Three way tie early at Kingston Heath
BY Bruce Young | Australasian PGA Tour | 2009 Australian Masters | Round One | 12 Nov 2009
From almost first light they began pouring in the gates at Kingston Heath this morning, the J.B. Were Australian Masters under way for the first time away from its spiritual home of 30 years at the nearby Huntingdale.
By the time Tiger Woods teed it up at 7.30 there was a massive crowd lining the 10th hole (his first of the day) and the short par three 11th, all hoping for a glimpse of Woods’ first shot in anger in Australian golf for 11 years. Admittedly he had played 27 holes in practice and pro-am tune ups but this was the real thing and Melbourne fans were not about to let the chance go by.
Early conditions on day one were simply stunning with temperatures in the early 20’s but expected to reach the early 30’s and not a breath of wind. Kingston Heath was looking immaculate and the air of anticipation could be cut with a knife.
Woods was in cruise control for much of his round, making the turn in an effortless 34 with birdies at both of the par fives. He then picked up another par five birdie at the 1st (his 10th), added another when his approach finished 6 feet from the hole at the 4th, another at the 6th when his three wood finished just short of the green at the short par four, another at the 7th from 20ft after shaping his second over and around the trees to the right of the fairway and made it three in a row when his tee shot at the par three 8th finished 10 feet left of the hole.
Woods’ only real mistake of the day came at the last when he pulled his tee shot into the tee-tree to the left of the fairway and was forced to chip out then scrambled his third on to the green. The bogey dropped him back to 6 under but at that point he led with South African Branden Grace.
Grace is here to salvage his card on the European Tour after what has been an ordinary rookie season there. The 21 year old from Pretoria was able to secure a start in this event due to the limited number of Europeans making the trip and because the leading Europeans are in Hong Kong this week. He has made a dream start as he looks to secure the money he needs to improve form his current 149th on the European Tour money list.
Grace finished with a round of 66 after a late bogey at the 17th hole but he shares the lead after the morning groups had finished the round with none other than Tiger Woods. It might well have been a result he was only dreaming about earlier in the week.
Also at 6 under is the New South Welshman James Nitties who has just completed a successful rookie season on the USPGA Tour. After several years playing mini tours and battling to stay ahead of things monetarily and with illness issues, Nitties is in a good place in his life now. The 27-year-old, who finished runner up at the 2004 Australian PGA Championship in just his fourth event as a professional is now fulfilling much of that promise.
New PGA Tour recruit Cameron Percy, who had plenty of family and friends watching his every move today, is at 5 under along with New Zealander Doug Holloway as the afternoon groups head out onto the course.
