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West Australian Michael Sim has sent a not-so-subtle reminder of his prodigious talent as he heads into the weekend at the Golf Challenge NSW Open with a two-shot lead and a serious crack at yet another Open title on Australian shores.
Today he marched up the leaderboard at Concord Golf Club with his typically classic golf, eight birdies and bogey-free for what he thinks might be the first time in his career after 36 holes.
“I got off to a fast start. I drove the green on the first and two-putted (for birdie), then hit close irons on two and three for birdie and made a good birdie on seven out of the bunker when I was just trying to make par,” said Sim, who is now based on the Gold Coast.
“I had it going early, five-under through eight. I was saying to the boys after the practice round that I like the golf course. I like playing tree-lined golf. It’s just been two great days, without a bogey. I don’t think I’ve ever done that before.”
Asked whether he felt confident leading from the front, Sim said: “I’ve been in this position before. I know what to expect, it’s nothing new to me. I’ve played tournament golf for 20 years now so I know what the feelings are going to be like. Once you get past the first couple of holes you settle into the round and hopefully, there’ll be a few more birdies.”
If Sim adds the NSW Open to his Qld PGA (2020) and WA Open (2019), it will have been more than eight years since a New South Welshman last lifted the Kel Nagle Cup. The last to do so was Aron Price who triumphed in 2013.
For those keen on a hometown hero all is not lost.
The challenge is coming from Dale S Williamson who followed his opening 66 with a 65 to be at 11 under and in sole second place. Picton’s Justin Warren had nine birdies and two bogeys for a second round 64 to be three back along with Andrew Martin, the TPS Bonnie Doon winner.
Earlier, Nathan Barbieri (-9), amateur Harrison Crowe (-8), Blake Windred (-7), and another amateur Harry Bolton (-7) all took advantage of the kind morning conditions to cement their spots for the weekend.
Barbieri, the 23-year-old from Ryde backed up his first-round 65 with a solid three-under 68 to be at -9 and very much a contender for final groupings tomorrow unless of course someone masters the afternoon conditions. Not bad for a young player in only his third month as a professional golfer.
“I was treating it like another day,” he said of his solid second round to back up his opening 65.
“There’s a lot of birdies out there and I tried not to get ahead of myself. I’m pretty shocked (by my score) and there’s still the afternoon rounds to come but it’s nice to be in a good position early.”
Asked how the course was holding up after armageddon-level rains during the week, Barbieri said: “I actually can’t give enough credit to the greens staff. It was unbelievable coming out here on Tuesday and seeing how wet it was, thinking we’d be playing preferred lies every day. But it’s slowly getting drier and full credit to them (ground staff) for the job they have done”.
The round of the morning belonged to Harry Bolton, who scorched around the par-70 layout in a seven-under masterclass that only had the one flaw – a lone bogey on the super-tough par-3 16.
Bolton, 24, said a recent alignment change and confident putting were behind his round.
“I’ve found something in my ball striking, through switching up my alignment a few weeks ago and it’s really helped my ball flight,” he said.
“I’ve been hitting it solidly off the tee which helps here, especially if you can keep it out of the trees. The greens are unbelievable and I hit a lot of good putts and most of them went in. That’s always nice.”
Bolton found himself in that rarified air of actually looking forward to putting.
“I dripped one in there on nine from 18 feet,” he said. “I didn’t hit the greatest approach but I was telling my caddie that if I could just hit the greens that I’ve been putting well, so it was nice to get that. With the speed of the greens today your lines and speed have to be bang on.
Further back is amateur Harrison Crowe who shot a five-under round to accompany his opening 68, and another who made some long putts on these tricky Concord greens, to be in a great position for the weekend.
“I started off well, birdieing three of my first four,” said Crowe, a favourite son from St Michael’s Golf Club.
“Then I hit the brakes a bit, but when we turned to the back nine I holed two bombs in a row. A bogey (on the 3rd) and double-bogey (4th) weren’t great but then I backed it up with a couple of birdies and then I birdied the last. It was a bit up and down but still a great feeling.”
Other notable scores came from South Australian Jack Thompson who followed up his opening 66 with a three-under round today of 68 to be at -8.
View the second round leaderboard at pga.org.au.
It has been eight long years since Aron Price lifted the Kel Nagle Cup, the last time a New South Welshman won his home state’s major golf open.
That drought may break again this weekend with a swag of Sydneysiders all in contention midway through the second round of the Golf Challenge NSW Open at Concord.
Leading the charge is Picton’s Justin Warren, who, despite a surprise bogey on the par-five 17th, is the clubhouse leader as the afternoon rounds get underway.
