Brandon Hodgson (Otago) shot rounds of 71 and 67 to take the honours in the Chisholm Links Open 36-hole tournament in fine conditions yesterday.
He finished five shots ahead of Cody McMullan (St Clair) while Wakatipu Junior’s Callum Judkins and Michael Smith (Island Park) tied for third three further shots back.
Having recently returned from a four-year scholarship at the University of Mississippi, Laura Hoskin (Arrowtown) is available for Otago teams and showed her style winning the women’s section by eight strokes.
With rounds of 77 and 73, she finished ahead of Annabel Evans (Otago) while first-round leader Abigael Crawford (St Clair) was three further shots back in third.
The young brigade led the way in the first trial with Danielle Bailey and Sumin Kang (both Wakatipu Junior) filling the next two spots.
Following a successful run in the metropolitan pennant series, Mark Andrews (Taieri Lakes) topped the list of masters (over-40) golfers with 72 while locals Andre Ytsman and Wilson James were second and third respectively.
In the men’s event, Hodgson had a two-shot lead at lunch after firing a par 71 containing two birdies and two bogeys.
McMullan was in second on 73 while there was a four-way tie for third on 74.
In the afternoon, Hodgson was square after 10 holes but he came home strongly with an eagle three on the 11th and birdies on 15 and 18 to finish 4-under.
McMullan was in the lead at 4-under after 11 holes but his chances suffered a severe blow when he missed the 12th green to the left taking two wedges to get on to the putting surface.
Smith was also chasing Hodgson after carding two birdies but a putting lapse on the 12th green put him back in a tie for third with Judkins.
Judkins was consistent throughout the day with 74 and 72.
