Friday, 30 November 2018:
 | | HAROLD VARNER III plays his second shot during day two of the 2018 Australian PGA Championship at Royal Pines Resort in Gold Coast, Australia. | |
|
Harold Varner III has given himself a chance to win another Australian PGA Championship - the difference this time would be that he gets to brag about it to Michael Jordan.
The former champion is walking the Royal Pines fairways this week in Air Jordans and is only man on tour in Jordan Brand apparel.
Having become close friends in recent years, Varner is looking forward to catching up with the NBA legend this Christmas.
"I'm sure he knows," Varner said when asked if Jordan was keeping tabs on his Gold Coast effort.
"I haven't spoken to him. I see him every Christmas. I'm sure he knows, has an idea."
Varner won on the Gold Coast in 2016 after losing a play-off for the title a year earlier.
And he finished sixth at Royal Pines last year to continue a charmed run in Australia that could continue after he shot back-to-back rounds of 69 entering the weekend.
Three straight birdies got things going early on before a double-bogey after over-shooting a par three to find water saw him relinquish the lead.
A neat par save and a chip-in birdie later in the round helped him to within one shot of the early Friday leaders.
The 28-year-old is still chasing a breakthrough PGA Tour win but says his good memories in Queensland aren't something he leans on every time he returns.
"I think I'm a lot better player right now than I was a couple years ago," Varner said.
"(The 2016 win) gives me confidence, but it's in the past. It has nothing to do what's going to happen this week."
