Bland extends lead at JBWere Masters
BY Bruce Young | Australasian PGA Tour | 2010 Australian Masters | Round Three | 13 Nov 2010
On a day when the weather became more the topic of conversation than the golf, South Australian Adam Bland took a two shot lead into round three over New South Welshman Andre Stolz at the JBWere Masters at the Victoria Golf Club. When it was all over, Bland led by three but this time over his fellow first round leader Daniel Gaunt.
Stolz faltered with four birdies in his back nine but a birdie at the last has kept him in touch and at 7 under he is just four back and one behind Gaunt.
Jarrod Lyle finished the day at 5 under and alone in 4th position with Ryan Haller and Stuart Appleby one shot further back in a share of 5th but a massive seven shots behind the leader.
Heavy rain and cold temperatures prevailed for much of the day, the golf course softened by the overnight deluge and having little or no chance to recover as the rain continued into the day.
Bland and Stolz battled for the lead for much of the front nine, the pair drawing level for the first time when Stolz birdied the tough 8th hole before Bland hit a nice pitch to the 9th to make the turn one ahead. Three holes later the difference was three but the gap closed briefly when Bland bogeyed the 13th.
Both would birdie the short par four 15th but when Stolz bogeyed the 16th he fell back into a share of second with Daniel Gaunt who had recovered from a stumble early in his back nine with three consecutive birdies from the 13th. A few minutes later Stolz would also bogey the 17th and Gaunt was alone in second position.
Both Bland and Stolz recorded the almost obligatory birdie at the final hole allowing Bland to move further ahead and Stolz to move closer to Gaunt.
For Bland, his performance this week confirms his recent commitment to enjoy his golf and stay happy on the golf course. "I have been pretty uptight the last three months while I have been playing golf and really hating it out on the golf course.
“I have a good mate of mine caddying for me this week, Jeremy Way, and I told him that I we will talk about golf only when we get to the ball. Other than that we can talk about anything else but golf, whether it is horse racing or AFL, my football team Collingwood – who won this year in case anyone does not know (laughter). I want to try and enjoy being on the golf course instead of getting there, doing my stuff and wanting to get out of the place.”
As for tomorrow Bland is set in his ideas. “I’m not going to do anything stupid. I’m not going to attack where I shouldn’t attack. I’ll just do the same things I’ve done today and hit the same clubs off the tee and go for it when I think I can go it and other times just hit it up there and if you are going to make your bogey then just make your bogey.”
Gaunt was delighted with his score despite the fact that he had not played well. "It’s only the third day of the Masters and you can’t win it, you can’t lose it. You just have to put yourself into a good position. I really struggled with my swing and my game today so to get out of it with three under (68) I am very happy.
“I just have to keep my game plan going and try and hit some fairways instead of trying to hack it out there all the time. If I can start swinging it good early I think I have a really good chance.”
Lyle birdied three of his last six holes to keep his hopes alive of his first win on Australian soil. The Victorian has lost his limited Medical Exemption status on the PGA Tour after finishing 161st on the money list but tomorrow he has the chance to turn around what has been a disappointing year.
Stuart Appleby emerged as a potential threat when he moved to 3 under for the day and five under for the tournament with a birdie at the 14th but a messy double bogey at the par five 17th saw him lose the momentum he was building. He was able to birdie the last to finish at 4 under but the double could prove very costly in the final wash up tomorrow. He was however happy with his position.
“At the start of the week I was not at all impressed with the way I was playing so to have come this far after thinking on Tuesday that if I make the cut I would be happy then it is all upside from here.”
Queenslander Ryan Haller who produced a stunning round of 66 including an eagle at the last from 25 feet to enter into consideration for tomorrow’s final round. Haller played in Japan in 2008 and has recently earned his way to the final stage of qualifying there once again. After surgery earlier in the year he has put together several good finishes in recent weeks in lesser events on Queensland’s Sunshine Tour and recorded a top ten at a recent One Asia Tour event.
The tournament heavyweights probably have too much to do and need a lot of help from those ahead if they are to have any chance. Geoff Ogilvy and Camilo Villegas are nine shots from the lead, Tiger Woods ten shots adrift and Sergio Garcia even further back.
Tomorrow is it is not so much the Tiger show but the chance for couple of unheralded Australians to grab their opportunity to win one of this country’s most significant events. How they handle that pressure will be well worth the admission price alone but there could yet be a twist or two left in the tail of the Tiger and one or two others.
