James Gill's 74 yesterday gave him a 72-hole total of 280, eight under par. Photo / Sarah Ivey.
James Gill played the shot of the day at a crucial time as he won the national strokeplay championship at the Hamilton Golf Club yesterday.
The 21-year-old Waikato University graduate had increased his overnight one-shot lead to three with six holes to play when disaster struck on the
par-four 13th. Gill's tee-shot finished up a tree and he dropped two shots.
He had a three-putt on the 14th while three groups ahead, Australian strokeplay champion Andrew Dodt had birdied the 15th to draw level.
Gill, who has faltered in the closing stages of a couple of national tournaments, responded in style. He opted for a low nine-iron instead of a wedge for his second from 106m on the 15th and the ball skipped into the hole for an eagle two.
Dodt bogeyed the final hole and Gill had the luxury of bogeying the last two holes for a 74 to win by one shot with a 72-hole total of 280, eight under par.
Dodt's final round of 68 secured second place, level with Troy Ropiha from New Plymouth.
"I really wanted to win the strokeplay," said Gill. "After the 15th I knew I had it pretty well sealed."
Tauranga golfer Kevin Smith, who had been one adrift of Gill after three rounds, matched him for much of the first nine but fell away with two double bogeys in a final round of 78.
The top 32 in the strokeplay qualified for the matchplay, which begins with two rounds today. The semifinals are tomorrow and the 36-hole final on Sunday. The defending matchplay champion, Andrew Green (Shandon), failed to qualify this time.
