Daniel Hillier impressive in finishing third in Northern Ireland

Daniel Hillier- photo Getty Images

A cheque for €43,500 was just reward for an excellent week for New Zealander Daniel Hillier following his share of third place at the ISPS Handa World Invitational at Galgorm Castle & Massereene, Co Antrim in Northern Ireland.

Hillier, who led through 36 holes before a third round of 70 saw him slip off the pace, worked himself back into winning contention after an outward nine of 33 on Sunday. He was still amongst the title contenders before bogeys at the 16th and 17th holes cost him a winning chance.

The 23 year old Wellingtonian finished two shots from the eventual winner, Daniel Gavins, and earns the biggest cheque of his 20 month professional career and while there was no doubt joy in that there was some disappointment that he was unable to convert a winning opportunity.

“I felt pretty good out there today for the most part,” said Hillier. “Obviously a pretty poor end to the week, but that’s the way things go sometimes, and I’m sure that I’ll be in contention a lot more in the future, so just going to learn from it.

“It’s one of those things, you’re obviously going to feel nerves and all that. If you’re in contention you want to win, and the adrenaline is going to be there, the nerves are going to be there.

“I think just looking back on a couple of those shots near the end, just a little more focus on the process, I think, because I was getting a little bit ahead of myself I think towards the end, and obviously put me a little bit behind.

“Apart from that it was a really good week, so yeah, I’m happy.”

Hillier has won events on the Charles Tour in New Zealand and had a stellar amateur career, winning the New Zealand and Australian junior titles in addition to two New Zealand Amateur Championship titles.

Hillier has competed on the European Challenge Tour in 2021 although this particular tournament was a European Tour event and as a result of his success this week will earn a start in next week’s Hero Open in Scotland, another European Tour start.

Blake Windred led the Australians in 22nd place while Maverick Antcliff was next best when 26th.

The women’s event, played concurrently, was won by Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukaarn who recovered from a triple bogey during her final round to win after a playoff with American Emma Talley.

Sarah Kemp headed the Australians when she finished tied for 8th and earned a cheque for US$32,000 in the joint LPGA / LET event. Fellow Australian, Su Oh, was 11th.

For Kemp it was a continuation of a great year on the LPGA Tour, an elevation she puts down to improvement on the greens.

“It’s really solid,” she said referring to her form in 2021. “I’m just putting great. Like I holed some really good momentum par saves this week, obviously some long birdie putts. But that’s kind of been the difference this year. Just some few extra putts dropping.

As to the format of two events being played concurrently Kemp is a fan.

“I love it. I wish we could do more of it. Obviously never missed a Vic Open when it’s been co-sanctioned with the guys. It’s just fun. Like I love — I follow them all the time. I follow the Australian boys and got to see them on the range this week.

Yeah, it’s a lot of fun. I hope we can do more of it?”

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Schauffele wins gold as Smith’s brave medal bid falls just short

A very happy Xander Schauffele – Photo courtesy of Stan Badz PGA Tour / IGF

Despite being, as yet, to win a major title, American Xander Schauffele has developed a reputation for performing well in the big events and today he further enhanced that reputation with victory in the men’s event at the Olympics, after edging clear of former South African, now Slovakian, Rory Sabbatini.

In 18 career majors to date, Schauffele has been inside the top ten on nine occasions against fields significantly stronger in depth and numbers than that he faced this week at the Kasumigaseki Country Club, in Saitama, north of Tokyo.

He has, admittedly, won Tour Championships and World Golf Championships but he keeps putting himself in position to win so often and today he was rewarded with a title which, likely, means a lot to him.

Schauffele raced to a four-shot lead with four birdies in his opening eight holes after beginning day four with a one-shot lead over the local favourite and his playing partner, Hideki Matsuyama, and by the turn he led the Japanese star by four.

Others, though, were staking their claim for a medal, including Sabbatini who had begun his bid nearly 90 minutes ahead of the final group. Sabbatini produced a remarkable round of 61 including an eagle, ten birdies and two bogeys to trail by just one when he finished his day’s work.

