Aussies on Tour: Olympic fever takes hold - PGA of Australia

Aussies on Tour: Olympic fever takes hold


All eyes are on Paris this week, with the men kicking off the Olympic Golf in the first week of the 2024 Games.

Australians Min Woo Lee and Jason Day are joined by New Zealanders Ryan Fox and Daniel Hillier, along with many of the world’s best male golfers at Le Golf National.

All four Australasians have managed to score very friendly tee times for Southern Hemisphere viewers, so be sure to tune in on Thursday night and cheer them on.

Both Day and Lee have expressed their strong desires for an Olympic medal, that desire intensifying since they have been on the ground in France.

“Before I came over, all my mates were like, ‘Dude, you’re an Olympic athlete.’ They kept saying it,” said Day.

“I’m like, ‘Man, whatever, that’s fine.’ After they kept saying it, I can understand how important and cool it is to call yourself an Olympic athlete.

“Once you’re an Olympic athlete, you’re always an Olympic athlete.

“To have the opportunity to win a medal is very exciting to think about.”

Elsewhere on tour, Australia has a strong contingent of seven players teeing it up at the Portland Classic on the LPGA Tour.

Notable absentees at Portland are Hannah Green and Minjee Lee, who are deep in preparations for their shot at Olympic glory next week.

Karl Vilips headlines another strong group of Aussies at the Korn Ferry Tour’s Utah Championship, where he looks to back up his runner-up finish from last week.

Upon qualifying earlier this month in Fort Worth, Texas, senior amateur Sue Wooster is playing in the US Senior Women’s Open at Fox Chapel Golf Club.

One of the world’s best senior amateurs, Wooster this week gets a chance to test her game against past Australian Open winners Laura Davies and Annika Sorenstam.

Tee times (AEST)

Olympic Golf (Men)

Paris 2024

Le Golf National, France

5:22pm Ryan Fox (NZ)

5:33pm Min Woo Lee

5:55pm Jason Day

6:22pm Daniel Hillier (NZ)

Defending champion: Xander Schauffele (USA)

Past Aussie winners: Nil

TV times: Rounds One-Four: Thursday-Sunday from 5pm (Nine, 9Now, Stan).

LPGA Tour

Portland Classic

Columbia Edgewater CC, Portland, Oregon

1:21am* Gabriela Ruffels

1:43am* Su Oh

6:10am* Grace Kim

6:21am Hira Naveed

6:21am* Sarah Kemp

6:54am* Robyn Choi

7:05am Sarah Jane Smith

Defending champion: Chanette Wannasaen

Past Aussie winners: Hannah Green (2019)

Prize money: US$1,750,000

TV times: Friday and Saturday 8am-11am Fox Sports 3 and Kayo. Sunday and Monday 7am-10am Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.

Challenge Tour

Irish Challenge

The K Club, Palmer South, Kildare

4:30pm* Thomas Power Horan

10:40pm* Connor McKinney

10:50pm* Hayden Hopewell

Defending champion: Brandon Robinson Thompson

Past Aussie winners: Nil

Prize money: €270,000

PGA TOUR Americas

BioSteel Championship

Ambassador Golf Club, Windsor, Ontario

10:50pm Grant Booth

10:50pm* Harry Hillier (NZ)

Defending champion: Inaugural event

Prize money: US$225,000

Korn Ferry Tour

Utah Championship presented by Zions Bank and Intermountain Health

Oakridge Country Club, Farmington Utah

10:55pm* Karl Vilips

11:25pm* Rhein Gibson

11:45pm Curtis Luck

4:30am* Dimi Papadatos

4:40am* Brett Drewitt

5:10am* Charlie Hillier (NZ)

Defending champion: Roger Sloan

Past Aussie winners: Jeff Woodland (1992)

Prize money: US$1,000,000

TV times: Friday and Saturday 6am-8am Fox Sports 3 and Kayo. Sunday and Monday 5am-8am Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.

US Senior Women’s Open

Fox Chapel Golf Club, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

10:32pm* Sue Wooster (a)

Defending champion: Trish Johnson

Past Aussie winners: Nil

Prize money: US$1,000,000

TV times: Sunday and Monday 4am-7am Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.

European Legends Tour

Staysure PGA Seniors Championship hosted by Colin Montgomerie

Trump International Golf Links, Scotland

5:25pm* Peter Fowler

5:36pm Scott Hend

5:47pm Michael Long (NZ)

9:30pm* Jason Norris

10:25pm Michael Campbell (NZ)

Defending champion: Peter Baker

Past Aussie winners: Kel Nagle (1971, 1973, 1975), Peter Thomson (1988), Terry Gale (1996), Ross Metherell (1999), Ian Stanley (2001), Peter Fowler (2015)

Prize money: €750,000


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