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Hi from Pambula Beach Southern NSW on the pro am trail. After 2 weeks off I am back on the course playing some pro ams to get my game going. I have been disapointed in my game the past 3 months especially my putting so I am trying to improve my attitude towards it. Unfortunately I am not in love with bumpy POA grass which is common in these parts of Australia not a grass I have ever loved and had a lot of success on so it is taking some discipline. The $55 000 Bega Cheese pro am at Tura Beach was the first event and I played solid but didn’t get a whole lot out of it and shot -3 for the 2 days and 7 behind former US Tour winner Andre Stolz and 16th. Bega the next day saw a nice 62 (-10) shot in the nice morning conditions so after bogeying my first hole (drove it into an old steep divot) I was 11 behind with 17 to go. I made a few more mistakes but rallied to shoot 67 (-5) which was good for a measly 9th. Today we had a day off and tomorrow we travel to Wagga Wagga for a practise round and some grinding before the $45 000 2 day pro am starting Tuesday.

I feel a little disapointed to finish 6th this week at the VIC PGA at Sandhurst near Frankston south of Melbourne. I finished 5 behind winner Alistair Presnell who shot an amazing Australian PGA Tour equalling round of 60 (-12) today in the final round to get to -22. My rounds of 70 67 67 67 (-17) was good but I feel that I left a lot out there especially on the first day where I putted horrendously. I worked on it the last 3 days and it did get better but when you lose by 5 you start counting where you missed opportunities and I can count 5 very quickly. I now have 2 weeks off before some pro am events. I will be in the garden if you need me after being away for 6 weeks I know Simone has some jobs ready to be attacked. AB

My first 2 rounds of the VIC PGA have been a little frustrating but quite calm and flowing event though that sounds like a contradiction. I played with Anthony Summers who’s company I really enjoy and a guy I have a lot of respect for in Mike Clayton. Clayts is I believe the best course designer in this country by a MILE and I love talking to him about it. Sandhurst this week is a Thompson Wolveridge designed course (Peter Thompson won 5 British Opens) and is unfortunately favouring guys who bomb it with fairway bunkers at 250 metres but little else trouble so anyone who can move it is at a huge advantage. I found the past 2 days that I felt stress free and was hitting the ball really well but yesterday my putting was attrocious and therefore frustrating but this morning I went a little earlier than usual to warm up and spent some extra time on the putting green. I did putt better and my scores of 70,67 (-7) have me in the top 15. I enjoyed my time with Clayts the past 2 days talking about courses he has built and rebuilt including Royal QLD which he thinks a lot of people don’t understand but he also rebuilt The Lakes in Sydney recently which is this year holding the Australian Open. He said he is getting ready to defend himself but I have no doubt it will be a strategic challenge something that isn’t really required this week at Sandhurst. Bombs away tomorrow and hoping to hit it more than 250 in the air AGAIN!!

Well it has been a disapointing summer season to say the least. Apart from my solid play at the Tier 2 level including a win at the WA PGA I am disapointed with how I have played in the bigger events. The Australian Masters, Open, PGA and this years NZ Open and Moonah Classic make up the Tier 1 level events and my results have been mid 50’s, MC, MC, 61st and another MC. I missed 2 of those by 1 shot including this weeks Moonah event (75,71 +2)which was quite frustrating as I felt like my game was competitive but my putting has recently gone off the boil and at this level you can’t afford to show too many weaknesses. In my case if my putting goes off it then puts pressure on other parts of my game and this past 6 months my ball striking hasn’t been quite on song so all of a sudden you are around the cut mark. Next week is the VIC PGA (Tier 2) at Sandhurst and then I am taking a few weeks off. This will basically be 6 weeks straight on the road so I am looking for a better week before a rest. AB

