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Nobody said a US Open at Winged Foot would be easy, but the Aussie contingent would have loved just a tad more “fair” during round three.
With the remaining quartet all neighbours on the time sheet, it was at the height of winds gusting around 40km/h that they teed off in what proved a rugged third round.
And by the time the wind diminished for the leaders, the damage was well and truly done. Adam Scott remains the top-placed Australian at nine over, but his second consecutive round of 74 was more fight than the grace he customarily provides.
Scott made three birdies – among two bogeys – in his closing five holes, but had been five over for his round before the dam broke.
The world No.12 said after his second round that he’d need to make a solid start in round three, but he took three bogeys in his first five again, bringing to eight his total on that stretch over the three days so far.
Lucas Herbert made a miraculous start with a curling chip-in for birdie from a savage lie alongside the first green.
But the young Victorian gave it back and more in the height of the wind as he, too, carded a 74 to fall to 10 over.
Asked if it would prompt an attacking approach on the final day, Herbert summed up the challenge the famous West Course presents.
“You can’t attack. If you get out of position, (the strategy is to) limit the damage and don’t make double,” he said.
Jason Day actually made some great saving putts, particularly early, but other than the course’s easiest rated hole, the par-5 ninth, he couldn’t find a birdie and meandered backwards through the field with a 76 that left him 12 over.
Fellow Queenslander Cam Smith had a front-row seat to Rory McIlroy’s (68) run up the leaderboard, but couldn’t match the Northern Irishman.
Smith’s papers were marked when he went long and left on the par-3 third hole en route to a double-bogey and he couldn’t recover – or find a birdie – in his flat 78 to be 12 over.
“I didn’t put myself in a position off the tee where I could score very well, so yeah, plenty of missed fairways and then just out of position from the tee,” Smith said.
“It was just hard to kind of get it around with that.”
They’re a distance behind, but Adam Scott firmly believes the reduced Aussie contingent still has valid US Open aspirations.
Australia’s nine-strong tilt became four today as Winged Foot bit back on a brutal scoring day in New York.
The task of following up countryman Geoff Ogilvy’s 2006 heroics is now left with Cameron Smith (+4), Scott (+5), Danny Lee (+5), Lucas Herbert and Jason Day (both +6).
And while those scores sound distant from leader Patrick Reed’s four under halfway total, none are without a chance should the infamous course continue to have its fangs sharpened for the weekend.
Smith’s highlight came early with a brilliant long iron to the second for his lone birdie. The Queenslander held it together well for much of his round, but a leaked drive into sand on 17 consigned him to a second late bogey on his way to a second-round 73.
Scott appeared frustrated when some back-nine putts didn’t drop, but he made a wonderful two-putt par on the last to enable him to sign for a 74.
Uncustomarily, the 40-year-old has made 12 bogeys in his opening 36 holes, but his chances of a weekend resurrection are bolstered by the seven birdies he’s already carded.
“It’s a lot to digest really. When it gets tough at a US. Open … unless you shoot even par, you’re trying to figure out how it’s all a positive,” said Scott, who was three over after four holes of his second round.
“It’s just very, very hard to get in a rhythm out there because if you’re just off the fairway, you’re just slashing and scrambling.
“It’s a hard start and a hard finish and I got off to a bad start. I finished well, hung in there. I still like my chances for the weekend.
“I’ve got to play a great round tomorrow. (But) if I shoot under par tomorrow, I’ll be right in the mix for Sunday.
“I’m confident now, after seeing what was out there this afternoon, (that) over par will win this tournament.
“The greens finally dried out. If there’s any breeze, over par is winning.” Herbert, who began his round on the 10th with a double-bogey, looked in trouble in the sand off the tee on the tough 17th when already four over for his round.
But a world-class scrambled par kept his mojo bubbling. A second double-bogey on the first threatened to derail him again, but back-to-back birdies on the second and third – the latter from a greenside bunker blast – was just reward for his efforts in a blue-collar 74.
“I just didn’t get much to go my way early, but I got it in the house as needed,” said Herbert, who, like Scott, maintained he wasn’t too far back to get back in the mix because of the course’s propensity to throw up large scores.
“It’s brutal. I aimed at two flags the entire day with my approach shots … and there would be five holes on the course (that) you may as well take bogey as soon as you miss the fairway.”
Day, as it turned out after a subsequent bogey on the 18th, made a rare and brilliant birdie on the 17th to ensure he made the cut on the number.
