Playing golf with a legend from one other sport is hardly a novelty for Australian stalwart Marcus Fraser.
He and former nationwide cricket captain Ricky Ponting are nice mates and long-time clubmates at Peninsula-Kingswood GC in Melbourne.
They have performed collectively numerous instances and are doing so once more to nice impact this week within the New Zealand Open pro-am at Millbrook Resort.
But their fourball for the primary two rounds was given even larger star energy with the inclusion of former tennis world No.1 and three-time main winner Ash Barty.
Barty’s husband Garry Kissick caddies for Australian professional Louis Dobbelaar, so she was a pure match to finish the marquee group.
Ponting is a mad-keen novice golfer who performs off a handicap of two.
The arrival of Barty and Kissick’s first little one Hayden final 12 months has curtailed the previous tennis champ’s time on the golf course.
But a handicap of 5 is testomony to her all-round sporting capacity.
Fraser, 45, was excited to card back-to-back rounds of five-under 66 to be proper in competition on the halfway level of the $ANZ2 million ($A1.885 million) skilled match.
It’s truthful to imagine his spouse was simply as thrilled – each with how Fraser carried out and who he was taking part in alongside.
“My wife is very jealous because she’s completely obsessed with Ash and loves her to bits,” Fraser instructed AAP.
“When she saw the draw she wanted to come over to New Zealand and meet her.
“I’m very fortunate to get the prospect to play with such an absolute celebrity.
“And as great as she is at her sport, she’s a 10-times better person. It was great fun being out there with her.”
The pairing of Fraser and Ponting have been within the high 10 after two rounds of the pro-am, whereas Dobbelaar and Barty have been properly down the leaderboard.
Not that it mattered all that a lot within the huge image for the 2 golf execs or their celebrated companions.
“Louis and I were talking about it walking down the last hole today,” stated Fraser.
“For Australia they’re probably our two biggest sporting icons and two of the top five of all-time.
“It’s been a terrific thrill.”
The skilled match and pro-am are performed side-by-side on the NZ Open in the identical method because the celebrated Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews.
https://thewest.com.au/sport/golf/barty-and-ponting-light-up-nz-open-pro-am-c-13792029
