Rising star Anthony Quayle put in the shift of his life on Sunday but it wasn’t enough to knock off 2018 Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways champion Gaganjeet Bhullar.

The 23-year-old Australian set a new course record in the final round in far from easy conditions, eventually signing for a blistering 9-under 63 at Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course to hit the clubhouse at 13-under for the week.

If not for a chip-in eagle by the eventual champion on the 17th – matching the feat of Quayle on the same hole just moments earlier – the Queenslander may have had his name etched onto the honour board in the clubhouse twice.

But agonisingly he came up one stroke short, Quayle putting on a show for playing partner – and four-time major champion – Ernie Els.

“I struggled to kind of comprehend I was playing with Ernie,” an upbeat Quayle told the media after signing his card.

“I’m at a loss for words at the moment, it hasn’t sunk in. It was a great round and it was cool to do it in front of him. He had a few nice words for me in the scorer’s tent.”

“He said ‘That was some back nine, really impressive. If you keep at it, you’ll do well’.

“It was pretty cool.”

The South African – who launched an assault at the title of his own with a final round 7-under 65 – wasn’t short on compliments for Quayle after leaving the scorer’s hut.

The Internationals’ Presidents Cup captain clawed his way to a share of third on the standings, securing his first top 10 finish anywhere in the world since June, 2016.

But Els was eager to reflect on the performance of his Sunday playing partner Quayle.

“I did almost as much as I could. I set out to try to shoot 65, which I did, and Anthony just played unbelievable,” said Els.

“Jeez, what is it, 29 on the back nine? That’s unbelievable stuff. Great golf and well deserved.

“He’s got a great game, great attitude. He’s got the whole package. He hits it long, he’s got great touch, and under the gun he really brought his stuff.

“He was off the fairways a lot, but he kept hanging in there. And to shoot 29 on the back nine is incredible.”

Quayle came from the clouds on Sunday morning, dropping back to 4-under for the tournament – his overnight score – after a bogey at the 4th.

But from that point on the Queenslander was untouchable, rattling off back-to-back birdies on 5 and 6 to stay within striking distance of leaders Bhullar, Kiwi Ben Campbell and fellow young Queenslander Jake McLeod.

A birdie at 11 was followed by an eagle at the par-4 12th – Quayle driving the green into a stiff wind – before he joined Bhullar on top of the pile with back-to-back birdies at 13 and 14.

With Bhullar watching on from the group behind, Quayle reached the vulnerable par-5 17th in two, before holing his eagle putt to climb to 13-under and snatch the outright lead.

But the Japan Tour player couldn’t build on that buffer, a two-putt par at the last not enough to stop the Indian’s charge to his ninth Asian Tour title.

“That was pretty awesome out there,” said Quayle.

“I got to play with Ernie and played a pretty awesome back nine.

“I’m pretty happy with it, regardless of the finish.”

The final round of the 2018 Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways was a show worthy of the stage, India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar edging out a white-hot Anthony Quayle to win at Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course.

The final round of the 2018 Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways was a show worthy of the stage, India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar edging out a white-hot Anthony Quayle to win at Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course.

His 14-under total proved to be one shot too many for Queenslander Quayle, the 23-year-old’s astonishing 9-under 63 enough for a new course record but not the Sunday silverware.

The par-5 17th has been Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course’s most vulnerable hole this week and it was the scene of the best entertainment late in the day, Quayle and Bhullar draining back-to-back eagles to set up thrilling final round finish.

Quayle snatched the lead at 13-under par – capping off an unconscious stretch of nine gained strokes in 13-holes – with a brilliant three at the par-5.

But Bhullar responded right away, the 30-year-old snatching back the lead he held overnight with a 40-yard chip-in from in front of the green just moments after the Australian hit the clubhouse.

That saw the World Number 163 leapfrog Quayle and regain the lead, a par up the last ensuring a one-stroke victory and a fourth Asian Tour title in three seasons.

“To be honest, I was mentally prepared for that,” Bhullar said of Quayle’s unbelievable final round.

“I knew somebody or another had to go low today. Even Ernie Els, he’s a legend, he was playing really well.

