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Crowds flocked to Cottesloe Golf Club to see who would win the 2019 Nexus Risk WA Open Championship and the players did not disappoint.
All eyes were on the final group of Michael Sim, Rick Kulacz and Hayden Hopewell who were collectively 35-under par for the first three rounds of the Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series tournament.
The pressure of last group quietened the scoring through the front-nine where Kulacz and Hopewell both recorded even-par.
Sim was the only one in the red at 1-under par as the trio moved into the back-nine tightly bunched.
Six groups ahead of the leaders was Dale Williamson who was putting together a very impressive round that included three eagles, three birdies along with two bogies to post a final round 7-under par 65 and sign his card tied for the lead.
“I played really nice in that wind, controlled my ball well and rolled it on the greens really nice,” said Williamson who eventually tied for third place at 12-under the card.
Michael Wright stretched to a 13-under par total and joined Sim at the top of the leaderboard before an unfortunate bogey at the last dropped him back to a 12-under total and in tie for third place with Williamson, Daniel Fox and Aaron Wilkin.
Yet it was Sim who continued to put space between himself and the field with birdies at 11,14, 16 and 17 to reach 15-under par with one to play and be two shots ahead of overnight leader, amateur Hayden Hopewell.
The 18th threw a spanner in the works when Sim hit his drive left and had to chip out short right of the green and Hopewell hit his second shot to 40 feet from the pin.
Sim went on to hit an amazing chip shot to three feet but that’s when things got heated. Hopewell went on to roll his birdie putt in, all but forcing Sim to hole his downhill three-footer for the win.
Sim held his cool to record his first WA Open title and take home the winner’s cheque for $18,301.
“I knew I had two shots going up the last but when Hayden holed his, I had to switch and make sure of holing the small putt,” Sim said.
This and a third place result last week at the WA PGA Championship kick-starts a big summer of golf for the West Australian.
“It’s amazing to get another win and especially to back up from last week, this will give me a lot of confidence moving into some big events now.”
A fantastic effort from Hopewell earned the young-gun outright second place at 14-under the card.
Sim will be one to watch when the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia returns at the Victorian PGA Championship at RACV Cape Schanck Resort from Thursday.
Amateur Hayden Hopewell has gained a two-stroke lead heading into the final day of the Nexus Risk WA Open following a consistent display of golf in hot and windy conditions.
Hopewell led the pack through the halfway mark and continued to look back at the field through 54 holes with a three-round total of 13-under.
Tomorrow Hopewell will attempt to be the fourth amateur in eight years to win the coveted Open trophy and kick-start what already looks to be a very impressive golf career.
“I’m pretty happy, it was tough out there today in that wind. I played solid today and unfortunately left a couple out there but that’s golf,” Hopewell said.
“There will be nerves tomorrow but I’m confident in my game plan and look forward to the opportunity.”
Former PGA TOUR player Michael Sim has continued his great form from Kalgoorlie where he finished third, shooting a 5-under par 67 in round three to sit in second place alongside Rick Kulacz.
Sim, who sits two shots behind Hopewell at 11-under the card, was excited about the opportunity to get back in the winner’s circle following his Queensland Open win in 2017.
“I played solid last week, I’m playing good this week and looking forward to what tomorrow brings,” Sim said.
“Every player’s goal is to get in a position to win the event on Sunday and I’ve ticked that box so I’m very happy.”
West Aussie Rick Kulacz is a fan of the Cottesloe Golf Club and knows how to make the most of the course having won the Cottesloe Open back on the May/June Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series circuit.
“I got hot through that patch on the back-nine where I had four birdies in a row,” Kulacz said.
“There is some great golf being played out here so it’s to be a great battle out there tomorrow, one I’m really looking forward to.”
A pack of golfers will look to pounce in the final round including 2015 WA Open winner Daniel Fox who sits in outright fourth on 10-under par followed by Callan O’Reilly, Michael Wright and Chris Wood on a 9-under par total.
Saturday’s third round also marked the start of the WA Open All Abilities Championship where Geoffrey Nicholas leads following a 4-over par 76 ahead of Arnold Bamroong in second place with 80.
The All Abilities Championship will precede the final round play beginning from 8.30am at Cottesloe Golf Club. Keep up to date with scores through the ww.pga.org.au or via the PGA of Australia app.
The morning field blistered their way around the Cottesloe GC in the second round of the $100,000 Nexus Risk WA Open with 28 of 60 players shooting under par.
Six-time European Tour winner and Perth local Brett Rumford led the morning pack out with a superb 5-under 67 to get himself right back into the tournament heading into round three.
Peter Wilson wanted to wish his Mum a happy birthday with a great second round and he didn’t disappoint.
Off to a slow start with three pars to start his round, he then produced five birdies and an eagle across the next 6 holes to turn in 29, 7-under par.
“It all came together for those six holes and then I played good on the back-nine but just couldn’t keep the hot run going,” Wilson said.
The Victorian came home in an even-par 36 to post the low round of the day, a 7-under 65, and move into second place for the event with the afternoon field yet to hit the course – a total that would eventually see him sit tied for third heading into round three.
