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Greg Chalmers has taken a typically self-deprecating approach to his elevation into the field for this week’s AT&T Byron Nelson in his home state of Texas.
The 47-year-old has made just three appearances on the PGA TOUR thus far in 2021 but is the beneficiary of the misfortune to have fallen Dustin Johnson, the world No.1 announcing his withdrawal due to ongoing knee “discomfort”.
Johnson’s place in the field has been taken by Chalmers, who greeted the news of his role as a high-profile replacement on Twitter in deadpan fashion.
“The parallels are uncanny,” Chalmers said.
The inclusion of Chalmers takes the Aussie presence at TPC Craig Ranch to seven, joining Aaron Baddeley, Jason Day, Rhein Gibson, Marc Leishman, Cameron Percy and John Senden in the final tune-up ahead of next week’s US PGA Championship.
In a statement released by the PGA TOUR, Johnson expressed his disappointment in missing the event that pays homage to the great Byron Nelson, winner of 52 PGA TOUR titles.
“Unfortunately, the knee discomfort I occasionally experience has returned and, after consultation with my team and trainers, I feel it is best that I remain at home and focus on my rehabilitation work,” Johnson said.
“I am not pleased about this situation as I was really looking forward to playing this week.”
Tied for 22nd at the Puerto Rico Open in February, Chalmers last played the AT&T Byron Nelson in 2018 with a best finish a tie for 16th back in 2009.
It is a tournament in which Australians have a rich history, Peter Thomson winning in 1956 along with Bruce Devlin (1969), Adam Scott (2008), Jason Day (2010) and Steven Bowditch (2015).
Turning 40 last March was not a time of reflection for Wade Ormsby but more a realisation that he has never been in a better position to play his best golf.
Prior to his return to the European Tour for this week’s Betfred British Masters at The Belfry in England, Ormsby reflected on the scars inflicted from his early years on tour and why the likes of countryman Scott Hend and some of the biggest names in world sport have convinced him that his most productive years on tour are still to come.
A winner of the Hong Kong Open for a second time in January last year, Ormsby joined the rest of the golf world on an enforced layoff after finishing tied for 10th at the Bandar Malaysian Open in March and celebrated his 40th birthday three weeks later in lockdown back home in Adelaide.
He waited until late August before returning to the European Tour and as he prepares to begin a nine-week stretch of tournaments to resume his 2021 campaign Ormsby is 60th in the Race to Dubai standings and ranked 180th in the world.
It’s a far cry from the 23-year-old who first earned his European Tour card at Qualifying School at the end of 2003 and spent much of the first decade of his career fighting to stay there, those scars helping to develop a complete player both physically and mentally.
“Age is just a number,” Ormsby said prior to leaving Australia last Saturday.
“It’s easy to say that as a cliché but I really feel as though if I can keep my body in good nick I feel like my mechanics are still getting better, I’m still unlocking a lot of good stuff in all of that.
“I landed on tour so quick and so early in my career and I did all my learning out there. With all that learning comes a lot of hard hits, bouts to tour school and the like. You’ve got to learn how to win and how to take the hits of losing golf tournaments out there.
“That period in my 20s and early 30s, I got beaten around quite a bit but I still managed to keep myself on those main tours. That makes you tougher but you tend to carry a lot more baggage.
“I’m just doing it in a better way now. I’m happy living here in Australia and commuting back and forth – even though the pandemic made that a bit tricky.
“I’ve got a good team of people around me, I know myself and my tendencies a lot better than I ever have and I’m still keen to work hard.
“I love competing and I love trying to get the most out of myself.
“As long as I can keep fast enough and injury free I feel like I’ll be fine for another four, five, six years, easily.”
Ormsby’s breakthrough win at the 2017 Hong Kong Open allowed him to shed the King Kong-sized gorilla that had taken up residence on his back.
His second Hong Kong Open triumph shaped as the start of another exceptional season only for COVID-19 to bring that momentum to a grinding halt.
Despite effectively missing a year in the prime of his career, Ormsby can point to the likes of Tom Brady and LeBron James as athletes defying whatever age barriers may have existed previously, including his globe-trotting mate from Queensland.
“I’ve spent quite a bit of time in the past 18 months with ‘Hendy’ and Hendy’s still hungry,” said Ormsby, 47-year-old Hend the oldest player to make the cut as he finished tied for eighth at the Tenerife Open two weeks ago.
“He’s one of the fiercest competitors that you’ll get. We all know he’s a pretty powerful guy and he’s still athletic for his age… I can’t see him stopping. He just loves playing golf tournaments and he’s a great front-runner. It’s not often that you don’t see him go forwards on the weekends when he’s on that first page of the leaderboard.
“Turning 40 was a little milestone but it is what you make of it. It’s just another year and if you’re stronger and you’re faster and your mechanics are better and the stats are telling you that and the results are telling you that, why believe anything else?
