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The United States won a 10th consecutive Presidents Cup competition at Royal Montreal today as two of the three Australians struggled in final-day singles contests.
Starting the final day with an 11-7 lead the USA was in an almost-impregnable position and despite a strong contest from the International team, it was not especially close. The final margin was 18.5-11.5.
Day lost 4&3 to Xander Schauffele and Scott was beaten 2&1 by Collin Morikawa, but the 26-year-old Lee came from behind to tie his match against Wyndham Clark as a further indication of his talent.
Lee rinsed his ball in the water at the 17th to fall one down to Clark but then hit a gorgeous short iron shot in tight at the 18th to win the hole and tie the match, albeit that by then, the cup had already been decided.
He admitted afterward to some disappointment at having sat the second and third days, but kept it in perspective. “Of course you want to contribute as much as – I wanted to, of course. I wanted to play every day. But full trust in the team, and yeah, the boys were playing really good. People have said they would have loved me out there, but I would have loved to, too, but I had a good rest and then came out, tried to win my match today.”
The best match was between world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, who took down the American 1 up.
But the Americans were too steady overall, to no one’s surprise, and they had secured the 15.5 points required by the time Keegan Bradley defeated Si Woo Kim 1 up, Kim missing an eight foot birdie putt at the 18th hole that would have tied the match and extended it.
Day went out first for the Internationals and a birdie three at the second hole put him on top of Schauffele, but the American dual major winner was back in the lead by the fifth and never headed from there, their match ending at the 15th hole. The Queenslander won just one point for the week from his three matches.
Scott never had his best against Morikawa, although he led until he made a mistake off the tee at the par-5 sixth hole where the American took over and the lead did not change from the time that Morikawa birdied the eighth hole. That match ended at the 17th where Scott, needing a birdie to extend it, missed from eight feet.
Scott, who was playing his 11th Presidents Cup, had two wins in his five matches this week.
American captain Jim Furyk said his team had focused on playing the back nine better than their opposition.
“We talked about being a dog all week, being a tougher team,” he said. “I feel like we kind of owned the back nine this week, and that was the difference.”
This was the 15th playing of the Presidents Cup. The USA has won 13 times and tied the contest once in 2003. The only victory by the International team was at Royal Melbourne in 1998.
“We’re close,” said Mike Weir, the International captain. “A lot of these matches were so close.”
PHOTO: The Americans led by captain Jim Furyk celebrate in Montreal. Image: Getty
THE AUSTRALIANS AT MONTREAL
Adam Scott 2 wins, 3 losses
Jason Day 1 win, 2 losses
Min Woo Lee 1 tie, 1 loss
Brett Rankin didn’t think life could get any better than when his beloved Brisbane Lions won the AFL Grand Final. Until he became a world champion.
Rankin, 38, rammed in a seven-metre birdie putt to win a three-way sudden-death playoff at Binalong on Sunday to become the inaugural World Sand Greens Championship winner.
“This might be the best weekend of my life,” the affable Queenslander said with the broadest of smiles.
“I was already buzzing about the footy, then to have this, I can’t believe it.
“I think I’m going have to change the resume and all the socials to say world champ.
“I think I might even get that `Champ is here’ thing from Muhammad Ali to play when I go and see the boys.”
A prolific winner on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series, Rankin began his round in the second-last group at 4-under and two off the lead. He emerged as the likely winner when he leapt to the top before the turn as those in the final group stumbled.
But just as he failed to take advantage of some key scoring opportunities midway through the back nine, Victorian Andrew Kelly caught fire ahead with birdies on 15, 16 and 17 to cap a magnificent course-record 63 to post 9-under.
Momentarily, a Cinderella story involving Yass amateur Robbie Furner appeared a possibility, but his birdie attempt from off the back of the 18th green narrowly missed and he signed for 8-under to the thunderous applause of the huge local gallery.
But Rankin steadied behind and he and playing partner Samuel Slater, also of Queensland, each birdied the 17th to reach 9 and 8-under, respectively.
