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Aussie pair Rhein Gibson and Brett Drewitt have two weeks to lock up 2024 PGA TOUR cards as the race for the Korn Ferry Tour’s top 30 approaches its climax.
Gibson, Drewitt, Curtis Luck and Dimi Papadatos are all in the field for this week’s Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship in Ohio, a tournament that Luck won three years ago.
The third of four Korn Ferry Tour Finals events, there are implications for every player in the field.
The top 30 at the completion of the Korn Ferry Tour Championship in two weeks’ time earn PGA TOUR status for next year, an increase on 25 from past years.
With two events left to play, Gibson is in 29th position while Drewitt is 32nd on 746.624 points, less than eight points behind 30th-placed Wilson Furr.
When he was victorious at the Astara Golf Championship in Colombia in February, Gibson moved to third on the season-long points list.
He solidified that position with a tie for 10th two months later at the Astara Chile Classic but has had just two top-10 finishes since, the most recent a tie for 10th at the NV5 Invitational in July.
Drewitt’s position has also slid since his blistering start to the season.
The New South Welshman had four top-four finishes in his first six starts of the year, his best a second-place finish at the Veritex Bank Championship in April.
He has missed 15 of 17 cuts since, however, with a best finish in that time a tie for 47th at the Visit Knoxville Open.
For Luck and Papadatos, the immediate concern is to lock in their status on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2024.
The top 75 at the end of this week advance to the Tour Championship and secure full status for 2024, Luck (61st) and Papadatos (64th) seemingly comfortably inside that number.
Elsewhere this week, Travis Smyth defends his Yeangder TPC title on the Asian Tour, Minjee Lee is chasing a maiden win on the Korean LPGA Tour at the Hana Financial Group Championship and six Aussies are teeing it up at Pebble Beach for the PURE Insurance Championship on the Champions Tour.
For Smyth, the return to Linkou International Golf and Country Club sees fond memories accompany a strong season to date.
The 28-year-old Sydneysider has six top-20s with a best finish third at the World City Championship in Hong Kong, a result that earned him a maiden start at The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.
“All the memories of the win have come flooding back this week,” said Smyth.
“I played nine holes and remembered every shot I hit on the back nine in the final round last year.
“It’s really good to be back and have no lock down situation like last year. We are free to roam the city and go out to restaurants, so I am really looking forward to this week.
“It was a great boost to my confidence,” he said of his win last year.
“It did me a world of good. I have had a solid season; got off to good start in Saudi; I have played solid in The International Series; I played my first Major this year, thanks to the Hong Kong event; had a bunch of top 10s and a lot of solid play. I am happy with where the game is at.”
Runner-up in 2021, Lee is out to make amends after missing the cut at the Hana Financial Group Championship a year ago.
It is the fourth time she has played the event which comes with the added pressure of being sponsored by one of her personal sponsors.
“There’s going to be extra pressure as you always want to win a tournament where your sponsor is involved,” said Lee, who won her ninth LPGA Tour title a fortnight ago at the Kroger Queen City Championship.
“As a LPGA player, we do not have too many opportunities to play and have a chance to win here in Korea.
“But having said that, the level of competition on the KLPGA is indeed very strong and it certainly measures up to the LPGA.
“As for myself, I’m coming in with a lot more confidence and I hope to show that winning form again this week.”
Round 1 tee times AEST
DP World Tour
Cazoo Open de France
Le Golf National, Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France
4.20pm* Tom Kim, Ryan Fox (NZ), Guido Migliozzi
9.10pm Rasmus Hojgaard, Jorge Campillo, Daniel Hillier (NZ)
9.20pm Robert MacIntyre, Min Woo Lee, Victor Perez
9.20pm* Gunner Wiebe, Alfredo Garcia-Heredia, Blake Windred
Defending champion: Guido Migliozzi
Past Aussie winners: Greg Norman (1980), Robert Allenby (1996)
TV times: 9.30pm-2.30am Thursday on Fox Sports 503; Live 9.30pm-2.30am Friday on Fox Sports 507; Live 9.30pm-2am Saturday on Fox Sports 507; Live 9pm-2am Sunday on Fox Sports 507 and Kayo Sport.
