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Sarah Wilson has become only the second female in the 95-year tournament history to compete against the men at the Queensland Open.
Following in the footsteps of Becky Kay who played in the 2018 ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia event, the last time it was played, Wilson will join the field of 131 male professional and amateurs when the championship tees off this Thursday.
The 19-year-old was one of eleven pre-qualifiers at host venue Pelican Waters Golf Club with a two-under-par 70 from the blue tees.
“I’m very excited (to pre-qualify) and very happy to do it around my home track and have a bit of support,” said the local member.
“I think it’s really awesome to follow in the footsteps of Becky Kay, being my idol growing up.”
“Pelican has done a great job after the downpour of all the rain lately and I think the course will shape up to be quite tough out there. Off the blacks it will be a good challenge for the pros.”
Queensland’s Ryan Mulvany shot a sizzling four-under-par 68 to take out the qualifier, with NSW trio Josh Armstrong, Thomas Heaton and professional Jack McLeod, plus rookie Victorian Matias Sanchez one shot back.
Amateur Blaike Perkins survived an eight-man playoff to secure the final qualifying spot.
At Gailes Golf Club, the trio of Clayton Bridges, Paul Hayden and Wade Edwards finished atop with four-under-par 69.
Victorian amateur Toby Walker and New South Wales professional Anthony Choat survived a five-man playoff for the final qualifying spots.
A total of 161 players played for 21 exemptions, with amateurs nabbing nine of the spots.
Pelican Waters Qualifiers: Ryan Mulvany, Jack McLeod, Matias Sanchez, Thomas Heaton (a), Josh Armstrong (a), Teeren Kannan, Sarah Wilson (a), Lachlan Hancock, Ben Stieler (a) and Blaike Perkins (a).
Gailes Qualifiers: Clayton Bridges, Paul Hayden, Wade Edwards, Austin Bautista, Tristan Nicholls, Chris Crooks, Chris Wood, Peter Martin, Toby Walker (a) and Anthony Choat.
In a field of 132 players, 29 amateurs will contest the professionals when play begins this Thursday.
The 2020 Isuzu Queensland Open will be played from 20 – 23 February at Pelican Waters Golf Club, Sunshine Coast. Visit the website for more information.
Online lessons with Aussie swing guru Bradley Hughes has restored Scott Arnold’s love of golf and reinstated the belief that he can win again at the highest level.
Arnold was at the centre of scorecard confusion that constituted part of a chaotic conclusion to the Coca-Cola Queensland PGA Championship at City Golf Club in Toowoomba on Sunday, ultimately losing at the fourth hole of a playoff against close friend Michael Sim in a frenetic finale.
When he handed in his scorecard it became apparent that Arnold had finished at 12-under par and not 13-under as everyone on course and PGA TV commentators Mark Allen and Ewan Porter believed.
The miscalculation stemmed from a bogey at the par-4 ninth for which Arnold had been credited with a par, tournament leader Brad Kennedy told halfway down the 72nd hole that a par would in fact be good enough to win.
But Kennedy’s double-bogey and Sim’s brilliant birdie resulted in a two-man playoff that was all the more remarkable given the pair were due to drive to the Gold Coast together at the end of the day’s play.
“I noticed on about 13 that they had my score wrong on a leaderboard,” Arnold said of the scoreboard error.
“I thought, That’s one out. Obviously Brad got told coming in that it was one shot wrong but I never honestly thought I would even be in a playoff.
“The way that the back nine was going, the last three days everyone had been making birdies and he was 16-under at one stage and I was only 12 or 13. I was still three or four behind and just trying to keep it in play and make birdies and if not stress-free pars and hopefully finish in the top three.
“When I saw that they’d told Brad and he laid up… I didn’t think he’d make six. I thought he’d definitely be in a playoff. And then I didn’t know Michael was there until I was walking out the door and heard Ewan say ‘Michael Sim’s not out of this’ and then I watched him hit it in close.