Soon after Sabbatini had finished, Schauffele was lucky to find a wayward drive at the 14th and, in the end, did well to save bogey, and the pair were tied at 17 under par.

Sabbatini waited what must have felt like an eternity to see whether the 27-year-old could better his score. A birdie at the 17th took Schauffele to the lead but he was forced to make an excellent up and down from 70 yards or so to save par at the last, after finding the rough from the tee, in order to take the gold medal.

Sabbatini took the silver after starting the day in 17th place and seven shots from the lead while a seven way playoff was required to determine the bronze medallist which would go to Chinese Taipei’s C.T. Pan after a four hole playoff.

Cameron Smith began the day five back off Schauffele and after making the turn in 33 he added birdies at the 10th and 11th holes and was tied in 4th place and just four from the lead. Despite a bogey at the 12th, he would birdie the 16th and 17th to get within two before finding the fairway bunker at the dangerous 18th.

Smith hit an excellent shot, but it failed to hold on the green and finished just off the back edge. He hit a very good pitch to negotiate the contours in the green but then missed a seven-foot par saving putt which, if he had made, would have given him a chance at the multiple playoff.

Still, for Smith, his 10th placing it was yet another fine showing in an event of significance.

New Zealand’s Ryan Fox produced a stunning final round of 64 including a homeward nine of 29 to finish tied for 42nd while Marc Leishman finished tied for 51st.

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Cameron Smith begins his round today  – photo PGA Tour / IGF

 

 

 

 

 

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Smith creeps closer as final round showdown looms in Tokyo

Cameron Smith at the Olympics-  photo IGF

Australia’s Cameron Smith has continued his improvement at the Tokyo Olympics, building on his opening two rounds when adding a third round of 66 at the Kasumigaseki Country Club, in Saitama, Japan, moving from his 19th place through 36 holes to now be in a share of 11th and just five shots from the lead held by American, Xander Schauffele.

Smith’s bogey free round has him within striking distance of the leader but the problem he faces is that he not only has to get past Schauffele, but several of the world’s leading players if he is to challenge for a medal of any colour, if not a gold medal.

“I thought 5-, 6-under today would get me close enough to where if I had another good one tomorrow I could be in the running for a medal,” said Smith after his round. “So, yeah it was nice to go out there, especially after a pretty poor start to kind of hang in there and shoot that.

“It’s going to take a good one. I think if I can get out to a start like I did on those first couple of days, make a few birdies in the first four or five holes I think I’ll be looking at it a bit differently. So I just need to go out there and do that.”

Smith began the third round seven shots from Schauffele but with three consecutive birdies in the middle of his front nine he had moved to 7 under for the tournament and within four of the lead.

He would birdie the 11th and 13th holes but Schauffele extended his lead to five over Smith and by one over his nearest rival Hideki Matsuyama with a magnificent birdie at the last, paving the way for a fascinating final day tomorrow when the American takes on the local hero Matsuyama.

Matsuyama became a folk hero in his home country following his victory at Augusta National earlier this year and it is hard to comprehend the enormous pressure he will face in tomorrow’s final round, but he has proven himself capable of carrying the weight of a nation before and might yet do it again.

Marc Leishman was round in 72 to be tied for 49th in the 60 man field while New Zealand’s Ryan Fox is 55th.

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Schauffele leads Olympic field as Cameron Smith improves

Cameron Smith in action this week – photo Ben Jared PGA Tour / IGF

Australian Cameron Smith is the best of the two Australians at the halfway stage of the Men’s Olympic competition, a second round of 67 allowing him to improve 21 positions from his overnight standing of 41st to a tie for 20th and seven shots from the lead.

It was, though, a round that might well have been significantly better but for a bizarre happening on the Queenslander’s final hole on Friday afternoon.