“I still had hopes, I still had kind of a feeling that I can still win the tournament, but I think that chip‑in on No. 17, that pretty much closed the deal.”

The winning chip was one Bhullar had seen before, the champion telling the media after the round he had a similar shot in Friday’s second round.

“To be honest, I was in pretty much the same situation, same place on day two and the flag was pretty much on the same side of the green,” said Bhullar.

“I had a little bit of an idea that this chip is going to run a lot, but it wasn’t an easy chip.

“I could have easily missed the up-and-down and settled for second or third.”

But a run-in with tournament host and local legend Vijay Singh last night had Bhullar dreaming only of winning on Sunday.

“We just bumped into each other,” said Bhullar.

“He said, ‘Son, you’re ready to win this tournament, just be aggressive, give 100 per cent and the golfing gods are going to be on your side’.”

Bhullar began the day one-shot clear of the field and despite typically blustery conditions, the Indian fired his best score of the week when he needed it most.

And while the wedge at 17 will be credited for helping the Indian to victory, brilliant pars at 10 and 11 were the catalyst for Bhullar’s back nine surge.

With Bhullar, Quayle, Kiwi Ben Campbell (66), Jarryd Felton (69) and a threatening Ernie Els (65) all within two shots of the lead, the Indian saved par from the fringe to kick start his back nine, before holing another bomb on 11 to avoid dropping a shot.

“I think that was a turning point,” said Bhullar.

“That gave me a boost, a lot of confidence. After that, it was just one shot at a time and I was just able to execute. It was a tough day. It was windy, flags were tough, but I played really well.

“I gave myself many, many opportunities today.”

Four-time major champ Els didn’t waste any time in adding his name to the mix on Sunday morning, the South African holing out with a greenside chip for eagle on the par-5 first, before backing that up with a birdie on three.

Suddenly Els was at 8-under for the week and within one of the lead, but a wayward drive into the breeze at the 5th resulted in bogey and a crippling loss of momentum.

The headline act lived up to his billing with a third-placed finish – his first top 10 anywhere in the world since June, 2016 – alongside Campbell, who led the way all week and made great strides in locking up his Asian Tour card for next season.

“I did almost as much as I could,” said Els.

“I set out to try to shoot 65, which I did, and Anthony just played unbelievable. Jeez, what is it, 29 on the back nine? That’s unbelievable stuff.

“Great golf and well deserved. Whoever wins, they deserve it because it’s great golf.”

West Australian Felton rounded out the top 5, joining Bhullar as the only other player to break par in all four rounds.

Meanwhile, tournament host Vijay Singh saved his best til last, signing for a Sunday 68 to finish in the red numbers for the week.

Singh improved every round on the course he designed, rounds of 76, 72, 71 and 68 leaving the local hero pleased he finally managed to “beat the course”.

Gaganjeet Bhullar has won the 2018 Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways.

The Indian had a final round of 6-under 66 to be win by one shot from Queenslander Anthony Quayle who set a new course record with a blistering 9-under 63.

A brilliant shot by Bhullar from off the green on the 17th was the difference as he picks up his 9th Asian Tour title

Ernie Els and Ben Campbell share third position at 12-under the card.

More to come…

After two days of near-perfection, it felt like absolutely nothing went right for Kiwi Ben Campbell on Saturday at the 2018 Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways.

But thanks to his dominant display in the opening 36 holes, the New Zealander is still alive despite a third round 5-over 77.

Starting the day four strokes clear of the field, Campbell stretched that margin to six with an early birdie on the 3rd.

But then disaster struck.

Having only made three bogeys all week, Campbell surrendered four shots in the next five holes, the Kiwi watching putt after putt slide by the hole and his lead crumble to just one.

A birdie at the uphill 9th steadied the ship, but some loose strikes on the way home – and more troubles with the flatstick – saw Campbell drop to 6-under for the tournament, but not out of the hunt.

“I don’t feel like I played anywhere near as bad as what I scored actually,” an upbeat Campbell said after signing his card.

“I just had two bad swings that really cost me.

“Felt like I should have shot 1-over, 2-over at most.”

Despite typically tough winds sweeping across Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course on Saturday, Campbell was the only player currently inside the top-10 to shoot over-par in the third round.

