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The Australian PGA Seniors Championship will remain at Richmond Golf Club until at least 2024 as some of Australian golf’s most recognisable names prepare to tee it up in the 2021 edition next week.
This year’s RM Williams Australian PGA Seniors Championship will mark the fifth year in succession that Richmond has hosted Australia’s leading over-50 male players and another stellar field will assemble from November 25-27.
After suffering a heart scare in Brisbane earlier this year defending champion Andre Stolz has had to withdraw but two-time Australian Open champion and 2020 runner-up Peter Lonard is among the entries along with Champions Tour regular David McKenzie, 1991 Open Championship runner-up Mike Harwood, Peter O’Malley, Peter Fowler and Steven Conran.
With $60,000 in prize money up for grabs and RM Williams on board as a major sponsor for the first time, the Australian PGA Seniors Championship has made a happy home for itself at Richmond.
“The SParms Legends Tour is an important and very popular aspect of our tournament operations and Richmond Golf Club has proven to be a wonderful venue for our Tour’s showpiece event,” said PGA of Australia Legends Tour Coordinator, Andy Rogers.
“We’re delighted that Richmond will continue to host the Australian PGA Seniors Championship and given the names in the field I have no doubt we will see the members and local community once again get out to support it.”
After a two-month break the SParms Legends Tour is due to resume with the Fidelity Capital Group Charity Legends Pro-Am at Springwood Country Club on Thursday, November 18 followed by the ICF Blackheath Legends Pro-Am on November 19 in the lead-up to the Australian PGA Seniors Championship next week.
2016 Olympic representative Scott Hend announced on his Twitter account yesterday that he will be undergoing a prostate operation next month.
The 48-year-old said he was very fortunate that no cancer had been found, but he shared his personal news in the hope of encouraging other men to take care of their health.
“I don’t expect anyone to feel sorry for me at all,” Hend said.
“I just wish more guys would go to the urologist and get their check up. There is no shame in ensuring your comfort and good health. Do it for yourself. Get checked.”
The Queenslander has played 27 European Tour events this year and has experienced intense mental and physical discomfort on course.
“I’ve found it very difficult trying to focus on the course when worrying about bladder bleeds and where the next tree will be to relieve myself on,” he said.
“Never mind the nights of sometimes no sleep due to the sudden urge to pee. I almost dread every time I fly, twice I’ve had to deal with peeing blood and passing blood clots whilst at 38,000 feet (not pleasant to say the least) praying that I won’t block up before I land.
“I’ve withdrawn from events due to this as well.”
Hend reiterated throughout his announcement that by sharing his own story, he wanted to help others.
“I share this in hope it will help guys all around the world realise this isn’t just an old man issue,” he said. – Dane Heverin
Win and go home. That’s the methodology Newcastle’s Blake Windred is adopting as he endeavours to play his way onto the European Tour in 2022.
Booked on a return flight to Australia on Monday, Windred enters this week’s Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final in Spain 39th in the rankings, the field restricted to the top 45 finishers in the Road to Mallorca.
Only 20 players at the end of the tournament will earn promotion to Europe’s main tour in 2022, Windred to tee off on Thursday knowing that a top-three finish is enough to rise the 19 spots required.
“Regardless of where you are in the top 45, if you finish top-three this week you make enough money to get a tour card,” Windred told the Newcastle Herald.
“I’m obviously looking to do that. You just have to play the best golf you can possibly play. If I can do that I will be right.”
Runner-up at the Challenge de Espana in June, Windred has recorded two top-10 finishes in the past four months and has missed just one cut in 19 starts on tour this year.
Three other Aussies playing for their futures this week are the trio contesting the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying School Finals in Georgia.
Guaranteed status on the secondary tour in the US by virtue of qualifying, Jason Scrivener, Justin Warren and Harrison Endycott can all improve their status depending on their performance this week.
The medallist at Final Stage of Q-School receives fully exempt status for the upcoming season, while finishers 2-10 (and ties) receive guaranteed starts through the first 12 events of the season, and finishers 11-40 (and ties) earn guaranteed starts through the first eight events of the season.
