Rooney's return was the highlight of a day when plenty of other players also took advantage of friendly conditions — weather-wise but for a bit of wind and course-wise courtesy of six-inch placing, receptive and smooth Bay greens and pin placements that encouraged attacking golf.
The cut-off for the top-16 matchplay that will decide the Keiha Cup champion was 157 — the equal-lowest this century.
Six players recorded sub-par rounds, including an outstanding 69 from home-course member Glenn Morley as he qualified third on 144.
Ahead of Morley, and five adrift of Rooney, was Electrinet Park member and Tairawhiti Golf Association president Anaru Reedy, who followed up a morning 72 with 70 — a combined score that would have been good enough to win the Scott Plate for top qualifier at almost every other Open.
Reedy played with Rooney and was left shaking his head at the youngster's length off the tee.
Rooney was rapt with his showing. He played at the New Zealand amateur strokeplay at Poverty Bay in 2020 and in his words did “no good”.
That experience, not having much else on and the recommendation of fellow Feilding member, Gisborne-born-and-raised Bruce Gibson conspired to get him back here . . . “You can stay at my sister Julie's place,” Gibson said.
One more step in a potential professional journey, and Julie Hansen has a boarder for a few days.
“I'm going to give it a crack over the next two years,” said Rooney, who won the North Island under-16 strokeplay in 2016 and the Waikato u19 age group strokeplay last year. He had three wins, two halves and just the one loss for Man-Wang at last year's national interprovincial.
He has a “Plan B” if the pro thing doesn't work out — diesel mechanic.
For now it's all golf and yesterday he was a pleasure to watch in a 13-birdie performance over the two rounds. Eight birdies were in his opening 70.
Reedy, 34 years his senior, wasn't far behind — 11 birdies signalling his intentions to join the select group of Open champions.
Morley was rueing a double-bogey finish in the morning but highlighted his excellent recent form with a five-birdie second round.
Equal with him on 144 was former North Harbour representative Ben Jujnovich, whose 68 in the morning round had him leading the field at the halfway stage only for him to board the bogey train in his afternoon 76.
The local story of the day was relatively unknown Poverty Bay member Jack Lewis, who, off a 7-handicap, shot an incredible 70 in the morning, then followed it up with 76 to qualify fourth.
A couple of double bogeys hurt Patutahi golfer Dwayne Russell but his 147 (73, 74) earned him the No.5 slot.
Defending champion and Poverty Bay greenkeeper William Brown followed, also on 147.
Brown, who started on the 10th tee in the morning, went crazy in his second nine. He followed up an inexplicable bogey-6 on the first hole for a man of his distance with birdies on 2, 3 and 4, a chip-in eagle on 5 and birdie on 6.
Three shots behind him on 150 was Neighbourhood Pizzeria owner Marcel Campbell, who did not play an official round of golf in 2021 and but for a handful of rounds this year has been isolated to hitting balls on Watson Park.
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Campbell went out yesterday and fired 74, 76.
Wairoa's Aaron Whatuira was rewarded for his desire to play. A reserve for the field, Whatuira drove to Gisborne the previous night and was at the course before 6.30am in the hope someone would pull out.
They did and Whatuira shot 80, 76 to qualify 12th in the championship 16.
Others to make the top group included two-time Open champions Peter Kerekere (74, 77) and Andrew Higham (79, 77), while 2019 winner Simon Jeune (78, 79) snatched the last spot, although after seeing Rooney in action he was feeling like a sitting duck.
Jeune faced Rooney in the first round of matchplay this morning.
Former Poverty Bay member Reuben McNamara, now at Feilding, won't forget his return to the course where he for a time jointly held the championship course record (66). He made 11 on the par-4 14th hole in the morning after bunker problems and birdie-3 on the same hole in the afternoon.
The comeback story of the day was Dudley Meadows, who after a disastrous opening 94 on his home course responded with a sensational five-birdie 73.
Matchplay in six divisions started this morning. Semifinals and finals are tomorrow.
Poverty Bay Open championship 16 —
137 - Ryan Rooney (Fielding) 70, 67
142 - Anaru Reedy (Electrinet Park) 72, 70
144 - Glenn Morley (Poverty Bay) 75, 69; Ben Jujnovich (Redwood Park) 68, 76
146 - Jack Lewis (PB) 70, 76.
147 - Dwayne Russell (Patutahi) 73, 74; William Brown (Waikohu) 70, 77.
150 - Marcel Campbell (PB) 74, 76.
151 - Peter Kerekere (PB) 74, 77.
154 - Reece Witters (Hastings) 78, 76; Hukanui Brown (Pat) 76, 78.
156 - Aaron Whatuira (Wairoa) 80, 76; Andrew Higham (Te Puia Hot Springs) 79, 77; Robert Cooper (Waikanae) 77, 79.
157- Stefan Andreassen (PB) 82, 75; Simon Jeune (PB) 78, 79.
