Ponting expected to shine at Queenstown
RICKY PONTING will be one to watch on the leaderboards of the New Zealand Open in Queenstown.
One of the greatest cricketers of all time, Ponting, the star amateur attraction for the national pro-am golf tournament, also possesses a professional-quality golf swing.
While reports of Ponting attempting to join a professional senior tour are inaccurate, the +1 handicapper (one stroke better than a ‘‘scratch’’ player) is highly accomplished on the greens and could well outperform some of the professionals at the event starting in 11 days.
Surprisingly, Ponting’s illustrious and lengthy cricket career never took him to Queenstown, but since retiring he’s been able to prepare for his first visit.
‘‘I’ve been invited for the last four or five years but I’ve been unable to play because it’s been toward the end of the Australian cricket summer or I’ve been away on tour,’’ Ponting told the Sunday Star-Times.
‘‘This is one of the perks of being retired, I’ve been disappointed not to play the last couple of years but jumped when the invite came around this year.
‘‘I try and play a lot of golf, I always have. There’s been stories written about me that once I finished cricket I was going to give professional golf a go, but a lot of those stories were unfounded, they didn’t
When I was playing we always enjoyed the opportunity to play New Zealand, and I’m sure they relish the chance to play Australia as well, in any format Ricky Ponting
have any quotes from me in them. But, I want to be competitive in my life. I need to have some sort of competition.
‘‘My club handicap is +1 at the moment, I’ve been working, trying to keep it intact. I’ve moved to Melbourne now and am in the process of hopefully joining Royal Melbourne – keeping that handicap up around there is going to be tough.’’
Partnering 2012 Australian PGA champion Daniel Popovic , Ponting says he’s looking to have fun at the NZ Open, but is nevertheless researching the courses.
‘‘I’ve never been to Queenstown, everyone I speak to raves about it, but I’ve been online and checked the golf courses out.’’