Darkness delays PGA on day two
BY Bruce Young | Australasian PGA Tour | 2008 Australian PGA Championship | Round Two | 05 Dec 2008
The status quo remained all afternoon at the Australian PGA Championship, the leaders at the end of the morning’s play still atop the leaderboard as darkness closed in on the final few players on the course.
Mathew Goggin and Jarrod Lyle lead the way at 9 under one shot ahead of Paul Sheehan while six players are at 7 under in a share of fourth. Peter Wilson, Michael Curtain, David Lutterus, Wayne Perske, Peter Senior and Rod Pampling are all within two of the lead so once again Hyatt Regency Coolum is living up to its reputation of being a golf course regularly producing congested leaderboards.
There were very few scores under 70 in the afternoon field on day two, highlighting that those playing late on day one and early on day two had a distinct advantage. That of course is tournament golf but the scoreboard confirms that story.
It was an anxious time as players tried to avoid the need to return on Saturday morning to complete round two but in the end there were six groups still stranded when play was agonisingly called at 6.27pm. Play will recommence in the morning at 7.15am with 18 players still to complete their rounds.
The cut appears as if it will fall at even par although those still on the golf course could still potentially move that to 1 under.
The most notable casualties were the defending champion, Peter Lonard, whose putting woes continued and John Daly, who was unable to birdie the last and keep the hopes of weekend golf fans and the tournament organiser alive. For Lonard it was one of the few times he has missed the cut in Australia in recent years, the only other time in recent memory being when he failed to make the weekend at the 2006 Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth.
Of those who finished in the last few groups, New Zealander Richard Lee will be buoyed by his two consecutive birdies in fading light at the final two holes to finish with a round of 71 and at 6 under he is well positioned.
