Several Australians advance to Europe’s Final Stage Qualifying

Perth’s Hayden Hopewell finished 4th at his venue – photo AAC

Several Australians will advance to the final Stage of qualifying for next season’s DP World Tour following the completion of stage two qualifying at four separate venues in Spain overnight.

The final stage will begin this coming Friday in Tarragona in Spain where 156 players will attempt to gain a DP World Tour card for next season.

At the Desert Springs Golf Club in Almeria, West Australian amateur Hayden Hopewell, a winner of the WA Open while an amateur, finished 4th at his venue and advances to the final stage in Tarragona in Spain next week.

In Girona, Perth’s Jarryd Felton finish 8th and is safely through while NSW’s Daniel Gale has missed out by one shot and remains an alternate.

Victorian Kyle Michel and NSW’s Jordan Zunic have advanced via their venue in Alicante, Junic surviving a playoff for the final spot.

The final stage begins on Friday 11th November.

Correction Braden Becker who I had reported as making it through has missed out – an earlier  run down of qualifiers from DP World Tour was incorrect. Apologies

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Daniel Hillier’s European playing rights officially confirmed


Daniel Hillier with the trophy which set up his European Tour playing rights – file photo Getty Images

New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier was unable to finish the season off in style at the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final in Mallorca but for the 23-year-old Wellingtonian it is a case of mission accomplished in 2022.

Hillier finished in a share of 23rd in the 45-man player field in the final event of the 2022 Challenge Tour season but will finish the year in 7th place amongst the rankings and be included in the leading twenty players who earn their DP World Tour status for next season.

A win and a 4th place in consecutive weeks in France in the second half of the season had already secured his playing rights on the European Tour but his final placing is now official.

Hillier took advantage of an invitation to play at the recent Portugal Masters and finished 12th, suggesting he will be right at home when stepping up in what appears might be his first DP World Tour event as a cardholder at the Australian PGA Championship later in November.

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No joy for Australasians at Women’s Asian Pacific Championship


Huang Ting-Hsuan – photo R&A

Chinese Taipei’s Huang Ting-Hsuan has won the Women’s Amateur Asia Pacific Championship in Pattaya in Thailand, her strong closing nine of 33 reversing a four shot deficit through nine holes of her final round to claim the title by two shots over Natthakritta Vongtaveelap of Thailand, the highest world ranked player in the field.

16 year old Huang, the 83rd ranked player in the women’s amateur world rankings, will now play in next year’s AIG Women’s Open and the Amundi Evian Championship as part of her reward for taking this increasingly prestigious title.

It was not a good week for the 12 Australasians in the field. Kelsey Bennett from NSW contended for much of the opening two rounds but faltered over the weekend and her final round of 76 saw her eventually finish in a share of 21st and it was New Zealand’s Fiona Xu and Vivian Lu who finished as the leading Australasians when they shared 13th place.

Queensland’s Justice Bosio finished as the leading Australian in 19th place.

SCORES

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Scott Hend’s recent improvement continues in Morocco


Scott Hend – file photo

After what he might term an ‘annus horribilis’ to date in 2022, Scott Hend has continued his recent improvement and at the halfway stage of the Asian Tour’s International Series Morocco at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, the Queenslander is in a share of 3rd place and three shots behind Canadian Richard T Lee.

In recent events in Europe for Hend there have been some encouraging signs, more especially an 11th place finish in Morocco, his best finish of the year to that point and it may be that he is able to end the year on a high note.

Hend has struggled for much of the year on the DP World Tour, to the point where he has now lost playing rights in Europe. As one of the Asian Tour’s greatest money winners over his lengthy career there, however, he has returned to play a tour on which he has enjoyed significant success including ten titles, a money list win in 2016 and three other runner-up finishes on the Order of Merit.

This week’s event is one of a series supported by Liv Golf Investments in their partnership with the Asian Tour and carries a purse of US$1.5 million.

Todd Sinnott is the next best of the Australians in a share of 9th place through 36 holes.

SCORES

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Bennett loses ground at Asia Pacific but remains in contention

Kelsey Bennett – in action in Thailand this week – photo R&A

Japan’s Mizuki Hashimoto has the halfway lead at Women’s Amateur Asia Pacific Championship, her second round of 66 the equal best of the tournament to date and opening up a one-shot lead over Jiyoo Lim of South Korea at the Siam Country Club in Thailand.

Hashimoto arrived this week as the defending champion following her win in Abu Dhabi last year and after a slowish start to the event with an opening round of 69, is back leading an event in which she is seeking to become the first two-time winner.

Australia’s Kelsey Bennett, from the South Coast of New South Wales, was unable to match the brilliance of her opening 67 and an even par round of 72 today has her four shots off the lead and tied for 4th after trailing by just one overnight.

New Zealand’s Fiona Xu is the next best of the Australasians in a share of 12th place, followed by Queenslanders Justice Bosio and Sarah Hammett in a share of 17th at 1 under.

SCORES

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