Brent Curnow Wins New Zealand Mid-Amateur
15 Jan 2017
by New Zealand Golf
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New Zealand Mid-Amateur winners Brent Curnow (L) and Shelley McElroy (R)
(Golf Zealand Photo)
MT. MAUNGANUI, New Zealand (January 15, 2017) --
Elation, was all you could see on Brent Curnow face, a
local Bay golfer who plays most of his golf out the Mt.
Maunganui Golf Club, when receiving the Neil Woodbury
Cup awarded the New Zealand Mid-Amateur winner.
Curnow shot a 73 in Friday’s first round, backed up
with a one-under 71 on the Saturday round. Strong
competition was expected from visiting Australian player
Damon Flood, who had to withdraw after the first round
with a wrist injury.
Going into today’s final, Curnow had a 4-shot lead
over the field. Even with a 3-over 75 today he could not
be caught as overnight contenders fell away and today’s
chasers were just too far back to catch him.
Curnow has won his club championship two years in
a row, but unlike the women’s field, star studded with
district rep’s, he has not been a district representative.
Curnow won by 4 shots ahead of Marcus Ramon
(Redwood Park) who had rounds of 75, 74 and a one-
under par, 71 today.
Best round of the tournament was todays 67 by
James Malone (Te Ngutu). Malone had earlier shot
rounds of 76 and 78 but rocketed up to a share of 3rd
after todays 5-under par round. Ken Meaden (Muriwai)
shared 3rd equal place on 221, after rounds of 77, 70
and 74.
WOMEN'S MID-AMATEUR DIVISION
Bay of Plenty representative, Shelley McElroy has
won the 2017 New Zealand Women’s Mid Amateur by 7
shots on the links-style Omanu Golf Course, and in
doing so, her name will be added on the Women’s Trust
Shield.
At today's award ceremony McElroy received extra
recognition, as the leading player out of both men’s and
women’s fields.
McElroy opened her charge with a 73 in Friday’s
round that was anything but easy with strong afternoon
sea breezes proving to be a challenge for all. Her one
over par round included birdies on the par 4 -2nd, and
the challenging par 3 -7th.
Two bogies in the first nine holes, followed by a
further bogey on the 11th, before a par-run home, gave
McElroy a one-shot lead heading into day two of the 54
hole, 3 day national tournament.
Chasing hard and finishing on 74 in her opening
round was the strong Harbour player, Vaha Fapiano.
Taranaki representative Ann Braithwaite, one shot
further back with a 75, had a dream run, playing 3
shots under her handicap.
McElroy cemented her lead in Saturdays round with
a 74, and four shots ahead of Fapiano. Both Fapiano
and Braithwaite had disappointing rounds of 77 in the
mornings round that offered players benign weather and
great scoring opportunities in comparison to windy
tough conditions during the first round.
McElroy saved her best to last with a 2-under par
round in today’s final 18-holes. Despite a 7 on the par
5, 6th, birdies on the 2nd, 5th and 7th, coupled with a
bogey-free run home, from the 8th, gave McElroy her
first win in the prestigious Mid-Amateur tournament.
Final score for McElory was 217, one over par.
Fapiano finished in 2nd place on 224 with a final
round of 73. Defending champion Jill Morgan, who shot
73 today, denyed Braithwaite the 3rd place in her race
to claim the title again. Morgan, a Waikato
representative shot 77, 77 and 72 to finish on 226.