“There are a lot of people in other sports still doing things at an older age or in the latter parts of their career and my career was a bit upside down.
“I did a lot of learning early on so I feel like I’m more comfortable than I ever have been out there.
“I’m looking forward to capitalising on that in the next phase of my career.”
Bundaberg Golf Club has claimed a thrilling victory at the 2019/20 Volkswagen Scramble Championship Final as the team from Yowani Country Club was crowned the Women’s Final champions.
Conditions at Twin Waters Golf Club on the Sunshine Coast could not have been better for the final round of the 2019/20 Volkswagen Scramble Championship Final.
Monday’s third and final round went down to the wire as a flurry of Clubhouse leaders, including RACV Club Healesville and Town of 1770, each took their turn at the top of the leaderboard.
An unbelievable finish in the form of a scintillating eagle on the final hole saw overnight leaders Bundaberg Golf Club storm home to clinch the 2019/20 title over RACV Club Healesville.
Their final round 56.9 nett result gave Bundaberg a 163.7 total across the tournament to steal the win from RACV Club Healesville by just 0.4 shots.
The par-3 17th hole only saw four birdies all day, yet Bundaberg Golf Club found a way to secure a much-needed birdie thanks to Tim Russell, who drained a monster 50 foot putt to put himself within reach of personal back-to-back Volkswagen Scramble Championship Final victories.
This left the team of Head Professional Mick Murnane, Josiah Manteit, Nicole Allen, Thomas Jameon and Russell with an intense final hole, where only an eagle would give them the win.
“Just as we arrived at the 18th tee we saw Town of 1770’s score in the clubhouse and thought we needed at a birdie to tie and eagle to win. Then as we were about to hit our second shot we saw RACV Healesville edge them by 0.6 and knew we needed an eagle here to win,” said Murnane.
“Josiah was sitting 210 out, from the rough and a slight downhill lie and he goes and puts it to ten foot for the eagle putt, the purest shot hit all day.”
It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the team as they struggled to find their rhythm early in the round.
“We were sitting 130 out on hole 13 when Tim Russell hit the flagstick, we then had a 10 foot putt which we all missed,” said Murnane.
“We were thinking it was just going to be one of those days. We might not have been feeling our best this morning so I think we will be keeping things fairly tame and just quietly enjoying ourselves.”
In his first appearance in the Volkswagen Scramble Championship Final Murnane was ecstatic to be taking home the victory after a thoroughly enjoyed four days.
“It’s amazing,” said Murnane. “Such a great tournament, you can see why everyone wants to get involved in these events because it is just so much fun.”
Following a surge up the leaderboard in round two of the 2019/20 Volkswagen Scramble Championship Final, the women’s team from Yowani Country Club aimed to build on their two shot lead coming into the final round.
The team, consisting members of Margo Bain, Roseanna Barritt-Eyles, Patricia Noel and Rhonda Riches led by PGA Professional Paul Finkle, carded a third round of 7-under 56 for a nett score of 59.1.
Their third-round effort took the team to a total of 170.3 and an unassailable four shot lead over second placed Prospect Vale Golf Club.
Yowani Head Professional Paul Finkle was tasked with keeping his team composed from the first tee, saying: “we want to keep a calm head today and just play our natural game.”
“We didn’t look at the scores all day, we didn’t want any added pressure as some of the girls were a bit nervous as we began this morning.”
Finkle was wrapped with his team’s performance and ability to hold onto to their strong overnight lead.
“The teamwork the ladies showed out there today was just great,” said Finkle.
“We are all very happy with our effort. We worked pretty hard today so it is a great feeling to get the win.”
Finkle was quick to appreciate how their strong performance in round two set them up in an ideal position coming into the final day.
“A really good day yesterday was key.”
In their quest to reach the Championship Final Finkle thanked Yownai’s local Volkswagen Dealership for their support alongside Volkswagen Group Australia’s sponsorship of the Scramble over the last few years.
“Our local Dealer has been sponsoring our Yowani event for years now so it’s great to be able to repay their faith in us with a win at the Championship Final.”
Finkle hopes his victory in the Championship Final will act as a stepping stone and spur on fellow Scramblers in the ACT to get involved in the events as the Volkswagen Scramble continues to grow.
For all the round three scores and final results please click HERE.
The team of RACV Healesville are the breakaway leaders following an eye-catching round one effort at the highly anticipated 2019/20 Volkswagen Scramble Championship Final on the Sunshine Coast.
Ben Eyton-Jones, the Head Professional for the top-paced team, opened the round with six consecutive birdies, which paved the way for a dominant 18-hole performance.
Eyton-Jones applauded his teammates of Michael Bunn, Tristan Larter, Simon Richards and Declan Robinson, saying the trio “all chipped in for a strong team effort”.