“I heard the groans when Brad missed and it was only going to be me and Michael in the playoff.
“I just wanted to give myself a chance to win. If I did I would have been super happy but I’m not disappointed one bit because I’ve worked so hard to be in this position.
“Now that I’m finally here all the hard work has paid off.”
Now 34 years of age, Arnold spent the majority of 2019 on the secondary Abema TV Tour in Japan but has been existing in golf’s wilderness for much of the past three years.
He played just 20 events attracting World Rankings points in 2017-18 but having recently linked with Hughes is starting to see a return to the type of golf that once made him the world’s leading amateur.
A former Australian Masters winner himself, Hughes has become one of golf’s most in-demand swing gurus due largely to the way he has resurrected the career of American Brendon Todd and he is having a similar effect on Arnold.
“I haven’t played well for quite a few years,” conceded Arnold, who was in the mix at the halfway mark of a star-studded Australian Open in December.
“I lost the love of the game for a little bit, got forced to keep playing and that wasn’t a great idea.
“I was going to tournaments and not really wanting to be there. I was never going to play to my potential not wanting to be there.
“The last couple of months I’ve had a few lessons with Brad Hughes in America online and things have turned around.
“I’m feeling a bit more comfortable and actually wanting to be out here playing which is a big difference.
“If I can be in that mindset in the next couple of weeks I can try and win one of the next two.
“I’m not really that disappointed to lose because I’ve been playing well of late but not putting everything together.
“This week was hopefully a turning point and I can kick-on the next couple of weeks.”
As for the car ride back to the Gold Coast, Arnold put to rest any notion that the pair would be sitting side by side silent for two hours.
“It’s so good to see Michael playing well again because he was in the same boat as me,” said Arnold.
“We didn’t really want to play but we were still playing but now we’re both playing well and enjoying it.
“It was so fun to play in those playoff holes. We’re best mates so I was much more relaxed playing those playoff holes with him than I would have been otherwise.”
Gold Coast-based Michael Sim has completed the Queensland quinella after dropped shots and scoring miscalculations saw the final round of the Coca-Cola Queensland PGA Championship conclude in chaotic fashion.
After he stormed to the top of the leaderboard with a course record 9-under 61 in the opening round at City Golf Club in Toowoomba on Thursday, Brad Kennedy spent the next 54 holes trying to keep the field at bay.
With a one-shot buffer at the start of the final round, Kennedy picked up shots at the third, fifth and 12th holes to be 15-under and four shots clear of Sim and the chasing pack with three holes to play before disaster struck.
The Queenslander dropped shots at both 16 and 17 to fall to 13-under and stood on the 18th tee with the understanding that Sydney’s Scott Arnold was safely ensconced in the clubhouse on the same score.
It wasn’t until after Kennedy had hit his tee shot into the left rough that he was informed Arnold had in fact posted 12-under and that par would be enough to complete a wire-to-wire win.
It also opened the door for Sim, who was in prime position in the centre of the fairway and needing a birdie to also get to 12-under and keep his faint title hopes alive.
“Walking off 15 I thought any chance of winning was almost gone,” Sim admitted after a par at the fourth playoff hole was enough to defeat Arnold, a close mate who is hitching a lift back to the Gold Coast on Sunday evening.
“Everything just happened so fast. I stood on the 18th tee at 11 (under) and Scott was in at 13. I actually asked Graeme Scott the tournament director whether Scott had finished at 13. He’s a mate of mine and I thought I was gone but he said he’d actually finished at 12.
“Brad was over in the trees and I saw him lay up and I thought, I’ve got a chance here if I hit a good shot and birdie it, which I did.
“I didn’t have my best stuff today – I don’t really think anyone near the top of the leaderboard did. Everyone kept falling away and it was nice to hit a great 8-iron into the last there in regulation and give myself a chance in the playoff.”
After choosing to lay up from deep rough with his second shot, Kennedy three-putted the 72nd hole to miss the playoff entirely, Sim and Arnold trading pars and bogeys from all sides of the 18th hole until Sim prevailed at the fourth attempt with an up-and-down from just left of the green.
