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Gates leads by one in New Zealand

Thu 28th, January 2010

Queenstown, New Zealand (Sports Network) - Robert Gates posted a five-under 67 Friday to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the New Zealand Open, the Nationwide Tour's first event of the season.

Gates, in his first Nationwide Tour start, completed 36 holes at 12-under 132.

Andrew Dodt, who shared the first-round lead with Gates and David Smail, is alone in second place at minus-11 after carding a four-under 68 in round two.

D.J. Brigman shot three-under 69 Friday and is by himself in third at nine- under-par 135. Darron Stiles (69) and Kevin Chappell (66) share fourth at minus-eight.

Smail, the 2001 champion, faltered to a two-over 74 at The Hills Golf Club to slide into a share of 23rd at five-under-par 139.

Gates played the back nine first on Friday and opened with a pair of pars. He birdied the 12th and 13th to move to nine-under. The American again posted back-to-back birdies at 18 and one.

The 24-year-old cruised to five straight pars from there. Gates dropped in a birdie chance on the par-three seventh. However, he gave that stroke right back with a bogey on No.8.

Gates closed his round with a birdie on the par-five ninth to grab the 36-hole lead.

"I'm playing well, hit a lot of great shots and made some good putts," Gates said. "There are no real weaknesses right now and while I hit a few bad irons, I managed to get up and down. I still need to capitalize on some opportunities on some of the easier holes."

Dodt also started on the back nine and he birdied his first two holes. After a birdie on the 15th, he stumbled to a bogey on the 17th.

Around the turn, Dodt atoned for that mistake with a birdie on the second. However, he gave another stroke back at on par-three fourth, but bounced right back with a birdie on No. 5. Dodt converted a birdie chance on the seventh before making par on the final two holes to finish one back.

Last year's runner-up, Martin Piller, who was Gates' freshman roommate in college, fired a six-under 66 to end two rounds at seven-under-par 137. He shares sixth place with Jon Mills (69), Scott Gardiner (67), Ryan Haller (70), Jarrod Lyle (68), Michael Curtain (68), Matthew Griffin (70) and Phil Tataurangi (68), who is the top New Zealander through two rounds.

NOTES: The 36-hole cut fell at two-under-par 142 with 67 players moving on to the weekend...Of the six former champions in the field, only Smail and 1995 winner Peter O'Malley made the cut. They both finished two rounds in 23rd at minus-five...Jason Gore, perhaps the biggest name in the field, made the cut on the number after an even-par 72 in the second round...Last year's winner, Alex Prugh, is competing on the PGA Tour this week.