Host Green leads NSW Open
BY Anthony Powter | Australasian PGA Tour | 2009 New South Wales Open | Round One | 26 Nov 2009
US PGA Tour player and tournament host, Nathan Green, fired a 7-under-par, 64, to lead by a stroke over James Nitties, Doug Holloway and Heath Reed, following the opening round of the of the NSW Open Championship being played at The Vintage Golf Club in the Hunter Valley.
Green, winner on the PGA Tour this season at the RBC Canadian Open, was able to take hold of The Vintage layout as he fired eight birdies during his opening round, with the only blemish coming on his opening hole with a bogey on the 10th.
There are plenty of challenges for Green, including the inform and fellow Novocastrian, James Nitties, who is off an impressive top-5 finish at The Masters a fortnight ago at Kingston Heath.
Nitties’ opening round was a mixed bag, including an uncharacteristic triple bogey six on the par 3, 8th at the Vintage. After securing his 2010 PGA Tour playing privileges, Nitties is hungry to add the NSW Open title to his Western Australian Open he won last year and is certainly a player to follow as the championship unfolds.
Scott Arnold, another informed player following his runner-up finish last week at the New South Wales PGA in Wollongong, should also not be discounted at this event.
Arnold, who has predominantly focused playing in Europe since turning professional after winning the Australian Amateur last March, opened with a 5-under-par 66 to be in a tie of 5th along with New Zealander, Mark Purser.
Defending champion and winner at the New South Wales PGA last week, Aaron Townsend, opened with a 1-under-par, 70, to find himself in a tie for 27th position, whilst the best of the amateurs was Matt Jager in a tie for 12th, after the 2009 New Zealand Amateur Champion opened with a 3-under-par 68.
