Tim Clark and Scott Hend share first round lead at the Australian Masters

November 27, 2008

SOUTH Africa's Tim Clark enjoyed the calm after the storm to share the opening round lead with Queensland's Scott Hend in the Australian Masters at Huntingdale.

Big-hitting 35-year-old Hend led for most of the day after posting an impressive five-under-par 67 - including six birdies and a bogey - in humid, blustery morning conditions on Thursday.

Clark's afternoon round lasted much longer - interrupted by a three-hour storm delay - and had more ups and downs than Hend's steady showing.

The world No.43, who was runner-up in the US Masters two years ago, joined Hend in the lead after 10 holes, including eagles on the downwind par five seventh and 10th holes.

But he slipped back with bogeys on the par four 11th and 13th and was two shots off the pace when the storm hit.

Lightning lit the skies and intermittent heavy rain and a brief hailstorm pounded the course.

But when play eventually resumed, calm weather and softened greens made for ideal conditions and Clark capitalised with birdies on the 15th and 16th on what he described as a “totally different course”.

“I was starting to drop shots before they called us off and I was lucky to come back out and make a few birdies,” he said.

“It's always tough to go out and finish off a round after such a delay, but it worked out for me.”

Four players - Englishman Daniel Wardrop, Queensland's Chris Downes and Michael Wright and Victorian Anthony Brown - were tied for third on three-under.

Downes, who had five holes to play when failing light brought a halt to play - was among about a third of the field needing to complete their rounds early on Friday.

But the course had the better of several big names.

Weekend galleries are unlikely to get to see American drawcard John Daly, unless he can bounce back from a four-over-par 76.

That score was matched by Daly's playing partner and three-time winner Craig Parry, while Victorian Stuart Appleby had 74.

Townsville-born Hend, one of golf's biggest hitters, used that attribute to advantage in places, including a 395m drive on the par five 10th to set up one of his six birdies.

But he was selective with his aggression.

“The way the holes run on the golf course you could drive it into the greenside traps on a few of the par fours,” he said.

“On the other par fours you have to be careful back into the wind - it was aggressive and defensive.”

Hend was looking to build on his good start in the event, co-sanctioned by the European Tour, to earn a full-time berth in Europe next year.

Otherwise, he will return to the Asian Tour, where he has played the past two years.
His ultimate aim is to return to the US PGA Tour, where he played fulltime in 2004 and 2005.

He failed at recent tilts at both the US and European qualifying schools, citing an arm tendon injury sustained 13 weeks ago lifting tiles in his house in Florida as a contributing factor in both missed opportunities.

“The doctor told me to take nine weeks off and I said to him that it was impossible at this time of year,” Hend said.

“Before the US tour school I took two weeks off and did not touch a club, obviously I missed there.

“ ... Then I missed in Europe because it was minus-three degrees and if anyone has had tendon problems the cold does not do too much for you.”


APGA: Australian Masters
Pos Name NAT Hole To Par 1 2 3 4 Total
T1 Scott Hend AUS F -5 67 67
T1 Tim Clark RSA F -5 67 67
T3 Anthony Brown AUS F -3 69 69
T3 Chris Downes AUS 13 -3 0
T3 Michael Wright AUS F -3 69 69
T3 Daniel Wardrop ENG F -3 69 69
T7 Simon Griffiths ENG F -2 70 70
T7 Peter Senior AUS F -2 70 70
T7 Vernon Sexton-Finck AUS F -2 70 70
T7 Daniel Chopra SWE F -2 70 70
T7 Andrew Dodt AUS 15 -2 0
T7 Paul Sheehan AUS F -2 70 70
T7 Anthony Summers AUS 15 -2 0
T7 Ewan Porter AUS F -2 70 70

South African Tim Clark leads Masters, Robert Allenby looms as major threat
November 28, 2008

AUSTRALIAN Masters favourite Robert Allenby positioned himself for a strong weekend tilt at a third gold jacket on Friday, picking up five shots in his last six holes.

