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Like many Australians, Min Woo Lee spent Sunday watching The Amundi Evian Championship to see if sibling, Minjee, could win a second consecutive major championship, before Grace Kim joined the major winning club.
Supporting his sister is hardly new for the younger Lee, however, in previous years such an opportunity wouldn’t have been possible with Min Woo a regular at, and past champion of, the Genesis Scottish Open, the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR co-sanctioned warm up for The Open.
Lee watched Kim triumph before heading out on course at Royal Portrush late Sunday with fellow West Australians Ryan Peake and Curtis Luck having skipped Scotland after a busy year, during which he claimed a maiden PGA TOUR win and experienced mixed form.
“I just played a lot of golf and I think talking to a few people, some people take it off and we were just trying to do something different this year,” Lee told Australian media of the Scottish Open decision on Tuesday in Northern Ireland.
“Obviously it’s very weather dependent here in either Scotland or Ireland, so we wanted to be fresh coming into this week and I had a great week leading up to this tournament, played a lot of courses and also went to a couple of events.
“It is a funny one because I have won there and I do love the course, but yeah, I’ve been playing a lot and I felt really burnt out kind of playing the signature events and there were very tough courses.”
Lee took the chance of a week off to attend Wimbledon and the Formula 1, before heading to Ireland with his team, including Australian amateur Zach Capelli, a fellow West Australian and regular playing partner at home who is acting as a partial cure for occasional pangs of homesickness.
“I think just having him is great. I want to go back home, but when I’m at home, he’s with me, not 24/7, but really close to that,” Lee said of Capelli a budding professional himself.
“So it’s good to have a piece of home, come over here on the other side of the world and just be there. When I’m with him, I laugh way more than usual and that’s just something that I’ve not had over the last couple months, especially playing tough golf.”
Beyond the presence of a friendly face and inspiration of another women’s major win, another advantage for Lee this week will be his caddie, Bo Martin, who helped guide the 27-year-old to his first win on the game’s biggest Tour.
Clearly an asset since picking up Lee’s bag, Martin’s value will rise to another level this week at Portrush, where he was the bagman for Shane Lowry’s Open triumph in 2019.
With practice interrupted on Monday due to lightning in the area, the combination of arriving early and the experience of his caddie have Lee well placed for the first round Thursday when he goes out alongside Tyrrell Hatton and Russel Henley.
“Obviously we’ve only played once or twice here, so just getting familiar with the course, but he knows every in and out really,” Lee said of Martin.
“He says, don’t go here, don’t go there. And it’s just having that trust and having the freedom I guess. I think it is just nice to have that sense of knowing where, I guess you can say we’re one or two days ahead of other people.”
Whether Min Woo can follow Martin’s advice will of course determine his success, however the almost ever present wind and course layout have the 27-year-old believing he holds another advantage in the final men’s major of the year.
“I think it’s pretty demanding off the tee. You need to think your way around, so not too many drivers,” he said of Royal Portrush which hosts The Open for a third time this week.
“I played the back nine and I probably only hit one or two drivers, so a lot of irons off the tees, which is quite nice. I like that. I like my 2-iron and I think it’s going to be a weapon this week.”
All four rounds of The 153rd Open Championship will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo. Round 1 coverage begins at 3:30pm Thursday AEST.
If there was any remaining doubt as to where the power shift currently sits within Australian golf then the four-strong charge by the Aussie girls at the Amundi Evian Championship erased it entirely.
With one round to play, three Australians – co-leader Gabriela Ruffels, Minjee Lee and Grace Kim – were all within one stroke of the lead in the fourth women’s major of 2025.
That Kim left as our latest major champion following one of the most extraordinary finishes to a major ever witnessed made it a week that will live long in the annals of Australian golf.
Of the past six major championship wins by Australians, five have come courtesy of women who now make up a record Australian representation on the LPGA Tour. It is the first time since Karrie Webb in 2001 that consecutive majors have been won by an Australian, Kim’s triumph coming on the back of Lee’s KPMG Women’s PGA win.
The girls are getting it done, and now own the top two spots on the Australian Golf Power Rankings.
10. Gabriela Ruffels (New)
Was at the forefront of an extraordinary Aussie assault at the Amundi Evian Championship. A round of 5-under 66 in Round 3 gave Ruffels a share of the 54-hole lead and, while she dropped to a tie for ninth on Sunday, left Evian with her best finish in a major and a new world ranking of No.61.
9. Min Woo Lee (7)
After taking in the Formula 1 and Wimbledon in London, the world No.37 went to work on the links courses of the United Kingdom in preparation for this week’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
8. Hannah Green (6)
Continues to struggle to make an impact at the Amundi Evian Championship. Missed the cut with rounds of 73-77 and is now without a top-10 finish since the JM Eagle LA Championship in April. Dropped out of the top 10 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings for the first time in more than a year.
7. Marc Leishman (5)
Struggled with the challenge that is Valderrama to finish 50th at LIV Golf Andalucia in Spain. Joins Ripper GC teammates Cameron Smith and Lucas Herbert at The Open Championship by virtue of his finish at last year’s Australian Open.
6. Stephanie Kyriacou (8)
Runner-up at Evian 12 months ago, Kyriacou stormed home with a brilliant 7-under 64 to earn a share of 14th at the Amundi Evian Championship. Her seventh top-20 finish in 2025 saw her rise three spots to No.39 in the world rankings.
