Australian PGA winner Jed Morgan couldn’t maintain his red-hot Royal Queensland form in a Queensland PGA opening round dominated by Daniel Gale, Anthony Quayle and Cameron John.
New South Welshman Gale, Queenslander Quayle, and Victorian John each shot a six-under round of 66 on Thursday to share the lead in the $200,000 PGA Tour of Australasia event at Nudgee.
Two shots behind at four-under are David Micheluzzi and Jake McLeod, with five players – including Canberra’s Matthew Millar – a stroke further back at three-under.\
Morgan, who last week won the Australian PGA by a record margin 11 strokes after shooting 22-under over four-rounds, could only manage a one-over 73 on Thursday to already be seven shots behind Gale, Quayle and John.
“I think I navigated it pretty nicely today and set myself up with a lot of chances and then whenever I missed a green I made up and down which was nice and kept a bit of momentum going,” Quayle said after his bogey-free round.
“I wouldn’t change too much. I’d be pretty happy with six-under. I saved a couple where I probably shouldn’t have and missed a couple that maybe I should have made so it worked out pretty even.”
Gale, whose round included eight birdies and two bogeysxjmtzyw, said he was “over the moon” with his Thursday performance
“I’m happy with six-under,” Gale said.
“The way the wind’s going and some of the bounces you get on the greens, it’s pretty tricky.”
John, who had seven birdies and one bogey, said he was “just happy” to play well.
“I feel like I’ve been playing pretty well lately,” John said.
“A few of the guys were pretty happy Sunday night (after the Australian PGA) so we went out and just relaxed and had Monday off. I thought that was a good way to freshen up.”
