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Nudgee, Yarrawonga crowned 2023 Scramble champions


Nudgee Golf Club and Yarrawonga-Mulwala Golf Club have both overcome slow starts to complete wire-to-wire wins at The Scramble Championship Final at Sanctuary Cove.

Both Nudgee (Women’s Scramble) and Yarrawonga (Mixed Scramble) began the third and final rounds at The Palms Golf Course at Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club with slightly more than a five-shot advantage.

It would prove to be a crucial buffer as contenders threw down the gauntlet throughout the front nine.

Led by 2016 champion with Balaklava Golf Club, PGA Professional Chris Duke, the Nudgee women’s team of Lisa-Maree Jones, Lara Forster, Wendy Edmiston and Brooke O’Keeffe saw their overnight lead eaten away as both Mosman Park Golf Club and Lucindale Country Club made their charge.

After kicking off their final round with ‘Red’ by Taylor Swift, the team switched the playlist mid-round to AC/DC.

It helped to ignite a charge around the turn that saw them return a score of 61 for nett 55.3 and a total of 48.1-under par for the three days and a three-shot win. With a nett score of 53 in Round 3, Lucindale claimed second spot at 45-under par with Mosman Park third at 41.4-under.

With just two birdies in their first eight holes, the Nudgee team needed a spark as they moved into the back nine.

They got a boost with a birdie for a nett eagle on nine and then made eagle when Brooke chipped in from 40 metres out at the par-5 10th.

“There was a bit of indecision about clubs and the like,” Chris said of their third shot on 10.

“Brooke stepped up and said she would go first and proceeded to chip it straight in.

“Never looked like missing as soon as it left the clubface.”

“I used a sand wedge and thought that there was a little ridge behind the hole so I could be aggressive because if it went long it was going to roll back,” said Brooke.

“Checked perfectly, released and straight in the centre of the cup. Best shot all day.”

The winning team from Yarrawonga of Jason Hanson, Lachie Thompson, PGA Associate Dale Crothers, Fletcher Kelly and Scott Thompson.

Yarrawonga, too, answered the challenge laid down by Ulverstone Golf Club and Kooindah Waters Golf Club with a timely eagle on 10.

With four holes to play, the team of PGA Associate Dale Crothers, Fletcher Kelly, Jason Hanson and Scott and Lachie Thom trailed Koondah Waters by 1.8 shots. They then made birdie for a nett eagle on the par-4 15th and converted Dale’s tee shot to 10 feet for birdie at the par-3 16th.

With three nett eagles and a nett birdie in their final five holes, Ulverstone set the mark in the clubhouse at 59.7-under par.

Although he didn’t tell his team-mates, Dale knew that their lead was just 0.3 of a shot standing on the 18th tee but the leading team all week completed their victory in style, making birdie for a nett eagle and a total for the three days of 62-under par for a win by 2.3 shots.

Dale is a two-time Victoria/Tasmania PGA Associate champion but said that there was something special about winning in a team of boys spread along the Murray River.

“Jason has been into me all week about that, he thinks this is the biggest win of my career now,” said Dale.

“Definitely the most fun. Sanctuary Cove has put on a really good show for us so pretty happy to come out of it with a win with the guys.”

In the Women’s Consolation Final, Rossdale Golf Club’s nett score of 56.8 saw them pip defending champions Launceston by just 0.3 of a shot with Muirfield Golf Club third with a score of 57.9.

In The Scramble Consolation Final, Portsea Golf Club’s nett score of 51.6 saw them finish a shot clear of Townsville Golf Club (52.7) with Geelong Golf Club (53.2) snatching third from Meadowbrook Golf Club by just 0.1 of a shot.

Final scores


The R&A and United States Golf Association (USGA) last night announced the revision of testing for conforming golf balls, with the change to come into effect January 1, 2028.

As a member of the PGA World Alliance that brings together leading vocational Professional Golf Associations around the globe, the PGA of Australia initially raised concerns over some of the proposed changes, and we are pleased that The R&A and USGA continue to take our views into consideration that will cover the entirety of the game with a view toward protecting the courses and skills required that are the fabric of our great game.

The PGA of Australia are also encouraged that while changes will come into effect at the elite level in 2028, the changes for recreational golfers become active at January 1, 2030 allowing our PGA Members, both vocational and tournament, time to plan and adjust.

