Nisbet makes it three in a row at QLD Am

BY Anthony Powter | Queensland Mens Tour | 2009 Queensland Amateur Championship | Grand Final | 08 May 2009

Daniel Nisbet has claimed the Queensland Men’s Amateur Championship this afternoon at Nudgee Golf Club with a 4&2 win over Cameron Smith.

It was Nisbet’s third win from as many starts, after collecting the Queensland Men’s Amateur Stroke Medal last Saturday with an impressive nine stroke win and last month securing a wire-to-wire victory at the 2009 Golf SA Amateur Classic to claim his maiden National Trial event title there.

Nisbet dominated today’s final, at one stage moving to be 6-up after the opening ten holes, and never relinquished his strangle hold on the lead.

“I managed to put six birdies on the card in ten holes,” said Nisbet, 18.

“That got me off the start that I wanted and it was just good to keep it going and get another result on the board.”

Nisbet’s game during the last few month’s has displayed pure consistency, as he continues to record four solid rounds in tournament play. The mistakes have been kept to a minimum and Nisbet has also ensured the putts have dropped at the right time and the results are speaking for themselves.

“I said back at Adelaide that all I was focusing upon was to put four solid rounds together in a tournament,” said Nisbet following this afternoon’s win.

“I was able to do that at the SA Classic and then again at Pacific Harbour with winning the stroke title.”

Nisbet consistency has certainly been a factor as he’s contended in every event he’s entered this Australian summer, with six top-10 finishes from eight starts, he toppled the number 1 seed at the Australian Amateur, Bryden Macpherson, on the 19th to then go onto make the top-16.

“At the beginning of the season all I was aiming to do was win one main title, but I’ll take all I can get now and are really looking forward to the UK and US over the next few months.”

With a schedule that has Nisbet playing the Scottish Amateur, St Andrews Links in the UK and then three US events with the Sahalee Players, Players Amateur and Porter Cup, he remains confident that results will follow overseas like they have been locally.

“It’s my first trip to the UK,” says Nisbet.

“I know the courses are different and that will present a unique challenge, yet I feel my game is ready. I cannot wait to return either to play at Sahalee in the US, as that one tough tournament.”

Keeping in perspective this overseas tour will be Nisbet’s first main hit out in the major international amateur ranks since progressing from the junior scene, where Nisbet won virtually everything that there’s to win in Australia, he now has the amateur golfing world currently at his feet.

Nisbet’s junior achievements include winning the 2008 Australian Junior Championship, the Gary Player Classic, Jack Newton International, Tasmanian Junior, the Aaron Baddeley World Final in China and being twice winner of the Australian Junior Order of Merit.

Change is something Nisbet is not afraid to experience. He’s moved to be based in Victoria to train and compete locally for Victoria Golf Club on courses different to what he’s grown up on in Queensland.

The strategy is obviously working, Nisbet’s game has become more rounded and his consistency has improved. Europe and the US now await, but before then there’s one last Australian amateur tournament, the Keperra Bowl.

Three wins from three starts is certainly not bad and next week at Keperra, Nisbet will be looking to make it four from four.

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