Like his compatriots, his 74 doesn’t sound great, but came after three bogeys in the first five holes set him up for a meritorious day-long fight.
Matt Jones was the pick of the other Aussies on day two, but his 74 still left him at 10 over.
Marc Leishman’s papers were stamped when he took a double-bogey seven on the long 12th hole en route to a 78 and 11 over, alongside Curtis Luck who signed for a 76 to end his US Open debut.
Melbourne amateur Lukas Michel, for the second straight day, made two birdies on the front nine. But similarly, he was outgunned on the back nine where he again made two double-bogeys en route to a 77 and 17 over finish.
And in near darkness, Scott Hend almost made a spectacular birdie up the last, but could only watch as his putt slid by almost to sum up his 84 that left him at 18 over.
Australia’s two most recent male major champions will be among elite company while a triumvirate of countrymen have been drawn together following the release of the tee times for the opening two rounds of the US Open.
To be played at New York’s notoriously difficult West Course at Winged Foot Golf Club, West Australian Curtis Luck and reigning ISPS HANDA PGA Tour Australasia Order of Merit winner Ryan Fox will have the honour of leading out the field alongside American Brandon Wu.
For Luck and the other eight Australians in the field it represents the chance to follow in the footsteps of Victorian Geoff Ogilvy who triumphed at Winged Foot 14 years ago with predictions already that Ogilvy’s 5-over score might be close to the winning total yet again.
Playing in his 76th consecutive major championship and the highest-ranked Australian in the field, Adam Scott has been drawn to play with former US Open champions Rory McIlroy (2011) and Justin Rose (2013) while 2015 US PGA Championship winner Jason Day is also joined by fellow Major winners for the opening two rounds in Webb Simpson (2012 US Open) and Sergio Garcia (2017 Masters).
But while close friends Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith will enjoy the chance the spend more quality time together – albeit under stressful circumstances – the most Aussie group for the first two rounds features the trio of Lucas Herbert, Matt Jones and Victorian amateur Lukas Michel.
Herbert and Jones both qualified for the US Open via their respective positions on the Official World Golf Ranking but for Michel it signifies an extraordinary elevation a year since his historic US Mid-Amateur victory at Colorado Golf Club.
Michel wasted no time in tapping into an Aussie major winner to acclimatise to his new surroundings, joining Scott and Luck for a practise round on Monday.
Australasians in the field
Adam Scott
Round 1 tee time (AEST): 10.07pm* Thursday Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose
Round 2 tee time: 3.27am Saturday
World ranking: 12
Last start: T25, BMW Championship
Best finish in 2020: 1st, Genesis Invitational (PGA Tour)
Best finish in US Open: T4 at Chambers Bay (2015)
Previous US Opens: 18
Past appearances at Winged Foot: 2006 US Open (T21)
Marc Leishman
Round 1 tee time (AEST): 2.43am* Friday Cameron Smith, Bernd Wiesberger
Round 2 tee time: 9.23pm Friday
World ranking: 22
Last start: T28, Tour Championship
Best finish in 2020: 1st, Farmers Insurance Open (PGA Tour)
Best finish in US Open: T18 at Oakmont Country Club (2016)
Previous US Opens: 8
Past appearances at Winged Foot: Nil
Jason Day
Round 1 tee time (AEST): 9.56pm* Thursday Webb Simpson, Sergio Garcia
Round 2 tee time: 3.16am Saturday
World ranking: 37
Last start: 64th, BMW Championship
Best finish in 2020: 4th, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
Best finish in US Open: 2nd at Congressional Country Club (2011)
Previous US Opens: 9
Past appearances at Winged Foot: Nil
Cameron Smith
Round 1 tee time (AEST): 2.43am* Friday Marc Leishman, Bernd Wiesberger
Round 2 tee time: 9.23pm Friday
World ranking: 50
Last start: T22, Tour Championship
Best finish in 2020: 1st, Sony Open (PGA Tour)
Best finish in US Open: T4 at Chambers Bay (2015)
Previous US Opens: 4
Past appearances at Winged Foot: Nil
Lucas Herbert
Round 1 tee time (AEST): 2.32am Friday Lukas Michel (a), Matt Jones
Round 2 tee time: 9.12pm* Friday
World ranking: 78
Last start: MC, US PGA Championship
Best finish in 2020: 1st, Omega Dubai Desert Classic (European Tour)
Best finish in US Open: MC at Shinnecock Hills (2018)
Previous US Opens: 1
Past appearances at Winged Foot: Nil
Matt Jones
Round 1 tee time (AEST): 2.32am Friday Lukas Michel (a), Lucas Herbert