As one of the many organisations working for the betterment of the game of golf globally, the PGA of Australia has great respect for The R&A and USGA as the rule makers of golf and appreciates the opportunity for involvement in this process following the Distance Insights Project that has ultimately resulted in this decision.

Detail on the changes can be found HERE


Australian Robyn Choi has played her way back onto the LPGA Tour in 2024 in emphatic fashion, winning the LPGA Q-Series in Alabama by three strokes.

Choi was one of two Aussies who will add to our LPGA contingent in 2024 with Perth’s Hira Naveed shooting 65 in the final round to climb from 43rd to 15th and earn her elevation from the Epson Tour.

Securing a return to the LPGA Tour for the first time since 2019 is particularly sweet for Choi, who looked all but guaranteed a card via the Epson Tour moneylist.

Having not missed a cut all season, Choi entered the Tour Championship 11th on the moneylist, the top 10 receiving LPGA Tour cards.

Despite finishing tied for 14th at the season finale, Choi was overtaken by two others and fell to 12th, sending her to the six-round Q-Series to try and qualify for the LPGA Tour.

After a quick trip home to play the Webex Players Series South Australia and with Mum on the bag, Choi was never far from the top of the leaderboard at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.

The Gold Coaster led after rounds of 64 in both Round 3 and Round 4 and closed out the seven-day marathon with rounds of 68 and 68 to finish three clear and erase the disappointment of her Epson Tour near-miss.

“A win out here, it means a lot,” said Choi.

“Just when I’m playing on Epson, we really just get to play along with the Epson girls, but to play with kind of like all around LPGA, Epson, and like from other tours, you know, just to win… Now I know where I would stand against the rest of the players out there, so that’s good for me.

“We’ve all been working for this week and to show that I have that this week is pretty good.”

Choi started her day two shots out of the lead behind So Mi Lee.

After starting her round with three straight pars, the 25-year-old made birdie at the par-5 fourth before reeling off a further three pars.

It was three birdies in succession from the eighth hole and then responded to bogeys at 13 and 15 with birdies at 16 and 17 to post 29-under for the six rounds.

Choi was the only player in the entire field to record scores in the 60s all six days while Naveed had to produce her best on the final day to secure a LPGA Tour card.

A graduate of Pepperdine University, Naveed has progressed each year since her rookie season on the Epson Tour in 2020.

She finished 30th on the moneylist this year to qualify for the Q-Series and produced one of the rounds of her life – a bogey-free 7-under 65 – under immense pressure to join Choi and the other Aussies on the LPGA Tour in 2024.

The Final Stage of the PGA TOUR Champions Q School has reached the halfway mark with Cameron Percy and Stephen Allan both inside the top 10, the top five at the completion of the tournament to earn a Champions Tour card for 2024.

Jason Day is partnering with Kiwi Lydia Ko at the inaugural Grant Thornton Invitational and there are 11 Aussies attending the LIV Golf Promotions event in Abu Dhabi.

Photos: Isaiah Bell/LPGA

Results
LPGA TOUR
Q-Series
Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Magnolia Grove, Mobile, Alabama
1          Robyn Choi      69-68-64-64-68-68—401         $US15,000
15        Hira Naveed     72-67-71-70-70-65—415         $2,800
T56      Amelia Garvey (NZ)      73-69-70-71-71-70—424
MC       Su Oh              75-70-72-73—290

PGA TOUR Champions
Qualifying Tournament-Final Stage
TPC Scottsdale (Champions Cse), Scottsdale, Arizona
Through two rounds
1          Wes Short Jr     67-63—130
T2        Cameron Percy 65-66—131
T7        Steve Allan       68-66—134
T15      Greg Chalmers 70-67—137
T26      David Bransdon           69-70—139
T26      David McKenzie           72-67—139
T32      Michael Wright 68-72—140
WD      Mick Smith      67

Round 1 tee times AEST

PGA TOUR Champions
World Champions Cup
The Concession Golf Club, Bradenton, Florida
Australasians in the field: Stuart Appleby, Steven Alker (NZ)

Defending champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
TV times: Live 4am-8am Friday on Fox Sports 503; Live 4am-8am Saturday on Fox Sports 506; Live 4am-6am Sunday on Fox Sports 503; Live 5am-9am Monday on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo.

