Royal Liverpool and the Australasians

The Open Championship trophy with the Royal Liverpool clubhouse beyond – image Getty Images R&A

I have been blessed to have caddied at six Open Championship venues but unfortunately Royal Liverpool is not one of them.

St Andrews, Carnoustie, Royal Lytham & St Annes, Turnberry, Royal Troon, and Royal St Georges have all provided me a wonderful insight at close quarters into the subtleties and demands of high-end links golf but during my times caddying in Britain and Europe, Royal Liverpool was in a period where it had lost favour with the R&A due to the increasing logistical demands of the ever growing Open Championship.

There had been a gap of 39 year between the victory of Robert Di Vicenzo in 1967 and when it returned to the rota in 2006 in time to bear witness to yet another Tiger Woods clinical display.

In one of the more spectacular Tiger Woods major championship victories, when using a driver on only one occasion throughout the week, he won his third and final Open Championship by two over Chris DiMarco.

In 2014, Rory McIlroy won his only Open Championship to date with a two-shot victory over Sergio Garcia and Rickie Fowler and it is perhaps no surprise that in most people’s eyes McIlroy will start favourite again this week.

The favourites appear to be McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith and Tommy Fleetwood but Australasia will field an eclectic mix of twelve golfers, Smith being the standout in terms of genuine chances to defend the title he won twelve months ago at St Andrews.

Smith has played well in both LIV Golf and other events when he has had the chance to do so in 2023 and enters the week off the back of a win at a LIV Golf event in London two weeks ago.

Smith has shown that a LIV Golf schedule has not affected his capacity to perform well in major golf with a 4th place finish at the recent US Open and a 9th place at the PGA Championship.

Smith will play his 6th Open Championship but his magnificent win last year was the first top ten and only his second top twenty in that period.

For Jason Day this will be his 11th Open Championship but his record in the event has been ordinary for one of his standing in the game. A 4th place finish, just one shot out of the playoff at St Andrews in 2015, is his best with only one other top twenty to his name.

Day missed the cut in each of his last two Open Championship appearances but his game generally had deteriorated during that period although since his last effort at Royal St Georges in 2021  there has been significant improvement including his win in Dallas a couple of months ago.

Day is still a work in progress, however, given his three missed cuts in four starts since his win and it is hard to see him featuring in the thick of things this week.

Adam Scott will play his 23rd consecutive Open Championship and on both occasions he has played Royal Liverpool has finished inside the top ten including when 5th in 2014 during a period where he recorded four top tens in successive years following his runner-up finish at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 2012.

Scott missed the cut last week in Scotland but his game overall for much of 2023 has been solid with several top tens in recent weeks. A very good week would be no real surprise.

New Zealand’s Ryan Fox has a proven liking for links golf, his record at events such as the Irish and Scottish Opens giving claim to that statement.

Fox has focused much of his attention on the US this season but he played well when 12th last week at the Scottish Open and has a genuine chance to again be the leading Australasian this week.

For Fox, this will be his 7th start at the Open Championship and although he has a best of only 16th in 2019 and no other top thirty finishes, there is reason to believe he could better his previous best this week.

Min Woo Lee is showing an increasing capacity to play well in the big events, his 5th place finish at the US Open and 6th place at the Players Championship bearing testament to that.

In two previous Open Championships, Lee has a best of 21st at last year’s event at St Andrews but as a still only 24-year-old he is learning his craft quickly and an even better showing this week is not beyond him, especially considering one of his two wins as a professional was over a links layout in Scotland two years ago.

Lucas Herbert has had three starts at the Open Championship for a best of 15th at St Andrews last year. Like most of his peers he is focusing in the US these days but does boast good performances on links layouts including his win at the Irish Open in 2012 and a 4th place finish at the Scottish Open that same year.

Herbert’s recent form has been patchy, a win in Japan several weeks ago followed by several missed cuts. At his best he could potentially challenge to be the leading Australian this week, but it is hard to pick when that might be at times.

The other Australasians in the field include New Zealand’s recent British Masters winner, Daniel Hillier, who just keeps getting better but who missed the cut in his only appearance in this event two years ago.

Hillier was also 3rd at an event in Germany a month ago and although he finished 60th last week in Scotland he was well enough placed through 36 holes there so he brings form and confidence to Royal Liverpool.

