By PGA of Australia media
CAMERON Davis is a man with a plan and it all starts at the Isuzu Queensland Open this week when he makes his professional debut on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.
The 2015 Australian Amateur Champion has chosen at the age of 21 to launch his professional career, joining the paid ranks after reaching a career-high No.4 in the world amateur rankings.
It’s a decision that has been 12 months in the making and follows a successful year where Davis reached a career high Number 4 in the world amateur rankings and was part of the Australian team to win the Eisenhower Trophy where he also was the individual winner.
“It was decided last year that I was going to turn Pro at the end of this year unless I qualified for a Major next year,” said Davis, who finished 4^th at the Asia Pacific Amateur two weeks ago, missing out on a place at August National to fellow Australian Curtis Luck.
“I have done the overseas amateur circuit a couple of times now and my game has got to a point where I feel like I can compete on the international stage.”
“I feel like the natural progression was to turn Pro and start playing against the better players. The next step to getting better is to surround myself with guys who have been doing this for a living for a while.”
Davis is feeling comfortable at Brisbane Golf Club as he prepares for the Isuzu Queensland Open; he competed in the Interstate Series here earlier in the year.
“I have played the course at the Interstate Series so I know my way round,” added Davis.
“I am a long hitter but I should probably suppress that a little bit especially on a golf course that is firm and fast like Brisbane.”
“I feel like my iron game is probably my strong point. My short game and putting have been very good recently. So I can dig myself out of holes if I need to.”
“This week will suit me well. It will tell me to keep the driver in the bag a little more and just play within myself. The more I can do that, the more I can just play my own game.”
Davis is also no stranger to the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia; he finished tied seventh at the WA Open won by U.S. Amateur Champion Curtis Luck earlier this year.
“I have played in a few of these Tour events before so it feels kind of normal now. It doesn’t feel like a big deal to me. This is where I feel like I should be so it just feels like another week,” added Davis, who is taking all the extra attention in his stride.
“Everyone seems to have more interest in me because of what has happened recently. But if I can just concentrate on playing golf rather than all the goings on outside of the golf course then I’ll be just fine.”
“Obviously now there is money involved and I am competing with the guys who have been on Tour for a while as opposed to just going out for experience.”
“I am just trying to think of it as another round of golf, go out there and do my thing and that takes the pressure off.”
The Isuzu Queensland Open will be played from 20-23 October at The Brisbane Golf Club with a field of 132 players vying for a prize purse of AU$110,000.
The winner will receive Official World Golf Ranking Points and become fully exempt on to the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia for the remainder of this season plus a further year.
