The left-handed Levin professional got the monkey off his back by beating Wellington amateur Jayden Ford in the six hole final after prevailing against Mitchell Kale, Mason Lee and Harry Bateman earlier in the day.
Hodge has been a perennial contender on the Charles Tour, sponsored by Jennian Homes, without getting over the line.
Last year he won the Strokeplay portion of the New Zealand Super 6s, sponsored by Brian Green Property, before losing in the second round. He also recorded three second places and a third last year on the Charles Tour, adding to his second place finish at the Muriwai Open in 2016.
Hodge had also finished second at the New Zealand Strokeplay a few weeks earlier and began to question if a victory would ever come.
However, his golfing story finally rewarded him with a win at a place he knows very well – his secondary home club.
Said Hodge: “It’s a pretty indescribable feeling to be honest. I’ve been close since this tournament last year where I think I’ve had four runners-up and a third, so it’s really nice to get this one over the line at home.
“There have been a lot of close calls, and it’s great to add my name alongside some really amazing names on a Jennian Homes Charles Tour trophy. It’s nice to be a part of that.”
Hodge and Ford parred the opening two holes in the final before disaster struck for the Wellingtonian where he made an uncharacteristic double bogey on the short par four third. Hodge pounced by making a birdie, making the difference three shots with three holes to play.
The pair made a par and a birdie over the next couple, and Hodge headed to the final hole with a comfortable buffer, and just needed to avoid anything catastrophic to lift the trophy. However, he sprayed his drive left into the trees while Ford hit an incredible drive to a couple of feet to setup and eagle.
With Hodge needing a par to win, he sent a flop shot towering over the trees onto the green, much to the crowd’s delight. He two-putted his way to victory, letting out a massive sigh of relief as the winning emotions began to sink in.
“I don’t ever cruise home, so I thought something unusual might happen coming down the stretch. Credit to Jayden, it was an unreal golf shot – probably the best he could have asked for. I’m just happy to sneak in.” Credit to Golfer Pacific
Hodge has been a perennial contender on the Charles Tour, sponsored by Jennian Homes, without getting over the line.
Last year he won the Strokeplay portion of the New Zealand Super 6s, sponsored by Brian Green Property, before losing in the second round. He also recorded three second places and a third last year on the Charles Tour, adding to his second place finish at the Muriwai Open in 2016.
Hodge had also finished second at the New Zealand Strokeplay a few weeks earlier and began to question if a victory would ever come.
However, his golfing story finally rewarded him with a win at a place he knows very well – his secondary home club.
Said Hodge: “It’s a pretty indescribable feeling to be honest. I’ve been close since this tournament last year where I think I’ve had four runners-up and a third, so it’s really nice to get this one over the line at home.
“There have been a lot of close calls, and it’s great to add my name alongside some really amazing names on a Jennian Homes Charles Tour trophy. It’s nice to be a part of that.”
Hodge and Ford parred the opening two holes in the final before disaster struck for the Wellingtonian where he made an uncharacteristic double bogey on the short par four third. Hodge pounced by making a birdie, making the difference three shots with three holes to play.
The pair made a par and a birdie over the next couple, and Hodge headed to the final hole with a comfortable buffer, and just needed to avoid anything catastrophic to lift the trophy. However, he sprayed his drive left into the trees while Ford hit an incredible drive to a couple of feet to setup and eagle.
With Hodge needing a par to win, he sent a flop shot towering over the trees onto the green, much to the crowd’s delight. He two-putted his way to victory, letting out a massive sigh of relief as the winning emotions began to sink in.
“I don’t ever cruise home, so I thought something unusual might happen coming down the stretch. Credit to Jayden, it was an unreal golf shot – probably the best he could have asked for. I’m just happy to sneak in.” Credit to Golfer Pacific
Sam Jones: Player Profile
Taranaki left-handed golfer Sam Jones, a two-time Charles Tour winner, has qualified to play on the DP World Tour. Credit: Golf New Zealand.
Sam Jones has played his way onto the DP World Tour after transitioning into the professional game just over a couple of weeks previously.
The Taranaki rookie professional will join Ryan Fox and Daniel Hillier in Europe next year after finishing seventh at the DP World Tour Q-school final stage in Spain, which should see him earn starts in around 20 events.
After moving to the professional game after the Asia-Pacific Amateur in October, Jones raced to Spain to compete in the second stage of qualifying school, where he finished fourth to punch his ticket into the final stage.
He fired rounds of 68, 69, 70 and 65 at Infinitum Golf to make the 72-hole cut at the final stage and earn full Challenge Tour status before improving his ranking to category-18 DP World Tour status after shooting 68 and 66 in the final two rounds.
Following a gruelling two weeks of playing for his future, changing flights, and mental stress, Jones said it was hard to say what finishing inside the top 25 at the final stage so soon into his professional career meant to him.
“I’m pretty speechless, to be honest with you,’’ Jones said.
``I had to change my flight to stay in Spain for the final stage, so I didn’t have any expectations – I didn’t think I was going to get through the second
stage,” he said with a laugh.
“To be here now after all of that is crazy. Like I said, I’m speechless.”
Aware of the physical impacts 10 rounds of golf in two weeks might have on him, the two-time Charles Tour winner put a lot of thought into where he spent his energy so he’d still perform at his best over the final two rounds when it mattered most.
Although he felt physically fine, Jones said dealing with the mental pressures was the most challenging part.
“I was so nervous [heading into the final round] that it wasn’t even funny. Me being me, I looked at all the details – what kind of category I was going to get and whatnot.
“The starts in the DP World Tour, the increased purses, and everything that comes with that – I got nervous heading into the fifth and sixth rounds. I thought I would be able to handle it well, but honestly, it was a grind, and I am happy to come out the other side of it.”
Now that his playing rights are secured, Jones intends on picking the brains of Fox and Hillier on playing the DP World Tour.
Credit Pacific Golfer
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