Practice makes Percy perfect at QLD PGA

BY Bruce Young | Von Nida Tour | 2006 Queensland PGA | Round Three | 04 Nov 2006

A practice round with Peter Senior three weeks ago has made all the difference for Victorian Cameron Percy and his results since indicate that he is a quick learner. Percy was keen to learn from one of Australia’s most experienced golfers and Senior, as always, was quick to help a player looking to improve.

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Cameron Percy Interview

“A couple of things Peter said to me really made a lot of sense,” said Percy after reeling off a third round of seven under par 64 to grab the 54 hole lead at this week’s Greater Building Society Queensland PGA Championship at Emerald Lakes on the Gold Coast by two shots at 14 under.

“I observed Peter during our round together and asked him for his thoughts on preparation for an event. He emphasised the need to be aware of not only where to hit but importantly where not to hit it and to think about where it would be easiest to get up and down from if I missed a green. He also talked about the importance of writing down notes in our yardage books and over the past few weeks, even though the books we buy each week are full of information, I have been taking more notes on where the breaks are in the greens and additional distances over bunkers and the like.”

Clearly it is all paying dividends for the 32-year-old Percy. His playoff victory over Marc Leishman at the Minniecon and Burke Queensland Masters two weeks ago and now this impressive third round of 64 have now placed him within striking distance of the Von Nida Tour Order or Merit lead. A win this week would take him within $12,000 of the current leader, Marc Leishman, and with the New South Wales Open next week in Sydney yet to come, the chance to perhaps take out the Von Nida Tour’s Order of Merit title. If that were to happen then he is guaranteed a start at the rich HSBC Championship in China in 2007 but clearly there is a lot of work ahead yet before all that can happen.

Percy was playing the Nationwide Tour earlier this year where he struggled in the few events he played. With the birth of his first born Liam imminent he returned to Australia and took nearly four months off before returning to play in the Von Nida Tour events in North Queensland.

“It was pretty wet out there today,” added Percy, referring to the showers that persisted for much of the day. “I had no caddy early on and was wondering how I would get through the day. My playing partner, Ray Beaufils, had his dad who is also called ’Ray’ walking with him and he came and caddied for me and I made two quick birdies so we were both looking like geniuses,” joked Percy. “It was wet but humid and you needed to be very aware of the flyers out there,” he added referring to the danger of water getting between the club and the ball at impact.

“I made the turn in three under and then birdied four in a row from the 12th to the 15th. I had also missed six or seven footers on the 9th, 10th and 11th but, having said that, I got a couple coming in so it was nice.”

Percy was playing three groups ahead of the final group which included the third round leader, Brad Kennedy, Aaron Townsend and Michael Curtain. Kennedy bogeyed the fourth hole to slip back behind the lead then held by Curtain. Curtain bogeyed the par three fifth, after finding the bunker, but when he hit a magnificent second to the par five sixth, the Victorian converted his eagle putt from less than a metre and stood at 13 under and two ahead of the pack. A missed opportunity at the 7th and soft bogeys at the 10th and 11th seemed to derail Curtain somewhat and he would eventually finish at ten under and four behind Percy.

Well ahead the Victorian Jason Norris was staking his claim for the lead and when he holed his second at the 15th from 100 metres he had it at 13 under. But things quickly came unstuck for him.

“After slam dunking that shot at the 15th I missed a one foot putt at the 16th and dropped another at the 17th after hitting a poor chip,” said a disappointed Norris after the round but he has found form in the last week or so.

“I started playing well last week and then had 62 in the practice round here on Tuesday and had 59 in the pro am at the Villa on Wednesday. I am looking forward to tomorrow,” said Norris. Norris is three behind in a large group at 11 under who share third place.

Late in the day Aaron Townsend took a share of second place after 54 holes when he finished at 12 under and two behind. Townsend has just returned from an unsuccessful tilt at USPGA Tour qualifying but has fond memories of this course having finished runner up to Davis Diaz here in 2003 after a playoff. He reached twelve under after a birdie at the 9th but a dropped shot at the 11th before a birdie at he 13th had him back at 12 under and Percy’s closest rival at this stage.

There is a large group of seven players at eleven under and three behind Percy’s lead including Queenslander Henry Epstein, the aforementioned Norris, South Australian left hander Shane Baxter, Yamba’s Michael Brennan, who recently finished runner up to Marc Leishman in Cairns, Victorians Ben Bunny and Jason Dawes and first round leader Marcus Cain all of whom are clearly not yet out of it.

The final round will once again start early tomorrow with the final group due to tee off at 8.45 am.

Highlights of the final day will be shown on the PGA Golf Show on Fox Sports on Tuesday evening.

Photo – Anthony Powter