5. Jason Day (3)
After a missed cut at the John Deere Classic, took the week off in preparation for The Open Championship where he was tied for second two years ago.
4. Lucas Herbert (2)
Like Leishman, was slow out of the blocks at LIV Golf Andalucia but shot 69 in the final round to generate some positive momentum en route to Royal Portrush for The Open.
3. Adam Scott (4)
Led the charge for the Aussies at the Genesis Scottish Open, shooting 67 in the final round to climb into a tie for 17th. Has six career top 10s at The Open including last year at Royal Troon.
2. Grace Kim (New)
Conjured the most remarkable major championship victory ever by an Australian in a stunning conclusion to the Amundi Evian Championship. Made birdies at 15 and 16, eagled the par-5 18th to force a playoff, chipped in for birdie at the first extra hole and then made eagle at the second to edge good friend Jeeno Thitikul. Rose 74 spots to a new career high of No.25 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.
1. Minjee Lee (1)
Will be left to rue a disastrous start to her second round after coming up just one shot shy of the playoff at the Amundi Evian Championship. Lee played her first six holes in 5-over on Friday but fought back to trail by just one heading into the final round, a 3-under 68 not enough to feature in the playoff. Now No.5 in Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.
The Australian Golf Power Rankings is a subjective list developed with input from members of the Australian Golf media team.
The final men’s major of 2025 is upon us and Australia is well represented as the 153rd Open Championship heads to Royal Portrush.
Nine Australians and two of our New Zealand neighbours make up the Australasian contingent, with two West Australian’s making their first appearance in the sport’s oldest major.
Ryan Peake and Curtis Luck both earned their place this week courtesy of strong performances on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia this past summer, with Peake one of the first on site in Northern Ireland and the prospect to finally cash-in the biggest prize from his New Zealand Open win.
Meanwhile, Luck earned his ticket to Portrush thanks to his runner-up finish at the 2024 men’s Australian Open alongside Victorian veteran Marc Leishman who has his national Open finish to thank for his return to The Open for the first time since crossing to the LIV Golf League.
Also thanks to his hot summer of golf down under, Elvis Smylie secured his second-straight Open appearance thanks to topping the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.
Major Championship stalwarts Jason Day, Adam Scott and 2022 Open Champion Cameron Smith all return, alongside Min Woo Lee and Lucas Herbert – Herbert securing his place at final qualifying just weeks ago.
Daniel Hillier and Ryan Fox are the New Zealanders in the field, with 39-year-old Fox playing the finest golf of his career in 2025 managing two PGA TOUR titles under his belt as he returns to the site of his best Open finish, a T16 in 2019.
That year – the last time Portrush hosted the Open – it was Irishman Shane Lowry who tamed the rugged links which borders the North Atlantic Ocean and is considered by many one of the finest examples of links golf in the world.
Home to 36-holes, it is Portrush’s Dunluce links that hosts the world’s best players this week as it did in 2019 and 1951, with the dunes providing dramatic elevation changes that can send golf balls into the long natural grasses that border the fairways.
Named for the Dunluce Castle that overlooks the course, Portrush is one of the more exacting tests on The Open Rota with its small greens nestled perfectly into the landscape a feature of Harry Colt’s redesign in the early 1930s.
With the whole town of Portrush taken over by the championship, a winner will not be comfortable until they have safely found their way onto, or near the 18th green, with a closing stretch of three holes that starts with the aptly named ‘Calamity Corner’ par-3 16th enough to test anyone’s mettle.
All four rounds of The 153rd Open Championship will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo. Round 1 coverage begins at 3:30pm Thursday AEST.
The 153rd Open Championship
Royal Portrush Golf Club, Northern Ireland
Recent champion: Xander Schauffele
Past Aussie winners: Peter Thomson (1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1965), Kel Nagle (1960), Greg Norman (1986, 1993), Ian Baker-Finch (1991), Cameron Smith (2022).
Prize money: US$17 million
TV times: Live Thursday and Friday 3:30pm-5:30am Fox Sports 503 and Kayo. Saturday 7pm-11:15pm Fox Sports 505 and Kayo. Saturday 11pm-5am Fox Sports 503 and Kayo. Sunday 6pm-4am Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Australasians in the field
Jason Day
Major wins: 1
Previous appearances: 12
Best finish: T2 (2023)
2024 result: T13
Best result in 2025: T3, The American Express, PGA TOUR
Ryan Fox (NZ)
Major wins: 0
Previous appearances: 8
Best finish: T16 (2019)
2024 result: T25
Best result in 2025: Win, RBC Canadian Open, PGA TOUR
Lucas Herbert
Major wins: 0
Previous appearances: 4
Best finish: T15 (2022)
2024 result: DNP
Best result in 2025: Win, International Series Japan, Asian Tour
Daniel Hillier (NZ)
Major wins: 0
Previous appearances: 3
Best finish: T19 (2024)
2024 result: T19
Best result in 2025: 2, Hero Dubai Desert Classic, DP World Tour
Min Woo Lee
Major wins: 0
Previous appearances: 4
Best finish: T21 (2022)
2024 result: MC
Best result in 2025: Win, Texas Children’s Houston Open, PGA TOUR
Marc Leishman
Major wins: 0
Previous appearances: 11
Best finish: T2 (2015)
2024 result: DNP
Best result in 2025: Win, LIV Golf Miami, LIV Golf League
Curtis Luck
Major wins: 0
Previous appearances: 0
Best finish: N/A
2024 result: DNP
Best result in 2025: T3, The National Tournament, Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia
Ryan Peake
Major wins: 0
Previous appearances: 0
Best finish: N/A
2024 result: DNP
Best result in 2025: Win, New Zealand Open, Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia/Asian Tour
Adam Scott
Major wins: 1
Previous appearances: 24
Best finish: 2 (2012)
2024 result: T10
Best result in 2025: T12, US Open
Cameron Smith
Major wins: 1
Previous appearances: 7
Best finish: Win (2022)
2024 result: MC
Best result in 2025: T5, LIV Golf Mexico City, LIV Golf League
Elvis Smylie
Major wins: 0
Previous appearances: 1
Best finish: MC (2024)
2024 result: MC
Best result in 2025: T8, New Zealand Open, Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia/Asian Tour
Grace Kim made it consecutive LPGA major championship wins by Aussies and Steve Allan claimed a second PGA TOUR Champions win for 2025 on another spectacular weekend for Australian golf.
