Hopewell looking to continue winning streak for amateurs

The morning field blistered their way around the Cottesloe GC in the second round of the $100,000 Nexus Risk WA Open with 28 of 60 players shooting under par.

Six-time European Tour winner and Perth local Brett Rumford led the morning pack out with a superb 5-under 67 to get himself right back into the tournament heading into round three.

Peter Wilson wanted to wish his Mum a happy birthday with a great second round and he didn’t disappoint.

Off to a slow start with three pars to start his round, he then produced five birdies and an eagle across the next 6 holes to turn in 29, 7-under par.

“It all came together for those six holes and then I played good on the back-nine but just couldn’t keep the hot run going,” Wilson said.

The Victorian came home in an even-par 36 to post the low round of the day, a 7-under 65, and move into second place for the event with the afternoon field yet to hit the course – a total that would eventually see him sit tied for third heading into round three.

Yet it was fellow morning player Chris Wood who lept to the lead after a 6-under par 66 following what he described as a scrappy round.

“I’ll definitely take the score, but I can thank my short game for that as it really saved me today,” Wood said.

The second round of the WA Open belonged to WA amateur Hayden Hopewell who fired another superb round of 5-under 67 for a two-round total of 9-under par to lead the field.

Knowing the Open has been won by many amateurs before Hopewell is confident he can mirror Zach Murray’s efforts at last year’s tournament.

“I’ve stuck to my game plan really well over the last two days,” Hopewell said.

“I’m looking forward to the weekend and the opportunity to get my name on the trophy.”

With round two complete Chris Wood holds second place sitting one stroke behind Hopewell.

A couple back from the leaders and ready to pounce is 2015 WA Open winner Daniel Fox and Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series competitor Adam Burdett, tied for third at 7-under the card.

With perfect weather a stunning golf course and a stacked leaderboard this weekend is sure to going to produce an amazing finish.

Play for round three will commence at 9am with the leading group hitting off at 10.40am. Stay tuned through live scores on the PGA of Australia app and www.pga.org.au.

Perfect Perth conditions and an immaculate Cottesloe Golf Club produced a jam-packed leaderboard in the opening round of the $100,000 Nexus Risk WA Open.

Twenty-three players took advantage of the mild morning conditions to post sub-par rounds but Shae Wools-Cobb proved the best of the round, posting a bogey-free 5-under 67 to lead as the afternoon field took to the course.

“I holed a great putt on the 1st for par and then the putter just felt great from there on in,” Wools-Cobb said.

“It definitely makes the game feel easier when the putter is hot.”

The afternoon westerly breeze known in Perth as the “Fremantle doctor” made it tough going for the pm field.

Rick Kulacz had full control of his ball in the strong winds, firing a sensational 4-under par 68.

“It was probably a two-club wind which made some of the long holes even tougher,” Kulacz said.

Joining Kulacz in the afternoon was Dale Williamson who sizzled through the front-nine with five birdies to shoot 31 before returning in 1-over par on the back-nine for a total score of 4-under 68.

Kulacz and Williamson weren’t the only ones to turn up the heat with a logjam of seven players sitting tied for second place.

West Aussies Michael Sim and former WA Open champion Daniel Fox were among the contenders at 4-under the card as well as experienced campaigner Troy Moses.

In an event where amateurs have had huge success – Zach Murray claiming the trophy last year – both Connor McKinney and Hayden Hopewell sit one shot back from the leaders and are looking to continue the great run.

The second round of the Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series tournament will commence from 6.50am AWST at Cottesloe Golf Club. Keep up to date with live scores through the PGA of Australia app or visit www.pga.org.au.

Darren Beck will bring a hot putter and increased confidence to this week’s Nexus Risk WA Open as he aims to claim two wins in the west.

An incredible back-nine featuring six birdies propelled Beck into the lead of last week’s TX Civil & Logistics WA PGA Championship and it is this form that the Sydneysider will be hoping to continue at Cottesloe Golf Club from Thursday.

“I’ve played many Cottesloe Open’s around here and love the course,” Beck said.

“Wind can be a factor here so will have to have great control of your of your golf ball.”

