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The ISPS HANDA Australian Open experience has won over PGA TOUR player Patrick Rodgers who starts the final round at The Australian today with a big chance to record his first victory since 2015.
Four times a runner-up on the world’s biggest tour with his last win coming on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2015, Rodgers is just one shot behind the 54-hole leaders, Australia’s Min Woo Lee and Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino, after rounds of 64-70-68.
After being in the thick of Min Woo Mania in the final group on Saturday afternoon, today he’s more hidden away in the second last group with Australian Lucas Herbert and fellow American Sean Crocker.
“The atmosphere was electric,” Rodgers said of his third-round experience.
“Obviously everyone here is rooting hard for Min, as they should be. He’s showing out in his national open and it’s really cool to see. It’s a fun environment to be a part of.”
Rodgers’ plan for the final round is to “stay under the radar”, while the crowd’s attention goes on to Lee and the other Australians in the hunt for their national title.
“I know it’s going to take a great round,” he said.
“There’s a lot of guys with a good chance, so one of us is going to fire a good one.”
Whatever happens this afternoon, the 31-year-old says his trip to Sydney for his first Australian Open in almost a decade has been one well worth making.
“I told my caddie, who’s a good buddy of mine, that we’re getting our money’s worth from coming down here. Yeah, it’s absolutely wonderful,” he said.
“It’s a privilege to be down here playing. It’s of course an opportunity for me to get ready for next year, but what an opportunity to just play at an amazing event.”
It was one of those days on the golf course for Min Woo Lee Saturday at The Australian, but the West Australian fought hard and birdied the last to draw level with Rikuya Hoshino as leaders of the ISPS HANDA Australian Open.
Seeking to become the first player since Greg Chalmers in 2011 to win the Australian Open and Fortinet Australian PGA in the same year, Lee looked set to continue on his merry way after a birdie at the long par-4 first. However double-bogey was in his near future, the short par-4 third tripping up the world No.38.
Lee got those two shots back at the fifth and sixth, before his back nine started poorly with a bogey. The crowd favourite fighting his way through the back nine with pars before an up-and-down birdie at the par-5 18th from the sand to reach 13-under.
“It was a bit of a grind. It wasn’t the easiest of rounds like the last five I’ve played. But golf is golf,” Lee said.
Despite the occasional struggle, Lee remained happy and proud of his ability to hang in and share the lead with Hoshino without his best stuff, a trait he believes shows his increasing maturity as a player.
“That was a problem a couple of years ago and last year and this year’s been pretty good where my bad game has been still okay to compete,” he said.
“I think that’s what has got me to this level now and the level that I can win.”
The confidence to win without his A game will no doubt assist Min Woo as he seeks to end the year with both his national titles, however, Hoshino and the chasing pack won’t be shrinking violets around the impeccably manicured Australian Golf Club.
Japan’s Hoshino is now very familiar with Lee after playing the final round at Royal Queensland alongside him last week, as well as the first two rounds this week. The DP World Tour member is clearly learning from the experience among the pro-Lee crowds in Brisbane.
“Last week I couldn’t make the birdie on the back nine, but this week I have more birdies on the back nine,” he said Saturday.
One back to the leading pair on 12-under are Alex Fitzpatrick, brother of the major-winning Matthew, and Patrick Rodgers, chasing a first win since 2015 having quietly gone about his work in Sydney on a working holiday.
The American is thoroughly enjoying the atmosphere that has bordered on a Min Woo love fest at times, while happily playing in penultimate group where he can slip under the radar with the chance to break his win drought.
“It’s massive. It’s hard to overstate the importance of the national opens, but specifically the Australian Open, the history, the list of winners, it’s exceptional,” Rodgers said.
“It’s a privilege to be down here playing. It’s, of course, an opportunity for me to get ready for next year, but what an opportunity to just play at an amazing event and it’s showing this weekend.”
Also hoping to take the opportunity to work into contention away from the throngs sure to follow the Lee-Hoshino-Fitzpatrick group will be Lucas Herbert on 11-under and the six players on 9-under that includes two-time winner Matt Jones, Aussie veteran Sam Brazel and Chile’s Joaquin Niemann.
