Want to recieve exclusive news, videos, tournament highlights, golf important tips and more ?
Want to recieve exclusive news, videos, tournament highlights, golf important tips and more ?
It took low scores, heartache and a 10-man playoff to determine the final 24 players who will battle it out in the medal match-play on Sunday at the Gippsland Super 6.
Many players knew before they teed it up on Saturday that they required something special to avoid the second cut, and that is precisely what rookie professional Jack Buchanan produced.
In just his second event since turning pro following the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC), the young South Australian fired a near-perfect 63 to not only get himself into the top 24, but into the all-important top-eight.
Buchanan now has an extra advantage, with the top eight, headed by top qualifier Jarryd Felton (WA), getting to sit out the first round of medal match-play tomorrow.
“I knew I needed at least three or four (under) today to make top 24, and then had seven. Just no bogeys, hit it perfectly,” he said.
Buchanan has had a whirlwind few weeks, winning a silver medal as part of the Australian team at the Eisenhower Cup in Dubai before returning home for the AAC a few days later at Royal Melbourne in his last events as an amateur, before turning professional and making his debut at last week’s Queensland PGA Championship.
“It’s been a busy three weeks. But just finding some form now so hopefully can continue that,” he said.
With 10 players for tied 17th at 6-under after 54 holes, a playoff was required to determine who would claim the final eight Sunday spots.
The tough par-3 18th was the decider, with a bustling marquee of spectators behind the green.
Four players made par or better on the first playing to secure their place on Sunday, while six players had to return to the tee.
In the second playing, four players again made par, and agonisingly, two players – Matt Griffin (Vic) and Tyler Hodge (NZ) – bogeyed to miss out by the barest of margins.
The best escape came from veteran Michael Wright whose tee shot the second time around bounced 20 metres off a sprinkler head into a very testing position for an up-and-down. A delicate chip and a fine par-putt kept his chances alive.
Overnight leader Cam John, and Western Australia’s Jarryd Felton tied for the top spot at 13-under after 54-holes, with Felton locking away the No.1 seed for Sunday’s medal match-play on a countback of their Saturday scores.
It was a bogey-free 65 which saw Felton take top spot. Past winner of the New Zealand PGA Championship, the WA PGA Championship, and TPS Sydney, Felton knows how to get it done on a Sunday.
Meanwhile, John, chasing his first Tour win, shot a stress-free 68 to maintain his position inside the top eight.
“It was tricky early, it was quite windy… I felt like it was a typical Melbourne day. It changed probably four or five times,” said John.
“It’s something that I’ve thought about a lot. I’d like to have a 36-hole lead, a 54-hole lead. It just gives me confidence going forward for the rest of the season.
“I feel like I’ve played the holes pretty well that we’ll be playing on (tomorrow), but you never know what you’re gonna get.”
The six-hole medal match-play matches will start with the bottom 16 qualifiers before the top eight join in for round two.
All the action will be broadcast live again on Fox, Kayo and Kayo Freebies with the action kicking off at 2pm.
The top-24:
