Golf: Long wait could be over for Grant

Grant Waite. Photo / Getty Images.

Well Grant, it's been such a long wait. Where have you been?

"Good question," responded New Zealand golfer Grant Waite, emerging from the wilderness to sit one shot outside the lead in the US$600,000 ($1,172,791) New Zealand Open after the third round at The Hills near here today.

Waite then went on to give a highly detailed account of his struggles, stretching back four years but potentially ending tomorrow when the Nationwide Tour event is decided.

He shot a six-under-par 66 today in drop dead gorgeous conditions which did full justice to the visual splendours of Central Otago, promoting him from a share of 16th place to second equal, just behind American Martin Piller, who shot 68 to set the standard at 12-under 204.

Waite shared table space on 205 with four others, including compatriot Josh Geary, Norwegian Henrik Bjornstad, American Alex Prugh and Australian Jason Norris.

Geary shelled three shots in his last three holes for a 68, while Norwegian Henrik Bjornstad did the reverse to match Geary, his playing partner.

Steve Alker ensured local interest will be heightened further in the final round after signing for a 72, including a double bogey sixth at the 18th hole, which left him 11th equal, three strokes behind Piller.

Waite, now 44, ranked a subterranean 1054th in the world and without a win since the 1993 Kemper Open on the PGA Tour in the United States, credited his round to a compliant putter, an implement which has not always followed orders.

He bagged six birdies on the front nine and eight in all, offset by dropped shots on the 465m par-four eighth when his approach missed the green and the 10th which he three-putted.

"The putter has always been a concern to me," said Waite, the 1992 New Zealand Open champion, who missed nine of his previous 10 cuts.

"There are just so many very good players out there now that the only way to separate yourself from them is in scoring - which comes down to making putts from four to 15 feet."

One of only seven New Zealanders with a PGA Tour title, Waite swung the short stick 28 times today, a more than passable statistic for a man who admits he has been "below par" in putting.

As for his career slump, Waite explained little separated successful players from those who were simply happy to pick up a modest cheque every week.

"There is such a fine line between struggling and doing well nowadays.

"My game is fine. I'm 44 now so the window of opportunity could be two more years, or who knows, it could be 10 more years.

"I have been at the top of the game and the past four years have been a struggle.

"I am where I am over my career based on performance."

He said it often came down to performing well at the right time. Tomorrow sounds timely enough, but he will have a scrap on his hands with Piller, who has put together rounds of 67, 69 and 68 here.

Piller, 23, turned professional only last year and is playing in just his fourth Nationwide event, but has already shown he has some game.

He came home in a hurry, birdieing the 14th, 15th and 17th holes before missing a gettable putt for another at the last.

"Overall it's been a great day and I can't be complaining about that," Piller said.

He said he was chuffed to make the weekend and the later tee times suited his sleeping patterns.

"Whenever I'm playing early I get nervous that I am going to sleep through my alarm."

In a tie for seventh overnight, Geary actually snatched the lead midway through the back nine but handed it back again with a double bogey at the tricky par-three 16th before another shelled shot at the final hole when a three wood from the tee found a nasty lie in heavy grass.

The setback at the 16th occurred when he was caught between clubs and did not fully commit to his eight iron, resulting in a blocked shot right into a creek.

He hit back immediately with a magnificent shot from a fairway bunker on the 17th, using a hybrid club to drill the ball to within 19 feet and safely two-putting.

Geary, 24, drilled both his drives and irons on the front side today and looms as a genuine title contender tomorrow, following up from his second equal placing in the New Zealand PGA Championship in Christchurch last weekend.

- NZPA