12 Mar 2009

American pair lead after day one at golf open

6:23 pm on 12 March 2009

The first day leaderboard at the NZ Open golf championship in Arrowtown has remained virtually unchanged since a strong wind sprang up at lunchtime turned The Hills course into a survival test for the second half of the field.

The American pair Todd Demsey and Josh Teater will almost certainly lead the field into round two after 7-under par 65s this morning which have them two shots clear.

The PGA champion Steven Alker leads the home challenge - he's in a 12-way tie for 6th after a 68 this morning, and the only player on the course making a bid for the lead is the American Alex Prugh who's moved into outright third place after four straight birdies on his homeward nine to be 6 under par with two holes to play.