The demanding par four finishing proved even more so for Smith who pulled his second into the stands to the left of the green only for the ball to bounce across the fairway into the water. The resultant double bogey undid some of the great work Smith had produced up until that point, but he is still well enough placed heading into the weekend.

Smith expressed frustration with letting go what was shaping as a very good round.

“I was trying to hit it down there on the left and kind of the rough caught the heel a little bit, went a little bit further left than I anticipated, but yeah, pretty, I mean it was pretty frustrating day as it was, I felt like I did a lot of good stuff today and didn’t get the most out of my round and then to finish like that is kind of a bit crappy.

“I know my game’s there, like I said, I felt like I hit a lot of good golf shots today. I felt like I had a lot of opportunities, so just need to keep doing what I’m doing and hopefully the putts drop over the weekend.”

Marc Leishman was caught on the golf course after play had been delayed more than two hours by storms on Friday.

Leishman was required to play two holes on Saturday morning to finish his round after being caught on the course by the impact of the delay and was able to birdie both of his two remaining holes after a brilliant approach to three feet at the 17th and a superb birdie at one of the course’s most challenging holes, the 18th where his approach finished 5 feet behind the hole.

Leishman is in 40th position and ten shots from the lead.

New Zealand’s Ryan Fox was another to return on Saturday morning to finish his second round and unfortunately for him he bogeyed the 17th to eventually finish with 72 to be in 48th place.

The leader is Xander Schauffele who played his last five holes in 5 under including a 60-foot eagle putt at the 14th and he takes a one-shot lead over Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz into the weekend.

Just one further back however is Hideki Matsuyama whose legend will grow even further if he can add a gold medal to his breakthrough Masters victory earlier in the year. Matsuyama’s round of 64 was second only to Schauffele in round two.

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New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier leads in Northern Ireland

Daniel Hillier in action during round two – photo Getty Images

New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier has the halfway lead at the European Tour’s ISPS Handa World Invitational Galgorm Castle & Massereene in County Antrim in Northern Ireland.

The 23-year-old produced a second round of 8 under 62, his round made even more meritorious by the fact that he bogeyed his second hole of the day.

Hillier received an invite to play the event and displayed a game that many believe will have the Wellingtonian who, during his stellar amateur career, won both the Australian and New Zealand Junior titles and was twice the New Zealand Amateur Champion, on the European Tour before long.

Hillier has impressed this year with a series of solid finishes in his first season on the European Challenge Tour and has created an opportunity for himself to gain a European Tour card with a possible win in this week’s event which has brought together players from both the European and European Challenge Tour.

A professional for just over 18 months, Hillier has already played his way into two major championships having played the US Open in 2020 and this year’s Open Championship.

“It was really good out there,” said Hillier. I made the most of some pretty benign conditions in the morning and got off to a good start. Managed to sink a couple more near the end. But yeah, I’ve hit it really well. Made one bad swing on hole 11 and made bogey there, but apart from that it was really solid.

“I’ve been playing well the last couple of months, just haven’t really put four rounds together yet. Yeah, obviously in pretty good position at the moment, so yeah, just going to keep riding the wave and stick to the game plan and see how we go.

“I have played pretty well in Ireland in the past. Yeah, I don’t know. I guess conditions are somewhat similar to home. Yeah, I mean, just really love the place, and obviously, I don’t know, something about it that allows me to play good golf.”

Hillier leads by one over first round leader Jordan Smith of England with another two shots back to England’s Garrick Porteous and David Horsey.

Dimi Papadatos heads the Australians at 3 under and in 28th place with Maverick Antcliff and Blake Windred also making the cut but further back.

In the women’s event played concurrently at  the same venue, Su Oh is the best of the Australians in 9th position, Sarah Kemp 13th and Stephanie Kyriacou 19th.

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Leishman and Smith excited by Olympic debuts

Leishman and Smith pose with their caddies and Australian captain Ian Baker-Finch – Photo IGF

Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman take to the Kasumigaseki Country Club in Saitama in the north of Tokyo this week, both considered medal chances, and both delighted to be representing their country.

