Two-time Jennian Homes Charles Tour winner Luke Toomey still has work to do if he wants to snatch the 2019 tour from James Anstiss’ grasp on the final day of the Christies Floorings Mount Open.
Needing to finish in a three-way tie for second or better to take the tour title, Toomey currently tied for third on 13-under is still 4 shots behind outright second-placed Mark Brown and a full ten shots behind leader Denzel Ieremia.
With it all to do, Toomey said he’s looking forward to making some ground up tomorrow.
“I came out today and achieved everything I wanted to which was just to tighten up tee to green and give myself more chances which I did,” Toomey said.
“I’m excited about tomorrow’s challenge.”
While the tour is yet to find a winner, the Mt Maunganui Golf Course is being ripped apart by Kiwi sensation Denzel Ieremia who continues to smash the record books getting to 23-under par after three rounds to hold a new scoring record.
Starting the day at 17-under par, Ieremia played near-flawless golf to shoot six-under and hold a six-shot lead going into the final day at Mt Maunganui Golf Course.
Ieremia had managed to go through the first two rounds of the tournament without making a bogey. He started the day with consecutive birdies on the first and second, before making his first dropped shot of the tournament on the par 5 fifth.
He’d immediately bounced back on the very next hole, rolling a nice eight-foot eagle putt to be three-under through the first six holes. He’d make another at the eighth to make the turn in four-under-par.
More birdies came at the 10th and 13th before making another bogey at the difficult par 3 14th. But as he did earlier in his round he’d bounce back with a birdie on the very next hole and finished with three straight pars to have one hand on the trophy with a round still to play.
“Today was pretty interesting. I started off really well and then my game went a little scratchy toward the middle,” Ieremia explained.
“But I had a few good moments out there where I was able to tighten the screws a little and get myself back in it.
“I made a couple of nice saves on 16 and 17 and had a really good look at birdie on 18 which just lipped out but hey, that’s golf.
“I just want to keep making as many birdies as I can and see how deep I can get it tomorrow,” Ieremia explains.
The leader said he’s learnt a lot in the last couple of weeks and will also look to apply what he’s learned playing in Jennian Homes Charles Tour events as an amateur into practise in tomorrow’s final round.
“It’d be awesome to win. I played these when I was an amateur and I was a lot younger looking up to the older guys.
“I’ll just put my best foot forward and see what happens.
“When I played in these a long time ago, I learnt that I needed to be way better at the game if I wanted to compete at the highest level; we’ll find out tomorrow if I am.”
Six shots back of Ieremia is Jennian Homes Charles Tour stalwart Mark Brown.
Brown has had a front-row seat watching Ieremia take the course apart having played with him in the first three rounds. He shot five-under-par despite finishing badly and will need to come out swinging tomorrow to apply any pressure on the leader.
“I played really solid until the last couple of holes today,” Brown said.
“I hit a couple of poor tee shots on 16 and 17 which wasn’t the best way to finish.
“I think being six shots back might be a bridge too far, especially with how Denzel is playing at the moment. I can’t see him being caught.”