Asian Tour
Yeangder TPC
Linkou International Golf and Country Club, Chinese Taipei
9.10am Suteepat Prateeptienchai, Alex Ching, Kevin Yuan
9.20am Jeev Milkha Singh, Terry Pilkadaris, Pawin Ingkhapradit
9.30am* Travis Smyth, Chan Shih-chang, Gaganjeet Bhullar
9.40am Natipong Srithong, Chen Yi-tong, Jack Thompson
10am Harrison Gilbert-Wong, Rahil Gangjee, Jaewoong Eom
10.20am KP Lin, Tom Power-Horan, Wang Wei-hsuan
1.45pm* Mardan Mamat, Huang Chi, Jack Murdoch
1.55pm* Josh Younger, Ben Leong, Kao Teng
2.25pm* Ajeetesh Sandhu, Chapchai Nirat, Ben Campbell (NZ)
2.45pm* Settee Prakongvech, Douglas Klein, Lin Yung-lung
2.55pm Dodge Kemmer, Lien Lu-sen, Nick Voke (NZ)
Defending champion: Travis Smyth
Aussie winners: Travis Smyth (2022)
Japan Golf Tour
Panasonic Open Golf Championship
Onotoyo Golf Club, Hyogo
8.35am Taiki Yoshida, Akio Sadakata, Brendan Jones
9.05am Shintaro Kobayashi, Yosuke Tsukada, Brad Kennedy
12.20pm* Aoki Takano, Shinji Tomimura, Andrew Evans
12.30pm Kota Kaneko, Ren Yonezawa, Adam Bland
1.40pm Dylan Perry, Kazuya Koura, Shiso Go
Defending champion: Taiga Semikawa
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Korean LPGA Tour
Hana Financial Group Championship
Bear’s Best Cheongna, Incheon
12pm Ye Won Lee, Ji Young Park, Lydia Ko (NZ)
12.10pm Su Ji Kim, Da Som Ma, Minjee Lee
Defending champion: Su Ji Kim
Past Aussie winners: Nil
TV times: Live 3pm-6pm Thursday on Fox Sports 503; Live 3pm-6pm Friday on Fox Sports 507; Live 2pm-5pm Saturday on Fox Sports 507; Live 2pm-5.30pm Sunday on Fox Sports 507 and Kayo Sport.
Korn Ferry Tour
Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship
Ohio State University Golf Club (Scarlet Cse), Columbus, Ohio
9.40pm* Roger Sloan, Nicholas Lindheim, Brett Drewitt
10.02pm* Rhein Gibson, Taylor Dickson, Chris Gotterup
2.20am* Chan Kim, Spencer Levin, Dimi Papadatos
2.42am Norman Xiong, Jared Wolfe, Curtis Luck
Defending champion: David Lingmerth
Past Aussie winners: Curtis Luck (2020)
TV times: Live 5am-8am Friday, Saturday, Sunday on Fox Sports 503; Live 5am-8am Monday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo Sport.
Epson Tour
Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout
Mystic Creek Golf Club, El Dorado, Arkansas
10.52pm* Katherine Smith, Amelia Garvey (NZ), Nataliya Guseva
3.33am Cassie Porter, Minji Kang, Alana Uriell
3.44am Yue Ren, Kristen Gillman, Robyn Choi
3.44am* Hira Naveed, Natasha Andrea Oon, Pinyada Kuvanun
Defending champion: Britney Yada
Past Aussie winners: Hannah Green (2017)
Champions Tour
PURE Insurance Championship
Pebble Beach Golf Links, Monterey Peninsula, California
12.32am Mark Hensby, Wes Short Jr
12.54am* Ernie Els, John Senden
1.16am Richard Green, KJ Choi
1.49am* Steven Alker (NZ), Dan Forsman
5.06am Notah Begay III, Stuart Appleby
5.06am* Rod Pampling, David McKenzie
Defending champion: Steve Flesch
Past Aussie winners: Nil TV times: Live 8am-11am Saturday, Sunday on Fox Sports 503; 1pm-2.30pm Monday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo Sport.
The 2023 Four Nations Cup will come down to a last day shootout with South Africa, Australia and New Zealand all in contention to take the trophy away from Moonah Links.
After picking up a near-perfect result against the Internationals squad today, the PGA of South Africa team will head into the final round-robin matches in the box seat.
They hold a half-point lead over the host nation who surged into second place by winning five of their six matches against PGA of New Zealand.
The South Africans have amassed 8.5 points over the first two days to the PGA of Australia team’s eight points with New Zealand on 6.5.
In the final round of fourball and singles matches tomorrow, South Africa will take on the Kiwis with Australia against the Internationals, who have claimed just two of 12 matches so far.
After battling away in wet and breezy conditions on the Open course, the key point for South Africa to seize the overall lead came in the final match of the day when Greg Bentley and Cornel Muller saw off the Internationals’ David Tapping and Gavin Coyle 3&1.
PGA of Australia skipper Scott Laycock picked up two 1-up wins against New Zealand – in his singles duel against Chas Craig and in the fourballs with Bradley McLellan against Craig and Dongwoo Kang.
The final day’s play tomorrow will get underway at 7.10am.
