Brent McEwan (St Clair) finished 9-under-par for four rounds to win the North Otago 72-hole tournament by five shots from Nick Borren (Otago) yesterday. Andrew Hobbs (St Clair) was three further shots back in third.
Otago No 1 McEwan has a mortgage on this event and yesterday's win makes it seven wins and six in a row.
His liking for the course is evident, as he holds the course record of 63 which he shot in this event 10 years ago.
This year's win was well earned, as McEwan played all four rounds with a side strain.
''I tweaked it last weekend in Queenstown and did no practice to rest it all week,'' he said.
''Hitting the ball was fine but I constantly felt pain on my follow-through.''
Credit must go to North Otago green keeper Gary Creedy, who set up the course in excellent condition for scoring - 22 sub-par rounds is a testimony to his work.
McEwan and non-trialling selector Michael Smith set the early pace, sharing the first-round lead with 3-under 69s.
McEwan had four birdies and a bogey five at the 10th while Smith had a faultless round with three birdies and 15 pars.
The pair were followed closely by Queenstown winner Mark Brooks. Borren, Phil Bungard and Chris Snow followed a further stroke back on 71.
The fireworks started in ideal conditions on Saturday afternoon, when McEwan blitzed the field with a 5-under 67.
He made six birdies, three on each side, the only blemish a bogey five on the uphill third.
This gave him the overnight lead by five shots over Smith.
Snow carded a sub-par 71 to lie in third.
Kayne Wardell and Mark Brooks were the only other players to be under par after two rounds, while St Clair green keeper Hobbs was level at the halfway stage.
One leading triallist to come to grief in the first round was Jamie Anstiss who, after carding an opening round of 79, had his head in his hands at lunch lamenting his worst performance of the trial series.
He started his second round with a bogey five at the first and then steadied his round with three pars. From the fifth hole, he carded five birdies, as well as holing a 60m pitch on the 14th for an eagle two.
His 67 tied the lowest score of the tournament but he played the outside paddock holes in a record 11 shots.
In this third round, McEwan's putter went cold and he finished on 74, while Smith played some superb shots from tee to green but missed five consecutive birdie putts.
The big movers yesterday morning were Borren, with 68, and Hobbs, with 71, which promoted them into second and third respectively. Smith slipped to fourth with 75.
Despite a miserable morning for McEwan, he went into the final round with a four-shot buffer.
Although the tournament belonged to McEwan, Borren took the honours yesterday, finishing 6-under with 68 and 70.
He recently returned to Dunedin from Holland and his improving form augurs well for Otago's upcoming interprovincial matches.
