Want to recieve exclusive news, videos, tournament highlights, golf important tips and more ?
Want to recieve exclusive news, videos, tournament highlights, golf important tips and more ?
Aaron Baddeley’s best finish since January was a highlight for Australians overseas this week, with the Scottsdale-based Melburnian in good shape to play his way back to full PGA Tour status.
The 42-year-old Baddeley closed with a 67 at Colonial, equalling the day’s low round, to vault up to tied-21st at the Charles Schwab Challenge in Texas behind Emiliano Grillo of Argentina and picked up a cheque for more than $US600,000 in the process.
A four-time winner on tour, he has made the cut in 12 of 16 events this season playing on sponsors’ exemptions and qualifying, earning $US953,000 in prizemoney.
Baddeley has moved to 94th on the Fedex Cup points list needing to be inside the top 125 to secure his rights for 2024. Otherwise it was mostly a quiet weekend for Aussies, with Min Woo Lee and Gabriela Ruffels both enhancing their chances of securing important playing rights for 2024.
Ruffels, who is the No. 1 player on the Epson Tour, finished tied-13th in Florida to hold on to her Order Of Merit lead, with the top 10 at season’s end graduating to the LPGA Tour in 2024. The former US Amateur champion is virtually secure already but another cheque will not help given that the season has a long stretch ahead.
Lee, the 24-year-old from Perth who is now a Special Temporary Member of the PGA TOUR, was steady in finishing tied-40th at the Schwab Challenge in Texas.
His focus now is to accumulate enough points (he currently has 190) to be ahead of the 125th-ranked player on the tour this season (currently 212 points), which would give him automatic rights to play on the US Tour in 2024.
Alternatively if he finished inside the top 15 on the DP World Tour points list (he is currently fifth) he would also move to the US Tour for 2024.
Lee still has starts ahead in the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool and the US Open in Los Angeles to push his chances, with both majors counting towards points tallies on the US and DP World Tours.
Cameron Smith continued his strong form on LIV Golf in Washington, finishing inside the top 10 behind Harold Varner, and Dimi Papadatos finished tied-10th at the Knoxville Open on the Korn Ferry Tour, his second top-10 of the season.
Dylan Perry is another Australian showing up on the Japan Tour, finishing tied-19th in the lucrative Mizuno Open.
Results
PGA TOUR
Charles Schwab Challenge, Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, Texas
1 – Emiliano Grillo (playoff) 67-65-72-68 – 272 $US1,566,000
T21 Aaron Baddeley 70-71-71-67 – 279 $601,876
T21 Ryan Fox (NZ) 71-71-69-72 – 279 $601,876
T40 Min Woo Lee 67-71-70-73 – 281 $231,503
MC Cam Davis 68-74 – 142
MC Lucas Herbert 70-73 – 143
MC Harrison Endycott 74-71 – 145
PGA Champions Tour
Kitchen Aid Senior PGA Championship, Texas
1 – Steve Stricker R$US630,000
T5 Steve Alker (NZ) 70-69-69-71 – 279 $115,933
T31 Mark Hensby 72-73-73-71 – 289 $20,583
T37 Richard Green 68-75-78-69 – 290 $13,512
T37 David McKenzie 72-75-69-74 – 290 $13,512
T49 Rod Pampling 75-70-75-72 – 292 $7,233
MC Michael Long (NZ) 76-74 – 150
MC Andre Stolz 75-75 – 150
MC Stuart Appleby 76-75 – 151
MC Michael Campbell (NZ) 77-75 – 152
LIV Golf
Liv DC, Washington
1 – Harold Varner III 64-72-68 – 204 $US4 million
T9 Cameron Smith 68-70-72 – 210 $425,000
T23 Matt Jones 73-72-69 – 214 $205,000
T35 Marc Leishman 73-72-72 – 217 $148,000
43 Jediah Morgan 73-74-74 – 221 $137,500
Korn Ferry Tour
Knoxville Open, Tennessee
1 – Rico Hoey 64-71-66-65 – 266 $US180,000
T10 Dimi Papadatos 67-66-70-67 – 270 $21,441
T47 Brett Drewitt 69-69-69-68 – 275 $4400
MC Rhein Gibson 74-67 – 141
PGA Tour Latinoamerica
