Sanchez sets the pace as darkness halts opening day
Rain delay, fading light and a late burst of birdies leave Australian one clear as nearly half the field return at dawn
Australian Matias Sanchez fired a seven under par 64 on the Remarkables course on February 26 to seize the clubhouse lead at the rain hit New Zealand Open presented by Millbrook Resort.
On a wet and cold day delayed three hours by heavy rain, nearly half the field failed to finish before play was suspended for darkness at 8.15pm, with round one to resume at 7.40am.
“I was just really happy to get it done, get the round in,” said Sanchez, who holed his final putt at 8.26pm after a bogey free round of four birdies on the front nine and three on the back.
He added: “This [event] is right up there, so to do it here, it’s really special, but I know it’s a quarter of the way down. It doesn’t really mean a whole lot.”
American Kevin Na returned a 66 on the Remarkables, while Australia’s Wade Ormsby matched that score on the Coronets layout. Na, the Asian Tour’s Rookie of the Year in 2002, said: “I haven’t played competition golf in three months or so, maybe longer, but I feel like there’s a good energy, there’s a positive energy and I’m happy. Mind is fresh and I feel like I have a chance to enjoy golf more.”