“We got off to a hot start with six birdies from the first six holes” said Eyton-Jones.
“It was nice to get that practice round in yesterday to get a feel for the place as we read the greens a lot better today. Holing a few early putts was really good.”
The Volkswagen Scramble Championship Final, delayed by 12 months due to the coronavirus pandemic, sees mixed and six women’s teams are fighting for the coveted teams event crown.
Finishing with a round of 52.7 nett, the Victorian team has a 1.2-shot buffer ahead of second-placed teams at the Barossa Valley Golf Club and Town of 1770 Golf Club.
Meanwhile in the Women’s Championship Final, the team from Prospect Vale Golf Club – led by Head Professional Bryce Gorham, Sallie Clayton, Robyn Hatton, Robyn Jones and Cheryl Richards – combined for a nett score of 55.1, taking an impressive three-shot lead ahead of the penultimate round tomorrow.
“The girls gelled really well out there today and honestly we just had a really fun round,” said Gorham.
“It was really enjoyable just to be out there”.
“I reckon my oldest competitor, Robyn, was best on ground today. She played brilliantly and holed a few long putts and some crucial shots when we needed them.”
Hatton has competed in Volkswagen Scrambles for over 20 years and this is her first time reaching the acclaimed Championship Final.
Gorham is keen to keep the team calm and play steady ahead of tomorrow’s action, almost in the same vein as today’s conservative-minded strategy.
“Sitting nicely at the top after today, tomorrow I will go out there and try to manage my ladies as I did today and hope to be back at the top heading into the final round,” she said.
The Volkswagen Scramble Championship Final is the golfing trip of a lifetime, with participants receiving four rounds of golf at Twin Waters Golf Club, four nights’ accommodation at Novotel Twin Waters Resort on the Sunshine Coast and attend a variety of functions to celebrate their achievements across the weekend.
Round 2 of the 54-hole tournament starts at 7:15am tomorrow.
Austin Bautista didn’t tell anyone that he was walking away from golf in the early months of 2018.
He didn’t want to have to answer the same question over and over again: Why?
The 2016 NSW Amateur champion was regarded as one of Australia’s brightest young talents. He made an immediate impression after turning professional in 2017, registering pro-am wins at Griffith and Belmont, a tie for 12th at the Nexus Risk WA Open and a top-25 at the Asian Tour’s Indonesia Open.
Early the following year he was tied for the lead after the opening round of the 2018 Rebel Sport NZ Masters before finishing tied for 11th… and then he walked away.
Bautista would spend the next two years volunteering with humanitarian aid organisations Foundation for a Drug-Free World and The Way to Happiness Foundation in places such as Papua New Guinea, China, Japan, Thailand and war-torn Israel.
“I was watching from a distance, seeing third world countries that perhaps weren’t doing so well and I wanted to help,” Bautista recalled ahead of this week’s Canary Islands Championship, his fourth start on the European Tour.
“I can’t just be a professional golfer my whole life and not do anything for humanity.
“Israel was pretty scary, just because there are a lot of bombs that go off there.
“The person who was there doing the same thing I was doing had a bomb threat the week prior. A bomb had been thrown into the lobby and everyone was immediately in the bunker.
“That was a bit nerve-racking when I arrived a week later and they told me what had happened.”
In those two years of aid work he lost his regular spot in the Saturday comp with his mates at Bonnie Doon Golf Club in Sydney’s eastern suburbs and barely spoke to his father, the man who had fostered his obvious talent into what looked like a blossoming career as a professional golfer.
“When I came back to golf in early 2020 there were a lot of people that were upset with me, wondering where I was and what I was doing,” the 24-year-old revealed.
“I was the No.1 amateur in Australia at a point and looking at a very big career so I didn’t want to be swayed with my decision. I cut all social media ties, didn’t really speak to anyone, just went on my way and did my work.”
It didn’t take long after picking up the clubs again at the start of 2020 that Bautista began to make good on the promise he’d shown as an amateur.
After resuscitating a rusty short game and a brief battle with the shanks Bautista shot 63 in the second round of the Coca-Cola Queensland PGA Championship in his first tournament back only for the world to go into a pandemic-induced lockdown.
Recognising the need to return to America if he was going to play tournament golf in 2020, Bautista once again defied conventional thinking and left Australia hopeful of a friendly reception at the other end.
“The guy at border control when I got to America was really friendly and let me through,” said Bautista.
“Once golf opened up again there it was smooth sailing and I was ready to roll.”
The resumption of the mini tours gave Bautista his competitive outlet and after one missed cut to start he went on a tear, winning four times, Monday qualifying for the Korn Ferry Tour’s Wichita Open and earning conditional status for the 2021 Mackenzie Tour in Canada (now the Forme Tour).