Both players faced the assembled media today as they prepared for their Olympic debuts.

Smith was outside the world’s top 175 when golf made a return to the Olympics in Rio in 2016 but he is now Australia’s highest ranked male player at number 28 in the world with Leishman now number 35 in the world from his position around 50th in 2016, although he made himself unavailable for family reasons back then.

Leishman gained his place in the field this year after Adam Scott declined the opportunity, the Queenslander just ahead of Leishman in world ranking when the teams were chosen although that is now reversed.

“Obviously very excited to be here,” said Leishman. “To represent your country is a huge honour and I know we’re both very proud to be wearing this uniform.

“The course looks great out there. It’s in unbelievable condition and I’m sure it will only get more difficult as the week goes on and yeah we’re excited to be here.”

Smith echoed Leishman’s thoughts.

“I mean, yeah, growing up you really never think that you’re going to wear the Olympic uniform with the coat of arms on it,” said the Queenslander. “It’s pretty special. Yeah, I mean, it’s just going to be an awesome experience. Leish and I get on great. We’re going to have great week off the course and hopefully a great one on the course as well. The course is in great shape and I can’t wait for Thursday.”

Both players have mixed form of late although Leishman’s third place finish two starts ago in Hartford before a missed cut at the Open Championship will give him some heart.

When asked where a gold medal at the Olympics would rate compared to a major title Leishman responded; “As a golfer, I we didn’t grow up thinking we would have a chance to win a medal, so I think as time goes on, this is going to get bigger and bigger and bigger. But this is a big deal. I mean, I think it would be, if it wasn’t equal to a major, it would be a very, very, very close second.”

Both players are staying outside of the Olympic Village but that is based on convenience and logistics rather than not wanting to be at the village.

“We’re staying close by in a hotel,” said Leishman. The village is, we have been told, a two-hour drive from the golf course if the traffic is not perfect. With our bodies, it’s not ideal to sit in a car for a couple of hours beforehand.

“So that was our thinking behind that, try and prepare like it was a major. Yeah, I think I would love to stay at the Olympic village, but it just wasn’t as convenient as we maybe would have liked this year.”

Both are impressed with the Kasumigaseki Country Club, Smith in particular enthusing over his liking for golf in Japan.

“I’ve never played a bad golf course in Japan. They’re always in such pristine condition. The greens out there are amazing. Hopefully the rain holds off and it’s able to get a little firmer and faster for us. I know we both like that. But nonetheless I’m sure it will be a great course.”

Leishman also was excited about what lay ahead. “I really like the golf course. It seems like every bunker has been put there for a reason. They’re all in play.

“I think if you are hitting your irons well I think there will be an opportunity for a lot of birdies. But on the other hand, if you’re just a little bit off you’re going to have some really difficult putts for birdies and tough 2-putts. So I think there’s going to be a fairly big spread in scores.

“I think it’s a great venue for the Olympic golf and it’s just a pity that we can’t have crowds here because I think it would be really special. I know how good it is to play in front of the Japanese fans and how much they love their golf.

“And I believe I’ve been paired with Hideki (Matsuyama), so it’s going to be a very different atmosphere than what it would have been like if we did have fans. But, no, it’s going to be a special week no matter what. I’m excited about it.”

Adding to his excitement is the prospect of representing Australia in a sport where such representation is not the norm.

“I think as Australians playing on the PGA TOUR in a way we do represent our country every week,” added the Victorian. “That’s the way I feel. Just this week where we’re wearing the green and gold and we have got Australia on our hats and shirts, which is an, I think adds a bit more to the prestige, I think.

“And I’m certainly very proud to call myself an Olympian now and I know Cam is as well. So, yeah, like I said, I feel like we do represent Australia every week, but this is just really, really special.”

The event gets under way on Thursday 29th and will be played over 72 holes, ending on Sunday.

