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Minjee Lee arrived at the 2021 Amundi Evian Championship with a nagging and ever-present question hanging over her head.
The 2012 US Girls’ Junior champion won the 2014 Vic Open as a 17-year-old amateur and a week before her 19th birthday won her first event on the LPGA Tour.
Yet her major record for the first six years of her career didn’t match up with her talent.
In her first 36 starts in major championships Lee had just two top-five finishes. A tie for 25th at the Chevron Championship was her best result in the first three majors of 2021.
The disparity was stark.
It had many questioning the ability of a generational talent to deliver when it mattered most.
And then along came Evian.
The West Australian lowered her expectations, brought with her the “really chill” mindset that she adopted playing with Yuka Saso at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational the week prior and let destiny take its course.
It wasn’t easy. Ten shots off the lead through 36 holes, it took a record seven-shot comeback in the final round and stunning shot into the first playoff hole to get it done. Yet it marked the coming together of hard work, talent and the freedom of mind to bring it all together.
Before Evian, Lee had fallen to 15th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. Her major breakthrough saw her jump to seventh and in the 12 months since she has won twice – including a dominant second major win at the US Women’s Open – and finished top-five nine times, three of which were majors.
Now the No.2-ranked player in the world, she has genuine claim to being the best female golfer on the planet yet attributes it all to the mountain of work done with coach Ritchie Smith and a shot of confidence that has sent her trajectory toward Hall of Fame status.
“There was quite a lot of pressure put on me to win a major after so many years on tour,” the 26-year-old conceded.
“It was just a great confidence boost for me after that win.
“I feel like I’ve been working on all aspects of my game for my entire life to bring me to that position.
“I feel like everything is kind of coming together really well. I really worked hard for all of this, so I’m going to keep working hard and hopefully keeps paying off.”
Adding to the momentum of Lee’s drive to become the first Australian to successfully defend a major title since Karrie Webb’s 2000-2001 US Women’s Open wins is Cameron Smith’s Open Championship triumph at St Andrews.
Lee was watching on from France as Smith shot 30 on the back nine of the Old Course to claim the Claret Jug and move to No.2 in the world, giving Australian golf the very real prospect of having the No.1-ranked man and woman in world golf.
“I mean, pretty damn cool that Cam won the British Open,” Lee said, whose image was projected onto the iconic Champs-Elysees in the lead-up to her Evian defence.
“I was watching the coverage from France, so that was really cool to see. I know that he’s done heaps of hard work.
“All the rewards come with the hard work you put into the game. Golf is really an honest game in that aspect. It’s really cool to see where Aussie golf is at the moment.”
It is just the third time in Australian golf history that we have had male and female major winners in the same year but the strength of Australian golf is evident at every level this week.
Top-10 on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit, Daniel Gale will make his PGA TOUR debut at this week’s 3M Open in Minnesota while Queenslander Matthew Cheung has qualified to make his first start on the Korn Ferry Tour in Missouri.
A winner last week in Germany, Richard Green will lead the Aussie charge at the Senior Open bolstered by the inclusion of three-time SParms PGA Legends Tour winner Glenn Joyner and Jake McLeod makes his return to the DP World Tour at the Cazoo Classic.
Round 1 tee times AEST
The Amundi Evian Championship
Evian Resort Golf Club
Evian-les-Bains, France
4.15pm* Lydia Ko (NZ), Jin Young Ko, Anna Nordqvist
4.27pm* Minjee Lee, In Gee Chun, Jennifer Kupcho
4.51pm Stephanie Kyriacou, Frida Kinhult, Yealimi Noh
8.27pm Su Oh, Brittany Altomare, Amy Yang
8.51pm* Hannah Green, Ayaka Furue, Hyo Joo Kim
9.51pm Sarah Kemp, Lauren Coughlin, Esther Henseleit
Defending champion: Minjee Lee
Past Aussie winners: Rachel Hetherington (2001), Wendy Doolan (2004), Karrie Webb (2006), Minjee Lee (2021)
Top Aussie prediction: Minjee Lee
TV times: Live 7pm-10pm, 11.30pm-2.30am Thursday, Friday on Fox Sports 503; Live 7.30pm-11pm Saturday on Fox Sports 505; 11pm-12.55am Saturday on Fox Sports 503; Live 7.30pm-1am Sunday on Fox Sports 503.