With Phil Mickelson and Jon Rahm on their books, Sportfive (formerly Lagedere Sports) saw potential in Bautista and signed him to their management company, immediately looking for opportunities to expose him to a higher grade of competition.
“There was my own pressure of wanting to play well but I definitely knew that if I wanted to get more starts in future I had to play well in my first start, otherwise they might not look at me again,” Bautista said of his European Tour debut in last December’s South African Open.
“I was 4-under through 27 holes and like seven shots inside the cut but I didn’t know that and I was thinking, Is it possible to miss the cut?”
He qualified for the weekend that week and proved to his management team – and himself – that their belief was well founded with a top-10 finish at last month’s Austrian Open.
“Austria was bitter-sweet,” admitted Bautista, one of four Aussies in the field for the Canary Islands Championship.
“It’s seventh place, my best finish in a big tournament like that and the biggest single cheque I’d ever earned but one shot was a €17,000 difference. I had a putt for birdie on the last but I also knew I needed par to finish top 10 and earn a start the following week.
“It’s propelled me into an area that I now believe I can compete in. You put me on the European Tour and I finish top-10, I’m up there with these guys. I’m not just winning mini tour events.”
Bautista’s goals for his golf career are as big as they come: “In two years’ time I want to be top-10 in the world, competing in majors, having won PGA TOUR events.”
He doesn’t have a coach as such, instead holding onto a golden piece of advice once given to him by PGA of Australia Immortal Alex Mercer.
“He gave me the greatest golf lesson I’ve ever received,” said Bautista. “He changed my grip a little bit and said, ‘You’ve got the mechanics to play well, all you need to do is play more.’”
Taking two years off may not have been part of the original plan but Bautista has no doubt that the mindset shift brought about by his aid work will provide the foundation for any success he has in the future.
“Early on I felt like I should have been given everything. I thought I deserved a lot more than I did,” Bautista admitted of his formative years in the game.
“I’d play good in some amateur events but when I played bad I had a bad attitude and would throw clubs and stuff like that.
“Coming back now, as a golfer I’m more mature and more at ease with failure because a lot worse can happen than not hitting the best golf shot at the very moment that you want to hit it.
“Each day when I have an early morning tee time I catch myself looking at the sun coming up and excited to be out on the course.
“It’s definitely a different feeling to before.
“I’m just so happy to be out there playing.”
In-form West Australian Hannah Green has conceded that the 72-hole nerves got the better of her as she finished runner-up to Hyo Joo Kim at the HSBC Women’s World Championship at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore.
As she battled to remain in contention despite not having her best stuff on Sunday, a hole-out eagle from 64 metres at the par-4 14th propelled Green into a share of the lead and with momentum to go on and record her third LPGA Tour title.
A birdie at the par-5 16th gave the 24-year-old a one-stroke advantage but consecutive bogeys brought about by two three-putts paved the way for Kim to record her fourth LPGA Tour win and first since 2016.
Tied for third at the LA Open the week prior, Green will edge closer to the top 10 when the Rolex Women’s World Rankings are updated and with the self-belief that her best golf will be good enough to win sooner rather than later.
“I don’t want to sound obnoxious, but it is nice I’m not playing my best and getting these results,” said Green, whose closing 69 was run down by Kim’s 8-under 64.
“I feel like my driver was a little bit off this week, so if I can get that into gear, I feel like I can be up on top again.
“I didn’t really feel like I was in it until I holed the shot on 14. That was a nice way to get my momentum.
“Made a really good putt on 16 to make birdie but obviously pretty disappointed to have two three-putts finishing.
“Felt a little nerves on the last, which is nice, because I guess having the spectators out there it kind of meant something to me.
“I’m obviously very close, I just hope that I can continue this momentum and who knows, have a good result next week (in Thailand).”
Kiwi Lydia Ko was also in contention heading into the final round but was unable to mount a Sunday surge while Green’s fellow Aussies Su Oh, Minjee Lee and Katherine Kirk all closed with rounds of even-par 72 to finish inside the top 30.
Despite battling a self-diagnosed bout of “man-flu” all week Queensland’s Scott Hend delivered his best result of the year and his 18th career top-10 finish on the European Tour at the Tenerife Open in Spain.
Rounds of 66-64 gave the 47-year-old the honour of being the oldest player to make the cut and in contention for a fourth European Tour title at the halfway mark but a third round of 71 saw Hend fall back into the pack.
He bounced back in the final round with a closing 4-under 67 to climb from a tie for 15th into a tie for eighth, his best result since winning the Maybank Championship in Malaysia in March 2019.
Harrison Endycott’s strong start to the year has continued with a top-15 finish at the Korn Ferry Tour’s Huntsville Championship while Melbourne’s Julienne Soo recorded the best result of her young career on the Symetra Tour, tied for eighth at the Garden City Charity Classic in Kansas.