PGA TOUR/LPGA Tour
Grant Thornton Invitational
Tiburón Golf Club (Gold Cse), Naples, Florida
2:40am            Jason Day/Lydia Ko (NZ), Charley Hull/Justin Rose

Defending champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
TV times: Live 5am-8am Saturday; Live 6am-9am Sunday; Live 5am-8am Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.

LIV Golf
LIV Golf Promotions
Abu Dhabi Golf Club, United Arab Emirates

Australasians in the field: Jed Morgan, Wade Ormsby, Ben Campbell (NZ), Scott Hend, Austin Bautista, Lachlan Barker, Kerry Mountcastle (NZ), Andrew Dodt, Brendan Jones, Zach Murray, Ryan Ruffels, Travis Smyth, Kevin Yuan.
TV times: Live from 2pm Friday, Saturday, Sunday on 7 Plus.


The ISPS HANDA Australian Open and the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship have rounded off two exciting weeks for Australian golf, with Min Woo Lee’s wizardry driving huge ratings and attendance results.

The final day of both events were rating winners with both days significantly up on last year, headlined by a 187% increase on Free To Air Television for the Sunday of the ISPS HANDA Australian Open.

Lee’s Fortinet Australian PGA Championship victory at Royal Queensland and the drama of the men’s and women’s Australian Opens where Joaquin Niemann and Ashleigh Buhai prevailed at The Australian and The Lakes golf clubs proved a hit with crowds, with more than 110,000 spectators in attendance across the two championships. Both events were highlighted by the following statistics:

  • At home, TV viewership experienced significant growth across both tournaments, headlined by the dramatic last day of the Australian Open which delivered an average audience of 438,000 across the Nine Network television audience which was more than 187% up on last year, and more than 100,000 viewers on Foxtel which was the number one rated STV program for the day.
  • Fan experience was again at the forefront of both tournaments, with the Australian PGA Championship Southern Comfort Party Hole elevating itself again in 2023 and continuing to attract new fans resulting in 78% growth in hospitality & reserved seats sales
  • The Australian Open total crowds were up 12% on last year, with Sunday’s blockbuster alone delivering a 27% increase on last year’s final day crowd.

PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said the figures were reflective of the groundswell of interest that golf is experiencing at every level and the thrilling nature of the golf being played at the highest level.

“The enormous galleries we saw fill the fairways at both events created an electric atmosphere that I have no doubt enhanced the viewing experience of those at home,” Mr Kirkman said.

“With our leading players such as Cameron Smith, Adam Scott, Min Woo Lee, Marc Leishman and Lucas Herbert bringing their best along with a wonderful mix of international visitors, the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia delivered compelling television.

“Both men’s fields were very strong and up year on year, something that Min Woo Lee has taken full advantage of after moving all the way up to number 35 in the world after his outstanding two weeks.

“The level of interest in the broadcast and following of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia in the lead-up to the major events helped us set a platform for these two outstanding weeks, and we can’t wait to capitilise on these results for the remainder of the 2023/24 season, particularly with five co-sanctioned events between the men’s and women’s Tours.

“I don’t think anyone will forget Min Woo’s chip-in on the last day at Royal Queensland and both men’s and women’s Australian Open championships came down to the very last putt on the 72nd hole.”

In the second year of a united format that crowns an Australian Open champion for men, women and All Abilities, Golf Australia CEO, James Sutherland, was ecstatic to see viewership surpass the numbers of 2022.

“We set a high benchmark at Victoria and Kingston Heath last year but the Sydney fans who flooded into The Australian and The Lakes over the past week were nothing short of exceptional,” Mr Sutherland said.

“Certainly, in conjunction with the PGA of Australia and the DP World Tour, the quality of the fields have improved, 40 per cent better based on world rankings. We’re very grateful to be working with the PGA of Australia via the men’s and women’s Tours, and the DP World Tour, who helped us deliver one of the strongest fields in recent memory.

“It’s a fantastic result to see just shy of 58,000 golf fans in attendance over the two courses over the four days and certainly the atmosphere on Sunday when more than 18,000 were in the house was absolutely superb.

“Golf is being enjoyed by more Australians than ever before and the appetite to watch world-class golf either live or on TV continues to grow. That’s shown in the numbers domestically which show unprecedented growth across the whole tournament in a time where TV ratings are declining.

“It’s quite remarkable to think there were more than 400,000 watching on the Nine Network and more than 100,000 on Foxtel, along with a massive global audience via the DP World Tour’s broadcast partnerships.”