The powerful Slater hit a huge drive almost 100m left of his target coming up the final regulation hole and it didn’t appear much better when his second could only get back to within 25m of the green.
But needing a birdie to join a possible playoff, Slater pulled off the miracle as his third fell in on the last roll to bring the house down.
Rankin missed what would have been the winning birdie putt, but made no such mistake in the playoff from a similar position minutes later.
“This course is great, it really makes you think and hit some shots that require a bit of imagination which I really like,” Rankin said.
“I had an amazing week out here, I really loved it, everything about the sand greens.
“And to cap the whole thing off by doing that in a playoff, it’s just amazing.”
Furner and Dillon Hart shared fourth one shot back, while Matt Dowling, Adam Brady and Blake Windred finished tied sixth at 7-under.
Golf has a way of drawing you in from your very first swing. For Will Bruyeres, competing in this weekend’s World Sand Greens Championship at Binalong Golf Club, It began with nine holes of family bonding on a sand greens track three hours west of Toowoomba.
By David Tease
“My very first game of golf was on sand greens at Ingleston Golf Club, just outside Meandarra,” Bruyeres recalled with a smile. “My grandparents had a cattle property out there. My dad and grandpa were both playing. It was a family experience, and I had a lot of fun.”
Bruyeres, who said he ‘shot 74 or 75’ for nine holes, had no idea how special the experience was at the time.
“Looking back, it was the perfect initiation into the game,” he added. “I didn’t realise how special the experience was.”
That first day of fun on the sand started a golfing journey for Bruyeres, from junior golf around Logan City in Queensland to a college degree in Iowa, it reached a crescendo with a well-deserved victory on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia last month in Port Moresby.
Following his PNG victory, Bruyeres took a well-earned break for a friend’s wedding in the United States. He returned to action last week at the NSW Open Regional Qualifying events at Catalina Club and Queanbeyan. He is primed for this weekend’s world sand greens championship and relishes the bespoke challenge of the deceptively small putting surfaces at Binalong.
“They look great,” Bruyeres added.
“It’s going to be a mix between some guys going stupid low and some struggling with adjusting to the sand greens.”
“It’s going to be a test to work it out. Where do you land your second shots?”
“If you figure it out, you could go quite low.”
Sand Greens: A Unique Challenge
For those unfamiliar with sand greens, they offer a completely different experience from the typical lush, grass-covered putting surfaces.
‘Smoothing’ your line will be a first for more than a few competitors, as will the challenge of working out how exactly you stop your ball on some of the putting surfaces.
“I know playing sand greens can be tricky,” Bruyeres added. “The nuances can turn a straightforward game into a mental battle.”
“I expect you’ll see a mix of scores. Some players will figure it out and go extremely low, but others will struggle to adapt.”
“The key is managing your approach shots carefully.
“Land your second shot too hard, and the ball will bounce straight over the back and roll away.
“A nine-iron or a smooth run-on shot from inside 100 yards seems to work best.
“Work it out, and you can go quite low, quite quick. If you don’t, it will just be a bit of a head battle.
“I’m just going to try and smooth it around and hope the ball goes in the hole,” Bruyeres smiled.
Tournament Facts:
Host Venue: Binalong Golf Club
Dates: 28 – 29 September, 2024
Prize Fund: AU$140,000
TV Times:
Sunday 29 September 2024 from 12.00 pm on 7Plus
The Venue:
Binalong Golf Club has a long and rich history. Founded in 1857, the club’s original nine-hole layout was carved through the middle of a now-defunct horse racing track.
At 500 metres above sea level, the 18-hole, par-72 course is considered one of the best examples of a sand greens layout in regional New South Wales.
37km northwest of Yass, about one hour from Canberra and three hours from Sydney, Binalong is a hub for sporting activities and an integral part of the surrounding community.
The Men’s World Sand Greens Championship is supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
It took birdies at each of his final two holes for Chris Taylor to match Adam Henwood’s 9-under 62 and claim a share of victory at the Glen Innes Legends Pro-Am at Glen Innes Golf Club.