Trailing Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul by two strokes standing on the 72nd tee, Kim produced one of the most extraordinary finishes ever witnessed in major championship golf.
It began with a 4-hybrid to two feet for an eagle to join Thitikul at 14-under and then continued into the playoff.
Unlike the final hole in regulation, Kim’s hybrid failed her on the first playoff hole, flaring out to the right and bouncing into the creek that sits adjacent to the 18th green.
After taking a penalty drop, Kim then delivered a shot that will live on as one of the most extraordinary ever produced by an Australian in a major championship, pitching from the rough, across the creek and into the hole for a most unlikely birdie.
Thitikul delivered a clutch up-and-down of her own to send it to a second playoff hole where Kim again leant on her trusty hybrid to make a second eagle in the space of three trips down 18 and third for the day.
“Obviously it’s a huge achievement for me,” said Kim.
“I’ve had a lot of doubts early this year. I was kind of losing motivation. I kind of had to get some hard conversations done with the team.
“Had to wake up a little bit so to be sitting here next to this trophy is definitely surreal.”
There was cause for celebration too for Allan, who won for the second time this year with one of his sons on the bag.
After notching his Galleri Classic victory with son Liam on the bag, Allan went wire-to-wire at the DICK’s Open with Joey carrying his clubs, the first wire-to-wire winner in the championship’s history.
The 51-year-old Victorian opened Friday with a 63 for a two-shot edge and had a 69 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over Boo Weekley into the final round.
After playing the first seven holes on Sunday in 1-under with two birdies and a bogey, Allan birdied five of the next six and parred the last five.
“It was tough. It was tough, even yesterday, hanging in there, and today early on it was a bit rough with the driver,” Allan said.
“In the rough a lot and just managed to hang in there. Then on the back nine, made a few putts.
“With my son Joey on the bag, it was amazing. He’s a good reader of greens. And just having your son on the bag, make sure that you stay calm, you’re not going to lose it when things go wrong.
“It’s been a great week.”
Matt Jones produced a stunning final round of 65 to lead the charge for Ripper GC at LIV Golf Andalucia, finishing tied for fourth as captain Cameron Smith was tied seventh.
There was a win also for our friends across the Tasman with Kiwi Mark Brown winning the Swiss Seniors Open in his debut on the Legends Tour.
Results
LPGA Tour
The Amundi Evian Championship
Evian Resort Golf Club, France
1 Grace Kim 65-68-70-67—270 $US1.2m
Won on the second hole of sudden-death playoff
T3 Minjee Lee 66-71-66-68—271 $523,761
T9 Gabriela Ruffels 65-71-66-72—274 $185,790
T14 Stephanie Kyriacou 70-68-74-64—276 $112,525
T65 Hira Naveed 71-71-73-72—287 $17,788
MC Robyn Choi 71-74—145
MC Karis Davidson 74-72—146
MC Lydia Ko (NZ) 73-74—147
MC Hannah Green 73-77—150
MC Cassie Porter 73-79—152
DP World Tour/PGA TOUR
Genesis Scottish Open
The Renaissance Club, North Berwick, Scotland
1 Chris Gotterup 68-61-70-66—265 €1,348,571.70
T17 Adam Scott 69-68-70-67—274 €103,185
T34 Elvis Smylie 67-71-71-67—276 €45,337.70
T65 Ryan Fox (NZ) 66-70-74-72—282 €16,953.47
MC Daniel Hillier (NZ) 69-73—142
MC Karl Vilips 71-74—145
PGA TOUR
ISCO Championship
Hurstbourne Country Club (Championship Cse), Louisville, Kentucky
1 William Mouw 67-73-69-61—270 $US720,000
MC Jason Scrivener 74-71—145
MC Kazuma Kobori (NZ) 73-73—146
MC Aaron Baddeley 73-74—147
LIV Golf
LIV Golf Andalucia
Real Club Valderrama, Spain
1 Talor Gooch 69-66-70—205 $US4m
T4 Matt Jones 74-70-65—209 $833,333
T7 Cameron Smith 69-73-69—211 $522,500
T19 Danny Lee (NZ) 77-68-69—214 $235,000
T32 Lucas Herbert 76-72-69—217 $146,000
T45 Ben Campbell (NZ) 74-69-76—219 $124,333
50 Marc Leishman 74-79-70—223 $60,000
Champions Tour
DICK’S Open
En-Joie GC, Endicott, New York
1 Steve Allan 63-69-66—198 $US330,000
T5 Michael Wright 68-69-67—204 $90,933
T20 Greg Chalmers 69-66-74—209 $23,467
T41 Scott Hend 70-71-71—212 $10,560
T51 David Bransdon 68-71-76—215 $5,940
T64 Brendan Jones 75-73-71—219 $2,970
T70 John Senden 75-71-76—222 $1,804
T70 Mark Hensby 73-72-77—222 $1,804
Korn Ferry Tour
The Ascendant
TPC Colorado, Berthoud, Colorado
1 Neal Shipley 68-71-67-64—270 $US180,000
MC Harry Hillier (NZ) 74-69—143
MC Rhein Gibson 70-75—145
HotelPlanner Tour
D+D REAL Czech Challenge
Royal Beroun Golf Club, Beroun, Czech Republic
1 David Law 71-62-62-63—258 €48,000
T6 Danny List 62-65-66-68—261 €10,800
