Local knowledge a help in third New Zealand Open win
Local knowledge a help in third New Zealand Open win
By Paul Gueorgieff
Jason Eade admitted a little local knowledge helped get him over the line to win the Disablity Golf New Zealand Open for a third time.
Above: Jason Eade with the Disability Golf New Zealand Open trophy at Manor Park Gold Club in Wellington.
The two-day tournament, held at the end of last month, was played at Manor Park Golf Club in Wellington which is where Eade learned to play the game.
``I started my golf here and learned to play here,'' Eade said after the win.
Conditions were windy for the second day and Eade, who was a Manor Park member for more than 10 years, said that probably gave him some advantage on his nearest rivals who he was playing with.
``I perhaps used my knowledge of the course as it was a bit windy out there today.
``The last few holes -- 16, 17 and 18 -- I know they are challenging, having lost a few matchplay events on those holes in previous years.
``I knew I had to just punch it out. I played it as matchplay today and just tried to get the job done.''
Eade, who now plays at Royal Wellington Golf Club, has a golf index of about 11.5. He had scores of 82 and 79 at Manor Park and won by a couple of shots from Guy Harrison of Napier.
Eade's two previous win in the event or it's equivalent were at Auckland and Christchurch but he was not getting carried with his successes.
``I'm just a weekend hacker but sometimes when I get a bit of a roll on and when I get to play more golf, I can bring it together.''
Eades has ventured overseas for major disability golf events such as the World Championships in South Africa and the United States Open and the Canadian Open.
He is keen for disability golf to become bigger.
``I think the long term goal is to try and become a paralympic sport and try encompass all people with disabilities.''
Eade, 54, was a top boxer before he lost a leg in a motor cycle accident at the age of 22.
He was a four-time New Zealand amateur champion boxer. That included a senior title in 1988 as a 19-year-old when he was awarded amateur boxing's most prized trophy, the Jameson Belt, for the most scientific boxer at the National Championships.