Townsend sets pace at Vic Open
BY iseekgolf.com | Von Nida Tour | 2007 Victorian Open | Round One | 01 Feb 2007
New South Wales Professional Aaron Townsend has maintained his one-stroke lead at the top of the leaderboard as day one of the Vic Open at Woodlands Golf Club winds down.
Out early in benign conditions, Townsend fired seven birdies for a five-under 67, one shot ahead of fellow New South Welshmen Mitchell Tasker and Aron Price, who lead the afternoon challenges.
Townsend, another of Australia’s emerging young professionals, lost to David Diaz in a play-off for the 2003 Queensland PGA and finished runner-up in the same event last year.
After finishing eighth on the 2006 Von Nida Tour Moneylist which included four top-ten finishes, the Newcastle resident is again well placed to challenge for the 2007 Vic Open title.
“The greens were terrific for the first day of a tournament. I putted well, but you have to on any of the Melbourne sand belt courses to score”, said Townsend at the conclusion of his round.
Price, a runner-up in this event in 2006 began where he left of last year and quickly established himself at the top of the leaderboard. Price, who is very fond of the Woodlands layout, echoed the thoughts of most players in saying that “the golf course is in terrific condition”.
Joining Price, is 21-year-old Mitchell Tasker from Tura Beach who finished 2006 as the number one ranked trainee professional in Australian. Tasker had a roller-coaster round that included an amazing nine birdies offset by five bogeys.
Former Australian Open champion Peter Fowler was in contetion with the leaders throughout his round before coming unstuck on the par-three fifth.
A double-bogey saw the 47-year-old drop back to three-under which he maintained through to the completion of his round.
Past Victorian Open champions had a mixed day. Defending champion David Diaz had a day he would rather forget, shooting 78, while 2001 Champion Scott Laycock produced one of the better afternoon scores with three-under.
Of the other notables players, tour veteran Peter Senior sits at one-under, Queensland prodigy Jason Day had even-par, while Victorian State Team member Josh Younger heads the amateur contingent with a three-under 69.
Source – PGA Australia