Photo: Gregg Porteous/Golf Australia


The Cathedral Invitational is the end of the year for much of the field, with the relaxed atmosphere presenting a chance to catch up with friends and wind down.

By Jimmy Emanuel

Make no mistake, however, for Wednesday’s final round, things will get competitive. Especially if leader Adam Scott at eight-under and his nearest chaser Cam Smith (-7) keep their outstanding play going.

Smith’s opening round of seven-under coming with a new caddie, coach Grant Field’s son Cooper filling in for regular looper Sam Pinfold for the week.

Riding along in carts Tuesday during the Member-Pro section of the event, Cooper will get a more realistic experience of the job Pinfold does week-to-week Wednesday when he will be carrying Smith’s bag. The 2022 Open Champion dishing out some high praise for his young caddie and once again reminding why he is so popular with the next generation.

“That was cool, it’s been something that we have been talking about doing for a little bit. I think this is just the perfect scenario for him to step in and see what it’s like,” Smith said.

“He was great, I hope he learnt a little bit today. He gave me a few reads.”

Cooper’s dad Grant is also on caddie duties this week, with the highly rated swing guru on the bag for another student in Louis Dobbelaar, while Gabi Ruffels’ five-under opening round was aided by some local knowledge from her looper.

The 2024 LPGA Tour rookie’s caddie sharing her background of parents famous for tennis rather than golf.

“I’m lucky this is my second year, and Zara Woodbridge is my caddie too,” Ruffels said. “She’s a member here and two-time club champ, and so I was kind of relying on her for a couple of the reads and to help me just around the course.”

Not in similar position caddie wise this week, Jasper Stubbs did have the intel advantage of playing alongside founder of Cathedral Lodge and Golf Club David Evans. Stubbs’ focus likely more directed toward the other pro in his group.

The Asia-Pacific Amateur champion picking the brain of Adam Scott about Augusta National ahead of next year’s Masters and doing his best to setup a practice round during tournament week.

“We had a few chats about Augusta and when I’m heading over, and I asked what he was doing and I think we will sort some stuff out for Masters week.”

Photo credit: Stuart Kerr/Cathedral Invitational.


It’s hard to imagine a first day going better at the Cathedral Invitational than what transpired Tuesday at Cathedral Lodge and Golf Club, where Adam Scott leads the tournament on eight-under, one clear of Cameron Smith.

By Jimmy Emanuel

The pair of marquee stars part of a “super group” when they go out as a three ball with fellow major champion Geoff Ogilvy on the second and final day. The 2006 U.S. Open champion on six-under alongside one of Australia’s brightest prospects Jeffrey Guan.

Scott compiled his 64 alongside Cathedral Lodge founder David Evans in the Member-Pro format, his round equalling the course record of Tournament Director Matt Jager who opened with a two-under 70.

“It was all pretty straight forward stuff, I think I rolled in a lot of nice putts in,” Scott said.

“If I was to brag on myself on anything, I rolled the putts really nice, not everything was from close range, so I am pretty happy with that.”

The only thing that slightly displeased the former World No.1 was double bogey at the par-3 9th after “a trip to the bushes”, yet with the relaxed atmosphere Scott was full of smiles.

Scott’s enjoyment of the event and week increased by the involvement of the Adam Scott Foundation as a beneficiary of the tournament dinner on Monday night.

“It’s very special that he (Evans) has included my foundation in this, that has a lot of meaning for me,” Scott said.

“It’s great that the club has embraced that as well, it was fun last night at the auction, and I think we can do some fabulous stuff in this region.”

Following Scott from the 1st tee in the shotgun start, Smith looked back to his old self after a relaxed start to the day where he spent time chatting with members and friends before bolting out of the blocks.

Regulation pars on the first two holes were followed by a birdie barrage from the 2022 Open Champion, Smith making four in a row starting at the 3rd before he added two more to close the front nine in 29 before a far less eventful back nine of one-under.

“It was good, it was enjoyable. Course was in great nick, managed to see some putts go in, ended up pretty good,” Smith said.

“Probably could have had a couple less, bit scratchy there on the back nine for a bit. But happy with it.”

Smith also happy with the grouping for the final day that he joked would see him playing with “two old boys”, his sentiment echoed by Scott and Ogilvy, who will provide a thrilling experience for the crowds when the gates are opened Wednesday and the winner will walk away with $100,000.

