A relaxed Boo Weekley (right) Tuesday night at the annual PGA of Australia dinner with mate Steven Bowditch (center) and defending champion Adam Scott (left).

Boo Weekley is playing in his third tournament Down Under and fired a 6-under 66 to take a two-stroke lead in the rain-shortened first round of the 2014 Australian PGA Championship. Half of the 156-player field, everyone in the morning wave, finished their round. Queenslander and World No. 3 Adam Scott, along with five other early risers, posted 4-under 68s. Three weeks ago Boo placed T15, five strokes back of Australian Masters Champion Nick Cullen down in Melbourne at the Metropolitan Golf Club. Two weeks ago he finished T15, fifteen strokes behind fellow American and Australian Open Champion Jordan Spieth who ran away from the field with a Sunday 63 to win by six strokes at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney.

Everyone in the afternoon pairings played at least six holes with Jin Jeong (4-under through 12 holes) and Tom Bond (4-under through 9 holes) leading the pack. With Queensland not on daylight savings, the sun will rise at 4:43 am and play will resume at 5:30 am. The sun will set at 6:35 pm with the long days of summer in effect Down Under.

American Scott Stallings, said in his media interview on Monday that he was originally schedule to play in the first two Australian events but hurt his back in a fluke incident slipping on some ice on the driving range in China. He opened with an even-par 72.

Boo holed a 146-yard 8-iron on the 379-meter par-4 17th hole, his eighth of the day, for an eagle 2 to go along with five birdies and a lone bogey on the 13th hole. After taking a week off to see the sights in Australia with his good mate and Round 1 & 2 playing partner Steven Bowditch (shot 75), Boo came back to the golf course with his usual happy-go-lucky attitude.

“Every day I might not have my best game,” Boo pointed out in his post-round interview, “but at least every day I’m thankful that I’m able to play this game and play at the level I play it.” And it looks like his game is following his positive attitude: “It felt like it all came together today. Like I said, the first week I didn’t make no putts, hit it pretty solid, just didn’t make no putts and the next week made some putts but to me didn’t hit my irons as well, you know what I mean? So now today it was kind of like they both came together. I made the putts and hit the irons pretty good.”

“If I win (I win, if I don’t, I don’t but my goal was to come over here and every event I played in was to just to top 20. I’m going to head back (home to Florida on) Monday. I got a hunting trip lined up as soon as I get back home, so it’s kind of cutting in on my hunting back home.”

Fun time hanging with Boo after the dinner on Tuesday night. Everyone loves Boo and Boo loves everyone too. Definitely got some Boos during the night.

Boo’s relaxed demeanor and seemingly in-the-moment focus is reminiscent of when he won back-to-back Heritages at Hilton Head in 2007 and 2008 and then helped the United States Ryder Cup team ride (on his driver off the first tee) to victory at Valhalla later in 2008. His most recent win was in May 2013 at Colonial CC in Fort Worth, Texas.  His wide-eyed first visit Down Under and a victory this week in the Australian PGA Championship  would duplicate what Spieth accomplished in this golfing country’s national Open.

Let’s hope the weather cooperates and the golf-about continues and concludes on Sunday so Boo can go home and start hunting on Monday!

http://www.andygolftraveldiary.com/day-41-dinner-with-the-…/ Arrived on the Gold Coast for the Australian PGA Championship at the RACV Royal Pines Resort… dinner with the stars tonight…   (Facebook Post 1 Pic, Andy Reistetter, 12/9/14)

Everyone going PURPLE for pancreatic cancer today at the Australian PGA Championship for the Avner Nahmani Pancreatic Cancer Foundation… inspirational comments by Avner’s widow Caroline at Tuesday night’s PGA Dinner (with MC Richard Champion)… with my best mates Kathie & Martin… heading out to watch the golf… Graham Marsh’s redesign of the front nine has been a big hit here at RACV Royal Pines Resort! Has been a whirlwind week since I left Sydney here on the Sunshine & Gold Coasts! http://www.andygolftraveldiary.com/journey-to-australia/   (Facebook Post 2 Pics, Andy Reistetter, 12/11/14)

Australian PGA Championship underway at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast…   (Facebook Link, Andy Reistetter, 12/11/14)

Jordan Spieth won his first professional tournament last year in the USA and won his second in Australia in 2014.

The young man, who came to the golfing world officially at age 16 at the Nelson in 2010, said a low round on Sunday couldn’t be done, and then he went out and did it in American style, shooting a course record 8-under 63. Lone American amongst the top 15 golfers teeing off at The Australian Golf Club in the National Open of a great golfing island continent country, he birdied the second, then three in a row starting at No. 5 and then sprinted to the title birdieing four of the last five holes and winning by six strokes. Brett Rumford, tied with Spieth and Greg Chalmers to start the final round, matched those three consecutive birdies but could not keep up the pace to the clubhouse and shot a 70 to finish solo third. Chalmers started with a birdie and had two others that were negated with three bogeys. The lefty shot 71 and finished  in fourth place. Rod Pampling birdied five of the last six to shoot 68 and finish in solo second place.  Adam Scott double bogeyed the par-5 fifth that ignited Spieth, shot 71 and finished fifth. A good consolation prize for Pampling, Chalmers and Rumford was qualifying for the 2015 Open at St. Andrews in the first of 14 such events in nine countries on five continents.