Sim’s Queensland Open victory at Brisbane Golf Club in 2017 was his first in eight years and a career that once promised all the highs that professional golf has to offer has been in a state of flux ever since.
Now a father with a young son, Sim won the WA Open in October last year but faced such an uncertain future in tournament golf that he is halfway through completing his PGA of Australia bridging course at Burleigh Golf Club.
It’s a far cry from the young man who went toe-to-toe with Tiger Woods in the final round of the 2009 US Open and his latest win ensures the tentacles of pro golf’s lure remain semi-attached.
“I might go to America and do some pre-qualifiers, I don’t know,” said Sim, who will start next week’s Queensland Open at Pelican Waters Golf Club as one of the tournament favourites.
“I’m doing my bridging program at the moment and I’m halfway through that but I seem to have been playing well since I started my traineeship. I’m not too sure what the future holds.
“There’s a lot of emotion. I never thought I’d be here and to come away with the trophy is just amazing.”
Kennedy finished tied for third at 11-under along with fellow Japan Golf Tour regular Michael Hendry, Dimi Papadatos and Korean Chang Gi Lee with Andrew Dodt (64), Denzel Ieremia (70) and Anthony Quayle (73) a shot further back in a tie for seventh.
Brad Kennedy holds a four-shot lead at the #QLDPGA with much of round two still to be completed at a rain-soaked City Golf Club in Toowoomba.
Despite the typical Queensland bathing the regional course during the morning’s action, rain again forced the suspension of play by the afternoon.
Kennedy was 20 minutes away from taking to the tee for round two before the downfall forced the players from the field for three hours.
Yet the interruption made little impact on the 45-year-old, who went on to shoot 3-under thru 12 to push out to a 12-under the card total.
It follows his course record-equalling 9-under 61 yesterday.
“It was pretty tricky out there, but I’m feeling good and in control. It’s early days into my season so I’m not expecting a lot,” the Japan Tour player said.
It took until the seventh hole for Kennedy to extend his overnight advantage. He followed that effort up on nine and secured consecutive birdies.
“I’m just trying to match my intention with every shot. The green was soft and the rain made it challenging to judge distances, but I remained calm and got myself into a good rhythm,” he said.
“You just have to go with it. I’m looking forward to playing another six holes tomorrow before commencing round 3.”
New South Welshman Callan O’Reilly hasn’t given up hope of reining in the runaway leader after a second consecutive round of 4-under 66 elevated him into second position.
O’Reilly and veteran David Bransdon were the ones to make up the most ground on Kennedy at the top of the leaderboard.
Former Canadian Open winner Nathan Green fired the best of the completed morning rounds with a 6-under 64 that was highlighted by an eagle at the par-5 17th while Queenslander Matthew Guyatt will take home a fond memory of his own having aced the 113-metre par-3 eighth.
Based at Toronto Country Club near Newcastle where Green also calls home, O’Reilly had to bounce back after making double-bogey at the par-4 first – his 10th hole for the day – but is confident that with less errors he has the weaponry to give Kennedy a run for his money.
“Today I showed that if I can keep the errors out of my game I’ve got a low number in me,” explained O’Reilly, who was 3-under at the turn and picked up birdies at two, five and seven to be 8-under at the halfway point of the tournament.
“We’re obviously up against it a bit trying to chase down Brad but he’s still got 54 holes to play and I’ve only got 36.
“I had one little glitch on the first where I made a bit of an error and made double-bogey there but pretty happy that I clawed it back. I made a birdie straight after it and played a solid back nine after that.
“I’ll just keep chipping away and see if I can catch up.”
Rain has again forced play to be suspended at the #QLDPGA.
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) February 14, 2020
Updates at https://t.co/usFfht4qR5 pic.twitter.com/LAmiTOBpfn
A regular on the Japan Golf Tour, there was just the one blemish on Bransdon’s scorecard, a bogey at the 403-metre par-4 ninth the only sour note in his 65 that featured six birdies and saw him join O’Reilly at 8-under, one shot behind Kennedy.