LEADERBOARD: PGA of South Africa 8.5, PGA of Australia 8.0, PGA of New Zealand 6.5, Australia Internationals 2.0
Pic: PGA of South Africa’s Calvin Caldeira (left) and Duane Keun on day two of the Four Nations Cup
The PGA of Australia team of Scott Laycock, TJ King, Jayden Cripps and Brad McLellan trail New Zealand by two points after a mixed day one of the Four Nations Cup at Moonah Links.
Laycock, Cripps and King were all victorious in the morning singles matches against the PGA of South Africa but went 0-2 in the afternoon fourballs to finish the day level with South Africa on three points.
The team representing the PGA of New Zealand won five of the six points on offer in their clash with the PGA of Australia International team to take a handy advantage into the second day of competition.
The International team was brought together recently for the second staging of the Four Nations Cup after the PGA of Canada advised that they would be unable to send a team.
The Canadian team was victorious in the inaugural Four Nations Cup in South Africa last year, their absence ensuring the 2023 edition will crown a new winner.
Captaining the Australian team for the first time, Laycock was left to lament an afternoon where both Aussie teams failed to capitalise on birdie opportunities as South Africa got up-and-down from every corner of Moonah Links.
“We just didn’t make enough birdies,” said Laycock, who defeated South African Duane Keun 3&2 in the morning singles.
“We didn’t combine that well and South Africa did. They made some really good saves. Calvin (Caldiera, South Africa captain) is a freak; he just kept making up-and-downs.
“I had a couple of chances late but didn’t convert them.”
Despite the two afternoon defeats, Laycock shows no signs of switching up the Aussie pairings for the crucial match-up against New Zealand on Wednesday.
“TJ and Jayden are good mates. They were always going to play together,” Laycock said, King and Cripps going down 4&3 to Greg Bentley and Cornel Muller.
“I did run it by them and they were happy to do that and I’m happy to play with Brad.
“We have slightly different games – he hits it a lot further than I do – but most people here do.
“I try and bore them with my consistency.”
The Australian representatives will take confidence from their three singles matches but will need to produce something similar on Wednesday morning to get back on level terms with the Kiwis.
“We’re trying to accumulate as many points as we can,” Laycock said of their strong start.
“Obviously South Africa are a strong team, New Zealand are a strong team and the International team will be looking to upset some people as well.”
General Manager of Melbourne Golf Park, David Tapping was the only player on the PGA of Australia International team to secure a point against New Zealand, defeating Hamish Campbell 1 up in their morning singles match.
The state’s leading coaches and administrators, metropolitan and regional clubs, volunteers and golf club staff members will all be honoured at the Queensland Golf Industry Awards Night at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on Thursday October 19.
Represented by the PGA of Australia, Golf Australia, Golf Course Superintendents Association of Queensland and Golf Management Australia, the Queensland Golf Industry Awards Night acknowledges the achievements the finalists have accomplished in a period where golf has continued to see significant growth in the state.
“We had a significant number of nominations for awards this year, each of which would be worthy winners,” said PGA State Manager Broc Greenhalgh.
“To be a finalist this year is a significant achievement and to have finalists from all over the state shows that the game is in wonderful hands both in regional and metropolitan areas, not to mention a great representation of females in the list of finalists.”
Golf Australia State Manager, Luke Bates, explained how the evening recognises and celebrates the hard work and success of individuals and facilities in Queensland, as well as the unsung heroes of our sport.
“The Queensland Golf Industry Awards Night allows us to recognise not only entire golf facilities, but also the individuals behind the scenes,” said Bates.
“Board members, administrative staff, course staff, volunteers and many others who each work tirelessly for the game of golf will all be recognised in what is Queensland golf’s night of nights.”
Given the momentum that the sport has, Golf Management Australia (QLD) President Gavin Lawrence explained, it’s an opportunity to recognise the efforts of those who have been excelling in a thriving environment.
“The past 12 months have been amazing for golf, and this is a way for us to celebrate the people who have made it all possible,” said Lawrence.
“There have been many that have excelled in their respective roles at golf facilities around the state and the list of finalists is a testament to the amazing experiences we are providing the golf public.”
Golf Course Superintendent Association (QLD) President Mark Hauff is proud to have the event showcase the collaboration in our sport.
“We are proud of being a part of an industry that can work together for the betterment of the game,” said Hauff.
“Success requires a team effort across the entire facility and by extension, the ability for all golf organisations to work together further cements our position as a leading sport.”
