Northland golfer Dale Clarke scoops transtasman double with NZ win

Dale Clarke (centre) presents his New Zealand mid-amateur trophy alongside women's champion Louise Mullard (right) and highest-ranked Kiwi women Heather Keefe (left). Photo / Supplied

Northland golfer Dale Clarke has done the transtasman golfing double, winning the New Zealand mid-amateur title last week after winning the Australian equivalent late last year.

Clarke, who won the New Zealand title last year, won the 54-hole tournament in Bay of Plenty's Omanu with an impressive 12 shot margin after leading the pack from the start of the competition.

Clarke opened with the best round of the day on Friday with a 71, as did Mullard on the par 72, links style course. Clarke got better and better as the weekend rolled on with his best round of the tournament, a 6-under 66 on Sunday.

A little bogey blemish on the challenging par 3, seventh could not detract from his seven birdies on the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 10th, 15th, 16th and a chip in on the 17th, which meant he would not be caught.

Clarke's nearest rival in the men's championship was Adam Williams (Muriwai) who shot 73, 73 and 71 for a total of 217, two ahead of Omanu's Gary Cannell and Simon Wright.

Bay of Plenty representative Heather Keefe, who was the tournament's highest-placed eligible Kiwi, was invited by tournament promoters to compete in the 2019 Australian Women's Mid-Amateur in November in New South Wales. Clarke was also invited to attend the men's event in Australia this year.

More than 150 players from around the country were joined by golfers from Australia, New Caledonia, USA, Fiji and South Africa in the tournament.

PaR nz Golfing Holidays, who manage the tournament, announced that Omanu will be the venue partner again in 2020.