Tauranga golfer Jared Pender has qualified for the New Zealand Open a week after getting into the New Zealand PGA through the same route.
Pender, fellow New Zealand professionals Brenden Stuart and Mike Hendry and leading Canterbury amateur Sam Ma made the 156-strong Open field after pre-qualifying at the Christchurch Golf Club yesterday.
The quartet will join New Zealand's top professionals and the strong field of Americans and Australians in the $1.2 million Open starting at the Hills on Thursday. Pender, a member of last year's Eisenhower Trophy amateur team, former top Wellington amateur Stuart and Ma all returned three-under par scores of 69.
Hendry (Auckland), who leads the New Zealand PGA's order of merit, shot a two-under 70.
Otago golfers Garth Domigan, Ben Gallie and Brent McEwan missed out. Queenstown golfer Jim Lapsley did not play in the qualifier and is instead preparing for a seniors event in the North Island. He had hoped to receive a sponsors' invite to play in the Open, as he did in 2007, but was not granted one.
Open organisers have granted invites to Sir Bob Charles, amateur star Danny Lee, New Zealand PGA winner Steve Alker, professionals Mark Purser, Brad Iles, Grant Moorhead and Troy Ropiha, Irish golfer Keith Nolan and New Zealand amateurs Ryan Fox and Thomas Spearman-Burn.
Charles and Lee are the major drawcards for the tournament. Charles delighted the galleries 15 months ago when he made the cut aged 71, and Lee won the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth two weeks ago and will turn professional after playing in the Masters.