With challenging conditions and lengthier rough at City Golf Club than in years prior, former NZ Open champion Dimitrios Papadatos doesn’t expect scoring to be as low as it has been in past championships in Toowoomba.
Daniel Nisbet triumphed by six shots with a four-round total of 24-under 12 months ago but after moving into a tie for fourth at 7-under with a 2-under round of 68 on Friday morning, Papadatos remains in the hunt.
“It’s definitely more difficult than in recent years because of the rough being up and being soft out there it’s playing a little longer,” said Papadatos, who after starting on the back nine registered three birdies on the front to get back under par.
“The scoring is usually pretty low around here but this year it’s a bit different.
“You’ve just got to hang in there and keep giving yourself opportunities. I made a birdie on the second and got a bit of momentum back and kept going from there.”
The hottest round of Friday morning belongs to Austin Bautista, the Bankstown product reeling off seven birdies in just 12 holes to finish 7-under.
Round 2 will resume at 6:45am (AEST) with a two-tee round 3 start likely to commence from 10am.
The PGA and ALPG join forces to create new innovative tournament series
The PGA and ALPG are excited to announce a world-first joint tournament partnership called The Players Series.
The Players Series will see the creation of new events on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and ALPG Tour schedule where both men and women will compete in the same field for the same prize purse with one Order of Merit.
The Player Series will also look to the future of amateur golf by including juniors to the weekend play to rub shoulders with the professionals.
The Players Series’ primary goal is to provide quality playing opportunities and genuine pathways for Australia’s next generation of male and female professionals that complement the existing events on both tours.
We cannot wait to share with you more information.
Brad Kennedy has stormed clear in round one of the Coca-Cola Queensland PGA Championship as wild weather disrupted play at Toowoomba.
Rain delayed play for more than two hours as a heavy deluge lashed City Golf Club just as the afternoon field took to the tees.
With the greens sodden, the players were pulled from the course at around 12:30pm and returned at 2:45pm.
Kennedy, who shot 9-under, got to the clubhouse moments before the weather took a turn.
Play suspended at the #QLDPGA as the heavens open!
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) February 13, 2020
Could be a lengthy delay with the heavy rainfall lashing City Golf Club in Toowoomba.
Live scores ?? https://t.co/usFfht4qR5 pic.twitter.com/otu5qCS8a4
The veteran fired a bogey-free 61 – an equal course record – which included three birdies to close his round.
“I hit off the tenth (hole) and had an ideal start with a two-putt birdie. I drove it really well today, which is the key around Toowoomba City Golf Club. You’ve got to hit the fairways, which gives you a lot of opportunity to hit the greens,” Kennedy said.
“I managed to hole a couple of nice putts. I made a massive 50-foot putt for birdie on the third hole after being in a tricky position in a bunker.
“It just continued some momentum I had from the back nine and finished with three birdies. It’s nice to finish that way when you are gaining momentum.”
With up to 45 players still to complete round 1, round 2 tee times have been pushed back approximately 45 minutes. to cater the increased tee traffic.
Three-time European Tour winner Marcus Fraser and 2017 ISPS HANDA Vic Open champion Dimi Papadatos (both 5-under) are tied for second, while six players, including Warwick PGA Professional Samuel Eaves, are deadlocked at 4-under.
Kennedy was pleased to reverse his fortunes following a disappointing showing at last week’s Vic Open.
“Last week was a bit of a disappointment mentally. I learnt a lot after missing the cut. It has sharpened me up for this week,” he said.
“I have been doing this now for 25 years and you just know what it takes and last week I couldn’t get myself in the mindset. Now I’m making sure I’m doing all the right things to ensure I’m getting myself right.”
Fraser, who last week tied for third at the 13th Beach event, continues to be consistent and is in the mix at the end of round 1 play.
