Sheehan leads by a stroke at QLD Open

BY iseekgolf.com | Australasian PGA Tour | 2002 Queensland Open | Round Three | 02 Nov 2002

Victorian-based Paul Sheehan showed all the fighting spirit of his cricketing namesake to take a one shot lead into the final round of the Queensland Open Golf Championship after averting a potential disaster on the back nine this afternoon.

Sheehan, a 25 year old originally from Coffs Harbour, playing with two of the game’s “golden oldies” Peter Senior and Wayne Grady, confessed to a “brain snap” in the middle of the back nine at Ipswich Golf Club which almost cost him the top spot on the leader board. He had turned with a four under par 32 after the first nine to wipe out Senior’s overnight lead and be three in front, but a bogey five on the easy 14th and a disastrous double bogey on the 16th had him back on equal terms with surprise improver Tony Carolan (Q).

“I was able to get my concentration back and those two birdies on the last two holes really made a difference,” Sheehan said.

Despite his one over par 73 (two birdies, three bogeys), Senior was not totally unhappy with his position of equal sixth on the leader board at nine under par.

“It’s only three the difference and I can make that up in three holes. I played all right but I didn’t hole any putts and I made a few little errors,” Senior said.

Sunshine Coast journeyman Tony Carolan put himself in position for one of his better paydays with a steady four under par 68 that left him outright second on 11 under. Carolan, who usually concentrates on the Queensland “Troppo” tour, has revelled in the typically Queensland conditions at Ipswich to be in the strong position without attracting the public attention he tries to avoid.

Debuntate pro Andrew Buckle put himself in contention at 10 under par with a fast finishing 68, on the back of an eagle and three birdies in the last seven holes. The 20-year-old Queenslander who turned pro on the eve of the Open, distanced himself from a storm of controversy over his management team to post a score he believes puts him in with a chance tomorrow.

“I played here (Ipswich) a month ago to practice for this event and the difference in the greens is amazing. They are very true and they make for good scoring.” Buckle said. Buckle’s score could have been even better after a wedge shot to the green on the 12th lipped out and he had a tap in for an eagle. Buckle said he had been given a friendly welcome by the other professionals in his debut and he was grateful to the PGA for giving him the chance in the professional ranks.

Canberra’s Craig Carmichael, aiming for his fifth successive top 10 finish, followed up his win in the Victorian PGA three weeks ago with a 67 today to be at 10 under and level with Buckle and Victorian Leith Wastle. Carmichael made up for a bogey on the 8th with an eagle two on the 13th, dropping a wedge into the hole from 98m out.

“I seem to do better on the weekends in four day tournaments so I should be able to go on with it,” Carmichael said.

Former Open champion Terry Price moved into a challenging position when he equalled the course record of 66 to share equal sixth spot with Senior and Englishman Matthew Hazelden. Hazelenden, a 32 year old career professional from Surrey, has been in Australia only three weeks as part of a bid to gain an Australian Tour card. He felt “right at home” in the weather conditions at the Victorian Open but said he had come good in the hot conditions in Queensland.

“I love Queensland and I think I can go on with this now,” he said after his 66 today.

Hazelden, Price and David Bransdon (NSW) lifted to eight the number of players who have now equalled the course record in the first three days of the tournament.