TELFER’S THOUGHTS 9.3.26

Daniel Hillier’s much-coveted win in the New Zealand Open at Millbrook not only restored faith in the standard of NZ golf, but also thankfully brought an end to the long and continuous domination Australian golfers have had on our National Open. However, a week later, normal Australian transmission, as it were, has resumed with Australians not just edging out the Kiwis, but a strong

contingent of Japanese golfers as well at the Japan-Australasian Tour Championship. Aussies filled six of the top ten places and two of them, Travis Smyth and Jack Thompson, then went on to battle it out over a 6-hole sudden death play-off. Eventually Smyth snapped the deadlock to claim first prize in this $1million tournament. The best of the Kiwis was the ever-consistent Kazuma Kobori who

finished in a tie for 6th at 12 under par for the week, 3 shots behind the eventual winner.

Unlike last week, Kobori was the only Kiwi to finish in the top 10. Nic Voke was the best of the rest of the Kiwi line-up, tying for 11th place. Then came a relatively new name on the Kiwi golfing scene, 25-year-old Aucklander Cameron Harlock, who rocketed home with 6 birdies and 7 1-putt greens on the back nine on Sunday to grab a share of 15th place. Harlock has been on a golfing scholarship in

America and has now turned pro. And if his putter continues to run as hot as it did at Middlemore, we’ll be hearing and seeing a lot more of this guy in years to come. Kerry Mountcastle, 3rd at Millbrook last week and handy to the lead at Auckland through the first 3 rounds, lost his touch on the last day, carding 5 bogeys on his way to an even par round of 71. Those bogeys saw him slip to a share of 35th place alongside fellow Kiwi Michael Hendry.

Meanwhile Ryan Fox enjoyed another useful pay day on the USPGA Tour, pocketing US$157,000 for his share of 26th place at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in Florida.

Ryan had a share of 6th place after an opening round of 68, 3 under par. The following day he shot his first over par round in 3 tournaments on the PGA Tour this year. His consistent golf this year can clearly be measured by shooting 10 rounds in a row under par. Unfortunately, a 3-over par round on Day 3 saw him slip back into the middle of the field. An improved final round saw him climb up into a

tie for 24th place.

Those 2-over par rounds have seen him drop 5 places on the FedEx Cup rankings. He now sits at 34th place, still well inside that all important top 70.

The tournament at Arnie’s place produced a riveting finish. Daniel Berger had led the tournament for the first 60 plus holes, only to see Akshay Bhatia reel off 4 birdies on the back nine to force a sudden play-off, won by Bhatia on the first extra hole.