Lydia to Represent NZ in Espirito Santo in Buenos Aires

August 7, 2010 — igolfinstruction

New Zealand Golf has named a strong men’s team and their youngest ever women’s team for October’s biennial world teams championships in Argentina.
The women will contest the Espirito Santo Trophy in Buenos Aires on 20-23 October and the men play for the Eisenhower Trophy from 28-31 October.

The women’s team will be led by 15-year-old Cecilia Cho (Auckland) with 13-year-old Lydia Ko from the Institute of Golf and 22-year-old Caroline Bon (Whangarei).
The men’s team will be led by Masterton’s Ben Campbell along with Ryan Fox (Auckland) and Peter Spearman-Burn (Wellington).

“It has been a very competitive process to select the team and we believe we have two very strong teams to represent New Zealand Golf at both the Eisenhower and Espirito Santo events,” New Zealand Golf High Performance Manager, Simon Poll said.

“Our selection process has been rigorous and we have challenged our Srixon Academy players thoroughly both with results on the course and in terms of their fitness regimes, strength and conditioning off the course.

“These six players have stood out with their on-course and off-course results.”

Campbell, 18, has been the outstanding amateur male this year, earning runner-up in the Australian Amateur Championship. The highlight for the former Aaron Baddeley International champion was his victory against professionals at the Tauranga Open on the Charles Tour this year. He is New Zealand’s top ranked amateur player at No 19 in the world.

Fox, 23, is a big hitting player who was a semifinalist at the Australian Amateur, third at the Tauranga Open and recently won the Grant Clements at Mt Maunganui by 10 shots. He is currently competing in the United States in some of amateur golf’s toughest events.

Spearman-Burn dominated amateur golf last year winning the North and South Island titles as well as finishing third in the prestigious Asian Amateur Championships in China on his way to the NZ Amateur of the Year Award. While his form early in the year did not match his 2009 success, he was in outstanding form to be fourth in the Waikato Winter Strokeplay and won the Bay of Plenty Open last week by 10 shots.

The women’s team is headed by newcomers Cho and Ko (igolf), who have dominated the game in this country for the last two years.

Cho is the current national amateur champion as well as the Australian strokeplay winner and runner-up in the Australian Amateur. Last year she won 15 individual titles in a remarkable period of performance.

Ko (igolf) won the North Island Amateur title convincingly before finishing fourth individual in the Queen Sirikit Cup, and she stunned many in finishing seventh in the Pegasus New Zealand Women’s Open, a co-sanctioned event with the ALPG and Ladies European Tour.

Bon won the New Zealand Strokeplay title this year and was leading amateur at the Tauranga Open. She also competed in the Korean Open professional event. Their youth is no concern for New Zealand Golf.

“As well as Cecilia and Lydia being our two leading players on rankings, their youth is a benefit to the team in terms of bringing in a real spark and enthusiasm. They showed that at the Queen Sirikit Cup,” Mr Poll said.

New Zealand Golf has a goal of top-10 for both the men and women from over 50 countries competing in the women’s event and 60 in the men’s.

Competition takes place on two courses. The host is the demanding Buenos Aires GC, host of the Argentine Open and renowned for its severe mounding, thick round and fast greens. The nearby Olivos GC is a parkland course, tree-lined with tight dog-legged fairways and fast greens.

The best performances for the New Zealand women in the contest that began in 1964 were runners-up at Switzerland in 1982 and Christchurch in 1990. They were 21st in Adelaide in 2008.

The men had their success in the Eisenhower Trophy that began in 1958 with the famous win at Canada in 1992. They have also finished runner-up on two occasions – in Spain in 1970 and also in Christchurch in 1990. They were 11th in Adelaide in 2008.

The teams are:
Eisenhower Trophy: Ben Campbell (Masterton GC), Ryan Fox (Royal Auckland GC), Peter Spearman-Burn (Miramar GC). Reserve: Nick Gillespie (Royal Wellington GC).
Espirito Santo Trophy: Cecilia Cho (Pakuranga CC), Lydia Ko (Institute of Golf), Caroline Bon (Whangarei GC). Reserve: Emily Perry (Lochiel GC).

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Lydia Dominates Last 27 Holes

June 14, 2010 — igolfinstruction

Institute of  Golf superstar teenager Lydia Ko has won the North Shore 54 Hole Woman’s Classic by 5

Lydia @ igolf with Director of Physiotherapy Brad Takai

strokes. The 54 hole event was played at the North Shore Golf Course over the weekend in pretty average weather.

The players played 27 holes each day to battle out for the title. First round leader Hanee Song (72) had a 2 shot lead going into the last 9 of the first day over Ye Song Park (igolf). Lydia was sitting 4th with a +4 76 after a rough first round then was even after the first 9 of the 2nd round.

