Stolz leads Vic PGA in brutal conditions
Australasian PGA Tour | 2009 Victorian PGA Championship | Round Three | 07 Feb 2009
Andre Stolz has moved to the top of the leaderboard after an unforgettable third day of competition at the Cellarbrations Victorian PGA Championship.
In temperatures that reached 46 degrees with wind gusts of over 50 kilometres, players battled brutal conditions at the Sanctuary Lakes layout.
Stolz, from New South Wales managed a round of three under par to move to outright first place with a total score of 12 under and leads by two shots from a group of four including Queenslanders Stuart Bouvier and Brad Kennedy and Victorians Cameron Percy and Bryden MacPherson.
“That was brutal,” said 37 year old Stolz. “On a day like today I would have preferred to have some time off I think. That was one of the toughest days I have ever played in before.”
“I don’t think I have ever played in a wind that has effected my putting like that, I had a 20 footer up into the wind and I actually had to smash it. I have never had to do that before so it shows you how strong it was.”
“It was just one of those days where it was just all about making par.”
In a testament to the quality of players on the Australasian Tour, 40 of the 51 players remain under par.
The revelation of the day was the only amateur left in the field, Bryden MacPherson. The 18 year old from Peninsula Golf Club performed superbly in the trying conditions, playing in just his second professional event after making his debut at last week’s Subaru Victorian Open.
His mixed round of four under par consisted of four birdies, two bogeys, two eagles and a double bogey.
He birdied three of his first four holes before a double bogey at the 6th. He immediately followed with an eagle at the par five eighth and a birdie at the 9th.
“It was pretty hard although I was lucky, I got to play the first five holes with no wind at all so I could get off to a good start,” said MacPherson.
“I’m extremely happy. To be an amateur playing in my second pro event, to be in the top five after three rounds I’m ecstatic. It’s awesome!”
The round of the day came from 2005 Victorian Open Champion Cameron Percy. Percy shot a bogey free five under 67 to move from 29th place into a tie for second.
“I’m happy with the way I played, not so happy with the score but I can’t complain,” said the 35-year-old father of one, who teed off earlier in the day.
“We got to play four or five holes in no wind and then it just went crazy. A couple of shots I hit were just lucky.”
“I haven’t played in conditions like that before. I’m absolutely exhausted!”
Joining Percy and MacPherson on ten under is Stuart Bouvier.
Bouvier was unlucky to bogey the last hole to drop from 11 under, but was pleased with his round, considering conditions.
“I’m very pleased with how I played today. At the start of the day I would have been happy to shoot four of five over.”
“I was just happy to get through it without too much damage.”
Victorian David McKenzie (69), WA’s Stephen Dartnall (72) and Queenslander Andrew Bonhomme (74) are a further shot back on nine under and tied sixth, with South Australians Heath Reed (69) and Adam Bland (69), Queenslander Adam Crawford (69) and New Zealand’s Gareth Paddison (71) are tied ninth on five under.
Overnight leader Luke Hickmott had a horror day in the conditions, almost the opposite to his record breaking first round. Hickmott shot a six over 78 to drop back to six under for the tournament and into a tie for 13th place, whilst playing partner Alistair Presnell faired little better losing his share of second place with a five over 77 and is tied in 13th place.
Tomorrow’s final round of the Cellarbrations Victorian PGA Championship will begin at 9:30am with temperatures expected to be at least 24 degrees lower than today. A maximum temperature of 23 is expected.
The final group of Bryden MacPherson, Cameron Percy and Andre Stolz begin at 11.00am.
Source – PGA Tour