T52 Sam Jones (NZ) 67-67-67-69—270 €1,110
LET Access Series
Vasteras Open
Skerike Golfklubb, Sweden
1 Ragga Kristinsdottir 65-70-73—208 €7,200
T10 Belinda Ji 71-71-72—214 €1,091.25
T16 Stephanie Bunque 71-70-75—216 €759.75
T23 Kristalle Blum 68-73-76—217 €656.10
T44 Justice Bosio 72-70-80—222 €330
MC Abbie Teasdale 72-80—152
PGA TOUR Americas
Bromont Open
Golf Chateau-Bromont, Bromont, Quebec
Final round to be completed Monday
T23 Tony Chen 64-69-68-65—266
MC Grant Booth 69-71—140
MC Charlie Hillier (NZ) 71-70—141
Epson Tour
Hartford HealthCare Women’s Championship
Great River Golf Club, Milford, Connecticut
1 Gina Kim 64-69-73-68—274 $US33,750
T39 Su Oh 71-72-72-74—289 $1,348
T57 Jess Whitting 75-70-74-75—294 $808
MC Jennifer Elliott 84-77—161
Legends Tour
Swiss Seniors Open
Golf Club Bad Ragaz, Switzerland
1 Mark Brown (NZ) 66-65-64—195
T47 Michael Long (NZ) 70-69-70—209
Texas teenager Lucky Cruz has the backing of NBA legend Stephen Curry as he tries to earn status for the 2025/2026 season of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
To be staged at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club in Valdosta, Georgia from July 15-18, 52 players from the United States, Canada, Spain, India, New Zealand and Australia have signed up for the first Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School held internationally.
A veteran of 201 starts on the PGA TOUR, 46-year-old Kiwi Tim Wilkinson is the most recognisable name to have entered yet with his youthful exuberance and distinctive hairstyle, Cruz may be the standout on course.
At 16 years of age, Cruz became the youngest player in North America to earn status on a professional tour when he qualified for the Gira de Golf Professional in Mexico in February.
Two years earlier, Cruz came to the attention of four-time NBA champion Curry.
A passionate golfer who won the celebrity-laden American Century Championship at Lake Tahoe last year, Curry established the UNDERRATED Tour to provide playing opportunities for under-represented minorities within golf.
The Curry Cup brings together the top 24 girls and boys from the UNDERRATED Tour, Cruz catching the eye of Curry when he took out the 2023 Curry Cup.
“He’s a gamer,” Curry told Golf Digest of the now 17-year-old.
“He’s a super talented young golfer who has got a flair about him and a presence about him.
“He’s a competitive kid and the sky’s the limit for him in the game of golf.”
In addition to his Curry Cup win in 2023, Cruz also won the boys 14-15 years division of the Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship, finishing 13 strokes ahead of Tiger Woods’s son, Charlie.
It is the first time that the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia has gone global in providing direct entry to a tour that has proven itself to be a pathway to the DP World Tour, Korn Ferry Tour and, eventually, the PGA TOUR.
Tour Development Manager for the PGA Tour of Australasia, Kim Felton, says players such as Cruz are exactly those this initiative is trying to target.
“Golfers globally are now recognising the pathway offered by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and we are thrilled that a talent such as Lucky wants to come and play our tour,” said Felton.
“We understand that Australia is a long way to come for Q School so our intent with this qualifier in Georgia is to align with our vision and attract more international players to Australia. The opportunity of international pathways to other major tours is also a huge benefit for them to make the journey and compete on our Tour.
“The top three on the Order of Merit at season’s end earn status on the DP World Tour and our past three Order of Merit winners have each played two majors in the months that followed.
“Ryan Peake is the perfect example of our pathway. Ryan attended Q School in April last year and in November this year will be a playing Member of the DP World Tour.
“Not only are we providing opportunities for these players to advance their professional careers, I’m confident that Aussie golf fans will love seeing those who qualify playing Down Under this summer.”
Six players will earn playing rights for the 2025/2026 season with the top spot being exempt into all events, including the BMW Australian PGA Championship, the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne Golf Club and the New Zealand Open.
Kinderlou Forest Golf Club, a quality course and well-known as a stern test of golf, hosted the South Georgia Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour between 2007-2014 and has been used as a host venue for Second Stage of PGA TOUR Q School.
