Golf: Second victory for teen after playoff

By BOB PEARCE

Kevin Chun has won only two tournaments in his short golfing life, both of them at Akarana on Anniversary Day.

The 17-year-old Westlake High pupil has won two of the past three Auckland Anniversary tournaments against fields of more than 150.

Yesterday, he had to survive a two-hole playoff before beating 20-year-old North Harbour representative Josh Carmichael.

The pair had finished level on 207, level with par for the shortened Akarana layout, after Chun had closed with a two-under 67 against Carmichael's 70. Both birdied the par-four 18th as the first extra hole and when they played it again, Chun birdied from three metres, while Carmichael's long putt stopped on the lip of the hole.

Chun's final round was a fine display of consistent golf in conditions made difficult by a brisk wind. He had eagles on the third and the 10th.

The son of a professional, Man Dong Chun, he plays at the Titirangi Club and after eight years in New Zealand, insists that he is staying.

Chun and Carmichael made the cut in the New Zealand Open at Middlemore this month, Carmichael finishing 42nd and Chun 63rd.

Carmichael, from the Pupuke Club, had a two-shot lead yesterday with nine holes to play. But he three-putted the 10th when he had an eagle chance, then birdied the 11th, but dropped shots on the 12th, 14th and 17th.

Brett Dormer (Redwood Park), joint leader with Carmichael and Dean Sipson (Formosa) after 36 holes, shot 73 to finish third, three shots off the pace.

Ken Peseta (Manukau) had a one-under-par 68 to tie for fourth with Geoff Sisson (Whitford Park) and Joon-sang Chung (Redwood Park).

Left-handed veteran and multiple winner Mike Leitch (Maungakiekie) was a shot further back, having holed a long birdie putt on the last for a 72.

The flags at Akarana were flown at half-mast after the death of 60-year patron Ivan Hitchings.