Local club pro Doyle holds on to win Shirley Open trophy

(story courtesy Ian Hepinstall)

Local club professional Anthony Doyle led throughout to win the $40,000 Shirley Open in Christchurch today.

Doyle managed a final round five-over 77 to claim his first four round tournament victory in the final Charles Tour event of the year at Christchurch Golf Club.

He was afforded the luxury of some speed wobbles down the stretch for a four round total of seven-under 281. Doyle finished four shots clear of tour professionals Scott Hill (Auckland) and Mathew Holten (Christchurch), who both managed the low-round three-under 69 today.

It was the equal second lowest winning score, the same as last year’s champion Mark Purser and four shots behind the record held by Eddie Lee on 277 set in 2001.

Doyle began the day with an eight shot advantage, which he retained through the turn today in freshening southerly winds.

Holten and Hill made their moves into red figures, both three-under at the turn and when Doyle dropped a shot on the 10th and then suffered a double bogey at the 14th his lead was reduced to three.

He then lost a ball with a wide drive on the 16th for a further double bogey but both Holten and Hill dropped shots to give Doyle a three shot buffer on the last hole. He finished in style with a birdie on the final hole and celebrated in style in front of his family, work colleagues and club members.

“The feeling is unbelievable. It’s a trophy I’ve been searching for, for many years ever since I caddied for John Williamson when he won the trophy in 1998. I said I wanted to hold the trophy up on the 18th one day and here I am. I am very excited.”

Doyle said he tried to stay calm throughout. “I succumbed a bit to tournament pressure. The last competition game I had was the NZPGA qualifying in February so I am a bit out of date in that respect. I kept to my game plan but I told myself to just keep in there and back myself. The lost ball on 16 actually calmed me down. It gave me the time to calm myself which is probably a good thing because 17 and 18 are two difficult finishing holes into the southerly. This win means we get a Christchurch Golf Club member on the trophy again. As the club professional here means we can display the trophy in the shop and it will look just great.”

It was an excellent day for both Hill and Holten who both missed five birdies with two dropped shots today.

It was the continuation of some good form for Hill who will now take his chances in the Korean Tour qualifying next month. “I’ve been playing well in the last month. I got third up in Noumea and been playing well since then. It’s been good. I wasn’t aware that Doylie was going so badly. The only thing I was concerned about teeing off was trying to get second place. The Korean Tour has about 15 tournaments between $400,000 and a $1 million. It’s a two stage qualifying – a two rounder for the foreigners and a six rounder final. And my cheque here will definitely help get up there.”

It’s been a different story for Holten who has come back after three months out of the game.  “I played really well today. I just concentrated on keeping the ball on the fairway because it’s pretty brutal here if you miss fairways. I made that a goal for the day and the hit some irons close and made some putts today. I have come back to the game refreshed and started to enjoy golf again which is the key.”

Holten will head to Melbourne this week ahead of some tournaments there and hopefully qualification for the Masters where Tiger Woods will play.

Wairakei’s Troy Ropiha finished fourth on even par 288 after a one-under 71 today, a shot ahead of a trio including professionals Mahal Pearce and Andrew Searle and leading amateur Sean Riordan (Takaka) who shot an even par 72 with a lost ball on the last.

He in turn was a shot ahead of 18-year-old North Harbour amateur Simon Brownlee who finished ninth on two over par 290 following his 75 today, with Hawkes Bay professional Doug Holloway rounding out the top 10 on three over after an even-par 72.

Sir Bob Charles, playing in the tour event named after him for the first time, finished tied for 26th on 11-over par.

Final Scores

281 Anthony Doyle (P Christchurch) 67 68 69 77

285 Mathew Holten (P Christchurch) 72 72 72 69, Scott Hill (P Auckland) 75 68 73 69

288 Troy Ropiha (P Taupo) 69 78 70 71

289 Andrew Searle (P Cambridge) 72 67 73 77, Mahal Pearce (P Dunedin) 70 72 73 74, Riki Borell (P Nelson) 71 76 72 70, Sean Riordan (Takaka) 75 72 70 72

290 Simon Brownlee (Gulf Harbour) 72 69 74 75

291 Doug Holloway (P Hastings) 75 70 74 72

292 Mathew Perry (Hamilton) 76 74 72 70

293 Brenden Stuart (P Wellington) 72 73 71 77, Grant Moorhead (P New Plymouth) 73 76 72 72, Jared Pender (P Tauranga) 69 75 76 73, Vaughan McCall (Gore) 72 77 71 73

294 Jim Cusdin (P Hamilton) 79 71 72 72

295 Jordan Bakermans (Avondale) 79 73 69 74, Peter Smith (P Wanaka) 76 69 75 75

297 Alex Tait (P Northland) 76 72 75 74, Dominic Barson (P Auckland) 76 77 72 72, Kevin Budden (Waitemata) 79 70 74 74

298 Andrew Stewart (Omokoroa) 76 75 72 75, Craig Mitchell (P Christchurch) 78 75 71 74, Pieter Zwart (Waipukurau) 75 72 78 73, Timmy Tu (Akarana) 73 75 76 74

299 Carl Brooking (P Christchurch) 74 75 73 77, Craig Palmer (P Christchurch) 78 75 75 71, Hogan Cho (P Auckland) 79 75 74 71, Sir Bob Charles (P Christchurch) 74 75 70 80

300 Andrew Henare (P Hastings) 75 75 75 75, Jason McIntosh (Taupo) 77 73 76 74, Ryan Chisnall (Greenacres) 72 81 72 75

302 Fraser Wilkin (Auckland) 74 76 83 69, Jordan Dasler (P Nelson) 81 71 75 75

303 Ben Campbell (Masterton) 75 74 77 77, Blake McGrory (Surfers Paradise) 80 72 76 75, Sam Ha (P Christchurch) 78 71 80 74, Thomas Lannie (P North Harbour) 76 76 69 82, Tom Cardno (Waitemata) 76 72 77 78

304 Gary-John Hill (Titirangi) 73 77 81 73

305 Aaron Forsyth (Waimairi Beach) 76 75 74 80, Jon Bevitt (P Auckland) 72 77 76 80, Jonti Philipson (P Masterton) 75 78 78 74

306 Scott Fox (Kaiapoi) 80 74 79 73, Andrew Green (P Wellington) 77 73 76 80, Richard Wright (P Hamilton) 76 74 74 82

307 James Oh (P Christchurch) 74 72 82 79

308 Jason Mann (Auckland) 77 75 76 80

309 Haden McCallum (Akarana) 76 78 77 78, Michael Worsfold (Hamilton) 77 77 77 78, Mike Boshoff (P Ashburton) 76 77 75 81

310 Duncan Croudis (Otago) 72 76 78 84, Moonhak Lee (Coringa) 75 77 80 78

311 Jamie Mead (Rangiora) 76 73 83 79, Tim Leonard (Timaru) 74 77 79 81

312 Andrew Namkoong (Waitikiri) 74 80 77 81, Richard Anderson (P Christchurch) 74 78 76 84, Riki Kauika (P Wanganui) 75 76 81 80, Thomas Turner (Christchurch) 76 74 81 81

313 Dean Sipson (P North Harbour) 76 77 78 82

314 Cameron Grant (Ashburton) 77 75 78 84