Current Rookie Of The Year leader, Connor O'Leary, overcame a late charge from Joan Duru and a snookered Joel Parkinson to take the Heat 3 win by the slimmest of margins -- just .16 points. O'Leary, for his part, was pragmatic about the win. "It's hard to avoid the barrel out here," he said, referring to the turns vs. tubes debate, "but Luke Egan (O'Leary's coach) said it's more risk than reward, he told me to open up and get back on my tail, so I did." Egan, he too a lanky, knock-kneed yet powerful goofyfoot, already has one 2017 Fiji Pro Champ in his stable in the form of Women's Pro winner Courtney Conlogue. Now he's banking on the rookie to make it happen again. If his plans pan out, the bartenders will be handing out life preservers with the pints over on Namotu.