The PGA will break new ground in December with a professional tournament staged by people with intellectual disabilities.
To be held at the Glenview Par 3 course west of the Sunshine Coast, the new tournament will be a non-Order of Merit event on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series calendar and will be conducted by participants in the Golf Programs Australia Incorporated program.
Established in 2014 by PGA Professional Darrell Dalton and his wife Michelle, GPAI endeavours to use golf to promote inclusivity and provide training and employment opportunities through its associated charity shop in Nambour.
The ultimate aim is a purpose-built golf facility that is staffed by people with intellectual disabilities, from the greens staff through to pro shop and catering in the clubhouse.
The Pro-Am on December 4 has attracted keen interest with more than a third of teams already sold, up to 90 amateurs expected to join 30 professionals who will line up for a world-first golf tournament.
The idea of hosting a pro-am was first proposed to Dalton by PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman two years ago. Now, less than six months out, Dalton says the excitement building within those tasked with delivering the tournament gets greater each day.
“The excitement that it’s generating just in our crew itself is spectacular,” said Dalton.
“This tournament is going to put a spotlight on the people we work with every day, which is what we’re all about.
“Their training, their passion for the game, their passion for the community that we’ve created, they’re just very excited.
“The families are excited, Glenview’s excited. We’ve just got to get that excitement going with our community up here.”
GPAI was awarded Best Sunshine Coast Community Service Organisation of the Year in 2024, recognition that has elevated the organisation’s visibility within the Sunshine Coast region.
Dalton hopes that by hosting a professional golf tournament, word will spread throughout the country courtesy of the professionals who tee it up at Glenview.
“The relationship we hope to build with the PGA and the PGA Pros who play is really important,” Dalton added.
“We’d love their support to spread the word.
“Most people have spent very little time with a person with an intellectual disability so there is an element of fear-based uncertainty.
“We want to break down those barriers because when they meet our people, they are on board instantly and there are smiles left, right and centre.
“I think it’ll be an eyeopener for the PGA Pros that are plugged in, but also the local businesses that are participating.
“PGA Pros are travelling all around Australia and there’s nothing else like this. This has never been done before, so it creates a real talking point that we hope they share at other golf clubs that they visit.”
Working in conjunction with Glenview Professional Wade Hooper, GPAI participants will help with a variety of tasks including greeting golfers, helping with team registrations and facilitating post-round presentations.
To express interest in entering a team or to come on board as a major sponsor for the day click here or e-mail [email protected].
You need only reflect on their post-round interviews 12 months ago to understand why Adam Scott and Stephanie Kyriacou return to their respective venues this week wrestling mixed emotions.
After squeezing in some preparation for The Open at Royal Portrush last week, Scott will play the Genesis Scottish Open for the 11th time having been run down by home-country hero Robert MacIntyre in the 2024 edition.
Kyriacou was also runner-up in her corresponding event of a year ago, denied a major championship triumph when Japan’s Ayaka Furue made eagle at the 72nd hole to steal away the Amundi Evian Championship.
In a sport where winning is so infrequent, finishing second presents the most conflicting confluence of emotional states.
To finish second in such prestigious championships is a mark of success in almost every respect but brings with it the torment of what-ifs and could-have-beens.
“Sucks not to hold the trophy,” was Kyriacou’s typically honest appraisal immediately after last year’s Evian Championship.
“If you told me I would come second at the start of the week I would’ve been happy,” she quickly added.
For Scott, now a week out from his 45th birthday, last year’s Scottish Open was a chance to break a winless drought stretching back more than four years.
That drought is now in its sixth year, making last year’s near miss at The Renaissance Club also one of conflicting emotions.
“Good to be in the mix,” said Scott. “A shame to come up short but Bob did what he had to do to win. Eagle, par, birdie, that’s great stuff.”
Joined by Elvis Smylie and Karl Vilips, Scott is one of three Aussies in the field in Scotland, Kyriacou will be one of nine Australians contesting the fourth women’s major of 2025 in France.
Exempt into next week’s Open Championship in Northern Ireland, Cameron Smith, Lucas Herbert and Marc Leishman will prepare alongside Ripper GC teammate Matt Jones at the LIV Golf Andalucia event in Spain and there are eight Aussies in the field for the DICK’S Open on the PGA TOUR Champions.
Photos: Harry How/Getty Images (Scott); Philippe Millereau KMSP (Kyriacou)
Round 1 tee times AEST
LPGA Tour
The Amundi Evian Championship
Evian Resort Golf Club, France
3:24pm Karis Davidson
3:48pm* Lydia Ko (NZ)
4pm* Minjee Lee
4:48pm Hira Naveed
5pm* Gabriela Ruffels
8pm* Grace Kim, Cassie Porter
8:36pm Hannah Green
8:48pm* Stephanie Kyriacou
10pm Robyn Choi
Recent champion: Ayaka Furue
Past Aussie winners: Rachel Hetherington (2001), Wendy Doolan (2004), Karrie Webb (2006), Minjee Lee (2021)
Prize money: $US8m
TV times: Live 8pm-2am Thursday, Friday; Live 9:15pm-12am Saturday on Fox Sports 505; Live 6pm-12am Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
DP World Tour/PGA TOUR
Genesis Scottish Open
The Renaissance Club, North Berwick, Scotland
5:06pm Karl Vilips
5:17pm Daniel Hillier (NZ)
5:28pm* Adam Scott
5:39pm Elvis Smylie
10:32pm Ryan Fox (NZ)
Recent champion: Robert MacIntyre
Past Aussie winners: Graham Marsh (1973), Craig Parry (1991), Peter O’Malley (1992), Wayne Riley (1995), Min Woo Lee (2021)
Prize money: $US9m
TV times: Live 5:30pm-4am Thursday, Friday; Live 11:30pm-5am Saturday on Fox Sports 503; Live 11:30pm-5am Sunday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.