Butterfield Bermuda Championship winner Lucas Herbert has been elevated to the marquee grouping alongside defending champion Viktor Hovland and former Masters champ Patrick Reed for the opening two rounds of the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba with Minjee Lee to headline the fur Aussies taking part in the Saudi Ladies International on the Ladies European Tour.
Round 1 tee times AEDT
European Tour
Portugal Masters
Dom Pedro Victoria Golf Course, Vilamoura, Portugal
7.50pm* Min Woo Lee, Rasmus Hojgaard, Robert MacIntyre
11.30pm Scott Hend, Ashley Chesters, Benjamin Hebert
Defending champion: George Coetzee
Past Aussie winners: Richard Green (2010)
Top Aussie prediction: Min Woo Lee
TV schedule: Live 11pm-4am Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday on Fox Sports 503.
PGA Tour
World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba
El Camaleon Golf Club, Riviera Maya, Mexico
10.55pm* Danny Lee, Jonas Blixt, Chris Kirk
12.12am* Matt Jones, Matthew Wolff, Justin Rose
3.30am Lucas Herbert, Patrick Reed, Viktor Hovland
Defending champion: Viktor Hovland
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Top Aussie prediction: Matt Jones
TV schedule: Live 7am-10am Friday, Saturday; Live 6am-9am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503.
Ladies European Tour
Aramco Saudi Ladies International
Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, Saudi Arabia
4.45pm Amy Walsh, Carolin Kauffmann, Karoline Lund
4.56pm* Whitney Hillier, Trish Johnson, Lucie Malchirand
5.07pm* Stephanie Kyriacou, Caroline Hedwall, Laura Davies
5.18pm* Lydia Ko, Charley Hull, Emily Kristine Pedersen
9.54pm Minjee Lee, Carlota Ciganda, Marianne Skarpnord
Defending champion: Emily Kristine Pedersen
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Top Aussie prediction: Minjee Lee
TV schedule: Live 9pm-1am Thursday; Live 9pm-2am Friday; Live 10pm-2am Saturday; Live 10pm-1am Sunday on Fox Sports 507.
Korn Ferry Tour
Qualifying School Finals
The Landings Club (Marshwood Cse), Savannah, Georgia
11.45pm* Harrison Endycott, Jacob Bergeron, Blayne Barber
11.56pm* Justin Warren, Callum McNeill, Thomas Rosenmuller
12.40am Jason Scrivener, Sam Triplett, Brett White
Top Aussie prediction: Jason Scrivener
Challenge Tour
Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A
T-Golf & Country Club, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain
6.37pm Blake Windred, Kristof Ulenaers, Henric Sturehed
7.54pm Daniel Hillier, Daan Huizing, Craig Howie
Defending champion: Ondrej Lieser
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Top Aussie prediction: Blake Windred
Legends Tour
Sergio Melpignano Senior Italian Open
San Domenico Golf, Italy
7.30pm Michael Campbell, Roger Chapman, Barry Lane
8.10pm Michael Long, Thomas Gogele, Andrew Raitt
8.30pm Peter Fowler, Miguel Angel Martin, Gary Wolstenholme
Defending champion: Barry Lane (2019)
Past Aussie winners: Terry Gale (2004)
Top Aussie prediction: Peter Fowler
Japan Golf Tour
Mynavi ABC Championship
ABC Golf Club, Hyogo
11.20am Todd Sinnott, Taiga Semikawa (a), Shunsuke Sonoda
11.55am* David Bransdon, Jay Choi, Koki Shiomi
12.20pm Anthony Quayle, Kaito Onishi, Katsumasa Miyamoto
12.25pm* Dylan Perry, Daijiro Izumida, Jbe Kruger
Defending champion: Jung-gon Hwang (2019)
Past Aussie winners: Brian Jones (1989), Brendan Jones (2002)
Top Aussie prediction: Dylan Perry
Champions Tour
Timbertech Championship
The Old Course at Broken Sound, Boca Raton, Florida
Aussies in the field: Stephen Leaney, Rod Pampling
Defending champion: Darren Clarke
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Top Aussie prediction: Rod Pampling
TV schedule: Live 4am-7am Saturday; 9am-11am Sunday; 9am-11am Monday on Fox Sports 503.
