Some people think golf is boring. Those people are wrong.
Exhibit A: the David v Goliath battle which is set to unfold at the top of the leaderboard on day three of the AVJennings NSW Open.
In one corner is 12-year veteran and unquestioned star of Friday’s second round, Andrew Dodt.
Relentless rather than spectacular, Dodt is a three-time winner since turning professional and has shown a capacity to ‘get the job done’ under the gun, as the saying goes.
In the opposite corner is rookie Min Woo Lee, the quintessential modern Tour professional with a power game tailor-made for the top echelons of golf.
One shot, 17 years and about 30 yards separates the pair with two rounds to go and while it would be foolish to suggest the tournament is a race between two, Saturday’s head to head will be intriguing.
Lee is a star in the making and already a favourite of the local golf media. He has a personality to match his extraordinary game and while there is no such thing as a can’t miss kid if there were, he would be one.
Counter intuitively, it was Dodt who threatened golf’s magical number on Friday. 5-under through nine, he turned for home with a run of birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie to make 59 not just possible but – for a moment – seemingly likely.
Ultimately, his ninth birdie of the day was his last but he described his new course record 61 as ‘the best round’ of his career.
It was the sort of round one might more reasonably expect from Lee though his own 67 was not short on impressive golf.
Two par-5 eagles and two birdies alongside a lone bogey sees Lee in his best position yet to contend for a tournament.
For all his impressive talent – and it is considerable – Lee hasn’t proven a prolific winner in his admittedly still short career and he will be feeling the pressure day three.
Only golf offers up these types of contests where the central combatants are seemingly so mis-matched yet both have a legitimate chance to win.
And for all the attention on the top two the truth is there are plenty in the chasing pack who could leapfrog both, especially if they get caught up in a head to head battle.
First round leader Josh Younger lurks three back of Dodt, while two behind Lee is Wollongong’s Travis Smyth at 10-under and playing some impressive golf.
Not only is the AVJennings NSW Open far from over, the interesting stuff has only just begun.
And anyone who thinks that’s boring is simply doing it wrong.