Colombia Classic, Bucaramanga
1 – Walker Lee 66-66-65-64 – 261 $US31,500
T4 Charlie Hillier (NZ) 66-67-66-65 – 264 N/A
68 Denzel Ieremia (NZ) 67-70-81-67 – 285 N/A
MC Harry Hillier (NZ) 72-66 – 138
LPGA Tour
Bank of Hope LPGA Matchplay, Las Vegas
T17 Karis Davidson $16,743
T56 Sarah Kemp $3906
Epson Tour
Inova Mission Inn Resort and Club Championship, Florida
1 – Jiwon Jeon 66-73-70 – 209 $US30,000
T13 Gabriela Ruffels 71-74-71 – 216 $3084
T19 Amelia Garvey (NZ) 74-72-71 – 217 $2107
T33 Robyn Choi 72-75-71 – 218 $1512
T47 Hira Naveed 74-71-77 – 222 $924
T64 Sarah Jane Smith 73-77-76 – 226 $631
MC Cassie Porter 81-71 – 152
DP World Tour
KLM Open, Netherlands
1 – Pablo Larrazabal 66-73-67-69 – 275 €316,649
T4 Daniel Hillier (NZ) 70-67-71-71 – 279 €66,682
MC Blake Windred 80-79 – 159
Japan Tour
Mizuno Open, Okayama, Japan
1 – Kensai Hirata 67-71-67-66 – 271 (playoff) ¥16,000,000
T19 Dylan Perry 72-68-68-73 – 281 ¥837,333
T28 Brendan Jones 75-68-71-68 – 282 ¥525,000
MC Brad Kennedy 73-71 – 144
MC Anthony Quayle 77-70 – 147
Challenge Tour
Copenhagen Challenge, Copenhagen, Denmark
1 – Matteo Mannassero 75-64-71-66 – 276 €40,000
T38 Jarryd Felton 71-75-71-73 – 290 €1500
T38 Jordan Zunic 75-70-70-75 – 290 €1500
MC Connor McKinney 76-73 – 149
MC Maverick Antcliff 79-80 – 159
Ladies European Tour
Belgian Ladies Open, Belgium
1 – Patricia Schmidt 71-68-66 – 205 €45,000
T39 Momoka Kabori (NZ) 70-75-71 – 216 €1676
67 Whitney Hillier 74-72-74 – 220 €825
MC Kirsten Rudgeley 77-72 – 149
MC Wenyung Keh (NZ) 76-74 – 150
MC Hanee Song (NZ) 79-75 – 154
Australian Travis Smyth and Kiwi Michael Hendry have seized places in the 2023 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool after finishing inside the top-four of the Asian Tour’s World City Championship at Hong Kong Golf Club.
The R&A offered up four qualifying spots for the top-four in the field in Asia, with Kim taking the last place over Miguel Tabuena on account of a higher order of merit position.
New South Welshman Smyth, 27, will be making his major debut at Royal Liverpool, while Hendry has previously played two Open Championships in 2017 and 2018.
Taichi Kho of Hong Kong won the tournament at 12-under par but Hendry was runner up at 10-under after a closing 68 and Smyth third at 9-under after a fine, closing 66 on Sunday.
The tournament was reduced to 54 holes by inclement weather in Hong Kong.
Victorian Zach Murray is in position to end a four-year winless drought at the Asian Tour’s International Series Thailand at Hua Hin.
Four years and a week since his co-sanctioned New Zealand Open victory that launched his professional career, Murray is in a four-way tie for the lead at Black Mountain Golf Club.
Fifteen-under through three rounds, Murray is level with Bang;adesh’s Siddikur Rahman (64), shot India’s Chikkarangappa S (67) and Thai superstar and Black Mountain member Jazz Janewattananond (69).
They lead by one from Koreans Yongjun Bae (65), Mingyu Cho (66), and Jaewoong Eom (68), Micah Lauren Shin (67) from the United States and Japan’s Yosuke Asaji (68), 28 players within just three strokes of the lead.
Murray made his way to the top of the leaderboard with a third round of four-under 68.
After opening his round with five straight pars Murray surged with three birdies on the trot from the sixth to the eight hole.
There were bogeys at 11 and 15 but birdies at 13, 16 and 18 ensured he would end day three with a share of the lead.
Among those in hot pursuit are three fellow countrymen just two strokes back.
John Lyras and Wade Ormsby both posted rounds of five-under 67 to be among the seven players tied for 10th at 13-under, Kevin Yuan also in contention after a round of 69.
Four birdies in the space of five holes late in his round also kept Andrew Dodt’s hopes alive of a second win at Black Mountain.
