By CHRIS RATTUE
Australians Craig Parry and Peter O'Malley have emerged as leading contenders to join defending champion David Smail in Tiger Woods' threesome for the first round of the New Zealand Open at Paraparaumu next week.
The draw will be officially released on Tuesday, but Smail, who won the title at The Grange in Auckland, seems assured of lining up next to Woods when he tees off about 8.30 am on Thursday.
Some of the sentimental New Zealand candidates, such as 17-year-old Rotorua star Sam Hunt, are not considered ideal playing partners.
Sir Bob Charles continues to defy the clock and show he can be competitive in New Zealand, but he is not rated a likely Woods partner either, although tournament director Phil Aickin said "he is still in the mix".
Organisers want a seasoned player used to dealing with the sort of crowds Woods draws, who will also have the best chance of testing the world No 1. And a top Australian would give an added international flavour to the Woods group.
While organisers will not adjust the 10-minute tee times to accommodate the crush that will surround the sporting superstar, they will put experienced players in the groups of three before and after Woods - who will tee off early in the afternoon in the second round.
The whisper is that Parry, who has played with Woods before, is the man Aickin and the PGA Tour's Australasian operations manager Trevor Horden might favour. Others such as former champions O'Malley and New Zealand's Greg Turner - ironically the man who protested loudest about Paraparaumu ticket prices - are also partner prospects.
"People have talked about a youngster like Sam Hunt, but I don't think that would be fair on him ... to put him under that sort of pressure," Aickin said.
"We want a very experienced professional ... Otherwise it won't be fair on the player or Tiger.
"Other players will have the chance to earn the right to play alongside Tiger after the cut."
The Victorian-born Parry, who lives in Sydney, turns 36 during the tournament. He has had 18 international tournament wins, but none in the United States or New Zealand. It will be his fifth New Zealand Open.
He likes the look of the Paraparaumu Beach course.
"I've seen it on television and Peter O'Malley has told me how good it is, so I am really looking forward to playing it," Parry said.
"I enjoy links courses and this should be interesting."
O'Malley, who won in 1995, and Turner, the champion four years ago, play on the European Tour.
It seems likely that New Zealand No 1 Michael Campbell, the second drawcard behind Woods, will play on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning.
That will give Campbell the drawcard status he deserves as one of the world's best players, as well as reducing the crowd pressure.
Woods arrives in Wellington on a private jet on Tuesday morning from Hawaii, where he will have finished competing in the season-opening Mercedes championship.
His flying companions are expected to include his mother, a niece, his manager, and a Nike representative, along with his New Zealand caddie, Steve Williams.
Aickin said the tournament would rely on good organisation and marshalling to deal with the surge of spectators who will follow Woods and jockey for positions ahead of him, rather than make extra space with the tee times.
The final 18 golfers in the field of 144 will be found at the qualifying tournament at Waikanae on Monday.
* Woods made an encouraging start to his year at the Mercedes championship at Kapalua yesterday. He shot a four-under 68 to trail first-round leader Mike Weir, of Canada, by five strokes.
Weir held a three-shot lead over American Frank Lickliter, with a clutch of other Americans on 67, Jim Furyk, David Duval, Chris Di Marco, Scott Verplank and Cameron Beckham.
Past major title winners Retief Goosen, of South Africa, and Davis Love were at 69, while Justin Leonard was at 70.