Stu Malcolmson hadn't played a competitive round of golf since April when he teed up at Middlemore yesterday to chase one of the last six places in the field for the New Zealand Open this week.
No problem for the 32-year-old Auckland professional. He shot a bogey-free five-under 67 to
head the qualifiers with North Harbour professional Steve Gordon.
Two other Auckland professionals, Marcus Wheelhouse with a 68 and Stu Thompson with 69, also clinched places.
But there was a playoff among six players for the final two spots. After all six had parred the 18th the first time round, English professional Jon Le Roux and North Shore amateur Andrew Park birdied the hole at the second attempt to make the field.
Malcolmson played regularly on the Australasian tour before settling on a golf teaching job.
He still has the game, despite his lack of tournament play. Last year, when the Open was at The Grange, he shot 64 in the second round to share third place, but faded in the third round after having to wait until late in the day for a start.
"One of my problems when I play in Auckland is that my clients turn out to see how I go, so there's a bit of extra pressure," Malcolmson said.
Gordon plies his trade on the mini-tours in the US and didn't bother to try for an Australasian card this year. He had six birdies yesterday and a bogey on the 17th.
Wheelhouse, a former New Zealand strokeplay champion, had a late birdie burst for his 68 and Thompson, who describes himself as "a Coke and chocolate seller at The Grange", repeated the strong qualifying effort he made last year.
Rookie professional Guy Penrose had a double-bogey on his last hole to slip into the playoff and after two pars earned the first alternate position with a birdie.
Fifteen-year-old Sam Shin (Gulf Harbour) dropped out of the playoff with a bogey.