Round 2 tee time: 9.12pm* Friday
World ranking: 101
Last start: 69th, The Northern Trust
Best finish in 2020: T5, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
Best finish in US Open: MC (2014, 2018 and 2019)
Previous US Opens: 4
Past appearances at Winged Foot: Nil
Danny Lee
Round 1 tee time (AEST): 4am* Friday Mark Hubbard, Lanto Griffin
Round 2 tee time: 10.40pm Friday
World ranking: 108
Last start: T33, BMW Championship (PGA TOUR)
Best finish in 2020: T5, Arnold Palmer Invitational (PGA TOUR)
Best finish in US Open: T57 at Oakmont Country Club
Previous US Opens: 2
Ryan Fox
Round 1 tee time (AEST): 8.50pm Thursday Curtis Luck, Brandon Wu
Round 2 tee time: 2.10am* Saturday
World ranking: 168
Last start: T32, Portugal Masters (European Tour)
Best finish in 2020: 2nd, ISPS HANDA Vic Open (European Tour)
Best finish in US Open: T41 at Shinnecock Hills (2018)
Previous US Opens: 2
Past appearances at Winged Foot: Nil
Scott Hend
Round 1 tee time (AEST): 10:51pm* Thursday Dan McCarthy, Ryan Vermeer
Round 2 tee time: 4.11am Saturday
World ranking: 340
Last start: MC, ISPS HANDA UK Championship (European Tour)
Best finish in 2020: T17, Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship (European Tour)
Best finish in US Open: T32 at Winged Foot (2006)
Previous US Opens: 3
Past appearances at Winged Foot: 2006 US Open (T32)
Curtis Luck
Round 1 tee time (AEST): 8.50pm Thursday Ryan Fox, Brandon Wu
Round 2 tee time: 2.10am* Saturday
World ranking: 375
Last start: MC, Evans Scholars Invitational
Best finish in 2020: 1st, Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship (Korn Ferry Tour)
Previous US Opens: 0
Past appearances at Winged Foot: Nil
Lukas Michel (a)
Round 1 tee time (AEST): 2.32am Friday Lucas Herbert, Matt Jones
Round 2 tee time: 9.12pm* Friday
World ranking: 1,407
Last start: 116th, US Amateur Championship
Best finish in 2020: 13th, Riversdale Cup
Previous US Opens: Nil
Past appearances at Winged Foot: Nil
Defending champion: Gary Woodland
Past Australian winners: David Graham (1981), Geoff Ogilvy (2006)
TV schedule: Live 2am-9am Friday, Saturday, Sunday; 2am-8am Monday on Fox Sports 503
Top Aussie prediction: Adam Scott
Following discussions with the Queensland government and key stakeholders, the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia will postpone the Australian PGA Championship to 18-21 February 2021.
With a raft of strict control measures in place across most Australian states, the difficult decision to reschedule the tournament was made in hope restrictions will ease by early next year.
It means fans will have the ability to see the Australian PGA Championship twice in a calendar year, with the 2021 edition also to be staged later that year.
ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia Tournaments Director Nick Dastey said the public health considerations of those that help bring this event to life – the players, fans and volunteers – were pivotal in the decision.
“In conjunction with the Queensland Government and other key stakeholders, we have investigated numerous contingency plans to be able to stage the event in December, including players entering a hub and competing while serving a strict quarantine period,” Dastey said.
“Different from other professional sports, golf is a week-to-week travelling tour and in addition to playing in front of no fans, players would have potentially been required to undertake a further period of quarantine prior to or at the conclusion of the tournament.
“For interstate and international players, additional quarantine measures when returning to their home location or next tournament may have also meant a further 14-day quarantine.
“While it is not a decision taken lightly these measures would not be in the best interests of our members, our fans, stakeholders and commercial partners, and as such we have made the decision to postpone the event with the hope that restrictions ease by 2021.”
Given the ever-changing landscape and uncertainty surrounding the spread of COVID-19, PGA of Australia chief executive Gavin Kirkman said the PGA will continue to monitor and review its decision, with a definitive ruling of the event’s scheduling to be made in December.
“The uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic makes it extremely difficult to stage events at the level we would normally expect,” Kirkman said.
“We will continue to be agile and rely on the expert advice of the Queensland Government to safeguard against the spread of the virus.