“That’s good that I’m not the old bloke in the group, I like that,” Scott said with a wry smile.

Added Ogilvy: “It’ll be fun, I haven’t played with those two for a while … I will try and stitch them up, up the hill tonight and keep them up late.”

Perhaps benefitting, at least competitively, from missing the last group, Guan couldn’t have asked for a better start to his first ever Cathedral round. The Sydneysider getting his day underway from the 12th and making an eagle two holes later after he “stuck a 5-wood to two feet”.

Leaning on his member partner for guidance during the round, Guan made one slip up with bogey at the par-3 17th that Ogilvy mused is the hardest one-shotter on the course. Guan’s 66 setting up another ideal three ball for what Evans and Jager are trying to create.

Guan off at 12:19pm (AEDT) alongside Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion Jasper Stubbs and Gabi Ruffels.

The soon to be Masters debutant and LPGA rookie tied with Karis Davidson, Jarryd Felton, Ben Eccles, Daniel Gale, Darcy Brereton and Justin Warren on five-under. The next wave of Australian golfing talent hoping to upset the major winners, with Stubbs getting a yet another once in a lifetime experience Tuesday.

“It was pretty awesome. It’s a pretty grand setting, it’s probably the grandest setting we play. It’s pretty awesome and it was made even better by getting to play with Scotty today, he was awesome,” Stubbs said.

Scott hoping to be similarly awesome with his play tomorrow to cap off his year with a win. Any concerns of fatigue dispelled with another wry smile.

“I think I’ve got one more day in me,” he joked.

Photo credit: Stuart Kerr/Cathedral Invitational.


Birdies at two of his final three holes was enough for Richard Backwell to match Greg Rix’s score of 1-under 69 and earn a share of top spot at the Lismore Workers Legends Pro-Am.

Strong winds from the south-east and the small greens at Lismore Workers Golf Club meant that only two players broke par all day… and it was enough for the win.

Rix set the mark in the morning wave with three birdies and two bogeys in his round of 69, Backwell finishing strongly to join Rix at the top of the leaderboard.

Victorious in a major amateur event at Lismore back in 1986, Backwell was thrilled to experience much success in the Northern Rivers.

“I still remember that tournament. I actually tied with Mark Wilson who was one of the senior guys out here,” Backwell recalled.

“We had a three-hole playoff, aggregate, and I got him there.

“I’ve been coming here a long time and played with some good friends of mine today and have lots of good memories of Lismore.”

HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED

Starting with a birdie on his opening hole, the par-5 15th, Rix made the most of the morning conditions.

He moved to 2-under with a birdie at the par-4 18th but found himself back at even par after bogeys at three and nine.

A two at the 121-metre par-3 11th got Rix back into red figures, closing out his round with pars at each of his final three holes.

In perhaps something of an omen, Backwell also began his round on the 15th hole but did his best work late in the round.

A bogey at 17 was countered by a birdie at the par-3 second before Backwell added a second birdie at the par-5 sixth to get to 1-under.

Back-to-back bogeys on eight and nine looked to have ended his hopes of victory but late birdies on 12 and 13 would prove to be enough.

WHAT THE WINNER SAID

“It was a pretty strong breeze coming from the south-east and the greens are quite small here,” said Backwell.

“I find that there are a bunch of wedge holes but there are also a bunch where I’m hitting 5, 6, 7-irons in, so you’ve got to hit some nice iron shots or chip and putt well.

“I drove it beautifully and hit a lot of really nice iron shots. Missed a couple of up-and-downs that I should have made but I did make some as well.”

LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
T1        Gregory Rix                  69
T1        Richard Backwell          69
3          David Fearns                70
T4        David Crawford            72
T4        Roland Baglin               72
T4        Guy Wall                      72

NEXT UP

The PGA Legends Tour heads north to Brisbane on Wednesday for the inaugural Ashgrove Legends Pro-Am at Ashgrove Golf Course.


Queensland’s Michael Wright is one step closer to a PGA TOUR Champions berth after topping First Stage of Qualifying School in California.

On a leaderboard dominated by the Australian flag at the upper end, Wright earned medallist honours by two strokes from Victorian Cameron Percy with David Bransdon four shots back in fifth spot.

Stephen Allan also guaranteed himself a spot at Final Stage with a tie for 13th, joining Greg Chalmers, David McKenzie and Mick Smith at TPC Scottsdale starting Tuesday.