But the 26-year-old knows not much needs to change between now and tomorrow morning for for him to return to the top of the standings.

“I could have holed so many putts out there today, just nothing went in,” said Campbell.

“I had a putt on 11, thought ‘That’s about perfect, that’ll be in’. Looked up and it’s lipping out. Even on the last hole, we thought we had a great chance of going in and it just slid by.

“Today I could have easily holed six or seven putts just like that and been still well clear.

“I’m only two back, so the first two days made seven birdies both days. I feel like I could easily shoot 6 or 7 under out there.”

Gaganjeet Bhullar woke up five shots behind Campbell but finished the day ahead of him by three, the Indian’s 3-under 69 the equal-best round of the day and enough for the outright lead at 8-under.

A pack of four Australians hold down second on the leaderboard, with Andrew Dodt (72), Terry Pilkadaris (71), Jarryd Felton (71) and Jake McLeod (70) all sitting at 7-under.

Young gun McLeod is coming off the back of a runner-up finish in Thailand last week on the Asian Tour and with two other runner-up finishes to his name, the Queenslander is ready to lift some silverware.

“It’s always a good opportunity being up near the lead in the last round, so really looking forward to it,” said McLeod.

“Winning would obviously be massive. It would be my first win as a professional in a big tournament.”

One of four others to shoot the day’s low number – a 69 – was South African Ernie Els.

The Big Easy roared home with four birdies in his last 10 holes to suddenly be in the thick of things with one day to play – Els eyeing off his first top-10 anywhere in the world since June, 2016.

Meanwhile, Japan Tour player Matt Griffin is joined at 4-under by Queenslander Anthony Quayle and Thailand’s Poom Saksansin.

While not enough to get them in the mix heading into the final day, Australian Kieran Muir and Thai Thitiphun Chuayprakong each had a moment to remember on Saturday,

The duo made aces on the par-3 2nd hole barely an hour apart – taking the hole-in-one count on the 2nd to three for the week.

A brilliant back-9 from Ernie Els on Saturday has revived the South African’s week leading into the final round of the 2018 Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways.

Els dropped back to 1-under for the tournament after consecutive bogeys on the 7th and 8th holes on Saturday, at the time leaving him eight shots in arrears of New Zealand’s Ben Campbell.

But the four-time major champ didn’t drop his head, instead rattling off four birdies in his final 10 holes to post a 3-under 69, his best score of the week, lifting him to a 5-under total as those on course continued to battle the increasing winds.

“Conditions were a little bit tougher than yesterday obviously, but I still made a bit of a mess on the front-9. I made two very soft bogeys,” Els told the media after signing his card.

“I’ll be quite far behind, but I’ll at least be within sniffing distance.”

Els will tee off tomorrow morning just three shots back of outright leader Gaganjeet Bhullar of India, with a pack of four Australians at 7-under and overnight Ben Campbell (77) alone at 6-under.

Els has played Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course’s first nine in 4-over par this week, racking up eight bogeys on the front side through the first three days.

Compare that to just two bogeys on the layout’s back-9 – against nine birdies and an eagle – and it’s clear which side of the course needs most of Els’ attention on Sunday.

“I’ve just got to keep it together a bit more on the front-9,” said Els.

“The front-9, I think, has been playing a little bit tougher this week. Doing that, maybe I can make a little charge on the back nine tomorrow.”

Having already broken a run of eight straight missed cuts around the globe by making the weekend in Fiji, Els admits his game is starting to turn the corner.

But the Big Easy hasn’t cracked the top-10 in a professional tournament since June, 2016 – at the PGA Tour’s Quicken Loans National – another streak he’s eager to break with a big final round performance.

“There is a low score out there for me,” said Els.

“I’m starting to hit the ball nicely, starting to get a bit more confidence in the putter. The greens are running beautiful.

“So it’s there, if it really blows tomorrow, anything can happen. Par could be a great score.  If it’s like this, I’ve got to get to 6-, 7-under par.

“But you can’t push too hard.”

The players who took to Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course on Friday afternoon couldn’t have asked for better conditions as they attempted to reel in runaway leader Ben Campbell.

But only Andrew Dodt made a substantial dent in the New Zealander’s buffer over the field, the Queenslander grinding out a second round 2-under 70 to be four back of Campbell halfway through the 2018 Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways.

The cool Kiwi sits on top of the standings at 11-under par through 36 holes, Dodt closing that gap to three before he dropped his first shot of the week with a bogey at the par-4 14th.

Dodt holds down second at 7-under, one clear of fellow overnight leader Jarryd Felton (71) and veteran Terry Pilkadaris (68).

Nick Cullen and China’s Wu Ashun headline a host of players who share fifth on the leaderboard at 5-under, but Dodt conceded most of the afternoon wave may have missed an opportunity to make up ground on 26-year-old Campbell.

“I didn’t make a birdie on the back-9, which is a bit frustrating considering that the wind completely dropped and scoring was there to take advantage of,” Dodt told the media.

“I am quite surprised that no one did go low because it was there to take advantage of.”

The European Tour regular will be paired with Campbell in Saturday’s last group out and knows what he needs to do in order to erase the four-stroke disparity as quickly as possible.

“I probably need to stay aggressive and keep attacking,” said Dodt.

“My nature is a little bit going into a bit of a shell and get a bit defensive, so I really need to keep the foot on the accelerator and keep being aggressive.”

As if to prove Thursday’s 67 was no fluke, Campbell went one better on Friday morning with a second round 6-under 66 that catapulted him to 11-under for the week and past the overnight leading trio of Australians.

While the breeze was far friendlier on Friday than during his first round, it was the direction that caught Campbell off-guard – if only briefly.

“I think it was one of the first times I’ve ever played it in these kind of conditions. So the game plan actually changed a little bit,” Campbell told the media.

“I’ve never really played it like that, it was in the total opposite direction. There was a couple holes hitting 2‑iron instead of hitting driver and a few things like that, and vice versa.”

Having grown up in windy Wellington, Campbell wasn’t fazed.

The ultra-consistent Kiwi didn’t take long to get going on Friday morning, rolling in the first of his seven birdies from the fringe on the par-3 2nd.

By the 17th, Campbell had climbed to 12-under and was one birdie away from equalling Natadola Bay’s course record.

But a closing bogey – his first of the day and just his third through 36 holes – gave the rest of the field some respite heading into the weekend.

“I just chipped and putted. When I miss the green, I always seem to get up and down, which keeps the momentum going, so I think that’s a big key,” said Campbell.

“These greens are so good this week. I think I struggled a little bit up in Asia with the grain, getting used to chipping and putting on the grain.

“So it’s great this week, there’s none of that. I just feel a bit more comfortable.”

Headline act Ernie Els will have the leaders looking over their shoulders on the weekend, the South African catching fire on Friday afternoon after making the turn on his way to a 2-under 70.

Els stiffed his approach to the 10th hole and duly converted for birdie, before hitting the pin with his second shot on the par-5 11th on the way to an eagle.

Another birdie at the next had the four-time major champion into the red numbers for the week, Els eventually finishing at 2-under and in a share of 20th position.

Local hero and tournament host Vijay Singh faced a nervous wait on Friday afternoon, but his even-par 72 was enough to see him make the cut on the number at 4-over for the tournament.

After starting on the 10th, an eagle at the par-5 17th had Singh back to 1-over for the week.

But three bogeys in his final 10 holes had the Fijian crossing his fingers in the hope he’d make the weekend.

“The wind kind of changed direction. I’ve never played this wind, so it was kind of totally different, it was like a new golf course,” Singh said after signing his card.

“Some of the holes are playing really different. The 8th hole yesterday was just a comfortable 6‑iron. Today a lot of guys are going to be hitting hybrids.

“I’m happy with the way I played, very disappointed with the little putt I missed on the last hole, but hopefully 4-over’s going to be good enough.”

Defending champion Jason Norris dropped six shots in a disastrous six-hole stretch on his way back to the clubhouse, the lowlight a triple-bogey 7 on the downhill 5th.

He too finished at 4-over par for the week, meaning the South Australian’s title defence continues for 36 more holes.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Siddikur Rahman didn’t take long to add to today’s highlight reel, kick starting his second round with a hole-in-one at the par-3 2nd from 156 metres with his 7-iron.