Part of Team Jordan, caddie Michael Greller and his wife Ellie react to the heartfelt win during the Awards Ceremony.

This was Jordan Spieth’s first trip ‘Down Under’ to Australia and he enjoyed every moment of it on and off the golf course. I feel the same way on Day No. 32 of the ‘Golf Journey to Australia.’ A comment made by Troy Grant, the Deputy Premier Minister for Tourism, in the Awards Ceremony on the 18th green, that Jordan is a “credit to golf and a credit to his country,” inspired me to ask the following question in the champions’ interview:

Q.   Jordan, it seems like yesterday you were 16 and you kind of came out to the golfing world as a nelson. Can you talk a little bit about the progression to today and winning the national championship of such a prestigious golfing nation, and what it means to you to hear the deputy premier minister for tourism say you’re a credit to golf and a credit to
your country?

JORDAN SPIETH: That took me back. I was as close to tearing up as I got out there. Those words are words, you don’t necessarily expect to hear them and when you hear them it’s a tremendous honour and one that carries weight. I certainly need to conduct myself for me and my family, my country, the team, whatever. So that was really nice of him.

Jordan with the winner’s check. It’s all about the win and being the best he can be for this impressive young man.

Yeah, since I was 16, that first professional experience as an amateur was what put belief in my head that this is what I could do for a living and that I wanted to be the number one player in the world some day. It was that week that I really knew that it was possible if I really stayed at it and worked hard, having that opportunity. So since then still had some junior events, through college golf, University of Texas, winning a national championship there. Each year there were certain goals that I wanted to achieve and wanted to get better each year, and that was the goal.

Each year had something that was a little better than the last and I felt like I was better as a golfer, better mentally and with my skill set, and this year I believed it was an improvement on last year but without a win, which was a goal of mine, to have a win in 2014 and I only had two events left. So to finally accomplish it now, this is the peak of where I’ve ever been as a golfer and it’s really cool and hopefully we work to climb more higher peaks.

Seeing Jordan win and win in such a convincing fashion was beautiful and made me proud to be an American. What a week it has been at the Australian Open at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney.

Andy Reistetter Reporting from Down Under. Well Done Andy Boy   (Facebook Post 1 Pic, Jeffrey ‘Frosty Rothstein, 11/30/14)

WOW, what a Sunday at the Emirates Australian Open…   (Facebook Link, Andy Reistetter, 11/30.14)

Here are some other highlights of the day:

Meeting Peter Thomson, the Australian Golfing Legend and 5-time Open Champion was a thrill!

With Wayne, Chris & Vanessa of the Seven Sport Network team broadcasting the Australian Open.

In the Seven production truck with producers John Evans (L) and Chris Jones (R). Everything the same except, of course, the camera switchboard was on the left!

I was back visiting with the Australian Golf Heritage Society folks, of course…

Kathie Shearer runs a heck of a media center and quite an efficient Awards Ceremony!

WOW, what a week at the 2014 Australian Open at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney!

Rory getting ready to tee off in the last group on Saturday. The galleries were large and I like the British Open like high rise seating!

Saturday, with a tricky and difficult Australian Nor’easter wind , turned out to be ‘Stay Where You Are, If You Are Lucky’ day at the 88th rendition of the historic Australian Open. Greg Chalmers, the Round 2 leader, did just that posting an even par 71 after a bogey-bogey start to hold on to a share of the lead at 5-under par with fellow Australian Brett Rumford and American Jordan Spieth, both shooting 2-under 69.

World No. 1 Rory McIlroy came unraveled with a triple bogey on the 9th hole from the high grass above the green right and followed it with a sloppy double bogey at the 10th to fall out of contention. Being six strokes back with thirteen to pass, it is unlikely the Northern Irishman can win in his last round of the year.

An added incentive on Sunday at the Australian Open, Top 3 golfers, not otherwise exempted, earn a spot in the 2015 Open Championship at St. Andrews, Scotland.

The magic stay-put number on Saturday was 69 and Adam Scott achieved it by offsetting a lone bogey with three birdies. Rod Pamphling’s route to a 69 was dunking his approach shot on the par-4 10th for a heroic eagle 2. Both are tied for 4th one stroke back. Out of the final twelve golfers teeing off on Saturday only four, Rory and his playing partner Adam Crawford who shot 76 and Geoff Drakeford and Conrad Shindler who both shot 81 in the wind, fell out of the top echelon at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Australian Golf Club. Daniel Nisbet, out in the first pairing, 3-1/2 hours before the leaders teed off shot the day’s best round of 67 and moved from last place to T9, five strokes back of Chalmers, Rumsford & Jordan. Staurday was definitiely ‘Stay Where You Are, If You Are Lucky’ day at the 2014 Australian Open.

Can lone American in a sea of Aussies win the Emirates Australian Open?   (Facebook Link, Andy Reistetter, 11/29/14)

Saturday was still moving day for me around the grounds of The Australian Golf Club. Here are some of my wanderings:

British Open style announcing on the first tee with the dapperly dressed Tony Gresham.