Senior Open
Gleneagles, Auchterarder, Perthshire, Scotland
4.30pm Glenn Joyner, James Crampton, Jose Manuel Carriles
5pm John Senden, Jean-François Remesy, Michael McCoy
5.50pm Richard Green, Scott Parel, Phillip Price
6.30pm Steven Alker (NZ), Bernhard Langer, Jeev Milkha Singh
9.30pm Stuart Appleby, Yoshinobu Tsukada, Dicky Pride
9.40pm Robert Allenby, Chris Williams, Peter Wilson
10pm Peter O’Malley, Barry Lane, Niclas Fasth
11.10pm Michael Campbell (NZ), Paul McGinley, Ian Woosnam
11.50pm Peter Fowler, Ken Duke, Greg Owen
12.10am John Wade, Andrew Welsford, Alan McLean
Defending champion: Stephen Dodd
Past Aussie winners: Ian Stanley (2001)
Top Aussie prediction: Richard Green
TV times: Live 9pm-11.30pm Thursday, Friday on Fox Sports 505; Live 1.30am Saturday on Fox Sports +; Live 10pm Saturday on Fox Sports +; Live 10pm-3am Sunday on Fox Sports 505.
PGA TOUR
3M Open
TPC Twin Cities, Blaine, Minnesota
10.56pm Greg Chalmers, Peter Malnati, David Lingmerth
11.40pm Mark Hensby, Kelly Kraft, Doc Redman
11.51pm Daniel Gale, Brett Drewitt, Andrew Novak
3.33am Jason Day, Tony Finau, Davis Riley
3.55am Cam Davis, JT Poston, Adam Long
4.17am* Aaron Baddeley, Jonas Blixt, Camilo Villegas
4.28am* Cameron Percy, Scott Brown, Sean O’Hair
4.39am* Danny Lee, Paul Goydos, Joseph Bramlett
Defending champion: Cameron Champ
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Top Aussie prediction: Cam Davis
TV times: Live 4am-8am Friday, Saturday; Live 3.30am-8am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503.
DP World Tour
Cazoo Classic
Hillside Golf Club, Southport, England
6pm* Rod Pampling, Matthew Baldwin, Craig Howie
6.30pm* Scott Hend, Jonathan Caldwell, Daan Huizing
11pm Josh Geary (NZ), Bryce Easton, Tyler Koivisto
11pm* Daniel Hillier (NZ), Jonathan Thomson, Jesper Kennegard
11.30pm* Jake McLeod, Matt Ford, Pedro Oriol
12am* Jarryd Felton, Henric Sturehed, Garrick Porteous
12.20am* Blake Windred, Dimitrios Papadatos, Robin Petersson
Defending champion: Calum Hill
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Top Aussie prediction: Jarryd Felton
TV times: Live 12.30am-5.30am Friday, Saturday; Live 12.30am-5am Sunday; Live 3am-6am Monday on Fox Sports 505.
Korn Ferry Tour
Price Cutter Charity Championship
Highland Springs Country Club, Springfield, Missouri
9.55pm* Harrison Endycott, Rafael Campos, Kevin Roy
10.17pm* Curtis Luck, Trevor Werbylo, Kyle Reifers
11.12pm* Ryan Ruffels, Taylor Dickson, Chase Parker
11.23pm Nick Voke (NZ), Clay Feagler, Luis Gagne
12.07am Matthew Cheung, Brock Derrick, Griffen Locke
4.14am* Rhein Gibson, Brent Grant, Roberto Díaz
Defending champion: Dylan Wu (2020)
Past Aussie winners: Anthony Painter (1998), Cameron Percy (2014)
Top Aussie prediction: Curtis Luck
PGA TOUR Canada
Osprey Valley Open
TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (Heathlands Cse), Caledon, Ontario
3.40am* Will Barnett, Jordan Hahn, Taylor Sundbom
3.50am* Cameron John, Jake Scott, Sam Triplett
Defending champion: Paul Barjon (2019)
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Top Aussie prediction: Cameron John
LET Access Series
Santander Golf Tour Malaga
Golf Torrequebrada, Spain
Australians in the field: Kristalle Blum
Defending champion: Agathe Laisné (2020)
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Top Aussie prediction: Kristalle Blum
Cameron Smith feels ready to chase down the four shot lead of Viktor Hovland and Rory McIlroy in the final round of The Open despite shooting a one-over par third round of 73 at St Andrews.
Luck was not on Smith’s side on Saturday as he was forced to wrestle with a number of unfortunate breaks after starting the day with a two shot overnight lead.
“The golfing gods weren’t with me today. I felt like I hit a lot of good putts with nothing really dropping,” Smith, who is now 12-under par, said.
“I stuck in there pretty good and I hit the ball pretty good. It’s probably actually the best I’ve hit it all week. Had lots of opportunities, just no putts were dropping which was quite frustrating.”
Smith’s long range putting and short game prowess were again on show after a nervy start with a three-putt bogey at the first, but he came unstuck courtesy of a cruel blow at the 13th.
The world number six had to play his second shot baseball-style while standing in a bunker and he was only able to put the ball into some very thick rough where it took two shots to hack it out towards the green.
