Golf: Wilkin opens with victory at Akarana

Fraser Wilkin. Photo / Ron Burgin

Fraser Wilkin began the new Auckland golfing season as he finished the last with victory in one of the longest-running tournaments.

The 23-year-old from the Royal Auckland Club won the Anniversary Tournament at Akarana yesterday with a level par total of 210 for the 54 holes. Last October he won the Stewart Gold Cup at The Grange.

Wilkin began the final 18 holes yesterday level with Titirangi's Auckland strokeplay champion Sam An and Tae Koh from Manukau. He made a near-perfect start with an eagle on the first but dropped shots on the fifth and six in the blustery wind and needed a long putt on the seventh to save par. He birdied the 10th and parred the remaining holes for a 69.

An finished two shots adrift.

Koh shared third place, two shots further back, with Rosco Valentine (Remuera) and defending champion Hayden McCallum from the host club.

Selectors have named Wilkin and An to play in the Grant Clements Memorial at Mt Maunganui on February 19 and 20 and Ryan Fox (Royal Auckland), Wilkin, An, Valentine and Jonathan Ratcliffe (Akarana) to represent Auckland in the SBS Invitational at Invercargill in March.