Gates leads by three, looks to win in his debut

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Texas A&M graduate Robert Gates is three shots ahead of the field through three rounds at the Michael Hill New Zealand Open.

QUEENSTOWN, New Zealand -- Nationwide Tour rookie Robert Gates showed no signs of pressure as the 24-year-old from The Woodlands, Texas, shot a 4-under 68 on Saturday to up his lead in the Michael Hill New Zealand Open to three shots after three rounds.

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Tee times: Round 4
Leaderboard: Round 3

Andrew Dodt of Australia, who was Thursday's co-leader with Gates and New Zealand's David Smail, is in second position after posting a 70.

A shot back of Dodt in third place is fellow Aussie Michael Curtain, who shot 68 to move three spots up the leaderboard.

Making his first Nationwide Tour start, Gates was unflappable, recording six birdies and two bogeys. After three trips around the 7,243-yard The Hills golf course, he has an eagle, 19 birdies and only five bogeys.

"This is my first event, and I didn't know what to expect," Gates said. "I'm playing great. I just hope to keep it going. I might sleep a little later, but it's just golf with a different scenario and different situation.

"I'm going to go out and play the best I can tomorrow," he added. "If it's good enough, it's good enough. If it's not, someone had to play good to beat me."

Were Gates to win tomorrow, he would be the 13th player to win in his Nationwide Tour debut, joining Australians Stuart Appleby and Gavin Coles, among others. Miguel Angel Carballo of Argentina, who is in the Michael Hill New Zealand Open field, was the last to do so in 2007 at the Movistar Panama Championship.

A native of Gainesville, Fla., and 2008 graduate of Texas A&M University, Gates was a first-round co-leader and held a one-shot lead over Dodt at yesterday's midway point. The affable Aggie has demonstrated a relaxed air about himself while walking the fairways with his caddie and girlfriend, Lauren Johnson of Houston, by his side.

Leading by one over Dodt and Curtain standing on the 12th tee, Gates pulled away from the duo with consecutive birdies on holes 12 through 15.

Like Gates, Dodt is 24 and seeking his first professional victory.

"It was disappointing to bogey the last hole but I had a lot of good stuff going on and hopefully tomorrow a few more putts can go my way,'' he said.

"Bobby (Gates) is a great guy," Dodt continued. "We talked the whole way round so it's good we both played well and enjoyed ourselves at the same time. I feel I'm in with a chance. I've stuck to the game plan for three rounds so I'll be doing the same tomorrow -- holing more putts is the key.''

Mark Hensby of Australia turned in the day's best round, a 6-under 66, to move into a tie for fourth with countryman Matthew Griffin and Californian Kevin Chappell.

D.J. Brigman, who played in the final group with Gates and Dodt, did not feed off the good play of his fellow competitors. A 74 dropped him from third place into a tie for seventh.

The New Zealand Open is the country's oldest golf championship dating back to 1907 and has been won by four World Golf Hall of Fame members, including four-time Open winner and New Zealand native Bob Charles.

The championship is co-sanctioned by the Nationwide Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia.

Third-round notes:

• Phil Tataurangi remains the top Kiwi. He is tied for seventh. First-round co-leader and fellow Kiwi David Smail is two strokes back in a tie for 16th.

• A pair of former NCAA Championship individual winners (and members of championship teams), Kevin Chappell (UCLA) and Jamie Lovemark (USC), are lurking inside the top 10. Chappell is tied for fourth after shooting 71. Lovemark is tied for seventh following a second straight 69. Lovemark flew straight from the Bob Hope Classic in California, arriving here on Wednesday afternoon.

• Last year's runner-up, Martin Piller, is among those tied for 11th. He was the third-round leader in 2009, only to be caught by champion Alex Prugh, who shot a final-round 64.