Pro golf 'different gravy' says rookie Mat Rogers at the Australian Senior Open

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Dual international Mat Rogers says he has a new appreciation for professional golfers after being hit with a huge dose of nerves in his pro debut at the Australian Senior Open in Toowoomba.

After turning 50 earlier this year, Rogers became eligible for seniors golf and he received an invitation to play this week at the City Golf Club where he carded rounds of 83-81 to miss the 36-hole cut of 8-over-par.

Now a member of the PGA Legends Tour, Rogers has already started looking at his schedule to see when he can return for a second event.

“Oh, it's challenging,” Rogers said after his pro debut.

“I've felt nerves on a football field before, but I've had 12 mates to help me out there.

“On the first hole yesterday, I couldn't put my tee in the ground. I was shaking. Then on the first green, I'm marking my ball and I couldn't put the ball down. It's different gravy out here.

“That just goes to the pressure and it's why I admire these guys so much.

“The guys that I'm out there playing with this week were heroes of mine as a young kid, the Peter Seniors and the Peter O'Malleys and the Steven Jeffresses. These guys are ones I watched as a young fellow tear it up.

“It's great to be out here with them.”

After going birdie free in his opening round, Rogers broke his pro duck on the par-5 17th – his eighth hole of day two.

His best nine was his last one, a 36 on the front nine. where he picked up birdies at the par-three second and fourth holes, to follow the struggles of a 45 on the back nine.

He was full of praise for playing partners, regular PGA Legends Tour members Nigel Lane and Christopher Taylor, who did what they could to make the rookie feel comfortable.

“The experience taught me a lot and the guys I played with, Nigel and Chris, are just wonderful guys and were really welcoming,” the NRL 200-gamer and former Wallaby said.

“I just needed to break the seal and get the first one out of the way. It just happened to be the Australian Senior Open, so the biggest one on the calendar.

“Now that I've done it, I'm going to get home, dig into the calendar, mark up some events and really get going with it and see if I can start to put up some better scores.”

 

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