Lonard and Summers in duel for NSW Open title
BY iseekgolf.com | Von Nida Tour | 2004 New South Wales Open | Round Three | 20 Nov 2004
Peter Lonard and Anthony Summers probably don’t have much in common except they both come from Sydney’s western suburbs.
One plays on the $300m US Tour for most of the year while the other plies his trade in Asia and on the local pro-am circuit.
Still the pair were today staging a titanic struggle for the lead in the $100,000 New South Wales Open at Liverpool Golf Club.
Overnight equal leader with Ricky Schmidt, Summers shook him off only to find former Oatlands club professional Peter Lonard had joined him at the top of the leaderboard midway through the third round on a cool, blustery afternoon which threatened rain but stayed dry.
Both golfers were 13-under par after nine holes although the gutsy Summers regained the lead soon afterwards when he birdied the 400m par-four 11th to edge back to the front at 14-under.
No sooner had he done that then he gave the shot back with a bogey at the 13th as the steady Lonard continued to reel off the pars in a perfect preparation for next week’s defence of his Australian Open title at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney.
Lonard and Summers had managed to put some space between them and current third-placed Dean Alaban from Western Australia, who was two shots further back at 11-under.
The other overnight leader Ricky Schmidt was struggling and had slumped to nine-under and was in equal fourth spot with a host of others including New South Welshmen Aaron Byrnes, Steve Jefress and big-hitting Concord amateur Won Joon Lee.
Others well in the hunt at nine-under included Queenslanders Brad Kennedy and Shannon Beck and Victorian Heath Reed.
Best of the completed rounds was a five-under par 67 by young West Australian Tony McFadyean, who was out early before the breezes had sprung up and with his two earlier rounds of 71 was in equal; 15th spot and looking set for a good final-day cheque.
Admission to the tournament is free all weekend with the leaders due to hit off at noon on Sunday and play to begin at 8:40am (AEDST).
Source – NSWGA
