Date: November 18, 2006
Author: Ben Collins

Rumford ready to click

By Ben Collins, Sportal Brett Rumford came into this year&aposs MFS Australian Open waiting for his game to click and it did just that on the back nine at Royal Sydney on Saturday as he charged to within a shot of the lead. The 29-year-old from Perth shot three straight birdies, and despite following that with a bogey on the 16th, he finished the day with a 68 to go to four-under, one behind overnight leader Nathan Green. Rumford had no victories to show for a steady year on the European Tour, failing to add to his previous Tour wins at the Aa St Omer Open (2003) and the Irish Open (2004) but, after recharging his batteries, the world No.174 is ready to snatch the Stonehaven Cup on Sunday. “I&aposve had some really good performances but I really haven&apost been getting any results out of my game at all,” he said. “I&aposve just been working really hard on my game and waiting for it to click.” “I had the last two weeks off but still worked pretty hard over the last week-and-a-half. My year&aposs not over yet and I want a good run of events to finish off a fairly solid year.” Rumford hit seven birdies on the way to a 70 on Friday, claiming another five on day three, and he believes that sound approach play has given him the platform to compete in the final round. “I drove it fantastic, I have been [doing that] for the last three days, and I think that&aposs what&aposs making it a whole lot easier for me to score,” he said. “I&aposve just played really solid golf out there. I hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of greens and made some really good up and downs when I had to just to keep the momentum going.” “I&aposm not going to change anything for tomorrow,” he added. “I&aposm just going to keep playing the way I&aposve been playing and keep thinking the way I&aposve been thinking, and there&aposs no reason why it shouldn&apost be a good day tomorrow.” Green had opened up a four-shot lead before he slumped on the back nine, hitting a double-bogey and following that with successive bogeys to bring him back to the field. But Rumford insists Green&aposs slip-up did not act as extra motivation. “I hadn&apost seen any of the scores at all until I got to the 18th green,” he said. “It was quite a surprise to see Greeny coming back to the field. But it&aposs really tough out there and it&aposs tough to try to defend a lead.” “On this course, it&aposs such a fine line between making bogey and birdie. Not only have you got to play smart but you need to actually play smart and hit the golf shot. You&aposve got to play solid around this place.”