Gareth Paddison won the Muriwai Open in Auckland for a second year in a row but it took three extra playoff holes before he prevailed for the second time.
After a long week with no power, the Muriwai Beach Golf Club lit up the final afternoon with some spectacular golf, topped off with Paddison sinking a clutch birdie putt for an exciting and well-deserved finish for the local gallery.
It wasn’t his first clutch moment after showing his experience to come back from two-shots behind after James Anstiss laid down a great challenge, highlighted by an amazing eagle on the 14th hole to jump into the lead with three holes remaining. Anstiss then added a birdie on the 16th hole to apply huge pressure on the eventual champion who handled it well.
With three playoff holes and three impeccable wedge shots, Paddison couldn’t get the final putt to drop on the first two occasions, but it was third time lucky as he secured yet another title.
“This one means a lot in defending my title,’’ said Paddison, from Manor Golf Park Sanctuary in Wellington.
``There is a lot at stake and a lot of pride on the line, so it was a great day and I couldn’t be happier.
“James played exceptionally well and made that eagle on the par five and was unlucky to drop a shot on the last, so he was very impressive today. All the young guys were impressive this week and have a big future ahead.”
Paddison, who turns 38 on May 13, has been a professional golfer for 18 years.
Anstiss, from Queenstown, carded a memorable final round five-under par 67 and only had positive thoughts after falling just short of his first win on New Zealand’s Charles Tour.
“I’m obviously a bit gutted not to win, but it was an awesome week and I’m pretty happy with how everything went,’’ Anstiss said.
``It’s nice to be up there, right in contention and to have that energy running through the body down the stretch.
“I played really well all day, recovered well and took advantage of some great opportunities with the bonus of that eagle. It’s the great thing about this tour is that if you play well you are going to be up there and to have these feelings will prepare me well with what’s to come in the future.”
Wellington amateur Daniel Hillier started the final day birdie and eagle to throw his name in the mix early, but couldn’t challenge the leaders enough from there. It still was enough to once again end the week as leading amateur.
Oscar Cadenhead and Jang Hyun Lee were tied for lowest round of the week (66) which earns them a share of 52 dozen Asahi beers. However, with Lee being just 15-years-old, he is unable to accept his part of the prize, which put a large smile on Cadenhead’s face.
In the women’s division of the Muriwai Open it was Auckland professional Munchin Keh who won by a mammoth nine shots. It was her third win in the Muriwai Open and her fifth win on the Charles Tour.
Keh was the only player who could handle the tough weather conditions throughout the week and it provided her with her first win as a professional.
“It feels really good and I’m stoked with the outcome,’’ Keh said.
``I wasn’t too focused on the lead, I was just trying to focus on my game and play each shot which turned out pretty good.
“It’s nice to get my first professional win out of the way, and even more special to do it here at home.”
Keh was to return to China to continue her career but said the Charles Tour had been a great platform to build her game.