Australia’s highest-ranked male player Cameron Smith has edged closer towards a major milestone in his career despite not playing last weekend.
When he tied for ninth at the CJ Cup the 2019 Masters runner-up moved up to a career high of No.22 in the Official World Golf Rankings, a mark he has bettered again without taking a swing.
The updated world rankings have Smith sitting at No.21 and within reach of company that the 28-year-old is more than deserving of sharing.
With three PGA Tour wins, top-five finishes in three of the four majors and two Australian PGA Championships Smith’s career accomplishments are impressive yet that top-20 status remains a craving he is eager to sate.
“I still haven’t cracked the top 20 in the world, which is frustrating more than anything else,” said Smith, whose next start will be the Houston Open starting November 11.
“For me, I feel like I’ve done enough to be in there. I’d love to do that first of all.”
Considered by many as the most likely Australian male player to next win a major, Smith’s own measure of success is based more around consistency than pure tournament wins.
A playoff loss at the opening event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs put Smith in the frame to become Australia’s first FedEx Cup champion, ultimately finishing 14th after starting the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in fifth position.
“The biggest thing for people on the PGA Tour is just to try to make it to East Lake every year,” said Smith, who has qualified for the Tour Championship in three of the past four years.
“If you make it to East Lake, you’ve had a cracking year and you’ve done something right.
“You’ve probably generally won and the rest of the season’s been really solid.”
In three starts at East Lake Smith’s best result was this year when he was tied for 17th, the anomaly of enjoying a golf course that he hasn’t performed well at a puzzle he is still trying to solve.
“It’s a weird one,” Smith adds.
“I feel like I have a love-hate relationship with East Lake.
“I feel like I love the golf course, but I never really seemed to play that well around there.
“I don’t think it’s anything to do with that side of things, I think it’s just a very difficult golf course and I haven’t really quite figured it out yet.
“It’s been a very frustrating place for me to play golf.”
Matt Jones moved up three positions to No.82 in the world by virtue of his top-20 finish at the ZOZO Championship while Kiwi Daniel Hillier rocketed from 391st in the world to No.246 courtesy of his maiden win on the Challenge Tour.
In the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings Minjee Lee remains No.6 in the world after another strong result at the BMW Ladies Championship in Korea as Hannah Green dropped one spot to No.26.
Top 10 Aussies in world rankings
Official World Golf Rankings
21 Cameron Smith
36 Marc Leishman
39 Adam Scott
57 Lucas Herbert
58 Min Woo Lee
70 Cameron Davis
82 Matt Jones
89 Jason Day
140 Jason Scrivener
218 Wade Ormsby
302 Maverick Antcliff
Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking
6 Minjee Lee
26 Hannah Green
82 Stephanie Kyriacou
92 Su Oh
122 Katherine Kirk
135 Gabriela Ruffels
170 Sarah Kemp
345 Karis Davidson
422 Whitney Hillier
440 Robyn Choi
The length of the driver in elite competition is under the watch of the game’s lawmakers.
The USGA and the R&A announced overnight that a ‘model local rule’ would be available from 2022 that caps driver length at 46 inches.
Under the rules of golf, clubs (other than a putter) are capped at 48 inches.
The local rule, which will be available to the tours, will impact several big-name players including Phil Mickelson, who won the US PGA Championship with a 47.5 inch driver, and Bryson DeChambeau, who said recently that he had been experimenting with a 48 inch driver.
The US PGA Tour has already said it will adopt the local rule, with a “small number” of players impacted. All elite amateur competitions under R&A and USGA auspices will also be following suit.
It is another sign that the game’s rules authorities have their eye on how far the ball flies in the modern game.
The USGA’s Thomas Pagel, senior managing director of governance, said the measure was done proactively.