Thinking of playing SpeedGolf after being inspired by SpeedGolf Australia founder Virginia Deigan.

Hot ticket for for the Saturday night Australian Golf Writers Annual Dinner.

Galleries were large again on Friday, this one encircling Rory on the 18th green.

It seemed like it was ‘Moving Day, A Day Early” to me for the second round on Friday at the Australian Open at the Australian Golf Club. American Jamie Lovemark set a new course record 6-under 65 in the morning moments after Adam Scott posted the now old course record of 66. Lefty Australian Greg Chalmers would match Scott’s 66, combine it with his opening par 71 score, to lead by one stroke at the half way point over a foursome of Rory McIlroy, Adam Crawford, amateur Todd Sinnott, and Conrad Shindler. First round leader Jordan Spieth slipped to a 1-over par 72 and is another stroke back. Scott is three strokes back of Chalmers and two strokes back of Rory trying to avenge the loss to Rory in last year’s Open at Royal Sydney Golf Club. The theme of the tournament is “Bring it on,” the “it” being the showdown between Rory and Adam. Other than Geoff Ogilvy being eight strokes back, the stage is set for a dramatic finish, albeit one day early.

Putting contest in the Emirates tent!

In the spirit of the day I was out and about moving around the impressive grounds of this continent country’s namesake golf club. In between watching the Adam Scott/Jordan Spieth/Nick Cullen in the morning and the Rory McIlroy/Geoff Ogilvy/Matt Jones in the afternoon I checked out the Exhibitor Village and found lots of interesting stories.

I started off in the Emirates, the title sponsor’s booth. Emirates is an airline based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is the largest airline in the Middle East, operating nearly 3,400 flights per week from its hub at Dubai International Airport, to more than 142 cities in 78 countries across six continents according to Wikipedia. They had an engaging putting game that required skill, concentration and confidence since it was timed. The object was to putt a ball into each of the holes and the challenge was enhanced by the curved slopes of the putting surface. Playing was a lot of fun and I managed to finish 12th and earn a sleeve of balls. The PR firm behind the innovative booth is the Pulse Group out of London, Dublin and Dubai.

With Stephanie Papalitsas in the Kids Only Clubhouse…

Next up, as I circumvented the village, I was drawn in by kids chipping into an inflated target with holes, to a combination tent of My Golf, Kids Only Clubhouse, FootGolf, and SpeedGolf Australia.  My Golf, Kids Only Clubhouse is Australia’s national junior introductory program to develop and promote participation in golf. A 10 week introductory program to the sport, the MyGolf program is the major driver of junior golf participation in Australia. The end result being, I guess, is the twelve competitors in the field of the Australian Open designated as part of the ‘Golf Australia Squad.’

Ready, set, going to play Speed Golf with Carly…

SpeedGolf Australia, supported by Golf Australia is ‘Everything that Golf isn’t but can be… fast, creative, instinctive, aerobic and family friendly.’ I like to walk and play golf quickly with similar minded people so maybe this is for me? I did learn that Ireland’s Rob Hogan recently beat 24 professional speed golfers to take the Speedgolf world championship at Bandon Dunes in Oregon. Hogan jumped out to the midway lead on Saturday with a 77 in 39 minutes and 31 seconds (39:31). He followed up with a 79 in 41:29 and had the fastest time both days. The scoring format of Speedgolf is total strokes, plus total minutes and seconds it takes the player to complete his or her round. Hogan’s final Speedgolf score was 236.55. Interesting for sure.

With Ross Baker, an authentic clubmaker and member of the Australian Golf Heritage Society.

Footgolf Australia was nowhere to be found and I suspect they were afoot out on a golf course somewhere. FootGolf is the result of combining the popular sports of football (soccer) and golf. The rules largely correspond to the rules of golf.​ This game is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee. The game depends on the integrity of the player to show consideration for other players and to abide by the rules. Would I would miss the act of hitting something (a ball) with something else (a stick)? Sounds interesting and worth a try too!

I then came across a booth and a man who dotted an ‘i’ and crossed a ‘t’ from my trip out to Tassie (Tasmania, the island state of Australia) and Barnbougle Golf Links Resort where I came across a fabulous collection of hickory clubs and modern PING clubs in the clubhouse at Lost Farm. The booth was the Australian Golf Heritage Society and the man is Ross Baker. Look for an interesting video on this authentic club maker. Ross is a combination of everyone I ever met in the Golf Collectors Society in America. What an informative treat to meet the guy I wanted to meet!

With James Gribble of Empower Golf, who I met on the 18th watching Rory finish his round.

Watching Rory finish with a birdie on the par-5 18th hole I came across James Gribble, the founder of Empower Golf—for golfers of all abilities. James was on the Aussie team that placed 3rd at the World Disabled Golf Championships in Japan in October. His vision is to facilitate and promote golf for Australians of all abilities. I enjoyed my time with James and his Aunt Jackie. As we watched Rory finish a stretch of eight holes without a birdie but still score 3-under ( an eagle, four birdies and three bogeys) I was reminded that it isn’t how but how many in golf. Ditto that for life. Thank you James!

Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott all in the mix but Greg Chalmers leading the Emirates Australian Open at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney… check out what I found and who I met outside the ropes on Friday…   (Facebook Link, Andy Reistetter, 11/28/14)

Putting awards presentation with Emirates stewardesses Joanna (L) and Christina (R).

Little Rory (sitting) with dad Kevin (green shirt) watching Big Rory hit his approach shot into the 17th green.

James with his Aunt Jackie…

The golf course, personally designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus, at The Australian Golf Club is a ‘BIG’ golf course, not unlike one of his other masterpieces at home at Muirfield Village in Ohio.

More on that and the experience of playing it two weeks ago and the first round of the Australian Open later on…

Here are some pics from the excitement of arriving at “The Oz,”  I am feeling a bit like Dorothy in total wonder and amazement of being Down Under and at the second professional golf event of the Australian Trifecta of the Masters, the Open and the PGA Championship!

WOW, what an exciting Thanksgiving Day in Australia!   (Facebook Link, Andy Reistetter, 11/27/14)

Happy Thanksgiving Up Yonder! Definitely missing being with friends and family! Gratitude is universal in our world but Thanksgiving is definitely American. Lucky to celebrate in a way for two days being Down Under. Tragic and sad story here in Sydney with the death of a 25-year old batsman professionally playing the national game of Australia. Puts life in perspective… thankful for and enjoying today… off to The Australian Golf Club for the second round of the Emirates Australian Open… Happy Turkey Day Up Yonder in America! (-:   (Facebook Link, Andy Reistetter, 11/27/14)

Rory McIlroy teeing off the first hole, playing with Geoff Ogilvy and Matt Jones. Adam Scott is off in the afternoon with Jordan Spieth and last week’s Masters Champion Nick Cullen.

With the Divine Kathie Shearer, Australian Golf’s Ultimate Hostess in the Media Center!

With Australia’s youngest and brightest commentator, and a true sportsman, Luke Elvy. Only the second person (with Ian Baker Finch last week at the Masters) that I have met in Australia that I knew previously!

Nick Cullen, in the Gold Jacket, with the 2014 Masters trophy! Photo Credit: SMP Images.

Congratulations to Nick Cullen, the Champion of the 2014 Australian Masters at Metropolitan Golf Club in Melbourne. Nobody came close to Cullen’s 66-69 weekend performance at the first of Australia’s Big Three golfing competitions. But several golfers, namely Adam Scott (68), Josh Younger (69) and James Nitties (70), came close to matching his 9-under par 279 tournament score. Scott, four strokes back of third round leader Paul Sparg0 to start the day, had a six-birdie day, just what he needed to win, but it was offset by two bogeys on Nos. 7 and 10. Younger, three back, birdied two of the last three holes, including the difficult 18th, but ran out of holes. Nitties, tied with Cullen to start the day, played steady with three birdies and one bogey, needed one more birdie down the stretch and ended up parring the last six holes. Surprisingly, Nitties’ playing partner Geoff Ogilvy shot a Sunday 75 and did not contend. In the end, it was Cullen’s dramatic sand save on the last, that was the difference and led to the biggest win of his career.

Paul Spargo, walking with his caddie, unfortunately did not march to victory on Sunday at the Masters. Photo Credit: SMP Images

The final pairing of third round leader Paul Spargo (73) and joint first and second round leader Michael Wright (80) did not seem like the pairing either wanted or needed after some difficulty with slow play and being put on the clock during Saturday’s third round. While Spargo was three-putting for bogey on No. 10, Cullen was going birdie-birdie on Nos. 11 and 12 to take a two stroke lead that he never fully relinquished. Rhein Gibson had the Sunday best round of 65 which tied amateur Lucas Herbert’s Saturday round for low tournament round. Gibson had three bogeys, eight birdies and an eagle to finish three strokes back.

Nick Cullen and Lucas Herbert congratulating one another after a pairing that worked for them both! Phote Credit: SMP Images

I walked the back nine starting with the final Spargo/Wright group and then catching up with the Cullen/Herbert (a) on the par-3 13th hole. I went ahead to see Ogilvy and Nitties par the par-5 14th, the hole that Gene Sarazen, who won the 1936 Australian Open at Metro, labelled one of the best holes in the world. I waited to watch Cullen three-putt for par while Herbert pitched up and made the putt for birdie to get within four strokes. Another Cullen three-putt for bogey on No. 15 and a Herbert birdie on the short par-4 16th narrowed the gap to two strokes between the two playing partners. By this time Scott had posted his 8-under total and Nitties and Younger in the two groups followed suit. Both Cullen and Herbert parred the par-4 17th, Cullen from a divot in the right rough. The young amateur’s final undoing was the 18th which he double bogeyed after driving left and being forced to chip out to the fairway. Interestingly, Scott’s double bogey on the 18th (his 9th hole played) on Thursday, his only one of the tournament, looking back seems quite  pivotal. Of course, the final pivot point and his stepping up to victory was Cullen’s long bunker save to tap-in distance of the hole. As it should, the 18th at Metro, provided a lot of excitement during Masters week. However there were four people, who would have liked to had a chance to produce a little bit more.

