• Search
  • News
    • Opinion
    • Tournaments
      • Emirates Australian Open
      • PGA Championship
      • The Open Championship
      • U.S. Open
      • The Masters
      • 2020 Olympics
    • Video
  • Equipment
    • Accessories
    • Balls
    • Drivers
    • Fairway Woods
    • Hybrids
    • Irons
    • Putters
    • Wedges
    • Fashion
      • Autumn / Winter
      • Spring / Summer
  • Travel
    • New Zealand
    • Australia
    • International
  • Top 50 Courses
  • Play Your Best
    • Instruction
    • Golf Rules
  • Magazine
    • Read past issues
    • Mailing List
  • Advertise With Us
 logo
Lost your password?
  • News
    • Opinion
    • Tournaments
      • Emirates Australian Open
      • PGA Championship
      • The Open Championship
      • U.S. Open
      • The Masters
      • 2020 Olympics
    • Video
  • Equipment
    • Accessories
    • Balls
    • Drivers
    • Fairway Woods
    • Hybrids
    • Irons
    • Putters
    • Wedges
    • Fashion
      • Autumn / Winter
      • Spring / Summer
  • Travel
    • New Zealand
    • Australia
    • International
  • Top 50 Courses
  • Play Your Best
    • Instruction
    • Golf Rules
  • Magazine
    • Read past issues
    • Mailing List
  • Advertise With Us

Korean teenage star leads Aussie trio at New Zealand Open

PGA Tour of Australasia mediaFebruary 27, 2020
GolfNews

Korean teenage superstar Joohyung Kim carded a seven-under 64 in the first round of the 101st New Zealand Open to lead by one shot over Australians Wade Ormsby, Brad Kennedy and Ben Eccles.

The 17-year-old seemingly mastered the challenging winds that hounded the Queenstown’s Millbrook Resort early in the day before closing out his round with a birdie on the 18th.

“I managed myself really well and gave myself lots of good chances and made some good putts too,” Kim said.

“I’ve been very fortunate to play well and I’ve also been working very hard. It’s nice to know that I can still post a good round after a month’s break. For tomorrow, I just have to play without any expectations and play the way I did today. A lot will also have to depend on the wind too.”

Queensland’s Brad Kennedy lead the way at The Hills course where he fired seven birdies, three bogeys and an eagle at the par-5 17th for a six-under 66 opening scorecard to sit one shot behind Kim.

“It had everything. I thought it was going to hail there at one stage even,” Kennedy said of the weather.

“It was a totally different breeze to what we’re used to. Fourteen was down breeze, 15 was into the breeze so it was a totally different golf course. Luckily I didn’t even have a practice round this week so I just went from what I knew and it was a whole new experience.

“[It] actually caught me a couple of times so to get in the clubhouse with as many birdies as I had; it was a good fun round of golf.”

Low scores were there to be had late in the day at the Millbrook layout where both Ormsby and Eccles charged home for a share of second place.

Named as a reserve for the ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia, Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour co-sanctioned tournament just yesterday, the late call up was a welcome surprise for the Victorian.

“It’s pretty awesome. I said to my best mate who’s caddieing for me that I just want to enjoy the week whether I get in or not,” Eccles said.

“We got in yesterday morning so it’s a big bonus and to play like I did today was just awesome.”

Dying winds and a favourable breeze aided Ormsby’s birdie quest on the way to a bogey-free round of six-under the card.

“I felt like we could have gotten the wrong side of the draw there pretty quickly so it was just a matter of hanging on early,” said Ormsby, who finished runner-up at the 2006 New Zealand Open in Auckland.

“I made some great up and downs on two and three and it was just a matter of hanging on. I started making some birdies back downwind there on seven, eight, nine. So that got a bit of momentum going and then I played nice around the back. The game feels pretty good, I putted nicely so I’m happy.”

Recent European Tour winner Lucas Herbert sits within two strokes of the lead alongside Terry Pilkadaris and Japan Golf Tour duo Kazuki Higa and Tatsuya Kodai.

Reigning champion Zach Murray completed his opening round at Millbrook Resort at three-under the card after a bogey, followed by a double, reduced his six-under mark.

Kiwi star Ryan Fox enjoyed a competitive start to round one but his early hot start – he was five-under after eight holes – was also reduced to a final card of two-under.

 

101st New Zealand OpenBen EcclesBrad KennedyJoohyung KimKazuki HigaLucas HerbertMillbrook ResortPGA Tour of AustralasiaRyan FoxTatsuya KodaiTerry PilkadarisThe Hills Golf ClubWade OrmsbyZach Murray

Related Posts

  • Lydia Ko tied at the top in California

    Golf.co.nzApril 27, 2018
  • NZ OPEN: Three-way tie at the top in Queenstown

    Rohan Clarke at Millbrook ResortMarch 1, 2018
  • Nick Voke prevails in playoff on PGA Tour Series-China

    PGA TOUR Series-China mediaSeptember 10, 2018
  • Tim Wilkinson makes it two Kiwis at US Open

    Golf.co.nzJune 5, 2018
  • Ryan Fox qualifies for two more Majors after falling agonisingly short at Dutch Open

    Courtesy of Golf NZMay 30, 2022
  • Jake McLeod donates $5,000, and his man bun, to Jarrod Lyle’s charity

    Joel BeallDecember 6, 2018
  • Kauri Cliffs

    A Room With A View

    Ryan BrandeburgJanuary 21, 2019
  • Ryan Fox to play the 2020 New Zealand Open in Queenstown

    SuppliedNovember 27, 2019
Facebook 12,989Fans
Twitter 15Followers
Instagram 661Followers

Newsletter Signup

This form needs Javascript to display, which your browser doesn’t support. Sign up here instead

Latest Posts

‘At least one more run’: Tiger Woods reveals his most specific goal post-injury, and it’s exciting

July 7, 2022

Bryson DeChambeau reveals LIV deal is worth MORE than $US125 million, runs through 2026 

July 6, 2022

Social media

Search

Newsletter

This form needs Javascript to display, which your browser doesn’t support. Sign up here instead

  • Subscribe
  • Advertise With Us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • GolfDigest.com