After kicking off his first pro season on a foreign continent with six straight missed cuts, rookie Travis Smyth had reason to feel overwhelmed.

The 23-year-old won his Asian Tour card at last year’s Q School and has spent most of 2018 navigating unfamiliar countries and exotic golf courses on his own.

But three strong weeks in Asia and two more under-par rounds at the 2018 Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways have the 23-year-old New South Welshman feeling a whole lot more comfortable on the road.

“I put myself down a little bit through that patch where I missed a bunch of cuts in a row,” Smyth said on Friday evening.

“I never felt like I was playing too bad and I think that’s why I’m starting to play better now.

“So far, first year as a pro, it’s been ups and downs.

“I’m just going through what golf gives me.”

One thing golf has given Smyth is options.

His performance at Asian Tour Q School came after a six-shot win – as an amateur – at the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia’s NT PGA Championship.

With playing rights earned at home and across Asia, Smyth knows he’s got enough guaranteed starts to find his feet overseas and work his way into some form.

And after notching up three straight top 20s at the NSW Open, Australian Open and Australian PGA Championship last summer, there’s no doubt the former World Number 11 amateur has the game.

“I just really had to get back to thinking the way I was when I was in form,” said Smyth, “and believe that I do belong out here, because I’ve done it before.

“I’ve won as an amateur. Not many players have done that.”

Smyth’s wire-to-wire win in Darwin was the full stop on an impressive amateur career – but learning about what it takes to perform week-in, week-out on any professional circuit is often what derails most tour rookies.

“As an amateur I had a pretty sort of steady run ‑ I didn’t really play bad for a long period of time," said Smyth.

“With most amateur golfers, you get host families and you get looked after 10 out of 10 everywhere you go basically.

“Now I’m booking flights and then getting to the hotel and then organising shuttle buses.

“I haven’t really experienced Asia too much and just staying in hotels by yourself and playing golf courses that are very different, that’s the hardest part. There’s a lot to think about.

“Once I get to the golf course now its just like, ’Finally, something that I know, something I’m used to’.”

After a bogey on Friday on the gettable 17th at Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course, Smyth responded with a bold up-and-down to save par on 18.

Rounds of 71 and 70 leave him in a share of 12th at the halfway stage of his first trip to Fiji and on the back of a top 20 last week in Thailand, Smyth is showing signs he’s worked his way through his first bad stretch of golf – a crucial checkpoint in the career of a young pro.

“It’s my first time out here in Fiji and I have a really good friend on the bag this week,” said Smyth.

“I’m staying in a house with one of my best mates I haven’t seen for a while, Harrison Endycott. He’s just made the cut as well, so it’s really looking like a good week.

“Happy days.”

When Jarryd Felton, Nick Cullen and Andrew Dodt hit the scorers hut on Thursday they led the Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways field by two.

By the time the Australian trio stepped on the first tee 24 hours later, they were five shots back of Kiwi Ben Campbell.

As if to prove Thursday’s 67 was no fluke, Campbell went one better on Friday with a second round 6-under 66 that catapulted him to 11-under for the week.

Campbell’s display in Thursday afternoon’s brutal winds earned him a slice of the first round lead but the 26-year-old didn’t seem keen on sharing, opening up a handy buffer as the afternoon wave took to the course.

While the breeze was far friendlier than during his first round, it was the direction that caught Campbell off-guard – if only briefly.

“I think it was one of the first times I’ve ever played it in these kind of conditions. So the game plan actually changed a little bit,” Campbell told the media.

“I’ve never really played it like that, it was in the total opposite direction. There was a couple holes hitting 2‑iron instead of hitting driver and a few things like that, and vice versa.”

Having grown up in windy Wellington, Campbell wasn’t fazed.

The ultra-consistent Kiwi didn’t take long to get going on Friday morning, rolling in the first of his seven birdies from the fringe on the par-3 2nd.

By the 17th, Campbell had climbed to 12-under and was one birdie away from equalling Natadola Bay’s course record.

