Aussies Smyth and Ormsby trail Kiwi amateur Miya by one shot heading into NZ Open weekend
AUSTRALIAN duo Travis Smyth and Wade Ormsby have positioned themselves perfectly for a weekend charge at the 105th New Zealand Open presented by Millbrook Resort, sitting just one shot off the lead after a pulsating second round on Friday.
Smyth produced the round of the day — a stunning eight-under-par 63 on the Remarkables course — while the 45-year-old Ormsby ground out a composed six-under 65 to join him at 11-under for the tournament.
What makes Smyth’s effort all the more remarkable is that he had been awake since 4:30am to complete the final seven holes of his rain-interrupted opening round, before immediately turning his focus to round two without missing a beat.
Sharing second place alongside the Australians is New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier, a DP World Tour regular who returned a 68 to stay firmly in contention. Kerry Mountcastle, another Kiwi, is alone in fifth after a polished 64 on Remarkables.
Out in front, and capturing the imagination of the home crowd, is 20-year-old New Zealand amateur Yuki Miya.
The youngster carded a gutsy 67 on the Coronets course — recovering from a damaging double bogey late in his round with back-to-back birdies to close — and holds outright pole position at 12-under.
Miya, who has stated he will not turn professional until after the 2027 Eisenhower Cup, is showing no signs of being overawed by the occasion.
“That double set me back a bit, I definitely had to regroup after that one but I clawed my way back,” said Miya. “Obviously there’s a long way to go, still 36 holes to play, but I’ll do my best, stick to my processes and see how it goes.”
The stakes could barely be higher.
The winner’s name will be engraved on one of golf’s oldest national trophies, and the leading player not otherwise exempt who makes the cut this week will earn a coveted spot in The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in July 2026 — a significant added incentive for every player still in the hunt.
Smyth, who carded nine birdies against a single bogey after starting on the back nine, ignited his round by making four consecutive birdies coming home.
The 31-year-old, whose only Asian Tour victory to date remains the 2022 Yeangder TPC, is knocking on the door of a second title.
“I don’t like to ever think that any hole is just like a given birdie,” said Smyth. “They’re all short holes, but you still have to go and hit a good drive, hit a good second, and roll in the putt. So, they were well earned.”
Asked about the mental qualities that allow him to consistently compete under pressure, he added: “Probably just believing in myself in the sort of high-pressure situations.
“There’s always a handful of shots that seem difficult that maybe I haven’t pulled off as well in the past. So just sticking to my guns, just believing in myself, giving a red-hot crack at it, and just doing my best.”
Ormsby, a five-time Asian Tour winner who was drafted as a late replacement for Phil Mickelson at LIV Golf Adelaide earlier this month, completed his round deep into the evening, making birdies on the 15th and 17th to close.
The South Australian has yet to win on the Australasian Tour and will be hungry to change that this weekend.
Further down the leaderboard, Asian Tour members Doyeob Mun of Korea and India’s Karandeep Kochhar both carded 67s on the Coronets course to sit three and four shots off the lead respectively.
A handful of groups are yet to complete their second rounds and will do so on Saturday morning before the weekend’s final two rounds get underway.