“You saw a trend of more players experimenting, and I would say the governing bodies have been accused in the past of being reactive, and this was an opportunity for us to be proactive and cap something that is going to have a really small impact as far as the number of individuals. Had we waited, I think the change would have been that much harder.”
Pagel pointed out that recreational players would not be impacted.
“If there are recreational golfers that happen to be playing with something longer than 46 inches they can continue to play with that if they’d like,” Pagel said. “We felt it was appropriate to handle as a Model Local Rule now. It doesn’t mean that at some point in the future that it becomes a rule of golf, perhaps even a shorter length club is even considered. That’s nothing we’re discussing now, but it’s difficult to say never.”
Luke Parker from the Wynnum Golf Club will return and attempt to defend his title at the 2021 QLD PGA Associate Championship to begin Monday at the Windaroo Lakes Golf Club, located in the City of Logan.
Although we will again be without a majority of our interstate visitors owing to travel restrictions, Parker will not have it all his own way with a number of his QLD PGA Associate peers in red hot form. Mitchell Smith (Sanctuary Cove), current QLD Order of Merit leader Bailey Arnott (Caloundra), AJ McCoy (Caloundra), two-time runner-up and City of Logan local Dean Jamieson (Hills), Elliot Beel (Mackay) and a host of other 2021 players who have won in 2021 will all be looking at denying Parker a back-to-back victory.
“I have not had the best year by way of wins however I obviously love the course and the layout suits my game,” said Parker.
“We have a strong group of players this year with a number of players having wins with really low scores so it will be a really competitive 4 days of golf.
“It has been a very competitive year thus far amongst the PGA Associates with a variety of winners, which no doubt means this week will be no different.”
For Mitchell Smith, he will be eager to add another state title to his growing list of ‘major’ wins after victories in this year’s NSW PGA Associate Championship and more recently the prestigious Pampling Plate.
“It has been a big year so far and I’m really keen to win my home state championship,” said Smith.
Again, the Windaroo Lakes Golf Club is in fantastic condition with its famous tough finishing stretch, including the par four 16th hole named ‘snake gully’ sure to play a part in who will be holding aloft the ‘Carnegie Cup’ come Thursday afternoon.
“It is our marquee event of the year to which the community and members really get behind by playing in the Pro-Am, volunteering and even just following the players,” said Windaroo Lakes Golf Club Head Professional Daniel Bird.
Logan City Council City Lifestyle Chair Councillor Laurie Koranski said it was the third time the City of Logan has hosted the championship event.
“We are thrilled to be welcoming some of Queensland’s best golfers back to our City,” Cr Koranski said.
“Windaroo Lakes Golf Club is among the best golf courses in South East Queensland and will provide the perfect backdrop for this year’s Championship.
“I wish all competitors the very best and I encourage our local golfing community to come out and show their support.”
In addition to a prize purse of $35,000, the winner of the Queensland PGA Associate Championship will also be awarded an invitation to the 2021 QLD PGA Championship on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.
The winner will be crowned on Thursday afternoon, for all the scores and information on the 2021 QLD PGA Associate Championship please click here.
A wave pool, integrated resort and replica of the famed 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass are the latest development proposals put forward by Parkwood Village as it seeks to become a major tourism destination on the Gold Coast.
Once a destitute golf course overlooked by visitors who preferred the high-end resorts that has made the Gold Coast one of Australia’s most popular destinations, Parkwood’s transformation has shown the Australian golf industry an innovative way in which to approach their operations.
By converting the driving range into a rugby league field Parkwood was able to entice the NRL Gold Coast Titans to take up residency and by incorporating medical suites, yoga studio and kids trampoline park made the facility a buzzing hive of activity.
The golf offering has also been upgraded with dramatic improvements to the layout and presentation of the par-69 golf course, new mini golf facility and Topgolf Swing Suites that connect directly with the bar and restaurant.
At the heart of it all is PGA Professional Luke Altschwager.
