Golf: Sizzling Neho scores major stroke play win

Kadin Neho has picked up his first major title for 2014. Photo / John Stone

Northland golfer Kadin Neho has picked up his first major title for 2014 in winning the Ricoh Waikato Winter Stroke Play at Riverside Golf Club in Hamilton.

Neho, a second year member of the New Zealand Golf Academy and part of the newly created Educare Northland Sport Talent Hub programme secured victory by four shots with a scintillating final round seven-under-par 65 in the process setting a new tournament record score of 16 under par.

Neho, earlier in the month finished runner up at the Bream Bay Classic, capped the performance with an impressive birdie at the final hole.

The defining stretch came on the back nine where the former Whangarei Boys' High student produced birdies at the 13th, 15th, 16th and 18th holes to separate himself from the field.

Joining Neho with a strong performance was representative team mate Lee Neumann (Northland) who claimed his second straight top-10 finish on the New Zealand Golf Order of Merit, his 7th place result following a 9th place finish at the Bream Bay Classic.

Results:

1. Kadin Neho (Whangarei) 73, 65, 69, 65 = 272, 2. Brad Hayward (New Plymouth) 67, 71, 68, 70 = 276, T3. Tyler Hodge (Levin) 70, 73, 68, 68 = 279, T3. Nick Coxon (Narrows) 72, 69, 71, 69 = 279, 5. Jason Gulasekharam (North Shore) 70, 72, 68, 70 = 280

Northlanders in the field:

7. Lee Neumann (Northland) 68, 73, 72, 72 = 285, T20. Chase McKeown (Waipu) 69, 76, 78, 72 = 295, T23. Alex Neely (BOI Kerikeri) 75, 73, 79, 70 = 297, T38. Luke Brown (The Pines) 77, 71, 81, 73 = 302, T42. Christian Nitsche (Whangarei) 73, 76, 80, 75 = 304, Missed Cut. Ben Bowmar (Whangarei) 81, 81 = 162.