Three-time Foster’s ASP World Champion Andy Irons was eliminated by Quiksilver Pro wildcard Jake Paterson of Australia in Round 2 of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Samsung at Snapper Rocks yesterday. Paterson, who announced his retirement at the
Three-time Foster’s ASP World Champion Andy Irons was eliminated by Quiksilver Pro wildcard Jake Paterson of Australia in Round 2 of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast presented by Samsung at Snapper Rocks yesterday.
Paterson, who announced his retirement at the end of 2006 after a decorated 17 years on tour, was given a wildcard into the event and without the pressure of tour ratings points being on the line, rose to the occasion putting on a phenomenal display of power surfing.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better way to wrap up my career, not that it’s completely over or anything, but this was a dream heat today,” Paterson said. “I was pretty disappointed with my first round performance so I really wanted to make sure that I got a couple of good waves. Andy couldn’t put a foot right and everything that came to me was a dream — it was meant to be, I guess.”
Spurred on by unbridled patriotism, Paterson left Irons needing a combination of two good scoring rides to advance into Round 3.
Irons, realizing that he could not catch up exited the water with two minutes left in the heat.
“Andy and I have had a huge rivalry over the years so it was good that I got one up on him,” Paterson said.
“My goal was to hopefully knock out one of the title contenders early on — aside from one of the Australians — I want to see Australia bring home the title, so I hope I helped out the boys a little bit.”
Unfortunately for Paterson, if he wants to advance out of Round 3, it will be at the expense of fellow Australian and title-hope Mick Fanning.
They will meet in Heat 9 of the next round.
In other round two match-ups, Bruce Irons and Kaua‘i-born Pancho Sullivan advanced to round three with comfortable victories over their respective Australian counterparts, rookie Dayyan Neve and Shaun Cansdell.
Bowing out along with Andy Irons, in a surprise elimination, was O‘ahu’s Fred Patacchia, who lost to Australian Mick Campbell.
Free workshop for young golfers
Young golfers on Kaua‘i will have a chance to learn first-hand from collegiate coaches and players at the 8th annual Kaua‘i Collegiate Cup NCAA Workshop.
The workshop, scheduled for March 14, will start at 6 p.m. at the Kaua‘i Community College cafeteria and is a prelude to the 8th Annual Kaua‘i Collegiate Cup hosted by the Western Kentucky golf team.
The free workshop is open to all Kaua‘i youngsters who are interested in pursuing athletics in college.
The thrust of the workshop is geared to helping young athletes advance to the collegiate level.
Coaches and players featured in the workshop will be on Kaua‘i to compete in the Kaua‘i Collegiate Cup that will take place March 16 and 17 at the Princeville Golf Course.
Brian Tirpak, the Western Kentucky coach and a former collegiate golfer, will head the workshop leaders that include the team from WKU and North Dakota State University.
NDSU coach Billy Iverson is in his fourth year as coach of the Bison golf team after being a professional for almost 20 years.
More than a dozen collegiate athletes will also be on hand to assist the coaches.
For more information, call Larry Lee at 823-0599. The clinic is being sponsored by the WKU golf team and the Hawai‘i State Junior Golf Association.