Commentators and onlookers were critical of his decision to not take his medicine and punch that second shot onto the fairway, although Smith stands by his approach.
“I thought I hit a perfect drive down there. It’s kind of a blind tee shot so you can’t really see,” he said.
“It must have got a bit of a bad kick and then it ended up where it was. It just wasn’t my day today. To get something like that after an already frustrating first 12 holes was hard.
“[The second shot] I was just trying to hit it up over the stuff. Somewhere left of the pin, there was so much room up there, I thought I could do it but obviously not. Just mishit it. It was a bit of a hard swing.”
Setbacks do not phase Smith as they came in his victory at The Players Championship in March too and he is excited once again for the opportunity to attack a Sunday with freedom and chase down the leaders.
“I love making birdies and I love making putts and that’s what I need to go out there and do tomorrow. Stay aggressive, maybe a slightly different gameplan off a couple of tees and just try and make a ton of birdies.”
If history continues, Smith is one of only four men – alongside Hovland, McIlroy and playing partner for the second straight day Cameron Young – who could lift with the Claret Jug with no one ever coming from more than four shots back after 54 holes to win an Open at St Andrews.
Adam Scott is looking to re-write the record books however, as he shot a two-under 70 on his 42nd birthday to share eight place at nine-under.
“I need to get out of my own way as much as possible tomorrow heading out. If it’s possible to attack a couple of pins, maybe attack a couple pins and have a bit of fun and try and shoot 6- or 7-under somehow on the front nine and put myself in the mix with nine to go,” Scott said.
“It gives you so many opportunities, like eagle opportunities. It’s possible that you have four or five eagle opportunities if things go your way. I don’t know if it’s been done, but if you happen to make three eagles out there, you’re look like having a pretty good score.”
Anthony Quayle shot the low Australian round of the day with a four-under 68 to continue his impressive major debut and be tied 24th at five-under, while Lucas Herbert and Min Woo Lee both slipped back one shot to join Quayle at that mark.
Jason Scrivener also broke par with a 71 to move to two-under, while Brad Kennedy stayed at four-under with a second consecutive 72.
Cameron Smith has produced the best 36-hole score to par in Open history as he sits at 13-under with a two-shot lead at St Andrews courtesy of an eight-under second round of 64.
Four other Australians are inside the top-12 as Smith’s 64 ensured he beat the previous mark by a stroke and it was also the low round of the day after Adam Scott set an impressive mark with a 65 to surge into the top ten.
The day belonged to Australia with Min Woo Lee and Lucas Herbert also inside the top-12 at six-under for the tournament, and our nation’s two highest ranked male players took it upon themselves to light up the Old Course.
Scott almost brought the house down with a long-range eagle putt that nearly dropped at the 18th as Smith was waiting to tee off from the first, and it appeared as if the 2013 Masters had tagged in his fellow Queenslander to take over as chief entertainer.
The world number six happily accepted the responsibility and got to work immediately with a hat-trick of birdies to kick things off which included a 47-footer at the first to keep the place jumping.
“Obviously got off to a really hot start,” Smith said. “And it’s very easy to just keep going, getting on the front foot and maybe trying to hit some shots that are a little bit too aggressive. But just stayed patient and holed some really nice putts.”
He kept the ball rolling with consecutive at seven and eight, and another ten, but it was another monster putt at the par-5 14th that had fans flocking to see him in action.
The murmurs had begun around the course that Rory McIlroy’s record for the lowest round in an Open at St Andrews – a 63 in 2010 – was in danger as Smith displayed the kind of form that secured him the the PGA Tour’s 72-hole scoring record with 34-under at the Tournament of Champions in January and the Players Championship in March.
It was not to be however, as he parred his way home but it was clear he had uncovered something special at the Scottish Open last weekend – where he shot 68 and 67 on Saturday and Sunday to finish tied tenth.
“I think I just played some really good golf last week. Just a little bit I guess more pep in my step,” Smith said.
“My last few tournaments before that one weren’t the greatest. I wasn’t really happy with how I was playing. It’s nice to put a good, solid weekend together ahead of this one.”
Smith’s confidence was also boosted by unleashing his inner golf-loving kid in a Wednesday practice round with his great friends Scott and Marc Leishman.
“I think Tuesday/Wednesday was more the kid coming out in me, using the big humps and hollows and stuff like that. But it’s definitely been a little different in the last couple of days,” he said.
“I think playing nine holes with Leish and Scotty the other day and getting our photo taken on the bridge, that was a pretty cool moment, I think, something that I’ll definitely never forget. Two of my best mates now in the home of golf, just having a good time, having a whack around, that was really cool.”
As for the strong showing from his countrymen with Brad Kennedy (-4), Jason Scrivener (-1) and Anthony Quayle (-1) making it seven Australians to advance to the weekend, Smith believes the reason why is simple.