Other Australians who have played their way into the field include Travis Smyth and Haydn Barron via International Final Qualifying, Harrison Crowe via his win at the Asia Pacific Amateur last year and Conner McKinney as a result of successfully negotiating his way through Final Qualifying.

Special mention here of New Zealand’s Mike Hendry not being able to take advantage of a spot he secured in the Championship due to a battle with illness.

It is hard, though, to go past Cam Smith as the leading Australian and a potential winner.

Tee Times 

 


Can Cam Smith successfully defend? – photo Getty Images R&A  

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Stephanie Kyriacou records best LPGA Tour finish

Kyricaou in action today  – photo Getty Images LPGA

Sydney’s Stephanie Kyriacou continued her impressive progress in the USA by recording her best finish on the LPGA Tour with a share of 4th place at the Dana Open in Sylvania in Ohio this morning.

The 22 year old, who is her second season on the LPGA Tour after finishing in an overall 55th place in her rookie season last year, recorded a final round of 69 over the Highland Meadows Golf Club layout to finish seven shots behind the first time winner, Linn Grant of Sweden (pictured below)

Linn won by three over last week’s US Women’s Open Champion Allisen Corpuz.

While Kyriacou’s cheque for US$81,000 is considerably lower than the US$156,000 she secured for her 10th place at last year’s KPMG PGA Championship, it will be a welcome addition to her bank account.

Kyricaou played in the final group with the winner, Grant, today and relished the experience. Playing with a new putter for the first time in some 12 years, she more than held her own against the highly talented Grant who is being touted as the next Swedish superstar.

Minjee Lee also had a solid week when she finished in 7th place, Grace Kim was 11th, Gabi Ruffels 23rd, Su Oh 41st, Sarah Kemp 53rd and Lydia Ko continued her recent struggles when she finished 65th, although Ko was unfortunately penalised sevens hots in the final round for incorrectly and inadvertently playing preferred lies on holes which were not included on the list for that relief.

RESULTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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McIlroy seals favouritism for Open Championship with Scottish Open win

Rory McIlroy – photo Getty Images

Rory McIlroy was already the favourite in many people’s eyes for this coming week’s Open Championship at Hoylake, but his stunning come from behind win at the Genesis Scottish Open has him heading south to Lancashire, confirmed as the man most likely to win the Open for the second time at Royal Liverpool.

McIlroy may well be seen as the man who shot Bambi to some extent, given that his birdie, birdie finish resulted in him defeating the man who had the clubhouse lead for 40 minutes, Robert McIntyre, who was attempting to become first Scot to win his national open since Colin Montgomerie in 1999.

McIlroy, though, had many fans of his own and while the large crowds who flocked to the Renaissance Club in North Berwick would dearly love to have seen the 21 year old McIntyre take the title, McIlroy was a truly popular winner.

For the man from Northern Ireland the win continues a remarkable run of consistency which has seen him finish inside the top ten in, now, each of his last seven starts, although his first win since the Dubai Desert Classic in February, and sets him up nicely for a 5th major, especially given his success at Royal Liverpool in 2014.

McIlroy began the final round one ahead of Korean 21 year old Tom Kim but on a day where winds gusting up to 40 m.p.h. swept the layout on the shores of the Firth of Forth, Kim, McIlroy, Tyrrell Hatton and McIntyre all had the lead at various stages and several others were withing striking distance before McIntyre’s brilliant final round of 64 appeared to establish an unassailable lead, especially given the demands of the final two holes.

McIlroy missed a golden opportunity at the 16th and faced the task of producing birdies at the final two holes to win, or secure at least one to force a playoff.

His 5 iron approach at the 17th finished 4 feet from the hole then at the last he hit a superb 2 iron to 11 feet and when that was holed the title and the US$1,575,000 was his. He also becomes the first person to have won the Irish Open, the Scottish Open and the Open Championship titles.

McIlroy will move back to the number two position in the game behind Scottie Scheffler who continued his remarkable run when he shared 3rd place with David Lingmerth and Byeong Hun An.

Scheffler earns his seventh consecutive top-five on the PGA TOUR and 18th straight result of T12 or better; Scheffler’s Official Money total of $19,016,842 is the highest in a single season in PGA TOUR history.

“Yeah, it feels great,” said McIlroy. “I came here this week, we are obviously on the eve of The Open Championship but you know, you’re thinking about trying to prepare for that.

