Kerry Mountcastle prevails in Super 6s at Palmerston North
Kerry Mountcastle prevails in Super 6s at Palmerston North
Wairarapa amateur golfer Kerry Mountcastle won his second Charles' Tour event in style beating professional Josh Geary in a tense final of the New Zealand Super 6s tournament in Palmerston North.
Kerry Mountcastle plays a bunker shot during the New Zealand Super 6s tournament at the Manawatu Golf Club in Palmerston North. Photo credit: Golf New Zealand.
Mountcastle and Geary were the finalists in the event sponsored by Brian Green Property Group and battled it out over six holes at the Manawatu Golf Club.
They started on the 10th hole followed by the 12th, first, fourth, fifth and 18th holes.
But the six-hole layout wasn’t enough to separate the pair which needed an extra hole to decide the winner after both players finished three-under par in regulation play.
Mountcastle prevailed on the first playoff hole with a birdie to win his second event on the Charles’ Tour, sponsored by Jennian Homes. Mountcastle’s previous Charles Tour win was the Carrus Open in Tauranga in 2018.
Mountcastle said it was a dream come true to be a dual Charles' Tour winner.
“This feels amazing. Just to be back out here and get a win after having a bit of break is very surreal,’’ Mountcastle said.
“It’s nice to show everyone that I still have it. Golf has it’s ups and downs, so stepping back and taking a break has turned out to be a great decision.”
Mountcastle, from Masterton, last year took a step back from the game to ply his trade as an electrician and bring a little more balance to his life, a decision that has clearly paid dividends.
Mountcastle was the one to beat in the matchplay part of the tournament after qualifying in first place from three rounds of the strokeplay and managed to hold off the charges that everyone made at him making plenty of birdies of his own.
He was simply outstanding all day of the six-hole matchplay events. After having a bye in the first round, he dispatched of the reigning New Zealand Amateur champion James Hydes by shooting three-under, and then Jordan Loof in the quarter-finals with two-under par.
Crunch time had arrived in the semi-finals and he was faced with Cameron Harlock who he beat by shooting two-under to book his place in the final against Josh Geary.
The win could sway Mountcastle into giving golf another go, which is something the 25-year-old is excited about.
“I’m not too sure if my boss will be as happy about it as I am,” Mountcastle said with a laugh.
“We’ll see how we go. He might be a little more lenient about me taking some more leave and playing a few more of these.”
Silver medalist Josh Geary still takes home the first-place prize purse, and Cameron Harlock locked up the bronze medal after shooting five-under in the third and fourth playoff.