Harrison Crowe goes low to snatch NZ Open lead
Sunny conditions left the Millbrook Resort layout at the mercy of the field on Thursday, and they took full advantage with more than half of the field breaking par.
Nobody capitalised more than Crowe, who had one eagle and nine birdies in a nine-under round of 62 where the only blemish was a double-bogey six on the 13th after he lashed his tee shot out of bounds.
Even then, the 23-year-old bounced straight back with an eagle-three on the following hole.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰Harrison Crowe posted the lowest score of the day to hold the lead after Round 1 #NZOpen📸: @PhotosportNZ pic.twitter.com/ADYl1eW84s
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) February 27, 2025
"I definitely had a lot of things go my way today and I think to shoot these rounds you have to," said Crowe who won the Asia-Pacific Amateur and the NSW Open in 2022 before turning professional the following year.
"After that double bogey, to back it up with the eagle ... it was a nice day out there."
Crowe had a hot run before Christmas with top-10 finishes at the NSW Open, Australian PGA and Australian Open, but had missed his last three cuts on the Australasian Tour before arriving in Arrowtown.
"It's felt a little bit annoying at times over the last month of golf," he said.
"But it's got to turn around eventually because I've been playing solid-enough golf and the putts finally went in today so we've got to keep it rolling."
Fellow Australian James Marchesani was in outright second at eight under, a shot clear of Australians Lucas Herbert and Kevin Yuan, and South Korean Guntaek Koh.
LIV Golf star Herbert is playing the NZ Open for the first time since 2020 and is eyeing the guaranteed British Open spots on offer to both the Australiasian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) winner and the tournament victor.
He holed a clutch birdie putt from off the fringe on the 17th on Thursday to get to seven under, but was frustrated not to drain another makeable birdie attempt on the last hole.
"I've struggled with the putter for a while," said Herbert.
"I felt like I putted OK without being amazing.
"I hit a lot of good puttts but I couldn't get as many to go in as I would have liked.
"It's probably going to be a week of low scoring so it was good to get off to a hot start and not feel like we're chasing from a long way back."
OOM pacesetter Elvis Smylie is well placed in a big group tied for ninth at five under.
Playing in the same group as Smylie, OOM contender Jack Buchanan had a dirty day.
He eventually signed for an eight-over 79 to be in second-last spot.
Takahiro Hataji from Japan made a middling start to his title defence in the $A1.8 million event with a two-under 69.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Three Dragons to face Japan as Wales try to end 17-Test losing streak
STARTER: Ben Carter will win his 13th cap for Wales against Japan (Image: Chris Fairweather/Huw Evans Agency) Three Dragons will try to help Wales end their 17-Test losing streak in Japan on Saturday – with two of them tasked with finishing the job in sweltering conditions. Lock Ben Carter returns to the international fold as a starter for the first Test in Kitakyushu (kick-off 6am) with back row forward Aaron Wainwright and Rhodri Williams on the bench. Advertisement Uncapped tighthead Chris Coleman and hooker Elliot Dee miss out on the matchday 23 this weekend. Influential Wainwright and experienced Williams are joined among the replacements by flanker Tommy Reffell, with interim head coach Matt Sherratt pointing to the importance of the finishing line-up. Sherratt said: "We've had a very good build-up. We tried to give everyone a fair chance of selection. "One of the key messages was it's going to be a 23-man job. So, we've tried to spread the experience out in terms of getting some experience coming off the bench. "I think an 80-minute performance, that physical edge and making sure that we transfer training into the game is going to be the biggest thing for us. Advertisement "It's going to be humid. It's going to be hot. Japan traditionally play quite a fast brand of rugby, so us getting up to speed with that is going to be key." Scarlets flanker Josh Macleod, who has been plagued by Achilles and shoulder injuries, makes a first international appearance since the 2022 Autumn Nations Series. He joins Taulupe Faletau and Alex Mann as Sherratt makes 11 changes from the side humbled 68-14 by England in the Six Nations Championship in March. Faletau, prop Nicky Smith, centre Ben Thomas and full-back Blair Murray are the survivors from that record Cardiff defeat. Advertisement "There's a number of players who've worked their way back into the squad," said Sherratt. "(It's) Something we made a big point of in the first team meeting. Josh Macleod is an obvious one. "He's struggled with some injuries, had a real rollercoaster over the last three or four years, so him coming back in is massive. "I think you could tell from the players' reaction when Liam Belcher was selected (on the bench) how much he deserves it. "He's been in the regional game for 10 years. He's changed clubs. He's gone back to university to do an electrician's degree and then he's managed to work his way into the national squad." Advertisement The uncapped Belcher takes his place among the replacements with Sherratt having plumped for a relatively new-look pack. Captain Dewi Lake returns at hooker and is joined in the front row by Smith and Keiron Assiratti. With second-row forwards Dafydd Jenkins and Will Rowlands unavailable for various reasons, Carter and Teddy Williams step into the engine room. The changes in the back division see recalls for wingers Josh Adams and Tom Rogers, as well as centre Johnny Williams, who last featured for Wales at the 2023 World Cup. Kieran Hardy and Sam Costelow form a new half-back partnership, with Tomos Williams – who along with skipper Jac Morgan was selected for the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia – and Gareth Anscombe having started against England. Advertisement Wales: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Johnny Williams, Ben Thomas, Josh Adams; Sam Costelow, Kieran Hardy; Nicky Smith, Dewi Lake (captain), Keiron Assiratti, Ben Carter, Teddy Williams, Alex Mann, Josh Macleod, Taulupe Faletau. Replacements: Liam Belcher, Gareth Thomas, Archie Griffin, James Ratti, Aaron Wainwright, Tommy Reffell, Rhodri Williams, Joe Roberts.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Jones places faith in Japan youth movement to sink Wales
