Jim Cusdin finished well back in the latest New Zealand Open.
Next year the hopes for the Bay of Plenty professional golfer will be higher for a few reasons.
The first of them is a guaranteed start. That was attained when Cusdin was awarded the inaugural Jennian Homes Trophy, which is basically for the most consistent player on New Zealand’s professional golf circuit, the Charles Tour.
The second reason is confidence. Cusdin could almost now be named the Mr Consistency of New Zealand golf and with consistency comes confidence. And with confidence comes success.
A third reason is experience. Cusdin was playing his first New Zealand Open in March when he finished 53rd of the 61 players to make the cut. He had scores of 74, 69, 76 and 70 to finish at two under par and earn a prize of $2020.
Cusdin said with that experience behind him he was sure he could perform better in Queenstown next March.
“I was disappointed in how I played at the open this year,’’ Cusdin said.
“I scraped through the cut after not playing very well, but going back next year I will be all the more confident and hopefully finish better.
“It’s a great week down there and the family normally come down for it, so to be locked in (for a guaranteed start) is a comforting feeling.”
Cusdin did not win on the Charles Tour but he had three top-five finishes. They came in the Carrus Open in Tauranga, the Taranaki Open in New Plymouth and the Harewood Open in Christchurch.
In total Cusdin racked up 773 points for the Jennian Homes Trophy which was 15 more than Kieran Muir on 758. Cusdin was fortunate that Muir elected to by-pass the tour’s final event, the Muriwai Open in Auckland, in preference for the Western Australia Open.
Cusdin ended up finishing 17th at Muriwai with scores of 72, 72, 77 and 75 for an eight over par total of 296. But with winner Peter Zwart shutting out some other contenders for the Jennian Homes Trophy that was enough for Cusdin to take home the cup and a prize of $5000.
“It feels great to get over the line,’’ Cusdin said.
“It’s certainly not the way I would have liked to have finished it but I think the good work I did in those first three tournaments last year was the backbone. I had a chance of winning all of them so it was bitter-sweet really.
“It’s a great series and that’s what it’s all about, rewarding consistency, so, yeah I’m rapt.”
Cusdin admitted the night before the final round at Muriwai he was considering the many permutations of what he needed to do.
“A big thanks must go to Kieran Muir for going to Perth and Zwarty for getting the job done at Muriwai,” Cusdin said with a laugh.
“I was up late last night trying to work out every different scenario. I pretty much just had to break 80 today because Zwarty was playing so well.
“It’s probably not the right mentality to go in with but with my game not at its best this week, it was just about getting the job done.”
Cusdin said a guaranteed start in the New Zealand Open was a major bonus.
“I think the best thing I got out of it was to get a start at the New Zealand Open again.’’
Cusdin is one of many players who wants the Charles Tour to keep growing and believes the talent and scores warrant just that.
“All you have to do is look at all the last scores of each tournament and I don’t think the Jennian Homes Charles Tour gets enough recognition. Hopefully we can grow the trophy and tour so it can get bigger and maybe spread to the Aussie circuit.”
Director of Jennian Homes, Stuart Munro, surprised everyone in the presentation room at the final prizegiving by awarding the five top players on the Jennian Homes Trophy points table who have played in every event this year with a bonus $2000 for their support and perseverance.
Said Munro: “It’s been a great year for us to be involved with New Zealand Golf, the aspiration for us and intent to bring up young elite golfers is very important and we have seen here at Muriwai with 11 possible winners.
“We committed to six years with New Zealand Golf and our first one is done and dusted and would obviously like to see this partnership grow.”
The five players who travelled the country to play in these events and went home with a smile on their face were Joonsang Chung, Doug Holloway, Brad Hayward, Troy Ropiha and Martin Pettigrew.
With the 2016/2017 season starting back up at the Carrus Open in September, it will be highly anticipated by players, fans and organisers as we look to growing both the Jennian Homes Charles Tour and the talent playing in it.
2015/16 Jennian Homes Charles Tour Champions
Carrus Open – Mark Brown.
Taranaki Open – Choonsang Chung.
Harewood Open – Daniel Hillier.
Lawnmaster Classic – Michael Hendry.
Akarana Open – Kieran Muir.
Muriwai Open – Pieter Zwart.

Jim Cusdin the Mr Consistency of New Zealand golf