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 Newsroom Taranaki Open 2005 New Zealand representative Doug Holloway took on the hardest of the conditions to grab the lead at the halfway mark of the $40,000 Olex Taranaki Open in New Plymouth today. The winds freshened from the north today leaving the afternoon field to cope with a much tougher test on the Ngamotu Links course today in the Golf Tour New Zealand event, an initiative by former professional Greg Turner, pitting the country’s leading amateurs together with young professionals, both male and female. Holloway shot a six-under 66 in the final group of the day for a two round total of 135, nine-under par. He has a one shot lead ahead of overnight leader and North Harbour professional Josh Carmichael who shot a one-under 71 for a 36-hole total of 136, eight-under par. There is a further two shots to local professional Grant Moorhead, local club champion Troy Ropiha and New Zealand representatives Josh Geary in a share of third place on six-under 136. They are in turn a further two shots clear of New Zealand player Mark Purser and last year’s runner-up, Wellington professional Mark Brown in a share of sixth on four-under par. Mt Maunganui’s Brad Iles shares eighth place on three-under par 141 with Wanganui’s Riki Kauika and Auckland professional Scott Overend. Holloway, the Titleist squad member who won last year’s Malaysian Amateur title, turned at two-under after an eagle at the par-5 18th after starting on the 10th hole. He hit four birdies coming home including three in a row to finish his round with a superb 66. He was matched with the best round of the day by Ropiha who moved to three-under par and a share of 10th place after his 66. "It was one or two shots harder this afternoon although it was good to get that back nine out of the way first for me, because it’s tougher in the strong winds," said Ropiha, the Titleist Academy player who started at the 10th hole. "Today I didn’t make the same silly mistakes as yesterday and managed to hole a couple of long putts that really helped." Carmichael said the afternoon conditions were a significant test as he mixed four birdies with three dropped shots. "I had a bad middle patch today and missed a few fairways. You pay for that here because the rough is tough," Carmichael said. "But overall I am reasonable satisfied." Moorhead had a mixed day with five birdies and four dropped shots for his 71 but remains very much in contention for the weekend, while Geary is poised to pounce, following his first round 68 with a two-under 70 with five birdies. "I am playing really well but just made some mistakes," Geary said. "I’m a bit annoyed because I played well enough to shoot much better. "It was playing a lot tougher today especially the front nine where the wind blew really hard. And with an afternoon round the greens got quite bumpy. I am in good shape though and pleased with my ball striking." Purser is fresh from competing in the Asia Pacific championships in Japan, where he was the fourth best individual as he guided New Zealand to second placing behind Australia. His fourth placing should earn him selection in the Asia Pacific team for next year’s prestigious Bonallock Trophy against Europe to be staged in Auckland. The Hamilton player has followed his superb form in that tournament with some excellent golf this week. "It’s great to play on a good course which is really set up tough for a tournament like this," Purser said. "We have just come from Japan where if you hit it in the rough you got penalized. "That does not happen in New Zealand very much but this course is a real test. The rough will penalize you and the course itself is in great condition. I love playing here." Starting from the 10th, Purser was square at the turn mixing two bogies with two dropped shots, but he made three birdies coming home for his 69. Last year’s runner-up Brown mixed two bogeys with two birdies early on before making three more birdies for his 69. The Wellington player, who has been working fulltime as a junior development officer for Wellington Golf, is working towards a return to more tournament play next year. Riki Kauika (Wanganui) showed a welcome return to form with two birdies and a bogey before he eagled the 18th for his three-under 69, showing the benefit of the experience he picked up on his recent tour to the United States. The best of the females was local teenager Sally Choi who shot two birdies, two bogeys and a superb eagle on the par-5 seventh hole for her two-under 70, the first woman to shoot in red figures this week. She has a one shot advantage over New Zealand representative Natasha Krishna (Auckland) on two-over 147, with a further two shots to Rotorua’s Jackie Shin. There is a cut to the best 80 players plus ties at 161 for tomorrow’s third round where there will be a further cut to the top 60 players plus female amateurs for Sunday’s final round.
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