Sherratt fires at Riversdale
BY Anthony Powter | Australian Mens Amateur Tour | 2009 Riversdale Cup | Round One | 06 Mar 2009
Jordan Sherratt fired a course record 9-under-par, 63, to take a commanding three stroke lead over Bryden Macpherson after the opening round of the Riversdale Cup in Melbourne.
It was a peerless display from the South Australian in a bogey free round that included seven birdies and an eagle. Sherratt is seeking this week to claim his maiden major amateur title, having won the South Australian Medal in 2007.
At last year’s Australian Amateur in Adelaide, Sherratt finished an impressive tied 6th in the stroke play format. A few months later during the interstate series, he was undefeated with wins over New South Wales’ Tim Stewart 2&1, Queensland’s Ray Beaufils 3&2 and Victoria’s Matt Griffin, 1-up. For Sherratt it had been a week of exquisite victories against many of the country’s best amateurs.
Sherratt has the form and talent to take another title out and today’s start should stand him in good stead. A solid performance at the Riversdale Cup, which is Australia’s 4th ranked tournament, is sure to also enhance his chances of regaining a National Squad team spot, after loosing the position last year.
Bryden Macpherson, winner of the 2008 Dunes Medal, is only three behind Sherratt after an opening 66, whilst another promising talent, Daniel Nisbet is one behind Macpherson at 5-under.
Scott Arnold did his chances of regaining the title he won last year at Riversdale no damage opening with a 4-under-par, along with Lincoln Tighe, Kevin Marques and 2008 Federal Amateur winner, Matt Jager.
With a win in the Lake Macquarie Amateur in January already to his credit coupled with strong performances at the NSW Amateur and Tasmanian Open, Arnold, who has taken Australia’s top world amateur status from Jager, remains one of the favourites in international field of 156 contestants which includes players from England, Ireland, Switzerland, New Zealand, Scotland, Korea and and Singapore.
It’s pleasing to see Jager, who was Australia’s top ranked world amateur for the best part of the last six months, return to some form having suffered a recent wrist injury after the Australian Open in Sydney last December. Jager possess a wonderful all-round game and competes well in the bigger amateur events as shown in his 2008 US tour where he secured three top-10 finishes in main US amateur events, including a runner-up finish at the prestigious Players Amateur.
The Riversdale Cup is an event that is not only steeped in history, being Australia’s second oldest amateur championship (the first tournament was contested two years after the Australian Amateur was first played in 1894), but an event played want to win with recent winners including the likes of Robert Allenby (1990-91), Brendan Jones (1998), Aaron Baddeley (1999) and Michael Sim (2004). It’s an event which also carries strong world ranking points which all top players competing this week are acutely aware.
The field this week is arguably the strongest assembled in Australia this season, certainly stronger than the field at the Lake Macquarie Amateur back in January. It promises to be an exciting tournament over the next three rounds.
Sherratt has thrown the challenge to the rest of the field, setting himself nicely for his maiden National Trial event title provided he’s able to keep producing sub-par rounds like today. Challenges are sure to come particularly from Macpherson, Nisbet, Arnold, as well as from Michael Raseta, who’s currently in tied 8th position at 3-under and six behind Sherratt.
Rastea won the NSW Amateur in 2008 and possesses an extremely powerful driving game essential to taking on Riversdale’s numerous dog-leg par 4’s. Should he get his driving on song, Rastea will be a player to follow this weekend and he’s due for another major title.
Following Sunday’s third round the cut will fall on the top 50 leading players and tied, plus all internationals, for the final round on Monday.