“It was pretty good out there today. I drove really well and had plenty of chances. The greens were a little bit bumpy because of the rain,” Fraser said.
“I’ve been pretty tired the last couple of days. It was a long week last week and throw in a Pro-Am on Monday, I’m just trying to charge the batteries up.
“When you’re playing well you just want to keep going. It was nice to get back out there in tournament conditions. I felt really comfortable last week, so it’s good to get going again today.”
The winner of the 2020 QLD PGA Championship will receive the bulk of the $150,000 prize course, as well as Official World Golf Ranking Points and full exemption onto the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia for the 2021 season, including a place in the Australian PGA Championship field.
The final two rounds of the tournament will be broadcast on FOX SPORTS and Kayo. Visit pga.org.au for broadcast times.
Two Major winners and a golfer who won the “fifth” Major will add significantly to the 101st New Zealand Open presented by SKY Sport in Queenstown later this month.
US Open winners Michael Campbell and Geoff Ogilvy have confirmed their start, along with the remarkable KJ Choi, who won The Players Championship, who will also return for a third straight year.
The 101st New Zealand Open, which has attracted 156 professionals from 18 countries, will be staged at Millbrook Resort and The Hills from 27 February to 1 March.
Campbell, who headed Tiger Woods by two shots at Pinehurst in 2005 to secure a place in golfing history, returned to the game last year and to the 100th New Zealand Open.
The 2000 New Zealand Open champion has joined the European Seniors Staysure Tour, with a best performance a share of second place in the PGA Seniors Championship last year.
With a year of more regular competition under his belt, Campbell has returned to Millbrook Resort, from his base in Spain, and will undoubtedly be a little more ‘match fit’ than he was a year ago.
Tournament Director Michael Glading welcomed the return of former New Zealand Open winner Campbell, recognising the large part that Manuka Doctor has played in making this happen.
“Manuka Doctor are a significant sponsor of the New Zealand Open, and also give great support to Michael, so for us this is a match made in heaven. We are just delighted to have Michael return to play in our event again” said Glading.
Geoff Ogilvy, who won 12 times as a professional including eight on the PGA Tour, and claimed the US Open crown in 2006, reaching #4 in the world rankings.
While he played in the New Zealand Open as a young professional, he ventured back last year for his first-ever visit to Queenstown after closing a long chapter of golfing life based in the US to return with his family to Melbourne.
He has spent much of the year settling his family into life in Australia, taking up the cudgels as an assistant to Ernie Els for the Presidents Cup and playing fleetingly.
But he saw enough of the golf courses at Millbrook Resort and The Hills, and the spectacular surrounds of Queenstown to return.
“I had a really good time last year and am really looking forward to coming back” said Ogilvy.
Choi, Asia’s most successful golfer, is returning to the New Zealand Open for a third straight year, and will reunite with Ogilvy, with the pair both serving as assistants in the Presidents Cup.
He has won 29 times over 25 years as a professional and claimed a top-20 finish last year.
“I have greatly enjoyed my last two visits to the New Zealand Open and I cannot say enough about the presentation of the courses at Millbrook Resort and The Hills,” said Choi.
“I played quite well last year, and I feel if my game is at its best then I can be very competitive at Millbrook Resort, which will be the host course this time.”
The 101st New Zealand Open, who carries a prize purse of $1.4million, is a co-sanctioned event with the PGA Tour of Australasia and the Asian Tour, and in partnership with the Japan Golf Tour.
Sports stars have an uncanny ability to perfect any sport they choose and when it comes to golf, former NRL great Ben Ikin is no different.
The NRL 360 host will tee it up in this week’s Coca-Cola Queensland PGA Championship.
He has always been skilful with a golf club in hand but to take his game to the next level for his second attempt at the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia tournament, he once again enlisted the help of PGA Professional Matt Guyatt.
Following almost two years of lessons and a get-to-scratch plan, Guyatt, a former Tour Professional, is confident that when they return to the fairways of City Golf Club on Thursday Ikin will be ready to compete.
