Jed Morgan is one of the favourites at Thirteenth Beach this week, and he’s just back from flying business class “for one of the first times” to and from Saudi Arabia to play a multi-million dollar event on invitation.
His world has changed very dramatically since he won the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland last month, and doesn’t he know it.
Morgan, 22, is hellbent on playing the Vic Open this week as just another event.
He’s going back to basics after missing the cut in the Asian Tour event in the Middle East and also at the Queensland PGA in the aftermath of his record-smashing win at his home course, RQ.
“I don’t think I have come to terms with it,” he said of his newfound fame. “I try not to think of it that way, because it kind of gets in the road of just playing good golf, I think. The past two weeks have just been way different to what I imagined it to be, I think. It’s because my focus has been in a lot of different areas from the golf course. It’s time to bring it back to the golf course and put another good performance on the board.”
Morgan did not feel like he played badly last week, but the missed cut bit a little. But he enjoyed the experience, playing with some of the big names in world golf.
“There was like 30 of the top 50 players in the world there, and I’ve never seen them let alone played a tournament against them,” he said. “I’ve watched them on TV and watched them win on TV and all of a sudden, I’m playing a tournament against them. It was sick.”
This week he’s focusing on the order of merit, where he’s out in front of everyone on account of the $180,000 he picked up for winning the PGA in Queensland. People say that with the top three on the OOM getting DP World Tour status for next season, he’s across the line. He won’t have it.
“I’m definitely not across the line. Even if I was, I don’t want to think like that. It just effects the rest of my performances. Whether I win it or not, it’s awesome. I’m in a great position to and I’m grateful that I won the PGA but I don’t want it to be a one-hit wonder.”
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