Adam Scott ,a shot further back alongside a mix of locals and internationals comprised of young guns and veterans, has a sentiment that is a common one from the congested chasers.
“I’m going to have to have a few things go my way and I’m going to have to give myself a lot of chances. Really, I just have to play a great round of golf, but it’s possible out here,” Scott said,
Likely needing less than a great round for a second win in a fortnight, Lee unsurprisingly was taking the prospect of creating Australian golf history in his stride.
“If I win, I win and last week was last week,” he said. “I played great then, so hopefully I can finish it off tomorrow.
“I know there’s a lot of history to it, but it’s just another tournament. If it goes well, it goes well.”
Before he gets the chance to have a holiday, England’s Alex Fitzpatrick has a huge opportunity – and challenge – ahead of him on Sunday.
With an outstanding round of 5-under 66 today, the DP World Tour player jumped to a tie for third at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open and a place in the final group at 12.45pm alongside joint leaders Min Woo Lee and Rikuya Hoshino.
Chasing the biggest win of his career and the first victory by an Englishman in the Australian Open since Lee Westwood in 1997, Fitzpatrick will give up a one-shot headstart, but carrying huge momentum after playing the back nine in just 30 shots in his third round thanks to four birdies and an eagle on the par-5 14th hole.
Ranked 133rd in the world, a win tomorrow would propel the 24-year-old from Yorkshire towards the top 100 for the first time.
Fitzpatrick is on his first visit to Australia and came with a goal to be in contention in at least one of the two Aussie majors. Last week, he fell a little short, ending up in a tie for 18th at the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship.
“Overall I’m extremely happy with the day and I guess that’s why they call it moving day,” he said.
“Hopefully you can drop a low one and get yourself in contention going on Sunday. Yeah, proud of myself for hanging in there and just sticking with my game and trusting myself.
“This is my last event of the year, kind of excited to have a little bit of time off. Hopefully a good round tomorrow and you never know.”
Fitzpatrick started 2023 on the secondary European Challenge Tour but has posted a string of good finishes in his DP World Tour starts, including a second in the ISPS HANDA World Invitational in Ireland and a tie for 17th at the Open Championship.
And although he’s far from home, he’s found plenty of support at The Australian and The Lakes this week.
“For some reason they took a warm liking to me,” Fitzpatrick said of the Sydney crowds.
“I’m not sure why, but the support couldn’t be any better. I actually had a few local lads for some reason following round. The atmosphere’s incredible and hopefully a good day tomorrow and keep the fans happy.”
Jhonattan Vegas and Joaquin Niemann could almost have been singing from the same hymn book after their second rounds of the ISPS HANDA Australian Open, the pair in the hunt for the Stonehaven Cup behind leader Min Woo Lee.
Both bemoaning putters that stayed cold on Saturday at The Lakes while Lee was heating up The Australian and the large crowds, Niemann and Vegas spoke glowingly of the golf and Australian fans after finishing the day on 8-under, four back of Lee.
“I’ve been enjoying Australia ever since I got here. There are nice people following, nice crowd,” Niemann said.
Returning from a prolonged injury break that took him off the golf course for eight months, PGA TOUR winner Vegas was similarly glowing in his praise of Australia and Australians.
“The experience has been amazing, man. Like I’ve said from the beginning, I love it here,” he said.
“I enjoy it here. Even though it’s a long way away, I enjoy coming here and I have lots of friends. Lots of Australian guys I play on the PGA TOUR are here.
“I feel like I have a great relationship with them.”
The pair’s round descriptions were almost interchangeable following matching Friday 69s that came without a bogey, Vegas enjoying his day a little more when he holed out for an eagle two at the par-4 13th early in the round.
“We had a pretty good day overall, not much to really complain about,” he said.
“Just gave myself a lot of opportunities and didn’t make any of them. Just made one putt all day.”
All of Niemann’s three birdies coming on The Lakes back nine.
“I think I played amazing. I didn’t miss any shots on the tee and didn’t miss any shot, I don’t know if I missed the green for the whole round,” Niemann said.
“I mean, it’s kind of good and also disappointing at the same time I couldn’t be able to shoot a really low round today.”
