Nisbet leads Holman and Schneider
BY Bruce Young | Australian Mens Amateur Tour | 2012 Lake Macquarie Amateur | Round Two | 27 Jan 2012
At the halfway mark of the Greater Building Society’s Lake Macquarie International Amateur Championship Queensland golfer, Daniel Nisbet, leads the way, but, with the recent Australian Masters of the Amateur winner and last week’s Australian Amateur Champion breathing down his neck, the weekend at the Belmont Golf Club near Newcastle promises to be a hard fought affair.
Nisbet added a second round of 68 to his opening 65 and, at 11 under par, leads by one over Holman and Schneider with all three players taking advantage of the near perfect morning conditions on day two of the now iconic event in Australian amateur golf.
Local golfer, Callen O’Reilly, and South Australia’s talented junior, Anthony Murdaca, are two shots further back in a share of 4th.
Despite persistent rain to the north and south of the Newcastle region, the tournament has been blessed with simply stunning weather on the opening two days, warm, humid and relatively calm conditions, especially for the morning field, greeting the line-up of leading amateurs.
The breezes did strengthen a little for the afternoon field today and turned a little more to the south east than was the case in the morning although several from the afternoon field were able to make progress including Sydney’s Theodore Coroneo whose round of 65 was the best of the day by two. Coroneo improved 75 positons to 12th with his impressive round.
Nisbet, Holman and Schneider played early today and all three impressed, continuing what has been a great run for the trio in recent weeks. Nisbet has been runner-up at the Master of the Amateurs at Royal Melbourne and at the Australian Amateur Championship, Holman won the Master of the Amateurs and Schneider is the Australian Match Play Champion with Nisbet and Holman in particular appearing set for good professional careers when the time comes.
“It’s been a lot of hard work and a lot of determination has allowed me to put a couple of good results on the board and it would be nice to have a win,” said Nisbet referring to his current form.
“I am striking the ball very well although match play is a different game and this is a completely different course but you have still got to hit the ball on the greens and get the ball in the hole. I was doing that last week so I was hoping to take a few days off and then carry on with it this week.”
Nisbet is targeting a professional career at the end of 2012 hopefully after the Eisenhower if he ends up making that team. “It would be great to have on my resume but I am going to do my own thing for the next six months and if I am good enough to get selected then I get selected.
“Professional golf is my goal at the end of 2012 so I’ve just got to find the right tour and get a card when the time comes.”
The cut fell at 3 over, 89 players making it into the weekend field with play getting underway at 7.00am and the leading three players teeing off at 11.21.
For the leading scores click here
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