The last 2 days of the New Zealand Open have been interesting with both extremes of golf on view with rounds of 66 and 75 so far at The Hills Golf Club in Queenstown NZ. Yesterday my round included 6 birdies and no bogeys and the round flowed really well. I felt like as a group that we walked slowly and that things went as I planned yet we where quick and in position at all times pressuring the group infront. In pro golf we have to maintain position and not get too far behind the group infront or else we get timed and if we take too long there are fines and penalties to be had not that I have ever seen it happen but it is an uncomfortable feeling when an official drives around with you timing how long you take on each shot. The hole seemed as big as a bucket and I made putts or lipped them out. Today I was uncomfortable all day and even my good shots seemed to be not rewarded, my speed on the greens was terrible and I left many putts short leading to a few 3 putt greens. I felt like I was walking on eggshells and that any mistake would inevitably lead to a bogey. Anyway at -3 I am still here with the cut being made at -2. Let’s hope tomorrow I fall back into day 1’s rhythm and get back towards the top 5.

I feel like I did a good job this week finishing 6th when I wasn’t totally in the groove with my game with rounds of 71 73 70 70 (-4). My swing hasn’t felt great this week but I think my experience and solid short game helped me to finish only 3 behind. Times like now I look back over the week and think how I could have made up the 3 shots to win. On the other side of the coin there are plenty of times I got it up and down into the hole from the bottom of the ballwasher. Tomorrow I am off to Queenstown for the NZ Open at Michael Hills Golf Club and hoping to improve on my 4th from last year.

After 3 rounds I am in a solid position in tied 7th at the NZ PGA Championships in Christchurch. My game was ordinary the first 2 days but today I felt like I played a lot better in a cold wind to shoot 70 to go with my 71 and 73.. The first 2 days where tough on my side of the draw with wind and rain on my side but I dug deep and now it has paid dividends as I have now moved into the top 10. One more round to go before we head down to Queenstown for the NZ Open so a nice round tomorrow will hopefully get me in a good frame of mind for it.

I think due to my poor draw yesterday I was unable to make inroads in the British Open Qualifier today at Kingston Heath Golf Club in Southern Melbourne. Kurt Barnes, Ewan Porter and Peter Senior all had early draws which favoured them yesterday when it got quite windy and dried the greens out. Today I got off to an ordinary start but then a birdie eagle on 6 & 7 revitalised my round. After birdies at 13 and 15 I closed the gap but was 4 shots short of Peter Seniors -5 total. I am heading home for 2 days off before going to NZ for 2 weeks. A couple more days off would have been nice but the lure of playing your first major at St Andrews was an opportunity I would like to take. It looks like I will get into the Alfred Dunhill later in the year which is at St Andrews due to me finishing 20th on the Australian Tour Money List for 2009 so as long as the criteria is the same I will get to play there this year. Bye from Gate 7 at Tullamarine Airport Melbourne.

If you had’ve said at the start of the week that I would finish 24th this week at the Victorian Open I might have taken it but after being 7th after 2 days or 12th after 3 days I am disapointed. I played steadily all day yesterday until the last 5 where I dropped 3 silly shots. I 3 putted 14 from a tough spot but hit a poor wedge shot into 15 leading to a bogey. With a wedge in my hand I should be looking at making birdies not trying to hang on for pars. A short par miss on 16 followed by a soft par on the par 5 17th when I had 5 iron in for my 2nd shot made for a disapointing finish and a sour taste in the mouth. I now have 3 days off until the British Open qualifying at Kingston Heath so a day away from the clubs followed by 2 days of hard practise to prepare. Lots of wedgeplay is in order I think. AB

After rounds of 70 and 70 I find myself inside the top 10 in the first event of the 2010 season at the Victorian Open at Spring Valley Golf Club in Melbourne. Coming off 3 weeks rest I am a little rusty but not unhappy with where I am at. I have hit a few wide ones but plenty of good shots and some good putting so far. Unfortunately I 3 putted the last hole today for my only bogey for the round but deep down I am satisfied with my position. I would like to get it going on the weekend to get into contention and I am going to have to start hitting a few closer.