 

 

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Minjee Lee’s major breakthrough at Evian Championship

Minjee Lee celebrates her major championship breakthrough – photo Ladies European Tour

Perth’s Minjee Lee today became just the 4th Australian female golfer to win a major championship when she overcame a seven shot 54-hole deficit with a final round of 64 to catch and then beat South Korean Jeongeun Lee6 in a playoff to win the Amundi Evian Championship in Evian les Bains in France.

Lee joins Jan Stephenson, Karrie Webb and her fellow West Australian Hannah Green in winning at the elite level but it took something very special to do so, reeling off four birdies in her last five holes to set the mark for Lee6, who, in the group behind, was forced to birdie her final three holes to join the Australian in a playoff.

Lee, who was playing in the second to last group on the final day, had actually caught Lee6 by the time she reached the 10th green, the Korean struggling to an opening nine of 4 over par 39 and, that, after a birdie at her first hole.

American Yealimi Noh, who had started the final day in second place and five shots from the lead, actually took the lead herself when made the turn in 33 to move one ahead of the field but while she continued to play well and finish runner-up, she was unable to match the sheer brilliance of the two Lees.

Lee and Lee6 completed the homeward nines in 32 to finish one ahead of Noh and so it was to a playoff where Minjee Lee prevailed with a two putt birdie at the first extra hole following a brilliant 6 iron approach. Lee6, pressured by the quality of Lee’s shot, found the water and could do no better than bogey.

“I’m speechless,” said the champion. “I’ve been waiting for this for so long. It just feels unreal to have won. Just even in the playoff, and all throughout today, I played really well to get myself in that position, and I’m just really happy.”

Asked if the pressure to win a major given her already significant LPGA Tour career was building, Lee said;

“I mean, yes and no. Like I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform, and I hear so many people say, We really want to you win a major and major is just around the corner.

“It’s easier said than done, and everybody is so good out here. Yeah, it’s just really nice to have a major title under my belt. No, it’s just — you know, I always have high expectations for myself, so maybe in that sense, yes.”

When asked if she had felt the 54 hole deficit might have been too great, Lee responded: “I never really like thought about it when I was playing. I just tried to make as many birdies as I could.

“I think I saw the leaderboard maybe once or twice. Just tried to play to the best of my ability, and it’s really great to win a major. Yeah, it’s just really amazing.”

The victory was Lee’s 6th on the LPGA Tour but her first major title and comes just two weeks after her brother Min Woo Lee’s significant victory at the Scottish Open, also won in a playoff.

Lee earns US$675,000 for the win, her biggest cheque in the game by some margin and she will now head to Tokyo to represent Australia at the Olympics next week.

Of the other Australasians, New Zealand’s Lydia Ko eagled her final hole to finish in a share of 6th place while Sarah Kemp finished 19th and Stephanie Kyriacou 65th.

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Ko and Lee keep door open at Evian Championship

The five shot leader Jeongeun Lee – photo Ladies European Tour

It will take a herculean effort from either Lydia Ko or Minjee Lee in tomorrow’s final round of the Amundi Evian Championship to haul in the runaway leader Jeongeun Lee6 but they have at least kept the door open with strong third rounds overnight.

New Zealander Ko’s third round of 68 has her six shots from the lead while Australian Lee kept her hopes of a first major championship title alive with four consecutive birdies to finish for a round of 65 and although seven shots from the lead, another similar round tomorrow and a little help from Lee6 then who knows where they might end up.

Ko has won this event previously while Lee has yet to record a top ten in six attempts but that, at least, should change tomorrow.

Ko knows she has done it before and might reflect on memories of that victory in 2015 to assist her tomorrow.

“That final round the year I had won was probably one of the best golf I had played. I think when I had miss-hit shots I was really creative and used the undulations to kind of my advantage.

“So, yeah, I think I played really smart then and finished really strong birdieing 17 and 18. Especially then I think because I had a few-shot lead coming down it put a little less pressure on the last couple ones. It was more like, Oh, let’s cruise it down there, and ended up falling.

