remains the same size this week.”
As a member at Millbrook Resort, Ben Campbell feels a great sense of pride that it has become a much-loved host of the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport.
But there’s also a growing frustration that he hasn’t managed to win his national championship at his home club despite coming very close in the past.
The 33-year-old, who now plays fulltime for the Range Goats in LIV Golf, gets another chance to win his first Open at Millbrook starting on Thursday, when he will be one of the big favourites to claim the Brodie Breeze Trophy.
“Yeah, definitely frustrating. I’ve had my chances,” Campbell said of his near-misses which include runner-up finishes in 2017 and 2023.
“The game is in a good solid spot. They always get the greens so good out here and you’ve got to have a really hot week with the putter to definitely be up there. I’m working on that at the moment and hopefully we’ll get a few putts to drop.
“It’s always nice playing a tournament when you can sleep in your own bed and around your home golf course.”
After playing at LIV Adelaide earlier this month, where he finished equal 23rd, Campbell has been at home at Queenstown, not only working on his game, but also playing handyman and throwing in a weekend fishing trip with some Asian Tour player guests.
“Just being able to relax a little bit before the tournament, it’s obviously a bit different to normal,” he said.
“I always love playing here. It’s such a special time, obviously I’m a member here and I play most Fridays with the members when I’m home.
“I’ve been through the struggles of injuries and things like that and it’s great to play in front of everyone who’s been there for you in that tough time.
“It’d be great to put the name on the trophy.”
Campbell will partner fellow New Zealander Steve Alker in a feature group across the first two rounds, teeing off in round one from the 10th hole of the Remarkables course at 8.13am on Thursday.
Photo: NZ Open/Photosport.nz
With one lifetime achievement fulfilled off the course in Queenstown on Monday, Lucas Herbert can now turn his sights to achieving others on the course at the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport.
Now engaged to girlfriend Erika after popping the question on a hill overlooking Lake Wakatipu, the Ripper GC team member, currently ranked third on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit, is hunting down the No.1, Elvis Smylie, at Millbrook Resort, starting on Thursday.
Smylie, the BMW Australian PGA champion, comes into the week with a 512-point lead, but he can be overtaken, or alternatively he can secure the title, with 760 points to be awarded to the winner on Sunday.
Another three events remain on the Tour schedule in March, with Smylie and Herbert yet to lock in any further appearances – for now anyway.
Herbert, the 2024 Ford NSW Open champion, would love to tick off three items on his hitlist – winning the NZ Open after coming close in 2020, an event he says still haunts him, earning The Open Championship berth which goes to the victor and claiming the Order of Merit top spot for the first time.
Currently, both Herbert and Smylie don’t have a major on their 2025 schedule – or an Order of Merit title.
“There’s certainly a lot going on this week and to be honest, it’s a week that I’ve looked forward to for a few weeks now, because I knew this challenge would come up,” Herbert said.
“There’s not much I can do about Elvis this week. If he plays well, he’s probably going to put the Order of Merit too far away for any of us to catch.
“If I win I’ll give myself the best chance to obviously win that order of merit. So that’s the main focus.”
Back on his home tour for the first time since the ISPS HANDA Australian Open, Smylie knows he’s a hunted man this week as he tries to consolidate his hold on No.1 or even clinch the OOM title by winning on Sunday afternoon.
“It was a goal of mine at the start of the season last October – to win the order of Merit and the accolades that do come with winning the Order of Merit are quite big.
“Two out of the four majors, potentially more. It’s a dream of mine to play majors. It’s a dream of mine to compete against the best players in the world and to see where my game adds up and I’ve just got to keep playing well and keep giving myself opportunities.
“It’s exciting though to have the opportunity that I have. It’s obviously a position I’ve put myself in by playing great golf over the past seven months. We’ll see what happens this week and let it be.”
Both Herbert and Smylie have back-up plans should the battle for No.1 not be decided this week.
The current leader has targeted the season-ending The National Tournament (March 27-30), while Herbert may line up at the Heritage Classic (March 20-23) should he still be able to clinch top spot.
This week’s event features 18 of the top 20 on the Order of Merit with only Herbert’s Ripper GC teammates Cam Smith (No.2) and Marc Leishman (No.4) not making the trip to New Zealand.
While Smylie and Herbert are favourites to earn the 2024/25 OOM title, there’s still a chance it could go to any player currently inside the top 10 should results go their way.
However plenty of those will drop out of contention without a win at Millbrook.
Photo: NZ Open
Kiwi Steven Alker is feeling “some good vibes” as he tries to capture a title he craves but has so far proved to be elusive – the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport.
One of the most successful players on the PGA TOUR Champions across the past four seasons, with a total of eight victories, including one in 2024 to help him become the Charles Schwab Cup champion, the 53-year-old has arrived at Millbrook Resort for what he thinks may be one of his final chances to win his national open.
It’s his third start of the year, heading back home after finishing equal fifth in Hawaii and second in Morocco to kick off his 2025 PGA TOUR Champions campaign.
