Blue Chip New Zealand Open

Last updated: 11th December 2006

Australian Nathan Green battled through harrowing morning conditions at the Gulf Harbour Country Club to fire an unmatched six-under 65 and secure the New Zealand Open title by two shots.

Englishman Graeme Storm struggled with the windy conditions, finishing in a tie for 18th place at level-par after shooting a round of 76.

Despite starting the day on one-over following a disappointing four-over 76 on Saturday, the New South Welshman drew level with the overnight leaders after carding seven birdies in a sizzling round.

However, after such an early tee-time, Green was forced to wait almost three hours as others level with him at the top of the leaderboard fell victim to the howling Auckland wind.

In another day where the conditions made low scoring a rarity, day three co-leaders Kim Felton, Marcus Fraser and Storm fell off the pace on the treacherous back nine.

After two early birdies, Victorian Fraser pulled into the outright lead but consecutive bogeys on the 14th and 15th holes put to rest any aspirations of hoisting the trophy.

Felton, meanwhile, after a composed performance through 13 holes, also struggled late in the day and four bogeys in the last five holes saw him falter short of the finish line.

The conditions also ruined Storm's chance of claiming the title and a dreadful back nine, kick-started when he sent his tee shot well wide of the fairway on the 10th, saw him slide down the leaderboard.

Also falling short in the evening after keeping pace with the frontrunners throughout the final day was one-time US Open winner and local favourite Michael Campbell.

Teeing off just one behind the overnight leaders, the former New Zealand Open champion also succumbed to the howling wind on the back nine as he struck three bogeys to finish at three-under and tied for second.

Speaking moments after bogeying the 18th to finish two shots behind Green, Campbell said he was disappointed not win at home.

"It wasn't meant to be," he said.

"I played pretty well, went close a few times and the putts didn't drop.

"All credit to Nathan Green for playing so well in these conditions."

Playing alongside the in-form Green, embattled Englishman Nick Dougherty, meanwhile, cast aside Saturday's eight-over 79 to finish strongly alongside Campbell in second place with a four-under 67.

Collated final-round scores & totals (Gbr & Irl unless stated, par 71):

279 Nathan Green (Aus) 71 67 76 65

281 Brett Rumford (Aus) 71 70 69 71, Jarrod Moseley (Aus) 68 70 73 70, Michael Campbell (Nzl) 71 65 73 72, Nick Dougherty 69 66 79 67, Wade Ormsby (Aus) 72 63 76 70, Marcus Fraser (Aus) 69 69 70 73

282 Greg Chalmers (Aus) 68 70 72 72, Scott Strange (Aus) 67 70 74 71, Peter O'Malley (Aus) 72 71 66 73, Simon Wakefield 69 73 71 69

283 Damien McGrane 70 70 70 73, Daniel Chopra (Swe) 74 68 71 70, Michael Long (Nzl) 69 70 73 71, Kim Felton (Aus) 68 72 68 75, Peter Lawrie 72 66 73 72, Tim Wilkinson (Nzl) 72 70 72 69

284 Shaun P Webster 70 68 74 72, Kurt Barnes (Aus) 71 70 69 74,Peter Senior (Aus) 69 69 71 75, Rafael Bello (Spa) 73 71 69 71, Graeme Storm 74 69 65 76

285 Gareth Paddison (Nzl) 73 69 69 74, Mahal Pearce (Nzl) 72 72 70 71, David Griffiths 70 70 72 73, Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 71 71 73 70

286 David Lutterus (Rsa) 71 70 71 74, Ben Bunny (Aus) 70 72 71 73, Andrew Tschudin (Aus) 72 72 69 73, Doug Holloway (Nzl) 72 70 71 73, Richard Green (Aus) 72 70 70 74, Terry Price (Aus) 70 70 76 70, David Bransdon (Aus) 70 68 74 74, Brad Kennedy (Aus) 73 68 70 75

287 Aron Price (Aus) 72 71 72 72, Andrew W Johnson (Aus) 73 67 73 74, Terry Pilkadaris (Aus) 73 69 74 71, Daniel Vancsik (Arg) 71 68 71 77, Jason Norris (Aus) 71 71 70 75, Eric Egloff (Aus) 70 73 72 72, Scott Hend (Aus) 76 65 73 73, James Heath 70 69 75 73, Lee S James 69 72 72 74, Doug Batty (Nzl) 70 74 68 75, Matthew Millar (Aus) 70 72 72 73

288 Henry Epstein (Aus) 75 69 72 72, Marc Leishman (Aus) 71 70 75 72, Craig Parry (Aus) 69 71 71 77

289 Stephen Scahill (Nzl) 69 71 75 74, Denny Lucas 70 69 79 71, Andrew Raitt 71 67 74 77

290 Carl Suneson (Spa) 70 70 69 81, Chris Downes (Aus) 76 68 72 74

291 Phil Tataurangi (Nzl) 78 66 72 75, Tim Milford 71 71 74 75, Gavin Coles (Aus) 75 65 72 79, James Nitties (Aus) 71 69 74 77

292 Aaron Townsend (Aus) 74 68 71 79, Christian Nilsson (Swe) 77 67 75 73, Steven Jeffress (Aus) 73 71 73 75, Mark Purser (Nzl) 69 72 77 74

293 David McKenzie (Aus) 71 72 72 78, Hamish Robertson (Nzl) 76 68 71 78

294 Tony Christie (Nzl) 70 73 76 75, Marcus Higley 74 66 75 79

295 James Hepworth 74 70 74 77

297 Brendan Chant (Aus) 71 73 71 82