“I think I’ve always been a pretty good player in tough conditions. I think most Aussies are, for some reason. I think we’re all brought up to be smart golfers, hit away from the pin sometimes. And that really serves us well, I think, in big tournaments and when the conditions get tough,” he said.
“I think a lot of Sandbelt golfers like that, using slopes to your advantage, sometimes having a big curling putt is your best option. And I think the Aussies will do good this week as it gets firmer and faster.”
More than 100 hopefuls from 10 countries begin their quest for status on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia when First Stage of Qualifying School tees off at Moonah Links Resort on Wednesday.
All players will complete 54 holes over the next three days for the right to advance to Final Stage next week – where 25 players exempt from First Stage await – where the ultimate goal is to earn a full card for the upcoming 2022/2023 season.
The exact number of spots available at Final Stage will be determined once play has commenced on Wednesday with approximately 25 per cent of the field expected to progress.
While the field is dominated by up-and-coming Aussie professionals, top amateurs and some familiar names seeking to play their way back onto the Tour, there is also a sprinkling of international talent spread throughout the field.
Players from the United States, Czech Republic, England, India, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Laos will line up alongside Aussies and Kiwis for the right to advance and potentially earn playing privileges for the exciting summer of golf ahead.
Due to the restrictions caused by COVID-19 the past two years, many of the playing categories have carried over from the previous season, making this year’s Q School one of the most hotly contested in many years.
“It’s clear from the quality of the players who have entered First Stage and the sheer number that this year’s Qualifying School is going to be one of the toughest yet,” said PGA of Australia Tournaments Director Australasia, Nick Dastey.
“With the return of the Australian and New Zealand Opens to the schedule and the co-sanctioning with the DP World Tour of both the Australian Open and the Australian PGA Championship, we’re looking at a summer of golf to rival any we have seen for the past decade.
“In speaking with our leading players overseas, we know many are planning on returning to Australia at the end of the year so anyone who can play their way into our tournaments will tee it up in world-class events.
“The hope is that this is just the beginning of their journey towards success on the world stage.”
One player who knows the platform provided by Q School all too well is Jed Morgan (pictured at Moonah Links last year).
The 2019 Australian Amateur champion contested Final Stage at Moonah Links last April as an amateur, finishing fifth to earn status on Tour.
Twelve months later he has won the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship in record fashion and taken out the Order of Merit to earn exemptions into the US Open, The Open Championship and a card on the DP World Tour.
“Q School might feel like a long way from the PGA TOUR but Jed has shown in the past year just how quickly careers can be launched,” said Dastey.
“Last April he was an amateur without status on any professional tour and he has since played in his first major with his second at The Open Championship at the home of golf only a couple of weeks away.
“He has also played on the PGA TOUR and has a card on the DP World Tour for next year.
“We very much see the PGA Tour of Australasia as the pathway for our players to progress onto the world stage and Jed is the perfect example of how that is possible, starting at Q School.”
Both First and Final Stage of Qualifying School will be played over the Moonah Links Open Course designed by Peter Thomson, Ross Perrett and Mike Wolveridge.
A starter at the 2005 Open Championship at St Andrews, Martin Doyle is among the familiar names at First Stage along with 2014 Asia-Pacific Amateur champion Antonio Murdaca, Paul Spargo and Paul Donahoo.
Those who have already submitted entries for Final Stage include two-time DP World Tour winner Scott Strange, 2018 Vic Open champion Simon Hawkes and three-time Asian Tour winner David Gleeson.
The leading 15 players and those tied for 15th position at Final Stage will be eligible to become Full Members (Tournament) of the PGA of Australia for the following year and will be placed in a Tournament Exemption Category.
Click here for tee times and scores.
West Australian Hannah Green will take an aggressive mindset into the final round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship after narrowing the gap to the top on day three at Congressional Country Club.
With the temperature pushing up towards 32 degrees, the Blue Course drying out and challenging pin placements, only two of the 71 players to make the cut broke 70 on Saturday.
Korean In Gee Chun somewhat came back to the field, her third round of three-over 75 including a double-bogey at 16 yet still enough to maintain a three-shot advantage at eight-under from Hye-Jon Choi (70), Lexi Thompson (70) and Sei Young Kim (71).
Green had three birdies and three bogeys in her round of even-par 72 to be fifth at four-under and four strokes off the lead.
US Women’s Open champion Minjee Lee (73) is six back as Stephanie Kyriacou moved into the top 20 on the leaderboard with her third straight 72.
The champion at Hazeltine in 2019, Green said the combination of major championship pressure and the forecast of high temperatures again on Sunday will present the complete test.