“But then you know you think about the weight that this tournament carries, being co-sanctioned for Race to Dubai, FedExCup, all the stuff at the end of the year as well, so I feel like I sort of killed two birds with one stone this week and gave myself an even bigger lead in The Race to Dubai, got myself up there in FedExCup, and obviously a huge confidence boost going into The Open next week.

“I’ve had my chances over the last couple of months and been knocking on the door. Just haven’t quite been able to get it done so hopefully this breaks the seal and we can go on from here.”


Ryan Fox – led the Australasians – file photo PGA of Australia

The leading Australasian was Ryan Fox who continued his love affair with Links golf to finish in a share of 12th, a closing nine of 32 playing a key role in his improvement from 18th overnight. Fox has recorded 4th and 6th places in this event previously.

Min Woo Lee was the next best in a share of 34th place, while Daniel Hillier was 54th and Lucas Herbert 60th.

Three players, Byeong Hun An, David Lingmerth and Nicolai Hojgaard, gained a start at next week’s Open Championship by being amongst the leading three players this week and not otherwise exempt for Royal Liverpool.

RESULTS

 

 

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Smith adds to fortune but Leishman’s improvement satisfying


Leishman and Smith together at LIV Golf event in London – photo LIV Golf Chris Trotman

Cameron Smith has continued on his money-making ways, earning another US$4.5 million as a result of his win in the LIV Golf event in London this past weekend and his part in the Australian team which finished runner-up.

For Smith it was his 5th top ten in nine Liv Tour starts this season but it was the first time the team of Smith, Marc Leishman, Matt Jones and Jed Morgan finished inside the money in the much vaunted, but hardly relevant other than for the riches on offer, team’s event.

Smith moves to second on the points table for the 2023 Liv Golf season behind two time winner, Talor Gooch and ahead of Brooks Koepka.

In addition have been a 4th place finish at the US Open and a 9th place finish at the PGA Championship but while Smith continues to plunder the riches of world golf, perhaps equally as encouraging was the much improved week for Marc Leishman who has been in the golfing wilderness to a large extent since making the decision to switch to LIV Golf.

Leishman’s share of the runner-up place finish behind Smith last weekend was his first top ten in nine LIV Golf starts this year and other than a 6th place at the Saudi International event early in the year this was just his second top ten anywhere in 2023.

Leishman improved to 26th in the LIV Golf standings, needing to be inside the top 24 to make the season ending event in Miami.

While Smith will head to Royal Liverpool as the defending champion and one of the favourites to win the Open Championship, Leishman has been unable to retain a ranking sufficient to get him in the field, but the improved form shown at the Centurion Club will be a boost to him in upcoming Liv Golf events.

Leishman would have been playing his 12th Open Championship where he produced some very good results including a 5th, 2nd and 6th place in a period between 2014 and 2017, one of those where he lost a playoff to Zach Johnson at St Andrews in 2015. It is however not to be.

So Smith takes an in form game to continue his excellent record in major championships where he has been six times inside the top five.

Smith will join fellow Australians Adam Scott, Jason Day, Lucas Herbert, Min Woo Lee, David Micheluzzi, Travis Smyth, Harrison Crowe, Haydn Barron and Connor McKinney, that group to be joined by New Zealanders Ryan Fox and Daniel Hillier.

Smith, Scott, Day, Herbert and Lee are in as a result of their world rankings amongst other criteria while Smyth and Barron played their way in via International Final Qualifying in selected events, Micheluzzi as a result of win in the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit, Harrison Crowe the reward for winning the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship and McKinney through recent Final Qualifying

Fox is in on world ranking and Hillier due to his recent win at the British Masters.

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Allisen Corpuz’s breakthrough win comes in women golf’s greatest event


Allisen Corpuz soon after her great win – photo James Gilbert USGA

Displaying a level of calmness and composure well beyond her experience at the elite of women’s golf, 25-year-old, Allisen Corpuz, today won not only her first LPGA Tour title but the greatest title in women’s golf, the US Women’s Open.

Beginning today’s final round at Pebble Beach Golf Links one shot back of Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, Corpuz would have been forgiven for backing off today and finishing inside the top ten perhaps without necessarily challenging for the title.

But, with a display of brilliant ball striking and clear thinking after outplaying those around her, Corpuz stood on the 18th tee three shots ahead and, as she had all day, plotted her way along one of golf’s finest finishing holes to claim not only the title and a US2$ million but an assured future in the game and a special in its history.

