Pike In A Twist
Sun Herald
Sunday November 26, 2006
AARON Pike's nerves were being tested like never before. Even before the little-known Queensland amateur teed off in the third round of the Australian Masters with world-class Englishman Justin Rose in hot pursuit of his shock overnight lead, Pike could feel the heat of a swarm of others surging up the leaderboard.
Coming off rounds of 64 and 69, the strapping Pike attacked from the start, unleashing his driver on the first hole where most players chose to hit irons.Pike grimaced as his drive flew left. He found his ball hard up against a tree near a bottle of beer. It was unplayable - and the worst possible start to the biggest round of his life. "Need any help?" Rose asked Pike, who was starting the day 11 under and two shots ahead of the Englishman. "No? OK." Rose went to the green, where his ball was sitting pretty, for two shots. A birdie putt loomed. Pike appeared to make a grave mistake without much help from his caddie. He could have taken his penalty drop clear of the trees, albeit further from the green, but opted instead to drop within two club lengths of the bushes, meaning he still had a near-impossible shot.Former Australian Open champion Wayne Riley, commentating for Channel Seven, talked with Rose on the fairway and they couldn't work out why Pike had not taken his drop further from trouble. Pike's long bogey putt shaved the hole, Rose made par and suddenly they were joint leaders. With television cameras following his every move and a large gallery traipsing the famous course with him, there was nowhere for the 21-year-old to hide. Every expectation was that he would fold like a cheap suit as no fewer than 29 players charged to within five shots of the lead. A bogey on the third left Pike one shot shy of Rose. By the end of the day Rose led on 13 under after a 68. Pike was at 11 under after a 72.The dream isn't over yet.
© 2006 Sun Herald