QLD PGA field responds to perfect early conditions

BY Bruce Young | Von Nida Tour | 2005 Queensland PGA | Round One | 10 Nov 2005

The Greater Building Society Queensland PGA Championship began in sultry and calm conditions today on an immaculately prepared Emerald Lakes Golf Club layout and it was a quasi-West Australian who made the first move on the leaderboard.

23-year-old Shaun Harmer who was originally from Ipswich in Queensland and attended Hills International College in Jimboomba, in the final year of his traineeship at the Royal Fremantle Golf Club south of Perth. He was quickly into stride and by the time he reached the 7th tee of his morning round Harmer stood at five under. He dropped a shot before turning in four under.

Harmer continued on and after making the turn he birdied the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th and 9th to move to eight under before he dropped a shot at the par three 8th hole (his 17th). His tee shot there was a little long and finished alongside a small tree. He was restricted with the type of shot he could play and eventually took bogey.

At his last hole, a short par four, he would bounce back. He hit an iron from the tee and then hit a delightful pitch from 80 metres to less than a metre and holed it for his tenth birdie of the day. His round of 63 was essentially a course record given that the par five second has been converted to a par four. It was the 23-year-old’s best round of his golfing career.

Following his round Harmer expressed his delight with the Emerald Lakes layout especially the greens. “They were a little slower early in the week but you could tell they would get quicker and this morning they were absolutely pure,” he said.

Harmer played at the West Australian PGA where he made the cut but missed the cut at the recent Queensland Masters in Townsville. This is only his third Von Nida Tour event and so to make such a great start is significant so early in his playing career.

Another from the West, Tony McFadyean, was also making an early move. The current leader on the Von Nida Tour Order of Merit, looking to protect his lead in a title that will ensure significant benefits to the winner, moved to three under through six and was chasing his fellow’sandgroper’. McFadyean would eventually finish with three under 68.

Jason Ashcroft was flying the Queensland flag early on when he turned in four under and briefly shared the lead before early leader Harmer moved ahead again with two birdies early in his back nine to take a two shot lead. Ashcroft is from Coomera only twenty minutes or so from this week’s venue. Ashcroft has played well on the Sunshine Tour this year winning four pro am titles and was 5th in the recent Minniecon and Burke Queensland Masters. He would eventually finish with four under 67.

New South Wales professional Josh Lane from the northern suburbs of Sydney and is in his second year as a playing professional after completing his traineeship at the Monash Golf Club had a bogey free 64 today and after a full season of playing the Von Nida Tour he feels his game is starting to take shape late in the season.

“I have been hitting the ball well of late and came in here feeling very good about things,” he said.

Neven Basic is another New South Welshman who also shot 64. Basic finished 11th last week at the Roadcon Queensland Open and appears to be finding his feet in professional golf. Basic played several amateur events in the US last year with his own finances and has had a reasonable start to his professional career on the Von Nida Tour in 2005.

South Australian Adam Bland provided a little bit of geographical balance to the leaderboard when he recorded a seven birdie, no bogey round. It was a timely performance as he chases McFadyean’s current lead on the Von Nida Tour Order of Merit. Bland is currently in second place on the money list and a good week could well set him up for that significant title early in his career. Bland turned professional early this year and has already won on the Von Nida Tour when taking out the West Australian PGA Championship.

The good news for the locals was the performance of Emerald Lakes’ trainee professional, 21 year old, Nick Teague. Earlier this year Teague recorded a mind boggling 59 at Emerald Lakes and in this same event last year he finished in 10th place. Teague has more natural talent and ability than most and given a work ethic to match, he could be anything he wants.

Playing with Teague was 29-year old English professional Stuart Cartwright, who after initially seeking an invite to play the event, was forced to qualify which he did. His opening round of 64 perhaps justifies his request but these are early days yet. Cartwright played the Euro Tour and recently suffered a car accident just prior to stage one of the European Tour’s Qualifying School. He has spent time of late working with Victorian coach Steve Bann.

Another Queenslander to record a seven under 64 was Peter Harrington, the professional at the Burleigh Driving Range.

The afternoon field head out with quite a target to chase.