Warren, 25, had nine birdies and two bogeys for a second round 64 to be one-shot ahead of fellow Sydneysider Nathan Barbieri.
In fact, Barbieri (-9), amateur Harrison Crowe (-8), Blake Windred (-7), and another amateur Harry Bolton (-7) all took advantage of the kind morning conditions to cement their spots for the weekend but also give rise to the chance of another Sydneysider finally taking home the coveted Cup.
Barbieri, the 23-year-old from Ryde, backed up his first-round 65 with a solid three-under 68 to be at -9 and very much a contender for final groupings tomorrow unless, of course, someone masters the afternoon conditions. Not bad for a young player in only his third month as a professional golfer.
“I was treating it like another day,” he said of his solid second round to back up his opening 65.
“There’s a lot of birdies out there and I tried not to get ahead of myself. I’m pretty shocked (by my score) and there’s still the afternoon rounds to come but it’s nice to be in a good position early.”
Asked how the course was holding up after armageddon-level rains during the week, Barbieri said: “I actually can’t give enough credit to the greens staff. It was unbelievable coming out here on Tuesday and seeing how wet it was, thinking we’d be playing preferred lies every day. But it’s slowly getting drier and full credit to them (ground staff) for the job they have done”.
The round of the morning belonged to Canberra’s Harry Bolton. He scorched around the par-70 layout in a seven-under masterclass that only had the one flaw – a lone bogey on the super-tough par-3 16.
Bolton, 24, said a recent alignment change and confident putting were behind his round.
“I’ve found something in my ball striking, through switching up my alignment a few weeks ago and it’s really helped my ball flight,” he said.
“I’ve been hitting it solidly off the tee which helps here, especially if you can keep it out of the trees. The greens are unbelievable and I hit a lot of good putts and most of them went in. That’s always nice.”
Bolton found himself in that rarified air of actually looking forward to putting.
“I dripped one in there on nine from 18 feet,” he said. “I didn’t hit the greatest approach, but I was telling my caddie that if I could just hit the greens that I’ve been putting well, so it was nice to get that. With the speed of the greens today, your lines and speed have to be bang on.
Further back is amateur Harrison Crowe who shot a five-under round to accompany his opening 68, and another who made some long putts on these tricky Concord greens to be in a great position for the weekend.
“I started off well, birdieing three of my first four,” said Crowe, a favourite son from St Michael’s Golf Club.
“Then I hit the brakes a bit, but when we turned to the back nine I holed two bombs in a row. A bogey (on the 3rd) and double-bogey (4th) weren’t great but then I backed it up with a couple of birdies and then I birdied the last. It was a bit up and down but still a great feeling.”
Other notable scores came from South Australian Jack Thompson, who followed up his opening 66 with a three-under round of 68 to be at -8.
A month ago, Blake Windred (NSW) and Chris Wood (Qld) were neck-deep in the hunt for the Victorian PGA title at Moonah Links.
Back then, Wood, the 33-year-old from Qld won with a late birdie as Windred fell away on the back nine.
Perhaps Winny will have the last laugh here in the Golf Challenge NSW Open; the Novocastrian having carded a sublime 7-under 64 in the opening round.
Lurking at six-under is a group of six golfers, including Wood, who brought his form north to card a six-under 66 to be only one back on a day when more than a dozen players *bettered the course record held by Ewan Porter (67).
Porter will still sleep well tonight with his record intact, with scoring throughout the day aided by ‘clean and place’ rules following the drenching Australia’s East Coast copped right up until the night before the tournament.
The chasing pack also includes veterans Andrew Dodt (Qld) and David Bransdon (Vic), Nathan Barbieri (NSW), Andrew Martin (Qld) and Korean Chang Gi Lee.
Windred scorched around the front nine (his back nine) at Concord in just 31. The round included a sole bogey (the 10th), and despite taking a few holes to ‘get in the groove’, he lit up the rest of the course with eight birdies to be clubhouse leader.
“I’ll take it. Actually, I kind of got lost in the scoring at the end,” said Windred.
“I made a few birdies in and wasn’t sure what I was. It took me the first six holes to really get in a groove, and then I just made the most of it.
“Making birdie putts from long-range definitely helps with the momentum; you feel like you get a cushion there. Once you get the momentum going, golf becomes pretty easy, to be honest.
“The greenkeepers have done an amazing job. It’s almost like there hasn’t been any rain to be honest.”
It was a similar story on Wood’s card, although he went one better on his outward nine, with a bogey-free 30, which included five birdies.
Also at six under are Victorian Andrew Martin and Queenslander Andrew Dodt. They fired 65s in warm early conditions, with light winds and soft greens allowing for some target practise at times, although the greens here – which act as the course’s only protection from the long hitters – are only going to get quicker.
