Jan. 31, 2010
QUEENSTOWN, New Zealand (AP) - Former Texas A&M standout Robert Gates became the 13th player to win his Nationwide Tour debut, closing with a 2-over 74 on Sunday for a one-stroke victory over Australia's Andrew Dodt in the tour's season-opening New Zealand Open.
An Aggie won the season-opening event on both the PGA and Nationwide Tours this month, a first in school history. Ryan Palmer won the Sony Open in Hawaii two weeks ago.
Gates, who played the Canadian Tour last year, had a 14-under 274 total at The Hills. He opened with rounds of 65, 67 and 68 in the event also sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia.
Gates, three strokes ahead entering the round, had a double bogey on the par-3 16th to fall into a tie with Dodt at 14 under, but Dodt followed with a double bogey of his own on the par-5 17th. Dodt birdied the final hole for a 72.
America's Jamie Lovemark (68) was third at 12 under. Gates former A&M teammate, Martin Piller, tied for seventh at 8 under. Piller was runner-up here last year in his Nationwide Tour debut.
Both Gates and Dodt shanked drives into the rough off the 17th tee. Although Gates crossed the fairway into a bunker, leaving him with a long a difficult second shot on the par-5, he reached the green and two-putted for his par.
Dodt made a wayward recovery, leaving himself a long third, missing the green then taking three more to get down.
Dodt kept the pressure on when he made a long putt for birdie at the par-4 finishing hole, while Gates hit his second through the back of the green. Gates left himself a three-footer for par and neatly dropped the putt to take out the season-opener on the Nationwide Tour for his biggest professional win.
"I didn't hit really many bad shots at all. I got some bad breaks and that's golf," Gates said.
"I was fortunate the first three rounds to get a lot of great ones. Andrew played an absolutely wonderful back nine. He hit some of the most amazing shots I've seen all day and to make par on 18 showed a lot of character," he added. "He was great. He pushed me the whole way. Unfortunately, it didn't work out on 16 but I made a great putt on 17 and 18."