Amateur Aims For Fairytale
The Age
Saturday November 27, 1999
SYDNEY
Victorian teenager Aaron Baddeley yesterday launched a spectacular bid to become the first amateur to win the Australian Open in 39 years - since Bruce Devlin took out the title at Lake Karrinyup in 1960.
The 18-year-old boy wonder from Melbourne finished the day at nine under par, one shot behind halfway leader, New Zealander Michael Campbell, after having led the tournament for much of the second day.
He shot a four-under 68 yesterday, while Campbell, his playing partner, staged a stirring finish with four straight birdies to take the 36-hole lead. His 65 was the equal best round of the day.
Only a glitch at the 16th hole, where he missed a tiddler birdie putt of 60centimetres, and a bogey at the 17th hole cost Baddeley the lead. He said later he was confident of continuing his remarkable fairytale run over the weekend, saying his form was good and he was in no way daunted by being among the leaders of his national title.
``I'm not that surprised to be where I am," he said. ``I came here to win the golf tournament."
Western Australian left-hander Nick O'Hern, overnight leader Paul Gow and New South Wales rookie professional Brendan Jones are in joint third place at eight under, while Irishman Paul McGinley and unheralded Englishman Andrew Wall were a stroke further back.
A string of quality players, such as Colin Montgomerie, Peter Lonard, Peter O'Malley, Jarrod Moseley, Greg Chalmers and Craig Spence, lurk within five shots. Greg Norman is one under, nine shots off the pace.
© 1999 The Age