Eddie Jones will coach Japan in the first of two home rugby union Tests against Wales on Saturday (Richard A. Brooks) Japan head coach Eddie Jones said "inexperience can sometimes be a blessing" as he named a young team Thursday to face struggling Wales in the first of two home Tests. Jones selected two uncapped players to start against the Welsh in southwestern Kitakyushu on Saturday, with another six on the bench. Advertisement Wales have lost their last 17 Tests -- a record for a Tier One country in the professional era -- and Jones wants his young side to take advantage of the hot and humid conditions. "Inexperience can sometimes be a blessing, particularly in hot conditions," the former Australia and England boss said ahead of the game, where temperatures are expected to reach 32 Celsius. "If they get out and really play with a lot of energy, a lot of determination, it will be up to the experienced players to steer the ship." Among Japan's new caps will be the diminutive 1.67 metre tall (5ft 5in) wing Kippei Ishida, who Jones said "can be a Japanese version" of South Africa livewire Cheslin Kolbe. Advertisement "He's similar size, got great feet, great aerial skills, and in training he's impressed everyone," Jones said of Ishida, who will start on the right wing. "It was impossible not to select him." Veteran loose forward Michael Leitch captains the team for his 88th cap, with Japan regulars Warner Dearns, Dylan Riley and Seungsin Lee also in the starting line-up. Jones has had his players in a training camp close to Kitakyushu for the past three weeks and he said they were "ready to go". "It's been 32 degrees every time we've trained, the ball's like a cake of soap, we've wet the field so it makes the conditions difficult for the players," he said. Advertisement "We can't do more heat acclimatisation than we've done." Japan will host Wales in Kobe for the second Test on July 12. Japan (15-1): Takuro Matsunaga; Kippei Ishida, Dylan Riley, Shogo Nakano, Malo Tuitama; Seungsin Lee, Shinobu Fujiwara; Amato Fakatava, Jack Cornelsen, Michael Leitch (capt); Warner Dearns, Epineri Uluiviti; Shuhei Takeuchi, Mamoru Harada, Yota Kamimori. Replacements: Hayate Era, Sena Kimura, Keijiro Tamefusa, Waisake Raratubua, Ben Gunter, Shuntaro Kitamura, Ichigo Nakakusa, Halatoa Vailea. amk/dh
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Josh Macleod returning from injury ‘massive' for Wales
Wales boss Matt Sherratt has hailed the return of Josh Macleod as 'massive' after selecting the Scarlets flanker for their Test opener in Japan. Macleod has been plagued by Achilles and shoulder injuries in recent years and makes his first appearance since the 2022 Autumn Nations Series. Advertisement But the Scarlets skipper joins Taulupe Faletau and Alex Mann in the back row for Saturday's First Test in Kitakyushu, as Sherratt makes 11 changes from the side humbled 68-14 by England in the Six Nations Championship in March. Faletau, prop Nicky Smith, centre Ben Thomas and full-back Blair Murray are the survivors from that record Cardiff defeat. 'There's a number of players who've worked their way back into the squad,' said Sherratt, who remains in interim charge after replacing Warren Gatland during the Six Nations and is seeking to end a run of 17 consecutive Test defeats for Wales. '(It's) Something we made a big point of in the first team meeting. Advertisement 'Josh Macleod is an obvious one. He's struggled with some injuries, had a real rollercoaster over the last three or four years, so him coming back in is massive. 'I think you could tell from the players' reaction when Liam Belcher was selected (on the bench) how much he deserves it. 'He's been in the regional game for 10 years. He's changed clubs. 'He's gone back to university to do an electrician's degree and then he's managed to work his way into the national squad. So yeah, delighted for Liam.' The uncapped Belcher takes his place among the replacements with Sherratt having plumped for a relatively new-look pack. Advertisement Captain Dewi Lake returns at hooker and is joined in the front row by Smith and Keiron Assiratti. With second-row forwards Dafydd Jenkins and Will Rowlands unavailable for various reasons, Ben Carter and Teddy Williams step into the engine room. Interim head coach Matt Sherratt is seeking to end a run of 17 consecutive Test defeats for Wales in Japan (David Davies/PA) The changes in the back division see recalls for wingers Josh Adams and Tom Rogers, as well as centre Johnny Williams, who last featured for Wales at the 2023 World Cup. Kieran Hardy and Sam Costelow form a new half-back partnership, with Tomos Williams – who along with skipper Jac Morgan was selected for the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia – and Gareth Anscombe having started against England. Advertisement Costelow and Carter missed the Six Nations campaign through injury. Sherratt said: 'We've had a very good build-up. We tried to give everyone a fair chance of selection. 'One of the key messages was it's going to be a 23-man job. 'So, we've tried to spread the experience out in terms of getting some experience coming off the bench. 'I think an 80-minute performance, that physical edge and making sure that we transfer training into the game is going to be the biggest thing for us. 'It's going to be humid. It's going to be hot. Japan traditionally play quite a fast brand of rugby, so us getting up to speed with that is going to be key.'