Where the pair of title hopefuls do differ is their approach over the weekend. Whereas Niemann will be hyper focused on improving his scoring and challenging for the title, Vegas is just happy to be back playing tournament golf.
“No expectations to be honest. I’m just going to go there and play golf,” he said.
“Whatever the weekend brings, it’s going to bring, right? I’ve just got to let my game slowly get into it … one shot at a time and just enjoy the weekend.”
An enjoyable weekend is yet another piece of common ground for the pair of foreign raiders.
Photo: Jhonattan Vegas at The Lakes in round two of the Australian Open
Min Woo Lee is without question the man of the moment in Australian golf, with last week’s Fortinet Australian PGA champion now with eyes on also taking the ISPS HANDA Australian Open trophy west for Christmas.
Out in the marquee group alongside Cameron Smith, the Aussie pair were joined by Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino and a throng of fans on Friday afternoon at The Australian Golf Club as Lee authored a 7-under 64 powered by a back nine 30.
The 25-year-old saved his best for last. A swooping hooked 9-iron from 174 metres ended up two feet from the hole on the par-5 18th to set up a simple eagle that took him to 12-under for the tournament and a three-shot lead over Connor Syme and Patrick Rodgers.
The trio of Jhonattan Vegas, Joaquin Niemann and Aussie veteran Sam Brazel are a further shot back.
“A bit lucky off the tee shot, I pulled it, but I smoked it, so I knew I had a chance of carrying that bunker,” Lee said of his last hole heroics.
“Ended up in the nice pine straw out there and had a really good number for a 9-iron, like really big 9-iron and I’ve been hitting draws all week and it kind of sat up really nicely.
“I saw the (TV) coverage and it spun left towards the hole and nearly actually went in, so really happy with that finish. It’s always nice to make an eagle whenever, but on the last hole, it’s even nicer.”
The eagle three came after four back nine birdies, including at the 16th where Lee had the large crowd entertained when he asked for the commentary of his birdie try to be shushed before rolling in the 10 footer.
“Yeah, that was funny. I knew while the other boys were putting, you could hear the commentary before and it was just before I went in, it was my sister hitting a putt or a chip or something and then it’s like, ‘Min Woo for the outright lead’,” he said.
Lee once again engendered himself to the Sydney crowd by depositing his ball into the masses to scrap over a valued souvenir.
“That’s just the type of golf I play. I’m not that serious. It’s not many times we get to play out here in Australia and enjoy this type of crowd, so I’m soaking it all in,” he said.
Those chasing Lee were also enjoying the atmosphere and impeccably conditioned Australian, as well as the highly touted The Lakes Golf Club, with Syme recording a 1-under 70 at the latter to reach 9-under early.
Rodgers came in with the same score in one of the last groups at The Australian, which will host the weekend play that gets underway at 6.30am Saturday.
“It’s just awesome playing in front of these crowds. They were tremendous,” American Rodgers said.
“I can’t say that it was unexpected because I know the Australian crowds love their golf, but yeah, it’s just an absolute pleasure to play in front of.”
Beyond Rodgers and Syme, the trio of Niemann, Vegas and Brazel sit in front of nine players on 7-under, including 2018 Australian Golf Club champion Jeffrey Guan, while the early fans through the gate will have the chance to witness Cam Smith and Adam Scott among other big names and rising stars.
The Aussie major-winning pair areboth on four-under through 36 holes.
However, full of confidence after last week’s win and loving life in front of the packed crowds, Lee will be tough to chase down on a course seemingly made for his game and aggressive mindset.
“I don’t back down from anything and I’m an aggressive player and I’ve always been that way so unless I have a massive lead, I mean I probably wouldn’t,” Lee said.
“But if I do have somewhat of a lead I would still be aggressive as much as I can. Yeah, go out there and do the same thing.”
Photo: Min Woo Lee during his second round at The Australian
Patrick Rodgers has played more than 250 PGA Tour events, and with the change in how the US circuit structures its season, the American is taking a rare chance to enjoy a holiday mixing work with pleasure.
A one-time ISPS HANDA Australian Open competitor back in 2014 at one of this week’s co-hosts The Australian Golf Club, Rodgers opened his 2023 account with an 8-under 64 on Thursday to sit one back of first-round leader Cameron Davis.
