Appleby fears Melbourne massacre

Australia’s Stuart Appleby feels a magical 59 could be on the cards in this week’s Heineken Classic.

Ernie Els, who returns to defend his title, overpowered Royal Melbourne with a 12-under-par 60 last year on his way to a third consecutive victory.

Tournament officials have tried to protect the famous old course from such low scoring by converting the 418metres par-five 10th into a par four, reducing par to 71.

But Appleby fears only predicted windier conditions later in the week can save Royal Melbourne from being torn apart by a strong field in the joint-sanctioned event between the European and Australasian tours.

“It would be sad if someone came in and shot 59 around here,” said Appleby, who won the Mercedes Championship in Hawaii in January.

“It would be sacrilege because that’s not what Royal Melbourne is all about. But you could do it. I would like to watch the highlight reel of that round. There would be some awesome putting, you would have to put the dots off it and eat up the par fives with at least a couple of eagles.”

Appleby backed the change to the 10th and would like to see more holes lengthened on the composite course to bring some of the hazards back into play.

“I think it’s a smart choice to make it a par four,” Appleby added. “I don’t want to hit an eight iron into a par five. Lengthen holes and make them play based on the wind, that’s how you really use a trap.”

Appleby and Els will be joined by Greg Norman, Adam Scott and Colin Montgomerie when the event gets underway on Thursday, Montgomerie fresh from finishing second in the defence of his Caltex Masters title in Singapore on Sunday.

However, tennis player Scott Draper missed out on a place after failing to come through qualifying on Monday.

Draper, who won the Australian Open mixed doubles title last weekend in between making his professional golf debut in the Victorian Open, could only manage a level-par 72 at Kingston Heath.