HE’S a long way removed from the world’s senior tours, but elegant Adam Scott showed some of Australia’s old masters what they’ll eventually have to face when he lined up in the season-ending Australian PGA Legends Tour Championship at Headland, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
Scott, 42, who spent several weeks at his Noosa home over the holiday period, wasn’t competing in the event, of course, but was a welcome and popular guest player.
And he didn’t let anyone down.
Teamed with good mates Tom Arnott and David Gleeson – both fellow professionals – and Buderim businessman Jamie Holbrook, with whom Scott played junior golf at Twin Waters in the ’90s, the 2013 US Masters champion shot 11 birdies in a wondrous round of 10-under 62.
His only blemish was a lip-out bogey on the par-4 16th hole after missing the green from the middle of the fairway.
Headland member Chris Klazema, who watched the round in awe, said: “Adam makes it look so easy.”
Scott showed great sportsmanship by stopping to pose for numerous photos as he completed 18 holes.
He also presented the Living Choice Australian Legends Tour Championship trophy to the winner, South Australian Jason Norris, who had rounds of 66 and 70 (eight-under) to win by three shots from Peter Fowler and Peter Lonard.
Popular Queenslander and gentleman Peter Senior was a further shot back on four-under par.
Other well-known professionals who took part included Andre Stolz, John Senden, Paul Gow, Peter O’Malley, Peter Fowler, Terry Price and Wayne Riley.
One of the highlights at the prizegiving was the presentation of the coveted David Mercer Award to Sunshine Coast-based professional Glenn Joyner, who was intimately involved in arranging the tournament together with Adam Norlander and his team from Headland Golf Club.
After the first day’s play, there was a “sportsman’s dinner” hosted by golf professional and radio personality Mark Allen, who took the opportunity to encourage Legends Tour players to be aware of the signs of bowel cancer.
Allen has previously battled the disease, which has now become a battle for his great friend, Joyner. There was a well-deserved standing ovation for Joyner who was overcome with emotion when he received the award from John Senden.
Amateur results Day 1: Barry Newton 41pts, Scott Aufderheide 40pts and Ian Farrington 38pts.
Day 2: Justin Walsh 40pts, Joshua Holbrook 38pts and Barry Newton 38pts.
Overall two day 4BBB: Winners Mark Henricks and pro Steve Conran 89pts; runners-up Barry Newton and pro Phil Hodge 86pts and third place went to Shane Muller and pro Peter Fowler 85pts.
MEANWHILE, During Scott’s Australian break, he played several rounds on Sunshine Coast courses he’d grown up playing.
He partnered his long-time friend Tamara Johns during 18 holes at Noosa Springs, where Johns now works in golf operations.
And he linked up with another old mate – surf star Julian Wilson, a five-time winner of World Surf League events – for a round at Mt Coolum.
They helped Scott keep his game honed for the Hawaiian swing of the US PGA Tour.
After his 29th-place finish at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Kapalua in early January, Scott became only the sixth golfer to earn more than $60 million in prizemoney on the tour.
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