Host Pro Doyle Extends Shirley Open Lead

Local knowledge again proved the key for Christchurch PGA professional Anthony Doyle who leads after the second round of the Shirley Open today.

Doyle fired a four-under 68 today to be at nine-under par 135 after two rounds at Christchurch Golf Club in the final event of the 2009 Charles Tour.

He has a four shot lead over former Canterbury player Andrew Searle, now a professional based in Cambridge, who shot the day's low round with a five-under 67 today.

The leading amateur is North Harbour 18 year old Simon Brownlee who is in third place on three under par after he shot 69.

He is a shot ahead of 2003 New Zealand Open champion Mahal Pearce (Dunedin) with a further shot back to Auckland professional Scott Hill, with only five players under par on the testing Christchurch Golf Club made more challenging with the freshening easterly winds.

Professionals Mathew Holten (Christchurch) and Jared Pender (Tauranga) share sixth place on even par 144 with the trio of Scottish senior Peter Smith (Wanaka), Doug Holloway (Hawkes Bay) and Brenden Stuart (Wellington) are tied for eighth on one-over.

There was considerable interest in the efforts of 73-year-old Sir Bob Charles, playing for the first time in the tour event named after him. He shot a three-over 75 that included a superb eagle on the par-4 18th where he dunked his wedge shot second to leave him in a share of 20th place on five-over to be safely inside the cut.

Doyle said his 68 was a top result given the conditions. “It is definitely more challenging with the easterly,” Doyle said. “There are seven or eight holes that are more challenging in this wind and you have to be spot on with your club selection. That’s the key today".
It is the first time that Doyle has led a four-round tournament in this country although he led from the get-go to win the Tour Trainees Championship in Australia a few years back.

Searle hit six birdies in his round today, taking advantage of a better ball-striking display. “Today I hit it a little better and rolled a few putts in which I wasn’t doing yesterday,” Searle said. “I am striking it great. Your ball striking has got to be good around here. I’ve played here a lot having been down here for uni. It is a great test of golf and it’s in great nick so you have got to play well here to score. “This is the best I have scored for a while. I was in Australia for a while but I struggled on the grainy greens. It’s good to keep playing competitive golf back here. I played pretty well at Taranaki and felt like it was coming right. I made a lot of birdies there so it’s a focus to cut out the big numbers here.”

Charles delighted the fans today with another round close to his age, and was impressed with the quality of play from his young playing partners, Troy Ropiha and Andrew Stewart. “It was nice to see the sun shine but the old easterly wind did not give up,” Charles said. “It was a bit of a struggle in those conditions and I am fighting my swing a bit right now. But it was a pleasure to play with two young players like Troy and Andrew. They don’t know just how good they are but I am mightily impressed with their talent. They have terrific golf swings and hit it a long way. They do tend to rush it a little bit. I’d like to see them slow down and size up the shot a bit more.”

Another to impress was Smith, the former European Tour professional, now based in Wanaka. The 50-year-old shot a three-under 69 to boost him into the top-10 as he uses the tournament as a shakedown for next month’s European Seniors Tour qualifying school.

The cut for the top 60 men and ties came at 10-over par 154.

Shirley Open – Round 2 Scores

Men, par 72:
135 Anthony Doyle (P Christchurch) 67 68
139 Andrew Searle (P Cambridge) 72 67
141 Simon Brownlee (Gulf Harbour) 72 69
142 Mahal Pearce (P Dunedin) 70 72
143 Scott Hill (P Auckland) 75 68
144 Mathew Holten (P Christchurch) 72 72, Jared Pender (P Tauranga) 69 75
145 Peter Smith (P Wanaka) 76 69, Doug Holloway (P Hastings) 75 70, Brenden Stuart (P Wellington) 72 73
146 James Oh (P Christchurch) 74 72
147 Sean Riordan (Takaka) 75 72, Riki Borell (P Nelson) 71 76, Pieter Zwart (Waipukurau) 75 72, Troy Ropiha (P Taupo) 69 78
148 Tom Cardno (Waitemata) 76 72, Alex Tait (P Northland) 76 72, Timmy Tu (Akarana) 73 75, Duncan Croudis (Otago) 72 76
149 Carl Brooking (P Christchurch) 74 75, Grant Moorhead (P New Plymouth) 73 76, Jon Bevitt (P Auckland) 72 77, Kevin Budden (Waitemata) 79 70, Jamie Mead (Rangiora) 76 73, Vaughan McCall (Gore) 72 77, Ben Campbell (Masterton) 75 74, Bob Charles (P Christchurch) 74 75, Sam Ha (P Christchurch) 78 71
150 Richard Wright (P Hamilton) 76 74, Andrew Henare (P Hastings) 75 75, Gary-John Hill (Titirangi) 73 77, Mathew Perry (Hamilton) 76 74, Andrew Green (P Wellington) 77 73, Fraser Wilkin (Auckland) 74 76, Jim Cusdin (P Hamilton) 79 71, Jason McIntosh (Taupo) 77 73, Thomas Turner (Christchurch) 76 74
 
Women, par 74:
152 Caroline Bon (Northland) 76 76, Zoe Brake (Whakatane) 80 72
155 Lisa Wright (Nelson) 79 76, Emily Perry (Lochiel) 78 77
159 Robyn Cruse (Russley) 80 79
162 May Chang (Waitikiri) 83 79, Shani Arona (Arrowtown) 77 85
163 Jessica Guenzerodt 80 83
164 Rebekah Brownlee (Gulf Harbour) 81 83
165 Sylvie Williams (Waimari Beach) 83 82