Dodt’s mixed bag included six birdies and two bogeys and a beautiful eagle on seven, “which kind of got my round going”, he said.
“I started pretty well with a couple of birdies, but then I had a couple of bogeys and then that eagle at 7. On the back, I shot two-under which was pretty solid and I’m happy with that.”
One back are Victorians James Marchesani and Bryden McPherson, who fired five-under rounds along with West Australian and former Nationwide Tour winner Michael Sim.
Marchesani was pleased with an early solid score, with the greens expected to get quicker throughout the weekend.
“It should get progressively quicker as the week goes on,” said probably going to get a bit quicker as the weekend said the 30-year-old.
“As the course changes it will be a matter of who adapts the best.”
Sim enjoyed a blemish-free round as well, firing five birdies in his 65. “I got off to a good start,” said the 36-year-old.
“I was out of the gates early,” he said, with birdies on 11, 13 and 15 and two more on his back nine.
“I had a few more chances actually on the second nine … I had like four wedge shots that didn’t get up and down. It definitely felt like I left a few out there.”
Rounding out a bunch golfers at minus five are Sydneysider Dale Williamson, who carded a pair of eagles on the front nine (including the 304m par-four fifth), Queenslander Tim Hart, who finished with just a single bogey in an otherwise excellent round, Daniel Fox, Brad Kennedy, and Jack Thomspon.
The best-placed amateur is West Australian Hayden Hopewell, who carded a round of 4-under 67.
Despite all predictions, this morning that Concord would buckle under the combination of soft greens and fairways, the little gem in Sydney’s inner west kept the morning field honest, although a handful of players could say they had their way.
The clubhouse leaders at -6 are Victorian Andrew Martin and Queenslander Andrew Dodt – who both fired 65s in warm conditions at Concord, with light winds and soft greens allowing for some target practise at times, although the greens here – which act as the course’s only protection from the long hitters – are only going to get quicker.
Dodt’s mixed bag included six birdies and two bogeys, and a beautiful eagle on 7 “which kind of got my round going”, he said.
“I started pretty well with a couple of birdies, but then I had a couple of bogeys and then that eagle at 7. On the back, I shot two-under which was pretty solid and I’m happy with that.”
One back are Victorians James Marchesani and Bryden McPherson who fired five-under rounds along with West Australian and former Nationwide Tour winner Michael Sim.
Marchesani was pleased with an early solid score with the greens expected to get quicker throughout the weekend.
“It should get progressively quicker as the week goes on,” said the 30-year-old.
“As the course changes it will be a matter of who adapts the best.”
Sim enjoyed a blemish-free round as well, firing five birdies in his 65. “I got off to a good start,” said the 36-year-old.
“I was out of the gates early,” he said, with birdies on 11, 13 and 15 and two more on his back nine.
“I had a few more chances actually on the second nine … I had like four wedge shots that didn’t get up and down. It definitely felt like I left a few out there.”
Follow live scores from the #NSWOpenGolf at pga.org.au.
As a 17-year-old from Brisbane, Cameron Smith couldn’t imagine winning a more important tournament than the 2010 Greg Norman Junior Masters.
Ten years on and Smith has completed another career ambition by claiming the 2020 Greg Norman Medal.
In a year of professional golf wildly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Smith was able to record a maiden individual PGA TOUR title at the Sony Open and his best result in a major championship, enjoying a share of the lead at the halfway mark before finishing second to Dustin Johnson at a November Masters tournament at Augusta National.
Shortly after having Australian sports fans in the captivated grip of another potential green jacket, Smith played in the Shark Shootout, he and Norman advancing their relationship from mutual lawn admiration on Instagram over dinner with 2018 Greg Norman Medal winner Marc Leishman.
Suspicious at the behaviour of his management team in Bud Martin and Ian Davis and girlfriend Jordan, the realisation of Smith’s medal win only became apparent when Norman’s familiar face appeared larger than life on his laptop.
“It was pretty surprising. I was obviously in a bit of shock because I didn’t really know what was going on,” Smith said of his video call with the Australian golf icon.
“My girlfriend and my agent were trying to play a bit of a trick on me and try and surprise me and when Jordan said she had to be on the call as well I thought, That’s weird.
“I was thinking of so many different scenarios – just weird scenarios – and then as soon as the Shark popped up on screen I knew what it was and that Jordan had something in her pocket.
“It’s something that has been on the goal list for a few years now. To tick that one off is really nice and I was saying to Bud and Ian, it would be nice to get another four or five before I’m all said and done.”