Nick Cullen’s champion interview moderated by PGA Australia’s Olivia McMillan.

Nick Cullin’s champion interview in the media center was quite interesting. Here is a guy that has been missing out by a stroke and now all of a sudden wins his biggest prize by a stroke. What changed? His twin brother Dan, a former Australian cricketer who has bowled to the best batsmen in the world and got them out, was the catalyst with some good advice after Nick lost a big chunk of change but still tied for the win with a three-putt on the last in a recent pro-am. “He (Dan) said it didn’t matter, you won and that’s the main thing. You’ve just got to win. So after that,” explained Nick. “it probably took me a week or two to realise that he was right, but after that, I realised it wasn’t about the money or anything else. It was about trying to win. That’s why you should play a sport; you want to win and you want to be your best. Since then, I’ve just been trying to win. And to win the Australian Masters is pretty awesome.”

What does Nick Cullin love about golf? “Probably the thing I love more than anything about golf, it’s up to you. It’s only you. If you play well, if you work hard, you think the right things, you do the right things, you get results. There’s no one else that can do it. It’s up to you. No one can carry you through.”

Watching him play the back nine I was impressed how he hung in there especially after three-putting two holes in a row, one (the 14th) for par and the next (the 15th) for bogey. I thought his pairing was good and the amateur’s mini-run at the end was critical to Cullin maintaining the one stroke advantage and ultimately turning it into a win. So I asked him this question:

The Metropolitan Golf Club was a formidable test of golf with her well bunkered greens sharp edges.

Q. After the two 3 putts, one for par and one for bogey, three holes to go, what were you thinking? Were you looking at the score boards, and how important was your pairing (with amateur Lucas Herbert)?
NICK CULLEN: He played great down the stretch. He’s a great kid and he was really good. He was sort of saying, let’s make some birdies and sort of encouraging I guess, and we were sort of giving each other little fist pumps and everything all day. So he was really good to play with, really enjoyed it.
The two 3 putts, I don’t know how long it was, like 16 or 17 feet (short) on the par 5, hit two good shots. Sort of miss hit the putt a fraction. Hit a really good second putt, didn’t go in. That’s golf.
The next hole, hit two really good shots. Same thing, the wind picked up, it stopped at the front and I thought I hit a good first putt. Came up short. Thought I hit a decent second putt and miss read it a little bit, didn’t hit it quite hard enough. But that’s just golf. I made a bunch of putts earlier and putted really well, and nothing changed. Didn’t quite hit it hard enough or whatever. But I’m still putting great.
So, you’ve just got to remember that. You’ve got to stay in the process. You can’t change it once it’s done. When I won the Indonesia Open, I was leading by four, and then I made a triple bogey on the 14th in my last round. So I guess there’s not much I can do that would be worse than that. And in that situation, I just sort of said, well, you’re still tied for the lead and you’re still playing well. There’s no reason why you can’t win it. Was lucky enough to win there and it was the same sort of thing here. Had a couple of 3 putts and it’s not ideal, but you just trust your process and hit good shots coming in, you’ve still got a chance and that’s all you can do.

With 2014 Australian Masters Champion Nick Cullen.

Experience, determination, perseverance and a touch of luck brought the Australian Masters’ trophy to Nick Cullen. He joins a lot of great players who have won this tournament including the last four winners—Tiger Woods, Stuart Appleby, Ian Poulter and Adam Scott. That’s why I am calling Nick Cullen, Melbourne’s Metro Masters Man!

Up next is the Australian Open this week at The Australian Club in Sydney, followed by the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast, south of Brisbane.

My nine nights in Melbourne have been wonderful, especially the socializing and networking at the Masters tournament. Here are some more highlights:

Pam and Andy, still the smiling Mr. & Mrs. Will Call on the final day of the 2014 Masters.

With IMG’s Annie Ryan (L) and Cox Marketing’s Sally Wright (R). Always smiling and welcoming to the Media Center.

With Georgie Cox of Cox Marketing Solutions who did a great job running the Media Center at the Masters!

With Mark Hayes, Media Manager for Golf Australia.

With Olivia McMillan (L) and Bronwyn Slatter (R), Communications Coordinators with the PGA Australia.

With Golf Link’s Rod Morri (hat), Craig Fordham (Orange) & Joey Ratcliiffe (R).

Golf Link show with host Rod Morri (L) and analyst Bruce Young (R). Two great guys and boy do they KNOW golf!

The question was answered- Nick Cullen!

Michael Wright faltered a little bit in Round 3 but is playing in the final group on Sunday with a good chance to win. Photo Credit: SMP Images.

Traditionally, Saturday is moving day for US PGA TOUR tournaments, no difference ‘Down Under’ on the PGA TOUR Australasia at the Australian Masters competition. There are lots of other differences like the next day 16-hour time difference, the long days of sunshine (Melbourne sunrise at 5:54 am, sunset at 8:18 pm), and the different terminology when you absentmindedly drive on the wrong side of the road (that’s a bugger), but when it comes to golf, the next-to-last day is the day to make the move to position oneself for victory come the final round on Sunday. Unfortunately movement goes in both directions, up and down the leader board.