Eyeing off a low total upon driving in and seeing the course for the first time, Taylor had to push until the final hole to rein Henwood in.
The Victorian reached 10-under when he made six birdies in the space of seven holes only to drop a shot at his final hole, the par-3 seventh.
Taylor arrived at his penultimate hole, the par-4 16th, three shots back of Henwood but a birdie there and another at the par-3 17th saw him finish at 9-under for his 11th win of the season.
“I’m not a scoreboard watcher, so I never had any idea what Adam was on,” said Taylor.
“Obviously if he got to 10-under, he’s playing great golf.
“I was pleasantly surprised coming in for the first time and looking at the golf course.
“I though, yeah, this is a place where someone could really go really low.
“You can drive it down pretty close to the greens and as long as your short game is going OK, you’re always going to make plenty of birdies out there.”
There was a four-stroke gap to the next best with Simon Tooman (66) and Brad Burns (66) sharing third place.
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
Both Taylor and Henwood took advantage of the early holes at Glen Innes Golf Club to build their 9-under totals.
Taylor was fast out of the blocks with a run of four straight birdies after an opening with par at the par-4 18th and then drained a long putt for eagle at the par-5 ninth.
He would add just one further birdie in the next six holes before holing a 10-foot putt for birdie on 16 and then closing out his round with a birdie from eight feet on 17.
Henwood began his round with a par at the par-4 eighth and then soon found rhythm, picking up five birdies in his next seven holes.
After a stretch of three pars, Henwood returned to the Glen Innes front nine and unleashed a birdie barrage, picking up shots at one, two, three, five and six before an untimely bogey to finish on seven.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“Anytime you jump out of the blocks and you make a heap of birdies up there straight away, you’re thinking, This could be a good day of shooting 7, 8-under,” said Taylor.
“The putter is still going well and happy to be out here still making a lot of birdies.
“I made a silly three-putt for par at the par-5 15th but the next two holes were kind to me.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
T1 Adam Henwood 62
T1 Chris Taylor 62
T3 Simon Tooman 66
T3 Brad Burns 66
T5 Guy Wall 69
T5 Colin Hunt 69
NEXT UP
The PGA Legends Tour heads to the coast on Friday for the Watsons Leisure Centre Legends Classic at Coffs Harbour Golf Club.
Heaving Australian crowds and world-class courses are the perfect formula to recreate a major-like atmosphere on home soil says PGA TOUR star, Cam Davis.
Davis, Australia’s most recent winner on the PGA TOUR, confirmed his place in the summer’s two marquee events on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, the BMW Australian PGA Championship and ISPS HANDA Australian Open.
Davis was just 22 when he triumphed at The Australian Golf Club to claim the 2017 Australian Open and has finished tied seventh in each of his past two starts at the Australian PGA Championship.
But more than the lure of a second Stonehaven Cup and maiden Joe Kirkwood Cup, the 29-year-old points to the home-country support for elevating the tournaments to the equivalent of a major championship.
“It isn’t a major but, to an Australian, it still feels like a major,” said Davis.
“I think every player out there would feel that if you’re playing on the Aussie tour, these are your majors for the year.
“If you’re playing around the world, you might have played one or two (majors). But you come back and these have the same sort of atmosphere, especially as a local coming back to play at home.”
With the Australian PGA Championship finding a home at Royal Queensland and the Australian Open to return to the Melbourne sandbelt for the second time in three years, Davis says that the championship stages add to the feeling of prestige.
“It’s always great when you get the best courses in Australia involved in the biggest tournaments,” said the world No.42, who won the Rocket Mortgage Classic for a second time in June.
“There’s something about seeing a sandbelt golf course on TV and something about seeing Brisbane on TV.
“The environment that you’re playing in is so different to everywhere else in the world.
“Especially when you have been playing all over the world throughout the year, when you come back it’s awesome to be amongst that environment again.”
Bitterly disappointed to be overlooked for the International Team for this week’s Presidents Cup, the silver lining is that Davis has an extra week to refresh and set his sights on an Aussie summer assault.
