Cronulla boys Matt Jones and Aron Price have teamed up for a successful start to The Players Championship.
Jones fired a two-under 70 in the opening round with good friend and current PGA developmental tour player Price as his caddy to be tied 34th and far from out of contention.
Currently between loopers, Jones turned to Price, who has an off week from the secondary tour and lives locally in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
Price has played the TPC Stadium course at least 100 times and given the pair grew up just a driver away from each other in Oyster Bay it seemed a great chance to team up.
“I thought I’d bring in a guy who should know this course better than anyone in the field, get some inside information off him,” Jones said.
“I have been through multiple caddies this year and I’m still looking for the right caddie for me so this is a chance to just relax about it and enjoy the week.
“I enjoy having a caddie I know and am relaxed with because we can just talk about stuff the whole way round the golf course.”
Both New South Welshman have been known as special talents who can get a little negative when things aren’t going their way on course but together the relaxed shire attitude emerged.
The pair kept the vibe stress-free, shooting the breeze about family and Todd Carney’s re-signing at the Sharks as a huge positive among the ASADA dramas.
“We did well together,” Jones mused.
“I ham and egged it around the course well. It was probably the nastiest day of ball striking I’ve had in a long while but I stayed calm and managed to score well.
“Two under on the first day is always good here. I know there is a good score out there (-9 leads) but it is going to get harder and faster.
“So if I shoot four rounds of two under I’ll have a good tournament and if I throw in one or two low ones with them it could be really good.”
Price is still trying to get back to the main tour, where he played from 2009-11.
Even if Jones was to win the Players this week, the 30-year-old Price won’t take up caddying full-time.
“Absolutely no chance,” Price said.
“I’d be very happy for him and obviously I’d cash in but it’s not the way I want to earn my living in golf.
“I’m just happy to help this week. There may be one time a round where Matt hasn’t played it as much as me and I might be able to give him something. It could be a pivotal shot, it might not be.”