The Victorian, who won the event in 2003 and 2005, returned a six-under-par 66 to reach the halfway stage five under, just two shots behind South African leader Tim Clark.

Allenby credited a mid-round alteration to his putting routine for his late run and said it heralded good things for the weekend.

"Every putt from then on either went in or looked like it was going in," he said.

"I'm excited that part of my game feels really good, because if that part of my game is good I can do anything."

New South Welshman Anthony Summers, who shot 68 on Friday, and West Australian Michael Sim (66) were tied for second on six under.

Summers, who tied for 10th at Huntingdale last year in his best finish in an Australasian PGA Tour event, at one stage took the outright lead at eight under par.

He bogeyed two of his last three holes and missed a good birdie chance in between to slip back, but said he relished the rare experience of leading such a big event, co-sanctioned with the European Tour.

"I really enjoyed it, I was comfortable, things did not get the better of me, I dropped a couple of shots late but they were tough holes," he said.

But Allenby, one of seven players tied for fourth, looked best placed to challenge Clark, given his local knowledge, impressive record in Australia and strong and consistent form in the United States this year.

"I know that if I keep playing the way I did for the last five or six holes, I'll be right there on Sunday," Allenby said.

Consistent Queenslander Rod Pampling (71-68) was also well placed at five under.

Clark, who started the day joint leader with Queensland's Scott Hend on five under, was steady rather than spectacular in Friday's round.

Starting on the 10th hole, he parred the first nine holes he played, then picked up two birdies on the homeward nine.

While satisfied, he conceded he could have scored much better on a day when New South Welshman Aaron Townsend equalled the course record of 64 to join the group on five under.

"I had a lot more birdie chances, close ones, with the greens being softer (than on Thursday), I just did not make anything," Clark said.

"I made one putt of about eight feet for birdie on number one, which was my back nine, and that was it all day."

But the world No.43 still liked his chances.

"I am still in a good position, it seems like it is going to be quite bunched up with how the course is playing. Really, it is about playing four solid rounds," he said.

Hend slipped back with a 73 to be on four under.

But he fared much better than several big names who missed the cut.

American John Daly again drew big galleries, but will not be around for the weekend after shooting 73 on Friday to finish five over par.

His playing partner, three-time winner Craig Parry, also bowed out on three over.

Stuart Appleby (four over), John Senden (three over), Peter O'Malley (three over) and Jarrod Moseley (three over) will also be missing.



APGA: Australian Masters
Pos Name NAT Hole To Par 1 2 3 4 Total
1 Tim Clark RSA F -7 67 70 137
T2 Michael Sim AUS F -6 72 66 138
T2 Anthony Summers AUS F -6 70 68 138
T4 Steve Webster ENG F -5 71 68 139
T4 Robert Allenby AUS F -5 73 66 139
T4 Jamie Donaldson WAL F -5 72 67 139
T4 Aaron Townsend AUS F -5 75 64 139
T4 Rod Pampling AUS F -5 71 68 139
T4 David Horsey ENG F -5 71 68 139
T4 Michael Wright AUS F -5 69 70 139

T11 Scott Hend AUS F -4 67 73 140
T11 Marcus Fraser AUS F -4 73 67 140
T11 Nathan Green AUS F -4 72 68 140
T11 Scott Laycock AUS F -4 73 67 140
T11 Ashley Hall AUS F -4 73 67 140
T19 Brett Rumford AUS F -3 71 70 141
T19 Ewan Porter AUS F -3 70 71 141
T19 Marc Leishman AUS F -3 71 70 141
T22 Peter Senior AUS F -2 70 72 142
T22 Tony Carolan AUS F -2 74 68 142
T22 Greg Chalmers AUS F -2 72 70 142
T22 David McKenzie AUS F -2 72 70 142
T22 Adam Crawford AUS F -2 71 71 142
T22 Steven Bowditch AUS F -2 72 70 142

What a great week it would have been for me to visit Melbourne, the Masters Golf and the Melbourne Greyhound Cup all in one week and then there is paying for it on Saturday night via Salegreys Iscool.

