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Gates pushes lead to three in New Zealand

Fri 29th, January 2010

Queenstown, New Zealand (Sports Network) - Nationwide Tour rookie Robert Gates posted a four-under 68 Saturday and extended his lead to three strokes after three rounds of the New Zealand Open, the Nationwide Tour's first event of the season.

Gates, who is making his first Nationwide Tour start, finished 54 holes at 16- under-par 200.

Andrew Dodt remained alone in second place, but his deficit went from one to three shots. Dodt carded a two-under 70 in round three to finish 54 holes at minus-13.

Michael Curtain shot 68 and is alone in third at 11-under-par 205. Mark Hensby (66), Kevin Chappell (71) and Matthew Griffin (70) share fourth place at minus-nine.

Gates led by one at the start of the round and picked up a birdie on the first. Dodt responded with a birdie on No. 2, but he cruised to the back nine with 10 straight pars at The Hills Golf Club.

The 24-year-old Gates moved to 14-under with a birdie on the par-three seventh. Around the turn, he gave that stroke back with a bogey on the 11th.

Gates atoned for that mistake by running off four consecutive birdies from the 12th to jump to 17-under. At that point, he led by four strokes.

Dodt birdied the 13th and picked up another one on 16 to get back within three of the lead.

Gates and Dodt bogeyed the last to close out their rounds. They will play together again on Sunday.

"This is my first event and I didn't know what to expect," Gates admitted. "I'm playing great. I just hope to keep it going. I might sleep a little later, but it's just golf with a different scenario and different situation. I'm going to go out and play the best I can [Sunday]. If it's good enough, it's good enough. If it's not, someone had to play good to beat me."

Dodt doesn't have much more experience on the Nationwide Tour than Gates. This is Dodt's third career start on the tour.

"It was disappointing to bogey the last hole, but I had a lot of good stuff going on and hopefully tomorrow a few more putts can go my way," said Dodt. "I feel I'm in with a chance. I've stuck to the game plan for three rounds so I'll be doing the same [Sunday], holing more putts is the key."

NOTES: Hensby's 66 was the low round of the day...Phil Tataurangi, who is tied for seventh, is the leading New Zealander...David Smail, the 2001 winner, and 1995 champ Peter O'Malley are tied for 16th at minus-six...Matt Jager, the only amateur to make the cut, posted a two-under 70 to finish three rounds tied for 28th place at five-under-par 211.