[ Featuring Nino Morro ]
COMMENTATOR:
Hello and welcome back to the first WGC of the year, live at the Royal here in Melbourne, on what is an exceptionally hot day. Seven of the top ten players ranked in the world are through to the knockout stages, and stepping up to the tee is the world number two, Dakota Price, from the USA.
What a beauty of a shot; he s really got a hold of that one.
He has a wonderful record around this course. In fact, in the opening four holes he was eight under par: that s better than anyone else, leaving him three shots in front of the pack. He always seems to get off to a flyer. The three-time winner is about to tee off.
Wonderful strike there from Price. Should just miss the bunker down the left. Perfect.
Cruz now looking to try and set up a chip on to the green. Trying to get the ball up and down quickly, looks like he s pushed it a little too far right, but should run on. We ve seen how fast the fairway is over the past few days, and that is trickling towards the green beautifully. He ll be happy with that one.
Dakota Price is on the green and putting for a birdie. Oh just a whisker away! Magnificent effort.
Justin Smith is currently on par looking to go one under with this putt. Having a torrid round, falling short at the 12th and a bogey at the 13th. Now, all about judging the pace. Pretty straight putt for him. This is lovely, great work from Smith. Well done.
Zac Cruz back on the 15th after a rough round yesterday, finds himself in the bunker on the up slope, looking to chip out. Excellent shot there, the ball landing dead just a foot or so from the hole.
Van Hoosen now looking at a 125-yard iron shot to get to the pin. Needs to be careful with water to the left and a deep bunker to the right. He s going for it, straight down the middle. Great shot! Landing on the top end of the green, which runs slightly downhill, so will have to watch he doesn t get too much on the putt.
Scott McDonally looking to get in the top five. Currently four shots off Dakota Price, who s out in front at the moment. Tricky hole, the 7th. Short par four with a sharp dogleg to the right. Going with the five wood here, just playing up to the sharp turn, then an easy eight or nine iron to get on the green.
Wilson Fanning on the 3rd teeing off, fairly short par three. Good to see nine irons and wedges used; good to get the height so the ball can drop dead, especially when the greens are super-fast we ve seen the ball spin and run on twenty / thirty foot past the flag.
Can he find the green? Oh yes, he can. Just left of the flag. You won t see too many tee shots get that close today.
Back with Van Hoosen on the 9th. Long putt from the back of the green. This will be his 4th birdie of the round. This green runs slightly to the left, then straight. What a score that is! Van Hoosen takes the lead at the turn, eight under par and having a stunning round.