Although at 27 years of age Smith only caught the tail end of Norman’s extraordinary career, his status in the game was such that anything with the Norman name attached added a sense of gravitas for any young Aussie golfer.
“That’s who we basically grew up watching so at the time I thought that as the biggest tournament in the world,” Smith said of his Junior Masters win, 2018 Greg Norman Medal winner Minjee Lee winning the girls section that same week.
“It’s pretty funny to think back like that now and think of those things.”
With an enforced layoff in 2020 that gave Smith an insight into how he can best manage his playing schedule to maximise his performances in golf’s biggest events, the COVID-19 pandemic also had an impact on the way he and long-time coach Grant Field communicated.
They had to rely entirely on video and phone calls to make minor adjustments that would yield such a strong finish to the year but when the swing has changed so little over the course of 15 years it was a simple transition to make.
Field and Smith first came into contact when Smith was selected in a junior development squad at 10 years of age, his father Des making the shrewd observation that Field was the right coach to develop his son into the player he is today.
“It was basically my old man’s decision at the start. I was too young to think about what golf was,” Smith says of linking up with Field.
“I was still playing golf and walking around after Dad. He was making all the decisions at that age. I think I was only 10 years old when I first started seeing Grant.
“There’s a lot of stuff in my swing today that we’ve been talking about for 15 years. Which is crazy when you think about it because your body changes so much; everything changes so much.
“On one side it’s really annoying but we know that we’ve got a good thing going and we don’t need to reinvent the wheel to get my swing back to where it needs to be sometimes.
“We generally try and keep everything as simple as possible. He does a good job of dumbing it down for me sometimes.
“We just love each other. When we’re spending time together it’s a bit of a bromance. We love each other’s company, we love hanging out together and we’ve basically got the same interests in life.
“He’s just a good bloke and he knows what he’s talking about, so that’s all the areas ticked.
“It was obviously a good decision in the end.”
Past Greg Norman Medal winners
2015: Jason Day
2016: Jason Day
2017: Marc Leishman
2018: Minjee Lee
2019: Hannah Green
The Greg Norman Medal also features the PGA National Awards, which are given to the leading experts in golf, the PGA Professionals, in various categories, including golf management, game development and coaching.
2020 PGA National Club Professional of the Year
Winner – Joanne Bannerman
For a time in 2020 they became the most prized commodity in golf.
At many golf facilities that demand has continued into 2021 and posed a question that has not needed to be asked for a number of years: How do you squeeze more tee times into a fully-booked timesheet?
In her 16th year at Cumberland Country Golf Club in Sydney’s western suburbs, Joanne Bannerman had never seen anything like it but her relationship with her staff, with club management and with the members helped the club to navigate the tricky waters of juggling member and public play during a period of high demand.
2020 PGA National Coach of the Year
Winner – Richard Woodhouse
Richard Woodhouse’s philosophy is as simple as it is obvious: How can he expect his players to improve if he doesn’t improve as a coach?
Winner of the PGA National Coach of the Year award in 2016, Woodhouse has again been crowned our best coach based not only on the performances of the professional and elite amateur players under his tutleage but for his own educational advancement and willingness to share that knowledge with other PGA Members.
2020 PGA National Game Development Professional of the Year
Winner – Mark Tibbles
Sometimes when trying to introduce new people to the game, it’s not about the golf.
In a year in which existing golfers have increased their frequency and former golfers have returned to the fairways in droves, 2020 also encouraged many people otherwise unable to partake in their regular exercise to give golf a try.
PGA Professionals such as Mark Tibbles were front and centre to make sure that the first impression was a good one and one that lasted.
2020 PGA National Management Professional of the Year
Winner – Josh Madden
The challenge of change was one that was thrust upon every golf facility in Australia in 2020 in ways none of us could ever have expected.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it course closures, new operating protocols and an explosion in memberships and rounds that all required nimble management, constant communication and buy-in from every staff member across each aspect of the business.
The way Wembley Golf Course in Perth dealt with all of these unique challenges and how they embraced change to improve their operations has earned General Manager Josh Madden the 2020 PGA National Management Professional of the Year award.
PGA National Trainee of the Year
Winner – Darcy Boyd
He is little more than a year down the path to becoming a PGA Professional yet Darcy Boyd is already helping to providing an environment at Kiama Golf Club that will foster the next wave of golfers in the region.
With outstanding results both in his playing and education performance, Boyd has been selected as the 2020 Trainee Professional of the Year after deciding to pursue a passion for coaching and postpone the prospect of becoming a touring professional.
Minjee Lee is seeking a second Greg Norman Medal in three years while Queensland pair Adam Scott and Cameron Smith are in the hunt for a first following the full announcement of nominees for the PGA of Australia’s major awards for 2020.