This was, after all, the first occasion the event had been played at a venue as American as apple pie and for that alone Corpuz will be forever associated with this historic moment but so too will the manner she conducted herself over the demands of a golf course where one false step may well have brought her dreams undone.

While not a necessarily recognised name on the LPGA Tour, Corpuz has played well this season with just two missed cuts in 12 starts and has two top 4 finishes amongst those starts.

When asked what were her previous memories of the US Women’s Open, Corpuz was quick to identify the win of fellow Hawaiian Michelle Wie in 2014.

“Yeah, I mean, the big one, of course, is Michelle winning in 2014 at Pinehurst,” said the champion. “I remember being at home and just being amazed.

“Yeah, just really being inspired by her. Just all the history. I mean, a major championship, it’s really cool.”

This was not the first time Corpuz had been in contention in a major having been in the mix a couple of times already in 2023 but she acknowledged those experiences had played a key role in today’s outcome.

“I feel like everything that’s happened this year has kind of prepared me for this moment. It’s super special that both of my parents out here this week. I mean, my dad only does KPMG and the U.S. Open, so really nice that he’s out here.

“I had a ton of family, friends out. I had my aunt and uncle and cousin out earlier, boyfriend’s parents, my college teammate. Just a lot of people out here.

“It was just really awesome to know that we’re at Pebble, such a historic venue, and yeah, just really amazing.”

When asked what it was that kept her as calm as she appeared expecially given the occasions and what was at stake Corpuz responded;

“I think I’ve always had a pretty calm demeanor. Not so much on the inside, but projecting that outwardly. I’ve always been pretty calm. I just like to take a bit of time to think about things. That’s just kind of who I am.

“I spoke with my mental coach, Bill Nelson, a bit this morning just to try to calm down a little. Really just tried to keep things steady. For me I get a little quick, so really just tried to slow everything down and enjoy the moment.”

Corpuz paid tribute to her caddie, who by chance happens to be the husband of fellow LPGA Tour player and winner, Jennifer Kupcho.

“Yeah, we just got randomly connected at the end of January last year and he’s just been on the bag ever since. We had a really good first week. He’s just really calm, and I think he knows what to say in the right moments for me, especially since we’ve been working together for about a year and a half now.

“He was a pretty solid player on his own, and obviously married to Jennifer Kupcho. I think she gives him some advice to pass on to me. He has some advice for me. Yeah, just kind of has always felt like an older brother to me.”

England’s Charley Hull and Korean Jiyai Shin tied for the runner-up position three shots behind the winner, their respective rounds of 66 and 68, allowing them to threaten the leader if she was to stumble.

Hannah Green, Grace Kim and Minjee Lee tied as the leading Australasians in a share of 13th place and will earn around US$167,000 each, Green’s final round of 69 the fourth best of the day.

Lydia Ko and Gabi Ruffels finished tied for 33rd.

Opinion footnote – If they can find a way to stop the ridiculous practice of rushing across the green to spray water on winners then this writer will be a lot happier. Corpuz was unable to enjoy a very special moment on her own due to others admittedly wanting to congratulate her but perhaps also to share her moment of fame.

SCORES

 

 

 

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Lee remains eight behind as Hataoka takes US Women’s Open lead


Minjee Lee drives from the 4th today – photo USGA Darren Carroll

Just as she had entering today’s third round of the US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links, defending champion Minjee Lee will again face an eight-shot deficit as she begins tomorrow’s final round.

Lee appeared to have worked herself into contention when after an outward nine of even par 36 she birdied the opening two holes of the homeward nine and at 1 under was within five of the then lead.

A double bogey at the 12th came after missing the green, then three putting from short range but she birdied the par 5 14th from 13 feet and was back at level par for the championship.

Lee did well to save par from the greenside bunker at the 17th but a poor drive at the last led to one final bogey and a round of 72 to leave her tied for 9th and eight shots from the lead held by Japan’s Nasa Hataoka.

 


Gabi Ruffels made a big move in today’s third round – photo USGA

The big forward move amongst the Australasians in the field would come from Gabi Ruffels who, after starting the day in 47th place, improved to a share of 14th following her round of 2 under par 70 which was bettered by only Hataoka.