Yet it was fellow morning player Chris Wood who lept to the lead after a 6-under par 66 following what he described as a scrappy round.
“I’ll definitely take the score, but I can thank my short game for that as it really saved me today,” Wood said.
The second round of the WA Open belonged to WA amateur Hayden Hopewell who fired another superb round of 5-under 67 for a two-round total of 9-under par to lead the field.
Knowing the Open has been won by many amateurs before Hopewell is confident he can mirror Zach Murray’s efforts at last year’s tournament.
“I’ve stuck to my game plan really well over the last two days,” Hopewell said.
“I’m looking forward to the weekend and the opportunity to get my name on the trophy.”
With round two complete Chris Wood holds second place sitting one stroke behind Hopewell.
A couple back from the leaders and ready to pounce is 2015 WA Open winner Daniel Fox and Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series competitor Adam Burdett, tied for third at 7-under the card.
With perfect weather a stunning golf course and a stacked leaderboard this weekend is sure to going to produce an amazing finish.
Play for round three will commence at 9am with the leading group hitting off at 10.40am. Stay tuned through live scores on the PGA of Australia app and www.pga.org.au.
Perfect Perth conditions and an immaculate Cottesloe Golf Club produced a jam-packed leaderboard in the opening round of the $100,000 Nexus Risk WA Open.
Twenty-three players took advantage of the mild morning conditions to post sub-par rounds but Shae Wools-Cobb proved the best of the round, posting a bogey-free 5-under 67 to lead as the afternoon field took to the course.
“I holed a great putt on the 1st for par and then the putter just felt great from there on in,” Wools-Cobb said.
“It definitely makes the game feel easier when the putter is hot.”
The afternoon westerly breeze known in Perth as the “Fremantle doctor” made it tough going for the pm field.
Rick Kulacz had full control of his ball in the strong winds, firing a sensational 4-under par 68.
“It was probably a two-club wind which made some of the long holes even tougher,” Kulacz said.
Joining Kulacz in the afternoon was Dale Williamson who sizzled through the front-nine with five birdies to shoot 31 before returning in 1-over par on the back-nine for a total score of 4-under 68.
Kulacz and Williamson weren’t the only ones to turn up the heat with a logjam of seven players sitting tied for second place.
West Aussies Michael Sim and former WA Open champion Daniel Fox were among the contenders at 4-under the card as well as experienced campaigner Troy Moses.
In an event where amateurs have had huge success – Zach Murray claiming the trophy last year – both Connor McKinney and Hayden Hopewell sit one shot back from the leaders and are looking to continue the great run.
The second round of the Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series tournament will commence from 6.50am AWST at Cottesloe Golf Club. Keep up to date with live scores through the PGA of Australia app or visit www.pga.org.au.
Darren Beck will bring a hot putter and increased confidence to this week’s Nexus Risk WA Open as he aims to claim two wins in the west.
An incredible back-nine featuring six birdies propelled Beck into the lead of last week’s TX Civil & Logistics WA PGA Championship and it is this form that the Sydneysider will be hoping to continue at Cottesloe Golf Club from Thursday.
“I’ve played many Cottesloe Open’s around here and love the course,” Beck said.
“Wind can be a factor here so will have to have great control of your of your golf ball.”
Now after adding a second state PGA Championship to his name Beck will look to add a maiden state Open title to his resume.
“All state Open’s have so much history around them and it would be great to add my name to the long list of great champions this week.”
European Tour and former WA Open winner Brett Rumford will contest one of his favourite events of the year on the back of a solid result in Kalgoorlie.
Tied 14th after some serious travel to make the event, the West Australian is in good stead for this week knowing he’ll be sleeping in his own bed.
Local WA talents Jarryd Felton and Michael Sim both played exceptional golf last week to finish second and third respectively and will no doubt be around the top of the leaderboard come Sunday afternoon.
Past winners Daniel Fox, Oliver Goss and James Nitties should also not be discounted.
Featuring on the Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series in 2019, a field of 120 players will vie for their share in the $100,000 prize purse across the four-round tournament.
Players looking to boost their state Order of Merit (OOM) standings or close the gap to National OOM leader Tim Hart will have the opportunity to do so this week with the winner set to take away close to $18,000.
History has shown amateurs love winning this event with 29 claiming victory since the first Open in 1913 and three in the last seven years – Oliver Goss (2102) Curtis Luck (2016) and Zach Murray (2018).
Forty elite amateurs will tee it up at Cottesloe and with a stellar amateur field assembled including Hayden Hopewell, Josh Greer, Haydn Barron and recently crowned US Mid-Amateur Champion Lukas Michel, there’s a great chance it could happen again.
The WA Open has plenty to offer both on and off the course but for professionals an extra incentive will be offered on the back-nine.
Should any professional ace the par-3 11th on Sunday they’ll be the lucky winner of a brand new Volvo XC40 valued at $67,000.
Play starts this Thursday 17 October with players hitting the course from 6.50am. Don’t forget to keep up to date with all the action through live scoring on the PGA of Australia app or www.pga.org.au.