Robert Allenby's amazing albatross at the Australian Masters

November 29, 2008

IF Robert Allenby wins his third Australian Masters title, he will be able to look back on one of the greatest shots in the tournament's history as the turning point.

The Victorian's third round on Saturday was progressing solidly, but without any great momentum, and he was a shot off the lead when he started the par-five seventh hole.

But his second shot on that hole, a 223m three wood, rolled in for that rarest of golfing birds, an albatross, and suddenly he was atop the leaderboard.

Allenby described the shot as “perfect” and no one who witnessed it would disagree.

“It was about as pure as it looked,” he said.

“The wind was just off the right, I knew I didn't have to smash it, I knew I just needed to hit it solid.

“I was just going straight at (the hole) and it did exactly that, it went straight at it, it landed perfect.

“The funny thing is you never get those opportunities to land a three wood soft at Huntingdale but today was one of those days, so that was fortunate.

“Normally if it lands there it would go off the back, but it was pretty much perfect.”

With the green slightly above where Allenby was standing on the fairway, he could not see the ball roll in, but the crowd reaction quickly told the story.

“I saw it land and I saw it track towards the flag and it just sort of disappeared and then I heard the roar and obviously it had gone in,'' he said.

He pumped his fist, then raised both arms in triumph.

Allenby said he had to alter his club selection to cater for his pumping adrenaline on the following hole.

He ended the third round equal leader with West Australian Michael Sim and said if he went on to win the event the shot would take on even greater value in his estimation.

“If I win tomorrow I can say that that shot won me this tournament,” Allenby said.

Masters favourite Robert Allenby hits albatross, shares lead with Michael Sim

November 29, 2008

FOUR years ago, Robert Allenby hosted a group of young Australian amateur golfers at his house in Florida as they prepared to represent their nation in the Eisenhower Cup world teams event in Puerto Rico.

On Sunday, one of those youngsters, West Australian Michael Sim, will be out to prevent Allenby winning a third Australian Masters title at Huntingdale.

Allenby, the tournament favourite, and 24-year-old Sim, both finished Saturday's third round on 10 under par, two shots clear of third-placed Victorian Ashley Hall, a Huntingdale member.

Three players were tied for fourth on seven under - experienced Queenslander Rod Pampling, journeyman New South Welshman Anthony Summers and England's Steve Webster.

Allenby and Sim were playing partners on Saturday as the Victorian shot a five-under-par 67, his round sparked when he holed a 223m three-wood for an albatross on the par five seventh, and Sim a 68 to surge to the top of the leaderboard.

They will again play together in Sunday's final group.

That is nothing new to Allenby, a winner of 10 tour titles in Australia, including the Masters in 2003 and 2005, as well as numerous events overseas.

But for Sim, who acknowledges Allenby as one of his idols, it will be his first time in the last group of a major tournament, a situation he was hoping would not cause him to alter his focus.

"You've just got to stick to your gameplan, I'll stick to the same tee shots, same clubs off every tee," Sim said.

"It's the first time I've been in a final group and that's going to be different, there's going to be people out there supporting Rob because he's from Victoria.

"I've just got to stay in the moment, stay within each shot and if it happens, it happens."

Allenby fondly recalled his time with Sim and his team-mates in 2004, when he hosted them for a barbecue, took them on a boat trip and also joined them for some golf.

He welcomed Sim's emergence as a title contender.

The youngster was ranked the world's best amateur in 2005, but after turning professional, has been restricted by recurring back injuries at various stages of each year since.

"He's a great player and he's playing really well at the moment and I think it's awesome that he's playing so well ... it's always good to see the young guys playing well," Allenby said.

"I'm definitely not old but I've definitely been around and I'm excited for him.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge that he throws out tomorrow and looking forward to the opportunity to try and win my third gold jacket."

South African Tim Clark, who led the tournament after the second round, finished the third round seven shots adrift after firing a four-over-par 76.