Now after adding a second state PGA Championship to his name Beck will look to add a maiden state Open title to his resume.

“All state Open’s have so much history around them and it would be great to add my name to the long list of great champions this week.”

European Tour and former WA Open winner Brett Rumford will contest one of his favourite events of the year on the back of a solid result in Kalgoorlie.

Tied 14^th after some serious travel to make the event, the West Australian is in good stead for this week knowing he’ll be sleeping in his own bed.

Local WA talents Jarryd Felton and Michael Sim both played exceptional golf last week to finish second and third respectively and will no doubt be around the top of the leaderboard come Sunday afternoon.

Past winners Daniel Fox, Oliver Goss and James Nitties should also not be discounted.

Featuring on the Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series in 2019, a field of 120 players will vie for their share in the $100,000 prize purse across the four-round tournament.

Players looking to boost their state Order of Merit (OOM) standings or close the gap to National OOM leader Tim Hart will have the opportunity to do so this week with the winner set to take away close to $18,000.

History has shown amateurs love winning this event with 29 claiming victory since the first Open in 1913 and three in the last seven years – Oliver Goss (2102) Curtis Luck (2016) and Zach Murray (2018).

Forty elite amateurs will tee it up at Cottesloe and with a stellar amateur field assembled including Hayden Hopewell, Josh Greer, Haydn Barron and recently crowned US Mid-Amateur Champion Lukas Michel, there’s a great chance it could happen again.

The WA Open has plenty to offer both on and off the course but for professionals an extra incentive will be offered on the back-nine.

Should any professional ace the par-3 11^th on Sunday they’ll be the lucky winner of a brand new Volvo XC40 valued at $67,000.

Play starts this Thursday 17 October with players hitting the course from 6.50am. Don’t forget to keep up to date with all the action through live scoring on the PGA of Australia app or www.pga.org.au.

Catch all the action of Round 4 Live from the Kalgoorlie Golf Course in Kalgoorlie! Live golf at its best!

Catch all the action of Round 3 Live from the Kalgoorlie Golf Course in Kalgoorlie! Live golf at its best!

Three straight birdies and an eagle has put Darren Beck into the lead of the TX Civil & Logistics WA PGA Championship.

Beck’s hot streak started from the first tee with a birdie before he replicated his feats across the first three holes.

His early round form went to another level with an eagle on the 11th, which elevated his standing – and his confidence – to ascend to the pinnacle of #WAPGA leaderboard.

“I started birdie, birdie, birdie which was nice,” Beck said.

“It’s always a great way to start; then I had an eagle on 11. It got me to 5-under and I just carried it on from there and made some good solid pars.

“I got off to a good start today so kept the momentum there from yesterday and overall I just played pretty solid.”

Despite struggling with parts of his game, the Sydneysider’s putting was the game-changer in the second round of the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia tournament.

“I struggled feeling comfortable over the ball and my irons and especially my woods the last two days,” he said.

“I was just getting around the best I could but I holed some really good putts like 30-footers and 40-footers.

“Without those then I wouldn’t be where I am so it’s helped me out.”

After facing blistering heat in the opening round at Kalgoorlie Golf Course, Beck was relieved the elements had calmed for the morning groups, with decreased winds on course.

“Conditions were good today. We were lucky, we had a one-club breeze so it was very different to yesterday,” he said.

With the morning field now in the clubhouse, Justin Warren has rocketed up the leaderboard to sit one shot behind Beck.

Two consistent rounds of 68 took the 24-year-old to his 8-under total.

“It was pretty solid, very similar to yesterday,” Warren said.

“I drove the ball really well, hit a lot of fairways and gave myself a good amount of opportunities for birdie.

“My putter’s not quite there but I managed to roll a few in and keep the bogeys off the card so I’m looking forward to the next couple of days.”

The level of competition on course has encouraged Warren to get the best out of his game and to take advantage of opportunities.

“I’m loving being out here. I haven’t been pro for very long but since turning I’ve found a new passion for the game and being out here competing with these guy,” he said.

“Playing for money is so different to amateur golf but I love it. It’s great to be up near the lead.”

