Beck poised for maiden victory
BY Anthony Powter | Von Nida Tour | 2007 New South Wales Open | Round Three | 10 Nov 2007
Darren Beck has a four-shot buffer from Jason Norris moving into the final round of the NSW Open at The Vintage Golf Club and is set for his maiden victory on the Von Nida Tour. Beck is currently at nine-under, after rounds of 66-68-70, whilst Jason Norris is at five-under, after a third round, two-under 69.
Tim Wood holds outright third position at four-under, followed by Neven Basic and Ashley Hall, who are both T5th at three-under.
Ashley Hall has an added motivating factor to perform well at this NSW Open. Hall only arrived back in Australia this week from the Asian Tour to purposely play the last Von Nida Tour event.
Should Hall be able to bridge the six-shot gap tomorrow and win the tournament, he’ll take out the Von Nida Order of Merit from Andrew Bonhomme, who left Thursday for Second Stage US Tour School. The winner of the Order of Merit receives an automatic start in next year’s $US5 million HSBC Tournament and with no cut, a guaranteed minimum $US30,000 pay cheque.
It’s often said the third round is moving day and it certainly was for Adam Porker, who polished off Darren Beck’s course record 66 on Thursday, after he fired a six-under 65, to jump to T6th.
Beck continues to possess a game of deathly precision around the strong layout at The Vintage. It’s twice in as many weeks that Beck being in the breech moving into the final round of the Von Nida Tour event and you now feel that it may be second time lucky for Beck.
“I’m playing well, I must be around thirty-under after seven rounds and I feel my swing is there,” remarked Beck this evening.
“Today was difficult, the greens are soft, but the fairways are soggy with all the rain. Your approach shots here need to be spot on, otherwise you’re left with difficult putts.”
The Vintage certainly is an impressive course that spans itself though the vineyards and many villas that line the fairways. It’s greens are undulating and multi-tiered, the legacy of course designer, Greg Norman who must have been having a bad time with the putter when he was designing the layout. Added to the fact their surface areas are incredibly small, the greens are presenting their own unique challenges at this NSW Open.
“It’s easy to three-putt these greens if your approach is wrong,” commented Neven Basic, who fired a one-under 70, despite a number of three putts in his third round.
Beck also appreciates the challenges with getting a putt to sink on this course.
“The greens are reacting, so you can spin the ball close to the hole,” remarked Beck.
“If your wedges are on you can stick it close and make a score, but there are some real sucker pins out there. I’ve been just playing to centre of the green, where the pins are tough.”
The strategy is obviously working, and you can sense from watching Beck play this afternoon, he is well poised to secure his maiden victory on the Von Nida Tour. He’s relaxed and striking the ball purely.
Irrespective of whether Beck takes the NSW Open title tomorrow evening, he like many others playing this week, head to Asia Tour School in a few weeks full of confidence.
That’s one of the principle purposes of the Von Nida Tour, to provide a pathway for aspiring professionals to gain their confidence. In Beck’s case, the last two week’s have certainly done that and it will be interesting to see if he can get the job done, come tomorrow evening.