Lydia came out firing on Sunday shooting -4 for the last 9 of the 2nd round to finish even after 2 rounds and held a 1 shot lead going into the last 18.

Cecilia Cho was sitting 3rd at +2. Lydia then shot another -4 round of 68 to win by 5 shots over fellow NZ representitive Cho and 7 shots ahead of 1st round leader Song.

Institute of Golf member Courtney Manning finished 4th with a pair of 73′s to finish.

Great win by igolf’s talented Ko, who when the putter runs hot, will be unstopable.

More details when they come to hand.

54 Hole Classic – Championship – 13/06/10 – Round 3

Pos Name Club Rnd 1 Rnd 2 Rnd 3 Total
1 KO, Lydia Gulf Harbour 76 68 68 212
2 CHO, Cecilia Pakuranga 75 71 71 217
3 SONG, Hanee North Shore 72 73 74 219
4 MANNING, Courtney Peninsula 79 73 73 225
5 CHENG, LIV Manukau 79 73 75 227
6 TARE, Tania Titirangi 77 76 75 228
7 LEE, Jane North Shore 76 77 77 230
7 PARK, Ye Song North Shore 74 77 79 230
7 ERUERA, Larissa Jane Aviation 76 73 81 230
10 BON, Caroline Northland 76 78 77 231
10 PERRY, Emily Lochiel 76 74 81 231
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Hendry 1st, Shilton 4th, Clarke 5th

May 16, 2010 — igolfinstruction

Institute of Golf’s Michael Hendry will fly out to Korea tonight a happy man after bagging a 2.5m birdie putt on the final green to win the Rapid Labels Muriwai Open.

Mike after holing his 6 footer for birdie on the 18th

Hendry claimed his third Charles Tour title, holding off a brilliant charge from Auckland professional Richard Lee, who equalled the course record with a six-under 66 to finish a shot behind Hendry.

Both players fly out for Asia with Hendry headed to the One Asia Tour event in Seoul and Lee for two tournaments in Japan.

And both produced golf of the highest quality in an enthralling day.

Hendry, starting the day with a three shot lead, had the field under seemingly control until a bogey at the 16th and a Lee birdie reduced the margin to just one shot. Both players parred the 17th hole before Lee nailed a 7m birdie putt on the 18th to draw level with Hendry on 16-under par for the tournament.

Hendry was up to the challenge, bagging a solid 2.5m birdie to secure the win.

He finished on 17-under, a shot back to Lee with fellow Auckland professional Marcus Wheelhouse firing a four-under 68 today to finish third on 12-under, his best finish as a professional in this country.

Another Institute of Golf professional Brad Shilton enjoyed two rounds of five-under 67 at the weekend to jump up to fourth place on 11-under, one shot ahead of a bevy of players including professionals Dale Clarke (igolf), Mahal Pearce (Dunedin) and Grant Moorhead (New Plymouth) and leading amateurs Daniel Pearce (Hastings) and Scott Wightman (Mangawhai).

Hendry, who finished runner-up at the Tauranga Open after two Charles Tour wins last year, said he was confident over his winning putt.

“I was fairly comfortable with that putt on the last. As soon as Richard stood over his putt I knew he would hole it. He had been putting pressure on all day,” Hendry said.

“I kept saying to myself that I would need to get this to win and luckily I had that attitude or it might have been a different story.”

The 30 year old reckons his game has continued to improve to a stage where he can be competitive in top company.

”I am really happy with the way my game is developing. I am getting consistency which bodes well for the future especially if you want to make money in this game.

“Putting myself in positions to win quite a lot has taught me a lot and will hopefully stand me in good stead.

“I’d like to think it is just a matter of time now before I win a big one. I think I have matured a lot over the last few years and have a consistent game that can do well at the top level.”

Lee too has made big gains in both the Tauranga Open, where he scored that remarkable 59, and this week at Muriwai, a course he rates hugely.

“I would have liked to have won here because it’s such a good course,” Lee said. “I played really well today but just missed a few short putts that made the difference.

“It could have been one of those rounds where I went really deep but still I played well so I am more than happy. Mike is a really good player so good on him. This has given me some confidence now and I am playing well.”

Wheelhouse, a tour player for more than a decade, was thrilled with his effort considering he spends little time on his game as a teaching professional and a new father.

“Attitude is everything when you are playing golf. I’ve got the picket fence and family and someone to care for now so I have some real balance in my life which is great.

“I think as a pro I was always very hard on myself. Now through teaching others I have learned that it was not the way to go and I am calmer. This is fun and I enjoyed it.”

Pearce said he had a point to prove after being dropped from the Srixon Academy last week.

