Usual names dominate early Masters leaderboard
IN: News | Australasian PGA | MasterCard Masters (2005) | Round One | by Bruce Young | 08 Dec 2005
Gentle breezes and fine overhead conditions greeted players on day one of the MasterCard Masters but it would be the soft underfoot conditions that would be the key to a run of good scoring amongst the early starters. Rain, which had fallen on Tuesday, had softened the course. By mid morning however the breeze had become a wind and while not strong by any stretch of the imagination, it was becoming enough to impact on shot and club selection.
Robert Allenby has been at the centre of much of the pre-tournament publicity this week as he seeks to become the first golfer to win Australian golf's triple-crown in the one season. He made a dream start when he eagled his first hole of the day (the tenth). He followed that up with a birdie at his fifth hole and he was again leading an Australasian Tour event. Paul Sheehan, Nick O'Hern and John Senden, all of whom have played well in recent events here, joined him at three under before O'Hern and then Senden broke the deadlock with birdies to move to four under.
O'Hern birdied his 12th hole to become the first player to reach five under and he had moved two clear of a pack which at that stage included Allenby, Senden, Sheehan, David McKenzie, and Scott Laycock. McKenzie was of course runner up here last year after a losing a playoff to Richard Green. Now, with a USPGA Tour card in his pocket, he arrives this week a more credentialed and experienced player than he was at this time last year.
Sheehan played last week in Japan after his fine effort at the Australian Open when runner up to Allenby and so the current form players in Australian golf were already rising to the top. Scott Laycock has been back playing in Japan this year after an unsuccessful season on the USPGA Tour in 2004. Peter O'Malley joined the group at three under when he birdied the fourth hole. O'Malley finished well last week at the PGA and now finds himself on a leaderboard at an Australian event.
Andrew Dodt, the Queensland amateur, became the talking point of the morning when he aced the 172 metre third hole with a five iron and then added a birdie at the eighth. Dodt made the Australian Four Nations team this year and has made rapid strides in his amateur career in the past twelve months. He was at three under and in a share of second with his birdie at the eighth.
As 11:00am came and went on day one there was already an indication that this would be a day where the usual suspects and the occasional interloper would share the top of the leaderboard.
Photo - Anthony Powter