The finalists for their respective awards (in alphabetical order) are:
Golf Club of the Year Award presented by MiClub
Maleny Golf Club
McLeod Golf Club
Mt Coolum Golf Club
Nudgee Golf Club
Oxley Golf Club
Redcliffe Golf Club
Redland Bay Golf Club
Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club
Townsville Golf Club
Golf Club of the Year (Under 400 Members) presented by Inside Golf
Bulimba Golf Club
Gatton Jubilee Golf Club
Kingaroy Golf Club
Isis Golf Club
Pioneer Valley Golf Club
Volunteer of the Year
Jeff Arndt – Bay Islands Golf Club
Rob Bailo – Maleny Golf Club
Gurney Clamp – Golf Central Queensland Inc
Les Dower – Bay Islands Golf Club
Kristine Sanderson – Boyne Tannum Golf Club
Bruce Smith – McLeod Country Golf Club
Brian Smith – Proserpine Golf Club
Douglas Wooffindin – Mount Morgan Golf Club
Junior Golf Program of the Year Award
Atherton Golf Club
Burleigh Golf Club
Cairns Golf Club
City Golf Club
KDV Sport
Keperra Country Golf Club
Meadowbrook Golf Club
Redland Bay Golf Club
The Brisbane Golf Club
Townsville Golf Club
Virginia Golf Club
Windaroo Lakes Golf Club
PGA Queensland Coach of the Year – High Performance
Lee Eagleton – The Brisbane Golf Club
Grant Field – Pelican Waters Golf Club
Ji McBryde – Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club
Richard Woodhouse – KDV Sport
John Wright – Maroochy River Golf Club
PGA Queensland Coach of the Year – Game Development
Janine Barney – Windaroo Lakes Golf Club
Glenn Domigan – Victoria Park Golf Complex
Asha Hargreaves – The Brisbane Golf Club
Jake Newbery – KDV Sport
Darren Weatherall – Victoria Park Golf Complex
John Wright – Maroochy River Golf Club
PGA Queensland Club Professional of the Year presented by Coca-Cola
Chris Adnams – Redcliffe Golf Club
Jamie Corkill – Yamba Golf and Country Club
Chris Graham – Ocean Shores Country Club
Brett Maxwell – Virginia Golf Club
Angus Porter – Carbrook Golf Club
Channon Ryan – Oxley Golf Club
PGA Queensland Management Professional of the Year
Ben Fletcher – Pacific Golf Club
James King – Oxley Golf Club
Adrian Lawson – Golf 24
Jonathan O’Sullivan – Marsden Golf Driving Range
Darren Richards – Nudgee Golf Club
Scott Wagstaff – Carbrook Golf Club
Golf Club Staff Member of the Year Award presented by CPR Group
Graeme Andrews – Mt Tamborine Golf Club
Tracey Connors – McLeod Country Golf Club
Kylee Fowler – Sarina Golf Club
Ryan Gailey – Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country
Teegan Negreira – Redcliffe Golf Club
Charles Vos – Southport Golf Club
Sue Walker – Twin Waters Golf Club
Golf Club Board Member of the Year Award
Peter Evans – Burleigh Golf Club
Paul Rigby – Nudgee Golf Club
Max Whitten – Maleny Golf Club
Distinguished Manager Award presented by Asahi Schweppes
Adrian Lawson – Golf 24 Australia
Aaron Muirhead – Oxley Golf Club
Jonathan O’Sullivan – Marsden Golf Driving Range
Darren Richards – Nudgee Golf Club
Chris Richards – Tropics Golf Club
Amber Williams – Pacific Golf Club
Metropolitan PGA Tournament of the Year
The Brisbane Pro-Am
Belle Property Bulimba Pro-Am
Optilease Redcliffe Pro-Am
Southport Pro-Am
Breakas Beach Resort Vanuatu Virginia Pro-Am
Bartons/BMD Wynnum Pro-Am
PGA Regional PGA Tournament of the Year
McGrath Estate Agents Ballina Pro-Am
Dougherty Property Grafton Pro-Am
Roy Powell Security Pioneer Valley Pro-Am
PIMS Group Mackay Pro-Am
Ian Weigh Toyota Rockhampton Pro-Am
Tieri Pro-Am
PGA Legends Tournament of the Year
Living Choice Legends Tour Championship (Headland GC)
PNG Senior Open (Lae Golf Club)
Queensland Senior PGA Championship (Maroochy River GC)
Sunshine Coast Masters (Twin Waters GC)
Town of 1770 Legends Pro-Am
Bartons/BMD Paul King Memorial Legends Pro-Am (Wynnum GC)
PGA Tournament of the Year presented by Oxygn
The Brisbane Pro-Am
Paul King Memorial Legends Pro-Am (Wynnum GC)
PNG Senior Open (Lae Golf Club)
Optilease Redcliffe Pro-Am
Ian Weigh Toyota Rockhampton Pro-Am
Tieri Pro-Am
Bartons/BMD Wynnum Pro-Am
Golf Course Assistant Superintendents Recognition Award
Isabelle Hogarth – North Pine Golf Club
Angus Linnell – Palmer Gold Coast Golf Course
Scott McComas – Nudgee Golf Club
Jesse McGilvray – Palmer Colonial Golf Course
Superintendents Achievement Award presented by Living Turf
Graeme Andrews – Tamborine Mountain Golf Club
Glenn Beauclerc – Oxley Golf Club
Dion Cope – Redland Bay Golf Club
Peter Culross – Nudgee Golf Club
David Mason – Brisbane Golf Club
Todd McNamee – Mt Coolum Golf Club
Paul McLean – Sanctuary Cove Golf & Country Club
Superintendents Environment and Safety Excellence Award presented by Greenway Turf Solutions
Glenn Beauclerc – Oxley Golf Club
Peter Culross – Nudgee Golf Club
Ben Grylewicz – Indooroopilly Golf Club