Aware that with the likes of Jason Day, Cameron Smith and Min Woo Lee confirmed to return that victories won’t come easy, Davis will return to Australia with a burning ambition to complete the Aussie quinella.
“To try and get the Aussie PGA championship under my belt as well would mean a lot,” said Davis.
“I feel like having a trophy in both of the biggest events that Australia holds is a real feather in the cap, especially for an Australian player.
“I know what it was like to win the Australian Open and that doesn’t stop you from wanting to try and do it again.”
For BMW Australian PGA Championship tickets, go to ticketek.com.au
Australia’s latest PGA Tour winner, Cam Davis, has set his sights on another big Australian victory after locking in the BMW Australian PGA Championship and ISPS HANDA Australian Open to his end-of-year schedule.
A previous Australian Open champion, Davis made it win number two on the world’s toughest tour when he claimed the Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club in June.
The 29-year-old from Sydney, currently ranked No.41 in the world, will be among the leading contenders in both Australian majors which are co-sanctioned by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tour.
The BMW Australian PGA Championship will be played at Royal Queensland Golf Club on November 21-24 followed by the Open in Melbourne on November 28-December 1.
Davis joins an awesome PGA field that includes fellow drawcards Cam Smith, Jason Day and defending champion Min Woo Lee.
“This year has been a good one so far, winning on the PGA TOUR is always a big thrill,” Davis said.
“I’d love to win a second Australian Open, or first Australian PGA. That would be a great way to finish 2024.
“Playing in Australia to wrap up my schedule each year is such a fun way to close things out. In addition to catching up with my family, the crowds at these two events are also so good to me and I hope they come out in force again this year.”
Davis’s Open win at The Australian in 2017 – his first victory as a professional – was one of the most memorable successes of the past decade, providing the impetus for the former Australian Amateur champion to reach the PGA Tour two years later.
His record also includes the 2021 Rocket Mortgage Classic and a Presidents Cup appearance for the International team in 2022.
He has finished T7 in his last two appearances at Royal Queensland.
“Having played the Australian PGA at Royal Queensland for the last couple of years, I think I’ve got a really good idea for how to have success there and hopefully this year I can put that plan into action,” Davis said.
“Both events are going to have strong fields so it’s not going to easy.”
PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said: “Having Cam back home in Australia is huge for our major championships. He’s a very talented player and an outstanding young man who is a great supporter of Australian golf.
“I’m sure he’d love to win the Joe Kirkwood Cup to add to the Stonehaven Cup. It’s only a small group of golfers who have achieved that feat but Cam certainly has the ability to pull it off.”
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said Davis was another great boost to the event’s exciting line-up.
“Brisbane is Australia’s lifestyle capital and our major events create more to see and do in the suburbs,” Cr Schrinner said.
“Cam will join the suite of world class athletes teeing off at the Royal Queensland fairway in November, providing a thrilling competition for local and visiting golf fans.
“The benefits of this world-class tournament will be felt across the region, delivering millions in economic support for local Brisbane businesses.”
For BMW Australian PGA Championship tickets, go to ticketek.com.au
Victorian Mark Boulton is feeling more comfortable among some of Australian golf’s most accomplished players after recording his second win of the season at the Lismore Workers Legends Golf Club.
After a brilliant rookie season on the PGA Legends Tour last year in which he won four times, wins have been harder to come by in 2024.
He was victorious at Busselton in May and after a run of top-five finishes made it win No.2 on the year with a two-stroke victory at Lismore Workers Golf Club.
“Not that I felt that I deserved a win, but the game’s been pretty solid of recent,” said Boulton.
“Play solidly enough and hopefully the scores come.
“It felt like a little while between wins so this is great.
“This proves that I’m capable. Feel like I should be here.”
Boulton had just one bogey in his round of 4-under 66, two clear of Grant Fyander (68) and Michael Isherwood (68).
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
A birdie at his second hole – the par-5 sixth – was a strong start but Boulton’s round stalled with a bogey on 12 to be even par through his first nine holes.
