Brownlee holds nerve in classic victory

by Kelly Exelby | 9th November 2009

You've got to hand it to Simon Brownlee.

Holding a three-shot lead on the tee at the 72nd and final hole, on the verge of his breakthrough win, his opponent in the group ahead holes his second shot for the unlikeliest of eagles on the toughest finishing hole in Bay of Plenty.

Lead now one, out of bounds looming large down the right and a big crowd gathered in the distance, electrified by Waikato golfer Mathew Perry's hot finish and the prospect of a playoff.

So what did Brownlee do?

Not much - he was oblivious to it all.

The travelling leaderboard was quickly updated after news filtered back to the 18th tee that Perry, in the group ahead, had holed out from 80m, moving him to one off Brownlee's lead.

Brownlee, though, was dead to the drama, fortuitously learning his three-shot buffer had been sliced after he punched his drive down the middle. "I thought they were joking when I caught up with the news, although I would probably have still hit driver (with out of bounds to contend with down the right).

"I stepped up to the tee thinking my lead was three, with the plan to hit my drive anywhere as long as it stayed on the golf course."

Despite being safely down the middle the drama wasn't over, with Brownlee's 4.6m  birdie putt scooting the hole and coming to rest 1.5m  past.

"Yeah, it wasn't the greatest putt I'd hit all day," Brownlee smiled. "I was telling myself to lag it up and make easy par but left myself with a bit of work to do coming back."

Perry, who was checking his card 20m away, still pumped after his eagle, suddenly got interested.

"Simon gave me a sniff (of a playoff) but he's an awesome putter and I knew he wouldn't miss coming back."

He didn't, with par good enough for a nine-under total and the biggest win of the young Gulf Harbour player's fledgling career.

Brownlee finished a shot clear of Perry with rounds of 68, 73, 68 and 70, with Pieter Zwart, who had a one-shot lead at the turn in yesterday's final round, third, a shot ahead of Kieran Muir (Omokoroa).

Brownlee drew level at the tough par-four 11th when Zwart's second shot came to rest behind a gazebo, took the outright lead at the 12th with a short birdie and banged in two more birdies in the next three holes pull clear.

He's been  consistent all year, finishing second-best amateur on this year's Charles Tour with  ninth at the Shirley Open, 16th at Tauranga and 25th at Wairakei.

Brownlee was second to Omokoroa's Andrew Stewart in last month's Waitomo Open and finished third on The Importer Order of Merit behind Perry and Stewart.

Brownlee, whose sister Rebekah was the leading female over the weekend, was effusive in his praise of the Omanu course, which has never looked better, bathed in brilliant sunshine. "I'd put it at the top of the list of the courses I've played in New Zealand. Those greens were unreal."

Perry wrapped up the Order of Merit and $1500 prize with his second placing, eight shots clear of Stewart.

"The Order of Merit was my goal for the weekend, especially with Andrew coming into the tournament pretty hot.

"I didn't hit it really great out there but ground it out to get to eight under. With no funding behind me, winning the Order of Merit means I've probably got back to square financially over the 12 tournaments, which isn't a bad place to be."

Omanu Classic scores (par 72):

279: Simon Brownlee (Gulf Harbour) 68 73 68 70

280: Mathew Perry (Hamilton) 71 73 69 67

282: Pieter Zwart (Waipukurau) 72 71 69 70

283: Kieran Muir (Omokoroa) 67 72 71 73

284: Kevin Budden (Waitemata) 73 72 67 72

286: Supravee Phatam 72 74 68 72

287: Sam An (Titirangi) 73 71 73 71

288: Bradley Kendall (Mt Maunganui) 71 72 73 72, Tane Robson (Cambridge) 71 77 66 74, Andrew Stewart (Omokoroa) 76 70 68 74

289: Nick Gillespie (Hastings) 72 74 73 70

292: Jason Mann (Auckland) 75 74 70 73, Landyn Edwards (Rotorua) 72 73 73 74, Leighton James (Hastings) 70 76 70 76.

Females:

322: Rebekah Brownlee (Gulf Harbour)