Superintendents Industry Recognition Award presented by RDO Equipment
Paul Bevan – Greenway Turf Solutions
Darryl Edwards – Burleigh Golf Club
Dave Morrison – Racing Queensland
Golf Supplier of the Year Award
Acushnet Golf Australia
Asahi Schweppes
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
CPR Group
First Choice Services
MiClub
RDO Equipment (John Deere)
Red Tape Busters
Toro Australia
Trackman
Additional awards presented at the Queensland Golf Industry Awards Night that don’t attract finalists include:
Early bird tickets are available until September 29 and therefore to secure your place or for further details about the Queensland Golf Industry Awards Night, please visit www.qldgolfindustryawards.com.au or alternatively contact the PGA (QLD/NT) Office on 07 5657 6100 or via email on [email protected].
Despite believing he won’t be leant on for information by his teammates ahead of this week’s Four Nations Cup, TJ King will be sure to tell his fellow Aussies of the benefits of the event and improvement to the format.
By Jimmy Emanuel
Played across the Ocean Course at Moonah Links beginning September 19, the Four Nations Cup sees vocational PGA members from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada compete in match play. King the only Aussie to back up after last year’s inaugural event.
Based on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast at Mount Coolum Golf Club, King was part of the Aussie squad that went to South Africa in 2022 and this time around is joined by Tour veteran turned Royal Hobart Golf Club Teaching Pro Scott Laycock, Jayden Cripps and Brad McLellan.
Qualifying via last year’s PGA Professionals Championship, King can’t wait to represent his country and fellow PGA Members in 2023.
“It was awesome. I’d never really played golf in another country competitively,” King said.
“Representing Australia was pretty awesome, honoured to do it again. It was a cool experience, good team, good atmosphere, looking forward to next week as well.”
Despite that experience though, King doesn’t believe his teammates will be relying on him too much as they attempt to go one better than their second place behind last year’s champions Canada. Especially after a change in format.
“The guys may ask me a few questions about how we went about it, what worked, what didn’t, but honestly, it’s golf. Everyday can be different, let alone a year ago,” he said.
“This year’s format is better. They actually asked us for feedback, and I think this year’s format is better, and it will get a fairer result.”
That format moves from each of the four representatives from each country being placed in a group and playing their opponents in round robin style match play to daily head-to-head matches between countries.
The nation on top after four morning singles and afternoon fourballs earning one point, with the country possessing the most points at the conclusion of the event crowned champions and matches won used to break a tie.
King lighting up when discussing the rare opportunity to play match play as a professional, especially with the Australian flag alongside his name.
“I love match play. As I showed last year fairing quite well,” King said. “Pennants was always my favourite time of year as an amateur.
“Even during the Membership Pathway Program, the Pampling Plate, I made the semis and final in that a couple of years. I seem to thrive in that environment.”
And although he still harbours ambitions of playing full-time, King can see beyond the competitive benefit of the Four Nations Cup. Speaking highly of the concept and opportunity to meet fellow vocational pros from around the world to trade experiences, knowledge and even friendship.
“Last year in South Africa we created friendships that still result in the odd message,” King said. “I’ve already seen that two of the South Africans, and two from New Zealand are the same, looking forward to catching up with them again.
“It was definitely beneficial to me going over there last year and having those chats.”
Both Ryan Fox (NZ) and Scott Hend produced sparkling back nines to claim victories on the DP World Tour and European Legends Tour respectively.
Fox shrugged off an early triple-bogey in the final round to claim an emotional BMW PGA Championship triumph at the storied Wentworth Club in London.
Two birdies to close out a front nine of 1-over 36 turned momentum his way, a final birdie on the 72nd hole completing a back nine of 6-under 31, a final round of 5-under 67 and a one-stroke win from Englishmen Aaron Rai (68) and Tyrrell Hatton (66).
“I’m immensely proud,” said Fox, who had wife Anneke and daughters Isobel and Margot present to help celebrate.
