Brad McIntosh's hot putter braves the cold

By Nsw Pga by Tim Barrow
Updated November 6 2012 - 1:29am, first published November 19 2010 - 10:05am
Brad McIntosh with the leaderboard at Wollongong Golf Club after the second round yesterday. He was one shot clear of his rivals in the NSW PGA.Picture: DAVE TEASE
Brad McIntosh with the leaderboard at Wollongong Golf Club after the second round yesterday. He was one shot clear of his rivals in the NSW PGA.Picture: DAVE TEASE

A red-hot round with the putter took Wollongong golfer Brad McIntosh to the top of the leaderboard on a chilly and gusty day at the NSW PGA tournament.Signs of summer may have disappeared from the beachside Wollongong Golf Club course yesterday, but McIntosh was radar-accurate on the greens, carding a 65 to lead at nine-under.McIntosh's one-shot advantage at the halfway point could have been even greater but a firm birdie putt attempt from 4m on the 18th lipped out.His five-under effort for the day was trumped only by a stunning surge from New Zealander Gareth Paddison, who filed away four birdies on the back nine to finish with a seven-under 63.Paddison (pictured left) is now equal second with first-round leader Steven Bowditch, who faltered with a double bogey on 11 and bogey 12th for a 68 and eight-under overall.But having finished his round before his nearest rivals had even started yesterday morning, McIntosh thrived in the tough conditions."I definitely hit a lot of better shots and gave myself a lot of better birdie chances out there," McIntosh said."I didn't drive the ball as well (yesterday) - a lot of that was to do with the conditions."It was hard to stabilise yourself over the ball when you were hitting it when the gusts were coming up."It's just one of those days when you've got to get around and chip and putt well."Bowditch had snatched the lead from McIntosh at 10-under after his first nine holes yesterday before disaster struck.However, the US Tour card holder is still well in contention after finish with a two-under 68.After being joint leader with Bowditch after 18 holes, Shaun Harmer remained in contention despite a bogey on the 18th to be two off McIntosh.Japanese Tour player Kurt Barnes, who played at this year's British Open, moved up the leaderboard with a four-under 66.Barnes put the exclamation point on his impressive round when he recorded an eagle on the par three 18th.Young golfer Kieran Pratt, having played with Tiger Woods at the Australian Masters last week, is two-under for the tournament, but he ended the day on a disappointing note with bogeys on the 16th and 18th.Just 22 players managed sub-par rounds yesterday.

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