ACED IT: Taine Manaena.
Hawke's Bay golfer Taine Manaena missed the cut at the New Zealand Stroke Play Championship in Hastings yesterday but he still had plenty to celebrate.
The 14-year-old Hastings Boys' High School Year 10 student hit the second hole-in-one of his career on day two of the four-day tournament at his home club's Bridge Pa course. Manaena, who a week earlier had helped his school team win the Hawke's Bay Secondary Schools Championship, hit a four iron to the 178m par three 13th.
It bounced twice before settling in the bottom of the cup.
"Lucky 13th," Manaena, a four handicapper who has been playing for four years, quipped afterwards.
"It looked pretty good when I hit it. I went through my usual routine and flushed it. It was pretty good to do that in front of some really good players," he said.
Manaena, who is named after former All Black captain Taine Randell, also used the four iron for his first hole-in-one on the 170m par three second at Maraenui in July last year.
"The four iron is definitely my favourite club," Manaena said.
He became the second member of his family to have produced two hole-in-ones. His mother, Martha, has had one on the eighth at Bridge Pa and one on the second at Hawke's Bay.
Manaena admitted it was hard to come back to reality and he doubled the next hole on the way to a 76, two shots better than his round the previous day. He missed the cut by four shots.
Maraenui's Russell Mitchell was the best of the Hawke's Bay men after yesterday's second round with a total of 143, eight shots behind Titirangi's former New Zealand Foursomes and national under-19 champion Sam An, who followed his previous day's six under par 66 with a 69. An holds a one shot lead over Manukau's Tae Koh, who matched An's 69.
Five shots behind Mitchell is the next best of the Bay men, host club player Stu Duff. The best of the Bay men on day one, Onga Onga's Richard Squire missed the cut by one shot with a round of 79 to follow his previous day's 72.
Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay No.1 Kate Chadwick of the Napier club remained the best of the Bay women. She shot a 75, a three-shot improvement on her round one score, and finished the day 14 shots behind the leader, Japan's Miniami Katsu, who shot a 69 yesterday, a one-shot improvement on her round one score.
Tied for second, two shots behind Katsu, are fellow Japan player Haruka Morita and Titirangi's Mun Chin Keh.
An said it would be something else to claim the coveted St Andrews Salver tomorrow.
"I think I need one of these. It is a bit different to the Foursomes or Under-19s ... it would be nice to have a win here."
An is coached by Marcus Wheelhouse, who is the last golfer to successfully defend the New Zealand Stroke Play title in 1994. An admitted feeling nervous yesterday morning as he looked to follow up his dream start.
"It was a different feeling standing on the first tee but I made a birdie on my first hole and that settled me down."
Koh was happy with his "mixed bag" in round two which kept him in contention. The Australia amateur champion had three birdies, an eagle and a double bogey in the squally conditions.