Fruits have flourished for Kerry Mountcastle

Kerry Mountcastle in action at the Carrus Open at Tauranga Photo BW Media

In March it was victory in the New Zealand Amateur Strokeplay Championship at Paraparaumu, north of Wellington.
Last month it was a win amongst the professionals in the Carrus Open at Tauranga.
They were two major steps in the burgeoning career of Wairarapa golfer Kerry Mountcastle from a seed that was probably planted in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Wellington last October.
In that event, full of rising stars in the Asia-Pacific region, Mountcastle finished a very creditable ninth. It convinced Mountcastle to give up his job as an electrician and concentrate on his golf. The fruits have since grown.
In the Carrus Open it took until the last of 72 holes for Mountcastle to gain the outright lead but that’s where the finish line is.
Going into the final day’s play the clear favourite was Mark Brown who had amazingly won the tournament in the three previous years.
Brown had scored an outstanding 11 under par score of 59 on the second day but he finished with a moderate score of even par 70 which allowed Mountcastle to pip him and two others at the finishing post.

Brittany Dryland of Auckland following her win in the Carrus Open, her second on New Zealand’s Charles Tour. Photo: BW Media

Mountcastle ended with a four-round total of 16 under par at the Tauranga Golf Club with scores of 65, 67, 64 and 68 in what was the final event of the Jennian Holmes Charles Tour for the 2017-18 season.
“It’s a great feeling and great experience to win on this tour, especially one that is named after Sir Bob Charles,” a proud Mountcastle said.
A highlight of his round came very early with a chip-in eagle on the second hole, but the only part which may have not gone to plan was leaving himself a slippery three-foot putt on the last hole to seal the deal.
“The three-footer to win wasn’t the putt I wanted to leave myself, but it was very nice to see that go in and take the win.”
If he had let this one slip by, tournament officials were preparing for a mammoth four-way playoff, but the new champion found the centre of the cup with a silky-smooth stroke to join an elite group of amateur golfers to win on the Charles Tour.
“The other amateurs that have won these events are achieving great things at the moment, so to join them is really nice,” Mountcastle said.

Wairarapa golfer Kerry Mountcastle with his trophy after his victory in the Carrus Open in Tauranga. Photo: BW Media

Things started to really heat up down the stretch with Dongwoo Kang shooting a sublime round of six-under 64 to join the frenzy which also included Lachie McDonald and Mark Brown.
As the lead chopped and changed throughout the final afternoon, Kang and McDonald will only remember their final hole bogeys which sadly cost them a chance of a playoff.
Finishing earlier in the day, Hawke’s Bay professional Daniel Pearce has won the season long points race to the Jennian Homes Trophy today after another great season on the national circuit.
Meanwhile in the women’s division of the Carrus Open, Brittney Dryland lead all the way to win by a convincing five-shots and claim her second title on the Charles Tour.
With a round of two-under par 70 on the last day, which was her fourth consecutive round under par, the Aucklander shot out to a lead that made it near impossible for anyone to catch.
Her previous victory on the national circuit was at the Akarana Open in Auckland two years ago, so she is starting to know and enjoy the feeling of being at the top.
“It feels pretty amazing to play solid the whole week and to have four rounds sub-par makes me very happy,” Dryland said.
“It’s been a really busy start to the year with a few overseas trips and I think all of it has helped me get better every week and I’m really happy with where my game’s at.”

