Long drive comp a great success

TOP DRAW: Sam Jones won the Trident Homes North Island Long Drive Championships held at Papamoa on Saturday. PHOTO: Wayne Tait

He wasn't the favourite and only just made the cut for the second round, but Sam Jones from Manaia in South Taranaki hit the longest golf drives when it counted.

Jones, 20, who is studying at the University of West Georgia in the USA under a golfing scholarship, won the Trident Homes North Island Long Drive Championships at Papamoa on Saturday and now has a 50:50 chance at representing New Zealand in front of the world.

Jones and all other competitors had to battle every type of weather, sometimes all at once as they hit into a head wind which at times reached over 65km/h.

However, Jones, who finished equal 10th out of 15 from the first round to progress from the initial group entries, was then able to make the top nine players after another round despite a substantial rain interruption.

He then surged through to take the lead for the top four shootout with a drive of 254m, ahead of George Wardell from Hamilton on 249m, Mike Schofield from Auckland who had been an early leader on 247 and Auckland's Gareth Campbell with 240m.

With a winner-take-all in the top four shootout it was Jones who managed the best hit with 265m, which was his first ball. Schofield finished second on 263m, then Campbell with 250m followed by Wardell in fourth on 246m.

Jones will now watch the South Island Championship at Clearwater Golf Resort on Saturday and then take on the winner in an eight ball hit out with the champion taking their place at the Volvik World Long Championships from August 31-September 6 at the WinStar World Casino and Resort, Thackerville, Oklahoma.

The event is featured live on NBC Golf Channel.

For Jones, winning the North Island event was pleasing considering the conditions, he and the other competitors had to battle against.

"It was pretty tough, but the same for everyone, you can't do anything about the weather. I think it the top four decider I actually hit my best on my first shot. I wasn't too sure how close the other three were to me," Jones said.

"This is pretty great for me to have a good chance at the making the world champs. I'm on a scholarship in the US, and I just love my golf."

A 32-player field will feature in the South Island Long Drive tournament which has been open to all-comers, not just golf club members and is expected to provide plenty of competition to Jones for the New Zealand title.