Looking back to the four first round leaders who came out of the gate (Melbourne Cup terminology, similar to the Kentucky Derby), Michael Wright has fared the best after three rounds, though his two-stroke lead going into Saturday’s third round is now a one-stroke deficit. The other three first round leaders failed to reverse second round deficits with third round surpluses—Steven Bowditch (67-75-73), amateur Todd Sinott (67-71-77) and Stephan Allan (67-73-79). Both Geoff Ogilvy (T6, three strokes back) and Adam Scott (T8, four strokes back) shot 71 and are still in contention. All three Americans are under par through three rounds with Zack Blair (70-75-69) and Boo Weekley (72-72-70) together at T24, six strokes back and Kyle Stanley (69-73-73) one more stroke back at T32.

Paul Spargo leads the Masters going into the final round, can he remain steady and win? Photo Credits: SMP Images.

The biggest mover in the right direction was amateur Lucas Herbert who posted a tournament low round of 6-under 66 about the same time the leaders were teeing off. Like the U.S. Masters, the Australian Masters seems to showcase up and coming amateurs. But it was Paul Spargo’s steady one-under par 71 playing in the final group with Wright that earned him the  lead going into Sunday. The final twosome for Saturday will stay the same for tomorrow’s Sunday round. With Scott and Ogilvy in the hunt it is sure to be an interesting second nine at Metropolitan Golf Club on Sunday afternoon in the Australian Masters!

With Natalina Morelli (L) and Linda Higgins (R) of Blitz Publications & Multi-Media Group.

While Saturday was moving day for the professional golfers, it was socialization and networking day for me with a unique, one-time opportunity to get to know some of my media mates in the media center and out in the exhibitors’ village near the clubhouse. I was drawn into the tent of Blitz Publications & Multi-Media Group when I saw the Golf Magazine motif and met Natalina Morelli, Group Manager – Marketing & Operations, and Linda Higgins, Marketing & events Manager. They are Australia’s #1 health, fitness and sports lifestyle publishing and multi-media company. Golf Magazine is a sister publication of the USA-based Time Inc. Golf Magazine and targets the more than 1.3 million golfers in Australia. No Golf Channel in Australia but there is Golf Magazine!

With Gary Lisbon, golf travel specialist, photographer and author of Great Golf Down Under 1 & 2.

Right across the MBGreen (Mercedes Benz putting competition for the 2015 Mercedes Trophy) on the other side of the Exhibitors’ Village I found GOLF Select, a golf holiday specialist and organizer for corporate golf days which are big in Australia. I met Gary Lisbon, the owner and managing director, with a passion for golf course photography. Gary’s latest initiative has been the recent release of Great Golf Down Under 2 which is a sequel to the sold out original edition. The first book, published in 2008, was 225 pages, 250 images from 75 golf courses. Book No. 2 has 304 pages, 400 images, from 122 golf courses. All ‘Down Under’ in Australia and New Zealand which is where I am and where I am going! Gary, my newest hero, has played nearly all of the world’s top 100 golf courses.

With Matt Ridge and pointing to The Kinloch Club which is where I hope to be celebrating the New Year of Golf!

GOLFSelect is a golf holiday specialist, as their website states, and their relationships with Australia’s best golf courses, plus their extensive international network of golf travel partners, allows them to organise unique and never-to-be-forgotten golf holidays both within and outside Australia. I was drawn to the picture of a group of Americans at The Kinloch Club on the North Island of New Zealand. As ‘Journey Fate’ would have it I met Matthew Ridge, GOLF Select’s Golf Holiday Manager who had just returned from New Zealand with the group in the picture! In fact he took the picture! Since mid-December and the start of the “Golf Journey to New Zealand” is not too far away I was very happy to converse with Matt about the GOLF Select trip and golfing opportunities in New Zealand!

With Brendan James, we tried mugging his cover shot but he blinked first and looked at the camera. Or maybe the picture was taken too early?

One of the nicest guys I met at The Australian Masters is Brendan James, the editor of Golf Australia, the magazine of Golf Australia, the organization which is the governing body for golf in Australia. Like America’s U.S.G.A., they conduct the country’s national open tournament, the Australian Open which is next week in Sydney at The Australian Golf Club. GA manages the Rules of Golf and the national handicap system. They are engaging people and growing the game we love.  Their customer is the 1.25 million golfers in Australia with a third of them being golf club members and the other two thirds casual golfers playing mainly public golf courses, of which there are many Down Under in Australia! Brendan’s December cover highlighting next week’s Adam Scott vs. Rory McIlroy rematch is awesome. Last year, Rory beat Adam down the stretch to avert Scott from winning the Australian Trifecta- the Masters, PGA & Open.