Carrus Open scores

Carrus Open
(April 19-22)
Men (par 70)
264 Kerry Mountcastle (Masterton) 65 67 64 68
265 Dongwoo Kang (PGA New Zealand) 68 64 69 64, Lachie McDonald (Marton) 67 65 65 68, Mark Brown (PGA New Zealand) 70 59 66 70
266 Troy Ropiha (PGA New Zealand) 68 65 65 68
270 James Anstiss (PGA New Zealand) 66 65 69 70
271 Sam An (Titirangi) 67 68 70 66, Daniel Hillier (Manor Park Golf Sanctuary) 64 68 67 72
272 Jimmy Zheng (Howick) 69 68 66 69
273 Matthew McLean (Harewood) 67 70 66 70
274 Pieter Zwart (PGA New Zealand) 71 70 64 69, Kevin Koong (Muriwai) 69 70 65 70, Daniel Pearce (PGA New Zealand) 67 66 70 71
275 Jim Cusdin (Tauranga) 68 70 67 70
276 Ryan Chisnall (PGA New Zealand) 68 68 71 69, Brad Hayward (New Plymouth Inc.) 68 69 69 70, Jared Pender (Te Puke) 69 69 66 72
277 Brad Shilton (Muriwai) 69 74 67 67, Oscar Cadenhead (PGA New Zealand) 75 65 68 69, Dale Williamson (PGA New Zealand) 71 63 67 76
278 Tom Parker (Christchurch) 68 70 72 68, Connor Barker (Remuera) 71 66 71 70, Mark Hutson (Muriwai) 68 71 64 75
280 Douglas Holloway (PGA New Zealand) 71 71 69 69, Dominic Brettkelly (Hororata) 76 64 70 70, Jake Lee (Muriwai) 70 67 70 73
281 Steven Oh (North Shore) 72 70 68 71
282 Wesley Jeon (Whitford Park) 70 70 70 72
283 Victor Janin (Rotorua) 71 68 73 71
284 George Wardell (Tauranga) 70 72 73 69, Luke Brown (Muriwai) 72 70 73 69, Christian Nitsche (Akarana) 72 73 68 71, William Howard (Tauranga) 67 75 71 71, Hayden Beard (Mt Maunganui) 66 74 72 72, Jang Hyun Lee (Maungakiekie) 72 71 69 72, Kazuma Kobori (Rangiora) 67 74 71 72, Kwanghue Kim (Akarana) 70 73 68 73
285 Nick Loach (PGA New Zealand) 76 71 68 70, James Fellows-Ford (St. Andrews of Hamilton (Hamilton)) 72 70 72 71, Shaun Campbell (Omanu) 69 74 68 74, Hiroki Miya (Russley) 70 68 72 75
286 James Hydes (Gulf Harbour Country Club) 71 76 68 71
287 Charlie Smail (Walton) 68 69 81 69, Taylor Gill (Bay of Islands Kerikeri Inc.) 70 72 69 76
288 Dean Sipson (Mt Maunganui) 73 74 70 71, Justin Morris (PGA New Zealand) 72 71 74 71, Joshua Bai (Akarana) 75 68 71 74
289 Thomas Alderson (Hastings) 71 73 73 72, Daniel Graham (PGA New Zealand) 72 72 71 74, Trevor Marshall (PGA New Zealand) 70 68 75 76
290 Mason Lee (Royal Auckland and Grange) 76 71 71 72, Tommy Liu (Royal Auckland and Grange) 71 67 76 76
291 Peter Anderson (Titirangi) 75 70 74 72, Jordan Woodall (Cambridge) 72 69 77 73, Sung Jin Yeo (North Shore) 69 78 67 77
293 Keegan Wiltshier (Omanu) 76 71 71 75, Sanjay Modgill (New Plymouth Inc.) 75 69 73 76, Kunaal Singh (Whitford Park) 75 72 68 78
294 James Lim (Akarana) 70 77 71 76
295 Jee Hwan (Davis) Oh (Gulf Harbour Country Club) 71 73 77 74, Sul (Banaba) Im (Huapai) 70 76 73 76
296 Jesper Bengtsson (North Shore) 73 73 74 76
297 Dylan Bagley (Hastings) 73 74 72 78
300 Harry Middleton (Omokoroa) 76 71 76 77, Joshua Bernhard Rookes (Waitemata) 71 75 76 78, Thomas Woods (Miramar) 73 70 75 82
301 Sam Reese (St. Andrews of Hamilton (Hamilton)) 76 71 77 77
306 Willy Eady (Royal Auckland and Grange) 75 72 78 81
Women (par 72)
278 Brittney Dryland (Titirangi) 66 71 71 70
283 Miree Jung (Titirangi) 68 73 71 71
284 Carmen Lim (Windross Farm Golf Course) 71 71 70 72
286 Caryn Khoo (Pakuranga) 67 73 69 77
290 Darae Chung (Shandon) 70 76 68 76
297 Siyi Keh (Titirangi) 76 76 73 72
303 Yoonjeong Huh (Gulf Harbour Country Club) 74 75 78 76
304 Jodae Ngaheu (Tauranga) 78 70 78 78, Silvia Brunotti (North Shore) 74 78 72 80
310 Caitlin Maurice (Omokoroa) 78 76 77 79
315 Taylor-Rose Perrett (Omanu) 76 84 76 79, Emmalee Morrell (Tauranga) 76 84 75 80
323 Erika Cui (Boulcott’s Farm Heritage) 74 86 82 81