A lush Hamner Springs Golf Club layout brought the best players in the field to the fore, Barson edging prolific PGA Legends Tour Order of Merit winner Andre Stolz with reigning Legends Tour Player of the Year Brad Burns outright third.

One in front of Stolz after posting 6-under 62 in Round 1, Barson hit 18 greens in regulation in Round 2, two three-putts his only blemishes in a 3-under 65. Stolz birdied two of his final three holes in a round of 65 to snare outright second.

A fortnight out from The Quinovic New Zealand PGA Championship at Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club near Wellington, Barson will squeeze in some teaching at the Taranaki Golf Centre around tournaments.

“I’m playing Gleniti and then St Clair and then I’m back to work,” said Barson, the defending champion at St Clair.

“We’ve got a $100,000 three-rounder in Hamilton with the ‘flat bellies’ on the 11th and then we’ve got Paraparaumu the week after for the NZ PGA.”

Quick quotes

“Yesterday was pretty solid,” said Barson, pictured with  Sarah Wiblin, GM Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa and Hanmer Golf Club Professional, Mike Gainsford.

“I missed one green and made a bogey on it. And then today I hit 18 greens actually and had three-putts for two bogeys.

“The course is perfect, really. It’s the best I’ve seen it. Last year was the first time I played there and it’s way, way softer this year. It was beautiful.”

Leading scores
1          Dominic Barson           62-65—127
2          Andre Stolz                  63-65—128
3          Brad Burns                   65-64—129
T4        Wayne Perske               67-65—132
T4        Mike Zilko                    67-65—132
T6        Malcolm Wells              65-68—133
T6        Perry Parker                  68-65—133

Next up
Gleniti Legends Pro-Am, Gleniti Golf Club, Hadlow, February 3

January 29

Two-way Tasman tie at Avondale

He splits his time between coaching golf and playing for the Auckland over-50s cricket B team yet veteran Kiwi tour pro Richard Lee kept a clean card in earning a share of victory at the Avondale Legends Pro-Am.

Avondale Golf Club in Christchurch’s eastern suburbs was picture perfect for the latest event on the PGA Legends Tour New Zealand swing, Lee and Victorian Mark Boulton both posting rounds of 5-under 65.

Two shots clear of a group of five players at 3-under, Lee and Boulton got to the top of the leaderboard in very different fashion.

Lee made five birdies and 13 pars while Boulton was 5-under with six to play only to make a double-bogey and then chip in for eagle at his final hole.

Quick quotes

“It’s always nice to go around with a bogey-free round, even at this age,” said Lee.

“I’d never played the course before. I drove it pretty straight and hit a lot of greens and when I did miss, I managed to up and down it.

“The greens, I did find quite difficult but it’s a lovely little country course here.”

“It was coming nice and comfortably, actually. I was 5-under to the 18th hole with six holes to go and double-bogeyed the 18th, but I was able to chip in on my last for an eagle.

“Thoroughly enjoyed the course. I thought it was in great condition. The members we played with were a barrel of fun. Just a great day.”

Leading scores

T1        Richard Lee      65
T1        Mark Boulton   65
T3        Murray Lott      67
T3        Craig Goodall   67
T3        Robert Mitchell 67
T3        Neale Smith     67
T3        Andre Stolz      67

Played to honour the contributions to world golf of Kiwi great Bob Charles and Australian legend Kel Nagle, host course Christchurch Golf Club was where Nagle won two of his seven New Zealand Opens in 1964 and 1968.

It was an Aussie win again in 2026 as the eight-man team won one of the two fourball matches and three of the four singles matches, Mark Boulton earning half a point with a halved match against Craig Mitchell.

The final scoreboard read 4.5 points to 1.5 points, the camaraderie shared by both teams the perfect way to kick off the New Zealand swing.

The first official event of the new season saw Kiwi Mark Brown snare victory in wet conditions at the Expol Waihi Legends Pro-Am while American Perry Parker was victorious at the inaugural Akaroa Legends Pro-Am.

Scores

Dell Bain/Shaun Hewitt (NZ) def. Peter Jones/John Onions 3&2
Derrin Morgan/Guy Wall def. Stuart Thompson/Peter Giles (NZ) 4&2
Mark Boulton tied Craig Mitchell (NZ)
David Fearns def. Carl Brooking (NZ) 4&2
Adam Henwood def. Martin Pettigrew (NZ) 4&3
Andre Stolz def. Dominic Barson (NZ) 3&2