Wright, will turn 50 on February 21, has already notched four top-10s on the 2023/2024 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season to sit 16th on the Order of Merit.

Another Aussie on track to play her way into a promotion in 2024 is Robyn Choi.

After narrowly missing out on a LPGA Tour card via the Epson Tour, Choi leads by one at the halfway mark of the six-round LPGA Q-Series in Alabama.

Heavy rain forced the postponement of Round 3 to Sunday with a cut of 65 and ties to be made after the fourth round is completed on Monday.

The top 45 and ties at the completion of the 108-hole marathon will earn LPGA Tour cards for 2024 while those who make the 72-hole cut are guaranteed status on the Epson Tour at a minimum.

Elsewhere this week Scott Hend was runner-up at the Legends Tour event in Vietnam, Victorian Todd Sinnott was tied for 11th at the Asian Tour event in Taiwan and Jason Day was 11th at the Hero World Challenge.

Terry Pilkadaris was forced to withdraw after one round in Taiwan and took to social media afterwards to announce that it would be his final event on the Asian Tour.

A winner of three Asian Tour events in the space of just eight months in 2004-2005, Pilkadaris turned 50 in October and said that injuries have made it too difficult to continue playing professional golf internationally.

“After 242 events, three wins and 26 top-10s and playing in three major championships, my time on the Asian Tour has come to an end,” Pilkadaris wrote.

“A rib and elbow injury making it hard to play; the joys of getting old.

“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to play the game I love.”

Results

Japan Golf Tour
Golf Japan Series JT Cup
Tokyo Yomiuri Country Club, Tokyo
1          Taiga Semikawa           67-64-66-68—265       ¥40m
14        Brad Kennedy              68-71-69-72—280       ¥2,337,593

Asian Tour
Taiwan Glass Taifong Open
Taifong Golf Club, Taiwan
1          Suteepat Prateeptienchai         68-67-66-68—269       $US72,000
T11      Todd Sinnott                            75-64-68-71—278       $6,513.33
T32      Douglas Klein                           71-72-68-73—284       $3,040
WD      Terry Pilkadaris                         74

PGA TOUR
Hero World Challenge
Albany Golf Club, Albany, Bahamas
1          Scottie Scheffler           69-66-65-68—268      
11        Jason Day                    71-69-66-74—280      

LPGA Tour
Q-Series
RTJ Magnolia Grove, Mobile, Alabama
Through three of six rounds
1          Robyn Choi                  69-68-64—201
T47      Hira Naveed                 72-67-71—210
T59      Amelia Garvey              73-69-70—212
T96      Su Oh                          75-70-72—217

PGA TOUR Champions
2024 PGA TOUR Champions Qualifying
First Stage Soboba Springs
Soboda Springs Golf Club, California
1          Michael Wright            65-71-69-73—278
2          Cameron Percy             70-70-72-68—280
5          David Bransdon           73-73-70-68—284
T13      Steve Allan                   71-74-69-75—289
T34      John Wade                   75-70-79-75—299

Legends Tour
Vinpearl DIC Legends Vietnam
Vinpearl Resort Nha Trang, Vietnam
1          Adilson Da Silva           66-69-68—203
2          Scott Hend                   66-74-66—206
T3        Michael Campbell        69-68-70—207
T24      Peter Fowler                 73-73-73—219
T51      Michael Long               77-78-73—228


Joaquin Niemann was out more than hour before the final group, yet he was right in the thick of the action when play concluded at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open as he became the first Chilean to lift the Stonehaven Cup.

The 25-year-old defeated Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino in extra holes with Australia’s Min Woo Lee finishing third.

Moving his way up the leaderboard on the final day with five birdies in 16 holes, Niemann watched on as the later groups battled increasing winds to challenge his score.

Things took a dramatic turn as his primary challenger for the clubhouse lead, Adam Scott, made triple bogey at the seventh, his 16th hole of the day, after his drive was determined to be Out of Bounds.

Niemann dropped his first shot of the day shortly after at the 17th with his chances of a first DP World Tour win and spot in The Open Championship looking more precarious after a flared drive right on the last hole.

Finding the fan village that is typically a driving range, Niemann faced a second shot to the par-5 over the hospitality tents, Niemann showing his class with a flushed iron and wait to hear the reaction of the crowd.