Since the inception of the Greg Norman Medal in 2015 the winner has been crowned during the week of the Australian PGA Championship yet because of the disruption to the summer schedule caused by the COVID-19 pandemic the ceremony will be a virtual one broadcast on Fox Sports and Kayo on Wednesday night at 7pm AEDT, as well as Sky NZ at 7pm NZDT.
“Just like our PGA Professionals across Australia we have had to adapt this year to the different circumstances that have been thrust upon us,” said PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman.
“While we would have liked to have brought everyone together it is important we still recognise the outstanding performances of our Professionals at every level of the game.
“Our Touring Professionals have done us proud around the world but I want to make special mention of those PGA Professionals at the coalface here in Australia.
“Golf has seen an explosion in interest since the start of the pandemic and our PGA Professionals have had to cater to greater numbers of players while doing so in a COVID-safe manner.
“I also want to highlight the work done by those PGA Professionals in the area of Game Development. We have had many new people come into the game this past year and the six nominees have worked hard to make these newcomers feel comfortable and have fun playing golf.
“The Greg Norman Medal recognises our highest achievers but I want to pay tribute to all of our PGA Professionals for the way they have conducted themselves this past year and put the game of golf in a strong position through such difficult times.”
Despite the disruption caused to professional golf throughout the world Australians achieved great success on all of the major tours.
From Wade Ormsby’s win at the Hong Kong Open followed by twin wins on the European Tour and PGA TOUR by Lucas Herbert and Marc Leishman on Australia Day; Min Woo Lee’s breakthrough victory at the Vic Open and Smith and Scott logging early victories prior to the PGA TOUR shutdown; and Stephanie Kyriacou’s Rookie of the Year performance on the Ladies European Tour and Minjee Lee registering two top-10s in majors and a win at the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic.
Time was cut short but our best made the most of it.
The Greg Norman Medal will again be the final award presented after PGA high achievers in a number of categories receive their due recognition.
In a year in which they faced challenges they could never have anticipated at the start of 2020, PGA Professionals across the country adapted quickly and their efforts will be recognised with the National Coach of the Year, National Club Professional of the Year, National Management Professional of the Year and National Game Development Professional of the Year.
Past winners Richard Woodhouse and Ritchie Smith have again been nominated for Coach of the Year while former Tour player Tim Wood has received a nod for his work with the likes of NSW Open champion Josh Younger and Charles Kares for his work developing elite amateurs and the service he provides to members at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney.
Greg Norman Medal nominees
Minjee Lee: Finished third at the AIG Women’s Open and seventh at the ANA Inspiration before winning the Omega Dubai Moonlight Classic, her eighth win as a professional.
Adam Scott: Won the Genesis Invitational in his first PGA TOUR start of 2020 and was tied for 22nd at the US PGA Championship at TPC Harding Park.
Cameron Smith: Earned his first individual PGA TOUR title at the Sony Open and was tied for second at The Masters, becoming the first player in history to record four sub-70 rounds at Augusta National.
Past winners
2015: Jason Day
2016: Jason Day
2017: Marc Leishman
2018: Minjee Lee
2019: Hannah Green
2020 PGA National Coach of the Year
Ritchie Smith (Royal Fremantle GC, WA)
Charles Kares (The Lakes GC, NSW)
Tim Wood (Rosanna GC, VIC)
Daniel Blackwell (Kooyonga GC, SA)
Richard Woodhouse (KDV Sport, QLD)
Aiden Withers (Seabrook GC, TAS)
2020 PGA National Club Professional of the Year
Tristan McCallum (Sea View GC, WA)
Joanne Bannerman (Cumberland CC, NSW)
Alan Patterson (Patterson River GC, VIC)
Cody Sherratt (Thaxted Park GC, SA)
Paul Orchard (Surfers Paradise GC, QLD)
James Corkill (Mowbray GC, TAS)
2020 PGA National Management Professional of the Year
Josh Madden (Wembley Golf Complex, WA)
Nigel Gibson (Manly GC, NSW)
Haydn Thompson (Deep Creek GC, VIC)
Jamie Clutterham (North Adelaide GC, SA)
Tim Porter (Victoria Park Golf Complex, QLD)
2020 PGA National Game Development Professional of the Year
Mark Tibbles (The Vines Resort, WA)
Warren Moses (Nelson Bay GC, NSW)
Sandy Jamieson (Oakleigh GC, VIC)
Simon MacWhirter (North Adelaide GC, SA)
Mick Murnane (Bundaberg, QLD)
Adam Holden (Tasmania GC, TAS)
Fine-tuning of his swing over FaceTime with coach Gary Barter was the injection of confidence Matt Jones needed to street the field and claim his second career PGA TOUR title at The Honda Classic in Florida.
