Despite already enjoying great success on the PGA Tour,
American Nick Watney would love to add a victory on foreign soil to his resume.
Watney,
already a two-time winner in the US
this year - at the AT&T National and the Cadillac Championship - is in Australia for
the first time since 2004 as he prepares to play
ping
g20 driver
in his first ever Emirates Australian
Open.
The World No 12 may not have much Aussie
experience, but he realises that the tournament is a prestigious one.
"I've seen the list of winners and
watched the event when I'm at home and there is a lot of history here,"
said Watney.
"Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer have
said to be a truly great player you've got to travel the world and win
everywhere.
"It
would definitely be a huge feather in my cap to play
ping g20
irons
well
here.
"I have come a long way so I would
like to make it worthwhile."
Of
the Lakes layout, he added: "I've watched on TV when I have been back at
home and it looks like a great test. I was surprised to hear that 19 under won
last year. "
taylormade
r11 irons
Watney,
coming off a 33rd-place finish at the HSBC Champions event in Shanghai last week, was also asked about his
current form: "I would say I am cautiously optimistic. Last week I did not
play
titleist
910 d3 driver
very well for the majority of the
tournament.
"But I've had a decent couple of days
preparing here. I'd like to say that I feel great but I'll give it a 'good' as
of right now."
Putting is a strength of the 30-year-old's,
though he conceded that he hasn't quite come to grips with the undulating
greens at The Lakes.
"This is the best I've putted for a
year stretch," he said.
"And I am getting more and more used to
situations and being in contention, knowing how I react to different
situations.
performance.
"I did not putt so well today (at
Wednesday's Australian Open pro-am), to be honest. The greens, from what I
hear, the wind can blow pretty well.
"I think they keep them a little on
the slower side so the balls don't roll.
"The surfaces are nice and I have one
more day to get used to the speed."