Golf: Curtain makes shots count

Michael Curtain erased damp memories of his last visit to Christchurch when he shot a blemish-free 66 to lead the first round of the New Zealand PGA Championships at Clearwater yesterday.

Curtain played in the 2008 New Zealand PGA Championships, which was washed out with only two rounds completed. He finished 144th after rounds of 80-73.

"I started with a birdie on the 10th and then played some nice shots to get me going," he said yesterday. "I sank two big putts on 13 and seven [both from 12m] and those are the shots that count."

Curtain was seldom in danger yesterday, missing only three fairways and two greens in his round.

"Last year was a struggle in Europe for me, but I came back and recorded my first win, the West Australian Open [by four shots] and then was in the top five going into the final rounds of some of the big tournaments just before Christmas without being able to finish them."

A professional since 2002, Curtain (Victoria) is in one of the early groups off today and is looking to continue to play like he did yesterday, keeping the scoreboard well and truly out of his mind.

Curtain leads by one from compatriot Neil Sarkies and New Zealanders Grant Moorhead and Mathew Holten.

Moorhead fired seven birdies and was joint leader after an excellent birdie at 17, but a five-minute wait on the 18th tee while waiting for a ruling for the group ahead broke his rhythm.

"I had been driving great until then."

Moorhead was also delighted with his putting which recently was averaging 31.5 putts a round compared with yesterday's 28.

Holten is hoping to step up to the big time this year. "I've got to start putting some numbers on the board. In the tier two events in Australia I've been making cuts and having some okay finishes, but when it comes to the big events I don't know whether I'm out of place or not, but I struggle to make the cut and post good scores.

"So that's the goal this year - to get starts in those big events and do well and see what happens at the end of the year at Q School."

Holten, starting off the 10th tee, turned one-under after birdies at 12 and 14 and a bogey at the par-3 180m 16th hole - his only dropped shot - but he was in grand touch on the homeward half with birdies at the third, fourth, seventh and ninth.

"I didn't hit the ball too well, to be honest, but I hit it in good spots that gave me good lies and I was able to actually hit a few greens and two-putt them. I had a couple of tap-in putts then holed a 40-foot [12m] bomb on the last. It's always nice to make a par there so to get a two was pretty special," Holten said.

Sarkies, a professional for 10 years, played the more difficult back nine first and turned in par 36 with his only bogey at the par-5 14th when he misjudged an approach short to the narrow, tiered green and flew the back.

But he had a flawless front nine and attributed it to his putting.

"That was my strength - I holed a few putts and was very happy with that."

Sarkies, 40, said he was making his first visit to Clearwater. "It's good to be here, it's a lovely course, a good layout that tests all parts of your game."

- NZPA