He received an exceptionally positive response when his approach found the green, before two putts and a birdie took him to the solo lead on 14-under.

“I mean, I ended up being in a really good spot. It was a perfect lie,” Niemann said. “My swing, I didn’t have the trees in front of me, it was kind of like just a normal shot.

“The only thing I didn’t know where I was hitting.”

Niemann spent his time waiting on the driving range hitting balls, chatting with wife Christina and attempting to keep nerves at bay.

“Too much wait, it was like an hour wait. I didn’t know what to do,” he said.

The chasing pack was admirably doing their best to draw level, or in the case of Min Woo Lee and Hoshino potentially go past Niemann’s 14-under mark as Scott reflected on his day that had the atmosphere fully charged when he was the first player to reach the same mark.

“It’s too hard to know exactly what to make of it. Obviously it doesn’t look very good, but bad swing on one of the hardest holes and it’s cost me a chance,” Scott said.

“What did I have, about a 5% chance teeing off today? So it’s hard to be really upset at myself.

After Scott’s stumble, Lee again had almost the entire crowd cheering him on as he attempted to grab his own slice of history with an Australian Open title to add to his Australian PGA of last week.

The West Australian was unable to recover from two early bogeys on Sunday with Lee adding just one birdie to his tournament total in a final round 72 that left him on 12-under and two shots out of sudden death.

“Just putts didn’t go my way and I didn’t hit it good enough. But I thought I scrambled really well. I think the positives out of that, I made up and down from literally everywhere,” Lee said.

“It’s not good enough to win a tournament, but it’s been a really good year. I’m pretty proud of the way I’ve finished and celebrations begin today.”

Unlike Lee, Hoshino got the putter working on the back nine with birdies at 12 and 17 to level Niemann’s score. His closing holes were almost as adventurous as Niemann’s, with a long putt finding the cup at the penultimate hole before a drive right on 18 caused a lay-up.

Leaving more than 20 feet for birdie and the win, the six-time Japanese Tour winner couldn’t drop another long try and sent himself and Niemann back to the 18th tee.

Hoshino found the large fairway bunker left from the tee followed by the greenside sand as Niemann striped another iron that finished close before he and caddie Gary Matthews disagreed on the exact line.

“I was struggling with my right to left during the whole week, and I got there and I had a right to left putter. And I told Gary that ‘I like it just outside’, he say he’d like it a little less, I say ‘I like it a little more’.”

It was back to the tee for a third time on Sunday for the Australian Open hopefuls, with Hoshino playing the hole in almost a carbon copy of the first play-off hole. Niemann obliging the crowd with his own repeat performance, this time hitting his second shot even closer to take any doubt of an eagle three out of the equation.

Niemann this time found the bottom of the cup to emerge triumphant and join the honour roll on the Stonehaven Cup that includes the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Greg Norman and Scott. It’s a list the Chilean was admiring during his press conference as he sat alongside women’s champion Ashleigh Buhai.

“There are good names here. I saw Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Greg Norman, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player – a few good men,” he said looking at the trophy.

“It means a lot. I wanted to win so bad for a long time. The last one I have is in Riviera.”


Joaquin Niemann, Rikuya Hoshino and Adam Scott have qualified for The 152nd Open at Royal Troon through the ISPS HANDA Australian Open.

The ISPS HANDA Australian Open was the second event in the Open Qualifying Series, which offers players opportunities around the world to qualify for golf’s original championship. The co-sanctioned DP World Tour and Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia event was played at The Australian and The Lakes.

Niemann, of Chile, defeated Hoshino, of Japan, in a two-hole sudden death playoff after the pair finished regulation play tied on a 14-under-par total of 271. He will feature in The Open for a fifth time with his best finish coming in 2022 at The 150th Open where he finished tied 53rd at St Andrews.

Thanks to his runner-up finish the 27-year-old Hoshino will compete in The Open for a fourth consecutive time after making his debut in 2021.  

Min Woo Lee, who is already qualified for The Open in 2024, finished outright third at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open on 12-under 273.
 
Finishing a shot further back and tied fourth alongside Grant Forrest and Laurie Canter, Adam Scott, who is ranked 46th in the Official World Golf Rankings, claimed the third and final qualifying spot with a final round 68 to ensure his place in the starting field at Royal Troon. This will be his 24th consecutive appearance since making his debut at The 129th Open at St Andrews in 2000.


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