McLeod, Jager share lead at Australian PGA Championship
ByReuters
Published 29/11/2018 at 08:13 GMT
SYDNEY, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Jake McLeod continued his strong home season with a six-under-par 66 to take a share of the lead alongside compatriot Matt Jager after the first round of the Australian PGA Championship on the Gold Coast on Thursday.
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Queenslander McLeod, who claimed his maiden professional title at the New South Wales Open earlier this month, rolled in six birdies in a bogey-free round to upstage a slew of bigger names at the European Tour co-sanctioned event.
He and Western Australian Jager ended the day one stroke ahead of South Korea's Eom Jae-woong and Dimitrios Papadatos, who came second at the Australian Open two weeks ago, at the Royal Pines Resort.
Australian number two Marc Leishman was a stroke further adrift on four-under in a group five players that also featured Spain's Adrian Otaegui.
McLeod finished third at the Australian Open at The Lakes course in Sydney and the 24-year-old credited his recent good form to the help of a new psychologist.
"I just need to stay really focused on the shot and have a bit of a laugh out there and just stay relaxed," said McLeod, who got off to a flying start with four birdies in six holes after teeing off from the 10th.
Jager also started brightly in brilliant sunshine from the 10th, grabbing eagles at the par-five 12th and 15th holes to make the turn at four-under before adding three birdies and a lone bogey to close out his round.
John Senden, twice a winner on the U.S. PGA Tour, was left fuming with officials at the ninth when his driver's shaft snapped mid-swing at the tee and pinched his hand.
Although the big-hitting Australian had not made contact with the ball, it was ruled a stroke. Lacking another driver in his bag, the 47-year-old removed the tee and hit his second shot with an iron before going on to bogey the hole.
Senden finished with an even-par 72, one better than playing partner Geoff Ogilvy, the 2006 U.S. Open winner.
Defending champion Cameron Smith, who won last year's tournament in a playoff, opened with a 70 to be four off the pace on two-under, in a huge group that included Briton Andrew Johnston. (Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by John O'Brien)
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