But a closing bogey – his first of the day and just his third through 36 holes – gave the rest of the field some hope of reeling him in by the halfway mark of the tournament.

“I just chipped and putted. When I miss the green, I always seem to get up and down, which keeps the momentum going, so I think that’s a big key,” said Campbell.

“These greens are so good this week. I think I struggled a little bit up in Asia with the grain, getting used to chipping and putting on the grain.

“So it’s great this week, there’s none of that. I just feel a bit more comfortable.”

Fellow New Zealanders Nick Voke (68) and Harry Bateman (69) thrust themselves into the top five on the standings, with China’s Ashun Wu also reaching 5-under for the week with a second up 69 of his own.

Local hero and tournament host Vijay Singh will face a nervous wait this afternoon, his round of even-par 72 leaving him at 4-over through 36 holes and on the edge of missing the weekend’s action.

After starting on the 10th, an eagle at the par-5 17th had Singh back to 1-over for the tournament.

But three bogeys in his final 10 holes will have the Fijian praying for equally-testing winds off the Pacific Ocean this afternoon.

“The wind kind of changed direction. I’ve never played this wind, so it was kind of totally different, it was like a new golf course,” Singh said after signing his card.

“Some of the holes are playing really different. The 8th hole yesterday was just a comfortable 6‑iron. Today a lot of guys are going to be hitting hybrids.

“I’m happy with the way I played, very disappointed with the little putt I missed on the last hole, but hopefully 4-over’s going to be good enough.”

Defending champion Jason Norris dropped six shots in a disastrous six-hole stretch on his way back to the clubhouse, the lowlight a triple-bogey 7 on the downhill 5th that saw him slip to 4-over and in danger of cutting his title defence short.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Siddikur Rahman didn’t take long to add to today’s highlight reel, kick starting his second round with a hole-in-one at the par-3 2^nd from 156 metres with his 7-iron.

Only five of the 18 players to sign for an under-par round on Thursday at the Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways did so while combating the afternoon’s wild winds.

And nobody went lower than Kiwi Ben Campbell.

The 26-year-old was up against the worst of the day’s weather at Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course, his opening 5-under 67 earning him a slice of the first round lead alongside Australians Nick Cullen, Jarryd Felton and Andrew Dodt.

Campbell’s seven birdies have the New Zealander in prime position to surge ahead tomorrow morning, on a course he feels comfortable navigating.

It’s good knowing the course really well,” Campbell said after signing his card.

“I came from Thailand last week, so I didn’t play any practice rounds. I came out here on Tuesday, hit a few balls, hit a few putts and then just played the Pro‑Am.

“It’s my caddie’s first time around here, but I kind of explained it and just told him how it was going to play.”

Since winning his maiden pro title at February’s NZ PGA Championship, Campbell has made the weekend in all of his next eight events scattered across Asia.

Campbell noted the wind was wreaking the most havoc on the putting surfaces, a makeable chance for the outright lead going begging on his last hole of the day.

“It was actually quite tough because reading the greens, you’ve got to take the wind into account as well,” said Campbell.

“I was looking at the putt and it looked like it was probably a ball outside left, so I had it left edge and then it went left.

“It’s just one of those things – you’re going to get that the whole week.”

Cullen, Felton and Dodt all took advantage of the morning’s relatively friendly – but by no means easy – conditions, each carding opening 67s to set an impressive early pace.

Posting two eagles against just two bogeys between them, the Australians set themselves up for a good week in the tri-sanctioned event that could greatly aid all three in their quests to cement themselves in Asia and Europe.

“I’ll take that. That was not easy,” Dodt told the media after signing his card.

“I’ve always said I’m a good wind player. I mean, you’ve still got to do it. The last six months haven’t been that great… so today was a step in the right direction.

“I started leaking a few shots in the last three holes, but holed some good putts for par. Especially around here, it’s easy to drop shots, so bogey-free was a bonus.”

South Australian Cullen also avoided adding any big numbers to his scorecard and may have even surprised himself with his opening 67 after a dicey morning.

“It wasn’t the best warmup, I didn’t feel that great on the range,” said Cullen.

“Sometimes you end up having good days after that, so it worked out well.”