LPGA Tour
HSBC Women’s World Championship
Sentosa Golf Club (Tanjong Cse), Sentosa, Singapore
2 Hannah Green 71-66-66-69—272 $US149,262
T7 Lydia Ko 69-68-69-71—277 $39,022
T24 Minjee Lee 69-73-70-72—284 $15,323
T24 Su Oh 68-72-72-72—284 $15,323
T28 Katherine Kirk 69-71-73-72—285 $12,351
PGA TOUR
Valspar Championship
Innisbrook Resort (Copperhead Cse), Palm Harbor, Florida
T21 Danny Lee 70-67-70-72—279 $US65,291
MC Tim Wilkinson 71-71—142
MC Aaron Baddeley 72-71—143
MC Cameron Davis 74-72—146
MC Cameron Percy 74-72—146
MC Rhein Gibson 72-76—148
European Tour
Tenerife Open
Golf Costa Adeje, Tenerife, Spain
T8 Scott Hend 66-64-71-67—268 €29,957
T42 Maverick Antcliff 66-69-69-70—274 €8,290
T75 Jake McLeod 68-69-71-75—283 €3,014
Japan Golf Tour
The Crowns
Nagoya Golf Club (Wago Cse), Aichi
T49 Anthony Quayle 68-71-73—212 ¥208,800
T49 Michael Hendry 71-70-71—212 ¥208,800
T61 Dylan Perry 75-68-73—216 ¥171,750
T64 David Bransdon 70-73-74—217 ¥167,250
MC Adam Bland 74-71—145
MC Matthew Griffin 69-76—145
MC Todd Sinnott 73-72—145
MC Brad Kennedy 74-72—146
Korn Ferry Tour
Huntsville Championship
The Ledges Golf Club, Huntsville, Alabama
T13 Harrison Endycott 70-66-69-67—272 $US11,500
T21 Nick Voke 71-65-71-67—274 $5,498
MC Mark Hensby 68-72—140
MC Brett Drewitt 68-72—140
MC Curtis Luck 70-71—141
MC Jamie Arnold 71-70—141
MC Brett Coletta 72-70—142
KPGA Tour
KPGA Gunsan CC Open
Gunsan Country Club (Lake Cse), Gunsan, South Korea
T25 Junseok Lee 74-71-71-71—287 K3,937,500
T43 Kevin Chun 73-72-73-73—291 K2,440,000
WD Wonjoon Lee
Challenge Tour
Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open
Royal Cape GC, Cape Town, South Africa
T36 Daniel Hillier 67-69-71-76—283 €1,434
MC Deyen Lawson 74-73—147
Symetra Tour
Garden City Charity Classic
Buffalo Dunes Golf Club, Garden City, Kansas
T8 Julienne Soo 72-71-74—217 $US3,621
T48 Robyn Choi 75-74-75—224 $780
MC Soo Jin Lee 74-76—150
MC Stephanie Na 72-78—150
MC Hira Naveed 75-77—152
Champions Tour
Insperity Invitational
The Woodlands CC, The Woodlands, Texas
T20 Rod Pampling 69-73—142
T45 David McKenzie 70-75—145
T56 John Senden 76-71—147
The Tailor-made Building Services NT PGA Championship will host a field full of top Australasian talent when it returns to its traditional timeslot in 2021.
Palmerston Golf and Country Club will host the sixth edition of the much-loved ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia championship when it returns to the top end from 19-22 August.
The tournament will be the first of the 2021/22 wraparound season with a field of up to 120 players to battle for the iconic crocodile trophy and $150,000 in prize money over 72 holes.
“We are extremely pleased to be returning to Palmerston in August for the 2021 Tailor-made Building Services NT PGA Championship,” said the PGA of Australia’s Tournaments Director Australasia, Nick Dastey.
“The NT PGA has proven to be a favourite amongst the players for its relaxed and jovial atmosphere and this year it will set the scene for what is expected to be a thrilling season on the Tour.
“Palmerston Golf and Country Club continues to grow and improve and we are thankful for their commitment to hosting this great tournament, together with Ray from Tailor-made Building Services who has played an integral part in helping the event go from strength to strength.”
Palmerston Golf and Country Club general manager Matthew Hewer is excited for players from around the country to experience a number of key course and facility upgrades this August with the course expected to be at its best.
“We are grateful for the continuing support of the Northern Territory Government and the City of Palmerston that allows the most prestigious golf event in the Northern Territory to remain in Palmerston,” said Hewer.
With a tradition of providing spectators with four days of thrilling golf competition at the par 71 course, 2021 will be no exception as the tournament continues to flourish thanks to the support of Government, council and local businesses.
“Tailor-made Building Services is proud to be a local company having the naming rights sponsorship of the NT PGA for the third year running,” said Tailor-made Building Services managing director Ray Somerville.
