Australasian Tour 2010
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BRUCE YOUNG Former Leading Caddy, Course Design Marketer and now Leading Australian Golf Analyst Alistair Presnell’s Australasian Tour record equalling round of 60 to win the Victorian PGA Championship at Sandhurst Club in mid February was a fitting way to bring the golfing HOT SUMMER IN OZ summer of 2009/2010 to a close. resnell was on track to become the first player to break 60 on the APGA Tour when he raced to 11 under Pthrough 13 holes but a short missed birdie putt at the 17th cost him chance to create history. Both Paul Gow (2001) and Ernie Els (2005) had previously shot 60 and Presnell now becomes a member of those who share that milestone. A round of 59 was produced in a Von Nida Tour event in 2005 when Brad McIntosh won the Queensland PGA Championship and Craig Jones had also done so in a Pro Am event in Queensland but to have done so in a PGA Tour event would have been something quite special. While the PGA Tour of Australasia is now played over a calendar year, there is still a perception that the events of late 2009 and early 2010 are one. With the completion of the Victorian PGA Championship at Sandhurst however we must now wait until October for continuation of the 2010 season so perhaps now a chance to look back at the high- lights of these past few months and what we can expect in the coming months. The summer has been made up of three what could be described as mainstream events (The Aus- tralian Masters, Open and PGA Championships), two events co sanctioned with the Nationwide Tour and eight events that have now come under the umbrella of the PGA Tour but are known as Tier two events. If anything it has been the growth in number (eight) of the Tier 2 events that has been a highlight of the summer. All Alistair Presnell nearly prizemoney earned in these ▲ reset the record books. events now counts towards 32 NEW ZEALAND GOLF MAGAZINE MARCH 2010 HOT SUMMER IN OZ pages of words & pictures 12 to pick up your game Coaching pull-out & keep INSIDE 36-37 CHippiNG APPROACH SHOT When chipping, the lower you can keep the ball and Course management is the more the ball is rolling, as opposed to flying a big part of this game; Left: Josh Geary completed an so this month Kevin is outstanding season on through the air, the more control you will have. going to discuss making both sides of the Tasman. the right decision when Far left: The One Asia Tour is playing an approach shot developing throughout the Asia to the green. Pacific region, the game’s popularity in places like China witnessed at the BLAIR CLARK World Cup of Golf last year. Teaching Professional The Golf Warehouse, Ellerslie Racecourse 38-39 021 404065, 09 5222124, [email protected] ▲ CHIPPING YIPS the PGA Tour of Australasia’s late October the tour took in the his way to the PGA Tour. ation of the Nationwide Tour in Chipping yips! Susan gives money list and at a time when WA Open, the WA PGA and the From a New Zealand angle this part of the world. tips on how to avoid this there is considerable pessimism Queensland PGA before the long the performance of Josh Geary The ongoing association or happening to you. and scepticism regarding the awaited arrival of Tiger Woods at was the standout. His runner up otherwise of the Nationwide growth of the professional game the Australian Masters. It would finish at the NZPGA, and his Tour’s now nine year involve- in this region, their success has be the last event for Woods before fourth place at the New Zealand ment in Australasia has perhaps 40-41 offered a ray of hope. his philandering ways became Open were topped off by a very reached crisis point with so many SWING ANALYSIS Further evidence of their success public knowledge but he did not impressive seventh position at the variables and permutations deter- This month Brian is that each (with the exception of let anyone down on the golf course Australian PGA Championship. mining its future. analyses the swing of the NZPGA Championship) has with a classy display to win for the Given that every other player It is clear that a minimum of been covered via a one hour high- first time in Australasia. inside the top ten that week at two events in this part of the 2009 NZ under 23 lights package providing a cost Then it was to the NSW PGA Coolum was either a PGA Tour world will be necessary to encour- Championship winner, effective means of covering events and NSW Open Championships or European Tour player it was a age the Nationwide Tour down Tom Cardno. at this level and offering sponsors before Adam Scott finally won finish that deserved perhaps more here again. That may be easier considerable bang for their buck. at home when he held off Stuart recognition than it received. said than done however with no Not that anyone is going to get Appleby to win the Australian Geary finished fourth on the real guarantee of an event in Aus- 42-43 rich by playing in these events but Open at the magnificent NSW PGA Tour of Australasia’s money tralia to support the New Zealand balancing act the PGA of Australia has fostered Golf Club. To make his first win list, providing a number of op- Open wherever and whenever Marcus takes a look at the growth in these events in order domestically, his own national tions for him in 2010, and more that event itself may be held. how balance affects our to offer a pathway to One Asia. open was a double whammy for importantly 2011, as he will have While Geary’s effort to fin- One Asia, a tour jointly sanc- Scott who has promised so much direct access to the PGA Tour ish fourth on the 2009 Order golf swing. tioned by the PGA of Australia, but delivered so little until now in School final stage later this year. of Merit was the New Zealand the China Golf Association, the his homeland. And so to the Victorian Open, highlight of the summer, the 44-45 Korean Golf Tour and the Korean Then it was to Coolum and the first event of 2010 and the consistency of Mike Hendry was Golf Association now appears the Australian PGA Champion- start of a new Order of Merit. not far behind. Hendry recorded BACK TO TARGET DRILL as if it will contain a minimum of ship where Robert Allenby made The tournament was played at five top-10s in the eight tier two Bob continues his series 11 events in 2010 growing to it two wins in succession after the superb sandbelt layout at events including being third at on useful ways of 15 in 2011. arriving back from his victory at Spring Valley and was won by the WA Open and the Queen- improving your swing Players who might normally the Nedbank Challenge in Jason Norris. sland PGA, fifth at the NSW at home. have little else to do through the South Africa. Two weeks later the New PGA, ninth at the Victorian middle of the year other than play That brought to an end the Zealand PGA Championship Open and 10th at the NZPGA. pro-ams or mini tour events in the 2009 Order of Merit and given at Clearwater was won by New He then finished 10th at the 46 US, will now have a viable alterna- that it was necessary for a mini- South Welshman Mitchell Brown Moonah Classic, finishing off ONE STOP MIRACLE SHOP tive to the Asian, European and mum of four events to have been before that field and more was what was essentially a break- ● Place a towel about 2m on the green directly In this issue and next even the PGA Tours by earning played for a player to be included strengthened with the addition through season for the North in line with the flag. month Vicki discusses access to One Asia events. Each then it was Michael Sim who of the Nationwide Tour players at Harbour professional. ● Hit chip shots landing the ball on the towel. what you can expect will be played for a minimum of topped the list. That completed the New Zealand Open. Michael Long’s share of third ● If the ball is not rolling far enough to get to the hole from visiting a sports US$1 million. The first of those a magnificent year for the West Both the New Zealand Open place at the Australian open be- change to a club with less loft. psychologist. in 2010 is in China beginning on Australian who during an out- and the Moonah Classic were hind Adam Scott should also be ● Is this club a less lofted club than you would ■ April 1. standing Nationwide Tour season won by Americans perhaps pro- considered when assessing New NZ normally use? Is the result more consistent? GM Starting in Western Australia in had won three events and earned viding a lifeline for the continu- Zealand efforts this summer. 34 NEW ZEALAND GOLF MAGAZINE MARCH 2010 NEW ZEALAND GOLF MAGAZINE MARCH 2010 35.