“It’s been a while since I’ve played. I’ve been taking advantage of the off season over in the States and this was a perfect opportunity to come down here,” Rodgers said at The Lakes.
“I’ve been wanting to do it for a long time. I haven’t been down here since 2014 and had an amazing experience back then. It’s great to be back and great to kick off some rust in a nice fashion in round one.”
That rust was removed with 10 birdies and two bogeys from the one-time amateur star as he looks to win for the first time since 2015, while still enjoying the harbour city after a push from a former caddie to head Down Under.
Rodgers’ former lopper is a constant salesperson for his homeland to his old boss, who so enjoyed a pro-am grouping with three Sydney Swans players he went back to his hotel and watched AFL highlights on YouTube.
“I have plenty of Australian connections. A guy who used to caddie for me, who’s a great friend, Shane Joel’s from Brisbane and was always wanting me to come down here, so yeah, it’s great to be here,” he said.
“Trying to balance obviously having this be a great work week but also experiencing one of the best cities in the world.”
Rodgers’ business and pleasure trip perhaps the ideal tonic to prepare him for his 10th year playing the PGA TOUR, a year in which he might finally break his duck.
“When I play, I want to play well. For me it almost feels like the start of something. I finished in August and haven’t played since, so I’m kind of getting ready for a big start in January on the PGA TOUR and this is a great way to test out some changes and see where my game is.”
The 100th staging of the WA Open will break new ground in October 2024 with the tournament being hosted by Mandurah Country Club for the first time.
GolfWA has reached an agreement with Visit Mandurah and the City of Mandurah to bring the historic event to the Peel region after a 29-year hiatus. Meadow Springs Golf Club was the last Peel club to host the championship back in 1995.
In announcing Mandurah Country Club as the host venue, GolfWA Chief Executive Gary Thomas said: “The WA Open is the biggest golf championship to take place in Western Australia each year and we’re delighted to be able to bring it to Mandurah Country Club for the first time.
“The 100th staging of the WA Open makes 2024 a very special year for GolfWA. Mandurah Country Club is a magnificent venue and a superb test of golf that will challenge even the best players on the PGA Tour of Australasia and make for an extremely memorable championship.
“GolfWA is grateful for the support of The City of Mandurah and Visit Mandurah to bring the event to Mandurah in 2024. We hope golf fans will take the opportunity to come and watch Australia’s top players battle it out, as well as visit some of the wonderful attractions the region has to offer.”
Visit Mandurah General Manager Anita Kane, added: “We look forward to welcoming both players and spectators to experience the WA Open in the beautiful surroundings of Mandurah, Australia’s Top Tourism Town.
“Mandurah Country Club is a fitting venue for this prestigious championship and along with other superbly designed courses in spectacular locations, the Mandurah region is a golfing holiday dream and is sure to excite and challenge golfers of all abilities.”
“We’re excited to welcome the WA Open to our beautiful part of the world next year, giving players, organisers and golf fans the opportunity to enjoy everything Mandurah has to offer,” Mandurah Mayor Rhys Williams said.
“The City of Mandurah is proud to help bring events such as this one to Mandurah. It’s a great way to further showcase our beautiful natural areas, waterways and local award-winning tourism offerings, as well as providing a boost to our economy.”
The 2024 WA Open Golf Championship will take place at Mandurah Country Club next October. Precise dates are to be confirmed. The championship is a mainstay on the annual PGA Tour of Australasia schedule and offers a prize fund in excess of $170,000.
The WA Open was first staged in 1913 and has a star-studded roll of honour that includes Greg Norman, Gary Player, Terry Gale, Brett Rumford, Stephen Leaney and Curtis Luck. Tasmania’s Simon Hawkes is the defending champion.
More information on Mandurah Country Club can be found here.
More information on tourism activities in Mandurah can be found here.
Cam Davis loves that feeling of being at home in Sydney and it showed with his scintillating first-round 63 at The Lakes to lead the ISPS HANDA Australian Open men’s tournament today.
The Seattle-based, Sydney-born Davis, 28, has visions of becoming one of the best players in the world and today’s performance was certainly world class.
