Pablo Martin Benavides believes he is playing the best golf of his career after the Spaniard’s return to form continued with a second round 67 at the Australian PGA Championship.
The 29 year old became The European Tour’s first amateur winner when he lifted the Estoril Open de Portugal in 2007, and added two further titles as a professional at Leopard Creek in 2010 and 2011.
However, after losing his card at the end of a disappointing 2012 campaign, Martin Benavides made only sporadic appearances on the course before showing signs of promise that his game was returning last season with fourth-place finishes in South Africa and Russia.
Finishing 11th at last week’s Alfred Dunhill Championship, over the Leopard creek layout that has brought him so much success previously, gave Martin Benavides a good start to the 2016 campaign, and he has built on that on Queensland’s Gold Coast.
His five under par second round, which was bettered only by Rhein Gibson’s best-of-the-week 64, left Martin Benavides two under for the week and just a single shot behind leader David Lingmerth.
“I’m so happy,” said Martin Benavides. “This game is so much fun when it goes the right way so I am really pleased.
“I played a really good round and am happy with the score. Yesterday also was a good round but it was kind of tricky to make the putts.
“The greens are very slick with the Bermuda. You can tell they’re still a little bit young but it’s all good.
“It’s a great return to form for me - it’s been a very solid year. By far I’m playing the best golf in all my life, much better than I ever have as a professional.”
