Golf: Bay of Plenty pair pick of NZ pack

The Bay of Plenty pair of Tina Howard and Penny Newbrook were the best of the New Zealanders in the foursomes at the Australian Amateur golf championships in Adelaide yesterday.

Howard, of Taupo, and Rotorua player Newbrook finished with a 12-over-par 158 to finish ninth, using the competition as a practice round ahead of the championship strokeplay qualifying which starts today at the Kooyonga Golf Club.

Wellington pair Sarah Nicholson and Kyla Welsh finished two shots further back on 160, the same score as team-mate Enu Chung of Auckland, who paired with Australian Keiko Arahata.

New South Wales pair Misun Cho and Clare Choi took out the foursomes honours with a two-over par 148, three shots clear of the Australian Institute pairing of Verity Knight and Dana Lacey.

Chelsea Ellis of New South Wales and West Australian Karen Quinn came third, a further three shots back.

Howard is the first of the Kiwis off in today's first-round qualifying, paired with Australian representative Sarah-Jane Kenyon, with Chung in the group behind.

Welsh will play with defending champion Nikki Garrett, while Newbrook will play with Australian tyros Katy Jarochowiocz and Heidi McCulkin.

Nicholson is the last of the New Zealanders off at 8.35am.

The second 18 holes is tomorrow, with the top 32 players to fight out for the championship matchplay starting on Wednesday. The finals are on Saturday.