Date: November 23, 2013
Author: Golf NSW

Price retains his lead on day 3

Round three of the Gloria Jean s Coffees NSW Open Championship has been suspended due to lack of light. Play was suspended at 7.45pm with Aron Price firing 4-under the card after 9 holes to be 16-under for the tournament and leading by four shots over Steven Bowditch. I just didn t make any putts today. I had 10-under for 27 holes and didn t have a bogey so all in all it was pretty good, said Bowditch, who is also 4-under in the third round courtesy of an eagle on the 1st. I need to start making some putts if I am going to catch Aron. He is obviously playing pretty good, so I need to finish off my round early tomorrow morning and just try to narrow down the lead. It was an early start at Castle Hill Country Club this morning as the second round was resumed at 6.30am after inclement weather caused delays on Friday. Leaving the course on Friday night needing to putt out on the 9th, James Nitties rued a missed opportunity as he three putted this morning. It was a better outcome for Ash Hall who made par on his last hole to lead after the first wave of the second round. His lead was short lived as Aron Price finally tee off in his second round at 6.40am today. It was probably better to be in our wave, we definitely got the better half of the draw. We had two mornings, today even more still than it was on Thursday, said Price. Posting his second 6-under 66 for the tournament Price claimed the lead at 12-under 132 at the conclusion of the second round. It’s better to be 12-under than less but there is still a long way to go. I need to tighten up my ball striking and keep putting well, added Price. The scoring conditions are pretty good, there is no wind and the greens are pretty soft so there will be some low scores for the next two days. The round of the day belonged to South Australian Paul Spargo who posted a course record 9-under 63 at Castle Hill Country Club during the second round. It went my way most the day. The conditions were still which made scoring there for the taking , said Spargo whose card contained 11 birdies and two bogeys. It wasn t long after Spargo finished his round that lightning in the area caused round two to once again be suspended with five groups to complete their round. Play resumed at 1.23pm with the second round completed at 2pm. The halfway cut was made at 1-under the card with 62 Professionals and seven amateurs making it through to the final rounds. The third round of the Gloria Jean s Coffees NSW Open Championship teed off at 2.45pm and was suspended at 7.45pm with just four groups having completed their third round. The third round will resume at 6.30am on Sunday with the fourth round to commence at approximately 9.45am.