Ruffels was 3 under through 4 holes on a day where scoring would prove difficult in the windy and firm conditions but the 23 year old, despite not yet being an LPGA Tour player, already owns three top twenties in major championships and tomorrow she has a chance to better her previous best of 13th in this event three years ago.

Grace Kim and Lydia Ko are tied for 29th at 5 over while Hannah Green is 46th at 7 over.

But the leader Nasa Hataoka was simply brilliant today as she carved out a round of 66 to better the previous best of the week by two and the best of day three by four.


Nasa Hataoka – with plenty of reason to smile following her round of 66 today – photo USGA

Hataoka is a well credentialed player with six LPGA Tour wins in addition to several more in Japan and although she has yet to win a major title she has gone close on several occasions.

The manner she handled the demands of a difficult Pebble Beach layout today gives hope to her many fans that this might be the week for such a breakthrough.

Two of Hataoka’s closest pursuers Allisen Corpuz (one behind) and Bailey Tardy (3 behind) have yet to win on the LPGA Tour let alone a major title while Hyo Joo Kim  has won a major but other than a runner-up finish in this event in 2018 she has recorded a next best of 20th in eight starts at the US Women’s Open.

A player who might yet prove the thorn in everyone’s side is Jiyai Shin who has played the Japan and Korean LPGA Tours in recent years after multiple success (11 wins) on the LPGA Tour including twice winning the AIG Open Championship.

Shin has also won several events in Australia including the Australian Open and has been quietly going about her business this week. With seven top tens in her last eight starts in Japan in 2023 including three runner-up finishes and a win she brings great from to this event and her chances of working her way into a winning position tomorrow appear good.

SCORES

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Minjee Lee well placed despite late stumble


Minjee Lee – reacts to the crowd after a birdie at her 9th hole today – photo James Gilbert USGA

Australia’s Minjee Lee had done so well to work herself into contention on day two of the US Women’s Open before an agonising double bogey at her final hole has her now eight shots from the lead and in a share of 11th place as the event heads into the weekend at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Tied in 5th place with one hole to play and very much in the hunt, given the two shot leader Bailey Tardy is in her first year on the LPGA Tour and in rarefied atmosphere, Lee found trouble from the tee at what was her final hole of round two but the 9th hole at Pebble Beach after starting at the 10th today.

It was a body blow for the defending champion, especially given the dramatic recovery from the slow start she made but with only six players under par for the tournament, at 1 over she is still very much a consideration for the final 36 holes.

Lee, finished her opening round on Thursday four shots off the lead but with two early bogeys in her afternoon tee time and a second round of 68 by the now 36 hole leader, Tardy, the West Australian had fallen nine shots off the pace, needing something special to get back into the mix.

That would come at the par 4 16th hole (her 7th) where, after just missing the fairway left, she found a way to work the ball around the tree on her line short of the green and then feed off the very distinct right to left camber in the green to eventually find the bottom of the hole for eagle.

Lee almost repeated the dose from shorter range at the 18th (her 9th) to move under par for the tournament and although she would bogey the short par 4 4th hole after finding the fairway bunker from the tee, she made the almost obligatory birdie at the 6th and even allowing the demands of the 8th and 9th holes it appeared she would be well placed for the weekend.

As it turned out she still is but it was case of what might have been to some extent.

“I wasn’t hitting it that well pretty much the whole day,” said Lee. “I just kind of — I wouldn’t say scraped my way around but just played to the best I could and tried to put up a score the best I could around here.

“Playing late in the day was actually really hard. We waited like 30 minutes on the eighth tee, and the last two holes was really tough, just having to have waited and then have to play in the cold.

“Yeah, it was just a tough test.”

Despite her last hole struggle Lee still feels very much in contention. “I feel like I’m probably in a pretty good position right now,” she said. “Just if I can be maybe a little bit more aggressive and, you know, maybe put up a score earlier than the girls. Maybe it won’t be as windy. Then see where I am after that.

“I actually really appreciate the golf course because it’s actually very demanding. Yeah, I like it. I like that it’s hard.

Lee leads the Australasians by two over Lydia Ko and Hannah Green who both recorded very respectable rounds rounds of 71 after opening 76’s to be tied for 26th place at 3 over and ten shots from the lead.

Gabi Ruffels is in 47th place at 5 over while Grace Kim finished on the cut mark at 6 over.