“Our new date will be subject to health regulations and will be reviewed again in early December, when we expect to be armed with a more accurate prediction of COVID-19’s impact across the country during summer.
“At that time we will determine whether the event will proceed in February or, as a last resort, cancelled. This will ensure our members and key stakeholders are provided appropriate notice of any decision made.”
One of the Australian PGA Championship’s feature events in its week-long festival of golf, the Greg Norman Medal, will also be rescheduled.
The Greg Norman Medal is Australian golf’s highest individual honour for Australian men and women professional golfers and features an honour roll that includes Hannah Green, Minjee Lee, Marc Leishman and Jason Day.
Brad Stephenson may not even be aware but his PGA DNA stretches back to a 13-year-old caddie at Royal Melbourne Golf Club some 60 years ago.
Such is the PGA of Australia’s Membership Pathway Program that lessons learned are lessons shared and the collective wealth of knowledge expands with each intake of new PGA Professionals in the making.
Formerly referred to as the PGA Trainee Program, the PGA Membership Pathway Program is taking applications for those wishing to be part of the 2021 intake until 2 October. It’s an opportunity to join an elite club and play a part in advancing the health of the game of golf in Australia.
Brad Stephenson was a 14-year-old playing in a corporate day when he first met Michael Faraone, the current Head Professional at Mornington Golf Club in Victoria.
Faraone himself had completed his PGA traineeship under Bruce Green and Richard Hatt at Royal Melbourne Golf Club and after striking up a rapport during the corporate day they played together began coaching Stephenson and his younger brother.
A junior at Berwick Montuna Golf Club, Stephenson played golf sparingly as he entered the workforce and travelled the world but at 24 years of age was convinced by Faraone that the path to becoming a PGA Professional was one he should take.
“The PGA Trainee Program was something I never dreamt was possible until Michael convinced me I had what it took to tackle it,” reveals Stephenson, who is now a Full PGA Member and the Assistant Golf Professional under Faraone at Mornington.
“I had spent time studying a Diploma of Fitness and working in the fitness industry where I learned that I loved helping people become better versions of themselves, whilst also having that competitive drive in myself.
“The traineeship required me to dig deep and really commit. My game was nowhere near the level required and my competitive experience was well and truly dated.
“I played the Portsea Amateur a few weeks before in entered the Trainee Program and had scores of 86 and DNF, thinking, How am I going to do this?
“Michael set me up by learning from experience. He was never worried about something going wrong or a repair going bad because there was always a way to fix it and learn from it.
“Before long I was preparing competitions, ordering stock, performing repairs and running Junior Golf programs. It didn’t take long to feel part of a really great club and where I still love to work to this day.”
The lessons passed on by Faraone have in themselves a rich history.
As a Trainee Golf Professional under Green who boasted more than 50 years of experience at Australia’s most acclaimed golf club, Faraone was shown first-hand how the PGA Professional can impact the club environment and elevate the experience of the membership.
“Bruce certainly taught me how to be the Professional of the Club,” Faraone recalls.
“His rapport with the members and his passion for the club and golf is what stuck with me.
“Richard added to that in the running of a pro shop business. He worked hard and smart and was the benchmark for all his staff. He was a fantastic motivator and gets the best from his staff.”
Like Stephenson, Melissa Taylor stayed with Luke Bower at Eastwood Golf Club after completing the Trainee Program, with her golf journey beginning as a junior at Chirnside Park Country Club where Bower was completing his traineeship under Ed Rechters.
“Luke and I have always had a special relationship,” Taylor says. “He has always been more like family to me and I’ve known him for more than half my life.
“I decided in 2014 that my life was missing something and that I wanted to come back to golf and make a career out of it. I started working for my parents on flexible hours so I could practice and play as much golf as possible.
“It was midway through 2015 that a casual position at Eastwood became available and with the intention to be a Trainee Professional and ultimately a PGA Club Professional, in 2016 I took the opportunity.
“Luke had become the Director of Golf at Eastwood approximately two years earlier and he encouraged me to apply for the job.
“It was new territory for us to go from friends to colleagues but I’ve been there ever since and loved every minute of it.
“Luke has always been supportive and a wealth of knowledge. It made me feel comfortable knowing I was working with people I could turn to for help and guidance.
“Luke was always checking in about assignments and always willing to help if I had any questions. He wanted me to learn and showed me as much as he could about anything that he could. Before I even began the Trainee Program I was learning from him.”
