Five way tie for lead at Moonah Classic

Australasian PGA Tour | 2009 Moonah Classic | Round One | 26 Feb 2009

Aussies Peter O’Malley and Andrew Bonhomme are in a five way tie for the lead at the end of the first round of the Moonah Classic at Moonah Links today.

The pair hold a one shot buffer with Americans Hunter Haas and Daniel Summerhays along with Argentinian Miguel Angel Carballo after shooting an opening round four under 68 at the famed Peter Thomson designed layout.

Tied for seventh place at last week’s tri sanctioned Johnnie Walker Classic, 24 year old West Australian Michael Sim continued on his run of form and is just one shot behind the leaders after a 3 under 69. He is tied with South African Garth Mulroy, US rookie Josh Teater and fellow American Bubba Dickerson who was the only player in the field of 156 to negotiate his way around the hilly terrain without a bogey.

Another 10 players are jammed at 2-under 70 and 17 more are in at 71. All totaled, 57 are within four strokes of the lead and 81 are within five.

O’Malley was one of the early finishers from the morning groups shooting a solid round that included four birdies and only one bogey, while Bonhomme recovered from a loss in concentration in the middle of his round when he dropped shots on the eighth and 10th holes, only to steady and pick up three birdies on the back nine.

“There’s a lot of thinking involved in playing the course,,” said 43-year old O’Malley, who wanted to make sure the media wrote in their stories that he wanted to wish his wife, Jill, both “Happy Birthday” and “Happy 15th Anniversary.”

“We got married on her birthday so I won’t forget my anniversary,” O’Malley kidded with the writers. “She wishes me Happy Anniversary and I turn right around and wish her Happy Birthday. That way I don’t get into trouble.”

O’Malley celebrated a bit of a revival in his game last week, playing the final 54 holes in 10-under par to finish T31 at the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth, where the winning score was 14-under.

“I really didn’t do much wrong today,” said the Bathurst born O’Malley, a two-time winner of the New Zealand PGA Championship, which will be contested next week in Christchurch. “I’m striking the ball pretty well. The difference today was I thought I putted well last week without making any and today I holed out really well.”

An eagle on the second followed by a birdie at the fifth saw 36 year old Queenslander Andrew Bonhomme three under after five and despite two bogeys in the middle of his round, he recovered with birdies on 11, 15 and 18 to establish himself at the top of the table.

“Dead set I putted out on the last and the wind stopped just as we putted out – it was frightening” he joked.

“I played really solid though, so it was a good day.”

For Bonhomme it was a confident start after what has been a frustrating time since he won the 2007 Von Nida Tour Money List. He suffered a wrist injury at the start of last year but is determined to get back on track and re-establish his position on the Nationwide Tour.

“My whole year was practically just a write off until October and then I started to play better, said Bonhomme. “I just need to get some money through seven events and then I should be right for the rest of the year.”

The Moonah Links course offered relatively calm conditions today but things are expected to toughen up on Friday with fierce north winds and temperatures in the high 30s.

Friday’s round two action begins at 7.00am.

Entry to the Moonah Classic is Free with all day parking at the venue $5.00.

The Moonah Classic will be telecast in Australia on TEN HD:

• Saturday Feb 28 – 1-5pm Ten & Ten HD AEDT (LIVE)
• Sunday March 1- 1-5pm – Ten & Ten HD AEDT (LIVE)

Source – PGA Tour