Not even the feared ‘Bear Trap’ towards the end of the round could bring the two-time Australian Open champion unstuck, Jones allowing himself a fist pump when his tee shot at the par-3 17th safely found the green with a five-shot advantage.
Occupying a spot near the top of the leaderboard ever since rattling off a course-record 9-under 61 in the opening round, Jones shot 68 on Sunday as his nearest rivals faltered, two closing pars maintaining his five-shot lead until the very end.
His first win in the US since chipping in to defeat Matt Kuchar in a playoff at the 2014 Shell Houston Open, Jones climbed back inside the top-50 in the world and booked his place at Augusta National in three weeks’ time courtesy of a win set up by a long-distance range session with his coach.
“I told my coach and I told my friends, something’s coming, it’s getting closer,” said Jones, who missed the cut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and was tied for 55th at THE PLAYERS Championship last week.
“I worked on the range through FaceTime with my coach back in Australia and we just started to get a feel for things. Started to get the body and the club working together and it worked all week.
“I told a friend earlier that I like my chances this week.
“Seven years between wins, it’s been a battle. I’ve had ups, I’ve had downs, but to win a second time on this golf course in these conditions that we faced all week is, it’s phenomenal and hopefully it’s something I can build on for the rest of the year.”
After turning 40 during the tour’s suspension last year due to COVID-19, Jones spoke of the frank conversations he had shared with his family about how much longer he would continue playing at the highest level.
After a chat with Adam Scott and a second PGA TOUR title to his name, Jones now believes his most productive years on tour may in fact be ahead of him.
“I’ve spoken to Adam Scott about this. We’ve got five really good hard years ahead of us, where we think we can do something special and I think this sets me on a path where I could,” said Jones, the Australian Open champion of 2015 and 2019.
“I’ve probably underachieved, in my opinion, for what I could have done. But I’ve got some time left.
“I feel like my game’s getting better as I get older. I’m hitting it better, I’m hitting it longer, so there’s nothing to say that that won’t happen.”
Spending Saturday night thinking about a return to Augusta, a birdie putt from 18 feet at the opening hole settled the nerves and Jones followed it up with another at the par-5 third, two-putting from 74 feet to keep the chasing pack at bay.
A one-shot buffer suddenly became four when Jones’s nearest challenger Aaron Wise four-putted the 10th hole from 27 feet and a slight stumble at 11 was recovered quickly with a birdie at the very next hole.
He poured another in at 13 to extend his lead to five strokes and a wonderful approach to 16 and birdie putt from 15 feet ensured he would extend the record of Australians winning on the PGA TOUR to 33 years in succession.
There was another strong Aussie performance on the Korn Ferry Tour where New South Welshman Harrison Endycott turned a spot on the alternates list into a top-five finish at the Chitimacha Louisiana Open.
Endycott’s place in the field was only confirmed on Tuesday following the withdrawal of Ryan Brehm and he took full advantage.
“I was like the 14th alternate last week, so it’s crazy how it can change,” said Endycott after earning a share of the lead with an opening round of 4-under 67.
“I’m very grateful that I’m actually playing this week and trying to make the most of it.
“It’s a little bit of a question mark going in each week. Any week out here, a big week is crucial and it can change your life.
“It’s hard because you don’t know what people are thinking or feeling. You have to be optimistic. You can’t think you’re not in and that’s why I travelled here; I have to prepare like I am in.”
Like Endycott, Scott Hend found himself near the top of the leaderboard at the European Tour’s Magical Kenya Open at Karen Country Club in Nairobi.
A second round of 64 followed by a third round of 3-under 68 put the Queenslander just two off the lead entering the final round but two bogeys on the front nine and a double-bogey seven on the par-5 12th saw Hend fall back into a tie for 16th.
PGA TOUR
The Honda Classic
PGA National, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
1 Matt Jones 61-70-69-68—268 $US1.26m
T13 Adam Scott 69-67-72-68—276 $125,417
T33 Cameron Davis 66-71-70-73—280 $39,900
T46 Lucas Herbert 70-69-70-73—282 $19,070
MC Cameron Percy 69-74—143
MC Rhein Gibson 74-70—144
European Tour
Magical Kenya Open
Karen Country Club, Nairobi, Kenya
T16 Scott Hend 67-64-68-73—272 €11,497
MC Maverick Antcliff 74-70—144
Korn Ferry Tour
Chitimacha Louisiana Open
Le Triomphe G&CC, Broussard, Louisiana
5 Harrison Endycott 67-70-68-65—270 $US22,800
T23 Aaron Baddeley 71-72-67-66—276 $5,675
T44 Nick Voke 71-72-71-66—280 $2,730
T63 Curtis Luck 72-72-70-70—284 $2,412
T66 Jamie Arnold 73-69-75-68—285 $2,376
MC Steven Alker 73-72—145
MC Brett Drewitt 76-71—147
MC Robert Allenby 73-76—149
MC Mark Hensby 77-72—149
MC Ryan Ruffels 73-79—152
Symetra Tour
Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic
Mesa, Arizona
Won by Ruixin Liu in playoff with Rose Zhang (-17)
T35 Robyn Choi 68-70-72-75—285
Australian Matt Jones has secured a breakthrough victory on the US PGA Tour in Florida, seven years after his previous win in America.
