Speed Golf: Fifty minutes to break par (+video)

Landyn Edwards runs down the fairway at the Rotorua Golf Club during the New Zealand Speedgolf Open yesterday. PHOTO/ BEN FRASER

Rotorua golfer Landyn Edwards has shot a remarkable round to win the inaugural Tompkins Wake NZ Speedgolf Open - finishing under par in less than an hour.

Olympic 1500m silver medallist Nick Willis, who finished second at the speedgolf event on Sunday, said the achievement was remarkable.

"It's awesome, that is what the sport needs because that is what will get all the headlines - to know that someone can break par and do it in under an hour."

The unique event attracted 25 participants to the Rotorua Golf Club at the weekend with each player completing a round of golf in the quickest possible time.

Edwards was the only player who managed to shoot under par during the two-day tournament. He finished with a 1-under par 69 in 50.34 minutes on Sunday.

His score of 119.34 (the sum of his time and golf score) was better than second-placed Willis, who posted a personal best of 122, finishing with an 84 in 38 minutes.

Willis has been playing speedgolf for two and a half years and said having a natinoal Speedgolf Open was great exposure for the sport.

Edwards said he had never played speedgolf before the event and decided to enter after a few friends encouraged him into it. The amateur golfer is one of the best golfers in Rotorua, but said he felt he had made a mistake when running around the course on Saturday.

"I was thinking what have I got myself into ... the hardest part was my fitness and the putting, because you can usually take as long as you want to line up a putt when you are in a tournament."

He said he did not do any running in his spare time and had to sneak rests whenever he could during the tournament.

"People probably thought I was reading my putt but I was just having a rest."

Each player is allowed to take up to seven clubs with them during each round and Edwards took four during the all-important final round on Sunday, including his driver, eight iron, 56-degree wedge, and putter.

He said the driver set him up for a great score on Sunday, after having kept it out of his arsenal during the qualifying round on Saturday.

"I just took the driver today and tried to get as far as I could [off the tee]." His booming drives saved him a lot of time and shots.

Edwards did not find out until later that he had won the event but knew he had to hold off Willis. "I had him by 15 shots so hopefully he did not get me by 15 minutes."

Auckland's Liz McKinnon won the women's title at the tournament. The Tompkins Wake NZ Speedgolf Open will be held at the Rotorua Golf Club for the next three years.