APGA: Australian Masters
Pos Name NAT Hole To Par 1 2 3 4 Total
T1 Michael Sim AUS F -10 72 66 68 206
T1 Robert Allenby AUS F -10 73 66 67 206
3 Ashley Hall AUS F -8 73 67 68 208
T4 Steve Webster ENG F -7 71 68 70 209
T4 Rod Pampling AUS F -7 71 68 70 209
T4 Anthony Summers AUS F -7 70 68 71 209
T7 David Horsey ENG F -6 71 68 71 210
T7 Nathan Green AUS F -6 72 68 70 210
T7 Aaron Townsend AUS F -6 75 64 71 210
T10 Danny Lee (a) NZL F -5 71 69 71 211
T10 Scott Hend AUS F -5 67 73 71 211
T10 Michael Wright AUS F -5 69 70 72 211
T10 Marcus Fraser AUS F -5 73 67 71 211
T10 Craig Scott AUS F -5 72 72 67 211
T10 Daniel Wardrop ENG F -5 69 71 71 211

November 30, 2008

ROD Pampling has won the Australian Masters at Huntingdale for the first time, defeating Marcus Fraser in a play-off after the pair finished the fourth round locked on 12-under par.

Pampling, 39, claimed the Gold Jacket after making par, while Fraser made a bogey, on the third trip up the par-four 18th in the play-off after both players had parred the hole the first two times.

Fraser shot a seven-under-par final round of 65 to make the play-off, while Pampling carded a final-round 67.

Pre-tournament favourite Robert Allenby finished third on nine-under par after starting the round as joint leader, with Western Australia's Michael Sim, on 10 under.

"They're never fun to be in, you work so hard for 72 holes then you still have to go again," Pampling, a two-time winner on the US PGA Tour, said of the play-off that saw him win on home soil for the first time since the 1999 Canon Challenge at Terrey Hills in Sydney.

"But thankfully we came out on the right end.

"Marcus obviously played great today ... I'm very grateful that I ended up winning the trophy."

Fraser and Pampling both made a solid par on the first play-off hole before Fraser found a sand trap the second time then had to hole a four-metre putt to stay alive.

But Fraser, who played the final round with his wife heavily pregnant in hospital with their first child, could not repeat the dose on the third play-off hole, after again missing the green, and Pampling clinched the Gold Jacket and the $270,000 cheque for first place with another solid par.

Pampling said he had benefited from a longer-than-normal preparation time in Australia, after returning from the US about three weeks ago.

"(In the past) I haven't had a great preparation coming home, you've got a 24-hour flight, you get in Tuesday most times, you're just not used to the golf course as much," he said.

"I've had chances to win, but thankfully today I've got up there."

Pampling also credited focussing techniques instigated by his wife Angela, a clinical psychologist, for keeping him calm during the play-off.

Fraser and Pampling both made an early charge to overtake the overnight leaders.

Fraser, who started the day on five under, birdied six of the first eight holes to claim the outright lead at 11 under par and the outright lead.

Sim, meanwhile, dropped out of the picture with bogeys on the 2nd and 3rd holes, and Allenby dropped a shot when he three-putted the par-three 5th to fall two shots adrift of Fraser.

Pampling, who started the day at seven under, picked up two shots in his first six holes then joined Fraser in the lead when he sunk a long eagle putt on the par-five 7th.

Allenby, in the group behind Pampling, birdied the 7th to move within one shot of the lead, while Fraser bogeyed the 11th hole to join Allenby a shot behind Pampling.

But Fraser showed superb touch with his short game to birdie the 13th and 14th holes to move to 12-under par and regain the outright lead.

Fraser was still in front when he completed his round, but Pampling rejoined him soon after with a birdie on the par-three 15th.

Allenby then struck disaster with a double bogey on the same hole after he needed three bunker shots to find the green, leaving him three shots off the pace and out of contention.

Allenby, who revealed on Saturday that his mother Sylvia, who has cancer, did not have long to live, struggled to stay composed after blowing his chances at the 15th hole.