The 40-year-old Arizona-based Sydneysider clung on superbly to win the Honda Classic at PGA National in West Palm Beach by five shots, conjuring the best ball-striking of his life and dominating the event.
Jones, who played his junior golf at The Australian and in Jack Newton’s junior programs, closed with a two-under par 68 to go with his equal course record 61 in round one, a second-round 70 and a third-round 69.
It is his first US Tour win since the 2014 Houston Open, although he has won two Australian Opens (2015 and 2019) in the meantime. It was his 174th US Tour start since that win in Houston, and his 329th start overall.
The victory gives world No. 80 Jones playing rights for two years and secures a start for him in the Masters at Augusta National next month, his second visit to that hallowed ground.
Jones started with a three-shot lead over playing partner JB Holmes and immediately birdied the first hole from mid range.
American Aaron Wise made a run at him, moving within a shot through the front nine. But Wise inexplicably four-putted the par-four 10th from nine metres for a triple bogey seven and suddenly the Aussie was four shots ahead again.
Jones hit his tight draw superbly and kept himself in play at the water-laden PGA National, but a three-putt from long range at the par-four 11th left him vulnerable again.
His response was typical of his week. At the 12th he bombed his drive, knocked it to six metres and holed the birdie putt. At the 13th, he made birdie again with a hooking three metre putt and his lead was five.
From there, Jones put the parachute up, a three-putt bogey at the 14th being the only glitch. At the 15th, he hit two pure irons and holed his birdie putt, but there was still the par-three 16th with its water carry. Jones lashed a sand wedge over the flag, saw it land on fist-pumped.
Right then, he knew he was safe. “It was the calmest I’ve been on a golf course for four straight days,” he said afterward.
Father-of-three Jones was already enjoying one of his best years on tour, with two top-10 and an 11th before today. He first played on the US Tour in 2008 after four years on the secondary Nationwide Tour, and two years at Arizona University as a brilliant, young amateur.
In his rookie year he actually led the Honda Classic into the last four holes, but wobbled in the ‘Bear Trap’, the dangerous stretch from the 15th to the 17th, and lost to Ernie Els. There were no such slip-ups today.
He picks up $US1.26 million for his work.
Adam Scott was the next-best Australian, rattling home with a 68 to finish T13.
SCOTT Hend finished tied 16th as the top Australian in the European Tour’s Kenya Open overnight after he closed with a 73.
HARRISON Endycott shot a brilliant final-round 65 to finish fifth in the Korn Ferry Tour’s Louisiana Open today.
ROBYN Choi closed with a 75 to finish just outside the top 30 on the Symetra Tour today.
Local resident Cameron Smith finished in front but it was debutant Cameron Percy who had the Aussie highlight to remember in the final round of THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Florida.
American Justin Thomas added to his flourishing resume with a one-stroke victory over Lee Westwood with Smith’s regular visits to TPC Sawgrass leading to a tie for 17th on the back of a superb round of 7-under 65 on Saturday.
But as Smith dropped six spots on Sunday with a final round of 72 it was Victorian Percy who made the biggest move thanks in no small part to the best shot of any player at the famed island green at the par-3 17th.
Making his first appearance at THE PLAYERS at 46 years of age, Percy made birdie from inside six feet and 55 feet in the first two rounds respectively and then fired one in tight to the far-right pin in the final round, leaving himself just three feet, 10 inches for his third birdie of the week at one of golf’s most intimidating tee shots.
It was Percy’s seventh birdie of the day in a round of 4-under 68 that was bettered by only nine players in the final round, rising 26 places on the leaderboard to finish tied for 29th, three shots back of Smith.
Incredibly, it meant that Aussies had the honour of finishing closest to the hole at 17 each of the four days of the tournament after Adam Scott claimed nearest-the-pin in each of the first three rounds with shots to 19 inches, 20 inches and two feet, six inches.
