James Marchesani once asked Jack Nicklaus what it was like to sink putts under pressure. It wasn't via fan mail or email. It was across the dinner table, a rare chance afforded to a select few stars in the US college golf system after winning an award named in the Golden Bear's honour.
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Marchesani listened intently to the advice. Nicklaus told him to think of every opportunity as a putt to win, not a chance to lose. The Victorian would do well to adopt the same mindset, having played leaderboard leapfrog during the third round of the $1.5 million Fiji International on Saturday.
Marchesani, who has been the subject of a few gags this week with electronic leaderboards crediting him for much lower scores than what he actually carded in the first two rounds, didn't need to correct anyone after a five-under 67 at Natadola Bay catapulted him to just two shots from the lead heading into the final day.
With so much at stake in the event tri-sanctioned between Europe, Asia and Australasia, is it hard not to look at the leaderboard?
"You can't not look at them ... they are just there," Marchesani said. "You're either looking at a leaderboard or the water.
"It's kind of nice to know where you sit and what you have to because this back nine is pretty tricky. You might only have to make four pars coming in to win so you sort of have to know where you sit.
"A lot will have [the ramifications of winning] crossing their mind so it's a matter of staying patient and playing my own game and see what happens. If you do play well or go on to win, it opens doors on other tours which I think everyone is looking to do."
Marchesani is the son of former Carlton and Fitzroy player Anthony, a VFL 52-gamer back in the 1980s. Yet now he's carving out his own name in an entirely different sport.
Six birdies on his inward nine at the Vijay Singh-designed layout shook up a stale leaderboard late on moving day, also lit up by leader Wade Ormsby's seven birdies over his closing 11 holes.
Ormsby (-10) is a shot ahead of Jason Norris (-9) with Marchesani (-8) back in third heading into the final round.
"I've been pretty pleased all week," Marchesani said. "[I've only got status] just here in Australia and I'll go to European and Asian qualifying school early next year. A good week here and who knows where you are playing next week."
Fiji International (Australian unless stated)
-10: Wade Ormsby
-9: Jason Norris
-8: James Marchesani
-7: Scott Vincent (Zim), Peter Wilson, Scott Hend
-6: Stephen Leaney, Gavin Green (Mas), Daniel Pearce (NZ)
Adam Pengilly is covering the Fiji International as a guest of PGA of Australia.
