Golf: NZ fades in opening round

12.30pm

New Zealand faded over the final holes to drop well back on the opening day of the Eisenhower Trophy world teams golf championship in Puerto Rico today.

The Kiwis, strong through the opening nine holes, dropped to a six-over par 150 for the best two counting scores to be in a share of 44th place in the 70 competing nations.

They are 18 shots behind leaders the United States, who spearheaded some stunning scoring.

The Americans shot a 12-under par 132, led by a seven-under 65 from Ryan Moore, to be four shots clear of Italy, with Switzerland a further shot back in a share of third with Spain and England.

Twenty-six teams shot par or better, with 14 of the 17 best team scores achieved on the longer Greg Norman-designed River course where the New Zealanders played.

Josh Geary (Tauranga) led the New Zealanders with an even-par 72, one of 58 players to shoot par or better.

Kevin Chun (Auckland) finished with a six-over 78 and Riki Kauika (Wanganui) the non-counting 79.

Starting on the 10th, all of the Kiwis bogeyed the opening par-3 but recovered to be three-under par after six holes.

They were one-under par, with five holes remaining, led by Geary at two-under par, but struggled coming home with Geary making a double bogey on his 16th hole, and Chun dropping five shots in the final five holes.

"We are bitterly disappointed about today," coach Brian Doyle said.

"We talked so much about playing smart and being patient but there was some poor decision-making out there.

"It was not so much technical. They were hitting the ball quite well but they made some poor decisions at crucial times.

"Riki Kauika hit it in the hazard six times which cost him six shots, while Kevin and Josh both dropped shots in the hazard.

"Josh hit the ball really well and lipped out on several good birdie putts. He could easily have shot 66 today but it's not to be."

Doyle said his young side, the youngest selected for an Eisenhower Trophy, were naturally nervous at the start.

"They then settled down and were going along really well but the wheels fell off."

He said the wind blew from a completely different quarter today to add to the challenge.

"We will have to fight very hard from here. I know they will be more relaxed after today and I can guarantee they will go a whole lot better tomorrow. They will be better for this experience."

New Zealand did not have it on their own in terms of the tough finishing holes, with Norway dropping seven shots in the last three holes to drop from three-under to four-over par.

Leading teams after the first round (both courses par 72):

132 United States

136 Italy

137 Switzerland, Spain, England

138 Sweden, Germany

140 El Salvador. Netherlands

141 Wales, Portugal, Japan, Scotland

142 Australia, Iceland

143 Chile, Canada, India, Ireland, Philippines, Thailand, Denmark, Bermuda, Malaysia

144 Korea, Argentina

145 Dominican Republic, Austria

146 Guatemala, Bolivia, Turkey, Peru

147 Puerto Rico, South Africa

148 France, Colombia, Belgium, Finland, Mexico, Norway, Pakistan

149 Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela

150 Brazil, Czech Republic, Panama, NEW ZEALAND (JOSH GEARY 72, KEVIN CHUN 78, RIKI KAUIKA 79).

- NZPA