Hayden hits back at Cairns course
Practice makes perfect for emerging Gill
QUEENSLANDER Paul Hayden had waited a year to exact some revenge on Paradise Palms.
A product of the Indooroopilly Golf Club, Hayden played in the first edition of the Cairns Classic about 12 months ago, but could not tell you what he shot that day, just suggesting it was “plenty”.
Hayden received some revenge on the picturesque Far North course over the weekend as he shot a stunning sixunder par 65 to lead by four shots overnight, followed by a 73, to tie with Damien Jordan THAT practice round paid handsomely for Breanna Gill as the Perth-based golfer claimed her first win as a professional yesterday in the Australian Ladies Professional Golf Cairns Classic.
On her first weekend playing at Paradise Palms, Gill won by five shots from Jessica Cowie and Cathryn Bristow.
Gill led overnight on 69, two-under-par, and credited her two solid rounds with a bit for the 2017 Cairns Classic yesterday afternoon.
Jordan, a fellow Queenslander, turned in a consistent of luck on the day before the tournament began.
She took the Red Eye across the country to the Far North and snuck an early round in before the real stuff started. two days, shooting scores of 70 and 68.
“The golf course beat me up last year so it was nice to get a bit of revenge of Paradise Palms on Saturday,” Hayden said. “I cannot remember what I shot last year, it was plenty.
“It was really tricky again on Sunday and I think it won but overall I was happy with the way I played.
“The golf course is a really good test of your game.
“I hit the ball really well off the tee and left my ball in all the right positions.
“My putting didn’t let me down either, with 24 putts one of my best days on the greens in recent times.”
“One of the pros pulled out of the sponsors day on Friday and I was lucky to be on the course and volunteered to play,” Gill said.
“It proved really beneficial to have a look at the course a day before the tournament because there are a few creeks and the greens are very long and narrow.
“I was able to make some decisions on Saturday and Sunday that I would not have known about if I did not have that practice round.
Hayden said he would take a short break before tackling the Rockhampton Pro-Am in July but the Land of the Rising Sun was his ultimate goal.
“I might head back to Japan, the goal is to get on the Japan tour at some stage,” Hayden said. “The prizemoney from the Cairns Classic will hopefully pay for Qualifying school for that.”
In the PGA Legends Tour section of the tournament, Victorian Tim Elliott won by four shots. Mike Zilko led the way in the Legends after firing a 2under par 69, one shot ahead of Elliott and Tod Power after the first round but Elliot shot a 68 yesterday to seal the deal.
“There are plenty of birdies and eagles out there but there is also plenty of disaster.”
With a cold winter coming, Gill will not play many events until September as she spends time working on her game, including a few swing changes.
The tournament was the first time the Cairns Classic had played host to the PGA Legends Tour, PGA Pro-Am Series Sunshine Swing and the ALPG Tour, and with all the professionals vying for their individual titles.