Surprise package Miya on top

Photo: Getty Images

There is a Kiwi at the top of the New Zealand Open leaderboard, but it is not the bloke everyone expected would be leading the local charge.

Daniel Hillier, the No 1-ranked player in the field, is tied for second at 11-under, and unheralded Masterton stroke-maker Kerry Mountcastle is fifth at 10-under.

But the man — well, the lad — at the top is 20-year-old Christchurch golfer Yuki Miya, bidding to become the first amateur winner of the New Zealand Open since 19-year-old Australian rookie Jake Higginbotham claimed the Brodie Breeze Trophy at Clearwater in 2012.

Miya had to complete the final five holes of his rain-delayed first round early yesterday, finishing at 8-under-par to share the lead with Hillier.

The young Pegasus club golfer turned around quickly and shot 4-under-par 67 in glorious conditions on the Coronet course, playing a delightful approach shot on his final hole and draining the short putt to claim the outright lead at 12-under.

Miya, who joked he had "never had this many cameras in my face" when he was interviewed after his round, had six birdies in an outing blighted only by a double bogey on the par-3 sixth hole.

"Obviously that double bogey sort of set me back a bit. I definitely had to regroup after that one. But it was good to claw my way back.

"Obviously, there is a long way to go, still 36 holes to play. Just do my best, keep sticking to my processes and we’ll see how the result goes.

"As an amateur here, I’m not expecting too much. I’m not playing for money as well. So definitely takes some pressure off me."

New Zealand’s golfing knight won the first of his four national opens as an amateur.

Bob Charles was just 18 when he won the tournament at Royal Wellington in 1954.

Miya made a splash when he won his home Pegasus Open on the Charles Tour, named for the great man, and gained confidence from beating the professionals.

"Obviously I haven’t played in a field as strong as this one in a pro tournament, but it still gives me confidence.

"To be up in the lead after 36 holes is enough confidence for me to feel like I can win."

Miya hopes to play in the Eisenhower Trophy in Morocco in October before considering turning professional.

Australian golfers Travis Smyth and Wade Ormsby are tied with Hillier at 11-under.

Smyth fired a 63 to go with his first-round 68, coming home with four consecutive birdies on the sixth to ninth holes of the Remarkables layout.

"I don’t like to ever think that any hole is a given birdie," Smyth said.

Queenstown golfer Ben Campbell. File photo: Getty Images

"They’re all short holes but you still have to hit a good drive, hit a good second and roll in the putt. They were well earned, and I’m pretty stoked to shoot four in a row to finish."

Ormsby followed his first-round 66 with a 65, narrowly missing a six-foot putt on his final hole in fading light that would have given him a share of the lead.

Playing catch-up from the waterlogged first round meant the full second round was unable to be completed. Fourteen golfers will return this morning to complete their second rounds, after which the cut will be made and the course redrawn for the composite championship 18 holes for the final two rounds.

The projected cut was 2-under last night.

Queenstown golfer Ben Campbell was right on the bubble at 2-under after a second straight 70.

Former champions Jordan Zunic (5-over), Matthew Griffin (4-over), Zach Murray (2-over), Brendan Jones (2-over), Dimi Papadatos (even) and defending champion Ryan Peake (even) will all be heading home.

Otago amateur Ricky Kang had a solid tournament, firing 71 and 70.