Unfortunately for Scott his attempt on Sunday came up short in the water as his closing 1-under 71 resulted in a tie for 48th.
For the THIRD STRAIGHT DAY, @AdamScott is currently closest to the pin on 17 at 2 feet, 6 inches.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 13, 2021
That’s a total distance of 5 feet, 9 inches. In three shots. 😯 pic.twitter.com/0zLnNKpHc4
After a short hiatus the European Tour made its return in Qatar where Queensland’s Maverick Antcliff commenced his season in positive fashion with a tie for 19th at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters at Education City Golf Club in Doha.
Starting the final round in a tie for 24th, Antcliff was 2-over through 15 holes and losing ground to the field but bounced back from a double-bogey at 17 on Saturday to make birdie on Sunday and then closed out his week with a birdie at the final hole for an even-par 72.
Wade Ormsby and Scott Hend were the only other players in the field in Qatar but both missed the cut.
PGA TOUR
THE PLAYERS Championship
TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
T17 Cameron Smith 71-73-65-72—281 $US221,250
T29 Cameron Percy 73-70-73-68—284 $96,125
T35 Jason Day 70-71-71-73—285 $73,125
T48 Adam Scott 72-71-73-71—287 $38,036
T55 Matt Jones 73-71-70-74—288 $34,950
MC Marc Leishman 71-74—145
MC Danny Lee 72-74—146
MC Cameron Davis 76-74—150
European Tour
Commercial Bank Qatar Masters
Education City GC, Doha, Qatar
T19 Maverick Antcliff 69-72-72-71—284 €13,324
MC Wade Ormsby 69-76—145
MC Scott Hend 74-72—146
Sydneysider Andrew Evans could barely believe the drought-breaking trophy he was holding at the Isuzu Queensland Open after fearing he might lose his tour card just weeks ago.
The journeyman pro was a worthy two-shot winner of his first title in a decade of striving and promptly cancelled his flight home so he could properly celebrate.
“Flight home cancelled…I’m filling this with XXXX,” a jubilant Evans said of the very Queensland celebration he suddenly scheduled for Sunday night.
“This is unreal…I never thought this day would happen.
“I try not to look at leaderboards but I had a guy with a mobile leaderboard 50m ahead of me the whole day so I had to try hard to stay doing my own thing.
“I think I’m a good player but without something like this to your career you are kinda just another player. It’s pretty sweet to get over the line.”
Evans drilled a wonderful five iron close to the pin from 180m at the par four 16th to grab his seventh birdie of a tense final day at Pelican Waters Golf Club outside Caloundra.
That was the clutch shot that gave Evans (68-70-65-67) some breathing room at 18-under-par and had mates at Sydney’s Bonnie Doon Golf Club rejoicing.
Just as important was the six iron he hit close on the par three 15th. He didn’t win the $100,000 bonus for an ace put up by Palm Lake Resort but the birdie was another step closer to the $18,750 winner’s cheque.
He showed his nerve leading for the entire back nine to finish ahead of three players in joint second, Gold Coast-based Deyen Lawson, Newcastle’s Blake Windred and Melbourne’s Bryden Macpherson, who finished with three straight birdies.
Evans, 35, forever banished the bridesmaid tag and worse which he has lived with since finishing second to Peter Senior at the 2015 Australian Masters at Huntingdale.
“That week was great but unfortunately a lot of people just remember the rushed three-footer I missed on the last green which didn’t mean anything. People said I choked so that was tough to get over,” the former Bexley Golf Club trainee said.
“I missed a lot of cuts last year and three in Victoria to start this year and absolutely I was worried about keeping my card to stay on the tour,” Evans said.
Lawson (69-70-67-66) finished birdie-birdie for his closing 66 to reach 16-under and it will build confidence for his imminent return to Europe to play.
Windred, with a closing 70, fought hard after a messy double-bogey on the eighth when he hit it into the trees.
Defending champion Anthony Quayle (67) finished three shots behind Evans in joint fifth.
It was a worthy defence but two missed birdie putts from around 2m on the last two holes showed how close he got.
He got inside 2m on the hole-in-one hole: “The seven iron looked pretty good, it was feeding to the pin from the right and just came up short.
“The caddie fee is 10 per cent so KB (coach Ken Berndt) was looking good for a while there,” Quayle said.
Dalby left-hander Lawry Flynn was top amateur at 14-under after closing with a fine 68.
Fifth-placed Sunshine Coast local Shae Wools-Cobb (70) rued what might have been.
He had two back nine eagles, set up by ripping six irons to both par five greens, but was making up for four ragged bogeys on the front nine.
“I was proud of myself for staying patient because I was pretty nervous to start,” the Pelican waters member said.