“So I’ve got some good vibes and a game not quite where I want it, but it’s early season,” Alker said ahead of a Tuesday afternoon practice round with former NZ Open champion Brendan Jones.
“Early season, you’re trying to feel out where you’re at and get into some form.
“I’m just happy to be back in New Zealand and give it another crack. I don’t know how many I’ve got left in me, so I’m just happy to be down here and play.”
One significant difference for Alker at Millbrook this year is that not only would a win gain him what he so dearly wants – his name on the Brodie Breeze Trophy – but also a spot in this year’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
For the first time, the NZ Open is part of the Open Qualifying Series, offering Sunday’s winner a much sought after direct path into the year’s third major championship.
It’s one of the reasons why this year’s field at Queenstown is exceptionally strong.
Alker’s last appearance at The Open came in 2007 at Carnoustie, one of two starts over a professional career that began in 1995.
“The Open’s the greatest tournament in the world, I think,” Alker said.
“It’s a credit to the tournament too, to get that spot.
“It doesn’t just happen every day and they don’t just give them out to anybody.
“It just shows the quality of the tournament, how much it’s grown and they recognise that we get an international field and it’s special.”
Alker’s 2025 NZ Open campaign will start at 8.02am on Thursday on the Remarkables course, one of two par-71 layouts in use for the opening two rounds.
Photo: Michael Thomas/Photosport
There’s a couple of clear signs for Brendan Jones that he’s about to hit 50.
One, he’s now got a card on the lucrative PGA TOUR Champions for the first time, with his first seniors tournament coming up next month.
Two, his waistline has increased from a size 32 to a size 34.
Before venturing to the United States for his PGA TOUR Champions debut In Tucson, Arizona after coming through Qualifying School at the end of 2024, Jones has stopped off at his favourite tournament of the year, the NZ Open presented by Sky Sport, at Millbrook Resort.
It’s his second Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia event of 2025 after missing the cut at last week’s Webex Players Series Sydney event at one of his home clubs, Castle Hill Country Club.
“I missed the cut by plenty, so there’s a bit to work on, but this time of the year I’m always fresh,” the former NZ Open champion said.
“It doesn’t generally take me a lot to get back to where I want to be and I’ve got some pretty exciting times ahead, so hopefully the enthusiasm that I’ve got for the game right now is going to be enough not just for a good week this week, but for the year ahead.”
Jones is looking forward to being a rookie in the United States, thinking that at age 50 – his milestone birthday comes next Monday (March 3) – this year could be his best chance to cash in.
And far from being a “fat belly”, the moniker many seniors Tour players wear, Jones looks as fit as when he was in his prime, winning 19 titles worldwide, although he’s quick to say that isn’t the case.
“It’s funny because I’ve always been a size 32 waist and ever since I’ve sort of joined the Champions Tour in December, the waist size is going out,” the ACT resident said.
“So yeah, I can see that my body’s changed. I haven’t worked as hard on my fitness as what I should, but hopefully I’ll get into some sort of rhythm and I can do that again. But going to the US where it’s burgers everywhere, it’s going to be hard to avoid.”
The 2023 NZ Open champion will be on the Coronet course for round one on Thursday, teeing off at 8:35am local time and he’s confident of again being in the mix on Sunday.
“These two courses here at Millbrook, I think it brings a lot of people into the equation” Jones said.
“It’d be nice to have a little bit more distance, but you’ve got to position your ball on the greens here as well. I think there’s no reason why a 50-year-old can’t win.”
Photo: Michael Thomas/Photosport
After playing tourist for a couple of days, David Micheluzzi was down to business at the NZ Open presented by Sky Sport today and is backing his putting to put him into contention at Millbrook Resort over the weekend.
It’s likely to be the last Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia start for the season for the former Order of Merit champion before he resumes his second campaign as a full-time member of the DP World Tour.
With top-10s already this season at the BMW Australian PGA Championship and Dubai Desert Classic, he sits in a healthy 22nd place on the Race to Dubai standings.
This week’s event, co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour and with an influx of Japan Tour regulars, is his first for 2025 on his home Tour.
“Firstly it’s in Queenstown and it’s probably one of the best places in the world and I just like the golf course,” Micheluzzi said when asked why he’d locked in another trip to the South Island.
“It suits the schedule really well. We don’t really get much off time on the DP World Tour, so this is kind of my off time at the moment and it’s only three hours from home. It just fits well.
“I was playing here no matter what, but when I saw that the winner gets a place in the Open Championship it’s obviously like ‘alright, let’s get into it’.
“The course is always immaculate and I’ve got few of my mates staying with me this week, my girlfriend is here as well and it’s just going to be a fun week I reckon.”
The NZ Open is Micheluzzi’s first tournament since a missed cut at the Qatar Masters at the start of the month but he’s feeling like he’s game is in better shape following some time at home in Melbourne.
Nine holes of practice today on the Coronet course, one of two in operation for the first 36 holes, has added to his confident feeling for the week to come.
