Former Darling Downs local Andrew Dodt has returned to the Coca-Cola Queensland PGA Championship presented by Toowoomba Regional Council to play in the event for the first time since 2014.
Growing up playing on the City Golf Club course for school golf and junior tournaments, Dodt hopes his knowledge of the layout and fond memories of the region can push him to a win in his home state of Queensland.
“I have a lot of great memories here,” said Dodt, who grew up in Gatton, just half an hour from the Toowoomba region.
“I certainly know the course from junior tournaments so absolutely I’ll try and take advantage of that. I want to try and win, that’s the goal.
“I’ve won the Queensland Open so it’d be nice to add the Queensland PGA next to it.”
Despite not featuring on the winner’s list in recent times, Dodt is hopeful of a success on home soil.
“My form is pretty good; unfortunately my results probably don’t speak for that,” he said. “My game feels in really good shape though and I can’t wait to start tomorrow.”
Having recently spent most of his time playing on the European Tour, Dodt returns to Australia to focus on family and play a stint on the ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia.
“Most of my season last year was taken up by my European Tour schedule but I’m not playing much in Europe this year so I can get back and have a crack here,” Dodt added.
Now living in Newcastle, Dodt’s father will caddie for him across the weekend at the Queensland PGA, while his wife and three-month-old daughter have also made the trip to watch the 33-year-old in action.
“Yeah it’s been awesome,” Dodt continued. “I don’t get back home very often. Mum and Dad live in Gatton, so I get to see them and my wife and I just had a baby as well so it’s great to have them here.
“We only got up here yesterday but it’s been good catching up with familiar faces. Hopefully I’ll get some support here from my family and friends in Gatton but we’ll see what happens.”
Starting his Queensland PGA charge alongside Ben Eccles and Todd Sinnott at 6:40am today, Queensland time, Dodt joins a field that also features defending champion Daniel Fox, golf legends Peter Senior and Peter Lonard as well as in-form New South Welshman James Nitties and Nick Flanagan.
“It’s a good field, it really is,” Dodt said. “There’s a lot of depth, but I’ve just got to focus and do my job.”
Playing in yesterday’s pro-am, Dodt praised the greenkeepers for top course conditions in light of the intense drought that has plagued the region.
“Driving up from Brisbane it’s obviously quite dry out here but the course is looking in great condition, the greenkeepers have done a fantastic job,” he said.
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