“It’s such an iconic tournament. I know Michael Campbell has won around here when it was the match play event and to add to that history here and create some of my own is very special.
Scott Hend, in his Legends Tour debut, launched an extraordinary back nine charge to win the WINSTONgolf Senior Open in Germany.
One-over through the first four holes of the final round to find himself five back, it looked unlikely that Hend would make it consecutive wins by Aussies on the back of Richard Green’s victory in 2022.
Six birdies in a row saw Hend climb up the leaderboard however, and just a month after turning 50, Hend’s final round of 6-under 66 and 10-under total ensured he started the next phase of his career in perfect fashion.
“I had some pretty high expectations coming out here and I knew the guys were very solid players”, he said.
“It’s a new start to the career at 50.”
Cam Davis had a solid week at the Fortinet Championship on the PGA Tour, finishing third. While Kristalle Blum also had a strong week on the LET Access Tour in France, finishing tied-fifth.
PGA TOUR
Fortinet Championship
Silverado Resort (North Cse), Napa, California
1 Sahith Theegala 68-64-67-68—267 US$1,512,00.00
3 Cam Davis 68-68-65-70—271 US$579,600.00
T30 Lucas Herbert 63-75-71-72—281 US$42,532.00
MC Geoff Ogilvy 76-68
MC Harrison Endycott 70-74
MC Aaron Baddeley 73-73
MC Cameron Percy 70-76
MC Greg Chalmers 72-75
DP World Tour
BMW PGA Championship
Wentworth Club, Virginia Water, Surrey, England
1 Ryan Fox (NZ) 69-68-66-67—270 €1,435,857.57
T7 Adam Scott 71-69-67-68—275 €217,912.50
T14 Min Woo Lee 71-67-69-70—277 €121,625.58
T25 Jason Scrivener 68-73-70-68—279 €85,306.83
WD Daniel Hillier (NZ) 77
Japan Golf Tour
ANA Open
Sapporo Golf Club (Wanatsu Cse), Hokkaido
1 Hideto Tanihara 68-69-66-67—270 ¥20m
MC Andrew Evans 75-69—144
MC Adam Bland 73-75—148
MC Dylan Perry 72-80—152
WD Brendan Jones 77
Ladies European Tour
VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open
Golfpark Holzhäusern, Switzerland
1 Alexandra Forsterling 66-66-66—198 €45,000
T54 Kirsten Rudgeley 73-71-72—216 €1,032
MC Hanee Song (NZ) 72-74—146
MC Momoka Kobori (NZ) 71-75—146
Korn Ferry Tour
Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation
The Grove, College Grove, Tennessee
1 Grayson Murray 68-67-70-66—271
T26 Curtis Luck 69-71-73-67—280
T63 Brett Drewitt 68-72-71-76—287
MC Rhein Gibson 75-70—145
MC Dimi Papadatos 76-80—155
Challenge Tour
Open de Portugal at Royal Óbidos
Royal Óbidos Spa & Golf Resort, Vau Óbidos, Portugal
1 Marco Penge 65-68-69-70—272 €40,000
MC Blake Windred 70-76—146
Epson Tour
Guardian Championship
Capitol Hill Golf Club, Prattville, Alabama
1 Cydney Clanton 63-68-68—199 $US30,000
T16 Robyn Choi 72-65-69—206 $3,004
T24 Cassie Porter 70-67-71—208 $2,133
T29 Amelia Garvey (NZ) 68-70-71—209 $1,756
T29 Hira Naveed 68-70-71—209 $1,756
LET Access Series
Hauts De France Pas De Calais Golf Open
Golf Saint Omer, France
1 Lejan Lewthwaite 71-69-68—208 €6,400
Won in sudden death playoff
T5 Kristalle Blum 71-67-72—210 €1,402
T7 Wenyung Keh (NZ) 72-73-66—211 €1,264
T17 Munchin Keh (NZ) 72-71-72—215 €686
MC Amy Walsh 75-78—153
Champions Tour
Sanford International
Minnehaha Country Club, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
1 Steve Stricker 62-66-66—194
T12 Richard Green 68-67-67—202
T18 Rod Pampling 67-68-68—203
T29 Stuart Appleby 66-67-72—205
T46 David McKenzie 66-71-71—208
T52 John Senden 67-74-68—209
Legends Tour
WINSTONgolf Senior Open
WINSTONgolf, Vorbeck
1 Scott Hend 70-70-66—206
T18 Michael Long 74-68-73—215
T36 Jason Norris 71-74-74—219
48 Peter Fowler 80-73-72—225
A check-up with coach Grant Field got Andre Stolz back on track quickly enough to win the two-day Findex Legends Pro-Am at Yamba Golf and Country Club.