Nowadays, the 2014 Australian Masters champion spends the majority of his time teeing it up on the European Tour and secondary Challenge Tour – a balance that Cullen feels is helping him get the best out of himself on the course.

“I’m just playing the main tour events I get into in Europe. Sort of travelling from the U.S. and Australia,” said Cullen,

“It’s hard going over for smaller events with smaller purses. So trying to spend more time with my wife and my dog and seeing my coach and working on my game and trying to be a better golfer rather than just playing lots of tournaments.”

For rising West Australian star Felton, adjusting to the wind – and capitalising on it at the right times – is the key to posting a good number around Natadola Bay.

“If there’s no wind, anything under-par is probably normal,” said Felton, “But anything under-par today is a really good score. I’m really happy.”

“It’s mainly a cross-wind here and as soon as you get down breeze, you’ve just got to take your chances and try to knock it out there.”

On the back of a consistent year in China and Europe, Queenslander Maverick Antcliff made a late dash to finish at three-under after an opening 69 – a number he was joined at by Tour veteran Stephen Leaney later in the day.

Matt Griffin also sits at 3-under on the standings halfway through the day after a bogey-free round of his own, one stroke clear of a pack of players at 2-under headlined by fellow Victorian Lucas Herbert and China’s Ashun Wu.

Tournament drawcard Ernie Els ground out an even-par 72 in his first competition round at Natadola Bay – to sit in a share of 19th on the standings – after teeing off the 10th alongside the big-hitting Herbert.

The four-time major champ recorded back-to-back birdies prior to making the turn in a rollercoaster round that included four birdies and four bogeys.

Els’s fourth gained stroke came on his last hole, the uphill par-5 9th, to avoid shooting over-par.

A record eight Fijians earned a place in this year’s Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways field.

And that’s thanks largely to the determination of World Number 2042 Sam Lee.

Three-time major champion, Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course designer and host Vijay Singh has teed it up every year since the tournament began in 2014.

For the third straight year, three-time Japan Tour winner Dinesh Chand was handed a tournament invite.

Four spots in the $AU1.25 million tri-sanctioned event were again on offer to the top locals at an annual local qualifier.

And played in June each year, the highest-placed local at the Fiji Open in Denarau punches a ticket to their country’s biggest sporting event.

The winner of the Fiji Open in Denarau, a tournament that hasn’t seen a home champion since 2002, also secures a place in the Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways.

That gave 28-year-old Lee an idea.

Edge out ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia regulars Josh Munn, James Anstiss and defending champion Kieran Muir, win in Denarau and help a fellow countryman sneak into the field.

“I’ve been playing well all of this year, just trying to get better here and there,” Lee told the media on Thursday.

“One of my goals the last few years was to win the Fiji Open because that gives an extra spot to the locals.

“The last few years I used up the local qualifying or the best local finisher in the Fiji Open.

Lee held the lead through two rounds and a closing 68 was enough for a drought breaking three-shot win.

“So yeah, I got it done this time around!” said Lee.

Lee’s run of form began by finishing fourth at December’s Final Stage of Qualifying School and has continued with top-25 results at the PNG Open and WA PGA Championship.

In the opening round on Thursday morning, Nadi-based Lee proved again he belongs at this level with a 2-under 70 highlighted by three birdies and an eagle in his last 11 holes.

“I knew it was going to be windy today so I was mentally prepared,” said Lee, “and having played this course a lot of times in the wind, I think I was a bit more comfortable.

“I’ve played here so many times, so I knew the wind was going to be pretty strong. Just expect the wind and just try to play calm golf. One shot at a time.”

Despite playing in his fifth straight Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways – and racking up finishes of T26, T33 and T47 since debuting – Lee couldn’t avoid the first tee nerves.

Paired with three-time European Tour winner Richard Green and former PGA Tour player Rhein Gibson, Lee didn’t look out of place and finished as the only member of his group in the red.

“I got a bit jittery the first few holes, but I stayed calm and tried to make as little mistakes as possible,” said Lee.

“Just breathe and try to focus on the shot, just calculate how far I have to hit it in the wind.

“Try to stay in the present.”

The present might be good, but Lee’s future looks even brighter.