Tim Hart leads by two at the QLD PGA after Round 1

Tim Hart leads by two at the QLD PGA after Round 1

Brisbane boy Tim Hart took advantage of relatively benign conditions to flirt with the course record on his way to a two-stroke lead at the Queensland PGA Championship at Nudgee Golf Club. Bogey-free and 7-under through 15 holes, a mental error led to a double-bogey at the par-4 16th. In a sign of growing maturity, Hart responded with a two-putt birdie at the par-5 17th and then produced an exceptional two-putt from the front of the 18th green to sign for a 6-under 66.

 That is one shy of the course record jointly shared by 2021 champion Anthony Quayle and Haydn Barron but two better than the winning 72-hole total at Nudgee 12 months ago. Fellow Brisbane natives Jake McLeod and Chris Wood share second with Andrew Campbell after rounds of 4-under 68 with Queensland amateur Lincoln Morgan, Sydney rookie Harrison Crowe and West Australian Ben Ferguson part of a six-way tie for fifth after posting 3-under 69.

Currently 16th on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit, Hart birdied his first three holes on Thursday. With the exception of the slip-up on 16, he used a potent combination of power, putts and patience to assume the Round 1 lead.

 “It was nice to see the putts go in early, which puts you in a really good headspace and relaxes you more than anything,” said Hart, who holed putts from 20, six and 12 feet to be 3-under through three holes.

 “I got to seven (under) through 15 and then made that double-bogey but to finish with a birdie and a good two-putt on the last made me feel a lot better.”

 McLeod matched his opening round from 12 months ago thanks in part to some putting practice last week with good mate and 2021 champion, Anthony Quayle. A superb up-and-down from the bunker on 18 kept McLeod within two as he seeks to recapture the form that saw him win the Order of Merit in 2018.

 “He (Quayle) just noticed straight away that I was really bogged down over the ball,” McLeod said.

 “Getting engaged out there at the hole rather than being really stuck over the ball and struggling to take it away. Just getting a bit more external with my thoughts and really seeing that ball drop into the hole.