NZ PGA about to tee off at Clearwater | Canterbury Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Canterbury

Former United States amateur champion Ricky Barnes will battle himself as well as the course when the US$600,000 New Zealand PGA starts at Clearwater tomorrow.

Barnes, one of golf's many rising stars teeing off at the Christchurch resort, wants to show a different side after disgracing himself at the Australian Masters in December.

The volatile 2002 US amateur champion blew up when he five-putted the 15th from 1.5m, carelessly knocking the ball around with his putter without bothering to line up.

Earlier he'd been spotted on television whacking a tree with his club after a bad shot.

Barnes was fined heavily for his hissy spit at Melbourne but told the media this month he's out to portray a more positive image.

Barnes missed the cut at the New Zealand open but was pleased with the way he hit the ball especially off the tee.

"I just did not make the best of my opportunities," he said. "If I can continue to drive as well, then I should shoot some good scores."

It's a measure of the calibre of the Clearwater field (from about 18 countries) that another former US amateur champion, New South Wales pro Nick Flanagan -- hailed as the new Greg Norman when he won in 2003 -- was one of 60 golfers battling at Shirley yesterday for the last four spots in the NZPGA.

Last year 19 of the 20 players who graduated from the Nationwide tour to the full PGA played at Clearwater, and last year's NZPGA champion Gavin Coles (Australia) and 2003 winner Ryan Palmer (USA) have both moved up to the premier tour.

However, 2002 inaugural Clearwater Classic winner and 1992 Scottish open champion Peter O'Malley is back this week.

O'Malley immediately followed up his 2002 victory with a famous win over Tiger Woods in the first round of a matchplay championship, and looks in fine form after a strong European tour last year.

He won more than NZ $1 million, and had eight top-20 finishes including a tie for second in the European open. The links-style layout at Clearwater is expected to suit his game.

Other top Australians competing include Peter Senior (who has won 26 pro tournaments including the 2003 Aussie PGA), Jarrod Moseley, Peter Fowler, Lucas Parsons, Greg Chalmers, and David McKenzie.

Up and coming Aussie youngsters competing include Jarrod Lyle, Steven Bowditch, James Nitties, and Kurt Barnes.

Lyle, who beat leukaemia as a teenager, was runner-up in both the New Zealand amateur strokeplay and matchplays last year, and tied for the lead going into the last hole of the Heineken this month but a bogey five pushed him to third.

A former New Zealand under-19 winner, Bowditch was third equal in the Australian open and fourth equal in the Aussie masters in December, while Nitties and Barnes were part of the Australian amateur team that won the Four Nations teams championship at Shirley in 2003. Big hitting Barnes won the New Zealand amateur 72-hole strokeplay title on the same trip.

Eddie Lee, 21, has returned home from the Asian tour to head the invitee list, and Grant Waite is also back.

Christchurch golf fans have the bonus of seeing the PGA for just a gold coin entry fee ? the proceeds go to Ronald McDonald House. The gold coin compares with $25 a day to watch the open at Gulf Harbour last week.

Yesterday 60 golfers were battling at the Shirley course for the last four spots in the PGA tournament at Clearwater.