Dodt won the True Thailand Classic at the venue eight years ago and will start the final round in a tie for 17th but just three shots off the lead.
One of the most iconic events on the Australian golfing calendar, the Scramble Championship Final returns to the stunning Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club on the Gold Coast this December 5 – 8.
A landmark occasion, 2022 marks the 30th iteration of The Scramble – Australia’s largest and most successful teams’ event – and the first time the Final has been at Sanctuary Cove since 1994.
General Manager of Tournament and Event Operations at the PGA of Australia, Natalie McIlroy is thrilled to see it return to the Gold Cost and to welcome all the finalists.
“Sanctuary Cove hosted the Championship Final in the early years of The Scramble, she said. “So, it is fitting that we return for the 30th.
“The final has been held on the Sunshine Coast at Twin Waters Golf Club and the Novotel Sunshine Coast Resort in recent years and we would like to thank them for their wonderful hospitality over the years.”
This week’s Championship Final is the culmination of the two sections of the Scramble; the mixed and women’s draws coming together at one venue to play for their respective titles.
Across one practice day and three rounds of competition, twenty teams from around Australia will compete for the Mixed Scramble Championship Final, and six teams from six states, compete for the Women’s Scramble Championship.
Already a thrill to be competing in the Championship Final, to qualify teams must have won their local Scramble and a regional final. A significant achievement in itself, in 2022, nearly 300 Scramble events took place, seeing almost 25,000 golfers take part.
The all-inclusive trip for qualifiers will include four rounds of golf in tournament conditions, event functions, accommodation and flights, all for the honour to be crowned the 30th mixed champions and 17th women’s champions.
“Qualifying for the Championship Final is really the major prize of The Scramble,” said McIlroy. “And I am sure that all of the finalists will be very excited at the prospect of spending a few days at Sanctuary Cove.”
One of the major drawcards of The Scramble every year, is the chance to play alongside a PGA Professional. Australia’s accredited experts in golf, each team will be allocated a PGA Professional for the week, who will be able to provide guidance, advice and more than likely a straight tee shot to navigate the Championship layout at the Palms Course at Sanctuary Cove.
PGA of Australia Events Manager, Louise Meagher knows just how valuable this will be right throughout the Championship Final.
“It’s wonderful to welcome twenty-six PGA Professionals who will form part of all of the teams this week,” she said. “It is always a real thrill for our competitors to play with them and it is such a valuable experience.”
A sentiment echoed by Geoff Stewart, General Manager of the PGA Membership and Education Department, he supports the inclusion of PGA Professionals in the Championship Final.
“It is one of the unique parts about our game that players of varying abilities can all play together and enjoy the experience,” he said. “PGA Professionals have a wealth of knowledge and experience, and it’s wonderful that they will have the chance to share that directly with golfers on the course this week.”
All the action kicks off tomorrow, with first groups off at 7:30am.
The Scramble Championship Final is an elimination format Ambrose, with conditions outlined below:
Congratulations to all teams who have qualified and good luck!
FINALISTS (MIXED)
Brighton Lakes Golf Club (NSW); Keysborough Golf Club (VIC); Brisbane River Golf Club (QLD)
Ulverstone Golf Club (TAS); Warrnambool Golf Club (VIC); Pinjarra Golf Club (WA)
Broome Golf Club (WA); Leeton Golf Club (NSW); Blackwood Golf Club (SA); Kiama Golf Club (NSW)
Hervey Bay Golf and Country Club (QLD); Yowani Golf Club (ACT); Sarina Golf Club (QLD)
Yamba Golf and Country Club (NSW); Shelly Beach Golf Club (NSW); Cranbourne Golf Club (VIC)
Mudgee Golf Club (NSW); Windaroo Lakes Golf Club (QLD); Fairbairn Golf Club (NSW); Ayr Golf Club (QLD)
FINALISTS (WOMEN’S)
Lucindale Golf Club (SA); Lakelands Country Club (WA); Launceston Golf Club (TAS); Coffs Harbours Golf Club (NSW); Queanbeyan Golf Club (ACT); Howlong Golf Club (NSW)
More information on The Scramble Championship Final is available HERE
Three female PGA Professionals have been named as recipients of the PGA Women in Golf Scholarship under the creating new leaders category, as they passionately pursue the chance to upskill and advance their careers in the industry.
