TOOMEY GOES BACK-TO-BACK AT TAURANGA
Luke Toomey has won The Carrus Open on the Jennian Homes Charles Tour for the second year running at his home course at Tauranga Golf Club today.
He’s carded a final round of 68 to finish at 14-under for the tournament, one shot in front of Woonchul Na and Autex Muriwai Open champion James Hydes.
Toomey began the day two shots back of overnight leader Ryan Chisnall, and knew he needed to get out of the gates quickly in order to make his presence felt at the top of the leaderboard.
For the second day in a row, Toomey hit three quality golf shots on the par 5 sixth to make eagle and take solo possession of the lead. However, he was unable to recreate yesterday’s heroics on the next hole, making a bogey to be in a share of the lead with Hydes through the opening seven holes.
He began the back nine in style making birdies at the 10th and 11th holes to move two shots clear with seven holes to play.
Toomey made another birdie at 15 to be in full control of the tournament and keep the challengers at arm’s length with three holes to go.
He hit a speed bump at the penultimate hole, losing his tee shot down the left to bring both Woonchul Na and James Hydes back into the tournament.
Disaster looked like it was about to ensue as he hit his fourth shot into a fairway bunker about 40 metres short of the hole. He hit a miraculous bunker shot to six-feet and holed the putt with authority and a fist-pump and walked to the 18th tee holding a one-shot lead.
Par was good enough to win his second Carrus Open in a row, something he’s extremely proud of.
He says it’s the perfect way to give back to the club that has given him so much.
“This feels bloody awesome. Like I’ve said, being able to give back in that fashion means everything to me and I know it does to them to. I’m ecstatic,” Toomey says.
It was another blustery day for the final round, and he knew he needed to dig deep in order to get over the line.
“I told myself all week to expect the unexpected and take everything as it comes. I told my caddie Nick after I lost the ball on the 17th that I should just make birdie with the second ball.
“I made a remarkable up and down out of the bunker to make double, and that was just enough to spur me on and give me the energy to make par up 18 and win the golf tournament and bring it home.
“This means everything,” Toomey says.
His Jennian Homes Charles Tour tally is starting to add up, and he will have the opportunity to add another trophy to his cabinet at the Taranaki Open next week at New Plymouth Golf Club.
Darae Chung finished as the leading female at nine-under and in a tie for nineth, after making history being the first female to tee it up in the final group of the new-look mixed gender Jennian Homes Charles Tour events.