After two disappointing weeks in Papua New Guinea by his own lofty standards, Stolz made the decision to skip the inaugural PGA Legends Tour event in Coffs Harbour on Thursday.
Not only did that give the reigning Order of Merit champion time to see Field at Pelican Waters, it opened a window for Stolz to get an early look at the Yamba Golf and Country Club layout.
In both instances, it proved to be the correct decision.”
One stroke back of Chris Taylor and Mark Boulton at the start of the second round, Stolz held off Euan Walters down the stretch for a second round of 2-under 70 and a one-stroke win.
“I played terrible over in Papua New Guinea for a couple of weeks and scratched it around,” Stolz admitted.
“I was lucky enough to have a quick lesson with my coach, Grant Field, and he set me back on track.
“Nothing amazing with what he told me but he just got me thinking about the things I need to be working on again.
“I didn’t really come here with the plan of trying to win or anything, it was more just one shot at a time trying to do what I’ve been talking about with ‘Fieldy’.
“For about three-quarters of it I was pretty happy with it but this is a tough, tight golf course to trust what you’re trying to do.”
Such was the challenge presented by the Yamba test, the 67-man field recorded just 13 under-par rounds across the two days.
Stolz was one of only three players to go under par both days, crediting the homework he crammed in on Friday for the winning game-plan.
“I’m pretty good at working out the game-plan and the strategy,” said Stolz.
“I skipped Coffs Harbour because I wanted an extra day at home and that allowed me to come down and play a couple of holes on Friday.
“I had a good look at the wind forecast and worked out how the course was going to play. Which holes I was going to be able to attack and which holes I had to take something else off the tee to keep it in play.
“I stuck to that pretty well for the two days.
“It’s a tough finishing stretch and I thought once I nudged in front of Euan, given he is such a steady player, that I’d be a good chance.”
Bogeys at 11, 12 and 15 effectively cruelled Walters’ hopes of victory, claiming outright second with a second round of 1-under 71.
Taylor (73), Peter Lonard (71) and Terry Price (69) finished one back of Walters to share third.
Kiwi Ryan Fox has shrugged off an early triple-bogey in the final round to claim an emotional BMW PGA Championship triumph at the storied Wentworth Club in London.
The 2019 PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner, Fox began the final round of the DP World Tour’s showpiece event three strokes off the lead.
A triple-bogey on the difficult third hole made his task even more unlikely.
Two birdies to close out a front nine of 1-over 36 turned momentum his way, a final birdie on the 72nd hole completing a back nine of 6-under 31, a final round of 5-under 67 and a one-stroke win from Englishmen Aaron Rai (68) and Tyrrell Hatton (66).
It is the fourth DP World Tour win of his career but Fox’s first Rolex Series victory is predicted to elevate him to No.31 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Fox enjoyed a stellar start to his Rolex Series career, claiming three top 10s in consecutive weeks in his rookie season in 2017 before adding another three in 2018, including a playoff loss at the Irish Open.
He had not had another Rolex Series top 10 since, or a top 10 at this event, coming into this week.
Yet with three wins prior and last season’s Seve Ballesteros Award after finishing second on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex, Fox is becoming more and more accustomed to stepping up in golf’s biggest events.
A tie for third at last week’s Horizon Irish Open represented his best finish of 2023 so far and he now enters the history books as the first Kiwi winner of this event, joining 2005 World Match Play champion Michael Campbell as New Zealanders to taste success at Wentworth.
“I’m immensely proud,” said Fox, who had wife Anneke and daughters Isobel and Margot present to help celebrate.
“It’s such an iconic tournament. I know Michael Campbell has won around here when it was the match play event and to add to that history here and create some of my own is very special.
“I’ve got an almost three-year-old and a four-month-old standing over there and to have them here to support with a place pretty close by where we can stay at home this week just made the week.
“We have been through a pretty tough year as a family. We lost my father-in-law in June after a really, really short battle with cancer and that kind of rocked the family. It’s been tough going back and forth.
“To come over here and have a good week in Ireland last week and this, I don’t think I could have wished for better.”
Fox responded to his early troubles with smart approaches to the sixth and eighth but really came to life in the pouring rain on the back nine.
The 36-year-old left himself just three feet for birdie on the 10th, holed out from the fringe on the 11th and got up-and-down from the sand on the 12th.
A tee shot to eight feet on the par-3 14th had him within one and he would soon share the lead, with Hatton going out of bounds on the 15th.
Hatton put his second shot off his provisional to six feet for bogey but had to wait an hour and 23 minutes to hit and make his putt after a lightning delay.
Fox was relentless, however, and despite going left and finding the trees off the 15th tee, hit a stunning second to nine feet and rolled it home to lead on his own.
