AMERICAN ROOKIE HOLDS HALFWAY NZ OPEN LEAD

A little more than 10 months ago, Robert Gates was home in the United States cheering on his high school buddy and college companion Martin Piller as the Nationwide Tour rookie searched for his maiden tour win in New Zealand.

Piller took a one-shot lead into the third round of the Michael Hill New Zealand Open near Queenstown and eventually finished runner-up to countryman Alex Prugh. Piller had gained his tour card by progressing through three stages at Q School; Gates missed his chance at the second stage, missing the cut by a shot.

Gates, however, emulated Piller’s feat in 2009, moving through the three stages and last December earning the Nationwide tour ticket which has brought him to Queenstown, along with Piller, for this week’s New Zealand Open at The Hills course.
 
After 36 holes both are very much in contention, especially Gates, who backed up his opening round of  65 with a five-under 67 today to be 12-under par and leading by a shot from Australian Andrew Dodt, who had shared the overnight lead with Gates and New Zealand’s David Smail.
 
The pair has established a little break halfway through the $US600,000 tournament with American D J Brigman firing five birdies in a round of 69 which left him nine-under and alone in third place three behind Gates.
 
Equal fourth on eight-under were Americans, Darron Stiles and Kevin Chappell.
 
Among the group of eight on seven-under were Piller, who had six birdies in a flawless 66, and the leading Kiwis, seasoned United States PGA player, Phil Tataurangi, who had five birdies in his 68 before dropping a shot at the 18th.
 
Considering it is his first Nationwide event, Gates, 24, has held his nerve remarkably well, although he admitted to a few jitters around the holes where the bigger galleries were gathered.
 
He is excited at being in New Zealand, also at leading the country’s premier championship and with the chance of being grouped with Piller for the final round.

`We’ve known each other since high school and were freshman roommates in college (Texas A&M University) and have been really good friends since. He had a great season last year and it was a lot of fun to watch him do what he did,’’ Gates said.

`It was really good motivation for me because he (Piller) came through Q School after almost giving up earlier. Now I get to compete against him – I’m still cheering for him but I still want to win.
 
`I’ve made the cut at my first tournament and that is one of my goals every week. I’m excited that I’ve put myself into a position where I can have a good weekend and see what happens.’’
 
Gates dwarfs Piller by 23cm, but golf is a game where size doesn’t count and Piller, said smilingly, he was up for the challenge: ``I’ll be trying the catch the big guy.’’
 
Tataurangi looked at home on a course that he walked several years ago when it was a deer farm with owner Micahel Hill and golf designer John Darby.

'Today is the best I have played here. I started nicely and had a couple of birdies early on.” After going through the turn two under, Tataurangi had consecutive birides at 10, 11 and 12 after sinking two putts from five metres and a tap in on 12. He could has easily notched four more birdies after missing putts from four metres, two metres, four metres and three metres on holes 13 through 16. His only blemish was a hooked drive on 18 into deep rough which resulted in a bogey.

Josh Geary (69-69) and Bradley Iles (71-67) are the best of the remaining New Zealanders at six under, with first round joint leader David Smail a shot further back (65-74). Noted Kiwis Grant Waite, Steve Alker, Mahal Pearce and Michael Long all missed the cut.

Western Australian Matt Jager became the first Australian to win the Bledisloe Cup for the leading amateur since Adam Groom in 2002. Jager, the New Zealand amateur champion, finished at three under (68-73).

The cut was at two under 142 with 66 profesionals and one amateur to play the weekend’s rounds.