Hailing from Adelaide, Altschwager completed his PGA traineeship at Royal Adelaide Golf Course and arrived at Parkwood in 2009 conscious that the industry was not advancing beyond the limitations it had placed on itself.
Rather than looking for a new twist on the way things had always been done, Altschwager invested countless hours examining the retail space, learning about the development process and attending seminars focused on the entertainment and hospitality experience.
As Managing Director and in consultation with Parkwood’s group of owners, Altschwager set to redefine what a golf facility could look like… and they’re just getting started.
“This particular surf park is something that we haven’t yet seen in Australia but there are going to be some exciting innovations when it comes to the golf course too,” Altschwager said.
“There are a number of ideas that we’re tossing around and everything is up for discussion.
“We might look at a structure whereby we have two shotgun starts every day at 7.30am and 12.30pm. We might fit out the golf carts so that you can watch the footy while you’re having a hit on a Sunday afternoon.
“We want our 18th hole to be as close to a recreation of the 17th at TPC Sawgrass as possible and make that an experience that people want to capture on their phones and share on social media.
“The golf course itself won’t ever be considered one of the best in the country but we think we can design a pretty special par-70 layout that people will want to play over and over again.”
The latest step toward Parkwood Village’s integrated golf and surf resort was the lodgement of a Change Other Application which, when combined with the existing approved Development Application, will result in a mixed-use hub of sport and recreation, comprising various ancillary and primary uses for the site.
The ‘Endless Surf Wave Lagoon’ will be the equivalent of three football fields in length, pump out 12-second rides every eight seconds and have the capacity to cater to every level of surfer from beginner to professional.
“The variety and quality of waves is going to truly revolutionise the sport,” Altschwager added.
“To complement the surf park, we will be completely redeveloping and upgrading the existing 18-hole golf course, with a brand new golf clubhouse and practice facilities overlooking the 18th hole.”
The proposed integrated resort will incorporate a range of mixed-use facilities, including a hotel with some private residences, offices, education, a health, sports and recreation precinct, as well as a collective food and beverage experience that comprises a large casual dining experience with both indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the wave pool.
The collective will incorporate foot and beverage outlets including a craft brewery, market kitchens, café, bakery and various restaurant options, as well as an event and festival hall, sports bar and gaming lounge, bowling alley and kids adventure playground.
“The objective is that by 2023, Parkwood Village will be an exciting sports and family venue that not only adds value to the Gold Coast’s tourism industry, as well as a fun family destination for locals, but also has the facilities to create an elite training environment for athletes across various disciplines,” added Altschwager.
West Australian Jason Scrivener returns to the European Tour at this week’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship with added motivation following the birth of his first child last month.
As is the case each year the Australasian influence is strong at the celebrity pro-am format played across St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns in Scotland.
In addition to European Tour regulars in Scrivener, Min Woo Lee, Scott Hend, Ryan Fox, Maverick Antcliff, Dimi Papadatos, Deyen Lawson and Josh Geary, the likes of Bryden Macpherson, Travis Smyth, Brett Rankin and emerging Kiwi star Denzel Ieremia will tee it up on some of golf’s most iconic venues.
It is Scrivener’s fifth appearance in the event but his first tournament as a father after he and wife Simone welcomed Felix Jay into the world on August 24.
When Scrivener made his debut in The Open Championship at Royal St George’s in July Simone was 36 weeks pregnant, the 32-year-old spending two weeks in quarantine hoping Felix would not arrive earlier than expected.
Scrivener had three weeks at home before the family’s latest addition and is now focused on a strong finish leading up to the DP World Tour Championship in November.
“I was talking to Wade Ormsby, he just got back to Australia, and he hasn’t seen his little girl for five months. It’s just been killing him,” said Scrivener of the reality now facing him as a father on tour.
“It’s definitely going to be a tough part of tour life, for sure, but in another way it’s an extra motivation. Somebody else to play for. That’s how I’m going to treat it.”
Currently 16th in the Race to Dubai standings, a strong finish to the season should earn Scrivener a spot at the 150th Open at St Andrews next July but as much as that is a lure, he has a more immediate target in mind.
