Chris Wood leads in Papua New Guinea
Photo Chris Wood – image Australian Golf Media
Queensland’s Chris Wood leads the opening event of the 2023/2024 PGA Tour of Australasia season, the 32 year old’s second round of 66 at the PNG Open in Port Moresby leaving him two clear of South Australian Lachlan Barker.
Two months ago, Wood also led the New Zealand Open through 36 holes before finishing 6th against a significantly stronger field than he faces this week and so he is well placed to possibly win his second PGA Tour of Australasia event to go with the 2021 Vic PGA Championship.
Yet another client of the Sunshine Coast based coach, Grant Field, Wood has produced 13 birdies in his opening 36 holes and having played this event well previously he enters the weekend with confidence.
“Played well today,” Wood told the PGA Tour of Australasia media. “I hit it better than yesterday, especially off the tee, gave myself more chances from the fairway. The putter remained pretty good,”
“The greens are obviously a bit tricky, you’ve just got to accept that you’re going to miss some short ones and hit a lot of good putts and they’re not going to go in as well.”
24 year old Barker has produced just one top ten in PGA Tour of Australasia events, that coming when 4th at the QLD PGA last year but he has been impressive over the Port Moresby Golf Club layout and now has the chance to improve on his previous best finish.
“Little bit of a different round to yesterday, didn’t quite have it with my long game. But I holed a few very crucial putts towards the end of my round,” Barker said. “Forward progress, that’s what I look at, another round in red figures.
“I know a low one is out there. Nearly had a really low one yesterday, so excited about that, the prospect of going low on the weekend.”
The defending champion, Peter Cooke, from South Australia was disqualified after consecutive rounds of 70 had him well enough placed although the actual reason for his DQ is unknown.