But, with his mother at the course to watch him play the final holes, he managed to par the remaining three to hold onto third position.

APGA: Australian Masters
Pos Name NAT Hole To Par 1 2 3 4 Total
1 Rod Pampling AUS F -12 71 68 70 67 276
2 Marcus Fraser AUS F -12 73 67 71 65 276
3 Robert Allenby AUS F -9 73 66 67 73 279
T4 Alexander Noren SWE F -8 73 71 68 68 280
T4 Tim Clark RSA F -8 67 70 76 67 280
T4 Nathan Green AUS F -8 72 68 70 70 280
7 David McKenzie AUS F -7 72 70 71 71 284
T8 Marc Leishman AUS F -6 71 70 74 67 282
T8 Martin Erlandsson SWE F -6 74 71 70 67 282

December 04, 2008

GEOFF Ogilvy didn't need to be told he'd blown a special round when he opened his assault on the storm-disrupted Australian PGA Championship at the Hyatt resort with a solid 67.

Officials called a halt to play at 3.03pm (AET) because of thunder and lightning storms in the area with 78 players returning early on Friday morning to complete their opening rounds.

New Zealand left-hander Tim Wilkinson, who banked $US1.1 million ($A1.7 million) in his rookie year on the US Tour, was the clubhouse leader on six-under par when play was officially called off for the day.

His lead was one shot over Ogilvy, who failed to cash in on a hot start that promised so much.

"It could have been a pretty special nine holes but then it came undone a little bit on the back nine," mused the 2006 US Open champion who flew the blocks like Usain Bolt with a birdie-eagle start to his round.

But the wind got up, some loose shots crept into his game and the special round stagnated with a string of eight straight pars coming home.

It was Kiwi day at Coolum with Richard Lee matching Ogilvy's 67 start.

Little-known Victorian Peter Wilson, a hobby farmer from Lang Lang near Phillip Island, was cursing mother nature's timing after he'd charged into the lead at eight-under just before the storm siren blasted to call players to safety.

But before it sounded, Wilson, who led the first round of the Australian Masters two years ago after firing a 65, ran up a costly double bogey at the par four 13th hole, dropping back to six-under before walking off the course one hole later.

Ogilvy, who American John Daly described on Tuesday as one of the best iron players he'd seen, was hot early.

He birdied his opening hole, the 10th, before spearing a precision-like four iron to within two metres of the pin on the treacherous 12th green for an eagle three.

Ogilvy could have birdied every hole on the back nine on his way out.

"I could have done, yeah," agreed Ogilvy, happy to have started his quest for his breakthrough victory on home soil after playing very little golf in the past two months.

Young Victorian Peter Nolan spun a tale after getting on the leaderboard with an opening 68.

He revealed his previous lowest round had been a 61 shot in the 2001 Ballarat pro-am when he was 18.

It just happened to break the course record which had once been held by Greg Norman.
"It's a great start, a bit of a surprise," admitted the spindly 26-year-old.

Coolum specialist Peter Lonard started his defence with a two-under 70, an unspectacular start by his standards.

Robert Allenby was tied for 15th with last weekend's Masters winner Rod Pampling on two-under when play was called off.

Daly, who played in Ogilvy's group, recovered from an early double bogey to shoot 71, his up and down round featuring five birdies, a doubly bogey and two bogies.

The good news though for organisers was he finished with 14 clubs in his bag and signed his card.

APGA: Australian PGA Championship
Pos Name NAT Hole To Par 1 2 3 4 Total
T1 Tim Wilkinson NZL 0 -6 66 66
T1 Paul Sheehan AUS 1 -6 66 66
T3 Richard Lee NZL 0 -5 67 67
T3 Michael Long NZL 0 -5 67 67
T3 Peter Wilson AUS 6 -5 68 68
T3 Nathan Green AUS 3 -5 70 70
T3 Mathew Goggin AUS 2 -5 67 67
T3 Geoff Ogilvy AUS 0 -5 67 67
T9 David Lutterus AUS 4 -4 70 70
T9 Peter Nolan AUS 0 -4 68 68
T9 Rod Pampling AUS 2 -4 70 70

December 05, 2008

AMERICAN John Daly experienced another painful exit from Coolum with the resort's 18th hole again his undoing as he crashed out of the Australian PGA Championship.

