Defending champion Michael Hendry is tied for the lead with a pair of Australians at the midway point of the NZPGA Championship in Queenstown. Hendry fired his second consecutive round of 67 on Friday to sit at 10 under overall alongside joint overnight leader Aaron Townsend and Western Australia&aposs Scott Strange at the head of proceedings. It could have been even better for Hendry had he not taken a double-bogey at his 14th hole late in the day. “We had the yardage and were comfortable that a nine iron wasn&apost going to go too far and we thought wedge wasn&apost going to get over the bunker. We hit nine iron and it was a club too much,” Hendry said after his round. “It landed right up against a tree but I was lucky as well, there was a little irrigation hose sticking out of the ground that it was basically resting against so I managed to get a free drop from there, but it was custard up there.” Despite the setback, Hendry is happy with how he is placed heading into the weekend. “Like I said that sort of thing&aposs going to happen – that&aposs golf. Over 72 holes you&aposre going to make an error. There&aposs nothing more you can do about it, you just get on with the job,” he said. “It could be a lot worse, I&aposm in contention again which is great and hopefully it&aposs my turn to finish one off.” New Zealand duo Gareth Paddison and Michael Long and Australia&aposs Rohan Blizard are just one stroke behind at minus nine on what is a congested leaderboard, while Leigh Deagan is in sole possession of seventh another shot back. The other overnight leaders in Adam Bland and Matthew Ballard struggled on the greens at the Hills Golf Club in New Zealand&aposs south west, but are still in contention at five under for the tournament.
Author: Omnisport