Victory beckons for Darren at Emerald Lakes
BY Bruce Young | Von Nida Tour | 2007 Queensland PGA | Round Two | 02 Nov 2007
As is often the case in tournament golf, many of those players who have done well at the Greater Building Society Queensland PGA Championship at Emerald Lakes Golf Club on the Gold Coast in previous years are again to the fore in 2007. The 36 hole leader, Darren Beck from Narrabeen in Sydney’s northern beaches, is not one of them but there are several stacked up behind the 29-year-old, who have featured in the Queensland PGA Championships at Emerald Lakes previously and may well do so again over the final 36 holes.
Beck has extended his overnight lead, his second round of five under 66 leaving him at 14 under at the half way mark and three ahead of a group of three players at 11 under.
Beck took advantage of a little luck on his closing stretch of holes but clearly he is also in very good form and takes a lead into a Von Nida Tour event’s third round for the second time.
“I led the Queensland Masters in Townsville a couple of years ago after two rounds and eventually finished 8th after making an 8 up the last. I perhaps struggled with nerves then because it was my first time in that position but to be honest I am just happy to have been able to put two good rounds together here and to be in the position I am. I got a lucky break at the par five 4th, which was my 13th hole, as I drove it into the trees left but had a shot and hit an eight iron to four feet and made it for eagle and that was the highlight of my round.”
“I had dropped a shot at my 11th after misjudging the wind and flew the green there and got caught up in the bark and stuff well through the green so it was nice to get it back so quickly. I three putted the 7th (my 16th) but then, after pulling my tee shot at the last, I was still able to get a shot to the flag and although I had a lengthy putt I was able to get a good read from my playing partner, Josh (Lane). I gave it a little more break than I would have it if I had not have seen his putt.”
The birdie moved Beck three ahead of defending champion Cameron Percy, Aaron Townsend and Victorian rookie Raffael Toperoso.
Percy has just returned from Stage One at the USPGA Tour School and will return there next week to attend stage two. Aaron Townsend also graduated to Stage Two last week and will be keen to go one better than his playoff loss to David Diaz in the inaugural staging of this event at Emerald Lakes in 2003 as he prepares to fly back to the USA next week.
Toperoso is in his rookie season and is still in a situation where he has to qualify for Von Nida Tour events.
“I’ve made three of the last four cuts and made nine out of ten fields via qualifying and am beginning to feel more relaxed out here,” said the 26-year-old. The ex-Sanctuary Lakes trainee still works there when not playing and is in his rookie season as a tournament professional.
“I am hoping to perhaps play in Canada next year but am settling into life as a professional and am enjoying getting to know the ropes and gaining acceptance out here.”
The large group at ten under are very much in the hunt and include, amongst others, the very much inform Andrew Bonhomme, recent Von Nida Tour event winner, Paul Donahoo, the 2006 Queensland Open Champion, Ricky Schmidt and the joint runner up in this event last year, Michael Brennan.
The round of the day came from Aaron Black, who played his junior golf at the nearby Robina Woods before attending college in the US at the University of South Carolina. Black recorded a round of 61 and moved from potentially missing the cut after his opening round of 71 to now being in 5th position.
Peter Senior is not yet out of it after a second round of 65 to be in 15th position at 8 under and 6 behind the leader.
The final group in both the third and fourth rounds will tee off at 9.00am Eastern Standard time with play on both days expected to finish at 1.30 pm.
