Open tees off

ANTHONY Quayle will be driven by last year’s playoff heartbreak in an effort to capture his maiden tour win at the SP Brewery PNG Open at Royal Port Moresby Golf Club.
The country’s premier golf tournament, worth A$142,000 (K337,874), tees off today with 106 golfers, including 80 pros, taking to the course in the 24th edition.
Finishing 72 holes of regulation play last year alongside Aaron Wilkin and Brad Moules, the first win of his career, still as an amateur, was within grasp for the then 21-year-old. Playing the par-3 18th hole in a sudden-death playoff, Quayle was the first to bow out, leaving Moules and Wilkin to go head-to-head on the second trip down the stretch.
With a birdie on the second playoff hole, Moules claimed the victory and winner’s cheque of AU$21,000 (K50,070) but most importantly, a two-year exemption on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.
When asked if the narrow loss would play on his mind, Quayle was optimistic.
“I don’t think so. I played nicely up here last year and enjoyed the experience of being in contention,” Quayle said.
“If anything, I’m eager to be back and try put myself in that position again.”
It would have been a massive boost to Quayle’s rookie year as a professional to have the guarantee of a place to play in the 2017 season.
He was forced to work for his spot the hard way in qualifying school earlier this year, where he earned a limited card, still having to pre-qualify for some events over the 2017 season.
Quayle has made quite an impact on the PGA Tour of Australasia since gaining status on tour.
After Monday qualifying for the Victorian PGA Championship and finishing T12, followed by Monday qualifying for the Oates Vic Open which resulted in a missed cut and a disappointing 49th in the Coca-Cola Queensland PGA Championship, Quayle has still been at the business end of the leaderboard in final rounds this year.
His best result so far was a top-10 finish in the New Zealand PGA Championship and was backed up the next week with a top-20 spot in the New Zealand Open.
“I’m pleased with the start to my professional career; it’s nice to quickly transition from top level amateur golf into the professional ranks,” he said.
Quayle received a number of recognitions as an amateur, including reaching 34th in World Amateur Golf rankings, second in Australian national rankings, 2015 Queensland male-golfer-of-the-year and last year was named captain of the Queensland men’s state team.
With a break in the Tour since the Queensland PGA Championship, Quayle has had the opportunity to prepare for the Royal Port Moresby layout.
The Queenslander is clearly enjoying his golf as a professional and after coming so close in last year’s PNG Open, he will no doubt be hungry to bounce back and breakthrough for a maiden Tour victory.
“It feels really close and I think the momentum is on my side so we will have to wait and see,” the Australian said.