Golf: Repeat victory at Muriwai won't be a walk in the park

Fraser Wilkin will be banking anything he wins after joining golf's paid ranks at the end of last year. Photo / APN

Fraser Wilkin won the Muriwai Open a year ago, but as an amateur had to watch his good friend Ryan Fox walk off with the $7200 winner's cheque.

The tall 25-year-old Aucklander is back for the $40,000 Charles Tour event this week and he will be banking anything he wins after joining the paid ranks at the end of last year.

A repeat victory will be tough with nine other former Charles Tour champions in the field, but Wilkin is primed for the challenge after winning the last tour event in Taranaki with an eagle on the last hole.

"My game is in pretty good shape," he said.

"I had a bit of a hangover at the start of the year and I wasn't enjoying playing after missing out by one shot at the Q School for the Australasian Tour.

"The main difference now is my putting. I putted really well at New Plymouth and except for the Saturday didn't miss much. I feel pretty confident playing at Muriwai. I've been playing there since I was a kid and I know it reasonably well."

Wilkin is rather repeating the run-up to last year's Muriwai victory when he had a good month with 25 rounds under par, including the eight-under 64 that set up the win.

Is the pressure greater when you're playing for money?

"There's not much of a difference in terms of actually playing," said Wilkin. "You find the differences more off the course with having to manage your money and travel. As an amateur you usually have more of a support network."

Wilkin, whose coach Marcus Wheelhouse is also in the Ask Metro field, is looking at playing options overseas when he flies to Britain for his brother's wedding in August.

Topping one of the strongest Charles Tour fields is the first Muriwai champion in 2010, Mike Hendry, who went on to win on the One Asia Tour and now has a world ranking of 151. Hawkes Bay professional Pieter Zwart flies in fresh from winning the Papua New Guinea Open at the weekend.

The 2011 champion, Manawatu amateur Josh Munn, is back along with Charles Tour winners Grant Moorhead, Nick Gillespie, Doug Holloway, Ben Campbell, David Klein, Josh Carmichael and Troy Carmichael.

In a very strong amateur entry are national strokeplay champion Cameron Jones from North Harbour and the recently crowned matchplay winner Kadin Neho from Northland.

The remarkable Lydia Ko won't be defending the women's title but included is Caroline Bon, who was recently awarded the New Zealand Professional Women's Golf scholarship and is preparing for a tournament in Taiwan.

The full field of 144 will play 36 holes today and tomorrow before a cut for the final 36 at the weekend.