This transfer of professional expertise provides a depth to the PGA that bonds all who are Members yet Faraone adds that sometimes it is the teachers who do the learning.
“The relationship between a Head Professional and their Trainee is more than just an employer/employee relationship,” Faraone says.
“The more the Head Professional can develop an enjoyable and team environment the better the Pro Shop and everything involved with the club will operate.
“A Trainee will look up to the Head Professional as a mentor but the Head Professional these days can also learn from the Trainee as they bring what they have learned through the ever-improving PGA Membership Pathway Program.
“Over the years my Trainees have made suggestions I have taken on board that may improve Pro Shop operations from their PGA training and education.
“As a proud PGA Member you want to be part of developing the future generation of members within your business, making for a stronger PGA.”
Not only a stronger PGA, but stronger golf clubs according to Luke Bower.
“When you hire a PGA Trainee, you’re hiring someone who is training for their career,” Bower says.
“The job requires commitment as it is an industry that requires weekend work, public holidays, early starts and late finishes. So to have someone in the shop that sees the golf industry providing long-term employment and is learning to develop their skills specific for the industry, it is exceptionally beneficial to the golf club.”
If you or someone you know is interested in pursuing a career as a PGA Professional, apply now to join the PGA Membership Pathway Program.
Of all the golfers inspired by Greg Norman’s exploits over the past 30 years, Adam Scott was anointed as the chosen one.
Chosen by the Great White Shark himself.
From the time a 19-year-old amateur blitzed The Lakes Golf Club with a course record in the second round of the 2000 Greg Norman Holden International – Scott’s 63 was the best score of the week by two shots – Norman saw a kindred spirit in the fellow Queenslander.
Australia’s Greatest Golfer, The Final: @SharkGregNorman v @AdamScott ???♂️
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) September 9, 2020
Of all the golfers inspired by Greg Norman’s exploits over the past 30 years, Adam Scott was anointed as the chosen one.
Read more ➡️ https://t.co/RyNqjAgiMm
He became a mentor, a sounding board and trusted ally. But now, like a plot twist straight out of Star Wars, Norman has to go head-to-head with Scott in an online poll to determine who Australian golf fans regard as Australia’s Greatest Golfer.
Two of only three male Australian players to ever reach the world No.1 ranking, the reverence with which Scott has held Norman throughout his career has created a rare bond between two elite athletes.
A heartbroken teen when Norman squandered a six-shot lead at the 1996 Masters, Scott paid special tribute to the Pied Piper of Aussie golf when he claimed the green jacket at Augusta National in 2013.
“Part of this is for him. I drew on him today. He’s given me a lot of time and he’s given me inspiration and belief through the years,” said Scott after the most historically significant win of his career.
Part of belief was spawned from Norman’s faith in Scott to select him as a captain’s pick for the 2009 Presidents Cup.
At the time Scott was enduring the toughest stretch of his career, 10 of 17 missed cuts on the PGA TOUR resulting in a drop outside the world’s top 60. Not even his long-time instructor Butch Harmon thought it a smart move on Norman’s behalf.
“I’m not sure it was a good thing,” said Harmon, who had split with Scott the week before the 2009 PGA Championship where Scott shot 82-79 to fall to a new low.
“We talked about it after he was picked. I’d rather see him take the rest of the year and get back in the dirt and work it out.”
But Norman believed Scott simply needed to be reminded of his greatness, the Great White Shark fittingly on hand to present the Stonehaven Cup to Scott as Australian Open champion in December that year.
Less than 12 months after his five-stroke win at New South Wales Golf Club Scott was back inside the top 20 in the world and when the 2012 Open Championship slipped through his fingers, again it was Norman offering moral support.
“I just basically told him to think of the 68 holes he played phenomenally well, better than anybody else. Even the four holes, he probably hit 60 per cent of his shots the way he played the previous 68 holes,” said Norman the week after Scott’s heartbreaking collapse.
“Always look forward; never look back and use the loss as a catalyst to be a winner, not using the loss as a catalyst to be a loser.”
Scott was lauded for the way he handled that disappointment in similar grace to Norman 16 years earlier and when the now 40-year-old conquered Angel Cabrera at the first playoff hole of the 2013 Masters, he pointed to the example Norman had set both on and off the golf course.
“He’s an icon in Australia not only because he was the best player in the world but because of the way he handled himself with so much grace through the years,” Scott said.
“He was incredible to have as a role model.”
