Fox on a run — Kiwi shot off pace at Australian Open
Kiwi Ryan Fox is one shot off the lead after the second round of the Australian Open at Royal Sydney yesterday.
Newcastle battler James Nitties emerged from the golfing wilderness to snare the halfway lead with a spectacular homeward- nine 29 in a sevenunder 65 to burst from the pack with the day’s equal- low round.
The Dallas- based 34- year- old i s nine under for the championship and one stroke ahead of Fox, who recorded a second 68.
US- based Lismore product Rhein Gibson had enjoyed the clubhouse lead all afternoon until Fox birdied the last hole, then Nitties leapfrogged the son of All Blacks legend Grant Fox with his own finishing flurry.
Aussie ace Adam Scott is lurking ominously three shots back in a fiveway share of fourth place after carding a seven- birdie, one- eagle 65 in the perfect morning scoring conditions to match Nitties’ fine round.
The former world No 1 has company on six under with first- round coleader Curtis Luck, the steely 20- yearold amateur who recovered from four dropped shots mid- round to shoot a respectable 71.
In- form veteran Rod Pampling ( 67), big- hitting Todd Sinnott ( 68) and exciting 20 - year- old Lucas Herbert ( 71) are also at six under at Royal Sydney.
American two- time major champion Jordan Spieth is well poised a further shot back after a round of 70 undermined by a double bogey on the par- four 15th hole.
Earlier, Australian golfer Peter Senior, a winner of more than 30 tournaments worldwide, announced his retirement after a hip injury forced him to withdraw during the second round.
The 57- year- old Senior — a t wotime Australian Open champion — limped from the Royal Sydney Golf Club course after only six holes in his second round and told said he was re- tiring, effective immediately. “It’s just horrendous. I can’t hit a golf shot out there,” Senior said. “It’s no good me being out there annoying the other guys because they’re playing pretty well so this is it for me. I’m not playing any more golf.”
He said he suffered the injury while playing in last week’s New South Wales Open.
“I battled through the tournament last week, didn’t do much practice on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, played the pro- am,” Senior said. “It’s a tough pill to swallow.
“The last two years I’ve had that many injuries. I’m just sick of it. It’s a game you can’t play with injuries.
“I’ve had a great run, a great career. I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. People have been fantastic [ but] you just can’t play like that.”
Senior had intended to retire at the end of the year.
Senior became the oldest player to win the Australian Open when he claimed the title for the second time in 2012. He was still at the top of his game last year when he won the Australian Masters for the fourth time, becoming the oldest player to do so at the age of 56.
Senior played professionally for 38 years, winning tournaments on the European, Japan and Australasian tours.