What an exciting day on Saturday at the Australian Masters at Metropolitan Golf Club in Melbourne! I can’t wait until tomorrow to see who wins and gets the gold jacket at this prestigious tournament! And of course I hope to continue to socialize and network as the “Golf Journey to Australia & New Zealand” continues into the New Year of 2015! Getting excited about that too! Happy Thanksgiving America!

http://www.andygolftraveldiary.com/round-3-moving-day-at-t…/

Here’s my Saturday, Round 3 post for the Australian Masters at the Metropolitan Golf Club… a little behind in my posts… it’s already Day No. 25 of the ‘Journey to Australia’ and I have only posted to Day No. 9… having a great time and learning so much about golf and life in Australia!   (Facebook Link, Andy Reistetter, 11/23/14)

Three of my volunteer friends- Barry, Doug & Andy (Pam went home early) signaling Day 3 of the Masters!

With Boo Weekley who was hanging out in the Exhibitor Village after Round 3.

Boo Weekley hanging out with Stephen Bowditch and having a friendly chat with Rules Official No. 5.

The 18th green complex at the Metropolitan Golf Club, all ready for the 2014 Masters competition.

The Australian Masters is being played at The Metropolitan Golf Club, one of eight golf courses that are are considered to be vintage sandbelt creations located within 20 minutes of downtown Melbourne (or as it is refer to it here in Australia, the CBD, Central Business District). Officially included in the “Sandbelt Melbourne Classic Golf” along with ‘Metro’ are Commonwealth Golf Club, Huntingdale Golf Club, Kingston Heath Golf Club, Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club, Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Victoria Golf Club,  and Yarra Yarra Golf Club.

The 161-meter (member tees) par-3 5th hole at Royal Melbourne, a real beauty!

So far this week I was invited to play two of the golf courses and humbly accepted the invitations at Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath. Both golf courses were spectacular and being hosted by and playing with members a unique and memorable experience. There is no better way to be introduced to Sandbelt Melbourne Classic Golf. I was intrigued by the experience and wanted to know how Australian professional golfers like Adam Scott characterize playing sandbelt golf so I asked him the following question in his post-round interview (courtesy of IMG, after following an opening 73 with a 68):

Adam Scott seems to always give a heartfelt, honest and informative interview. Photo Credit: SMP Images.

Q. You’ve obviously been very successful here in the Melbourne Sandbelt. What in your mind is unique about Sandbelt golf, and what, if anything, going into the weekend do you prepare differently playing here versus in the U.S.?

ADAM SCOTT: In the way you approach the Sandbelt, it’s not unlike links golf. It’s very hard to just go out and attack. Positioning your golf ball is key to doing that. You have to get it in the right spot off the tee to have the right chance to attack a pin. Because if you just go out there and fly away at everything, hit driver everywhere and try to throw it at pins with 6 irons, you’re going to end up having big numbers.

On the 128-meter (members tee) par-3 10th hole at Kingston Heath Golf Club. I was smiling even before I made the ten-footer for a deuce!

So, it is much like links golf where you kind of position yourself around the golf course with the ball running. Some of the irons are running 300 yards which is very much like an Open Championship, so you have to be aware of that. And whereas in the States, I guess the ball pretty much stops where it lands. I mean, it’s rare that you see 20 yards of run, and here, you can see 60. So you really have to control your golf ball extremely well to have a nice looking scorecard here.

I agree wholeheartedly as I did not control my golf ball well at either golf course and my scorecard did not look pretty. But there were pockets of perfection such as a deuce on the 10th hole, the original, very first hole created at the Heath and the 15-footer sand save on the last at Royal Melbourne to win the match for my host partner against another member and his guest. Sandbelt golf is very similar to links golf in the Home of Golf on the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland except you can only experience the “Excellent & Elegant Eight” right here near Melbourne.

Geoff Ogilvy was in good form in Round 2 and in position at T7, only six players ahead of him on the leader board at the end of the day. Photo Credit: SMP Images.

The cut is the low 60 and ties here on the PGA Australasian Tour. There were exactly 60 golfers at the plus-1 score of 145 but 66 golfers made the cut? How could that be? Three amateurs made the cut (Todd Sinnott T3, 67-71, Ryan Ruffles T30, 75-68 and Lucas Herbert T50, 75-70) and they are not included in the 60 count so six more players at plus-2 146 will get to play on the weekend. All three Americans in the field made the cut lead by Kyle Stanley (T20, 69-73) with Boo Weekley at T36 after a pair of even par 72s and Zac Blair at T50 (70-75).

Michael Wright (67-68) from Queensland is the leader with a two-stroke lead over South Australian Paul Spargo (70-67. Well-known Australians still in the hunt at the halfway point in the 2014 Masters are Geoff Ogilvy (T7, 69-1), Adam Scott (T12, 73-68), Steven Bowditch (T20, 67-75), and Robert Allenby (T30, 70-73). Notables missing the cut and likely heading up to Sydney for next week’s Australian Open include Scott Gardiner, Rod Pampling, Greg Chalmers and Stuart Appleby.

Michael Wright was one of four first round leaders. The good-natured Queenslander shot a 68 in Round 2 to take a 2-stroke lead in the Masters.

I found a question posed to Michael Wright quite interesting:

Q. You’re obviously a believer in the power of the mind. Do you meditate or is this something new that you’ve brought to your game over the last few years?

MICHAEL WRIGHT: No, I’ve tried meditating and I’m no bloody good at it. But I ain’t doing it near as much as I probably should.

