Wishful thinking gives Davies a sniff

BY Liz White | ALPG Tour | 2009 Women's Australian Open | Round Three | 14 Feb 2009

After setting the course alight with a brilliant six under 67 at the Australian Open today, Laura Davies was hoping those above her on the leaderboard would struggle.

And the 45 year-old got her wish.

In benign afternoon conditions at Melbourne’s Metropolitan Course, the third round leaders all struggled, posting above par rounds to give Davies a sniff of victory.

After completing her round not long after the leaders teed off, Davies was hopeful Chang-Hee Lee and Karrie Webb would not putt the lights out.

“The greens were really crisping up so perhaps a few putting problems wouldn’t hurt,” she joked.

Despite 36 putts today, it is Korean Chang-Hee Lee with a one shot lead over Americans Alison Walshe and Beth Allen heading into tomorrow’s final day.

Karrie Webb, after another two over round 75 is a further shot back on three under with Victoria’s Emma Bennett, Korea’s He Yon Choi and Spain’s Tania Elosegui.

That mean Davies, sitting at 2 under is just three shots off the lead and she gives herself every chance of winning the Patricia Bridges Bowl for the second time.

“If I can shoot another good round tomorrow, if it is similar conditions you just don’t know with this course,” she said.

The Australian Open is set for an exciting finish tomorrow with 18 players within four shots of each other.

Korea’s Lee is surprised to still be in the lead after a tough and trying 2 over score of 75 today.

With interpreter and fellow player, Australian Justine Lee translating, the 20-year-old said she was very nervous today and was rattled when her score slumped on the front nine to one over.

The Korean LPGA player said she was getting cranky with herself after carding four consecutive bogeys on holes eight through eleven until a quick check of the leader board at the back of the 11th hole calmed her down.

“She saw the leader board and saw that she was still on top so then she felt relieved and got back into her game,” Lee said.

With her brilliant iron play today, Davies, a well-known punter, might fancy putting some money on herself before tomorrow’s final round.

Davies praised the Metropolitan Course in Melbourne’s famous sandbelt and said it has provided a stern test for all. She highlighted her 6 under round today which included an eagle, six birdies and two bogeys as a case in point.

“Today, I birdied 5,6,7,8 and I am thinking right if I can get a birdie here and then I shanked it,” she said.

“That was always going to be a bogey and then I three- putted ten and then came back with a birdie, birdie, birdie eagle, so a group of four birdies then two bogeys then a group of three more under par holes.

“But that’s just what great championship courses do to you.”

Davies raved about the Metropolitan course, claiming it was better than the revered Kingston Heath. She said precision is what will set the winner apart from the rest tomorrow.

“I know it sounds daft but I have hit it fantastic all week and yesterday I played really great golf and bogeyed four of the first five holes and not hit one bad shot.

“It is just that the course is so good,”

American Alison Walshe, playing in her second professional tournament, also fancies her chances tomorrow. She fired off the second best round of the day today, a four under 69, to be one shot behind Lee.

“You always want to win,” she said.

“It is definitely what I will be shooting for tomorrow. But I don’t want to get ahead of myself and shoot myself out of it.”

Walshe came to Australia for the first time in October where she represented the United States in the World Amateur Cup. After individually finishing sixth, she received an invite from Golf Australia.

“I want to thank them so much. I never thought I would be here twice in a couple of months.”

Also on a Golf Australia invite is Victoria’s Emma Bennett. Today the Kingston Heath trainee pro shot an even par 73 and is T4th with Webb and Korea’s Choi. She originally set herself a top 20 finish but a top 10 is not unrealistic. Tomorrow she finds herself just two shots off the lead and in the third last group.

“I am a lot better off than where I thought I was going to be,” she laughed.

“I have no pressure and no expectations on me so at the end of the day it is just up to me with what I want to do with it.”

Karrie Webb couldn’t get any consistency today and had a roller coaster round of three birdies and five bogeys to finish at 2 over.

Teeing off with one of golf’s great shot makers tomorrow, Laura Davies, Webb says the formula for some Sunday success is pretty simple.

“Not to make as many mental mistakes as I did today. If I can do that I will have a good chance tomorrow,” she said.