Daniel Pearce holds many challengers at bay in New Plymouth

Daniel Pearce, winner of the Ngamotu Classic at New Plymouth last month

Daniel Pearce held off a charging pack to win the Ngamotu Classic in New Plymouth by one shot and post his second victory on New Zealand’s  Charles Tour.
On a dramatic final day, up to five players including Jared Pender, Mark Brown, Harry Bateman and Troy Ropiha, all had a realistic chance to claim top honours in the tournament sponsored by Augusta Funds Management and PipeTech, but it was the experience of Pearce that came through.
Playing in the penultimate group, Brown looked to take control of the tournament with three birdies on his front nine. However, he was unable to get anything going on the back nine before making a 72nd hole birdie to become the club house leader at 10-under par.
With Pearce making a crucial birdie on the 17th hole he came to the final hole with a one-shot lead at 11-under. The attention quickly turned to Jared Pender who had a slippery five-foot putt to advance the tournament to a playoff. This slid by and cleared the stage for Pearce to claim the title.
“It’s great to get another win on the Jennian Homes Charles Tour and to get it here in Taranaki where I have been playing for nearly 10 years is awesome,” Pearce said.
“I had no idea what was going to happen out there with the conditions, but happy to get away with the win, but the main goal was to stay patient.
“I have a lot of golf on between now and Christmas so it’s always nice to have this feeling and build the confidence heading into a busy period.”
The new father is feeling like a changed man as things start to turn for the better.
“Having a child has changed things and has made me work harder. It has given me some perspective that there are more important things than just golf which has helped.”
In the women’s field, Caryn Khoo has broken through on the Jennian Homes Charles Tour to win her first event by a convincing three-shot margin over Carmen Lim.
The Aucklander carded rounds of 74, 72, 75 & 76 in challenging conditions all week to prove her class.
While her nearest rival Rose Zheng quickly dropped off the pace, Carmen Lim had other ideas and mounted a final round charge to give Khoo something to think about.  Three birdies in her first 12 holes saw Lim close the gap before a disastrous double bogey on the 17th ruined her chances and gave Khoo her first taste of success on the Charles Tour.
“It feels great to win here and I’m probably more relieved right now. It’s been a long time since I have won here, so I’m very happy,” Khoo said.
“Carmen was coming at me all day, so it wasn’t until the final putt dropped that it sunk in.”
Khoo aims to make the Auckland Interprovincial side before heading back to America in an attempt to turn professional.
The Charles Tour now takes a break until 2018 where Akarana will host the third of five events in early April.

Ngamotu Classic scores
October 12-15
Men
277 Daniel Pearce (PGA New Zealand) 70 63 73 71
278 Mark Brown (PGA New Zealand) 70 70 69 69, Jared Pender (Te Puke) 71 67 68 72
279 Troy Ropiha (PGA New Zealand) 72 67 70 70, Harry Bateman (Muriwai) 70 71 67 71
282 Kerry Mountcastle (Masterton) 70 73 68 71, Pieter Zwart (PGA New Zealand) 69 69 71 73
283 Steven Heyes (New Plymouth Inc.) 72 72 69 70, Hayden Beard (Mt Maunganui) 70 73 70 70, Richard Lee (PGA New Zealand) 73 70 69 71
285 David Smail (PGA New Zealand) 71 71 70 73, Kieran Muir (Omokoroa) 69 76 65 75
286 James Anstiss (Wakatipu Junior) 72 70 71 73
287 Brad Hayward (New Plymouth Inc.) 75 70 70 72, Tyler Hodge (Levin Inc.) 76 69 70 72, Chang Gi Lee (Pupuke) 70 68 76 73, Nick Coxon (P) 74 67 71 75
288 Luke Brown (Muriwai) 71 76 73 68, Lachie McDonald (Marton) 74 73 70 71
289 Tom Parker (Christchurch) 73 74 73 69, Brad Shilton (Muriwai) 71 76 70 72
291 Shaun Campbell (Omanu) 72 73 77 69, Kevin Koong (Muriwai) 72 74 70 75
292 James Hydes (Wainui) 74 75 74 69, Justin Morris (PGA New Zealand) 71 73 72 76
293 Charlie Smail (Walton) 72 70 71 80
294 Christian Nitsche (Whangarei) 73 74 75 72, Jake Lee (Muriwai) 75 73 73 73, Grant Moorhead (PGA New Zealand) 69 75 75 75, Dominic Barson (New Plymouth Inc.) 75 71 72 76, Douglas Holloway (PGA New Zealand) 74 72 71 77, Fraser Wilkin (Royal Auckland and Grange) 70 67 80 77
295 Mark Hutson (Muriwai) 76 74 71 74, Andrew Searle (New Plymouth Inc.) 76 72 72 75
296 Craig Mitchell (PGA New Zealand) 76 75 75 70, Dongwoo Kang (PGA New Zealand) 75 69 75 77
297 Alex Tait (PGA New Zealand) 71 77 74 75, Matthew McLean (Harewood) 72 72 75 78 298 Josh Munn (P) 76 73 77 72, Matty Tiplady (Maungakiekie) 75 73 75 75, Aarun Langton (Opunake) 75 71 74 78
299 Johnny Tynan (Titirangi) 73 78 75 73, Joseph Doyle (Tumahu) 73 78 72 76, Jordan Loof (Akarana) 73 78 72 76, Kwanghue Kim (Akarana) 75 75 72 77, Fletcher Broderick (New Plymouth Inc.) 74 73 75 77
300 Taylor Gill (Bay of Islands Kerikeri Incorporated) 71 76 80 73, Matthew Friend (Wainui) 73 76 72 79
302 Sanjay Modgill (New Plymouth Inc.) 72 81 74 75
303 Jayden Ford (Judgeford) 71 76 79 77, Jamie Reid (Waitemata) 72 76 77 78
304 Trevor Marshall (PGA New Zealand) 73 73 82 76, Dean Sipson (Mt Maunganui) 78 74 76 76, Craig Owen (New Plymouth Inc.) 80 71 75 78, Victor Janin (Rotorua) 75 75 76 78
307 Joe Tiplady (Royal Auckland and Grange) 80 73 76 78, David Riordan (Nelson Inc.) 78 73 78 78, Guy Perry (Manawatu) 77 75 75 80
311 Sung Jin Yeo (North Shore) 74 74 78 85
Women
297 Caryn Khoo (Pakuranga) 74 72 75 76
300 Carmen Lim (Windross Farm Golf Course) 78 73 76 73
305 Rose Zheng (Pakuranga) 73 72 78 82
309 Tara Raj (Wanganui) 80 76 77 76
311 Joanna Kim (Windross Farm Golf Course) 77 74 78 82, Jessica Huang (Pakuranga) 79 75 75 82
357 Yejoon Yoon (Gulf Harbour Country Club) 92 92 87 86