He soon kicked into gear, however, a birdie at the par-5 14th the first of three on the trot, closing out his round of 4-under with birdie at the par-4 third.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“We started on five and hit a good shot into five. Made a nice par, which was good to start on,” said Boulton.
“Played pretty solid. Stuck a few shots close for birdies, made a few good putts so it was all going quite smoothly.
“(The bogey) was just a small blemish. But other than that, it was stock-standard driver in play, hit greens in regulation and knock the putt in.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Mark Boulton 66
T2 Grant Fyander 68
T2 Michael Isherwood 68
4 Simon Tooman 69
T5 David McKenzie 70
T5 Chris Taylor 70
NEXT UP
Glen Innes Golf Club makes a return to the PGA Legends Tour schedule on Wednesday followed by the Watsons Leisure Centre Legends Classic at Coffs Harbour Golf Club on Friday, where Mark Boulton is the defending champion.
Not even a pre-round injury inflicted by a rogue magpie could hold Chris Taylor back from a 10th win of the season at the Casino Legends Pro-Am at Casino Golf Club.
The nearest challenger to Andre Stolz at the top of the PGA Legends Tour Order of Merit, Taylor had seven birdies and an eagle in his round of 6-under 64 to finish two clear of Adam Henwood (66) with Peter Jones (68) and Brad Burns (68) sharing third.
Taylor came under attack from an unappreciative local as he warmed up on Sunday morning but shrugged it off to continue on his winning ways.
“Beware of the wounded golfer, eh,” said Taylor.
“I’d hit a few wedges down the practice fairway, we and picked up the range balls and got hit in the head by a magpie.
“Pecked me in the head, drew a bit of blood and thought it was going to leave me with a bit of a headache.”
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
With four birdies in his first six holes, you would never have known Taylor was in any discomfort.
He began with a birdie at the par-4 first and then picked off three in succession from the fourth to the sixth holes.
There were dropped shots at both 10 and 12 but were wedged either side of an eagle at the par-4 11th.
After almost driving the green, Taylor hit a lob wedge over the bunker and then watched on as his ball spun back from behind the hole and into the cup.
Consecutive birdies at 13 and 14 separated Taylor again from the rest of the field, closing out his round of 66 with a bogey on 17 and birdie on 18.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“It was one of those days where I basically just holed a lot of putts,” said Taylor.
“I had six or seven birdies and an eagle so just one of those days where everything went right, I suppose.
“Look, any win’s a good win, but to have 10 in one season is quite good.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Chris Taylor 64
2 Adam Henwood 66
T3 Peter Jones 68
T3 Brad Burns 68
5 Mike Zilko 70
T6 Nicholas White 71
T6 Tomas Mezera 71
T6 Dell Bain 71
NEXT UP
The PGA Legends Tour continues its run in northern New South Wales on Monday with the Lismore Workers Legends Pro-Am at Lismore Workers Golf Club.
Clutch performances from captain Cameron Smith and Lucas Herbert have earned Ripper GC the LIV Golf Teams Championship for the first time.
Third in the team standings entering the Team Championship Dallas at Maridoe Golf Club in Texas, the Ripper GC team of Smith, Herbert, Matt Jones and Marc Leishman enjoyed a bye in the Quarter-Finals before facing off against Fireballs GC in the Semi-Finals.
After Smith and Jones lost their foursomes match against Sergio Garcia and Abraham Ancer, Herbert and Leishman both had to win for their team to advance to the final.
Herbert edged David Puig 1 up and then Leishman won a see-sawing contest with Eugenio Chacarra with a par at the first playoff hole.
In the final, all four scores of each of the four teams count, Ripper GC claiming a three-stroke win thanks to rounds of 4-under 68 from Smith, 3-under 69 from Herbert and rounds of 2-under 70 from both Jones and Leishman.
Winners of team events in Adelaide and Singapore during the season, Smith said it was stressful watching the movement on the leaderboard coming down the stretch.
“Watching the leaderboard today was pretty stressful,” said Smith.
“I almost wanted to take my eye off it, but I couldn’t, I was so intrigued with what we had to do.