“I haven’t played fantastic over the last few weeks, struggling with ball striking a little bit, but it seems to have turned a corner a little bit,” the Victorian said.
“My putting’s really good at the moment. I feel like I’ve got just a good feel. Just everything with my putting just seems really nice at the moment.
“If I give myself a lot of chances, say tee to green, if I’m good, tee to green this week, I’m feeling really comfortable.”
With fine, calm conditions predicted for Millbrook for most of the week, Micheluzzi is tipping a score in the mid-20s under-par will be needed to be in the hunt late on Sunday.
Having first taken the lead of the Webex Players Series Sydney on Friday, Nick Voke rarely looked as if he would allow anyone a chance to genuinely challenge for the trophy on Sunday.
The Kiwi stuck to that script early during the final round before his total control of his own game loosened as Jake McLeod found his.
Matching fellow New Zealander Kazuma Kobori’s winning total of 25-under 12 months earlier, Voke’s final round of 3-under 69 was enough to finish one-stroke ahead of McLeod (66) with Will Florimo (66), Travis Smyth (69) and Tyler Wood (69) sharing third at 18-under.
What became a nerve-wracking finish that was a two-horse race from a long way out, Voke’s stranglehold on the tournament almost slipped through his fingers.
A four-stroke overnight lead grew by one after Voke made birdie at the par-5 first for the fourth straight day before McLeod clawed back that shot with a birdie at the par-3 fourth.
Voke once again stretched the lead to five with birdie at the par-5 fifth yet a mis-directed lay-up and birdie by McLeod led to a two-shot swing at the short par-4 sixth, narrowing the 30-year-old’s lead to just three shots with 12 holes still to play.
McLeod could only match one of Voke’s birdies at eight and nine as the lead moved out to four strokes at the turn, Voke’s advantage back out to five again with a birdie at the short par-4 12th.
A ridiculous putt from the back fringe down over a tier that hit the centre of the flagstick before dropping was Voke’s sixth birdie of the day and perhaps the putt of his life in the tournament wash-up.
“When I walked back to the caddie, I said, ‘Tom (Power Horan), good putt is inside eight feet’,” said Voke.
“He goes, ‘You’re a content guy, surely just hole it, give it a good roll’.
“As soon as I hit it, I was like, Oh, this looks pretty good.”
After the excitement of the following crowd settled, an unflappable challenger in McLeod again stayed in the fight with a birdie of his own from just outside 20 feet and the golden run of Voke took a stumble.
Voke dropped a shot at 14 and McLeod made birdie on 15. After taking iron off the tee at the short 16th, Voke hit his approach left of the green and had to make a putt from five feet to narrowly avoid a double bogey.
The tenacious Queenslander, who has been knocking on the door of a win all season, then converted his birdie chance from 15 feet and, after leading by five with five to play, Voke’s advantage was just one heading to the 17th tee.
“I was five back and I thought I was out of it,” McLeod admitted post-round.
“All of a sudden, coming up the last two I was one back.
“It changed pretty quickly. I’m proud of how I played.”
A superb tee shot gave McLeod another look at birdie at the par-3 17th but his 12-foot putt just slipped underneath the right edge as Voke again needed to make a clutch par save to stay one in front playing the 72nd hole.
With persistent rain dousing the final group as they played the 18t, both players had 78 metres into the par-5 for their third. Voke almost flew his shot into the hole before it released to the back edge as McLeod’s came to rest 15 feet short and right of the hole.
After Voke putted down to a foot, McLeod had a putt to force a playoff, his birdie attempt hanging agonisingly on the right edge, leaving Voke to merely tap in and claim victory.
“Like that bad fart, that just doesn’t go away,” Voke joked of McLeod’s tenacity over the closing stages.
“’Clouds’ is going to be in my nightmares going forward. He was lurking all day and great bloke … I’m sure he’ll get one shortly.”
Suggesting with a smile that he may have peaked too early ahead of the New Zealand Open next week, the affable Voke turned more serious for a moment when asked what it meant to win again after last lifting a trophy in 2018.
“Golf is so hard. You can play a while, you can go through stretches and not win,” the part-time YouTuber said.
“Gosh, that feels good. That’s why you practise as a kid. That’s why you have the late-night range sessions. It’s why you do everything.”
With a flight back home to New Zealand on Monday, Voke was left to ponder the difficulty of transporting his extra piece of luggage as he dried off the champagne sprayed by fellow Iowa State alumni Lachlan Barker and Tyler Wood on the 18th green.
“How am I going to get this to Queenstown?” he asked, holding one of the three trophies handed out for the Webex Players Series Sydney at Castle Hill.
Castle Hill Country Club junior Nicholas Heanes shot rounds of 71-75 on his home course to claim the Webex Junior Players Series Sydney by seven strokes as Lachlan Wood recorded a 10-stroke win with rounds of 70-72 in the Webex All Abilities Players Series Sydney tournament.
