Harry Bateman’s second win on the Charles Tour

Victory in the Hastings Open was the second on New Zealand’s Charles Tour for Harry Bateman — albeit seven years apart.

It was 2016 when Bateman scored his first Charles Tour win in the Harewood Open in Christchurch and last month he added his second when taking out the inaugural Hastings Open sponsored by Wallace Development.

Hastings is a course where Bateman has had success previously, taking out the Hastings Amateur in 2012 and 2013.

Bateman is one of the most consistent performers on the Charles Tour, sponsored by Jennian Homes, recording countless top 10s and top fives.

His latest victory didn’t come without any adversity as play was abandoned on the third day due to the severe heavy rain hitting the North Island, meaning Bateman slept with the lead two days in a row.

After carding 68 and 64 in the first two rounds, to be 12 under par for the tournament, he began the third and final round with a two-shot lead over the in-form Kazuma Kobori, who recently won the Australian Amateur.

The Wairarapa-based professional got off to the perfect start, opening with a birdie to extend his lead. He added two more at seven and eight, before uncharacteristically three-putting on nine to make what would be his first and only bogey of the day.

Bateman held his nerve coming home by making seven straight pars while everyone was throwing the kitchen sink at him. He stood on the 17th with a one-shot lead over amateurs Tyler Wood and James Hydes and hit a clutch green-side bunker shot and converted the four-foot putt for birdie, and walked to the 18th tee leading by two.

He was able to recall some of the winning feelings from the 18th he had as an amateur, hitting four solid shots to secure a par and get the job done.

Bateman said his second Charles Tour title felt just as good as his first. 

“It’s unreal. I’m absolutely stoked,’’ Bateman said.

“It’s been a long time between drinks … since I got over the line in a Charles Tour event. I’ve played a lot of them and had a lot of top 10s and fives and haven’t quite got the job done.

“There was a long putt on the last that I holed when I won the Hastings Open as an amateur. I thought of that on the last today, so it was nice to have that in the back of my mind standing over the putt. That’s the only thing I remember, I can’t actually remember back that far,” Bateman added with a laugh. 

“It’s a mixture of relief and elation. I’m absolutely stoked.”

His victory is the perfect way to start his 2023 season on the Charles Tour, which has a new season-ending event, the Charles Tour Race to Tieke. 

The leading 24 players on the Charles Tour standings automatically qualify for the season finale, held at Waikato’s marquee course, Tieke Estate.

James Hydes was victorious for the men’s amateur title in a playoff over his fellow Golf New Zealand national Aacademy teammate, Tyler Wood. Tara Raj won the women’s amateur title.