Including his runner-up finish at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in January Scrivener has featured in the top three on the European Tour on six occasions without yet breaking through for a maiden win.
“I’ve been close in Europe a few times and just haven’t got it done,” said the 2017 NSW Open champion.
“For me that’s the big goal, to win big events. And then everything takes care of itself, really.
“I’m just looking forward to competing again. I’ve only played 30 events in the last two years which is not much golf so I’m looking forward to getting back into it.”
And what better place to do it than the Home of Golf.
“It’s an amazing place. It gives me chills every time I go there,” said Scrivener, whose best finish in the Dunhill Links is a tie for 24th in 2018.
“Walk around the 18th hole there and it’s a really cool place. I love going back. To go and play an Open there next year would be that bit more special as well.
“I’ve put in some really good work the last three weeks and I feel like I’m ready to go, so pretty excited to get back into it.”
There are just three Aussies in the field for the second event of the PGA Tour season, the Sanderson Farms Championship in Mississippi, Minjee Lee is in Korea this week for the KLPGA’s Hana Financial Bank Championship, Peter Fowler is joined by Kiwis Michael Campbell and Michael Long at the Farmfoods European Senior Masters in England and Hannah Green leads a total of five Aussies at the LPGA Tour’s Shoprite LPGA Classic in New Jersey.
Round 1 tee times AEST
European Tour
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
Old Course St Andrews, Carnoustie & Kingsbarns, Scotland
Old Course
6.11pm* Jason Scrivener, Brett Rankin
7.17pm Ryan Fox, Jordan Smith
Carnoustie
7.17pm* Bryden Macpherson, Robin Roussel
8.01pm Maverick Antcliff, Tyrrell Hatton
8.12pm* Deyen Lawson, Alexander Bjork
8.23pm Min Woo Lee, Richard Bland
Kingsbarns
6.11pm Scott Hend, David Howell
6.33pm Denzel Ieremia, Haydn Porteous
8.01pm Josh Geary, Oliver Wilson
8.01pm* Dimitrios Papadatos, Ajeetesh Sandhu
8.12pm* Travis Smyth, Michael Hoey
Defending champion: Victor Perez (2019)
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Top Aussie prediction: Min Woo Lee
TV schedule: Live 10pm-2am Thursday, Friday; Live 10pm-3am Saturday; Live 10.30pm-3am Sunday on Fox Sports 503
PGA Tour
Sanderson Farms Championship
Country Club of Jackson, Jackson, Mississippi
10.49pm* Cam Davis, Martin Laird, Zach Johnson
11.44pm* Brett Drewitt, Sahith Theegala, Taylor Moore
12.06am* Lucas Herbert, Seth Reeves, Quade Cummins
Defending champion: Sergio Garcia
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Top Aussie prediction: Lucas Herbert
TV schedule: Live 6am-9am Friday, Saturday; Live 7am-10am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503
Japan Golf Tour
Vantelin Tokai Classic
Miyoshi Country Club (West Cse), Aichi
9.20am David Bransdon, Todd Baek, Toru Taniguchi
10am Anthony Quayle, Ryuji Masaoka, Hideto Tanihara
11.10am Dylan Perry, Yuwa Kosaihira, Seungsu Han
11.20am* Todd Sinnott, Suguru Shimoke (a), Hiroshi Iwata
Defending champion: Shaun Norris (2019)
Past Aussie winners: Graham Marsh (1985, 1990), Brian Jones (1988)
Top Aussie prediction: Anthony Quayle
LPGA Tour
Shoprite LPGA Classic
Seaview (Bay Cse), Galloway, New Jersey
Aussies in the field: Hannah Green, Su Oh, Katherine Kirk, Sarah Kemp, Sarah Jane Smith
Defending champion: Mel Reid
Past Aussie winners: Karrie Webb (2013)
Top Aussie prediction:
TV schedule: Live 3am-6am Saturday; Live 4am-7am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503
Korean LPGA Tour
Hana Financial Group Championship
11.46am Minjee Lee, Choi Hye Jin, Lim Hee Jeong
11.56am Lydia Ko, Jang Ha Na, Park Hyun Kyung
Defending champion: Anna Lin
