KEY POINTS:
Josh Geary yesterday won his second Tauranga Open, beating fellow professional Grant Moorhead on the second playoff hole.
Geary (Tauranga) made a brilliant birdie on the hole, to win the $40,000 event, which is the first tournament of the new Charles Tour, a joint venture between New Zealand
Golf and the NZPGA.
Moorhead (New Plymouth) and Geary finished tied on 14-under after the experienced Taranaki player made a clutch birdie on the tough par-4 17th.
Both players missed birdie chances on the 18th to finish on 14-under 266. The pair returned to the 18th for the first playoff hole, and again both narrowly missed birdie chances.
Geary made no mistake when they replayed the 18th again, hitting his approach to within a metre and slotted his birdie for victory after Moorhead's chip from the edge of the green came up short.
It proved a repeat win for Geary who triumphed in 2006 as an amateur, but this year he was able to accept the winner's purse.
He was back in New Zealand to organise a visa to the US, but more importantly it has signalled his first four-round victory in the paid ranks.
"It capped off a good day for me. I played really well all day and got what I deserved I think," Geary said.
"I played well all week but I came through today with a bit better score and made some good putts which I hadn't made in the other three days."
Geary had to wait nervously after finishing in the second to last group.
"I heard he [Moorhead] was one back with two holes to go but he made a great birdie on the 17th which is a tough hole so I was quite nervous when he was on the 18th."
Geary's only blemish in a brilliant six-under 64 was a bogey on the 17th.
"That was my only dropped shot and it came about with some bad luck, so I can't complain at all."
Moorhead, who has been in five playoffs in his career, was not disappointed with the result.
"Obviously I would have loved to win but I played really well today and when you shoot 65 you can hardly complain," he said.
Fellow professional Brad Shilton, the Te Awamutu player who has recently moved to Melbourne, finished third on 12-under, after a three-under 67 yesterday to register his best finish in a four round tournament since turning professional.
The leading amateur was New Zealand representative Jared Pender, who made a seven under 63 yesterday to finish on 11-under in fourth place.