“Today and yesterday I experienced a lot of half shots, so it was hard to commit to that club,” Green explained.
“Dealing with that and then dealing with the heat and just getting tired because it’s Sunday of a major, it’s hard.
“It’s what we have to deal with, but everyone is going through that same thing, so we just see who comes out on top.”
A birdie at three was the ideal start to Green’s third round but the 25-year-old gave that shot back two holes later with a bogey at five.
A birdie at the par-5 sixth was the perfect response and a delicate pitch to five feet at the short par-4 eighth got Green back to two-under on her round.
She was unable to get up-and-down after missing the green at the par-3 10th and then made seven consecutive pars before a bogey at the difficult par-4 18th.
“I felt like I putted really well again, which was nice,” Green said.
“Made some good momentum putts, but also leaked a couple of shots and made some soft bogeys, but that happens at majors.
“I’m going to have to shoot a low one tomorrow.
“Hard to know how it’s going to react on the greens because you expect the greens to get a little bit firmer, which they did today.
“Hopefully I can keep hitting fairways, hit a lot more greens than I did today, and continue to make some putts.”
Bogeys at both of her two opening holes put Minjee Lee on the back foot early as she sought to make ground on the leaders.
Three-over through 10 holes, back-to-back birdies at 12 and 13 and a third from 12 feet at the par-5 16th getting her back to even par before she too dropped a shot at the last.
It was a roller-coaster round too for Kyriacou as she seeks to better her best finish in a major, a tie for 13th at last year’s AIG Women’s Open.
An outward nine of one-under 35 had the 21-year-old in red numbers for the championship but a wild finish saw her finish square for the third day running.
A bogey at 15 was followed by a double at the par-5 16th, two closing birdies providing for a scorecard that didn’t tell the full story.
It was a far less dramatic 72 for Sarah Kemp, who had three birdies and three bogeys for her best round of the championship to date.
KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Round 3 scores
5 Hannah Green 71-69-72—212
T10 Minjee Lee 73-68-73—214
T19 Stephanie Kyriacou 72-72-72—216
T47 Sarah Kemp 73-74-72—219
Final round tee times AEST
11.13pm Stephanie Kyriacou, Hyo Joo Kim, Matilda Castren
11.29pm* Sarah Kemp, Wei-Ling Hsu, Mao Saigo
11.57pm Minjee Lee, Stephanie Meadow, Jin Young Ko
12.19am Hannah Green, Sei Young Kim, Atthaya Thitikul
Australia’s two most recent major champions remain right in contention at the halfway mark of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Congressional Country Club.
Korea’s In Gee Chun backed up her opening round of eight-under 64 with a three-under 69 to reach 11-under, six shots clear of American Jennifer Kupcho (68) and Kiwi Lydia Ko (67).
West Australian Hannah Green had narrowed the deficit to also reach five-under but a three-putt bogey at her final hole – the par-5 ninth – dropped her back to a share of fourth with Brooke Henderson (69), Sei Young Kim (69), Caroline Inglis (68) and Jennifer Chang (70).
The US Women’s Open champion three weeks ago, Minjee Lee elevated herself into the picture with a second round of four-under 68 to be one of five players tied for ninth at three-under, eight shots off the lead.
Green had seven-time major champion Karrie Webb in the gallery for a number of holes of her round but is hoping to see Congressional Country Club’s Blue Course firm up over the final 36 holes as she seeks to add to her 2019 win.
“I would like to see this course a little bit firmer,” said Green, whose round featured birdies at 11, 15, 17, one and three.
“I feel like with wedges today we were worrying about how much they were going to spin back, so if we can see them bounce and release a little bit more, I think that would suit me.
“It feels like kind of what we played in the practice rounds, so it actually has dried up significantly quickly. Hopefully it just gets firmer.”
Three birdies in the space of four holes on her inward nine provided the cornerstone of Lee’s surge up the leaderboard on Friday.
The two-time major champion began the day nine strokes off the lead and only narrowed the deficit by one with a front nine of one-under 35.
The 26-year-old began the back nine with three straight pars but a brilliant shot into the par-3 12th set up a birdie from eight feet to spark her charge.
She followed that up with a wedge to five feet for her fourth birdie of the day at the par-4 14th and then made a crucial par save from six feet at 15 to maintain her forward momentum.
Lee moved to four-under on her round with a birdie at the par-5 16th and looked set for another at 17 until her approach shot hit the flag and was repelled to the other side of the green, producing an excellent two-putt to save par.
A poor tee shot at 18 and a second that finished in the penalty area threatened to undo much of Lee’s good work but again she showed her remarkable recovery prowess to get up-and-down and complete a four-under 68 and three-under total.
“I did hit a good pitch shot in and a good putt to save the par, so I’m happy with the finish,” said Lee.