“That was disappointing. But I have been playing well in these last two events and was really happy with my play here. I just have to keep making the scores and hopefully I can get back into the academy,” Pearce said.

The Charles Tour resumes in the spring with the Youthtown Wairakei Open in September.

Leading scores, round 4, Muriwai GC, par 72:

271 Michael Hendry (igolf)67 68 68 68

272 Richard Lee (North Harbour) 68 67 71 66

276 Marcus Wheelhouse (Auckland) 68 70 70

277 Brad Shilton (igolf) 70 73 67 67

278 Dale Clarke (igolf) 68 68 70 72

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Lydia sitting 2nd after first round in Perth

May 12, 2010 — igolfinstruction

The first day of the competition saw us in fine weather with the temperature at 24 degrees and a moderate breeze pick up in the afternoon which was coming from the opposite direction from yesterday.

Institute of Golf’s Lydia Ko was the best of our players today with a 1 under 71 which places her in second place in the girls event which is 4 shots behind the leader. The good news is that she wasn’t happy with her round and said she left a few shots out there, especially with her putts.

I caddied for Faye and can attest to the fact that there are many bunkers on this course as it felt like I was forever raking bunkers. Faye managed to shoot 79 despite struggling a little off the tee and also finding the going a little tough on the greens.

Tim, par 72, played well and is playing with confidence but he also left a number of shots on the greens missing a few reasonably short putts.

Ryan, 76, was very frustrated as he managed to hit all 14 fairways and 15 greens in regulation, parring the first 13 holes, but slipped with 4 bogies in last 5 holes. He had 35 putts so also struggled on the greens.

So all in all a fair day although all the team are looking forward to having a fewer number of putts tomorrow.

We ended the day with some practice and then had the feet up recharging for tomorrow.

From NZ Golf’s acting team managers blog.

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Institute of Golf will aim for NZ Titles

April 13, 2010 — igolfinstruction

Buoyed by their strong performance at last week’s Queen Sirikit Cup, New Zealand leading women’s golfers will now turn on each other at the national amateur championships in Hawke’s Bay.

Internationals Zoe Brake (igolf), of Whakatane, and Pakuranga’s Cecilia Cho will have the opportunity to defend their titles in the New Zealand strokeplay and amateur championships, respectively, from a field of 55 starting tomorrow.

All eyes will be on Australian Matt Jager in the men’s competition as he returns to defend the New Zealand amateur title he won last year.

There is a host of top New Zealanders keen to ensure that does not happen in the week-long championships, the third time that both the women and men have joined for the national amateur titles.

It begins with the foursomes today ahead of the 72-hole New Zealand strokeplay tomorrow, with the women at Napier Golf Club and the men at Hastings Golf Club.

The women play one round each on Wednesday and Thursday with two rounds on Friday to decide the honours before the top 32 move on to the matchplay.

The men’s strokeplay begins tomorrow with a cut for the top 72 players plus ties after two rounds with final round on Saturday. The top 32 players will move on to the matchplay, joined by the women at the Bridge Pa course.

In the women’s competition, it is hard to see past the international trio of Brake, Cho and North Harbour’s Lydia Ko, who combined to finish second at last week’s Queen Sirikit Asia Pacific teams championship.

Brake is the current South Island champion and defending New Zealand strokeplay titleholder, Cho won the Australian strokeplay and was runner-up in the Australian amateur recently while Ko won the North Island amateur and was runner-up to Cho in last year’s final.

Others with solid credentials include South Island runner-up Caroline Bon, of Northland, Nelson’s Lisa Wright, Hamilton’s Emily Perry and juniors Liv Cheng, of Auckland, and Erin Hawe, of Waikato.

Institute of Golf will be represented by Zoe Brake, Lydia Ko, Rica Tse, Courteny Manning, and Ye Song Park at the Napier Golf Course.

Among those bidding to thwart Jager is Masterton’s Ben Campbell, who was beaten by Jager in the final of the Australian amateur.

Tauranga’s Andrew Stewart and Nick Gillespie, of Wellington, won the South Island and North Island titles respectively recently while Aucklander Ryan Fox impressed in the strokeplay at the Australian amateur.

Tauranga’s James Hamilton was a semifinalist last year, with the young Omanu player back after a thwarted attempt at a US Scholarship and keen to push back into the amateur scene at the highest level, while Auckland’s Ben Wallace has a fine matchplay record, losing to his good friend Jager in the quarterfinals last year.

Institute of Golf will be represented by Kevin Budden, Tom Cardno, James Beale and Cameron Jones at Hastings.

// Others to watch include Auckland’s Gary-John Hill, seventh last year in the strokeplay, Hamilton’s Mathew Perry and the 2008 amateur champion Thomas Spearman-Burn, of Wellington.

For scores from both events:

Womens – click here.

Mens – click here.

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