Sung Jin Yeo’s affinity with the Wallace Development NZPGA Championship continues, firing an impressive seven-under-65 to be the equal leader after the opening day at Hastings Golf Club.
He’s tied at the top with Auckland professional Mason Lee after a stunning opener to the championship, where 33 players shot par or better, including four of the nine invited amateurs, with Auckland representatives Robby Turnbull and Joshua Bai a shot behind the leaders in equal third.
The Cello NZPGA Club Professionals Championship is also being run in conjunction with the PGA of New Zealand’s marquee event, with Pieter Zwart and Richard Lee leading the way with four-under-68s in a tie for ninth.
However, the 92-player field is chasing last year’s runner-up at Gulf Harbour Country Club as Yeo set the early pace with his solid opening round this morning, with Lee matching him late this afternoon.
Yeo made eight birdies and a bogey to begin his title quest, hitting almost every fairway and green as he looks to go one place better than last year.
“I hit it really well today and hit plenty of good putts too,” he said after his round. “I made just the one bogey on the third – the pin was tucked on the right side of the green, and I got a bit greedy. Other than that, it was a very good round.
“I hit my driver really straight, so my approaches were all from the middle of the fairways.”
Joining him atop proceedings this afternoon was his fellow Auckland professional, Mason Lee.
Playing alongside a couple of Australians, Lee started solidly, making two birdies and a bogey from the tenth before setting the course alight coming home. After making his third birdie of the day at the par 5 first, he rattled off four birdies in a row from the third and finished off his round by rolling in a 20-foot birdie putt on the ninth to match Yeo’s early clubhouse lead.
He says he was due a low round and hopes he can keep this form up over the remaining three rounds.
“I’ve played well leading into the event with a few solid results in the PGA Pro-Am’s. I putted really well today – the greens are running true, pure, and fast, which makes it a lot easier to hole putts on. The greens are very similar to Royal Auckland and Grange’s, which is where I play and practise.”
Turnbull, the leading amateur alongside Bai, began his round this morning slowly off the tenth, playing his opening five holes in one-over before getting on the board at the 15th. He went out in one-under-par following a birdie at the par 5 17th, and began his closing nine with an eagle at one before making three more birdies coming home.
He says playing in the Wallace Development NZPGA Championship is a great platform to measure his progression against some of New Zealand’s elite players.
“I was really steady from tee to green and made a few putts. It was nice to play some steady golf today. I love it here. I love playing here – it’s always in great knick.
“The goal this week is to have fun. It’s a great chance to test my skills against some of the country’s top professionals.”
The top 50 and ties will make the 36-hole cut following play tomorrow, where they’ll play the weekend alongside paying amateurs in a Pro-Am format, similar to last week’s New Zealand Open.
Round two gets underway from 8am.
Wallace Developments NZPGA Championship live scoring