“This tour is where I grew up playing golf and building the confidence and reaching national level which has helped me a lot, especially with overseas experience.“

Muriwai Open scores
Scores from the Muriwai Open in Auckland were:-
Autex Muriwai Open (par 72) April 12-15
Men
276 * Gareth Paddison (PGA New Zealand) 70 67 71 68, James Anstiss (PGA New Zealand) 71 70 68 67 * (Paddison won on the third extra playoff hole)
279 Ryan Chisnall (PGA New Zealand) 70 68 72 69
280 Kieran Muir (Omokoroa) 73 72 68 67
281 Daniel Hillier (Manor Park Golf Sanctuary) 68 70 74 69
283 Oscar Cadenhead (PGA New Zealand) 72 75 70 66
284 Tom Parker (Christchurch) 77 71 67 69
285 Jang Hyun Lee (Maungakiekie) 76 67 76 66, Luke Brown (Muriwai) 70 70 71 74
286 Harry Bateman (Muriwai) 74 71 72 69, Jake Lee (Muriwai) 72 74 70 70
287 Mark Brown (PGA New Zealand) 74 74 69 70
289 Peter Fowler (PGA New Zealand) 75 72 73 69, Jordan Loof (Akarana) 74 75 71 69, James Hydes (Gulf Harbour Country Club) 74 72 71 72
290 Taylor Gill (Bay of Islands Kerikeri Inc.) 75 71 76 68, Hayden Beard (Mt Maunganui) 73 73 73 71
291 Kadin Neho (Muriwai) 74 76 73 68
292 Joshua Munn (PGA New Zealand) 75 76 72 69, Dongwoo Kang (PGA New Zealand) 74 76 72 70, Jared Edwards (Royal Auckland and Grange) 74 74 71 73, Campbell Rawson (PGA New Zealand) 70 74 74 74
293 Mark Hutson (Muriwai) 75 73 75 70, Brad Hayward (New Plymouth Inc.) 77 74 70 72
294 Trevor Marshall (PGA New Zealand) 72 74 79 69, Dominic Brettkelly (Hororata) 81 70 71 72
295 Nick Loach (PGA New Zealand) 74 75 78 68, Kwanghue Kim (Akarana) 75 77 72 71
296 Douglas Holloway (PGA New Zealand) 73 76 79 68, Chang Gi Lee (PGA New Zealand) 76 76 74 70, David Smail (PGA New Zealand) 74 74 74 74
297 Kerry Mountcastle (Masterton) 74 73 82 68, Kevin Koong (Muriwai) 72 78 74 73, Justin Morris (PGA New Zealand) 75 74 69 79
298 Daniel Pearce (PGA New Zealand) 81 71 73 73, Connor Barker (Remuera) 76 76 72 74
300 Dale Williamson (PGA New Zealand) 77 77 76 70, Brad Shilton (Muriwai) 74 77 77 72
301 Victor Janin (Rotorua) 79 74 79 69, Matthew McLean (Harewood) 80 75 74 72, Reid Perry (Manawatu) 77 71 77 76
302 Charlie Smail (Walton) 75 73 82 72
303 Sam An (Titirangi) 76 80 71 76
304 Kunaal Singh (Whitford Park) 79 77 76 72
305 Mako Thompson (Maraenui) 78 76 77 74, George Wardell (Tauranga) 79 76 75 75, Lachie McDonald (Marton) 75 75 77 78
306 Sung Jin Yeo (North Shore) 82 75 78 71, Johnny Tynan (Titirangi) 76 79 79 72, Sam Yoshifuji (Gulf Harbour Country Club) 76 79 77 74, Sul (Banaba) Im (Huapai) 76 76 77 77
307 Matthew Latham (Muriwai) 75 80 74 78
308 Dell Bain (Muriwai) 78 78 77 75
311 Chris Charlton (Riverside) 75 81 77 78, Sanjay Modgill (New Plymouth Inc.) 77 79 77 78
312 Christian Nitsche (Akarana) 76 74 87 75
313 Dean Sipson (Mt Maunganui) 77 75 86 75, Sungwoo Han (Queenstown) 77 78 80 78
317 Willy Eady (Royal Auckland and Grange) 74 75 78 90
Women (par 72)
283 Munchin Keh (P) 71 71 71 70
292 Brittney Dryland (Titirangi) 76 72 73 71
294 Miree Jung (Titirangi) 74 75 70 75
296 Caryn Khoo (Pakuranga) 77 78 69 72
302 Darae Chung (Shandon) 79 75 70 78
304 Siyi Keh (Titirangi) 81 72 77 74, Jenna Hunter (P) 73 79 71 81
305 Fiona Xu (Akarana) 80 75 73 77
306 Jessica Huang (Pakuranga) 78 77 77 74
308 Anna An (Muriwai) 79 77 80 72
309 Amy Im (Pupuke) 77 76 79 77
317 Jessica Green (North Shore) 76 78 83 80