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Top Aussie prediction: Minjee Lee
TV schedule: Live 3pm-6pm Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday on Fox Sports 503
KPGA Korean Tour
Hyundai Insurance KJ Choi Invitational
Ferrum Club, Yeoju, Korea
12.50pm Junseok Lee
1.50pm Kevin Chun
Defending champion: Chang-woo Lee
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Top Aussie prediction: Junseok Lee
Ladies European Tour
Estrella Damm Ladies Open
Club de Golf Terramar, Spain
Aussies in the field: Stephanie Kyriacou, Whitney Hillier, Amy Walsh
Defending champion: Carlota Ciganda (2019)
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Top Aussie prediction: Stephanie Kyriacou
Challenge Tour
Swiss Challenge
Golf Saint Apollinaire, Michelbach-Le-Haut, France
4.33pm Daniel Hillier, Craig Howie, Damien Perrier
4.44pm Blake Windred, Yannik Paul, David Ravetto
Defending champion: Ricardo Santos (2019)
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Top Aussie prediction: Blake Windred
Legends Tour
Farmfoods European Senior Masters
Forest of Arden Marriott Hotel & Country Club, England
Australasians in the field: Michael Campbell, Peter Fowler, Michael Long
Defending champion: Thomas Levet (2019)
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Top Aussie prediction: Peter Fowler
Symetra Tour
Carolina Golf Classic
Forest Oaks Country Club, Greensboro, North Carolina
9.41pm Julienne Soo, Taylor Totland, Dorsey Addicks
2am Stephanie Na, Kyung Kim, Katie Yoo
2.11am Soo Jin Lee, Jean Reynolds, Carley Cox
2.55am Robyn Choi, Prima Thammaraks, Gigi Stoll
Defending champion: Ana Belac
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Top Aussie prediction: Stephanie Na
Adam Scott’s struggles on Wentworth’s opening holes proved to be the Queenslander’s fatal flaw as he fell from contention in the final round of the European Tour’s flagship BMW PGA Championship.
Starting the final round two shots back of Italian Franceso Laporta, Scott (71) dropped a shot at the first hole for the second time this week and when he made bogey at the par-4 sixth headed further south on the leaderboard as the front-runners gathered pace.
Unlike in the previous three rounds Scott was unable to claw any shots back prior to entering the back nine, a birdie at the par-4 11th the 41-year-old’s first step in the right direction.
Two closing birdies on Wentworth’s par 5 finishing holes was a fitting end to what was an otherwise excellent week, Scott finishing in a tie for 14th at 13-under par, six shots back of American winner Billy Horschel (65).
South Australian Wade Ormsby, the only other Aussie to make the cut, had three birdies and three bogeys in his final round of even par 72 to finish in a share of 49th.
Like Scott, Rod Pampling began the final round of the Champions Tour’s Ascension Charity Classic within reach of the top of the leaderboard but struggled in Sunday’s final round.
One back at the start of play, the Boeing Classic champion tangled with Norwood Hills Country Club’s rough on his way to a bogey at the par-5 second and fell further from the lead when he made double bogey after finding the water with his approach shot at the par-4 fifth.
There were additional bogeys at six and nine in an outward nine of 5-over 41, Pampling recovering somewhat with a back nine of 2-under 33 for a round of 3-over 74 to finish tied for 23rd, one stroke clear of fellow Aussie John Senden (71)
Stephanie Kyriacou (73) and Whitney Hillier (71) finished locked together in a share of 24th at the Swiss Ladies Open on the Ladies European Tour while former US Open champion Michael Campbell (71) led the Australasians home at the Scottish Senior Open in a tie for 12th, one shot ahead of fellow Kiwi Michael Long (71) and Peter Fowler (70).