The same could be said of Scott for the generation now following in his footsteps.
To lodge your vote and help decide who is Australia’s Greatest Golfer visit the PGA of Australia Twitter page and select either Greg Norman or Adam Scott.
Greg Norman
Career wins: 89
Major wins: 2 (British Open 1986, 1993)
PGA TOUR wins: 20
Australasian Tour wins: 32
Australian Open: Won (1980, 1985, 1987, 1995, 1996)
Australian PGA: Won (1984, 1985)
Round 1 def. Stewart Ginn
Round 2 def. Wayne Grady
Round 3 def. Aaron Baddeley
Quarter-Final def. Marc Leishman
Semi-final def. Ian Baker-Finch
Adam Scott
Career wins: 31
Major wins: 1 (2013 Masters)
PGA TOUR wins: 14
Australasian Tour wins: 6
Australian PGA: Won (2013, 2019)
Australian Open: Won (2009)
Round 1 def. Jarrod Lyle
Round 2 def. Norman von Nida
Round 3 def. Rod Pampling
Quarter-Final def. Karrie Webb
Semi-Final def. Kel Nagle
Australian Brett Drewitt celebrated his own Father’s Day with his first victory in his 116th career start on Sunday at the Lincoln Land Championship presented by LRS.
“I was talking to my parents last night and I was kind of thinking about how cool it would be to win on Father’s Day,” said Drewitt, a father to his 18-month-old Brady. “I didn’t say anything to my parents because lately my words have been coming back to bite me, but it’s a surreal feeling.”
At 19-under 265, Drewitt edged a trio of players by one stroke. In the end, he carded five birdies and two bogeys on Sunday for a closing 3-under 68, but perhaps more importantly, he parred his final two holes. The par-3 17th (215 yards) and the par-4 18th (451 yards) played as the two toughest holes on the course on Sunday.
Playing in the penultimate group, Drewitt had to wait to see if rookie Austen Truslow would make birdie to force a playoff. Nervously hitting shots on the driving range, Drewitt knew it was over when fellow Korn Ferry Tour pro Tag Ridings came running towards him to shower him in beer.
“I look over and saw Tag giving me the fist-pump from by the 18th green, and then they started running over towards me and Cam, my caddie, said, ‘Man you did it,’” laughed Drewitt. “At that point I was just bracing myself for the beer to get sprayed all over me.”
The win celebrates a high point in what had previously been a disappointing season for the 29-year-old. He is one of six players who have played in all 19 events thus far but entering the week he had made just six cuts. Including this tournament, he had competed in 13 consecutive weeks.
“It’s surreal right now; it’s been a hard road over the last couple of years,” said Drewitt, who entered the week 73rd in the points standings. “This year has been a rollercoaster. When I got to the PGA TOUR, I led in ball-striking out here [in 2016]. I just trusted that I still had it, even if it might not show in my stats. And then the putts started dropping and that’s just the way it goes.”
Drewitt’s win came at the expense of rookies Austen Truslow and Harry Hall, along with Ben Kohles, who finished one shot back. Truslow and Kohles each had long birdie attempts to tie at the final hole, while Hall needed to get up and down for par to remain at 19-under. Hall, an Englishman competing in his fifth event, missed a downhill three-footer for par to slip one stroke off the lead. Still, the runner-up finishes were the best in the young careers of Truslow and Hall.
With the win, Drewitt moves from 73rd to 18th in the Korn Ferry Tour points standings.
The Australian Golf Industry Council (AGIC) has released a first-of-its-kind three-hour-long slow TV production that promotes the mental health benefits of golf.
The feature film, titled Tee Your Mind, is a golf mindfulness experience that packages some of Australia’s most breathtaking courses into an 18-hole experience that accentuates the natural ambiences encountered on the fairway.
Tee Your Mind follows the rounds of men and women golfers at Collaroy’s Long Reef Golf Club and St Michael’s Golf Club in Little Bay and brings to life the calming and meditative sensations of the game, such as the trees bending by the coastal breeze and native birds singing.
“Golf is the perfect sport for creating the conditions for true happiness,” said Performance Psychologist Jonah Oliver.
“Happiness comes from finding the sweet spot between challenge and skill. Combine this with doing exercise in nature and you have the perfect recipe for lifelong mindfulness and psychological health.”
Golf has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence during the COVID-19 pandemic with many lapsed and disengaged golfers returning to the game.
