Kennedy takes halfway lead at Emerald Lakes

BY iseekgolf.com | Von Nida Tour | 2006 Queensland PGA | Round Two | 03 Nov 2006

32-year-old Gold Coast local, Brad Kennedy, this afternoon took the 36 hole lead at the Greater Building Society Queensland PGA Championship, his round of 65 taking him one shot clear of the early second round leader, Michael Curtain.

Kennedy, who has had a very successful season on the Asian Tour to date in 2006 (he is currently 6th on their Order of Merit), was round in six under 65 to be at 11 under.

“It was probably a similar round to yesterday and to the weekend last week,” said Kennedy after his round. “I found a few keys with my game and with my putter last Sunday and I feel I have hit the ball really well and created a lot of chances this week. There had been some head movement with my putting that I have been working on eliminating and it seems to be falling into place.”

The ’last weekend’ Kennedy was referring to was his playoff loss at the Roadcon Group Queensland Open to Ricky Schmidt. “I was happy with my week last week but not happy with a bad break on the last hole where my tee shot finished in a sand filled divot.” Other than that it was a pretty good week for the man from Sanctuary Cove and he is even better placed to challenge this weekend. He was, after all, forced to shoot 63 last Sunday to get into the playoff. “I made a couple of nice birdies when I needed to and kept the momentum going.”

Kennedy had two very makeable chances at his 16th and 18th holes which he missed and which could have given him a sizable cushion but he will be pleased with the position he finds himself in.

Another thing that has helped Kennedy’s game has been the arrival of his daughter, Tahlia, just a few weeks ago and he suggested that it has changed the way he looks at things.

“I think that has given me a wakeup call as to what golf is all about. Beforehand I was really hard on myself and that didn’t allow the best in me to come out. Now, in order that I can get home to spend time with her, I still practice hard, but structure it so there is more quality time on the range and at home.”

Kennedy has bounced back from a situation twelve months ago where he had lost his card on three tours and was forced to return to the Asian Tour School where he finished 8th and he was on his way again. His big finish this year came in Singapore where he finished third behind Adam Scott and Ernie Els and in doing so earned US$183,000. It is a far cry from the $16,000 he will win if he is able to go on with it this weekend but the victory will be equally as important. He has not previously won a four round event in his professional career, other than a trainee championship and when he was medalist at the Australasian Tour School. He has however finished third in the lucrative Singapore event and finished runner up at the jointly sanctioned European and Asian Tour event, the Malayasian Open in 2003 and 2004. With that sort of experience behind him he will be hard to beat this weekend.

27-year-old Victorian golfer, Michael Curtain, who is one behind the leader along with New South Wales golfer, Aaron Townsend, is on a roller coaster ride after a recent decision to make wholesale changes to his life.

Those changes are, more especially, on his fitness and health, the most important being the decision to give up smoking. "It is hard, he said after the round. “I want to lick the patch at times,” he said jokingly referring to the patches he is wearing to assist the withdrawal process. “It was just something I had to do for the sake of my health and fitness in addition to the fact that it is not a good look for professional golfer. I have also lost about five kilos and am feeling a lot better in that regard.”

“I have my girlfriend Hayley up here this week caddying for me which has been nice. I have been working hard on my game in recent times trying to work harder and smarter with a special emphasis on my putting and it seems to be working. I took last week off after a good finish in Cairns two weeks earlier and went back home to continue to work further on things.”

Townsend finished runner up in this event at this venue in 2003 when beaten in a playoff by David Diaz. He has just returned from the USPGA Tour School last week in Nevada where things did not go well but he seems to be happy with the form he has found on a golf course that clearly he enjoys playing. “I double bogeyed the 6th hole after putting two in the water but then seemed to be spurred on by that,” he said. I made a good par save at the 7th and the birdied the 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 13th, 14th and 16th.

The 25-year-old Townsend played a couple of events on the European Challenge Tour this year but other than that has been preparing for his attempt to get to the USPGA Tour. He has a chance this weekend to continue his love affair with Emerald Lakes.

At 9 under and just two behind are Peter Senior and Gavin Hills who were two of the early leaders yesterday and Grafton’s Michael Brennan. Senior was disappointed with what had been a bad day on the greens. "I was two over early and struggled my way round but it was not a good day, said Senior later. He is though only two from the lead and it’s a fair bet to suggest that those around him will be watching him tomorrow more than he will be watching them.

Brennan led everywhere but at the finish in Cairns recently and will be better for the experience. He was run down by a very good player there in Marc Leishman but he has his chance to make amends this week.

Hills has done well to stay in touch following up his opening round heroics of 64 with a round of 70 today. He joined Curtain in the lead through the middle of his round but dropped a shot at the 16th hole.

At 8 under are first round leader Marcus Cain, Ben Bunny, Ken Druce and Henry Epstein.

With the prospect of a family fun day on Saturday afternoon as part of the Greater Building Society Queensland PGA’s week of entertainment, the tees times tomorrow have been brought forward with the last group to hit off at 8.30am. The 1st and the 10th tees will be used in order to get the field around.

The cut fell at two under 140 with 53 players making it to the weekend.

The third round is expected to finish around 1.00pm and a similar timing again on Sunday.

Highlights of the event will be shown on the Fox Sports PGA Golf Show on Tuesday evening 7th November.