Sienna Voglis (Club Barham Golf and Sports), Jennifer Schulenburg (Long Reef Golf Club), and Elissa Lal (Rossdale Golf Club) have each received funding, which will allow them to complete a Diploma of their choice with the PGA Institute.
The scholarship, which was launched in 2021, is proudly supported by PGA of Australia partners; ISPS Handa, Acushnet, TaylorMade and Callaway, who are each equally committed to removing barriers and ensuring that more women are able to thrive in the golf industry.
PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman believes that the scholarship will help ensure that women play a driving role in golf in the years to come.
“The scholarship is designed to help elevate our current female PGA members into leadership roles within Golf,” Kirkman said. “A career in golf is for anyone, no matter gender or background and we are proud to help foster that.”
For Sienna Voglis – Club Manager at Barham Golf and Sports – the scholarship will allow her to complete an Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management with the PGA Institute, an opportunity that she knows will be hugely beneficial.
“I’ve currently got about 25 staff working under me,” she explained. “So it’s important that I can make sure my leadership skills are as strong as possible and the Diploma will certainly help that.
“My role now is so diverse, so for me it’s all about being open-minded and I want to make sure I can help members and visitors get the best experience possible.”
More broadly, Sienna appreciates the chance to continue her development as a PGA Professional and urges others who have the chance to do the same.
“I think continued education is essential,” said Sienna who has spent time as a PGA Professional in both Victoria and New South Wales. “The industry is always evolving and we are running facilities that require us to cover a lot of bases.”
A sentiment shared by Jennifer Schulenburg (pictured), who will be pursuing a Diploma of Golf Management through the PGA Institute, the chance to upskill has come at the perfect time.
Having started as the Golf and Corporate Manager at Long Reef Golf Club six months ago, Jennifer is settling into her first management role after spending an extended period as a teaching professional. Enjoying the challenge, she believes that completing the Diploma of Golf Management will give her the skills to thrive.
“It’s been a really good chance for me to shift the direction of my career a little bit,” Jennifer explained. “Now I certainly have the scope for growth and change which is exciting.
“My new role certainly keeps me busy and I absolutely love it. It has ignited a passion to continue down the management path and now it will be fantastic to have the qualifications to back that up.”
Inspired by a sense of possibility, Jennifer is hopeful that through the scholarship, she will be able to advance her career further as well.
“Golf is thriving and the management landscape is changing,” she said. “But I would hope that having a qualification and some further experience would help to open up some doors to work in General Management one day.”
Although she has spent an extended period as a coach at Rossdale Golf Club in Victoria, Elissa Lal is enjoying the chance to explore the management side of the industry and is confident that through the scholarship, she will be able to upskill to a point where General Management could also be a possibility.
Currently splitting her time between coaching and the Pro Shop – where she assists with the day-to-day operations of the Club – Elissa will complete a Diploma of Golf Management while on upcoming maternity leave.
“I think it’s a wonderful opportunity,” she said. “To be able to upskill while I am away from work and then hopefully be able to offer even more upon my return.”
An impressive effort to balance an increasingly busy schedule, Elissa believes that she has a unique opportunity to inspire other women and girls.
“I want to be able to show younger people that you can play, work in golf and be a parent,” explained Elissa. “You can do it all in golf.”
Directly beneficial to the individual, the scholarship will have a ripple effect throughout the industry, inspiring the next generation of women and girls. Something that Sienna Voglis is particularly cognisant of, she appreciates the responsibility that comes with being a scholarship recipient.
“We’ve got a huge opportunity to show female golfers around the country that there are so many career opportunities in golf,” she explained. “It’s not just coaching or working in the shop, but we can be leaders in management and that is very exciting.”
Sydneysider John Lyras and Brisbane’s Gavin Fairfax and are the best-placed Australians after the first round at First Stage of Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying School in the US.
Aussies are competing at four of the six venues that teed off overnight with Lyras and Fairfax playing their way into the top-10 at their respective tournaments in Illinois and Texas.
A graduate of the Membership Pathway Program, Fairfax shot three-under 69 to be tied for ninth at Walden on Lake Conroe, Lyras in an identical position with an identical score at White Eagle Golf Club.
Fairfax is seeking to earn one of the 19 spots on offer to Second Stage while Justin Warren and Nathan Barbieri are also in the mix to snare a place at Second Stage in Arizona and Florida respectively.
With the top 25 and ties to advance, Warren’s round of three-under 69 puts him in a tie for 25th at Southern Dunes Golf Club, Barbieri also tied for 25th following an opening round of two-under 69 at Crown Colony Golf and Country Club.
