Mahal Pearce won the NZ Open in 2003. Photo / Getty Images
Former New Zealand Open winner Mahal Pearce is aiming to end an eight-year Kiwi drought by claiming the title for a second time in Christchurch this week.
Pearce was the last national to lift the coveted silver jug with a two-shot victory at the Auckland Golf Club in 2003 and believes he will be in a strong position to challenge again at Clearwater.
He comes into the tournament on the back of a decent run of form, with a fifth at the recent New South Wales PGA his best-placed finish. He is also playing in this weekend's Australian PGA tournament but missed the cut along with fellow Kiwis Phil Tataurangi and Michael Campbell.
"I'd like to think my chances at Clearwater are good," he said. "It's not the strongest field compared to previous years but there will be many top Kiwis there and good players who could come up and grab the title. We have all played a lot of golf in the run-up to the event so everyone should be in good shape and ready to compete."
Reflecting on his success of eight years ago, Pearce's assessment of what it takes to win New Zealand golf's signature tournament is clear: "It takes a very good week," said Pearce, of winning the event as a rank outsider from Otago.
"I was playing in my own little bubble where everything just clicked into place, I took my chances and holed anything from 10 feet in - which made the difference.
"I approached the tournament in the same frame of mind as usual and maintained my concentration levels during the four days."
But that was Middlemore in 2003. This is Clearwater in 2011, and, as a well-known critic of the course, Pearce is aware of what to expect: "I didn't think Clearwater was a great course when it first opened," he said.
"Courses take time to develop and mature. I played there recently and it has changed dramatically - the greens have come on in leaps and bounds and I enjoyed playing it."
The par-72 championship course has many water hazards; knowing when to be aggressive and when to hold back will be crucial during the tournament.
"If you play smart around Clearwater, you will avoid trouble," Pearce said. "If you play aggressively, you could shoot a very low score although you could easily shoot a big number so it's crucial to find the correct balance. There are holes that you can take on and ones you need to respect and consider whether it is worth the risk.
"The first nine holes are where you need to score. The back nine is tough but does depend on the wind; if it's blowing hard, you could be in trouble," he said.
"The par-5 14th is always a scoring opportunity but when you get to the final three, it's the same as the front nine; you've got play percentage golf - if you do that, you'll do well."
"If you are chasing the lead, I think the 14th and 15th are the only holes on the back nine where you would hope to pick up shots. The 16th is a difficult par 3, the 17th is a long hole and the 18th is a tough finish."
American Bobby Gates is defending champion after scoring 14-under at The Hills in 2010 and Pearce would not be surprised to see a similar score proving enough for victory on this occasion.
"I think between 12- and 15-under is probably a score capable of winning it but it depends on what factor the wind will play that time of year."
New Zealand No1 Danny Lee was a late withdrawal but seven former champions including Pearce, Michael Campbell and David Smail will play. Gareth Paddison and Michael Hendry will also return from the World Cup of Golf.
While there is not a huge foreign contingent, the biggest obstacle to a Kiwi victory will probably come from Australia - and the likes of Peter O'Malley (winner in 2005), Terry Price, Stephen Leaney (US Open runner-up in 2003), Adam Bland and Rohan Blizard.
The BMW New Zealand Open begins on Thursday.
By James Henderson
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