PGA TOUR
ISCO Championship
Hurstbourne Country Club (Championship Cse), Louisville, Kentucky
8:45pm Jason Scrivener
3:05am Aaron Baddeley
3:38am Kazuma Kobori (NZ)
Recent champion: Harry Hall
Past Aussie winners: Aaron Baddeley (2016)
Prize money: $US4m
TV times: Live 6am-9am Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
LIV Golf
LIV Golf Andalucia
Real Club Valderrama, Spain
Australasians in the field: Cameron Smith, Lucas Herbert, Matt Jones, Marc Leishman, Ben Campbell (NZ), Danny Lee (NZ)
Recent champion: Sergio Garcia
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US20m
TV times: Live from 8:30pm Friday, Saturday; Live from 7pm Sunday on 7 Plus.
Champions Tour
DICK’S Open
En-Joie GC, Endicott, New York
Australians in the field: Steve Allan, David Bransdon, Greg Chalmers, Scott Hend, Mark Hensby, Brendan Jones, John Senden, Michael Wright.
Recent champion: Padraig Harrington
Past Aussie winners:
Prize money: $US2.2m
TV times: Live 4am-6am Saturday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Korn Ferry Tour
The Ascendant
TPC Colorado, Berthoud, Colorado
11:50pm Harry Hillier (NZ)
4:05am* Rhein Gibson
Recent champion: Cristobal Del Solar
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US1m
HotelPlanner Tour
D+D REAL Czech Challenge
Royal Beroun Golf Club, Beroun, Czech Republic
3:40pm Sam Jones (NZ)
4:30pm Danny List
Recent champion: Benjamin Follett-Smith
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: €300,000
LET Access Series
Vasteras Open
Skerike Golfklubb, Sweden
4:22pm* Kristalle Blum
8:50pm* Abbie Teasdale
9:01pm* Stephanie Bunque
9:12pm Justice Bosio
9:12pm* Belinda Ji
Recent champion: Puk Lyng Thomsen (2023)
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: €45,000
PGA TOUR Americas
Bromont Open
Golf Chateau-Bromont, Bromont, Quebec
10:10pm Tony Chen
11:30pm Charlie Hillier (NZ)
4:10am* Grant Booth
Recent champion: Ryan Burnett
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US225,000
Epson Tour
Hartford HealthCare Women’s Championship
Great River Golf Club, Milford, Connecticut
9:15pm* Jennifer Elliott
2:26am Jess Whitting
2:26am* Su Oh
Recent champion: Daniela Iacobelli
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US225,000
Legends Tour
Swiss Seniors Open
Golf Club Bad Ragaz, Switzerland
Australasians in the field: Mark Brown (NZ), Michael Long (NZ)
Recent champion: Jarmo Sandelin
Past Aussie winners: Bob Shearer (1999), Terry Gale (2005), Peter Fowler (2011)
Minjee Lee’s status as Australian golf’s most recent major winner goes on the line this week with nine Australians to contest The Amundi Evian Championship in France.
The following week it will be the boys’ turn, as nine tee it up at The Open Championship at Royal Portrush, Adam Scott and Elvis Smylie the only two of the nine who are exempt who will prepare by playing this week’s Genesis Scottish Open.
With so many of Australia’s big guns opting not to play last week, it provided the opportunity for others to step into the limelight.
Kirsten Rudgeley returns to the Power Rankings for the first time since early April on the back of consecutive top 10s on the Ladies European Tour while Maverick Antcliff enjoyed his best international result in close to five years at the International Series Morocco.
A winner on the Asian Tour this year, Lucas Herbert entrenched his place behind Lee at No.2 by earning medallist honours at Final Qualifying for The Open Championship.
10. Kirsten Rudgeley (New)
Has bounced back impressively after a lacklustre start to her campaign in Europe. After four missed cuts was tied ninth at the Czech Ladies Open and then followed that up with a tie for fifth at the KPMG Women’s Irish Open. Now 24th on the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit.
9. Karl Vilips (8)
A third straight missed cut for the Puerto Rico Open champion. In 13 individual starts in his rookie season on the PGA TOUR Vilips has finished inside the top 35 on just two occasions, his Puerto Rico Open win and a tie for 11th at the Charles Schwab Challenge.
8. Stephanie Kyriacou (9)
Returns to Evian Resort Golf Club seeking to go one better than her runner-up finish at The Amundi Evian Championship 12 months ago. Currently ranked No.42 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking with three top-six finishes on the LPGA Tour this year.
7. Min Woo Lee (7)
Has arrived in the UK to prep for next week’s Open Championship in Northern Ireland. The 2021 champion has opted not to play the Genesis Scottish Open, crossing the Atlantic on the back of a tie for 13th at the Rocket Classic two weeks ago.
6. Hannah Green (6)
Arrives in France hoping to improve on previous showings at The Amundi Evian Championship. In five previous appearances the world No.11’s best result is a tie for 30th in 2019, coming shortly after her KPMG Women’s PGA victory.