Overnight leader Jordan Zunic held steady to record a round of even-par in the morning field to remain 7-under for the event.

Peter Lonard’s round of 4-under 68 took the Australian golfing legend to a 6-under two-round total to sit tied for fifth place.

Following a strong start in round one, fellow overnight leader Jarryd Felton will be looking to put his best foot forward in the afternoon field of round two as he aims to make up the two shots to Beck’s lead.

For live scores from the TX Civil & Logistics WA PGA Championship visit pga.org.au.

Western Australia’s Jarryd Felton has credited his ball-striking for an opening round of 7-under 65 at the TX Civil & Logistics WA PGA Championship. Teeing off early in the morning field alongside Josh Younger and Matias Sanchez, Felton was pleased with the result but felt there was room for improvement. An eagle on his final […]

Western Australia’s Jarryd Felton has credited his ball-striking for an opening round of 7-under 65 at the TX Civil & Logistics WA PGA Championship.

Teeing off early in the morning field alongside Josh Younger and Matias Sanchez, Felton was pleased with the result but felt there was room for improvement.

An eagle on his final hole was the highlight of the round for the Perth local whose affinity with the Kalgoorlie Golf Course layout has paid dividends.

“I can’t be disappointed with a 65 but I left a lot of shots out there as well,” Felton said.

“My ball striking was really good today. I missed two greens and paid the price as you do around here, but I had a lot of looks inside 10-feet and didn’t capitalise on as many as I wanted. But we got there in the end.

“I love it out here. I seem to play well here. I love this golf course and it definitely rewards good ball striking which is one of my strengths.”

Felton sits alongside elite company at the top of the leaderboard where he is just one shot ahead of fellow West Australian and 2015 WA PGA Championship winner Brett Rumford.

“It feels pretty good,” Felton said of the results. “We wore the same outfit today as well so there’s something in that I think.”

The road to recovery has been a long one for Rumford since undergoing wrist surgery last November. He said the injury hasn’t deterred him during the opening round.

Rumford, who’s made a remarkable recovery since undergoing wrist surgery last November, sits in second place after firing an impressive round of 6-under 66 this morning, with the afternoon field still to complete their round.

“It was there for the taking really. There was no wind. It got up maybe just a little bit on the back-nine but it was still playable,” Rumford said.

“The greens were receptive and at a moderate pace so if you wedged it well and drove it half decent I think there was a score to be had and I just took advantage of that.”

Steady golf on the Graham Marsh-designed course saw Rumford lead for most of the first round of the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia tournament.

“The round was just steady. The fairways are reasonably generous when there’s not that much wind. But that’s Graham March design, it’s fantastic,” he said.

“If you’re hitting it reasonably close, within 15-feet on the right level, Graham Marsh’s design has always rewarded that. I just putted really well today.”

Rumford was joined on the tee by David Micheluzzi who today made his professional debut, as well as and one of the tour’s most consistent players, Matt Millar.

Millar unfortunately withdrew from the tournament mid-round due to a back injury.

“I think it’s always devastating to have a key player pull out of a golf tournament so that was disappointing,” Rumford said.

“I know what it was like and to be there with him with his opening tee shot, I can remember mine as if it happened yesterday and it was 20, 25 years ago now, my first tee shot in New Zealand and I know what a bit deal it is. I know that he would have been feeling it on the first tee this morning.”

Micheluzzi completed his opening round tied for third place at 5-under the card alongside WA amateur Haydn Barron and Victorian James Marchesani. For live scores from the TX Civil & Logistics WA PGA Championship please visit pga.org.au.

Grant Kenny has won the ICF Haulage Legends Pro-Am at Blackheath Golf Club with a round of 3-under 66.

Kenny was one of 58 senior professionals teeing it up in the Ladbrokes Legends Tour event held in the Blue Mountains where warm but windy conditions greeted players.

Neil Sarkies posted the best score of the morning with a 1-under 68 in only his second outing as a senior professional.

After starting his round on the 18^th Sarkies opened and closed his round with bogeys but a strong front nine of 32 saw him gain the clubhouse lead.

It looked like Sarkies’ morning 68 would hold but one of the last cards in belonged to Grant Kenny.

