United States 1-2-3 in New Zealand Open,

Prugh wins from Piller and Herman

The New Zealand Open had an American 1-2-3 finish at Queenstown today.
Alex Prugh from Spokane won his first Nationwide Tour title, clinching it with his second eagle of the round and finishing three strokes ahead of compatriot Martin Piller with Jim Herman third at 14 under par 274.
Prugh, a 24-year-old former University of Washington student, finished with an eight-under 64 for a 19-under 269 total on The Hills course. He earned $108,000 in the event also sanctioned by the Australasian Tour
“If anything, this builds a lot of confidence for me,” Prugh said. “The last time I felt nerves like that might have been at the Pacific Coast Amateur in 2005, but there were no leaderboards there and we were playing in front of 30 people, not the thousands we had out here. I definitely thought I’d be more nervous coming down the stretch.”
Prugh, who joined Corey Pavin (1984 and 1985) as the only Americans champions in the event first played in 1907, made a 25-foot eagle putt on the par-5 17th to take a four-stroke lead. He had also eagled the par-4 eighth, holing a pitching wedge.
“That one really kick-started my round,” Prugh said about the unexpected eagle on No. 8. “I thought, now we can really go.”
He had four birdies in a back-nine 30, and played the final 10 holes in eight under par. Prugh took the lead with a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-3 16th, then wrapped it up with the eagle on 17.
“I hit a great 3-wood in there. I knew there was plenty of green and grass to the right and the only place I couldn’t miss was left,” Prugh said. “That putt was uphill, breaking on a tier. I played it about 4 feet outside. When it got close, I saw it was dead centre.”
Piller, the third-round leader, shot a 68. The 23-year-old former Texas A&M player was making his fourth career Nationwide Tour start.
“It’s a little disappointing that I didn’t get it done, but I gave it everything I had,” Piller said. “I didn’t leave anything in the bag. When you shoot 64 like that, you’re going to win most tournaments. My hat’s off to Alex.”
Welshman Richard Johnson aced the par-4 15th, only the second hole-in-one on a par 4 in Nationwide Tour history. Johnson’s hole-in-one on the 347-yard hole vaulted him from 10 under to 13 under and just two shots off the lead at the time. He bogeyed the next two holes and finished with a 70 to tie for 10th at 11 under.
“I just aimed for the gap in the traps and smashed it as hard as I could,” Johnson said. “I figured if I hit it really good I’d have a chance to get it in that back corner. I never saw it. It’s too far but I heard the crowd go nuts.”
Johnson will receive a pallet of beer from tournament sponsor Heineken, or 125 dozen bottles, which multiplies out to 1,500 bottles.“I wonder if it will last more than a couple of weeks,” Johnson said. “I didn’t know how much a pallet was. I just knew it was more than a case.”
FINAL TOTALS
The Hills Golf Club, Queenstown, NZ
Par 288 (4 x 72) 7243yd
1. Alex Prugh 65-71-69-64--269
2. Martin Piller 67-69-68-68--272
3. Jim Herman 68-73-65-68--274
4. Andrew Bonhomme 73-69-68-66--276
4. Stephen Dartnall 67-69-72-68--276
4. Peter Senior 68-73-67-68--276
4. Craig Parry 72-70-65-69--276
4. Jeff Gove 71-63-72-70--276
4. Josh Geary 72-65-68-71--276
10. Adam Bland 68-71-71-67--277
10. Richard Johnson 70-72-65-70--277
10. Jason Norris 69-65-71-72--277
13. Joe Daley 75-68-68-67--278
13. David McKenzie 68-72-70-68--278=
13. Chad Collins 68-73-69-68--278
13. Michael Wright 73-67-69-69--278
13. Steve Friesen 69-68-71-70--278
13. Todd Demsey 65-73-70-70--278
13. Steve Alker 68-67-72-71--278
13. Matthew Every 71-68-68-71--278
13. Henrik Bjornstad 70-67-68-73--278
22. Michael Long 72-70-68-69--279
22. Roger Tambellini 74-67-67-71--279
22. Jonas Blixt 68-71-67-73--279
25. Kevin Johnson 73-69-72-66--280
25. David Smail 74-67-70-69--280
25. Marcus Fraser 71-72-66-71--280
25. Drew Laning 69-68-69-74--280
29. Wade Ormsby 72-71-70-68--281
29. Ryan Hammond 70-72-70-69--281
29. Aaron Townsend 71-68-72-70--281
29. Vance Veazey 68-71-71-71--281
29. Jeff Brehaut 74-66-70-71--281
29. Miguel Angel Carballo 68-72-70-71--281
29. Kyle Reifers 70-70-69-72--281
29. Won Joon Lee 70-72-67-72--281
29. Alistair Presnell 73-68-67-73--281
29. Grant Waite 70-69-66-76--281
39. Ian Leggatt 74-64-73-71--282
39. Terry Pilkadaris 71-72-67-72--282
39. Michael Clark II 71-70-68-73--282
39. Josh Teater 65-72-71-74--282
39. Michael Putnam 71-66-71-74--282
44. Nick Flanagan 70-70-72-71--283
44. Kim Felton 70-71-70-72--283
44. Seung-su Han 67-74-69-73--283
44. Bob Sowards 69-69-71-74--283
48. Justin Bolli 70-72-74-68--284
48. Andrew Buckle 69-74-71-70--284
48. Brennan Webb 70-73-70-71--284
51. Justin Hicks 68-75-73-69--285
51. Brad Elder 69-73-70-73--285
51. Brian Stuard 72-71-69-73--285
51. Bubba Dickerson 70-70-71-74--285
55. Steve Wheatcroft 72-70-73-71--286
55. Jim McGovern 68-74-68-76--286
57. Dustin White 71-72-71-73--287
58. Jim Rutledge 70-71-77-71--289
59. Chris Gaunt 71-71-72-76--290
60. Bryan DeCorso 72-70-67-82--291
61. Tony Carolan 70-72-74-76--292
62. Tee McCabe 72-71-75-77--295
63. Steven Bowditch 73-68-81-77--299
MISSED THE CUT
Selected scores:
65. Andre Stolz 71-73--144
65. D.J. Brigman 73-71--144
65. Bradley Hughes 72-72--144
65. Richie Gallichan 72-72--144
65. Jeff Gallagher 72-72--144
65. Tim Wood 75-69--144
65. David Branshaw 69-75--144
65. Ryan Haller 68-76--144
65. Ryan Armour 75-69--144
65. Michael Brennan 75-69--144
65. Garrett Osborn 71-73--144
65. Bronson La'Cassie 73-71--144
77. Gareth Paddison 74-71--145
88. Peter Fowler 76-70--146
88. Major Manning 76-70--146
98. Peter O'Malley 72-75--147
106. Danny Lee (am) 71-77--148
115. Keith Nolan 72-77--149
129. Michael Sim 74-77--151
137. Bob Charles 73-79--152