Drama-packed day at PGA
JAKE McLeod found a spot of calm on a dramatic day to continue his hot November run on the Gold Coast.
The Townsville product set the early pace at the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Pines yesterday, moving to four-under after six holes before finishing with a bogey-free, six-under round of 66.
Matt Jager paired two eagles with two birdies to join McLeod as overnight leader, while Dimi Papadatos was the afternoon standout to sit a shot back with South Korea’s Jae-woong Eom.
There was drama elsewhere as Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston admitted he was close to walking off the course before 7am after a
Matt Jager (Aus), Jake McLeod (Aus)
Dim Papadatos (Aus), Jae-Woong Eom (Kor)
Jason Scrivener (Aus), Marc Leishman (Aus), Mathew Goggin (Aus), Adrian Otaegui (Esp), Douglas Klein (Aus) FULL SCORES: Page 36 horror opening three holes. And Brisbane veteran John Senden completed one of the more bizarre rounds after a broken shaft in his driver caused him to have a rare air swing on the ninth tee.
McLeod continued a superb month, the 24-year-old leading the Order of Merit after winning the NSW Open and backing it up with third in the Australian Open.
He said time with a new psychologist had contributed to his run of form and helped him deal with the mental stress that comes with highpressure golf.
“I’m always very nervous on the first tee no matter what it is,” he said. “So just accepting how I’m going to feel … I can’t change my thoughts and stay focused on the shot and have a laugh out there and just get on with it.”
A classy Senden accepted the official’s decision that he had attempted to hit the ball, meaning he left the par-five ninth with a bogey when many others had birdied the hole.
The long-time pro finished his even-par round with a forced smile on his face, a pinched right hand from the club snap and no driver in his bag.
McLeod planned to enjoy a steak and some honeycomb ice cream in Burleigh Heads before returning as the hunted today after big names Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman and Johnston all endured slow starts.
Leishman finished strongly to lurk at four-under in a tie for fifth with Spaniard Adrian Otaegui and veteran Mathew Goggin.
Defending champion Smith had a two-under round, bogeying the last two holes in what he described as a missed opportunity in perfect conditions at Royal Pines. Smith turned at even par before stringing together five birdies in six holes before his deflating finish.
Visibly frustrated as he started his morning with a double-bogey, par and bogey, Johnston recovered tremendously to finish two-under.