Brisbane’s Tim Hart got off to a difficult start at Southern Dunes but an eagle at the par-5 13th helped him to post a two-over 74 and in need of a low round on day two.
Click here for all Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying School scores.
A proposed purpose-built golf facility on the Sunshine Coast is promising to put a golf club into the hands of those with an intellectual disability and deliver independent living opportunities through training and employment.
The brainchild of PGA Professional Darrell Dalton (pictured) and wife Michelle who established Golf Programs Australia Incorporated in 2014, the facility would feature a gated community with associated support, training programs and employment within a golf complex that encompasses a driving range, golf course and practice area.
Practical life skills such as cooking and cleaning will be interspersed with training in various areas of the golf industry from customer service to hospitality and agronomy, providing purpose for those who can feel isolated and connect them to the broader community.
It is a passion project driven by the Daltons’ strong Christian beliefs and one which Darrell hopes will be rolled out in each state of Australia and ultimately into markets overseas.
After starting his PGA training under Sid Cowling at Lane Cove Country Club in Sydney in 1979, Dalton had to pause his progression to becoming a PGA Professional after his mother suffered a stroke and he returned home to Darwin.
He would finally gain his PGA credentials at Nambour Golf Club in 2009 following a career in nursing, his time working in the acquired brain injury unit revealing the extent of the struggles faced by people with an intellectual disability and their families.
“There aren’t a lot of opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities in training and employment,” Dalton says.
“The parents that we talked to, their biggest concern was what was going to happen to their son or daughter when they passed.
“What you learn is that if you have someone in your family that’s high-care high needs they’re living, really, the life that you live. Yes, there are things that they can plug into, but at the same time, they become isolated because of the nature of their condition.
“By the very nature of having a daughter or son that has an intellectual disability, families also become isolated.
“The reason that we exist the way we do is because it was really a cry from the parents to say, ‘We’ve done this for years and there are no real outcomes or opportunities for our sons and daughters.’”
It was an approach made through the membership at Nambour on behalf of the Special Olympics in 2014 that provided the Daltons with the impetus to offer a golf program at Tanawha Valley Golf and Tennis.
The expectation was that one or two athletes would come forward to participate but in their first year 18 joined the program, a number that has since grown to 45 who take part on a weekly basis.
But while golf is the conduit, it is the extension into training and employment that is having the greatest impact on those who take part.
“We established retail, business and creativity training through our retail store which also gave us a connection with the community that come through the front door,” Dalton explains.
“By the time they transferred or transitioned from the golf program into our retail store for any sort of training, it was seamless.
“Being a part of our golf program opens up all these other opportunities. So when you’re talking about how much it means to them, it’s life-changing for the parents and it’s life-changing for the athletes.
“Golf is the glue that keeps everything together and we offer so much more beyond that, because we listened to the families.”
The GPAI Golf Classic each December pairs athletes from the program with corporate sponsors in a two-person foursomes format that by its very nature emphasises the charity’s catch cry of ‘Driving Inclusion – Breaking Isolation’.
The next step in that evolution is a purpose-built facility on the Sunshine Coast that will use golf as the grounding to significantly enhance the lives of not only those who will live on-site, but also their friends and family.
“They have special potential, and they have special needs, and special understanding requirements,” says Michelle Dalton, a highly accomplished businesswoman who heads the education and training element of GPAI.
“Now, how does a family deal with all that? Quite often, they’ve got other children. Some of our people are second generation disability. How do they deal with it?
“They’re not looking for hidden potential, they’re looking at what they can get through today. And that’s where we had to learn that there is such potential.
“How do we just leave this untapped? We do this for big corporates and everyone except for the most vulnerable? No.”
Adds Darrell: “There’s so much potential with this concept. It just blows my mind every time. That’s what gets us up in the morning.”
There are numerous ways in which you can support GPAI realise their vision of a purpose-built golf facility for people with an intellectual disability. You can donate directly at pitchin.golf to purchase tickets in the community raffle here or donate new and used goods for the retail store. For more information visit https://gpai.org.au/.
When people think of Kalgoorlie, they do not normally also think of Canberra, except if you are Josh Armstrong who leads the CKB WA PGA Championship at Kalgoorlie Golf Course by two shots at the halfway mark.
