Michael Hendry became the most successful golfer on the Charles Tour when winning the Lawnmaster Classic in Palmerston North for the second year in a row.

The win was Hendry’s sixth on the Charles Tour, which is New Zealand’s top circuit for professionals and top amateurs. Doug Holloway had previously set the record with five wins.

Hendry said the six wins was a record to be proud of from a New Zealand perspective.

“It’s immensely satisfying,” Hendry said.

“I want to be regarded as one of New Zealand’s best when I hang up my boots.”

His sixth title didn’t come easy with Josh Geary consistently nipping at his heals in a real dog fight on the final day.

In a tournament reduced to three rounds because of rain on the scheduled first day saw Hendry post an amazing 11 under par in the opening round.

But from those dizzy heights it was back to Earth with an even-par round on day two. Hendry was back in the grove in the opening nine holes of round three when he reeled off four birdies in the space of five holes.

“I definitely struggled on the greens yesterday,” Hendry said of his second round.

“So it was nice to make a solid birdie on five which gave me more confidence and then a little buffer as well.”

Geary then came to the party with consecutive birdies on 13, 14 and 15 to be locked up with Hendry in the lead coming down the stretch which the hundred-plus Manawatu Golf Club faithful’s were relishing.

Hendry then showed why he has the most Charles Tour victories next to his name with convincing birdies on 15, 17 and 18 to win in style.

“When Josh applied some pressure on the back nine, it was a lot of fun,” Hendry said.

“It was a bit of a ding dong battle out there and thankfully I made a few more birdies than he did.”

Meanwhile, Chantelle Cassidy racked up her second Charles Tour victory in a row when holding off nearest rival Amelia Garvey in the women’s section of the event.

Trailing by one shot overnight, Garvey struck early to put pressure on Cassidy, but the latter then put together a near perfect final showing to hold onto her lead.

Said Cassidy: “It feels good to win another Charles Tour event.

“I have played Lawnmaster a couple of times and come so close, but now I have got the win. I made crucial birdies and just tried to stay focused throughout the day.”

RESULTS:

Men’s scores

Manawatu GC, Par 72

199 Michael Hendry (P) 61 72 66

201 Josh Geary (P) 66 68 67

203 James Beale (P) 65 69 69

204 Nick Gillespie (P) 68 70 66, Steven Heyes (P) 67 68 69

205 James Betts (P) 71 67 67, Tae Koh (P) 67 70 68

206 Dongwoo Kang (P, South Korea) 66 74 66, Joonsang Chung (P) 71 67 68, Cameron Jones (Muriwai) 68 68 70, Woonchul Na (P) 66 70 70, Brad Hayward (P) 68 68 70, Gareth Paddison (P) 68 65 73

208 Ryan Chisnall (Greenacres) 70 70 68, Markopolo Fullepp (New Zealand) 70 70 68, Mark Hutson (Muriwai) 67 72 69, Peter Lee (P) 70 68 70

209 Doug Holloway (P) 70 69 70, Victor Janin (P) 68 66 75

210 Steven Kuggeleijn (Riverside) 70 74 66, Daniel Hillier (Manor Park) 70 73 67, Kerry Mountcastle (Masterton) 71 70 69, Kieran Muir (P) 70 70 70, Dominic Barson (P) 73 66 71, Pieter Zwart (P) 67 69 74, Sam An (P) 69 65 76

211 Harry Bateman (P) 70 71 70, Brad Shilton (P) 74 66 71

212 Andrew Henare (P) 70 70 72, Daniel Graham (P) 71 66 75, Ben Slaven (Royal Wellington) 67 69 76

213 Taylor Gill (Bay of Islands Kerikeri Incorporated) 75 70 68, Junior Tatana (Foxton) 71 73 69, Grant Moorhead (P) 70 73 70, Ho Jun Sung (St. Andrews of Hamilton (Hamilton)) 71 71 71, Brian Joe (Titirangi) 66 75 72, Regan McConaghty (Manawatu) 73 68 72

214 Chang Gi Lee (Pupuke) 72 73 69, Hayden Beard (P) 71 74 69, Shaun Jones (P) 70 71 73

215 Shaun Campbell (Omanu) 73 72 70, Harry Hillier (Te Puke) 73 71 71, Jordan Golding (Omanu) 75 68 72

216 Martin Pettigrew (P) 70 73 73, Greg Shaw (Manawatu) 67 72 77

217 Nathan Kim (Akarana) 70 76 71, Johnny Tynan (Titirangi) 72 74 71, James Devlin (P) 71 75 71, Luke Brown (Muriwai) 75 69 73, Reid Perry (Manawatu) 70 73 74, Dean Sipson (P) 72 70 75

Women’s scores

Manawatu GC, Par 73

209 Chantelle Cassidy (Riverside) 71 67 71

211 Amelia Garvey (Kaiapoi) 71 68 72

216 Momoka Kobori (Rangiora) 73 71 72

217 Sumin Lee (P, South Korea) 75 70 72

218 Brittney Dryland (Titirangi) 75 71 72

219 Grace Senior (Wairakei International Golf Course) 71 73 75

220 Ela Grimwood (Gulf Harbour Country Club) 74 75 71

222 Hillary O’Connor (Russley) 71 74 77

227 Alanna Campbell (Omanu) 76 75 76

155 Shani White (Gulf Harbour Country Club) 78 77

229 Rose Zheng (Pakuranga) 71 74 84

231 Darae Chung (Shandon) 74 81 76

233 Yena Chang (Akarana) 79 75 79

157 Bridget Connolly (Waitemata) 77 80

158 Silvia Brunotti (Gulf Harbour Country Club) 81 77, Tara Raj (Wanganui) 80 78

161 Sonia (Se Eun) Bak (Whitford Park) 78 83

162 Emmalee Morrell (Tauranga) 81 81

163 Jenna Gainford (P) 81 82

164 Tania Hook (Manawatu) 78 86

165 Subin Wui (Pupuke) 81 84

170 Jill Hall (Rangitikei) 85 85

174 Mudra Lakhani (Manawatu) 88 86