Bunker bounce gives Green an albatross

‘I didn’t think it was in the hole or anything ... but that’s unbelievable.’

IT took just one hole to prove gun golfer Richard Green had brought his A-game to Thirteenth Beach for this year’s Vic Open.

The 43-year-old, with a touch of lady luck, nailed an ace on the 280m par four 15th during a Pro-Am round on the Beach course yesterday.

Looking bunker bound, the ball took a devilish right-angled bounce out of the sand and straight into the hole.

“I saw the tee was up and I thought ‘gee that’s pretty generous’. My drive was on the left hand side and deadset in the bunker. It’s obviously come out and gone in,” Green said.

“I couldn’t see it, but we BEN Eccles knows golf is a game of percentages.

And the emerging Torquay talent hopes the little one-percenters can add up and put him in contention at the Vic Open, which starts today at Thirteenth Beach.

“I have played both (Beach and Creek) courses countless times and I’d like to think I’d have a little edge over the field,” Eccles said.

“One-percenters here and there you can gain on the field are always going to help and hopefully I am standing in contention on Sunday.

“With the extra local knowledge it will hold me in good stead against the other guys.”

Eccles said he preferred the Beach course over the Creek course. And that could become another advantage if he makes it through to the final round on the Beach course.

“It’s a bit of a tougher test and it can throw out some high numbers on some holes,” he said. “If you play really well around there you could have a good number.”

Eccles has enjoyed a blistering start to 2015, making the round of heard sort of a bit of noise up here and someone was cheering.

“I didn’t think it was in the hole or anything ... but that’s unbelievable.”

It was the first time in Green’s illustrious career — which includes a fourth in the 2007 Open Championship — that he has managed to bag an ace on a par four.

“An albatross ... they don’t happen,” he said.

The veteran also admitted 16 at the Australian Amateur Championships.

He also finished in the top three at Royal Melbourne’s Master of the Amateurs.

Those two solid performances have the Torquay Sands golfer confident he can produce another strong performance in the opening round this morning.

“I’m really looking forward to it. Obviously being my home town I will get some local support,” he said.

“My game is in good shape and I’ve had a couple of good results to start the year. I just need to go out there and shoot a couple of good scores and keep my emotions in check and really enjoy it.

“A lot of guys wouldn’t have played since the end of last year so they could be a little bit rusty.”

The Vic Open field is full of quality and Eccles knows he can’t afford to have a bad round.

If he does, the likes of Richard Green, Matthew Griffin, Nick Cullen and Andrew Bland can quickly become very difficult to catch.

“It’s one of those tournaments where you need to play all week to be in contention. There are just so many good guys playing and obviously they have been around the traps for a long time,” he said. “Everyone is fighting for the one thing out there and they are all very good players.

“I just need to make as many birdies and as few mistakes as possible.” he’d kept that luck for when it counted in the Vic Open.

Green only arrived in the country earlier this week after finishing T38 at the Qatar Masters in Doha.

Green ($13) is outright favourite with BetEasy for this year’s Vic Open, while 2014 champion Matthew Griffin is $15 second favourite.

But moves have been for those at odds, with punters coming for Adam Bland ($29), Daniel Popovic ($401) and Nathan Green ($51). On the women’s side of the draw Beth Allen and Nikki Campbell share $11 favouritism for the tournament.

Holly Clyburn ($15) and Tamie Durden ($51) have been well supported in early markets.

Griffin said Green was the one to beat heading into the opening round.

“He seems to be in good form in Europe to start the year,” Griffin said.

“Peter Lonard has got a lot of experience, Nick Cullen had a good win last year (in the Australian Masters) and there are a lot of good guys coming through, so I think it will be a tight, tight contest.”