A former Wauchope Blues goal-kicking front-rower who has turned to Adam Scott’s coach to cure his conniptions with the putter is one of a host of players who need a miracle final round to deny Jordan Zunic the 2017 Australian PGA Championship.
David Bransdon’s round of 6-under 66 was bettered by only one player on Saturday at RACV Royal Pines on the Gold Coast with 25-year-old Zunic equalling the course record with a round of 64 that was marred by three drop shots on his last two holes.
Zunic’s front nine included seven birdies on an outward nine of 29 and further birdies at 13, 14 and 16 opened up a six-shot lead over Cameron Smith but that deficit has now been trimmed to three with Adam Bland a further shot back in third position.
Bransdon is in a tie for fourth at 10-under, seven shots behind Zunic but was merely thankful for shooting such a low round after enduring a tough season on the Japan Golf Tour where he just managed to retain conditional status for 2018.
Suspended for six months from his local Wauchope Golf Club when he and a group of friends were accused of breaking a window as teenagers, Bransdon channelled his aggression into rugby league and played a season of under-16s on the New South Wales mid north coast, one former teammate describing him as the “taped-up ears crazy front-rower”.
Bransdon comes up just short for eagle but adds another birdie. Moves to -11 and 5 back of runaway leader @jzunic91 #AusPGA pic.twitter.com/gZKufAknJm
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) December 2, 2017
Since turning professional in 1995, Bransdon’s greatest frustration has been with the shortest club in his bag and so in desperation reached out to Sanctuary Cove-based professional Matt Ballard, coach of Scott who has also been helping Bland with his putting stroke.
The pair had only a brief session together the day before the start of the Australian PGA but after rolling in a birdie putt from 25 feet at the first hole on Saturday was encouraged to see seven more birdie putts roll into the cup over the course of his round.
“I sent him some video footage because I’d liked what he’d done with ‘Blandy’ especially,” Bransdon told Australian Golf Digest.
“I was really struggling up there [in Japan]. I was playing really good tee to green and I wasn’t getting it in the hole. I was at wit’s end and needed some help. I had a little technical issue where my hips moved side to side which then rocked my shoulders as opposed to stable hips and more of a rotation.
“The more stable I keep my hips the better the putterhead stays lower to the ground and strikes the ball properly. That’s been my problem, not striking the ball in the middle of the face. It does my head in year after year that I can’t get it in the hole quicker than I can. We all have our Achilles heel and that’s mine and I’ve got to deal with it the best way I can.
“I struggled with it yesterday because it’s really hard to get the ball to roll properly into the grain but it’s a work in progress.
“Today was a marked improvement on what I’ve been doing. It’s been a while since I’ve shot a low-ish round.”
The 44-year-old’s best finish in 2017 to date was a tie for fourth at the Kansai Open Golf Championship in Japan and after 23 events this year and 13 in the past 15 weeks, is ready for a rest, trophy or no trophy.
“This year can’t end soon enough for me. I’ve played a lot of events and I’m tired,” said Bransdon.
“This is my 13th out of 15th weeks so I am physically tired and I’m mentally tired. I need to shut down 2017 as quick as possible. Low rounds help.”