“The NT PGA is a unique sporting event to the Northern Territory that brings the country’s best sportspersons and administrators to this great City of Palmerston to showcase the best golf Australasia has to offer.
“Tailor-made Building Services prides itself on being able to give something back to the local community to enjoy this golfing spectacle in a “free for spectators” four day event that is open to all who wish to attend.”
It is a history City of Palmerston Mayor Athina Pascoe-Bell says council will be proud to see continue in 2021.
“The City of Palmerston has been a major partner of this prestigious tournament for the past five years and we are delighted to be supporting this year’s tournament,” said Pascoe-Bell.
“The NT PGA Championship is a great few days for the City of Palmerston and I encourage all Palmerston residents to get to this year’s tournament and enjoy some high-quality golf. The NT PGA is great for the local economy and really puts the fantastic Palmerston Golf Course on the sporting map.”
The Tailor-made NT PGA Championship will be played from 19-22 August at Palmerston Golf Course and forms part of the 2021/22 ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia season.
John Senden could be forgiven for letting 50 sneak up on him.
The bathroom mirror at his Dallas home reveals few changes to the young man who completed a traineeship under Ian Triggs at Keppera Country Golf Club in Brisbane almost 30 years ago before taking his game into Asia, Europe and ultimately the US.
Then there was the devastating revelation in 2017 that he and Jackie’s only son Jacob had a brain tumour.
Time stands still when such a distressing diagnosis is revealed and Jacob’s journey towards a healthy future has understandably consumed Senden’s focus the past few years.
Knocking a little white ball into a hole 400 yards off in the distance becomes instantly irrelevant.
But Senden, who turned 50 on April 20, will join the Champions Tour at this week’s Insperity Invitational in Texas knowing that Jacob is in a good place physically and with a renewed focus on his own health and performance on the golf course.
“Even though a few things have happened in my life that have sort of stopped me from playing, I’m glad I’m where I’m at now,” revealed Senden ahead of his Champions Tour debut.
“Back in 2017, it was pretty rough. He was on the edge then. It was challenging because for one, I didn’t even know whether I was going to continue to play the game, with trying to take care of Jacob, in hospitals, getting him healthy again.
“But he’s way better now. If you saw him today, you wouldn’t know he was really, really sick at all.
“He’s got to keep checking in with the doctors, just to boost his testosterone with a few shots here and there, but without going into major detail, he’s looking a lot better and he’s busy. It’s good.”
Happy 50th Sendo, welcome to the Champions Tour. 🎂🎂🎂🎂🎉🎉🎉🍷🍷🍷🍷 pic.twitter.com/49ALeSnKj7
— Rod Pampling (@RodPampling) April 21, 2021
Since Jacob’s diagnosis Senden has played only 65 tournaments over the past four years, making 22 cuts and with a best result of a tie for fifth at the 2018 Australian Open, his best PGA TOUR result in that time a tie for 34th that same year at the John Deere Classic.
Revered as one of the game’s premier ball-strikers for the past 20 years, Senden believes returning to tournament golf on a regular basis will help him to rediscover the consistency that has been a hallmark of his career.
A two-time PGA TOUR winner, Senden dusted off some of the rust in missing the cut at last week’s Veritex Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour in his home state of Texas and insists a clear mind and a deeper schedule across two tours will elevate his game to a level where he can contend for trophies again.
“These last five years, the priorities have been a little bit different. It’s been more difficult to put the time in to stay really highly competitive, as well as the change in the body and your age,” said Senden, the 2006 Australian Open champion.
“When you don’t play and you’re trying to keep up with these young guys, it’s more difficult. That’s where it’s been these last couple of years but I’m lucky that I’m at the age of 50 right now where I’ve gotten through that.
“It’s just the way things have rolled, really. I feel really good about turning 50 because it’s going to give me another chance to play a consistent schedule and stay healthy.
“That gives me a good chance to hopefully get more consistent with my game, because I’ll be playing most weeks come April right through to November.
“Last year, with COVID, I only played about eight events. This year, I’m going to play probably 20-25. “Good to get the rhythm back again and play a bit more.
“That’s something that I’m looking forward to.”
With $US21,630,513 in earnings Senden’s place on the Champions Tour is secure for the immediate future via the Career Moneylist category.
After this week’s Insperity Invitational at The Woodlands Country Club in Texas the Queenslander intends to tee it up in the Regions Tradition next week in Alabama before taking up an invitation to play in the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club from May 27.
Good mate Rod Pampling is the only other Aussie currently in the field for the Insperity Invitational with David McKenzie hoping for the opportunity to join them from his current position as first alternate.
The all-Aussie pairing of Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman have set their sights on Olympic gold in Tokyo after surviving a dramatic finish to claim the PGA TOUR’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans in Louisiana.
