Hall racing towards European Tour

Hall racing towards European Tour

Ashley Hall is eyeing a European Tour career and is on track to achieve his goals after two rounds at the Australian PGA Championship.
The tournament on the Gold Coast is the first event on the 2017 Race to Dubai and a win this week would guarantee Hall status until the end of the 2018 season.
After two rounds Hall is currently leading at 10-under the card, a huge turnaround from this time last year where he lost his status on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.
“Last year I thought that was essentially the bottom and I had to do Q-School again here, which I hadn’t had to do because I sort of pushed so hard in the US last year,” said Hall.
“Winning the Vic PGA early, I thought, here we go, this is coming back again and then kind of struggled a lot again through the middle of the year.
“I don’t know, it just kind of happens sometimes, especially me, I kind of tend to do it when there’s no other choice but to play good.  So, that was essentially where it’s at, I had to play good.
“We don’t particularly want the kids to go to school in the US and we start school next year.  Europe seems okay.
“I like to maybe think I can a Marcus Fraser type model – still live in Melbourne and play there.  I’m going to keep trying the European Tour for a little while.”
After setting his alarm for 3.17am, Hall finished his first round recording a 65 before heading back on course at firing 3-under 69 in the second round.
“It was a new record – 3.17 isn’t really a good time to wake up but everyone else did it.  That’s what we get for playing in Queensland,” said Hall.
“The second round was good.  I got off to a good start.  I actually kind of had it in my head if I can shoot something in the 60s again would be a good result.
“I was kind of cruising along before a little speed hump, but I got it back in the end, so I got what I wanted to do,” added Hall who had a triple bogey on the par-4 4th.
“I hit it right off the tee.  It was a pretty bad shot actually.  It hit the cart path and ended up in the hazard.  Took a drop backwards a little bit to try and hit the shot over the tree and in the bunker and 3-putted from there.”
While the afternoon field, including overnight leader Andrew Dodt are on course, Hall is anticipating to be in one of the last groups on Saturday.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Dodt got in front or somebody else. It’s not easy out there,” added Hall.
“The downwind holes are sometimes just as hard as the into the wind holes as well, it’s holding the greens sometimes.
“I think it will be pretty competitive.  I’d expect to be sort of in the last couple of groups.”
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