“I’m happy with the hole, but I’m not happy with the shots that I hit on that hole.
“I just needed a few birdies coming in just to make up some ground and I think I put myself in
a pretty good position for the weekend.
“I’m happy with my round today.”
It has been three weeks since Lee’s four-stroke US Women’s Open win at Pine Needles. Where she had a handy buffer entering the final round Lee will be chasing this weekend at Congressional, a role she played to perfection in her first major victory at Evian last year.
“Chasing is always fun,” said Lee, who equalled the major championship record in coming from seven shots back to win at Evian.
“You can try to be a bit more aggressive when you play.
“If I reflect back and look back at the US Open, just the memories that I have and just the way I played I think I can take a lot of confidence out of that.”
Three birdies and three bogeys saw Sydney’s Stephanie Kyriacou sign for a second straight even par 72 to sit in a tie for 27th, Sarah Kemp (74) the fourth and final Aussie to make the cut with a two-round total of three-over.
KPMG Women’s PGA Championship Round 2 scores
1 In Gee Chun 64-69—133
T4 Hannah Green 71-69—140
T9 Minjee Lee 73-68—141
T27 Stephanie Kyriacou 72-72—144
T54 Sarah Kemp 73-74—147
MC Su Oh 75-75—150
MC Katherine Kirk 74-76—150
MC Sarah Jane Smith 78-73—151
Former champion Hannah Green was left stunned after an opening round of one-under 71 left her seven shots back of runaway leader In Gee Chun at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Maryland.
Victorious at Hazeltine in 2019, Green made a promising start at Congressional Country Club to sit in a tie for sixth through the first round, the only Aussie to end the day in red numbers.
Sydney’s Stephanie Kyriacou continued her recent turnaround in form to post an even-par 72 to be tied for 15th while pre-tournament favourite Minjee Lee had three bogeys and two birdies in her round of one-over 73.
It was a similar looking scorecard for Sarah Kemp in her round of 73 with Katherine Kirk (74) and Su Oh (75) all within reach of the cut-line heading into the second round on Friday.
But the entire field sits a distant second to two-time major champion Chun who set a new course record eight-under 64 at Congressional Country Club’s Blue Course to establish a five-stroke lead from fellow Korean Hye-Jin Choi (69) and Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum (69).
Green is one of nine players in a share of sixth at one-under and was in awe of Chun’s round in wet conditions.
“I don’t know what golf course she’s playing,” Green said.
“We were looking at the scores, and we were, like, ‘Oh, wow, OK, five-under par.’ But still tough on the back nine and to hear that she’s 8, I’m, like, ‘Wow, that’s impressive.’
“That’s like shooting 10-under out here.”
Playing in the morning rain, Green began her championship with a dropped shot at the par-4 first but hit back with birdies at three and six as the weather began to ease.
The softer conditions meant that the course played long and gave even the longer hitters such as Green long irons and hybrids in, the West Australian more than happy to end the day under par courtesy of birdies at 16 and 17.
“It definitely helps the momentum going into tomorrow,” Green said of her late birdie surge.
“The putts that I holed in 16 and 17, they were two similar breaking putts, so it was nice to be able to visualise it and actually go in.
“Even par is a great score out here today.
“Nasa (Hataoka) and I played really well, and it was just like we were kind of feeding off each other and trying to hang in there.
“I knew there were a couple of shorter holes on the back nine that I could kind of access, so I wanted to make sure I wasn’t putting too much pressure on myself. But I wanted to make sure I was putting myself in a position to have a birdie or have a low score.
“After the start I’m just glad that I held in there and stayed patient.”
A four-stroke winner at the US Women’s Open at Pine Needles, Lee entered the championship as one of the most fancied chances.
The 26-year-old dropped a shot at her third hole – the par-4 12th – but made the turn in even par with a birdie at 15 courtesy of a brilliant approach that was one roll from being an eagle.
A bogey at two and birdie at five kept Lee at even par only for a bogey at the par-5 sixth to drop her down to one-over at day’s end.
Playing in her first major championship in the US, it was a largely uneventful round of 72 for Kyriacou.
The two-time Ladies European Tour champion began her round with 11 straight pars, exchanging a birdie with a bogey at three and four before closing with five more pars.
KPMG Women’s PGA Championship – Round 1
Congressional Country Club, Bethesda, Maryland
1 In Gee Chun 64
T6 Hannah Green 71
T15 Stephanie Kyriacou 72
T30 Minjee Lee 73
T30 Sarah Kemp 73
T50 Katherine Kirk 74
T72 Su Oh 75
T115 Sarah Jane Smith 78
Marc Leishman is the best placed of the Australian contingent at one-over par for the tournament after a challenging second day of the US Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.