Starting the final round of foursomes one shot back of the South African team of Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen following a second consecutive 63 in the fourball format on Saturday, Smith and Leishman picked up birdies at two and seven to remain one back.
A superb tee shot by Leishman at the par-3 ninth set up birdie to take a share of the lead and after the South Africans dropped a shot at the par-4 10th the Aussies took sole ownership of the top of the leaderboard.
That lead was soon extended to two when Leishman’s centre fairway drive and Smith’s soaring 7-wood to 20 feet set up a two-putt birdie at the par-5 11th but drama lay waiting just around the corner.
Smith was forced to take a drop for an unplayable lie when Leishman’s tee shot at the par-4 13th rolled up behind the tall cypress tree in the left-centre of the fairway, the resulting bogey cutting the advantage to one.
A two-shot swing at the par-4 15th catapulted the South Africans back into the lead but the Aussies hit back at the very next hole in spectacular fashion.
Attempting to drive the green at the 302-yard par-4 16th, Smith’s tee shot took a hard bounce left into the water flanking the left side of the hole to seemingly sink their chances.
Yet after a delicate drop on the steep bank beside the green, Leishman delivered some of the short-game wizardry he is renowned for to chip in for birdie and once again draw level.
“I said to the boys, ‘Why don’t we just chip this in.’ It wasn’t the hardest chip in the world,” Leishman revealed post-round.
“I didn’t think I was actually going to do it but the power of positive thinking is a pretty good thing.
“I won’t say it was a must make but it was certainly very helpful that it went in. I actually forgot to get my ball out of the hole I was so excited.”
The Aussies had the opportunity to seal the win in regulation but Leishman’s birdie putt slid just under the cup before another twist to commence the playoff.
Oosthuizen flared his tee shot wide right into the lake to give the Aussies the upper hand, the pair safely plotting their way down the 18th hole to make par and add a further victory to their PGA TOUR career resumes.
Given confirmation this past week that Adam Scott would not seek selection, Smith and Leishman are now the two leading Aussie contenders on the Official World Golf Rankings and admit that an Olympic gold medal is a tantalising proposition.
“Yes, I’m all in,” Leishman declared three months out from the start of the Olympic golf competition.
“Me too,” Smith added.
“I would love to contend for any medal, to be honest,” Leishman continued.
“Obviously you want to go for gold but something I never ever thought I would do would be to have a chance to win an Olympic medal.
“I’m really excited about the chance of being there and contending for that.”
“Any chance I can get to put on the green and gold or a team shirt I’m all in,” said Smith, who was ranked 178th in the world at the time of the 2016 Rio de Janiero Olympics. “I’m a hundred percent.
“I was kind of bummed I didn’t get in the team four years ago. It was really a goal of mine.
“I’ll be thrilled if I’m there and contending on the weekend for a gold medal.”
Given the Aussie pairing combined with Leishman’s long-time caddie Matty Kelly and Kiwi Sam Pinfold on the bag for Smith, the Anzac spirit was front of mind for the four close friends as they prepared for the final round.
A winner on Australia Day last year, Leishman admitted that to win on Anzac Day in the US made it even more memorable while Smith said his father Des had a sense that it would be significant from the other side of the globe.
“I was actually speaking to my old man last night and he said it’s a really good omen for us guys being up the top of the leaderboard on Anzac Day,” Smith said.
“My family went out to a dawn service yesterday morning and paid their respects so maybe we had a bit of good karma out there today because of that.
“Obviously we had three Aussies in our little crew and my caddie, ‘Pinner’, is a New Zealander, so the Anzac spirit definitely held up today.”
As for the glorious mullet that Smith promised his girlfriend Jordan would be sacrificed if he and Leishman were successful this week…
”I have to apologise to my girlfriend; it’s not going away. I feel like it’s part of me now.”
PGA TOUR
Zurich Classic of New Orleans
TPC Louisiana, Avondale, Louisiana
1 Marc Leishman/Cameron Smith 63-72-63-70—268 $US1,069,300 each
33 Cameron Percy/Greg Chalmers 66-70-69-82—287 $15,466 each
MC Matt Jones/JJ Spaun 65-74—139
MC Aaron Baddeley/Roger Sloan 64-76—140
MC Tim Wilkinson/George McNeill 68-75—143
MC Danny Lee/Sangmoon Bae 69-75—144
MC Rhein Gibson/Ben Taylor 69-76—145
West Australian Hannah Green can sense a third LPGA Tour win in her near future after posting her best result of the year at the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open in Los Angeles.
With countrymen Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman contending in New Orleans, Green made a late push at Wilshire Country Club with the equal low round of the final day, a 5-under 66, to finish two back of Canadian Brooke Henderson in a tie for third.