5. Marc Leishman (5)
Currently 10th in the LIV Golf individual standings, Leishman will prepare for his first Open Championship since 2022 by teeing it up with the Ripper GC boys at LIV Golf Andalucia in Spain. Leishman is exempt into The Open by virtue of his tie for third at the Australian Open in December, edging Jasper Stubbs for the spot due to higher world ranking.
4. Adam Scott (4)
Denied victory at the final hole by home-country hero Robert MacIntyre 12 months ago, Scott tees it up for the first time since the Travelers Championship at this week’s Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club. Top 20 in his past two major starts, including a deep run at the US Open.
3. Jason Day (3)
Holds his mantle as Australia’s highest-ranked male player despite failing to make the weekend at the John Deere Classic. Moved to 28th in the Official World Golf Ranking on the back of a tie for fourth at the Travelers Championship.
2. Lucas Herbert (2)
Bolstered the Australian contingent at The Open by topping Final Qualifying held at West Lancashire last week. Will be eager to carry that form into this week’s LIV Golf Andalucia event in Spain.
1. Minjee Lee (1)
Returns to the site of her maiden major triumph on the back of the third major win of her career at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Including her win in 2021, Lee has finished top 20 five times in 10 starts at The Amundi Evian Championship.
The Australian Golf Power Rankings is a subjective list developed with input from members of the Australian Golf media team.
Maverick Antcliff’s best result in close to five years highlighted a week of strong showings from Aussies across the globe.
Not since the 2020 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open on the DP World Tour in 2020 had Antcliff (pictured, centre) featured so prominently on an international leaderboard, posting 9-under at the International Series Morocco on the Asian Tour to earn a share of third.
The top of the leaderboard in Morocco was littered with Australasian talent.
Kiwi Denzel Ieremia finished alongside Antcliff at 9-under as John Lyras made a successful return to tournament golf, finishing tied for eighth along with South Australian Jack Buchanan.
Aussies were prominent in Europe, also.
After an indifferent start to her Ladies European Tour, Kirsten Rudgeley made it back-to-back top 10s with her best result in Europe since finishing runner-up in France last September.
While world No.1 amateur Lottie Woad completed a dominant six-stroke win at the Women’s Irish Open, Rudgeley (pictured, right) was tied fifth, New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey moving into 10th on the Order of Merit with her third top-three finish in her past four stars.
The Aussie flag featured twice inside the top five at the Swedish Strokeplay Championship on the LET Access Series.
Justice Bosio solidified her position at the top of the Rookie of the Year standings and fifth on the Order of Merit with a third top-five finish in her past five starts as Stephanie Bunque (pictured, left) earned a share of third, her best result in Europe in two years.
The 2023/2024 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner, Kazuma Kobori, took a massive step towards retaining his DP World Tour status with a third-place finish at the BMW International Open.
It is the second year in succession that the Order of Merit winner has made a move in Germany.
Twelve months ago David Micheluzzi was second in Munich, Kiwi Kobori climbing 29 spots into 44th on the Race to Dubai ranking.
Photos: Courtesy LET Access Series (Bunque); Steve Bardens/Asian Tour (Antcliff); Tristan Jones/LET (Rudgeley)
Results
PGA TOUR
John Deere Classic
TPC Deere Run, Silvis, Illinois
1 Brian Campbell 65-66-68-67—266 $US1.512m
Won on first hole of sudden-death playoff
MC Jason Day 74-66—140
MC Karl Vilips 77-65—142
MC Harrison Endycott 76-71—147
DP World Tour
BMW International Open
Golfclub München Eichenried, Munich, Germany
1 Daniel Brown 70-65-65-66—266 €396,713.02
3 Kazuma Kobori (NZ) 72-67-68-63—270 €147,017.18
T38 Elvis Smylie 73-66-72-68—279 €14,468.36
MC Daniel Gale 72-70—142
MC Daniel Hillier (NZ) 72-70—142
MC David Micheluzzi 72-72—144
MC Jason Scrivener 72-75—147
Asian Tour
International Series Morocco
Royal Golf Dar Es Salam (Red Course), Morocco
1 Scott Vincent 71-66-71-70—278 $US360,000
T3 Denzel Ieremia (NZ) 71-73-70-69—283 $102,666.67
T3 Maverick Antcliff 69-70-72-72—283 $102,666.67
T8 John Lyras 70-71-73-72—286 $45,900
T8 Jack Buchanan 71-72-68-75—286 $45,900
T10 Kevin Yuan 70-72-74-71—287 $33,975
T22 Travis Smyth 72-71-73-73—289 $18,272.73
T22 Ben Campbell (NZ) 73-68-77-71—289 $18,272.73
T33 Ryan Peake 73-73-68-76—290 $14,400
T64 Brett Rankin 71-74-74-78—297 $5,400
MC Todd Sinnott 76-72—148
MC Lawry Flynn 73-76—149
MC Brett Coletta 76-77—153
MC Jack Thompson 78-79—157
Ladies European Tour
KPMG Women’s Irish Open
Carton House, Ireland
1 Lottie Woad (a) 68-67-67-69—271 ——
3 Amelia Garvey (NZ) 69-70-72-67—278 €40,500
T5 Kirsten Rudgeley 71-68-71-72—282 €15,750
T31 Momoka Kobori (NZ) 74-71-75-69—289 €3,952.50
T31 Kelsey Bennett 72-73-72-72—289 €3,952.50
T31 Maddison Hinson-Tolchard 69-76-72-72—289 €3,952.50
MC Amy Walsh 76-76—152
MC Sarah Kemp 78-75—153
PGA TOUR Americas
Explore NB Open