Daly, who disgraced himself when he chucked his putter in the lake beside the 18th green in 2002, again came to grief on the resort's testing 390m finishing hole.

Needing at least par or possibly a birdie to make the cut, Daly pulled out his driver and went for broke only to drown his ball.

He put his approach shot in the water beside the green and then took two putts to end his round with a triple-bogey seven and a score of 77.

This time though he put his putter in his golf bag and walked off.

The gallery around the 18th green gave him a generous round of applause before his playing partner Geoff Ogilvy holed a six-metre birdie putt for a 71 to be three shots behind co-leaders Jarrod Lyle and Mathew Goggin.

Lyle posted the lowest round of his budding career, blazing nine birdies in a record equalling 63 on Friday.

NSW professional Paul Sheehan (66-70) was a shot back on eight under with six players, including last weekend's Masters champion Rod Pampling (70-67) bunched on seven under.

Apart from Daly, the other major casualty was defending champion Peter Lonard who will miss the cut at Coolum for the first time in his career.

Lonard hasn't missed a cut at home since the 2006 Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth.

APGA: Australian PGA Championship
Pos Name NAT Hole To Par 1 2 3 4 Total
T1 Mathew Goggin AUS F -9 67 68 135
T1 Jarrod Lyle AUS F -9 72 63 135
3 Paul Sheehan AUS F -8 66 70 136
T4 Peter Senior AUS F -7 70 67 137
T4 Michael Curtain AUS F -7 70 67 137
T4 Peter Wilson AUS F -7 68 69 137
T4 Wayne Perske AUS F -7 71 66 137
T4 David Lutterus AUS F -7 70 67 137
T4 Rod Pampling AUS F -7 70 67 137
T10 Richard Lee NZL F -6 67 71 138
T10 Matthew Ballard AUS F -6 70 68 138
T10 Nathan Green AUS F -6 70 68 138
T10 Scott Strange AUS 16 -6 70 70
T10 Geoff Ogilvy AUS F -6 67 71 138
T10 Tim Wilkinson NZL F -6 66 72 138

December 05, 2008

A KICK in the pants from his dad over dinner spurred Jarrod Lyle to the lowest round of his budding career after he attacked a softened Coolum resort course with nine birdies in a record equalling 63 on Friday.

One of golf's great stories, Lyle, diagnosed with cancer in 1999, took his father John's advice and went at the pins with more aggression, charging up the Australian PGA second-day leaderboard.

It was a case of father knows best for the burly 27-year-old, who played the last seven holes of his first round and Friday's 18 holes in 11-under to be nine-under and in the lead late in the day.

"I sat down with my dad over dinner and pretty much had an argument about everything I've been doing and stuff. Something kind of snapped in me today and I hit it really good," said Lyle.

"He told me I was not taking advantage of the holes I used to gobble up.

"I can't fault today, I think today was perfect. I went at the flags when it was on and when it wasn't I just tried to give myself a putt."

Lyle's Army - five mates from his home town of Shepparton decked out in green shirts - cheered every putt that dropped.

Lyle, who has a John Daly-like physique as well as some of the American's larrikin ways, lost his US Tour card in 2007.

As strange as it sounds, surrendering a card on the US Tour offering $US70 million in prizemoney and some generous perks may have been just what was needed.

It forced Lyle back onto the secondary Nationwide Tour, where he won twice and finished fourth on the money list.

"That could have been the best thing to happen to me," he said candidly.

"Now I've learned how to win. I've won twice this year and looking back on the experiences from last year's US Tour, it's going to help me a lot next year.

Lyle is totally committed to being a professional golfer to set himself up for life.

But he admits being away from his family and his girlfriend Briony Harper is an extremely lonely existence.

