Australian Open: Scott and co hit course with baseball bats

Adam Scott plays out of a bunker on the 15th during his impressive second round.

Here was a smug morning just begging to be beaten up. Comfortably warm to allow players to keep their cool. Light air to allow the ball to carry. And any breeze was sleeping in.

Then at 7.20 out came Australians Adam Scott and Aaron Baddeley and Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas. Not with golf clubs but baseball bats and when they had finished with the dainty Royal Sydney course the much revered and feared layout was a bloody mess.

The trio was 19-under for the round. They clobbered the course with 23 birdies and two eagles. In other skirmishes Royal Sydney landed six bogey jabs and one double bogey counterpunch.

Scott’s seven-under 65 (30 on his inward nine) took him momentarily into a share of the lead at six-under after two rounds. Baddeley, still going this way and that, had 66 to be four-under-par and in the thick of the tournament. And Vegas, with nine birdies, shot 66 as well and sits on the halfway mark at five-under-par.

Scott was quick and gracious to admit they got the very best of conditions to play golf.

“We had a nice morning for playing around here,” he said. “The greens were soft. I’ve got a feeling they watered them a little bit more expecting very hot temperatures this afternoon, so they were very receptive.”

It was compelling golf and not just for its finesse. Baddeley’s tee-shot on the 18th (his ninth hole) was cut into the trees on the right on the dog-leg hole which turns left. It hit a branch, popped up in the air and came down on a marshal’s head. From which it plopped on to the fairway.

For her bump on the head Baddeley handed the woman a signed golf ball. After quick consideration it was agreed the pain had been worth it. From safely on the fairway Baddeley hit his second shot into a left greenside bunker after his cries for the ball to fade fell on deaf dimples.

His escape from the bunker was fraught. The green ran away from the lip and it looked impossible to stop the ball short of the flag. And impossible it proved. His little flip out would have needed a parachute brake to stop and so it skidded three metres past the hole and he two-putted for a bogey.

Vegas, who will partner his brother Julio in next week’s World Cup at Kingston Heath, crashed his way on to the US Tour in 2011. He won the Bob Hope Classic in just his second appearance as a Tour member. He was third in the Farmer’s Insurance the next week.

He has struggled after shoulder surgery in 2013 but has now begun to climb up the world rankings again. He is now 74. Yet the World Cup might be beyond the Vegas brothers. Julio is ranked 1872 in the world and is six-over-par and cut at Royal Sydney.

Scott was an interesting study after the round yesterday. It was the equal best of the day (matched by leader James Nitties) but he seemed frustrated. It was suggested in a question from the media that his putting had improved from the 31 putts he required on Thursday.

His response was surprisingly guarded. “I made a few putts which was nice. I’m not even going to say I’ve got a sour taste in my mouth after 65. I’m very happy with 65, but I can always do better,” he said. It was not how he really felt but was aware that he might sound a little boastful, gauche if he spoke his mind.

He got a chance later when asked directly whether he was frustrated by his putting.

“I am, because I feel like I wasted three or four short ones over two days. That’s annoying because they count just the same as all the good shots and everything, so it is a little frustrating but I’m trying not to let it bother me too much …. 65 is a good score, and I’d say my workload was a little bit light coming into this event, so I’m not surprised it’s not 100 per cent,” he said. For a round that was eight shots better than his first Scott only had two fewer putts.

Scott eagled the 513 metre par-five 7th to give thrust to an already building momentum.

“I hit a really good four-iron from 226 yards — that was my best shot of the day, for sure — to about five feet and had just an inside right putt and I hit a nice putt there.

“It’s funny, because I made a lot of nice putts today, yet I missed a couple of short ones. I should focus on the putts I made.”

A not-so-bold prediction would be that either Scott, ranked seventh in the world, or Jordan Spieth (5) will win this Australian Open. Both are former world No 1 players and both have won the US Masters. Scott is three off the lead and Spieth four. And both are uneasy on the greens.

If either player wins it will be because of their putters and how they use them. Baseball bats not required.