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 2006 GTNZ Olex Taranaki Open Thursday 28 – Sunday 1 October, 2006 Nobilo leads first round at GTNZ Olex Taranaki Open 28 September 2006 North Harbour professional Luke Nobilo fired a six-under par 66 to lead after the first round of the GTNZ Olex Taranaki Open in New Plymouth today. Nobilo, who has been playing fulltime this year, has a one shot lead over fellow professional Hamish Robertson and local amateur Troy Ropiha at the New Plymouth Golf Club. The $40,000 purse event is part of the Golf Tour New Zealand established by Greg Turner to provide opportunities for young New Zealand professionals and to raise the bar for the leading amateurs, both men and women. Professionals Mathew Holten (Christchurch) and Clark Osborne (Auckland) share fourth place on four-under par 68, one shot ahead of a group of five players on three-under 69. They include professionals Tony Christie (Christchurch), Dominic Barson (Nelson) and Scott Overend (North Harbour). They were joined by remarkable Taranaki 14-year-old Ji Soo Oh and New Zealand team reserve Leighton James (Auckland). The New Zealand teams, preparing for next month’s world amateur teams championship, enjoyed a solid start. James led the way with his 69 followed by Hamilton’s Mark Purser with a two-under 70, Sharon Ahn (North Harbour) one-under 71 with Josh Geary, while Sarah Nicholson (Wellington) shot a two-over 74 and Hamilton’s James Gill, who flew in from Europe yesterday, shot a four-over 76. Nobilo, who completed his professional traineeship under Richard Ellis at Lakes Resort in Pauanui earlier this year, has been playing fulltime for the past five months. "I’ve been playing the pro-am circuits mostly in Australia and learning a lot. It’s the first chance I’ve had to play a lot so it’s good fun. "It’s great to come back to play a four round tournament on such a lush course after Australia. The course is really nice and it’s a good test." Nobilo made a fast start with six birdies in the first six holes. "I leaked a bit of oil coming home but was very happy with that start. I certainly hope that I am around for the weekend." Ropiha, who has been struggling in recent weeks, said it was a welcome return to form. He mixed seven birdies, including four in a row on the front nine, mixed with two bogies for the Titleist Academy player. "I’m very happy with that. It was a good start. I think home course knowledge is the key today. "I didn’t really swing it that great although I feel my game is coming together. I got the ball around and I putted pretty good." Ropiha said that the return of his coach from Europe is a factor in his form reversal. "Steve Jessup, my coach, was away for nine weeks in Europe. I was trying to grind my way around the golf course and as soon as he got back to Wairakei I spent all week with him. It made a huge difference. "It didn’t show immediately at the Wairakei Open but since I have had time to work on it I can feel my game coming back." Holten had five birdies in his 68 with Osborne mixing five birdies and an eagle with three dropped shots. Oh, the New Zealand under-21 champion is part of the golf academy at nearby Spotswood College. The Ngamotu links has been set up as a tough test, with the females playing off basically the men’s white tees, to add some additional glitter to her effort. The Westown golfer made four birdies, two on each nine with a solitary dropped shot. The leading 80 players after tomorrow’s second round qualify for the final 36 holes at the weekend. Full scores www.gtnz.org For further information: |
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