Results
European Tour
BMW PGA Championship
Wentworth Golf Club, Virginia Water, Surrey, England
Winner Billy Horschel 70-65-69-65—269 €1.126m
T14 Adam Scott 65-69-70-71—275 €98,288
T49 Wade Ormsby 73-66-72-72—283 €27,483
MC Min Woo Lee 75-74—149
MC Scott Hend 78-71—149
Ladies European Tour
Swiss Ladies Open
Golfpark Holzhäusern, Switzerland
Winner Atthaya Thitikul 68-66-66—200 €30,000
T24 Whitney Hillier 70-70-71—211 €2,484
T24 Stephanie Kyriacou 69-69-73—211 €2,484
T73 Amy Walsh 71-74-77—222 €410
MC Victoria Fricot 76-78—154
Korean PGA Tour
The 37th Shinhan Donghae Open
Bears Best Cheongna GC, Incheon
T46 Won Joon Lee 69-70-76-69—284 KRW7,837,445
MC Kevin Chun 71-70—141
MC Junseok Lee 72-71—143
Challenge Tour
Big Green Egg German Challenge
Wittelsbacher Golfclub, Neuburg an der Donau, Germany
Winner Angel Hidalgo 68-68-68-68—272 €32,000
T11 Daniel Hillier 67-71-71-69—278 €3,500
MC Josh Geary 74-72—146
MC Dimitrios Papadatos 75-72—147
Forme Tour
Forme Tour Championship
Huntsville Golf Club, Dallas, Pennsylvania
Winner Brad Miller 65-63-68—196
T46 John Lyras 67-72-70—209
Champions Tour
Ascension Charity Classic
Norwood Hills Country Club, St Louis, Missouri
Winner David Toms 68-69-66—203
T9 Steven Alker 71-68-68—207
T23 Rod Pampling 69-66-74—209
T29 John Senden 70-69-71—210
T58 Stephen Leaney 72-72-72—216
T62 David McKenzie 77-69-71—217
T73 Robert Allenby 76-74-73—223
Legends Tour
Scottish Senior Open
Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, Aberdeen, Scotland
Winner Thomas Levet 70-69-65—204 €45,000
T12 Michael Campbell 70-72-71—213 €5,331
T19 Peter Fowler 70-74-70—214 €3,780
T19 Michael Long 71-72-71—214 €3,780
Grace Kim will make her professional debut in just over a week when she enters pre-qualifying for the LPGA Tour’s Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.
The two-time NSW Amateur and current Aussie Amateur champion signed off on her stellar amateur career with a best-ever World Amateur Golf Ranking of 29th.
Besides her back-to-back wins in the NSW Amateur (’20 & ’21), Kim collected the 2021 Australian Amateur Championship in Kooyonga in Adelaide this past March.
A four-time recipient of the Karrie Webb Scholarship, Kim’s list of accomplishments also includes wins in the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aries and the 2018 Annika Invitational in New Zealand. The same year she was selected to represent Australia in the Queen Sirikit Cup.
In April, Kim became Australia’s second-ever competitor in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
With COVID-19 continuing to cause considerable disruption to international travel, Kim chose to remain in the US for the remainder of this year, competing as an amateur on the Women’s All-Pro Tour (WAPT), collecting two wins, and qualifying for the US Women’s Amateur along the way.
After making the matchplay rounds of the US Women’s Amateur in August, Kim breezed through the first stage of LPGA Qualifying School, finishing in a tie for 10th place a week later.
“I feel the time is now right to turn professional,” Kim smiled. “I’ve had a wonderful amateur career and would like to thank all those involved for the support I’ve received.”
Beyond next week’s qualifying, Kim is planning her assault on Stage II of the LPGA tour school, which begins on October 18th at the Plantation Golf & Country Club in Venice, Florida.
“I’m hopeful of gaining some starts on the Symetra Tour between now and then; otherwise, I will play as many qualifiers as I can.
“My goal is to make the LPGA Tour, to win and go on to become a Major Champion.
“I want to follow the path of my idols, Karrie Webb, Hannah Green, Minjee Lee and Tiger Woods. This is my first step,” Kim added.
