Congested leaderboard at QLD PGA

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

Following the hot scoring of the morning at the Greater Building Society 2005 Queensland PGA Championship at Emerald Lakes on the Gold Coast today, the afternoon field had a big job ahead to match the outstanding level of those off early but they were equal to the task.

West Australian Shaun Harmer’s morning round of 63 was matched in the afternoon by Scott Gardiner, David Brockie and late in the day by David Diaz and Michael Wright, but many others came close in what was a brilliant opening day of scoring on a golf course and in conditions course set up for low numbers.

The first of the afternoon rounds of 63 came from the Redcliffe professional David Brockie, who has battled his game for much of the year but a decision to start working with Hyatt Regency Coolum teaching professional Peter Heiniger appears to have paid dividends. “I feel I am playing a lot better now and this is the result of a lot of work with Peter,” said Brockie. The highlight of the 31-year-old’s round came at the par five 14th when a five iron to the par five came to rest five metres from the hole and the resulting eagle saw him move into contention.

Gardiner has returned from playing twenty events on the Nationwide Tour in 2005 where he was inconsistent but had the occasional good finish. He was third at the Xerox Classic and 5th at the Knoxville Open but even allowing for that he was not able to retain full status for the Nationwide Tour. He is still considering the possibility of heading to the US next week for stage two of the Tour School. He paid thanks to his coach, Gary Edwin, who he is seeing once again after a break and said that his wedge game was his strength today. He fired up on the back nine with eagles on his 13th and 16th holes to surge towards the lead.

Late in the day the 2003 Queensland PGA Champions David Diaz recorded 63. Diaz played well in Ipswich last week when third behind Brad McIntosh. He played the Open Championship at St Andrews this year and gained much publicity when he sold the opportunity to caddy for him in that event on ebay for A$20,000 but he lasted only thirty six holes. Immediately after that he headed to the US and played well. He finished runner up in a Hooters event in Arkansas and since then has continued to play well including his third placing last week.

Michael Wright, yet another Queenslander, was one of the last to finish today and his 63 had him in the clubhouse as joint leader. Earlier this year Wright won the Toyota Southern Classic and is currently 9th on the Von Nida Tour money list.

So congested is the leaderboard that twenty three players are within two shots of the lead.

One shot behind the leaders are Nick Teague, Josh Lane, Stuart Cartwright, Neven Basic, Adam Bland and Peter Harrington. Another eleven players are at 6 under.

Peter Senior had two under 69, which must have felt like 75 on day of such low scoring.

Defending champion Kurt Barnes had a most disappointing start, recording an opening round of 76 and his chances of even being around at the weekend are all but gone.

Recent winners on the Von Nida Tour, Brad McIntosh and Nick Flanagan went around in 66 in the afternoon and look threatening.

The leading amateur is Jason Day whose opening round of 65 has him within two of the lead and one ahead of Justin Maker in the amateur ranks.

With the top fifty making the cut tomorrow night, the magic number already looks as if it will be around the five under mark.

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