The Victorian wrestled back some momentum late in the day to shoot a one-over 71 and sit six shots back from American leaders Collin Morikawa and Joel Dahmen.
An outstanding approach shot on the par-4 17th was the highlight of Leishman’s day. With 104 yards to the front of the green, the 38-year-old landed it at the very top of the green and spun it back viciously down the slope to within tap in range for birdie.
That shot led to one of his two birdies for the round – the other came at the par-4 fifth.
Fellow Victorian Todd Sinnott was the story of the day from an Australian perspective.
Sinnott, playing in his first major having qualified in Japan, is one shot back from Leishman after shooting back-to-back rounds of 71.
The TPS Victoria champion is a known long bomber by those who have watched him throughout his injury-riddled career and he took a liking to the longest holes on the course as he made an eagle and a birdie at the only two par-5s.
Sinnott’s eagle at the eighth was a work of art as he crunched his drive 346 yards to leave 196 yards to the pin. He put his second shot to 11 yards from the hole and he duly rolled it in for a three.
Adam Scott sits alongside Sinnott at two-over after he slipped back on Friday.
Beginning the day at one-under, Scott held steady on the back nine – he teed off from the tenth – to reach the turn at even-par, but things unravelled from there for the 2013 Masters champion.
A double bogey at the par-3 second where he got stuck in the rough to the left of the green was a big setback, but he looked to have turned the tide quickly with a birdie at the fourth.
Two bogeys in his closing three holes proved to be the most costly blows however.
Min Woo Lee is the only other Australian to have progressed to the weekend.
The West Australian produced a second round even-par 70 to stay at three-over and like fellow big hitter Sinnott, his day was highlighted by an eagle at the eighth.
Lee launched his drive 350 yards down the fairway before placing his second shot to 15 feet 10 inches from the hole and from there he had no problems with the putt.
World number six Cameron Smith had a day to forget shooting a 74, as did Lucas Herbert who shot 79, meanwhile PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner Jed Morgan finished his major debut with a 74.
US Open Round 2 scores
West Australian Jason Scrivener will be out to deny local hope Linn Grant from creating history when the pair tee off in the final group Sunday at the Scandinavian Mixed in Sweden.
As tournament co-host Henrik Stenson moved into outright third through 54 holes with a third round of five-under 67 at Halmstad Golf Club, Grant took advantage of a late Scrivener stumble to edge two shots clear at the top of the leaderboard.
The 22-year-old Swede fired a flawless 66, which included a tremendous eagle from 75 feet on the 11th and four birdies, to get to 16-under par and overtake halfway leader Scrivener at the top.
Scrivener had led for most of the day and found himself three shots clear at the turn, but missed good chances to extend his advantage and a double bogey at the short 16th saw him fall from the summit.
A closing birdie handed Scrivener solo second spot on 14-under, while home hero Stenson was alone in third another shot further back.
As Grant tries to become the DP World Tour’s first female winner, Scrivener is bidding to claim his first DP World Tour title after securing 24 top-ten finishes so far, pleased with his third-round 70 and a final group pairing on Sunday.
“It was looking like a pretty good round up until the 13th or 14th really,” said Scrivener.
“I played nicely and then was a bit scrappy coming in, but all in all pretty happy with it.
“I can’t wait. It is a great opportunity tomorrow to win a tournament and to be in the final group is always nice as well.”
Standing in Scrivener’s way will be Grant, already a two-time winner on the Ladies European Tour who can join Aussie Hannah Green as the only women to win a 72-hole tournament on a major men’s tour.
Tied for fourth among the women in the field, Australian Whitney Hillier will begin the final round in a share of 22nd following a Saturday 69 to get to seven-under par.
At the Epson Tour’s Carolina Golf Classic Gabriela Ruffels has put herself in position for a breakthrough win as a professional with a brilliant third round of eight-under 63.
Ruffels will begin the final round four shots behind leader Alexa Pano and two back of American Lucy Li at 15-under par, peeling off eight birdies in a bogey-free round on Saturday.
The rookie has three top-20 finishes during her debut season and is excited to head into the final round also in the leading group.
“I haven’t really been in contention this whole year,” said Ruffels.
“It’s always nice to be in contention, and scores are low out here, so it’s nice to be mixing it with some of the top girls out here.”
Like Ruffels, Brad Kennedy is in third position four shots off the lead heading into the final round of the Japan Golf Tour’s ASO Iizuka Challenged tournament as he seeks to register his first win in Japan since 2018.
The 47-year-old carded a third-round 69, his second bogey-free round in as many days, thanks to three late birdies on the back nine.
“I’m quite calm this week,” said Kennedy.
“I’m just trying a couple of nice swing thoughts and a couple of mental thoughts that I have been working on over the last three weeks, and it’s coming into play really nicely.
