Kiwi favourite to win New Zealand Golf Open

10 March 2009
For immediate use

Kiwi favourite to win New Zealand Golf Open

Kiwi David Smail is favourite with the New Zealand TAB to win the Michael Hill New Zealand Golf Open, paying Fixed Odds of $10.

The New Zealand Golf Open, which tees off at The Hills Golf Course in Arrowtown on Thursday, will involve a strong field of top New Zealand and international golfers battling it out for the honours.

Smail, who plays on the Japan Tour, finished in a two-way tie for second at the HSBC New Zealand PGA Championship at Clearwater near Christchurch last weekend and won the New Zealand Open in 2001. New Zealand’s top ranked professional at 88th, he is paying Fixed Odds of $10 to win and $2.70 to finish in the top five at this year’s New Zealand Open.

Outrageously talented amateur golfer Danny Lee is joint second favourite to win the title, paying Fixed Odds of $13 to win and $3.20 to finish in the top five.

Lee is the world's top ranked amateur golfer, won the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth in February, is scheduled to appear at the US Masters in April and finish in a tie for seventh at last weekend's NZ PGA Championship.

The winner of last weekend’s New Zealand PGA Championship – Kiwi Steve Alker – is fifth favourite to win this week’s New Zealand Open paying Fixed Odds of $25.00 and $550 to finish in the top five. Josh Geary, who finished in a two-way tie for second last weekend with David Smail, is paying Fixed Odds of $80 to win the tournament and $15 to finish in the top five.

The joint runners-up of the last New Zealand Open held in December 2007 - Australians Paul Sheehan and Steven Bowditch – are paying lucrative odds of $40 and $80 respectively to win this year’s tournament.

The top 15 favourites at the New Zealand TAB to win the NZ Golf Open are:

1. David Smail (NZL) $10.00 (T2 2009 NZ PGA Championship, 2001 NZ Open winner)
2. Michael Sim (AUS) $13.00 (T4 2009 NZ PGA Championship)
3. Danny Lee (NZL) $13.00 (T7 NZ PGA Championship)
4. Peter O'Malley (AUS) $17.00 (1995 NZ Open winner)
5. Steve Alker (NZL) $25.00 (2009 NZ PGA Championship winner)
6. Henrik Bjornstad (NOR) $25.00 (T4 2009 NZ PGA Championship)
7. Peter Senior (AUS) $30.00
8. Steven Conran (AUS) $40.00
9. Andre Stolz (AUS) $40.00
10. Craig Bowden (USA) $40.00
11. Won Joon Lee (AUS) $40.00
12. Wade Ormsby (AUS) $40.00
13. Craig Parry (AUS) $40.00
14. Alistair Presnell (AUS) $40.00
15. Paul Sheehan (AUS) $40.00 (T2 2007 NZ Open)

Odds for other Kiwis in the field for tournament winner are:

Gareth Paddison $50 (T12 2009 NZ PGA Championship)
Thomas Spearman-Burn (Am) $60
Josh Geary $80 (T2 2009 NZPGA Championship)
Michael Long $80 (1996 NZ Open winner)
Philip Tataurangi $80
Mark Purser $100
Brad Iles $125
Jared Pender $125
Mahal Pearce $125 (2003 NZ Open winner)
Troy Ropiha (Am) $200
Ryan Fox (Am) $200
Michael Hendry $200
Sir Bob Charles $200
Brenden Stuart $200

NB: Odds are as at 2pm Tuesday 10 March 2009

For the latest odds for the Michael Hill New Zealand Open on 12-15 March 2009 visit www.tab.co.nz

ENDS

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