KIWIS CROWD HSBC NZ PGA LEADERBOARD

Saturday, Mar 7, 2009

No New Zealander has won at Clearwater since the inaugural professional tournament in 2002, but that could all change tomorrow with three Kiwis in the final two groups for the final round of the New Zealand PGA Championship.

Certainly that's what the best-placed New Zealander, Steve Alker, is wanting after shooting a flawless five-under par 67 in today's third round of the $US600,000 co-sanctioned Nationwide and Australasian Tour tournament.
 
That lifted him from a share of 25th overnight to second place, just a shot behind the pacemaker, little known American Steve Friesen, who was at 11-under after three sub-par rounds of 69, 67 and 69.
 
Australian Kurt Barnes birdied the 18th to lift himself into second place alongisde Alker at 10 under.

On nine-under and in a share of third place was sensational 18-year-old Rotorua amateur Danny Lee along with Hamilton's David Smail, who came the closest to bagging a New Zealand win when he was runner-up to Darron Stiles last year in an event reduced to 36 holes by rain.
 
The best New Zealand finish before that was Mark Brown in 2007 who tied for sixth and the last winner of the New Zealand PGA title was Frank Nobilo in 1987. The tournament was not held after that until 2004..

Also on nine under was Australian Stephen Dartnall and Americans Ryan Hietala and Craig Bowden.

``I hope we can pull one out,'' Alker said. ``It's been so disappointing that we haven't won it. We Kiwis have got a few New Zealand Opens under our belt, but this one (a win) has been a long time coming.''
 
 Alker, who was in share of 25th after 36 holes, birdied the first hole, but the highlight came at the par-4 sixth when he holed his 4-iron from 185 yards for an eagle. Birdies at 11 and 17 had him sign for 67.
 
``I've been very patient this week, sticking to my guns, picking targets and it's been going okay. I know this course well (he was Clearwater's touring pro for several years) and enjoy coming back. I was having fun out there which is the big thing.''

Lee had five birdies and two bogeys on the back nine in his 69 and it could well have been so much better had several birdie putts from handy range found their target. Smail, three times the leading New Zealander at Clearwater, birdied the testing final two par-4 holes to go with four earlier birdies and bogeys at the sixth and 12th.