“We’ve had a year since the last QLD PGA and we haven’t stopped working or connecting and trying to help his game get better and better,” said Guyatt, who will tee off alongside Ikin and Anthony Quayle at 12:35pm on Thursday.
“I think this year he’s a lot more relaxed coming in and he knows what to expect a bit more. Last year he got a big shock when he stood on that first tee and realised how nervous he was. Those nerves really never left him.”
With rounds of 81 and 85 at City Golf Club in 2019, Ikin faced a tough introduced to the world of professional golf but quickly realised it wasn’t just him who succumbed to the pressure of a tournament environment.
“He felt last year that he wasn’t supposed to hit bad shots when you’re in a pro tournament but he very quickly realised that A, he was going to do that and B, so did we as Professionals,” laughed Guyatt.
“I think he’s in a lot better space this year to really come up and enjoy himself. He knows he’s got to shoot two of probably the best rounds of his life to try and make the cut but he just wants to beat last year’s scores.”
While tournament golf still elicits nerves for Guyatt, the challenge for him this week will be swapping lessons for consecutive days of tournament golf. It’s a battle he will face alongside Head Professionals John Wright, Wayne Perske, Sam Eaves and Chris Britnell.
“We’re not used to playing four days in a row anymore when for all the tour guys, that’s what they do,” he said.
“The biggest challenge is to get ourselves around the golf course. We can all do it and shoot good scores but it’s a matter of putting 72 holes together. I remember Adam Scott telling me that when I played in an Aussie Masters a few years back.
“He won and I shook his hand afterwards and he said ‘mate, you’ve had a great week and it’s just about turning 63 good holes into 72’ and for us as club pros and teaching pros it’s trying to put 18 together and put another 18 on top of that and then another 36.”
For all of his students, including Tour debutant Connor McLachlan, Guyatt believes keeping it simple and sticking to your own game is the best approach.
“It’s a matter of forgetting about everyone else,” Guyatt said. “That’s a hard thing to do but the more you do it the better you get.
“For Ben it’s about playing his most comfortable shot as often as possible. Ben knows where his skill set is and what he’s capable of doing and I really encourage him to hit his favourite shot as much as he can.
“Don’t hit a shot because it looks like the golf course is telling him to hit it right to left if right to left is not his shot. Just choose the simplest shot, that’s my motto, then rehearse the feeling and then just go. Trust the work that he’s done.”
Guyatt and Ikin are among the 156 player field including reigning champion Daniel Nisbet that will compete for the winner’s share of the $150,000 prize purse, World Golf Ranking Points and exemption on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia until the end of the 2021 season.
The Coca-Cola Queensland PGA Championship tees off at City Golf Club in Toowoomba this Thursday 13 February. The final two rounds of the tournament will be broadcast of FOX SPORTS and Kayo. Visit pga.org.au for broadcast times.
For Coca-Cola QLD PGA Championship tee times visit pga.org.au.
The Coca-Cola Queensland PGA Championship and New Zealand Open will be broadcast on FOX SPORTS Australia, following a landmark agreement that strengthens the PGA of Australia’s pursuit to growing golf in the country.
As an Official Media Partner of the PGA and the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, FOX SPORTS holds the Australian rights to broadcast the two events, which will be broadcast on FOX SPORTS, on Foxtel, and also available to stream live and on demand on the dedicated sports platform Kayo.
Under the agreement FOX SPORTS and Kayo coverage will be provided by the PGA’s popular streaming platform, PGATV, which has previously showcased the country’s most talented golfers at the Queensland PGA, Western Australia PGA and Victorian PGA championships.
PGA of Australia Commercial Director Michael McDonald said the PGA was looking to transition more tournaments currently being streamed via PGATV onto broadcast television.
“This new agreement is a great result for our Tour, as it provides the opportunity for Australian fans unable to attend our tournaments with the option of enjoying them on television via FOX SPORTS and Kayo,” Mr McDonald said.