Armstrong, 22, followed up his seven-under par round in yesterday’s afternoon heat with another round of 65 in this morning’s cold conditions.
The stark contrast in the weather took Armstrong back to his early days in the nation’s capital and he took full advantage of his familiarity to remain bogey-free for the tournament.
“Growing up in Canberra kind of helps,” he said with a laugh.
“Believe it or not, the ball actually wasn’t travelling any different for me. Maybe some others it was but it was a pretty easy transition.
“When I wasn’t in position, I was able to play pretty safe and manage well. I think I played pretty smart when I needed to and made the most of it when I was in a good position and could attack a little more.
“I was working with my sports psych about a week ago saying that I want to be more reactive to what’s in front of me and I’ve obviously been doing a really good job of that. Just trying to stay where I am and do what I need to do at that point in time.”
The New South Welshman is “pretty impressed” by Kalgoorlie in his first visit to the city nearly 600 km east-northeast of Perth, but his sights are set on the United States.
Armstrong is currently 21st on the PGA Tour of Australasia’s Order of Merit standings and he is focused on obtaining the top-15 spots which earn entry into the second round of Korn Ferry Tour qualifying.
“That is one of the main reasons I’m pushing is because that is where I want to go play,” he said.
“Makes life so much easier if you can skip the first stage. Q-School is arguably one of the toughest weeks in golf so I am trying to have a good three weeks and see how high up I can get.”
To stay on top this weekend however, Armstrong will have to contend with a strong chasing pack.
Overnight leader Austin Bautista is in second place after shooting 68 today to move to twelve-under for the tournament, and like Armstrong, he is also bogey free so far.
West Australian Scott Strange and New South Welshman Jay Mackenzie are a further two shots back in a share of third, while Louis Dobbelaar (fifth) and Dimitrios Papadatos (tied sixth) are in the mix and are hunting vital Order of Merit earnings.
The third round of the CKB WA PGA Championship will be broadcast on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo Sports from 2:30pm-5:30pm AEST.
A runaway Joaquin Niemann kept a third Genesis Invitational win out of reach but Adam Scott is confident a victory is close after posting another top-five finish at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.
Two eagles and birdies at three of the four par 3s highlighted a Sunday 66 for Scott to climb into a share of fourth at 14-under par, five shots shy of Niemann.
It was his seventh top-10 finish at the venue and took his total prize money in the tournament to a staggering $US5,034,503.29 and provides a timely confidence boost leading towards the start of major championship season.
“I think I’m working on all the right things,” said Scott, who began his final round with an eagle and added a second at the par-5 17th to make a late surge.
“I wouldn’t change anything much, but just a little more practice and hopefully it keeps kind of embedding itself into my routines out there and I make a few more putts and a few less bad shots and hopefully be winning soon.
“I’ve got a couple things I’d like to work on before I peg it up next time, but I’m pegging it up with a bit more confidence the next time I play.
“I have good feelings around here. Everything seems a little bit easy.
“Even though I wasn’t winning this week, even the bad stuff didn’t get me down so much.
“It’s nice when you’re out on the course with like a really light-hearted vibe. This place does that for me.”
Scott’s last win was at Riviera in 2020 just prior to the COVID-19 shut-down but on the back of two top-10s on the DP World Tour to start the year is trending towards a run at a second green jacket at Augusta National.
Marc Leishman was the highest-placed Australian heading into the final round but closed with a two-over 73 to earn a share of 15th, level with fellow Australian Matt Jones (68) ahead of his Honda Classic title defence next week.
A second-round 64 was the anchor to Blake Windred’s tie for 15th at the Challenge Tour’s Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open in South Africa with Kiwi Denzel Ieremia earning a top-20 finish on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica courtesy of a bogey-free seven-under 65 on the final day.
Fellow Kiwi Steven Alker continued his extraordinary run of form on the Champions Tour, finishing seven shots back of Bernhard Langer in a tie for fifth at the Chubb Classic in Florida.