“There was something in me that was going to tell me that the boys were going to come through.
“To be a part of this is unreal, especially with these guys.”
In Europe, Adam Scott finished T57 in the DP World Tour’s BMW PGA Championship won in a playoff by American Billy Horschel, while Hayden Hopewell was equal seventh in the Italian Challenge Open on the Challenge Tour.
On the LPGA Tour, Kiwi Lydia Ko continued her summer of success with a commanding win at the Kroger Queen City Championship.
The Olympic and AIG Women’s Open champion claimed her 22nd LPGA Tour title by a five strokes, Grace Kim the best of the Aussies in a share of 19th.
Results
LIV Golf
Team Championship Dallas
Maridoe Golf Club, Carrollton, Texas
1 Ripper GC 277
T2 4Aces GC 280
T2 Ironheads GC 280
4 Legion XIII 282
LPGA Tour
Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G
TPC River’s Bend, Maineville, Ohio
1 Lydia Ko (NZ) 67-66-69-63—265 $US300,000
T19 Grace Kim 70-70-71-67—278 $21,122
T27 Minjee Lee 71-71-68-69—279 $16,425
T27 Stephanie Kyriacou 69-67-69-74—279 $16,425
T45 Gabriela Ruffels 73-69-70-70—282 $8,082
T61 Robyn Choi 70-69-74-72—285 $4,568
MC Hira Naveed 74-70—144
MC Su Oh 73-77—150
DP World Tour
BMW PGA Championship
Wentworth Club, Virginia Water, England
1 Billy Horschel 67-69-65-67—268 €1,370,338.38
T18 Daniel Hillier (NZ) 72-70-67-68—277 €87,930.05
T57 Adam Scott 71-69-74-71—285 €24,585.48
T61 Ryan Fox (NZ) 71-70-72-73—286 €22,167.24
MC Jason Scrivener 68-75—143
Japan Golf Tour
Panasonic Open Golf Championship
Arima Royal Golf Club, Hyogo
1 Kensei Hirata 62-68-68-65—263 ¥20m
T48 Brad Kennedy 65-72-72-73—282 ¥285,333
61 Anthony Quayle 73-66-71-80—290 ¥229,000
MC Michael Hendry (NZ) 73-73—146
Ladies European Tour
La Sella Open
La Sella Golf Resort, Spain
1 Helen Briem 67-71-66-66—270 €150,000
T12 Kirsten Rudgeley 68-69-70-74—281 €20,500
T41 Amy Walsh 74-69-72-73—288 €5,577.78
MC Momoka Kobori (NZ) 71-74—145
MC Kelsey Bennett 75-72—147
MC Whitney Hillier 73-76—149
Korn Ferry Tour
Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship
Ohio State University GC (Scarlet Cse), Columbus, Ohio
1 Frankie Capan III 68-67-66-70—271 $US270,000
T60 Rhein Gibson 69-72-72-73—286 $6,060
MC Karl Vilips 72-73—145
PGA TOUR Champions
PURE Insurance Championship
Pebble Beach Golf Links, Monterey Peninsula, California
1 Paul Broadhurst 66-64-72—202
6 Steven Alker (NZ) 65-72-70—207
T14 Rod Pampling 69-70-71—210
T39 Stuart Appleby 74-71-71—216
T45 Steve Allan 70-75-73—218
T45 John Senden 71-73-74—218
T50 Cameron Percy 70-73-77—220
MC David Bransdon 71-76—147
MC Richard Green 74-74—148
MC Michael Wright 70-78—148
Epson Tour
Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout
El Dorado, Arkansas
1 Jenny Bae 66-70-73—209 $US50,625
T23 Amelia Garvey (NZ) 74-69-74—217 $3,868
T25 Fiona Xu (NZ) 75-73-70—218 $3,259
MC Cassie Porter 78-73—151
LET Access Series
Lavaux Ladies Open
Golf de Lavaux, Switzerland
1 Mimi Rhodes 68-68-64—200 €7,200
T46 Wenyung Keh (NZ) 71-73-74—218 €256.50
MC Munchin Keh (NZ) 73-77—150
Challenge Tour
Italian Challenge Open
Argentario GC, Monte Argentario, Italy
1 John Parry 66-67-65-68—266 €56,000
T7 Hayden Hopewell 68-69-68-68—273 €8,820
MC Sam Jones (NZ) 74-68—142
Legends Tour
WINSTONgolf Senior Open
WINSTONgolf, Vorbeck, Germany
1 Van Phillips 70-66-68—204
T11 Scott Hend 76-63-70—209
T22 Michael Long (NZ) 71-69-72—212
Ben Henkel wasn’t in the spotlight – until it mattered most. The 23-year-old Victorian made two birdies in his closing three holes to storm into a playoff, then maintained that momentum to edge Lincoln Tighe to win the New South Wales Open regional qualifier at Bateman’s Bay.