Kenny’s back nine of 3-under 31 was equal best of the day and included a bogey at the par-4 11^th hole.

Kenny credited his accurate driving and a hot putter for the win but also praised the well manicured greens of Blackheath Golf Club.

Neil Sarkies claimed second place while Shaquill Mongol finished in third place at even par 69.

A member of Australia’s inaugural Women’s PGA Cup team also featured in the field. Gillian Rae posted a 7-over total to tie for 26^th place. Gillian travels to Austin, Texas later this month for the first-of-its-kind tournament.

Baker-Finch, 59, filled the role with aplomb in Rio in 2016 when golf returned to the Olympic family for the first time in 112 years.

Legendary Ian Baker-Finch will again captain the Australian Olympic golf team.

Baker-Finch, 59, filled the role with aplomb in Rio in 2016 when golf returned to the Olympic family for the first time in 112 years.

His experience as leader of both the men’s and women’s teams was crucial as Australia came within touching distance of the medals in both competitions.

Golf Australia chief executive Stephen Pitt was excited that Baker-Finch had again accepted the role.

“Everybody in Australian golf knows exactly how committed Ian is to the nation and its athletes,” Pitt said.

“That someone held in such high international regard is so eager to ensure our athletes have a first-class Olympic experience is fantastic for all involved.

“He will be an integral part of the team’s success not only during his time in Tokyo, but also in the preparation phase.”

Baker-Finch, the Open champion in 1991 at Royal Birkdale, was honoured to be approached to fill the role again.

“Representing your country at the Olympics is not only a huge honour, but I believe the pinnacle of world sport,” he said.

“In talking to our potential representatives, I know they’re all incredibly excited to have the chance to be considered to come to Tokyo in the green and gold.

“Last time we had Minjee Lee, Su Oh, Marcus Fraser and Scott Hend – and I know they all had the experience of a lifetime.”

“We can’t wait to see who’ll get the chance next year, but I’m sure they’ll all do the country proud.”

Chef de Mission of the Tokyo 2020 Australian Olympic team, Ian Chesterman, is delighted Baker-Finch will return to lead the Tokyo 2020 golf team.

“I am absolutely delighted to have Ian in this role of team captain. His leadership was greatly valued in Rio 2016 and I know the Australian Olympic team will once again benefit from having someone of Ian’s calibre and commitment as part of the team”.

Baker-Finch was delighted to also have multiple Ladies European Tour winner Stacey Peters as his women’s team deputy and Golf Australia high performance general manager Brad James on the men’s side.

Based on current Olympic rankings, Australia will qualify to send two male and two female athletes to compete at the Kasumigaseki Country Club in July and August next year.

Should there be more than two Australian athletes ranked inside the top 15 of their respective Olympic rankings at the 2020 cut-off date – 22 June for men, and 29 June for women – that number (up to a maximum of four) will be eligible.

Golf Australia will nominate a team to the Australian Olympic Committee on 2 July with a final team selection announced shortly afterwards.

Richard Gilkey has fired a standout round of 5-under 65 at Wynnum Golf Club to sit at the top of the leaderboard following round one of the Bartons/BMD QLD Senior PGA Championship on the Ladbrokes Legends Tour.

Having played in both the US Senior PGA Championship and the US Senior Open earlier this year, the American was at the top of his game amongst a highly-talented field featuring Rodger Davis, Richard Backwell, Peter Senior and Michael Harwood.

Gilkey’s bogey-free round of five birdies sees him take a one-shot lead into the second round ahead of Darryl Purchase in second at 4-under the card.

“The Legends Tour here in Australia fits perfect into my yearly calendar of events and in addition to playing ok, it is nice to be playing a good series of events,” said Gilkey

“I have been battling illness over the last couple of weeks though you know what they say, beware of the sick golfer.”

Davis, a previous winner of the QLD Senior PGA Championship, holds third place alongside formidable forces in Richard Backwell, Peter Senior, Nigel Lane and America’s Shaquill Mongol at 3-under 67.

The final round of the Bartons/BMD QLD Senior PGA Championship tees off at 11am for a shotgun start at Wynnum Golf Club.

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