Results
PGA TOUR
Genesis Invitational
The Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, California
Winner Joaquin Niemann 63-63-68-71—265 $US2,160,000
T4 Adam Scott 68-65-71-66—270 $540,000
T15 Matt Jones 70-67-71-68—276 $189,000
T15 Marc Leishman 70-66-67-73—276 $189,000
T21 Danny Lee 70-70-65-72—277 $125,880
T33 Cameron Smith 67-68-74-70—279 $64,000
T48 Cam Davis 71-71-70-69—281 $30,428
MC Min Woo Lee 77-70—147
Korn Ferry Tour
LECOM Suncoast Classic
Lakewood National GC (Commander Cse), Lakewood Ranch, Florida
Winner Byeong Hun An 65-66-67-69—267 $US135,000
T46 Brett Drewitt 67-69-69-71—276 $3,319
T55 Curtis Luck 66-70-70-72—278 $3,120
68 Aaron Baddeley 65-70-78-74—287 $2,955
MC Rhein Gibson 69-69—138
Challenge Tour
Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open
Royal Cape GC, Cape Town, South Africa
Winner JC Ritchie 69-66-67-68—270 €34,846
T8 Daniel Hillier 67-68-71-69—275 €3,952
T15 Blake Windred 72-64-70-71—277 €2,891
PGA TOUR Latinoamerica
Estrella del Mar Open 2022
Estrella del Mar Golf & Beach, Mazatlan, Mexico
Winner Matt Ryan 63-70-66-66—265
T19 Denzel Ieremia 71-69-69-65—274
MC Tim Stewart 72-72—144
Champions Tour
Chubb Classic
Tiburon Golf Club (Black Cse), Naples, Florida
Winner Bernhard Langer 64-68-68—200 $US240,000
T5 Steven Alker 71-65-71—207 $58,795
T38 Stephen Leaney 72-72-73—217 $7,680
T38 Rod Pampling 69-73-75—217 $7,680
T68 Stuart Appleby 75-74-78—227 $1,504
74 Robert Allenby 81-74-77—232 $1,056
Some of Australia’s top female golfers continue to lead the way at TPS Murray River with Whitney Hillier and Cassie Porter joined by Matthew Millar at the top of the leaderboard mid-way through Friday’s second round at Cobram Barooga Golf Club.
Hillier, who finished runner-up at last week’s Vic Open, took the morning by storm with a remarkable seven-under par round of 64 to match the course record set by Hannah Green and Andrew Evans yesterday.
Porter and Millar picked up where they left off on Thursday as they both made it back-to-back rounds of 66 heading into the weekend.
West Australian Hillier is relishing being back in Australia for the first time since the pandemic began and her happiness is translating to good form on the course.
“Today was good. I birdied all the par-5s which was a good advantage more than anything,” the Ladies European Tour regular said.
“I just played steady and I had a lot of fun with my fiancé Ben (who has been caddying for Stephanie Kyriacou in recent weeks) on the bag. We just had a great day and the putts just fell.”
She is also experiencing some deja vu this week as the stunning performances of her friend and former state teammate Hannah Green are bringing out the best in her.
“She set the bar yesterday so she inspired me a little bit for sure. It was good that I could do the same really,” Hillier, who is gunning to become the first woman to win a The Players Series event, said.
“We’ve got plenty of golf left to go but we’ve definitely got some girls up on that leaderboard which is great to see.”
Queenslander Porter is another player with an eye towards a Sunday afternoon triumph.
The rookie professional is trying to stay in the moment – thanks to some encouragement from her mum who is caddying for her this week – however she can’t help but look at the bigger picture.
“Honestly TPS is one of the greatest concepts in golf. I love that we get to play with the men in the same field with the same prize purse,” Porter said.
“I think it really puts us on the same level. I think it showcases women’s golf too. We work as hard and we try as hard and I think that Australia is getting to see that that’s actually true.”
The local crowd were lucky enough to see Porter pull out her tricks at the par-5 sixth with a chip-in eagle.
After crunching her drive, her second shot went a bit left and looked as if she had let an opportunity slip.
“I wasn’t really happy with it. The spectators can probably tell you how I reacted to that one,” Porter said with a laugh.
“It was on the good grass there which was lucky I think and then just popped it in the hole which was nice. It was a good surprise.
“I actually didn’t think I’d see it and then it disappeared so I was like ‘ok good’. There was a bit of a celebration. I looked at mum and gave a bit of a fist bump.”
Millar went bogey free as he continued his good form in the region from his Murray Open triumph late last year.
He is also not surprised to be joined by Hillier and Porter at the top as he said that he expects a few of the best women to be right at the top.
The Canberran is a prolific winner on the Adidas PGA Pro-am Series circuit and those performances are set to hold him in good stead across the weekend.
Zach Murray is one shot back from the leading trio after shooting an incredible six-under round of 65, while Douglas Klein and Austin Bautista finished at eight-under par as they both carded rounds of 69.
