Rookie Piller surprises field with unlikely 54-hole lead

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Martin Piller hit 16 of 18 greens on Saturday.

ARROWTOWN, New Zealand -- Texas rookie Martin Piller stepped to the front of the international line on Saturday and grabbed the 54-hole lead at Michael Hill New Zealand Open. The 23-year old from Dallas owns a one-stroke lead after three rounds at The Hills Golf Club outside of Queenstown.

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Piller's 12-under 204 total tops New Zealanders Grant Waite (66) and Josh Geary (68), Norway's Henrik Bjornstad (68), American Alex Prugh (69) and Australian Jason Norris (71).

Americans Jeff Gove (72), Drew Laning (69) and Jim Herman (65) are 10-under and share seventh place with Sweden's Jonas Blixt (67), a rookie from Florida State.

Less than a year ago, Piller couldn't make the starting lineup for his college team at Texas A&M. He now finds himself halfway around the world, in his fourth Nationwide Tour start and 18 holes away from a victory that will count on both the Nationwide and the Australasian Tours

"It's a dream come true to come out and play on a course like this," said Piller, who has hit 45 of 54 greens in regulation and ranks T2 in that category. "I feel like ball striking is one of my strengths and this golf course rewards ball striking. You've got to know where it's going and right now I do."

Piller had no idea where he was going last summer when he had completed his college eligibility with the Aggies. While finishing up his degree, he entered the Texas State Open in July, posted a 14-under par total to win by two strokes and collect $25,000 as a bonus.

"It was a good field by Texas standards but it wasn't an international field," said Piller of the win, which came in his first professional start. "That tournament proved to me that I could play at a high level. That tournament was a big, big moment in my life."

Nobody could have predicted what has taken place since. Piller took some of the winnings and decided to enter Q-school. He was one of only two players to survive all three stages to reach the finals and now enjoys fully-exempt status this season.

Pressure won't bother Piller, who gets the final tee time, which comes at 1:40 p.m.

"I have been blessed with the great ability to sleep," said Piller, who has been known to doze off at the dinner table on occasion. "When I play early I get nervous that I'll sleep through my tee time. I'm very happy that I'm playing late because I don't set an alarm. I don't think sleeping will be a problem tonight."

The only problem he'll have will be in his rearview mirror.

"Tomorrow, I'm just going to try and shoot a very, very low number because that's what you have to do," he said. "I know the guys are going to make a lot of birdies. They always do."

Waite, a 44-year old veteran from Palmerston North, hasn't been making a lot of anything lately. The 1992 New Zealand Open champion has been struggling for the past few years but this week has rediscovered something lost.

"I kept hitting good shots and making those putts that make a difference in a round," said Waite. "In professional golf there are so many very, very good players that the only way to separate yourself is scoring. Everybody hits the ball well. Scoring comes down to making putts for 4-15 feet. The guys that play well are the guys that are making putts in the scoring range."

Waite rolled in six birdies on his opening nine and moved into serious contention. A missed 5-footer at No. 8 and a three-putt bogey at No. 10 were the only hiccups on the day.

"The difference between struggling and doing well is a really fine line nowadays," said Waite, who won the PGA TOUR Kemper Open in 1993. "I've been on the top of my game for a while and I've really struggled the last four years. It didn't seem like that much of a difference. It's just a matter of performing well at the right time."

There are 22 players within four shots of the lead so it will be interesting to see who steps forward when it counts.

Third-Round Notes:

• Jim Herman fired a 7-under 65 Saturday to reach 10-under for the tournament. Herman has registered 21 birdies during his first 54 holes but has been sidetracked by 7 bogeys and 2 double-bogeys.

• Marcus Fraser closed his round of 66 today with a back nine 30 the included birdies at Nos. 15, 16, 17 and 18. He is in at 7-under 209.

• The reachable par-4, 15th hole yielded a pair of eagles Saturday. Won Joon Lee and Roger Tambellini both made 2s at the 329-yard hole.

• Saturday's scoring average was 69.922.

• Saturday's weather: Sunny skies. Light and variable winds 5-10 mph. High of 75. 1