Carrus Golf Open. Mark Brown. Photograph by John Borren
With a three way tie for the lead involving amateurs Johnny Tynan and Joshua Munn, plus hot favourite Mark Brown, the ingredients are there for a thrilling final day at the Carrus Open at the Tauranga Golf Club.
Titirangi's Tynan had a five under par 65 with seven birdies, four
bogeys and an eagle on the par five thirteenth hole.
"I'm pretty much hitting driver 120 per cent every shot, so just playing as aggressive as I can," he said. "I have never been in this position before, so just looking to have fun and hopefully show the gallery a couple of good shots."
Standing in his way are two men who know how to win. Brown is not only defending champion at the Carrus Open, he also has three career wins on the tour and knows how to get it done.
"It will take something pretty good, Johnny and the boys played very well today so they will be hard to beat," Brown said. "You have got to get in the mind set of being pretty attacking. Although pleased with the round it could have been a bit better."
After having the third round lead all to himself, Manawatu's Munn held on for a gritty one under round but still walked off the 18th smiling.
"All I wanted was to be in the final group and I now I'm there it's very exciting."
It was a simply stunning day in Tauranga, which played host to a few other exciting moments throughout the third round. Sam Vincent slam dunking the par three ninth from 170m to record the third ace of the week (third of his career as well).
Daniel Pearce found inspiration at the turn and went on to make seven birdies to shoot 28 for the nine and a 63 for the day's lowest.
Meanwhile in the women's field, Omanu golfer Alanna Campbell has taken charge by shooting a solid two-under par round of 70, putting her two shots clear coming into the final day.
"Pretty pleased with how I went today, kept it steady and stuck to my plan. Boring steady golf, but it gets the job done!" laughed an excited Campbell.
Campbell is looking for her second title on the Jennian Homes Charles Tour, which will mean back-to-back tournament wins after taking home the season ending Autex Muriwai Open in May this year.
Overnight leader Momoka Kobori fell two shots back to be in third place after carding a three over par 75.
Play will start earlier tomorrow due to inclement weather, with the first group to tee it up at 8:00am.
Third Round Carrus Open
Men's Final Scores
Tauranga Golf Club Par 70
198 Johnny Tynan (Titirangi) 67 66 65, Mark Brown (P) 67 65 66, Joshua Munn (Manawatu) 66 63 69
200 Jim Cusdin (P) 65 71 64
201 Nick Coxon (Riverside) 67 65 69
202 Ryan Chisnall (Greenacres) 67 65 70
203 Harry Bateman (P) 74 63 66, Jared Pender (P) 66 70 67
204 Daniel Pearce (P) 70 71 63, Nick Gillespie (P) 71 68 65, Victor Janin (P) 66 72 66, Blair Riordan (P) 67 65 72
205 Grant Moorhead (P) 70 70 65, Doug Holloway (P) 68 70 67, Shaun Campbell (Omanu) 69 69 67, David Klein (P) 69 69 67
206 Luke Brown (The Pines) 73 66 67, Sam Vincent (Riverside) 71 68 67, Tae Koh (Manukau) 69 69 68, Mark Purser (P) 71 67 68, Hayden Beard (P) 68 69 69
Third Round Carrus Open
Women's Final Scores
Tauranga Golf Club Par 72
213 Alanna Campbell (Omanu) 72 69 72
215 Rose Zheng (Pakuranga) 70 71 74, Momoka Kobori (Rangiora) 71 69 75
219 Grace Senior (Wairakei International Golf Course) 72 72 75
221 Chantelle Cassidy (Cambridge) 75 77 69
224 Emmalee Morrell (Tauranga) 75 71 78
227 Krystal Hu (Gulf Harbour Country Club) 79 71 77
228 Amelia Garvey (Kaiapoi) 77 75 76
229 Olivia Choo (Mt Maunganui) 76 73 80