After enduring a double-bogey on the second hole of Saturday’s opening round, it was a spectacular comeback for Henkel, whose closing 67 – to reach the playoff at 9-under – came without a bogey.
Ed Donoghue set the stage with early second-round fireworks in a sparkling 7-under-par 65 to set a new Catalina Club course record.
But it appeared as though Tighe had done enough when he carded a fine 66 to wrest the clubhouse lead.
At roughly the same time, Henkel thought he’d threaded his second shot on the par-5 12th hole through some trees, only to roar in disbelief when his ball clipped the last branch and into trouble.
But a great recovery set up one of three late birdies for his fourth win – the first at such a high level – in his rookie professional campaign.
“My coach, Kel Llewellyn, taught me the mindset of being aware of your surroundings, to centre yourself when you’re going down a path of negativity, to just bring yourself back and trust that you can make some birdies and hit the shots you need to hit,” Henkel said.
“I owe it to him for putting that mindset into my head, I definitely wasn’t born with it.”
Henkel was literally within millimetres of being a quadriplegic when he suffered a severe neck injury in a 2019 car crash that left golf far from his priority.
“I fractured my C1 vertebrae and it was a year or so with a neck brace, rehab and that sort of stuff,” the Curlewis member said.
“It was kind of more, not from the physical side of things, but mentally, I wasn’t really sure if I really cared for golf anymore, but slowly I got back into it with the help of mates back home and mum and dad and the family.
“Right now though, that seems so far away. But it’s crazy to think that, yeah, we could have gone a different route.
“So I’m very grateful to be here and playing these events, it’s all part of my mindset, I suppose.”
It had been a manic day for leaderboard watchers with no fewer than nine leaders at various stages.
Early on, it appeared as though South Coast amateur Jye Halls was the man to watch when he hit a stunning long 6-iron to within 2m for an eagle on the sixth.
But he, like many, fell away as the pressure of the back nine ramped up.
Tighe uncharacteristically couldn’t cash in on his strength and played the par-5s in even-par, but used his improved short game to threaten Donoghue’s earlier course record.
But his tee shot in the playoff went left, a position from which he was unable to scramble a par, leaving Henkel as the champ, with Grierson joining that pair with tickets to play against Cam Smith at the NSW Open in November at Murray Downs.
“That sounds pretty cool when you put it like that,” Henkel said.
“I’ll just (try to) rock up, act like it’s another tournament, which it is, and just see if I can keep playing how I am.
“Obviously, these guys are the best in the world, and it’s good that he’s coming back to play and it would only be my fifth or sixth Aussie Tour event.
“So, yeah, I’m still quite fresh, but keen to get out there and give it a crack.
“I feel like my game’s good enough to compete.
“Making some birdies today when I needed to was a great feeling and especially to hole the putts when it mattered the most.”
LEADERBOARD
-9: Ben Henkel (Vic); Lincoln Tighe (NSW). Henkel won playoff
-7: James Grierson (NSW)
-6: Ed Donoghue (Vic), Nathan Page (NSW), Dylan Gardner (Qld)
The Men’s NSW Open Golf Regional Qualifying Series is proudly supported by Destination NSW, the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency.