He had seven birdies and a brilliant eagle at the par-5 14th hole at The Lakes, which played somewhat easier than The Australian down the road, and which produced most of the day’s best scores.
The New South Welshman leads by a shot from US-tour player Patrick Rodgers and Scotland’s Connor Syme, who both had 64s.
A further shot back is Perth rookie professional Hayden Hopewell at 6-under par 65 on The Lakes, and another Scot, Grant Forrest, also impressed on the tougher Australian with his 65.
Last week’s Fortinet Australian PGA Championship winner Min Woo Lee began tidily with a 5-under 67 at The Lakes, but Cameron Smith’s struggles of last week in Brisbane were largely an issue again.
He scrapped out a 1-under 71 at The Lakes and will need to find something at The Australian on Friday to ensure that he is around for the weekend.
The top 60 and ties will go through to the third and fourth rounds and Smith is tied-56th right now.
“Yeah, frustrating,” said the Queenslander. “I think it could have been a few less, to be honest. I kind of missed a couple of putts there towards the end of the round when I started to feel all right. A little bit frustrating, but it was better.”
Heavy rain on Wednesday forced tournament officials to allow preferred lies on closely mown areas on Thursday and the softer greens were to everyone’s liking.
But another heavy shower flooded at least one green at The Lakes and caused a 40-minute suspension in the middle of the day.
Fortunately for world No. 42 Davis, he had finished by then.
The Lakes is not his home club – he spent most of his youth playing at Monash and Roseville having started at the par-3 track at Terry Hills – but it is not in the slightest unfamiliar with the surrounds.
“I know this place relatively well, so I felt like I had plenty of good memories in the bank to go out and play the course with. That’s by far the cleanest round I’ve ever had around here and without the wind, it was awesome to make the most of the conditions the way they were.”
He will have his turn at the tougher of the two courses on Friday.
“Well the start here was a key,” he said. “You want to make the most of good conditions out here, because there is the opportunity to go low, so very happy with the start and now it’s just about finding rhythm out there.
“It’s a different golf course, different grass, probably different conditions today, as well for the rest of the week. So you’ve just got to start all over again pretty much and try and find your rhythm and if you do, get three rounds in a row now at the same place and get used to the sidelines and fingers crossed some more good play.
“I’d love to be right up there on Sunday.”
Smith’s round included a ball into the water on his second hole, the par-5 11th and drowned another one three holes later, but it was steady work for most of the morning.
“I missed a couple of putts at the end of the round when I started to feel alright,” he said.
“There’s definitely something to build on there – I didn’t feel as anxious or uncomfortable.”
Davis tees off at 12.22pm on Friday in the second round, playing at The Australian.
Smith and Lee are also at The Australian, off the first tee at noon and on the evidence of today’s crowd at The Lakes, bound to have a big following again.
Western Australia has become quite the breeding ground for Australian golfing talent.
Of course, the Lees – Minjee and Min Woo – hail from the West, so too Hannah Green and her fiancé Jarryd Felton, as well as the likes of Curtis Luck, Haydn Barron and Connor McKinney, with one the early low rounds at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open belonging to another Sandgroper.
Hayden Hopewell is no stranger to professional tournament golf, the 22-year-old winning the WA Open in 2020 before fishing runner-up the following year and losing the Webex Players Series Murray River in a play-off all whilst still an amateur.
A professional since last year’s Fortinet Australian PGA Championship, Hopewell opened his account this week at the lower scoring The Lakes Golf Club before heavy rain halted play with seven-under 65 to sit two back of early leader Cam Davis.
“A solid day out there. I was pretty happy, just enjoying myself out there and managed to string a few birdies together,” he said.
“It’s a plotting course and I just plotted my way around and then made sure I was where I needed to be on the greens and I managed to roll a few in, which was quite nice.”
Happily in the clubhouse before the deluge that caused the brief pause while play continued at co-host The Australian Golf Club, Hopewell has looked to be enjoying himself a great deal this week, firstly with his birthday last Sunday when he finished T33 at Royal Queensland.
The other enjoyable element the crew of West Australian talent engaging in games on the putting green that emote the occasional fist pump, and potentially some money changing hands, as well as practice rounds.
Hopewell getting a look at one of the host venues alongside last week’s winner Lee and fellow new pro Joshua Greer.
