Beckmann breaks away at Amateur
BY Anthony Powter | Australian Mens Amateur Tour | 2009 Australian Amateur Championship | Round Two | 21 Mar 2009
Victoria’s Daniel Beckmann has fired a 6-under-par second round 66 to have a four stroke margin over Korea’s Jin Jeong at the Australian Amateur being played in Brisbane. Beckmann’s second round 66 around the more difficult Royal Queensland layout builds upon yesterday’s opening 66 at Virginia Golf Club.
Overnight leader John Betland followed his opening 65 with a 72, to be currently in outright 3rd position and a stroke ahead of four players including, Matthew Stieger, Kalem Richardson, Ben Ford and Australia’s top ranked world amateur, Scott Arnold. Brad Butler from Queensland is in outright 8th position after rounds of 68-72.
In the last twelve months Beckmann’s game has improved immensely, the result of a number of changes the 20-year-old has implemented to his game both on and off the course. Numerous top-10 finishes at National Trial events and course records have fallen his way to see Beckmann regain his confidence to the levels he had back in 2007, when he won his first National Trial event at the Federal Amateur.
“I’ve played two solid opening rounds this week, which takes the pressure off you a little,” said Beckmann following his bogey free second round at Royal Queensland.
“I’ve been smart with my play, not going for it with my driver but thinking about placement and my second shot in. There’s no need around Royal Queensland to go for it with the driver on every par 4, as the the risk/reward is not there.”
Scotland’s, Fraser Fotheringham was unable to capitalise on his opening round 66 at Virginia and fired a second round 74 to be tied with Jason Scrivener, Kyle Grant, New Zealand’s Ben Wallace, Rory Bourke and Kris O’Sullivan in 9th position. Whilst Matt Jager, Bryden MacPherson, Jordan Sherratt and Daniel Nisbet all remain inside the top-32 qualification mark for the match play segment and the Australian Amateur title proper, which starts next Monday.
Beckmann goes into this championship as one of the nations in-form players with strong performances in the last three National Trial events, the most recent a 3rd place finish a fortnight ago at the Riversdale Cup where he shot a course record 62 during the second round. With each round in Queensland his confidence is building and his game is becoming sharper.
“Lately everything is falling into place,” he says.
“I’m relaxed on the course, playing the shots that I’m visualising and scoring some low numbers. Certainly there are a lot a fine players to compete against, but I know a win is not far away and I’ll take each match here as it comes and see how it goes.”
With Scott Arnold, New Zealand’s Ryan Fox, both on the back of fine performances at Riversdale, nipping at Beckmann’s heels not to mention the talents of Jason Scrivener, Matt Jager, Bryden MacPherson and Daniel Nisbet, all quietly going about their own business and staying inside the sought after top-32, this Australian Amateur is shaping up nicely to become one of the fiercest competing championships in some time.
The 36-hole cut of top 72 players and ties came in at 146 with Rhys McGovern, Justin Roach, Ray Beaufils, New Zealand’s James Hamilton and Ryan McCarthy, all eliminated from the championship.