To seize on this participation boom, the AGIC has created Tee Your Mind to mimic the true golf experience in a digital format to engage more people to the game by highlighting the sport’s mental and physical health capabilities.
“Golf has been an antidote to an incredibly stressful year brought on by the once-in-a-generation challenges of COVID-19,” said Gavin Kirkman, AGIC Chairman and PGA of Australia chief executive.
“Given golf can be played in a safe, socially distant environment, many new and returning participants have used the sport to reconnect with friends and nature. Our game is one of the best whole body and mind experiences and many have used golf as a valuable mental health outlet during this difficult period.”
Golf Australia Chairman Andrew Newbold said golf is a powerful respite to help people overcome their anxieties.
“The benefits of golf are diverse and extend beyond the physicalities of the sport,” Newbold said.
“During COVID-19 we have seen more Australians turn to golf and we think our sport, with its unique blend of open space and nature, can offer a solution for people exploring new ways to take a break from the day-to-day.”
The University of Southern Queensland is also exploring the role sport, including golf, plays in creating a strong sense of connectedness and belonging, by embarking on a research study investigating the relationship between sport participation and mental health issues.
“We know that our exposure to green spaces can have a positive impact on our overall well-being, we often feel happier, more relaxed and more positive. Alongside our research, this suggests our response to experiencing nature is emotional and essential to our mental health,” said Andrea Lamont-Mills, Professor of Psychology, University of Southern Queensland.
Over the course of the film, Tee Your Mind provides a peaceful escape for viewers to unwind and immerse in the calming elements of golf.
Tee Your Mind will be live on Friday 4 September 2020 on https://www.golf.org.au/teeyourmind/
New South Wales’ premier golf championship has received a timely boost with the NSW Government ensuring the tournament’s future for 2021 and beyond.
The Deputy Premier, John Barilaro MP, announced on Thursday that the NSW Open Golf Championship would be played at the renowned Concord Golf Club in Sydney’s inner west from March 25th to 28th, 2021.
“This investment is vital to ensure one of the most important fixtures remains on the Australian golf calendar.
“The players who qualify through the regional tournaments will be playing for the ultimate prize on one of the best courses in NSW,” Mr Barilaro said.
Stuart Fraser, CEO of Golf NSW, was thrilled with the announcement of the dates and venue for the tournament.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for us to ensure the tournament continues to be one of the most important fixtures on the Australian golf calendar,” Mr Fraser said.
The host venue, Concord, is no stranger to professional golf or the NSW Open, having hosted the tournament an impressive ten times in its 90-year history.
The list of players who have been crowned the NSW Open Champion at Concord is extensive and includes some of the greatest names in Australian golf. Vic Richardson, Eric Cremin and Norman Von Nida all tasted victory at the revered course, while four-time champion Greg Norman made the tournament his own during the 1980s, lifting the Kel Nagle Cup at Concord three times in five years.
“The golf community has been incredibly resilient during this challenging period, and we are pleased we can stage the NSW Open at a later date,” said Nick Dastey, the PGA of Australia’s Tournaments Director Australasia.
“The NSW Open Honour Roll highlights the event’s distinguished history. For it to return to Concord Golf Club where some of Aussie golf’s legendary figures have been victorious is a great coup for the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and our players.”
The $400,000 NSW Open will take place at Concord Golf Club from March 25th to 28th 2021. It forms part of the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.
Tournament Facts:
Host Venue: Concord Golf Club, Majors Bay Road, Concord, NSW.
Dates: 25 – 28 March 2021
Website: www.nswopen.com
Prize Fund: AU$400,000 (TBC)
Image: Concord Golf Club
It was a glimpse into the struggles of everyday club golfers and Zach Murray didn’t much care for it.
Not only was the 87 he posted in the second round of the Celtic Classic the worst of his professional career by five shots – and only the third time he has shot worse than 80 in a pro tournament – but the type of score he can’t even remember having as a kid.
But a much-needed shot of confidence and the return to the sunny skies of Spain has put Murray in a more positive frame of mind ahead of this week’s Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters at Real Club Valderrama.
Initially unsure as to whether he would travel to Europe to play within the European Tour bubble, Murray put girlfriend Amy on the bag to ensure he had someone to talk to at all times, her psychology degree coming in handy as his return to tournament golf hit an unexpected bump in the road.
After opening with a 6-over 78 Murray played the front nine of the second round in 4-over before imploding on the back nine, a quadruple bogey, triple bogey and double bogey contributing to a nine-hole total of 47 strokes and very unfamiliar territory.
