Perth has never been a happy hunting ground for Australian professionals in major Tour events. The West Australian capital has hosted a dozen big tournaments since the early ‘90s – from the Vines Classic, to the Johnnie Walker Classic and now the Perth International – and only four Aussies have been able to win.

While this might suggest some sort of ‘hoodoo’, it probably more accurately reflects the quality of international players that have been attracted to Perth and have left with a trophy under their arm. Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Ian Woosnam and, more recently, Bo Van Pelt have been victorious in the west.

But tomorrow, there will be three West Australians vying to become the first – since another Sandgroper, Jarrod Moseley, captured the 1999 Heineken Classic – to win an Australasian and European Tour co-sanctioned event in Perth.

Brody Ninyette carefully watches his approach into the 18th green. He will start the final round of the Perth International with a one-shot lead. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Leading the way will be Brody Ninyette, a second year touring professional from Busselton, about 220km south of Perth. The 24-year-old carded a five under 67, including seven birdies, in wet and windy conditions to seize a one-shot lead over Denmark’s JB Hansen, South Korean Jin Jeong and fellow West Australian Brett Rumford all of whom are seven under par.

The 54-hole leader played his way onto the Australasian and OneAsia Tours at Q-School in 2011, winning a play-off for the tenth and final qualifying spot by holing a 12-foot birdie putt. By qualifying for the Tour he became the first West Australian indigenous professional to make it on to the Tour.

Now, Ninyette, the 1019th ranked player in the world, has the opportunity to not only further his career but it will change his life by winning a $2 million tournament.

“I’ve been playing well the past few days,” Ninyette said. “But it was good to hole some putts and get in contention.

And if he can go on and win?

“It would be amazing,” he said. “It would be a whole new experience getting out and playing (in Europe), it would ne unreal to see how the world’s best do it.

“I’ve only played these (European) events in Australia, so whoever comes over from America … obviously you watch them a lot and see how they play the game and see how it’s different.”

Brett Rumford said the wet and windy conditions helped him focus on every shot during his course-record equaling seven under 65. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Chasing Ninyette will be fellow West Australians Rumford and former Australian Junior champion Jason Scrivener.

Rumford, who looked like missing the cut midway through the second round, shot a course-record equaling 65, with the only blemish being a three-putt bogey on his final hole, to surge back into contention.

While he is still feeling the effects of a cold, Rumford said the trying conditions had helped him focus a lot more than if the weather had been perfect for golf.

“It absolutely improved my focus,” he said. “No wind, middle of the fairway, pin right in the middle of the green, sometimes it's that easy and you can just switch off, no doubt about it. I think I've always found that playing in harder conditions has suited me for that fact.

“I'm able to actually switch into a golf shot, whether it's trying to hit a hard cut with a 3‑iron or a hook; I sort of get out of my way technically and just move more into the shot shaping and just the visualisation and the feel of the golf course rather than trying to produce the perfect golf swing to hit the perfect golf shot.

“Certainly you don't need to be perfect out there. You hit the perfect golf shot and the wind can catch and just throw it all over the place.

“So for me, I guess I do get more attached to a particular golf shot which I'm hitting, so I think that does narrow my focus, definitely, no doubt about it.”

The 36-year-old – a five-time European Tour winner, including two victories this year, in a pro career spanning 13 years – says it would be the icing on the cake to an already brilliant year if he could win in front of a home crowd.

“Even if it wasn't for the two wins, and I were to win here, it would be the cream,” he said.

“Winning in front of your home crowd, there would be nothing better than that, that's for sure.

“Obviously it's massive just to have won back‑to‑back, anyway, full stop. It's so hard to win.  You win a couple of times and you think, let's go out and do it again but it doesn't quite happen that way and you realise how hard it is to win out here.

Jason Scrivener's third round of 68 included an eagle two on the par-4 14th. He heads into the final round tied for 5th. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

“But yeah, obviously that's why I'm here. I've got myself in position to win. I'll be working hard and that's what I'll be focusing on for the next 24 hours.”

Scrivener is a former West Australian amateur team mate of Ninyette and is coached by David Milne, who is based at Joondalup Country Club, just a short drive from this week’s tournament venue.

The 24-year-old had a share of second place but a bogey at his final hole, the 18th, saw him drop back into a share of fifth place at six under with England pair Ross Fisher and Richard Finch, NSW’s James Nitties and Sweden’s Fred Andersson Hed, who stormed home with two birdies and an eagle on the back nine to card a 68.

Scrivener, who was among the leaders midway through the Perth International last year before fading to finish tied for 19th, said most of the pressure to perform in front of his home crowd was self-induced.

“I probably put a bit of pressure on myself at the start of the week but just told myself, you only put yourself under the pressure. You put it on yourself,” he said.

“I think everyone just wants me to do well. I don't think there's any pressure or any expectations. I think they just want me to do well, so, it's nice.”

He said it was great that West Australians were flying the Aussie flag and giving the Perth International a local flavour.

“It's great to see Brody up there,” he said. “I've played with Brody for years and he's so talented, so it's really good to see him up there.

“And yeah, obviously a great round by Brett … seven under … that’s really impressive. Will be good for the WA supporters and everyone here to get behind us.”

The final day promises to be an exciting one with 20 players within five shots of leader Ninyette, who seems to be taking the new experience of leading a big tournament in his stride.

“Obviously this is new for me,” he said. “So I’ll try and get some sleep and see how we go tomorrow. I just have to keep doing what I’ve been doing.”

Earlier in the day, Victoria’s David McKenzie scored a hole-in-one on the long par-3 8th hole, which earned him a new Volkswagen Golf 90TSI.

David McKenzie with the keys to his new Volkswagen Golf, courtesy of a hole-in-one on the par-3 8th. PHOTO: SMP IMAGES

McKenzie, who won the Victorian PGA Championship earlier this year, said it was first ace in 14 years and it was a great boost for him today.

“The last time was at the Australian Open in 1999,” he said. “Before the 8th I wasn't doing too well but the hole-in-one was a fantastic kick start and it’s put me at one under.

“When I was teeing off the hole, the ball actually didn't go where I was aiming but it worked out alright though. I didn't see it go in but I heard everyone yelling and screaming so I thought something had happened. When everyone went ‘up’ then I knew,” he said.

McKenzie is already the proud owner of a Volkswagen. “We bought a Jetta earlier this year and I was only talking with my wife last week about replacing my car,” McKenzie said.

LEADING SCORES

–8            Brody Ninyette (WA)

–7            JB Hansen (Den)

Brett Rumford (WA)

Jin Jeong (S.Kor)

–6            Jason Scrivener (WA)

Fred Andersson Hed (Swe)

Richard Finch (Eng)

Ross Fisher (Eng)

James Nitties (NSW)

–5            Joel Sjoholm (Swe)

Danny Willett (Eng)

Michael Hoey (N.Ire)

–4            Bo Van Pelt (US)

Dimi Papadatos (NSW)

Soren Hansen (Den)

Peter Hedblom (Swe)