“So just with golf you just never know. It’s never the end until the glove comes off and the final putt drops in on the last. I just got to stick to my game plan and see. There is so many big names, a lot of players playing well, so I think you just — I have to focus on me and go from there.”

For Lee she still believes a win is possible. “You know, it can be flipped quickly, but I mean, the finishing holes, I don’t know how Jeongeun is probably going to finish,” said Lee when interviewed before Lee6 had finished today.

“I’m guessing she’s going to make a couple birdies coming in. I’ll probably have six- to seven- or eight-shot difference.

“But you know, I’m just going to play my game. I’m just going to try and make as many birdies as I can and try and catch up. But it’s — I can only control what’s in my game. I’ll just do that.”

Lee6 has won only one LPGA Tour title to date but that was a major when successful at the 2019 US Women’s Open so she has that history on her side and knows she can get the job done.

She currently leads by five over American Yalimi Noh who has yet to win on the LPGA Tour.

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Lee6 matches major record in France – Lydia Ko well placed

Jeongeun Lee6 recording a record equaling round of 61 – photo Ladies European Tour

New Zealand’s Lydia Ko finds herself in 4th place through 36 holes of the 4th of five majors in women’s golf in 2021, the Amundi Evian Championship, but she is six shots from the lead held by  South Korean Jeongeun Lee6.

Lee6 produced the equal lowest score in major championship golf of either gender when she matched the previous best set (61) also in this event in 2014 by Hyo-joo Kim

On a day of extremely low scoring on the layout on the banks of lake Geneva in Evian les Bains in the east of France, Ko’s round of 65 came after an opening bogey, playing her last 13 holes in 7 under par to be well enough placed heading into the weekend.

Ko’s previous record on a layout with significant elevations changes and quirky design is outstanding having recorded five top tens in seven starts including a win in 2015, one of the two major championship titles she owns.

Australia’s Sarah Kemp is also doing well in a share of 11th while Minjee Lee  is tied for 15th although ten shots from the leader who is three shots clear of the field.

Recent Ladies European Tour winner, Stephanie Kyriacou, added a second round of 69, two late birdies enough to see her make the cut by two.

Katherine Kirk and Su Oh both missed out on the final 36 holes.

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Ormsby and Kennedy lead Australians in Wales

Wade Ormsby – file photo Bruce Young

South Australian, Wade Ormsby, and Queensland’s, Brad Kennedy, are tied in a share of 9th place and eight shots off the lead at the European Tour’s Cazoo Open at Celtic Manor near Newport in Wales.

Ormsby, currently in 58th place in the Race to Dubai, was unable to match the excellence of Thursday’s 67 but his 1 over 72 leaves him eight shots from the lead and well positioned heading to the weekend.

Kennedy, playing this week on invite after an appearance at last week’s Open Championship, added a second round of 69 and the 2020 New Zealand Open Champion and winner of the most recent PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit, finds himself again performing well after a disappointing week at Royal St Georges.

The leader Nacho Elvira of Spain is at 11 under and two ahead of Vincent Norrman of Sweden in a field where not one player from the world top fifty is competing.

The leading world ranked player in the field, Matt Wallace, is in 4th place and four off the pace.

Gold Coast based Victorian, Deyen Lawson, turned around his recent fortunes after missing his last eleven cuts in events on both the European and Challenge Tours to be in 33rd place.

Lawson’s fellow Victorian, Bryden Macpherson, slumped to a second round of 76 after an impressive opening round of 67 to be tied in 42nd position along with Queenslanders Maverick Antcliff and Scott Hend to complete the Australasians making it to the weekend.

19-year-old Gold Coast golfer, Elvis Smylie, did well to recover from an opening round of 74 with a round of 71 but missed the cut by just one as did New Zealand’s Josh Geary.

Smylie recorded two eagles on his closing nine of 32 but was unable to recover from a slow start to both the event and his second round.

 

 

 

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