Top-15 in each of her past two starts, Green’s bogey-free Sunday 66 was her 12th consecutive round under par as the 24-year-old adjusts to the extra length that she and coach Ritchie Smith have added to her arsenal.
“I actually didn’t know that, so that’s a nice surprise,” Green said when advised of her impressive streak of sub-par rounds.
“I guess it’s known now that I hit it a little bit longer so it’s made golf courses a little bit easier. Especially Wilshire there are a couple holes where I can really take advantage of it.
“It’s been really nice that everything is kind of pieced together this week.”
Green harnessed her extra length to perfection by holing an eagle putt from the front-edge of the par-4 14th green and believes that new courses in Singapore and Thailand the next two weeks may prove to work in her favour.
“I feel like I’m pretty close. Nate (Blasko) and I, my caddie, have been talking about it, and we feel like we’re not far off a win.
“It will be my first time in Thailand and Singapore so excited to get over there and see what can happen.
“I’m really keen about seeing a new golf course. I feel like it’s kind of been harder to come back to golf courses we’ve played and take different lines.
“Fresh course to me might actually help me a little bit.”
Green wasn’t the only Aussie to record a top-five finish this week with Deyen Lawson tied for fifth in the first Challenge Tour event of the year and Brett Drewitt taking another important step towards a PGA TOUR card in 2022 with a tie for third at the Korn Ferry Tour’s Veritex Championship in Texas.
Entering the week 24th on the moneylist – the top 25 at season’s end automatically earn promotion to the PGA TOUR – Drewitt had five birdies and an eagle in a third round 64 to start the final round in third position and four shots off the lead.
Birdies at the two opening holes helped to bridge that gap but dropped shots at the fourth and eighth holes stalled the New South Welshman’s momentum, ultimately closing with a birdie at the 72nd hole for a 3-under 68 and projected to climb to 20th on the moneylist.
Dylan Perry’s tie for 16th at the Kansai Golf Open was the best of the Aussies who made their return to the Japan Golf Tour this week while Maverick Antcliff was the lone Australian to make the cut at the European Tour’s Gran Canaria Lopesan Open, finishing tied for 21st in a week of hot scoring in Spain.
LPGA Tour
Hugel-Air Premia LA Open
Wilshire Country Club, Los Angeles, California
T3 Hannah Green 68-67-69-66—270 $US88,070
T17 Gabriela Ruffels 70-67-71-71—279 $17,639
T32 Minjee Lee 70-73-69-70—282 $9,626
T54 Su Oh 66-76-74-70—286 $4,347
T65 Sarah Kemp 69-72-76-71—288 $3,185
T65 Sarah Jane Smith 71-70-70-77—288 $3,185
T73 Katherine Kirk 74-69-77-70—290 $2,849
MC Lydia Ko 78-68—146
PGA TOUR
Zurich Classic
TPC Louisiana, Avondale, Louisiana
1 Marc Leishman/Cameron Smith 63-72-63-70—268
33 Cameron Percy/Greg Chalmers 66-70-69-82—287
MC Matt Jones/JJ Spaun 65-74—139
MC Aaron Baddeley/Roger Sloan 64-76—140
MC Tim Wilkinson/George McNeill 68-75—143
MC Danny Lee/Sangmoon Bae 69-75—144
MC Rhein Gibson/Ben Taylor 69-76—145
European Tour
Gran Canaria Lopesan Open
Meloneras Golf, Gran Canaria, Spain
T21 Maverick Antcliff 66-63-71-66—266 €15,242
MC Jake McLeod 66-70—136
MC Austin Bautista 69-68—137
Japan Golf Tour
Kansai Open Golf Championship
Arima Royal Golf Club Royal Course, Hyogo
T16 Dylan Perry 68-69-69-72—278 ¥834,000
MC Matthew Griffin 70-73—143
MC Michael Hendry 74-69—143
MC Anthony Quayle 71-72—143
MC Brad Kennedy 70-75—145
MC David Bransdon 77-69—146
MC Todd Sinnott 74-74—148
MC Adam Bland 78-74—152
Korn Ferry Tour
Veritex Championship
Texas Rangers Golf Club, Arlington, Texas
T3 Brett Drewitt 65-67-64-68—264 $US31,500
T20 Jamie Arnold 68-66-65-69—268 $6,816
T46 Nick Voke 68-67-65-73—273 $2,641
MC Harrison Endycott 65-72—137
MC Ryan Ruffels 72-70—142
MC John Senden 70-76—146
Challenge Tour
Limpopo Championship
Euphoria GC, Modimolle, South Africa
T5 Deyen Lawson 69-74-72-67—282 €4,580
Symetra Tour
Copper Rock Championship
Copper Rock Golf Course, Hurricane, Utah
T60 Julienne Soo 77-70-79—226 $US701
MC Stephanie Na 76-73—149
MC Robyn Choi 79-77—156
