Blizard remains in touch at Players
IN: News | US Mens Amateur | Players Amateur (2007) | Round Two | by Anthony Powter | 14 Jul 2007
Australian Amateur champion Rohan Blizard followed his opening 66 with a one under 71 to sit within six shots of leader Ricky Fowler, after the American fired an impressive second round 63 to be thirteen under.
New Zealand’s James Gill managed a stroke better than Blizard with a two under 70, which has the New Zealand stroke play champion at eight under and T5. Leigh Deagan is the next best Australian at five under, followed by Tim Stewart who is at four under.
After a year on Belfair’s East Course, the Players Amateur returned to its original home on the West Course. Players who competed last year have remarked that the West is the more difficult of the two layouts and the scores this week back that up.
The players see the West Course at Belfair as being more challenging, a course requiring precision from the tee with the driver and the ability to hold the greens.
Blizard agrees the secret to scoring low this week on the West Course is consistency, both with the driver and the putter, simply because the layout is set up to reward the player who hits the fairways.
“If only my putter was more consistent on these greens,” remarked Blizard, who started his second round slowly, with a three over after the front nine. The Australian Amateur champion was able to get his momentum back on the back nine and came out firing.
“Off the tee you just have to find the short stuff,” were Blizard’s frank remarks about the West Course. “I shot three over for the front, then came back with five birdies on the back which made up for my slow start.”
“The rough is long and if you miss the green, it’s hard to get up and down. I’m finding reading the greens the hardest part this week and my putting stats reflect this.”
Despite the difficulties associated with any wayward drives, Blizard believes a low score can still be posted and with that, the ability to make the margin up from leader Ricky Fowler.
“There’s the ability to go low, no doubt about that, especially on the back nine where the par 5’s are reachable in two. You just need to get the putter going,” said Blizard.
Tim Stewart shares Blizard’s beliefs about being able to score low provided you can stay patient. Stewart’s consecutive rounds of 70, has the British Amateur runner up, at four under for the tournament.
“I played solid again today, no bogeys and I didn’t really ever look like making a bogey either,” remarked Stewart.
“I just have to stay patient and wait for the putts to drop. There is a high level of competition and scoring is very good. I think that if you hit it in the wrong spot on any hole you can make a score, but the last five holes are more intimidating than the rest of the course.”
Defending champion Jonathan Moore, who shot twenty-two under par on the East Course for a one-shot win over Robert Riesen a year ago, is not playing this week. Moore accepted an exemption to play in the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic this week.
Moore’s absence leaves 2005 champion Brian Harman as the only former champ in the field. The timing of this year’s Players Amateur also conflicted with the Nationwide Tour’s Children’s Hospital Invitational, which granted exemptions to the reigning U.S. Amateur and NCAA champions, as well as first-team college All-Americans.
Despite these distractions to the tournament organisers, the field at the Players Amateur still includes many of America’s best amateurs. Rickie Fowler is the current number one American junior and recently won the Sunnehanna Amateur.
Fowler was a quarter finalist in last year’s US Amateur Championships and following his 63 this morning, his Walker Cup selection chances continually improve with each tournament he plays.
As for the Australasian contingent, they’ll continue to challenge, in particular James Gill whose American campaign has already included a number of top ten finishes. If Blizard’s putter begins to behave, he also should challenge, as tomorrow’s third round will split the field and determine the cut for Sunday’s final round.