“My game is getting better.”
Australian WPGA Championship winner Su Oh has moved past Stephanie Kyriacou as the leading Australian at the LPGA Tour’s Shoprite LPGA Classic.
Oh had seven birdies in her second round of three-under 68 to move into a share of ninth at five-under par, Kyriacou falling from the top of the leaderboard after day one to a tie for 14th with a two-over 73 that included a double-bogey at seven and a triple-bogey at the par-4 16th.
The low round of the week has given West Australian Jason Scrivener a two-stroke lead at the halfway mark of the DP World Tour’s Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed in Sweden.
Scrivener reeled off eight birdies – including four in a row from the 11th – in a spotless 64 at Halmstad Golf Club on Friday, keeping his card clean with a par save from nine feet at the last.
Italian amateur Carolina Melgrati was one of three players in a tie for second after following up Thursday’s 65 with a second-round 69, with home favourite Linn Grant and Mike Lorenzo-Vera also on 10-under par.
Afternoon starter Lorenzo-Vera had closed the gap to Scrivener to just one shot after notching seven birdies in his opening 13 holes but his first bogey of the day at the 17th saw him sign for a 66.
Currently ranked No.214 in the world, Scrivener began the day three shots off the lead but soon set about closing the gap, pouring in a 32-foot birdie putt at the long second before making back-to-back birdies at the fifth and sixth.
The 33-year-old then caught fire on the back nine, carding four consecutive birdies at the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th thanks to a hot putter.
Scrivener curled in his 20-foot effort at the 17th for another birdie before holing his tricky par putt on the 18th green to set the clubhouse target at 12-under par.
Holding a share of the 54-hole lead at the same event last year, Scrivener is looking forward to doing battle with his challengers over the weekend.
“I’m looking forward to it. It has been a while since I have been in contention and I’m just excited to be in this position. I can’t wait,” said Scrivener, whose best finish this year is a tie for ninth at The Ras Al Khaimah Classic.
“It has been a frustrating couple of months, and I felt a round like this was close and I am pretty happy with it.
“I have been playing decent just not really holing any putts and making a few mistakes here and there, and not putting a score together, so for it all to come together today it was nice.”
The event pits players from the DP World Tour and the Ladies European Tour against each other in a similar format to The Players Series on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, Scrivener’s fellow West Australian Whitney Hillier (69) safely through to the weekend in a tie for 34th.
Victorian Zach Murray will also play the final two rounds after he too posted a round of three-under 69 on day two.
Meanwhile on the Japan Golf Tour, Aussie Brad Kennedy is once again in contention after firing a second consecutive round of six-under 66 on Friday.
The 47-year-old, who is chasing his fourth JGTO title, reached the halfway stage at the ASO Iizuka Golf Club on 12-under 132, just one shot off second round leader Tomoyo Ikeura, who signed for a 68.
Three straight birdies was the ideal start to Kennedy’s second round but he had to wait until the 13th hole to register his fourth, rounding off his day with glorious back-to-back birdies at the final two holes.
“It was a great start,” said Kennedy, whose last triumph came at the Shigeo Nagashima Invitational SEGA SAMMY Cup in 2018.
“I birdied one, two and three, but in the middle of the round, it went a little bit flat, but it wasn’t from the lack of trying.
“Just a few tricky pins, a few holes that you have to make sure you do the right things from the fourth hole all the way to the 12th.
“I hit a poor third shot on 12 as I was trying to make a birdie there, but then I managed to make up for it on 13. It was a nice strong birdie. I got up-and-down from the bunker on 14 for par and managed to birdie 17 and 18, which is a great way to finish off the day.
“I’ve been hitting a lot of good shots, just not quite get it close enough. Sometimes, that’s what happens. I still try to make as many birdies as I can.
“It’s nice to have another two good days and prepare for the weekend.
“It’s always a good being in contention, and it means I’m doing a lot of really good work.
“I hope I can play well under pressure and be there at the end.”
Victorian Ryan Ruffels is also in the mix at the Korn Ferry Tour’s BMW Charity Pro-Am.
Ruffels backed up a brilliant round of eight-under 64 at The Carolina Country Club on Thursday with a two-under 69 at Thornblade Club on Friday to be 10-under heading into the weekend, four shots back of Argentinian Nelson Ledesma.
A week out from the US Open, Cameron Smith looks like advancing to the final two rounds at the RBC Canadian Open, backing up from an opening six-over 76 with a five-under 65 highlighted by a hole-out eagle at the par-4 fifth.
Making his debut on the Legends Tour in Europe, Richard Green is also towards the pointy end of the leaderboard at the Jersey Legends.
Green had an eagle and four birdies in his round of five-under 67, trailing Frenchman Christian Cevaer by three strokes heading into the second round.