“The ISPS HANDA Tour of Australasia has such a rich history of Australians going on to compete on the world stage and these televised events provide our fans an opportunity to get to know and watch the many talented players on our tour both emerging and existing.”
The Queensland PGA Championship will be staged at City Golf Club for the 11th consecutive year.
The event, 13-16 February, is one of the feature events on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.
The Coca-Cola Queensland PGA Championship broadcast times:
Saturday 15 February
Live on Fox Sports 505 & Kayo
AEDST: 1:30pm–4:30pm
Sunday 16 February
Live on Fox Sports 507 & Kayo
AEDST: 12pm-5pm
The NZ Open broadcast times (subject to change):
Thursday 27 and Friday 28 February
Fox Sports – Channel 503
VIC/NSW – 1pm-5pm
QLD – 12pm-4pm
SA – 12:30pm-4:30pm
WA – 10am-2pm
Saturday 29 February
Fox Sports – 503
VIC/NSW – 12pm-3pm
QLD – 11am-2pm
SA – 11:30am-2:30pm
WA – 9am-12pm
Sunday 1 March
Fox Sports – 506 (Replay Coverage)
VIC/NSW – from 6pm
QLD – from 5pm
SA – from 5.30pm
WA – from 3pm
KATHIE SHEARER: Ladies and gentlemen, what a day. Are we all exhausted? What two wonderful winners. MIN WOO LEE: Exhausted? No. HEE YOUNG PARK: I played four, five more holes than him. MIN WOO LEE: No, it’s worth it. We worked hard for this, so it’s pretty special. KATHIE SHEARER: What does this win mean […]
KATHIE SHEARER: Ladies and gentlemen, what a day. Are we all exhausted? What two wonderful winners.
MIN WOO LEE: Exhausted? No.
HEE YOUNG PARK: I played four, five more holes than him.
MIN WOO LEE: No, it’s worth it. We worked hard for this, so it’s pretty special.
KATHIE SHEARER: What does this win mean for you both?
HEE YOUNG PARK: Keep it easy. I don’t have to hit the shot all the time with really perfectness, just put it in the fairways and greens, and if I have chance to make a putt, if par, happy with that.
KATHIE SHEARER: Wonderful. Min?
MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, the win means a lot. I get to pick my schedule now. Just being crowned the Vic Open champion, it’s pretty special. As my first win, it’s pretty sweet. I don’t think it’s sunk in yet, but I’ll wake up tomorrow feeling good. Maybe drunk.
Q. Min, we feel like we’ve been waiting for this forever. Do you feel like you’ve been waiting for this forever?
MIN WOO LEE: It’s pretty sweet. It’s awesome. For the last month and a bit I feel like it’s been pretty close. Aussie PGA was a few shots back of Scotty and I thought I didn’t play too good, but I got my putter fixed this week and ended up on a roll and didn’t really miss too many putts. So yeah, with my ball‑striking on form and my putting good, I guess I ended up with this trophy, so I’m happy.
Q. Now that you’ve done it, what’s the difference between being close and winning?
MIN WOO LEE: I don’t know. I think obviously the conditions were pretty tough and I was just so in control of my ball. I think I have a big advantage in the wind just because I can keep that down. You know, nice help with the Callaway clubs and it’s pretty good.
Q. What can you do in your career? Do you have a feel for that? What can you do?
MIN WOO LEE: What can I do? You know, my goal was to get to the top‑75 at the end of the year. I think it was top‑75 at the end of last year.
But, you know, I always knew I had the ability to be one of the top players in the world and I think I’ve shown this week that, for myself as well, that I could play under pressure and play pretty comfortably and shoot a low score. So, you know, I’m not going to say what I can be and who I can be, but I’m really excited for the next year and next few years. Hopefully I’m playing on the big stage and playing some majors and contending in them.
Q. You’ve shot a lot of low scores in your life. These aren’t the lowest, these last two, but they have to rank among your most precious rounds.
MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, it wasn’t the best low score relative to par, but just mentally and physically, I give my score pretty high, nine out of 10 all week. It didn’t ever get lower than that. So, yeah, I think golf‑wise it was very solid and it’s probably ranked top three for my whole life.
Q. Is it fair to say that you need a challenge to motivate you?
MIN WOO LEE: A little bit. I think it was a bit of a blessing in disguise missing by one in Saudi and coming here early. I knew I wasn’t too far. There was like 60(k) winds in Saudi and I didn’t handle it all that well and that actually kind of helped this week because of those high winds. It’s pretty special.
Q. Hee Young, how did you find the wind today and your position in the field? You know, you were quite a way back. How did you find the conditions?
HEE YOUNG PARK: It was really tough wind and the green was very tough with the speed, speed‑wise. But I hit it all good all week, I hit it really well. I didn’t really watch the leaderboards, so until the 17th I didn’t know what my spot was and realised I was really close. So I try my best 18 holes and luckily made a birdie and I got a chance and keep grinding.
Q. And is it true, I think you said you might stop golf last year?
HEE YOUNG PARK: Yeah, I was going to ‑‑ yeah, I married and it was really busy, different life because I’m married and I have more family now, a housewife and golf and a lot of things going on. So my ranking wasn’t a great year and I had to go to Q‑School. My husband really, you know, forced make to try to Q‑School and I went there and I played Q‑School. It was tough because 13 years ago it was only five rounds, but it was eight rounds, so it was really tough but I made it. I had a chance to play this year and then here it is.
Q. Min, were you here in 2014 and ’18 when Minjee won?
MIN WOO LEE: ’18 maybe?
Q. Yep.
MIN WOO LEE: Not ’14, I was too young.
Q. Did you have a chance to see her reaction to you winning this afternoon?
MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, I saw some pictures. It was pretty special. My hair was like a peacock, but yeah, it was pretty cool to see her smile and have my back.
Q. And you’re just looking at the names on the trophy moments ago there. Your sister is on the women’s side two years, but when you look at those names, has this been probably a trophy that you had your eye on the last couple years?
MIN WOO LEE: Yeah, this one’s obviously special because it’s at home and there’s not many big tournaments in Australia, so we can count it as a major for me. I haven’t been in any of those top majors, but it’s an important one. I know it’s not the strongest field, but I had a really good chance coming in and glad I have my name on this trophy now.
Q. For Min, playing at home, winning at home, everyone wants to hear how he’s feeling. You’re a long way from home. Is the celebration different for you or does it feel different? Have you spoken to anybody from home yet?
HEE YOUNG PARK: I haven’t checked my phone, but probably my family are probably all crying. I can’t wait talk to my husband.
Q. Min, you said you knew if you hit the fairway that you pretty much, quote unquote, had it in the bag. Then once you hit the second you were walking up, you told me to soak it in. Was that walk how you dreamt it might be?
MIN WOO LEE: I didn’t look back, but my caddie, he’s been around the block a lot of times, so he said, “Soak it in,” so I tried to soak it in. I listened to him all week and I thought I would soak it in. No, it was pretty special.
Q. Hee Young, did you spend some time here in Australia like maybe a couple years ago when you had a caddie from here?
HEE YOUNG PARK: No. My coach was living in Melbourne, so I spent a lot of time in Melbourne actually used to be, so very familiar when I come over to Australia. I always get good vibe and good feeling in Australia.
Q. Who was the coach?
HEE YOUNG PARK: Stephen Bann.
Q. You pronounced “Melbourne” correctly. What do you win at home? What’s the bragging rights with Minjee?
MIN WOO LEE: Oh, I don’t know. I won’t see her for a while now, but I guess I have the bragging rights until next time. Probably this tournament next year. I’ll try and keep my edge there and hopefully win again so I can double brag and that pretty much sets it, right?
KATHIE SHEARER: Any more questions, ladies and gentlemen? Please join me again in thanking worthy champions.