“I’m not going to lie, those first couple of weeks were pretty hard,” Murray revealed. “To shoot 87 at Celtic Manor and then go out and play the same golf course again the next week, I found that pretty tough.
“There are some holes where you remember what you did the week before but you have to put it in the back of your mind and still try and grind it out.
“Those first couple of weeks I really didn’t know what I was doing.
“It was weird because before lockdown I was playing so well and competing at the highest level. In the last four or five events before lockdown I was in contention at most events and the game was feeling pretty easy.
“It’s a tough game sometimes. I wasn’t really worried but you can’t help thinking, How does it change so much in five months?”
With the help of Amy and some good-natured ribbing from fellow Aussies Scott Hend, Jake McLeod, Min Woo Lee and Jason Scrivener, Murray was able to shake off his Celtic Manor calamity and take positive steps at last week’s ISPS HANDA UK Championship at The Belfry.
Despite missing the cut for the third straight week, an opening round of 71 and some productive time on the range has given Murray the injection of confidence he needs to get back in contention.
“Although I missed the cut I played quite well in tough conditions and just made a few errors from being down on confidence,” Murray said of his second round of 78 last week.
“That’s all I’m really lacking at the moment, a bit of game-time confidence.
“I was disappointed (to miss the cut) and it was the first time I’d been frustrated on the trip because I knew I was playing better than I was scoring.
“I walked off 18 on Friday afternoon knowing that I was missing the cut but knowing that I’d played well. I had three double bogeys from three shots that weren’t that bad. I did some practice on Saturday morning and thought to myself that I was hitting it really good which excited me.
“It’s nice to go to an event knowing that you’re playing well.
“The confidence is a lot higher than it has been which is all it will really take for me, just a bit of confidence. String a couple of good weeks together and off I’ll go again.”
As for the support of Amy during time away that he hopes will carry through until the DP World Tour Championship from December 10, Murray admits that he would unlikely be playing without her.
“The travel stuff is sometimes a little difficult for me and I just thought that if I wanted to get back over and play I needed to have Amy with me,” said Murray, the 2019 New Zealand Open champion.
“That’s made it a lot easier. She has been around the game and around tournaments long enough now to know what she’s doing. She’s really good so that’s been nice.
“Her personality is super understanding and caring so for what I sometimes go through getting to tournaments or off the course, to have her to witness when it’s the most I’ve struggled on the course since I was a little kid has been pretty good because she saw that it’s not all smooth sailing all the time.
“It’s nice to have someone like her here that I can talk to and bounce ideas off because if you internalise a round like that it can turn pretty sour and spiral into a pretty tough time.”
Round 1 tee times (AEST)
European Tour
Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters
Real Club Valderrama, Sotogrande, Spain
4.35pm Wade Ormsby, Steven Brown, Thomas Bjorn
5.45pm Zach Murray, Calum Hill, Dave Coupland
7.20pm Jake McLeod, Carlos Pigem, Garrick Porteous
9.40pm Maverick Antcliff, Andres Romero, Toby Tree
10.20pm Jason Scrivener, Matthieu Pavon, Joakim Lagergren
10.50pm Michael Campbell, Ricardo Santos, David Howell
Defending champion: Christiaan Bezuidenhout
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Top Aussie prediction: Wade Ormsby
TV schedule: Live 8am-10pm, 11pm-2am Thursday, Friday; Live 9.30pm-2am Saturday, Sunday on Fox Sports 503.
PGA TOUR
Tour Championship
East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta, Georgia
2.20am Marc Leishman, Cameron Smith
Defending champion: Rory McIlroy
Past Aussie winners: Adam Scott (2006)
Top Aussie prediction: Cameron Smith
TV schedule: Live 3am-8am Saturday, Sunday; 3am-9am Monday; 2am-8am Tuesday on Fox Sports 503.
Korn Ferry Tour
Lincoln Land Championship
Panther Creek Country Club, Springfield, Illinois
9.50pm* Steven Alker, Kyle Reifers, Nick Hardy
10.40pm Curtis Luck, David Lingmerth, Sam Saunders
11.10pm Brett Drewitt, Zach Wright, Chandler Phillips
3.40am* Jamie Arnold, Curtis Thompson, Jim Knous
4.30am* Nick Voke, Steve Lewton, Matt Gilchrest
Defending champion: Xinjun Zhang
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Top Aussie prediction: Jamie Arnold
