KEY POINTS:
Taupo amateur Troy Ropiha, with a new lease of golfing life, shot a brilliant six-under par 66 to grab the lead after three rounds of the Youthtown Wairakei Open in his home town yesterday.
Ropiha, who moved to Taupo earlier this year with his family from Taranaki, will
take a one-shot lead into today's final round of the Charles Tour event at the Wairakei International course.
He is on eight-under par 205 for 54 holes, leading in-form professionals Doug Holloway and Josh Geary by one shot.
Holloway, the overnight leader and defending champion, shot to the lead early yesterday but could not ram home that advantage, settling for a solid three-under par 69 to move to seven under.
Geary enjoyed a great day around the greens to shoot a four-under par 68 to also move to seven under.
The day belonged to the 26-year-old Ropiha, who bagged six birdies without blemish in his joint-best competition round at Wairakei, matching his first-round effort in the same event last year. In doing so Ropiha has rekindled his passion for the game.
"It's been a really good move here. I am a whole lot happier and in a much better frame of mind. I think my golf has responded accordingly," Ropiha said.
After an early birdie, the former New Zealand representative rattled off three birdies in a row mid-round and two at the end in a superb display.
"It made sense to move when my parents were offered jobs here and my coach is also here. I am also working four days a week and that's been really stimulating. I go to the course now to practice - not use it to fill out my day."
Ropiha is looking forward to the challenge today and hopes his continued good form might attract a backer towards his goal of turning professional.
Holloway, who birdied the first three holes, was less pleased with his round, and more particularly his lack of fortune on the greens.
"I played okay but I am just not holing any putts," the Hawke's Bay player said. "I struggled in the middle of the round with a couple of average shots.
"I am pretty disappointed overall."
Holloway said it was similar to last year when he did not make any putts until some clutch efforts down the stretch to win the tournament.
New Zealand amateur champion Dana Kim (Christchurch) and Auckland's Tania Tare share the women's lead on nine-over 225.