Date: February 22, 2008
Author: Luke Buttigieg at Moonah Links

Perske happy in the wind

While some players may despise having to play in windy conditions, Queenslander Wayne Perske says he would be happy for it to blow all week at the Moonah Classic at Moonah Links. The 32-year-old, whose biggest win so far in his career came with victory in the Token Homemate Cup in Japan two years ago, says that he is always happy to test himself in windy conditions. “I quite like it, it&aposs a challenge, that&aposs for sure,” Perske said after his five-under 67 gave him a share of the lead with Ewan Porter at the Australasian and Nationwide Tour co-sanctioned event on Victoria&aposs Mornington Peninsula. “It can be brutal if you are not playing well but if you are hitting it in the right places, and you know where to hit it, it is actually quite rewarding. I&aposm quite pleased with it. I hope it blows for the next couple of days as well.” “I think when it is windy you get a good feel for how you are playing because your bad shots get punished more so than normal. They are coming out pretty good at the moment.” Perske added that he has been in good form recently, having finished fifth at the NAB Victorian PGA Championship at Sanctuary Lakes Resort in Victoria in the final week of January. “I had a good run at Sanctuary Lakes and it was quite windy there,” he said. “The only day it did not blow was the last day. That was my worst round of the four. When it didn&apost blow I shot even par. When it blew I had 65.” Having dreamt for a long time of having &aposa crack&apos at the US PGA Tour, Perske differs from many other Australian players in that he won&apost be rushing to move to America if he wins this weekend. Like fellow Australians Paul Sheehan and Paul Marantz, who both said on Thursday that they would not shift to the United States even if guaranteed cards there because they have young families, Perske is in a similar position. Over the six years that the Nationwide Tour has been playing events in Australia and New Zealand several Australasians have gone on to qualify for the riches of the US PGA Tour through victories in the events. But while he would be delighted to go on and claim victory, Perske says he and his wife Vanessa would have to &aposhave a good think&apos before he committed to heading to the USA. “I&aposll definitely think about it, (but) I have two kids, my little girl is two-and-a-half and my little boy is 14 months,” Perske said. “I&aposd have to take them over to America, whereas if I play in Japan I can come back and forth, which makes it pretty easy.” “I think it is always a dream when you come from Australia (to play in the USA). You see the Greg Normans and the trail blazers in America. In this day and age the money is massive and (world No.1) Tiger (Woods) is tearing it up.” “You&aposd like to see how you&aposd perform against those guys. I would like to get there at some stage. Maybe when the kids are a little older and we can all move over.”