“It’s good, the WA boys sticking together,” he said. “He’s (Min Woo) been a close mate of mine since junior golf. I’m a couple of years younger than him, but we’re best mates, so we just have a laugh out there and see how good we can go.
“There were a few side bets going on.”
Admitting that losing a lunch bet to Lee is probably a more significant financial loss than the other way round, Hopewell is well placed to improve his Australian Open record that includes a T10 last year.
His first experience at the tournament coming in 2019 at The Australian, where he will play his next three rounds, with a good week helping his Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit place and potentially allowing for more practice rounds and putting games with Lee, Barron and co.
Photo: Hayden Hopewell, Min Woo Lee and Josh Greer at The Lakes
Min Woo Lee has suddenly become one of the hottest tickets in world golf, but the young Perth superstar is hellbent on adding to his resume at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open this week.
Min Woo Lee has suddenly become one of the hottest tickets in world golf, but the young Perth superstar is hellbent on adding to his resume at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open this week.
Evidence of his maturity and commitment came as early as Sunday night, soon after he had won the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship.
He fulfilled his winners obligations and carted the trophy around for the social media shots, but he was in bed before midnight.
Then he flew to Sydney the next morning with his head clear and began preparation for this week’s national championship at The Australian and The Lakes.
Not only that, but he said he may skip going to see the singer Post Malone on Wednesday night – one of his favourite acts who he saw in Brisbane – and stick to his tournament routine this week.
The 25-year-old said he learned a lesson about over-celebrating after his win in Macau on the Asian Tour earlier this year.
“Again, work to do this week,” he said today. “My win in Macau I kind of learnt from. I went pretty hard after that win and had Zozo (Championship) the week after, so I thought I didn’t get the best preparation for that week, so I’m learning from those experiences.
“I just had a, I’ll say medium, not quiet, not massive, just right in the middle. Good enough to celebrate but not enough for a hangover, so right in between, and again, ready for this week.”
Lee already has a connection with the public that goes beyond the ordinary; Sunday’s events at Royal Queensland, and especially his chip-in midway through the round and full fist-pumping celebration, only added to his growing fame.
So did his donning of a chef’s hat at the 17th, the party hole at Royal Queensland, channeling his Instagram line of ‘let’s Cook’.
The hat act wasn’t planned.
But he’ll run with it anyway, as you do when you have 364,000 Insta followers.
“I still have to ask my caddie where he got the chef hat on 17 because … I told him before the hole ‘chuck me some balls, I’m going to throw them out after the hole’s done’. And then he gives me the chef’s hat, and I’m like, ‘I’m not wearing this’, and he’s like, ‘go on, wear it’.
“So I ended up wearing it. But it was a shock to me, I didn’t know that it was happening. So, I’ve still got to ask him when he got it.”
Lee has a bit of history at The Australian, which will host the final two rounds this week. Back as far as 2016 he played alongside Jordan Spieth here when Spieth won.
“I was 17 years old, so it was unreal,” he said. “I played with him on the Saturday, obviously when school was done and all the kids got out and the fairways were filled with so many people.
“I didn’t end up playing that good, but it was definitely an experience I can look back on and kind of got caught up in all of it, and as a 17-year-old, you don’t have that big of a crowd, so I really loved that moment and now that I get to play with Jordan, it’s pretty cool, week in, week out.
“I know The Australian golf course is tough, which is probably better for me. I like pretty tough courses, or if it’s easy, it’s nice and easy and I’m playing good golf. So, both of them can help. I’m hitting the ball really well now.”
Lee is now No. 38 in the world and has his sights set on the Olympics in Paris next year. Currently he sits behind Cameron Smith and Jason Day among Australian men in the slot for Games, but he can address that quickly with a win this week.
Of course, he’ll be only one of the two members of his family playing, with Minjee Lee teeing it up as well and chasing her first Australian Open win.
“I get a little pissed off when she wins the week after, because I got the light on me for a little bit and then four days later or like a week later, she’s holding a trophy,” he said.
“We’re happy for each other. We want to only do well and inspire kids and keep playing good golf, so it’s not that bad of a sibling rivalry, but a little petty, from me usually.”
