Hole-in-one for Napier golfing teen star in Australia

Zack Swanwick, back on the home course at Waiohiki last December after going unbeaten at the national men's inter-provincial championship. He's now starring in Australia. Photo / File

Teenaged Napier golfing prodigy Zack Swanwick has celebrated his arrival on the international scene with a hole-in-one in a major junior tournament in Australia.

Wednesday's ace on the 140-metre 11th at the Cypress Lakes Golf and Country Club at Pokolbin, near Newcastle, about 170km north of Sydney, rocketed the Under 16 category Napier Golf Club member to a four-stroke lead.

Swanwick had rounds of 68 and 68 to be eight under the card after the first two rounds of the Jack Newton International Junior Classic on Wednesday.

Earlier this month, Swanwick won the New Zealand Under-19 boys' title at Pukekohe with a dramatic last round, striking back from five shots behind the leader at the start of the day.

Now No 3 on the current New Zealand Order of Merit, he then tied for third in his age group at the Gary Player Junior Classic in Brisbane.

As a 15-year-old Taradale High School student, last December Swanwick was the star of his second national men's interprovincial tournament, winning seven matches as Hawke's Bay's made it to the final, where they were beaten by Taranaki.

He could have made it eight wins, and possibly taken out player of the tournament honours, had he not had to miss a round to do an exam in pursuit of a college golfing entry in the United States.

A Cypress Creek course profile says its par-3 11th has similarities with the famed Amen Corner at Augusta National, home of the Masters, but warns "misjudge the wind and distance and you will find yourself trying to chip back up onto a relatively small green".

"Like the 12th at Augusta, if you judge it and trust it you can make a birdie," it says.

Swanwick started the round with birdies on the first two holes and finished with five of them over the second 18 holes of the 72-hole tournament, but also had two bogeys.

He was four clear of fellow Kiwi and Remuera golfer Robby Turnbull, with the two being among six in the 116-strong field to post sub-par rounds.

He was due off the tee in the third round soon after 3pm New Zealand time today.

The tournament is a World Amateur Golf Ranking and Golf Australia Junior Order of Merit event.