Mactaquac Golf Course, New Brunswick, Canada
1 David Perkins 65-65-68-67—265 $40,500
T34 Grant Booth 67-69-69-70—275
MC Charlie Hillier (NZ) 69-70—139
HotelPlanner Tour
Interwetten Open
Schladming-Dachstein Golf Club, Oberhaus, Austria
1 Maximilian Steinlechner 64-61-66-64—255 €48,000
T15 Sam Jones (NZ) 62-68-67-65—262 €4,050
MC Tom Power Horan 67-70—137
MC Hayden Hopewell 69-74—143
LET Access Series
Swedish Strokeplay Championship
Golf Uppsala Soderby, Sweden
1 Andrea Lignell 64-77-72—213 €7,200
T3 Stephanie Bunque 71-75-69—215 €3,375
T5 Justice Bosio 71-73-72—216 €1,597.50
T38 Abbie Teasdale 72-76-77—225 €402.75
T42 Belinda Ji 72-80-74—226 €339.30
T54 Kristalle Blum 75-77-77—229 €126
Legends Tour
Reignwood Legends Championship
Reignwood Pine Valley, Beijing
1 Keith Horne 68-68-68—204
T11 Scott Hend 70-69-72—211
T34 Michael Campbell (NZ) 72-74-75—221
T46 Michael Long 77-75-74—226
Given their shared history dating back to Mark Gibson coaching her father as a junior at Coolangatta-Tweed Heads Golf Club, Ali Orchard conceded that day one felt weird.
Having spent the past four years working under Gibson at Mark Gibson’s Exceptional Golf teaching facility at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast, Tuesday marked the first day of the transition to Ali Orchard Golf Performance.
It was a day where Gibson’s coaching diary was full… and greatly appreciated by his new boss.
“He’s obviously got a really strong client base that he still wants to look after and take care of,” said Orchard.
“The first day he was pumping the lessons and then he left.
“I was like, ‘Well done today.’
“I’ll remember that forever.”
At 67 years of age and a Life Member of the PGA of Australia in his 46th year of service to the game, Gibson is quick to clarify that he is not retiring.
Yes, there is a trip to Europe with his wife planned later this year, but Gibson is not yet ready to relinquish what he describes as the best of both worlds, where he is excited to go to work and excited to get home each day.
He was, however, ready to hand over the reins to a facility he has spent the past 19 years building, but only to the person he felt was perfectly suited to the role.
“I needed someone who was smart, good coach, business minded, professional, respected and with a growing profile. Every box she ticked was a no brainer,” said Gibson.
“I would’ve felt an injustice if when I finished at Royal Pines – and I’m not finishing yet – to not have someone that could carry on that legacy of the quality coaching that the team produces here.
“I’d hate to see it deteriorate and I know that won’t ever happen under Ali’s stewardship.”
The daughter of PGA Professional Paul Orchard, Ali Orchard has been able to call upon Gibson throughout her professional development.
A talented amateur player who dabbled in professional golf, Orchard completed the Sports Management Diploma at the PGA International Golf Institute where Gibson served as a PGA mentor.
It is a relationship that has only strengthened over the past four years, and which gives Orchard the foundation to build on what Gibson has established.
“Even though I admire him immensely, I’ve always felt comfortable around ‘Gibbo’,” Orchard added.
“I think he was Chairman of the PGA at the time, but I pulled him up at the PGA Awards and asked if he could take a photo of me with Mum and Dad.
“More than anything, he’ll always be a role model or a mentor. If I’m questioning something, I’ll just always ask him.
“I don’t know that I ever thought that I’d follow in his footsteps but I always felt like he’d play a part in my career.”
The opportunity is now there for Ali Orchard Golf Performance to create its own legacy.
While her work in coaching elite players and juniors and growing the number of women playing the game will continue, Orchard will apply a portion of her time to making sure her fellow PGA Members have the chance to excel.
The current coaching team also includes Nancy Harvey, Colin Edwards and Douglas Chow, Orchard eager to highlight their individual strengths within the facility.
“What excites me most about this next phase is helping everyone be the best version of themselves, both players and coaches,” she said.
“Coaches all have their own niche so it’s just highlighting why they’re awesome and then targeting their market to help more people.”
At a time when there are more and more women entering the sport, Gibson believes Orchard can leave an indelible mark during her career within Australian golf.
“To get more women professionals, you’ve got to have more women golfers. It’s a percentage thing,” said Gibson.
“Just yesterday I was reflecting on the people that I see Ali coaching, and a fairly solid proportion of her coaching list is females aged between 25-35 who are really excited to be in golf.
“Never in my whole coaching career would I have said that I had that as part of my client base.
“Ali’s going to be a great asset in bringing a lot of women into the game.”
As for their new working arrangement, Gibson likes how it has begun.
“Ali’s empathy for people will make her a great boss,” said Gibson.
“We’ve had three days so far and haven’t had a blue yet.”
Ali Orchard is currently recruiting for a Teaching Professional at RACV Royal Pines Resort. To express your interest or apply, click here.
