Nisbet widens SA Amateur lead

BY Anthony Powter | Australian Mens Amateur Tour | 2009 Golf SA Amateur Classic | Round Two | 18 Apr 2009

Queensland’s Daniel Nisbet has moved to a five stroke leading margin over Bryden Macpherson and Brady Watt following the second round of the Golf SA Amateur Classic being played at Royal Adelaide.

The former Australian Junior Champion carded a second round 3-under-par 70, to build upon his opening 68 and is currently at 8-under-par. Bryden Macpherson and Brady Watt are Nisbet’s nearest rivals at 3-under in a tie for 2nd, whilst Lachlan Cain and Craig Hancock are in tied 4th at 2-under.

Royal Adelaide, a venue for last year’s World Amateur Teams Championships, is regarded as one of Australia’s hardest layouts and following his second consecutive sub-par round, Nisbet was relieved to have got his tournament off to a solid start.

“To open strongly in these tournaments is something that I’ve been working on with my coach,” remarked Nisbet who is seeking his first National Trial event title this week in Adelaide.

“If I can play four sub-par rounds here, I’ll be happy. That’s the goal and should that win the tournament, it will be a bonus.”

Nisbet’s success over the opening two rounds can primarily be attributed to him being able to keep bogeys off his card.

“I’ve played solid and minimised my mistakes,” he says.

“Over the thirty-six holes, I’ve had probably no more than four bogeys. That’s been the difference to how I’ve been playing the other National Trial events, where I’ve made some stupid mistakes. So far here in Adelaide, I’ve kept the mistakes to a minimum and my score reflects that.”

With a five stroke margin from the rest of the field, Nisbet remains coy yet quietly confident with his chances of winning.

“There’s still a lot of golf left yet, but yes I’m pleased to be were I am and to know the rest in the field need to catch up,” he remarks.

“Things can happen very quickly in a tournament like this and on a layout that’s sure to get tougher as the weekend unfolds and the greens get firmer, anything might happen. We’ve had no real wind so far, so it could get interesting.”

Bryden Macpherson, winner of the 2008 Dunes Medal and the 2009 Australian Amateur Stroke title, believes the tournament is anything but a closed affair.

“The margin can be easily broken down,” he says.

“With two rounds left you can make up three strokes one day and two the next. Dan’s obviously playing well as you do not get that low around Royal Adelaide otherwise. I’ll do my best to catch him and see what unfolds.”

Brady Watt, who is currently in a tie for second with Macpherson, was awarded the Western Australian Golfer of the Year award last December and won the Australian final of the Aaron Baddeley International Junior Championship.

Watt then went onto represent Australia at the Aaron Baddeley International Junior Championship final held in China, where he finished fourth in the international event. He then competed in the Chinese Amateur Open where he finished a respectable 18th.

The 19-year-old is playing his first full season outside the junior ranks and like Nisbet is eager to quickly establish himself in the main amateur events.

The top thirty cut came in at 5-over with both Daniel Beckmann at 2-over and Jordan Sherratt at 4-over, making the weekend but well back in the field.