Hatton chose to lay up on the last and birdied from eight feet for a 66 to put the pressure on and Rai, who was inches from making an eagle and forcing a playoff in his closing 68.
But Fox produced that late gain of his own to take the title, Aussie Min Woo Lee in the mix of the jubilant scenes on the 18th green.
Adam Scott’s final round of 4-under 68 saw him finish as the best Australian in a tie for seventh, Lee (70) tied for 14th, solidifying his place inside the top five in the Race to Dubai Ranking.
Photo: John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images
Australian Scott Hend launched an extraordinary back nine charge to win the WINSTONgolf Senior Open in his debut tournament on the Legends Tour in Europe.
One-over through the first four holes of the final round to find himself five back in Germany, it looked unlikely that Hend would make it consecutive wins by Aussies on the back of Richard Green’s victory in 2022.
Eight players had a genuine chance to lift the trophy over the final few holes but an incredible run of six birdies in a row got Hend over the line in dramatic fashion.
The Queenslander caught fire from the 12th hole to stand on the par-5 18th tee with a one-shot lead from playing partner Phillip Archer.
Hend’s 15-foot birdie effort for seven straight grazed the edge of the hole, leaving Archer with an eight-footer to force a playoff.
The Englishman, who lost in a five-hole playoff to Green at WINSTONgolf last year, lipped out to once again fall agonisingly short.
His closing 67 contained just one dropped shot and six birdies, although only one of those came on the back nine at the 12th.
Just a month after turning 50, Hend’s final round of 6-under 66 and 10-under total ensured he started the next phase of his career in perfect fashion.
“To win on any Tour is great” Hend said.
“I had some pretty high expectations coming out here and I knew the guys were very solid players.
“Unfortunate for Phillip to miss that putt on the last green not to have a playoff, but it feels great to get a win under the belt.
“It’s a new start to the career at 50.”
As is often the case when a player enjoys a hot streak such as Hend experienced late on Sunday, it was the putter that proved the difference, Hend effectively predicting what was to come.
“I didn’t look at the leaderboards until the 12th tee and I said to my caddie, ‘We’ve got to pretty much birdie in to have a chance here,’” said Hend.
“Fortunately enough, we came close to that and it was good enough to get over the line.
“For the first 45 holes or so I really didn’t hole any putts and the last seven holes I hit it inside 12 feet and made the putts.
“On 18 I got a bad lie of the tee shot and made a par unfortunately, but I can’t complain with six birdies in the last seven.”
Photo: Phil Inglis/Getty Images
Birdies at each of his final four holes has elevated Australian Cam Davis into a tie for second heading into the final round of the Fortinet Championship in California.
A PGA TOUR winner two years ago at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit, Davis fired a 7-under 65 at Silverado Resort to trail American Sahith Theegala by two strokes with one round left to play, level with Justin Thomas (65), Matt Kuchar (65) and SH Kim (69) at 15-under par.
Tied for sixth through 36 holes after consecutive rounds of 4-under 68, Davis was holding his spot inside the top 10 before unleashing a late charge up the leaderboard.
A birdie from 12 feet at the par-4 sixth was Davis’s only birdie of the front nine but he began the back nine in style, almost holing his wedge shot into the par-4 10th, tapping in from just four inches to move to 2-under.
His stellar wedge play continued when he hit his approach from 84 yards inside three feet at the par-4 13th but that would be just a taste of what was to come.
The 2017 Australian Open champion two-putted for birdie from 36 feet at the par-5 15th, holed a 15-footer for birdie on 16, hit his tee shot to eight feet to set up birdie at the par-3 17th and got up-and-down from the greenside bunker for a final birdie at the par-5 18th and a back nine of 6-under 31.
Having played his way into the second-to-last event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs with three consecutive top-10s, Davis is revelling the opportunity to play without pressure in the relaxed California vibe.
“If I was fighting for position for next year still, it would be a very different mindset to what I’ve currently got,” Davis admitted.
“It’s nice playing with a little less stress on keeping your job and a little more focus on improving your game and working on some things that you’ve been working on behind the scenes.
“I just think the overall vibe for the tournament for me is a little more enjoyable than stressful, which it normally is for me.
“I love coming here, I love the weather right now, I love how the course is playing. It’s a really nice week.”
Round 1 leader Lucas Herbert bounced back from a 75 in Round 2 with a 71 on Saturday to sit in a tie for 28th in his first start back since The Open.
In his debut on the seniors circuit, Scott Hend is tied for third going into the final round of the WINSTONgolf Senior Open in Germany while Kiwi Ryan Fox is three shots from the lead and in a tie for fourth at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
Seven birdies and an eagle in his round of 5-under 67 elevated Adam Scott into a tie for 17th through three rounds, tied with Min Woo Lee as best Australian at 9-under par.
Photo: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