"It's a lonely life," said Lyle, who rises at 7.30am when he's back home to help clean Spag Hollow, the restaurant he part owns with his family in Shepparton.

"I'm over there (US) by myself, all my family is back in Shepparton.

"It's very hard to have not only a family relationship via phone but also a girlfriend via phone.

"It's like having an internet lover that you don't see.

"I have these moments when I wake up and think, man, I wish I was back home with all my friends and family."

Mathew Goggin matched Lyle's tournament score of nine-under with a second round 68 after his earlier 67.

After a less than exciting front nine of 36, Goggin produced a late eagle, storming home in just 32 shots.

"I was barely awake on the putting green and it showed early," said the father of two, who got out of bed at 4am to finish his first round.

The shot of the day belonged to Nathan Green, who banged a seven iron into the hole at the par-three 11th.

Unfortunately for him, it didn't carry the same $500,000 prize as his ace in the Australian Masters in 2001.

December 06, 2008

FORMER US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy turned the worst shot of his third round into a spectacular chip in for birdie, setting the scene for some last day fireworks in the $1.5 million Australian PGA Championship.

In a remarkable few holes, the tournament went from seemingly having four players tied on 11 under on the last day, to gritty Tasmanian Mathew Goggin (69) completing an incredible late fight back to snatch a one shot lead at 12 under.

Goggin, who slipped back to eight under at one stage at the Hyatt Regency resort, pulled out the shot of the day by planting his approach to the 18th green less than a metre from the pin.

"It was a knock down six iron from 150 metres," said Goggin who dragged out three birdies in his last four holes.

When putters were finally holstered, Goggin emerged with a slender lead over Ogilvy (67-71-67) and last weekend's Masters champion Rod Pampling (70-67-68), both on 11 under.

Victorian Jarrod Lyle, who'd bravely defied the challengers all afternoon, cracked in the searing heat and humidity late in his round.

He struggled to keep his rhythm, posting three bogeys in six holes, unable to match Friday's course record equalling 63 with a one under 71.

Lyle ended a tough day on 10 under, the same score as Peter O'Malley who repeated yesterday's five under 67 to give himself a chance of a huge upset.

Ogilvy tried to play defensively into the 18th hole and came up with "my worst shot of the day".

"Maybe it (the chip in) was good karma for missing all those putts during the day," he said.

Ogilvy seemed unimpressed when reminded that he was a non-winner at home.

It suggests his resolve will be steely to win a tournament steeped in so much history and finally get the monkey off his back.

"It would just be nice not to hear the question," said Ogilvy when the "m" word was mentioned after his round.

"Obviously I want to win at home.

"We play all around the world and you win tournaments all around the world ... obviously I want to win at home.

It was veteran's day for a while as firstly Peter Senior, 49, who won the PGA at Coolum in 2003, and then O'Malley, 43, threatened to upstage the young guns.

Senior (70-67-71) worked within two shots of the lead early on the back nine before dropping a shot on his last hole to finish eight under and four behind Goggin.

Pampling has a chance to head to Sydney next week for the Australian Open chasing a rare treble if he follows up his Masters win by collecting the Joe Kirkwood Cup.

APGA: Australian PGA Championship
Pos Name NAT Hole To Par 1 2 3 4 Total
1 Mathew Goggin AUS F -12 67 68 69 204
T2 Geoff Ogilvy AUS F -11 67 71 67 205
T2 Rod Pampling AUS F -11 70 67 68 205
T4 Peter O'Malley AUS F -10 72 67 67 206
T4 Jarrod Lyle AUS F -10 72 63 71 206
T6 Tim Wilkinson NZL F -9 66 72 69 207
T6 Chris Gaunt AUS F -9 71 68 68 207
T8 Peter Senior AUS F -8 70 67 71 208
T8 Scott Strange AUS F -8 70 69 69 208
T10 Wade Ormsby AUS F -7 70 70 69 209
T10 Peter Wilson AUS F -7 66 70 72 208