Kieran Muir has won the 2023 Cello Invitational in emphatic fashion, draining a 15-foot par putt to beat Matt McLean on the second playoff hole at Jacks Point today.
After a solid five-under-67 and 41 stableford points at Millbrook Resort yesterday, the Bay of Plenty (BOP) professional endured strong winds that gusted upward of 60 kilometres an hour to card a final round of one-over-73 for 35 stableford points to post the clubhouse lead momentarily.
McLean, who shot 69 yesterday for 39 stableford points, matched Muir in the clubhouse following an incredible one-under-71 for 37 stableford points –one of two under-par rounds on the challenging Jacks Point situated next to Lake Wakatipu.
The two went back down the challenging par 4 18th to decide the winner from the 47 professionals invited to the premium pro-am with the third highest prize purse in New Zealand. McLean was under the pump immediately, needing to drain a par putt in excess of 20 feet to stay alive. He calmly rolled in the putt, much to the crowd's delight, and the pair went back down the 18th for a second time.
Muir remained his clinical self, hitting another quality drive that split the fairway, whereas McLean’s tee shot found the deep rough surrounding the fairway bunker, resulting in a lost ball and a trip back to the tee. After finding the fairway, he dumped his fourth in the water, meaning Muir just needed to make a bogey or better to secure at least one stableford point to win the event.
The BOP professional found the greenside trap, splashed his ball out to 15 feet, and rolled in the putt for victory.
“I’m fizzed. I’m pumped. This is very cool.
“This opens a few extra doors for next year hopefully – I need to do some maths and see where I finished up on the order of merit, but it’s a big result nonetheless.”
After teeing off on the second with the tournament’s shotgun start, Muir made three birdies and four bogeys in gusty conditions, a round he’s ecstatic with.
“I was fantastic from tee to green, I had really good control over my golf ball – much better than yesterday, and it needed to be as it was really windy out there.
“I putted well, but I didn’t hole much, which was a little frustrating. It was a tough day out there and I’m not surprised the scores were as high as they were.”
Jordan Loof and Regan Burke won the team’s event, combining for 89 stablefords to finish ahead of Michael Hendry and Peter Talyancich and Brad Shilton and Luke Longney.
Cello Invitational round 2 scores
Cello Invitational Tournament Information