I’ve had a few sports psychs over the years and they have all encouraged me to do it and pushed me to do it, and I try and push myself. But I’m just hopeless at it. I can’t look at a dot for more than, I don’t know, a couple seconds without something coming in. I’m a shocker when it comes to meditation. But breathing is maybe I am meditating, like I’m conscious of my breath and that sort of calms me, I do a bit of that on the course. Maybe call that meditation. Some people would, I don’t know. But yeah, the actual art of meditating, I’m a shocker.

Meditation and yoga are keys for me, it’s all about flexibility and relaxation and being prepared for hopefully another game of Sandbelt Melbourne golf for me before heading north back to Sydney.

Life, it’s all about the golf and golf, it seems to me, is all about life.

Halfway through the 2014 Australian Masters… in the Sandbelt Melboure area of Australia… able to experience it for myself at Royal Melbourne & Kingston Heath and see the pros play some sandbelt golf!   (Facebook Link, Andy Reistetter, 11/22/14)

My volunteer mates in the car park signaling it is Round 2 of the 2014 Australian Masters.

The gold Mercedes. Not sure if the winner gets the car along with the gold jacket?

American Boo Weekley was the ‘Rest of the World’ favorite to win outright this week at Metropolitan Golf Club. After two rounds he is T36 and nine strokes behind Wright.

With Mr. & Mrs. Will Call, a.k.a. Pam Bowden and Andy Hamilton. Volunteers from the Rotary Club and nicer people you will not find on this earth!

I wanted to be here to see Adam Scott go off the 10th tee at 7:45 am with amateur Ryan Ruffels and Geoff Ogilvy. A 6 am alarm, shower and only a 15-minute, 8-kilometer commute from my accommodation in Glen Waverly. But it was 8:21 am before I sat in my chair in the media center at The Metropolitan Golf Club, a.k.a. known here as the ‘Metro.’ I get distracted easily and there is always some voyaging and documenting to do—meeting Mr. & Mrs. Will Call, checking out the cricket pitch and Australian football goal posts (and learn what a goal and a behind is) at the South Oakleaf Bowling Club, and meeting so many nice and helpful people as I got settled in here in the media center.

Young amateur Ryan Ruffels tees off on the 12th as 2006 U.S. Open Champion Geoff Ogilvy and 2013 U.S. Masters Champion Adam Scott watch.

Adam started with four pars and then a bogey at the 15th. I wanted to see him play the 18th so out I went onto the course for the first time. I met up with the group on the 17th green just in time to see the 16-year old make a 40-foot bomb for birdie. Adam still at +1 and Geoff at even par both made par so the youngster had the honor on the 18th tee. He blasted a drive way down the fairway which the major champions were unable to match by about 30 yards. Scott bunkered his drive, was unable to advance the ball very far, then bunkered his approach and missed a 15-footer and made double-bogey. I watched the group play No. 1 and hit their tee shots on the par-3 12th hole. Scott would recover with all pars and an eagle on No. 6 on his second nine to finish with a 1-over par 73. Ogilvy had three birdies coming in to shoot a 3-under par 69. The fearless and confident kid who reminds me of a young (and older) Rory McIlroy bogeyed two of the last three to shoot a 3-over 75.

The low round of the day was a 5-under par 67 shot by four golfers—European Tour winner Stephen Allan, 2014 Texas Open champion Stephen Bowditch, the Number One ranked Australian Amateur Todd Sinnott, and Michael Wright who tweeted yesterday that he was “not sure if you can get a golf course in any better condition.” The three Americans in the field played decently with Kyle Stanley shooting a 69, Zac Blair a 70 and Boo Weekley an even par round.

With Seven commentators Ian Baker Finch (L) and Peter Donegan (R).

I stopped by the television compound to say hello to one of the most talented and nicest people in the golf broadcasting business—Ian Baker Finch. He is the first person I have seen in the three weeks that I have been in Australia that I knew before I came here. He kindly introduced me to Peter Donegan, his fellow commentator, as they call them down here. Donegan is one of Australia’s most respected sports presenters and commentators and is with ABC (Australian Broadcasting Company). In American golf broadcasting terms Donegan is the host and Ian the analyst. On course reporters are Ossie Moore, who won the Order of Merit on the PGA Tour of Australasia in 1985, and Wayne Grady, winner of the 1990 PGA Championship. I am excited to watch some of the broadcast to get a feel for how it is produced and presented here in Australia, which surprisingly does not have a Golf Channel of its own. IMG produces the show and it is aired on the Seven Network.

In Australian golf, the Triple Crown refers to winning the three major domestic championships, the Australian Open, the Australian Masters and the Australian PGA Championship. Winning all three titles in the same season is a feat only achieved by Robert Allenby in 2005. I will be attending all three and it will be interesting to see if anyone matches Allenby’s feat in 2014!

Springtime in Australia, time for the Australian Masters… exciting first day!   (Facebook Link, Andy Reistetter, 11/20/14)

Happy to have a media credential and excited to see if Adam Scott can win his third consecutive Australian Masters!

Cricket pitch and Australian football goal posts.

Nice to be in Melbourne…