Golf: Brilliant 5-under sweeps Geary to second title

International Josh Geary won his second North Island strokeplay title in remarkable fashion in Wellington yesterday.

Trailling leader Travis O'Connell by four shots going into the final round, Geary fired a 5-under 67, including a brilliant eagle at the 18th, at Royal Wellington Golf Club in Heretaunga.

Geary (Mt Maunganui) finished with a 72-hole total of 284, 4-under on the testing Heretaunga layout to be three shots clear of fellow New Zealand representative Mark Purser on 1-under.

The 2004 Eisenhower representative Riki Kauika (Wanganui) closed with a 2-over 74 to finish third on even par 288 with overnight leader O'Connell shooting 5-over 77 to finish fourth on 2-over.

Purser (Hamilton) made the early running with three birdies and two bogies to take the lead after nine holes at 3-under with O'Connell dropping back to 1-under. Geary made his move with three birdies in a row at the 6th, 7th and 8th holes. A birdie at the 13th had him in the lead for the first time.

He dropped a shot at the 16th to even the contest with Purser with both at 2-under par. Geary's heroics at the 18th proved the difference with Purser's slim hopes snuffed out with a dropped shot at the 17th.

Geary was thrilled to be back in the winners' circle and felt his game returning at the New Zealand Amateur.

"My last three rounds in Christchurch were all under-par so I came here with some confidence. Unfortunately I hit the ball so bad in the first two rounds but was saved by my short game," he said.

"I figured out that my head was moving and made the adjustment. I hit it much better.

"I thought 68 would be in the mix today. I kept an eye on the leaderboard because this is such a tough course that you don't want to be taking risks if you don't need to.

"I knew I was in with a chance when I went through 10 holes and the putt on the 18th was the icing on the cake."

Geary and Purser move on to Auckland where they are the New Zealand representatives in the Asian Pacific team to contest the Sir Michael Bonallack Trophy international, a Ryder Cup-styled tournament with Europe against Asia Pacific to be held at Auckland Golf Club on April 26-28.

O'Connell could not get things going yesterday but his fourth place follows a superb runner-up effort and leading Kiwi at the New Zealand strokeplay two weeks ago.

It was a pleasing return to form for Kauika, who hit the ball as pure as anyone yesterday but missed four highly makeable birdie putts that would have seen him in the mix down the stretch.

The 2000 champion Mark Smith (Springfield) finished in a share of fifth with young Southlander Todd Sinclair (Hedgehope) on 3-over 291.

They were three shots clear of under-23 national champion Danny Lee (Springfield) who shared seventh with Tane Robson (Cambridge) on 6-over 294. The top 10 was rounded out by Gary-John Hill (Sherwood Park), Adam Church (Miramar) and Jumbo Kim (Gulf Harbour) who shared ninth place on 9-over 297.