Records fall as Wade, Olesen lead at Perth International

By Brendan James at Lake Karrinyup

John Wade is not your normal club pro. And, as a result, you won’t find him in the Commonwealth Golf Club pro shop for the next couple of days. All going well he’ll actually be away in Perth all weekend … trying to win the richest tournament on the PGA Tour of Australasia.

And, to that end, everything is going to plan.

The 46-year-old is the co-leader of the ISPS Handa Perth International after the first round having fired a new course record eight under 64. Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen joined him at the top of the leaderboard late in the day on the back of eight birdies and no bogies.

John Wade tips his hat in appreciation after making another birdie. PHOTO: Getty Images

Wade’s round was also faultless with six birdies and a chip-in eagle around the Lake Karrinyup course. Given the part-time tournament player missed the cut at last week’s WA Open and had to force his way into the field for this $1.75 million event through qualifying for four spots, it was a spectacularly unexpected round.

“It's ridiculous actually, I've really been struggling,” Wade confessed. “Even in the lead up hitting balls at Commonwealth where I work, I’ve been disappointed with the way I'm hitting it, and not anywhere near where I want to be.

“You sort of underestimate playing the game competitively. So even the couple of rounds last week I probably got something out of it. Then the weekend I sort of tweaked a couple things, which were a bit scary trying to get behind the ball more on the backswing, which I haven't done for years and years.

“So I went with that, and I guess bad shots were a lot better today. That's the key I think to my game and most guys', is just keeping the ball in play and then you can score.

“So I felt like it was going one way most of the day. But … yeah, this is ridiculous really. I didn't know what to expect.

“I just was proud that I didn't let it go after I was six under, which is really annoying for most guys. And someone in my situation, you're probably half expecting that to happen.

“I didn't hit it very good the last couple. I was sort of steering it home. But that happens. There's cameras and stuff, which I'm not used to anymore, so that's all part of the experience again. Even at my age.”

For those with a good memory, you might recall a young Wade pushing two-time US Open champion Curtis Strange all the way at the Greg Norman Holden Classic at The Lakes in Sydney in 1994. As quickly as he burst onto the scene there, he disappeared again and for much of the past two decades he’s been one of Australian golf’s hard-working journeymen – trying to crack starts and Tour cards through Qualifying Schools. He won the Vanuatu Open twice in the early 90s and later played his way onto the European Challenge Tour after a few wins on the third-tier PGA Europro Tour. His best year in Europe was in 2006 when he won a Challenge Tour event in Ireland.

By 2009 he was back in Melbourne with no Tour status and his career as a PGA pro at Commonwealth began. But the bug to compete in tournaments remained and he managed to scratch the itch of competition playing in pro-ams and whatever events he could get a start in on the Australasian Tour.

Last year, while on holiday in the UK to watch the Ashes and catch a few English Premier League games, Wade decided to enter qualifying for The Open Championship and got through into the field at Muirfield, after shooting 29 in his final nine holes of the 36-hole qualifier.

His attitude then was to enjoy the moment because he never imagined he would ever play The Open again. Over the next three days in Perth that sense of where he fits in the bigger scheme of things will free him up to enjoy the ride.

“I'm aware of where I'm at,” Wade says. “Been doing it the ‘not playing a lot’ for five years, and you get used to almost a less-is-more mentality and don't have to worry too much about week to week.

“I just enjoy getting out there more. And I think sometimes that the baggage you hang onto as a Tour player, you let go of it all and just try and come out and enjoy the weeks when you're out here.

“I was aware that this week we've got the Masters and hopefully I get a sniff in the PGA and the Open. Not sure where that sits at the moment. But at least let's look at the end of the year. If I don't play any good at all, that probably makes the decision for me to put the clubs away permanently. But every time I play Pro-Am or so forth, I still feel like I can play a bit.”

Wade says he will be battling to not let his position on the leaderboard slip in the second round. PHOTO: Getty Images

And if he happens to win and gain exemption onto the European Tour until the end of 2015 he admits it would be a hard decision to jump back into Tour golf full-time.

“I love the tour over there. There are so many great players at a young age now, and I'm at the other end of the spectrum. Yeah, you always dream on, I guess,” he said.

Olesen punches an escape shot from trees on the 16th hole. He saved par and finished the round with 64. PHOTO: Getty Images

“Put it this way: If that (a win) happened, I would love the option of making the decision. But I've got a hell of a long way to go this week.

“My CV is pretty short and small. This would stick out definitely. Look, I'm fully aware it's one round and it's a great field here. I'm going to have to battle my own situation tomorrow. When you've had a good round today, it's never easy to back it up.”

Wade’s co-leader, Olesen is also enduring a lengthy period without a win but is buoyant about his improving form over recent months.

“It would be great (to win),” the 25-year-old said. “It's been a few years since I won. Especially the last six months I feel like I've played some good golf and just haven't been able to put the rounds together.

“So it’s been a dry period. It would be really, really nice to get some confidence back, and to get a win would be amazing.”

The Dane’s last and only European Tour victory was at the Sicilian Open in 2012, which helped him get into that year’s Open Championship where he finished tied 9^th and in 2013 he had his best major finish with a tied 6^th in the Masters.

Earlier in the day, West Australian Michael Sim, celebrating his 30^th birthday, posted a six under 66 and shares third place with Scotland’s Peter Whiteford, South Koran Sihwan Kim and Englishman Tom Lewis.

Sim, who almost walked away from the game in 2013 after enduring several serious injuries and poor form, birdied five of his last eight holes to rocket up the leaderboard.

LEADERBOARD

T1. John Wade (Vic) 64

T1. Thorbjorn Olesen (Den) 64

T3. Michael Sim (WA) 66

T3. Sihwan Kim (S.Kor) 66

T3. Peter Whiteford (Scot) 66

T3. Tom Lewis (Eng) 66

T7. Brett Rumford (WA) 67

T7. Matthew Griffin (Vic) 67

T7. David Drysdale (Scot) 67

T7. Jason Scrivener (WA) 67

* For the full leaderboard, click here