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SYDNEY - A year ago, Brad Iles was the talk of New Zealand golf after eyeballing some of the world's leading players in Australia's top tournaments.
Today, fresh from a tough debut year on the Asian Tour, the Mt Maunganui product returns to Australian soil hoping the magic will return as he finds himself the leading hope of NZ's thin contingent of six at the Australian Open at Royal Sydney.
Iles, 23, burst on to the pro ranks last December when he finished tied for 25th in his debut event, the Australian PGA at Coolum, then backed up the next week with a remarkable sixth-equal finish at the Australian Masters at Melbourne's Huntingdale.
He made the cut in all five tournaments he played in to pocket close to $90,000.
But as all professionals know, a dose of reality is as close as the next bunker.
Iles embarked on the Asian Tour and, after 13 events, ending with last month's Indian Open, was 76th on the money list with earnings of US$32,850 ($50,480).
He is resigned to returning to qualifying school in January, with only the top 60 guaranteed their cards for next year, but coach Mal Tongue still labels the Asian sojourn a success.
His rating of Iles as a future world top-10 player and potentially the best player he has coached, including Michael Campbell, has not waned.
"It's all about getting experience as a pro and I'm still confident he's going to go to the top," said Tongue.
"He's still learning about himself as a golfer but he's a good ball striker and the Australian conditions suit him. I'm hoping in the next four weeks he's going to have a great run there."
Iles spent most of yesterday familiarising himself with the Royal Sydney layout on an overcast, windy day.
NZ's involvement has a fresh-faced look this week with the absence of its poster boy, Campbell, who opted for the Hong Kong Open and will return for next week's Australian Masters in Melbourne.
Much interest will surround Rotorua schoolboy Danny Lee, 16, whose effort to qualify showed mental strength beyond his years.
Still a student at Rotorua Boys' High School, the Korean born-and-raised youngster got through pre-qualifying a fortnight ago then survived a nine-way playoff at Sydney's Long Reef course on Monday to clinch the final qualifying spot.
He showed he could mix it with the big boys at the Wairakei Open near Taupo in September when he beat Iles and most of New Zealand's top amateurs before losing a playoff to Hawkes Bay's Doug Holloway.
The other New Zealanders here are Mark Brown, Tony Christie, Martin Pettigrew and Kevin Chun, who all had to qualify on Monday.
World No 4 Adam Scott is the favourite in a tournament with few overseas visitors, while other top chances are defending champion Robert Allenby, US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy, Stuart Appleby and the 1999 winner at this course, Aaron Baddeley.
- NZPA
