Golf: Smail still smiling after second place in Japan match-play event

New Zealand golfer David Smail did not feel like a loser when earning US$125,000 ($221,670) for finishing second in the Japan PGA match-play championship yesterday.

Smail could not keep pace with American Todd Hamilton in the 36-hole final at Tomakomai, going down 3 and 2 after holding a narrow lead over the tour's hottest player at one stage during the match.

"It's not bad," Smail said of the pay cheque in relation to his performance.

"I didn't play that well. It wasn't quite happening for me and the putts weren't dropping. He played pretty well."

Smail was one down after the opening 18 holes, but turned things around to lead one up leaving the 23rd.

Hamilton, the Japan Tour's leading money-winner this year with four victories and earnings of 130 million ($1.98 million), then responded by sinking birdie putts on the 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th and 32nd holes to ensure himself the winner's cheque of US$250,000.

"That made it too tough for me," Smail said. "I had one three-putt in there and sort of let him off the hook a bit."

It was Smail's seventh start in Japan this year after he had spent time in the United States and Britain, earning starts and missing the cut in two of the year's majors, the British Open and US Open.

Qualifying for the final saw his place on the Japan Tour's money-list improve from 38th to 16th, with earnings of 30 million ($450,000). He plans to devote himself to the Japan Tour for the rest of the year.

His next assignment is the Suntory Open in Chiba starting on Thursday.

* Former world No 1 Karrie Webb is on track for her first win of a disappointing LPGA season after taking a three-shot lead in the John Q Hammons Classic yesterday.

The Australian shot a second round of one-under 69 at the Tulsa Country Club in Oklahoma to be six-under 134.

She led from American Christie Kerr, who also had a 69 yesterday.

Defending champion Annika Sorenstam, playing for the first time in three weeks, had a difficult day, dropping into a tie for 28th after a 74.

* National interprovincial golf champions Bay of Plenty sent out a message to contenders for this year's title by comfortably winning the annual quadrangular tournament with Waikato, Hawkes Bay and Poverty Bay/East Coast on the Napier club's Waiohiki course yesterday.

After beating hosts Hawkes Bay 6-4 and Poverty Bay/East Coast 7-3 on Saturday, last year's Tower champions thumped Waikato 7 1/2-2 1/2 yesterday to remain the only unbeaten team.

Bay of Plenty No 1 Jae An lost his first match to Hawkes Bay's new national representative Richard Squire 3 and 1, but then beat Poverty Bay's Baden Waiwai 8 and 6 and Waikato's James Gill 1 up.

No 2 Terry Hong had two wins and a half, and No 3 Josh Geary had three wins at the top of the order. No 8 Dean Johnson and No 9 Kevin Smith were also unbeaten.

After losing four matches on the 18th against Bay of Plenty in the first round, Hawkes Bay held Waikato to a 5-5 draw and beat Poverty Bay/East Coast 9-1 to finish runners-up.