The leader Tardy has played only four events on the LPGA Tour this season with a best of 23rd but she utilised her considerable power to tame the demanding Pebble Beach layout.

Tardy’s outward nine of 31 threatened to blow the field apart but on the more demanding final nine she dropped a shot at the 14th but as the only player in the field with two rounds in the 60’s she deserves her place at the head of the field at present.

SCORES


The leader Bailey Tardy – photo Darren Carroll USGA

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Minjee Lee makes solid start at Pebble Beach


Minjee Lee tees off the the second hole today – photo USGA James Gilbert

Defending champion Minjee Lee is the best of the seven strong Australasian contingent after day one of the US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links, her round of even par 72 leaving her just four shots from the lead held by China’s Xiyu Lin and Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim.

Lee was off today (8.17am) and with two early birdies it appeared as if she might challenge for the opening round lead. But bogeys at par 5 6th, 12th and 16th holes saw her finish with a solid if unspectacular start to the defence of the title she won at Pine Needles 12 months ago.

“I kind of made a mistake on 6, the chip into the green, and I had a long putt and I made bogey, which is quite a soft mistake for me,” said Lee. “I was 2-under at that point and went to 1-under

“I feel like a little bit of momentum kind of stopped there, and any par-5 you’ve looking to make birdies. With the opportunities that you have around this golf course, I know how tough it can get, to have the birdie opportunities, so I tried to make them when I can, and the par-5s seemed to be quite gettable.

“But other than that, I feel like my game is there, I just haven’t quite had, I guess, the momentum and just everything come together to really produce a really low one, so hopefully I can get my butt into gear and have a really good second day and the rest of the week.”

Lee was asked where women’s golf is at now compared to even the short time she has been in the professional game and responded; “I can’t even tell you how different it is now. So many things are different just with even us players, the amount of talent we have out here right now, and it’s so diverse.

“Just the depth is so much deeper, and obviously the prize money has gone up so much even in the last five years that I have been playing, and it’s continuing to go up and up. Obviously the USGA have set such a great benchmark for all the other events, so that’s really cool to see.

“I think the venues, our venues have just gotten so amazing. Even being at Pebble, Baltusrol, so many great venues that we go to, and it’s just been awesome to play these tracks. I don’t think I would have thought that we would come here when I was first starting. It wasn’t even — I didn’t even think about it, but now that we’re here, it’s amazing to see.”

Sydney’s Grace Kim recovered from being 4 over with three holes to play with birdies at her 15th and 16th holes for a respectable round of 74 to be just six from the lead. A double bogey at the awkward 16th (her 7th Hole) put a dampener of a solid round but overall she is not too far from the edge of contention.

New Zealand’s, Lydia Ko’s opening round was brought undone by a horror quadruple bogey 7 at the par 3 5th when she hit her tee shot into a bush well left of the green and was forced to hit from the tee again. Things went from bad to worse and she eventually finished with 7.

To her credit however she bounced back with a birdie at the 6th and was well enough placed until another bogey at the par 3 12th which she again missed left and failed to get up and down. Ko appeared as if she might escape with a acceptable 75 until she pulled her approach to the last and failed to get up and down, the bogey seeing her sign for a 76.

Perth’s Hannah Green was going along quite nicely through 8 holes at even par but she struggled over the closing stages of her round to finish with 76.

Victorian, Gabi Ruffels, who has been such a dominant force of the secondary tour this season and is destined for LPGA Tour status in 2024, bogeyed her first hole and went backwards from there, eventually finishing with a round of 78.

Also on 78 were Perth amateur Madison Hinson Tolchard and New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey although Garvey recovered from a horror start when 5 over through 5 to finish at 6 over.

Perth’s Hinson-Tolchard was doing well enough at 1 over through 13 holes but a triple bogey at her 14th hole and two further bogeys ruined what might otherwise have been a solid start for the Oklahoma State University golfer.

SCORES
 

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Seven Australasians play historic US Women’s Open at Pebble Beach


The famed and much photographed 7th hole at Pebble Beach Links – photo USGA

The US Women’s Open is played for the first time at one of American golf’s iconic venues this week when Pebble Beach Golf Links hosts the third major of the year for the women’s game.

Six times a venue for the US Open and once for the USPGA Championship along with other male events such as the US Amateur Championship, the stunning oceanside layout along the cliffs above Monterey Peninsula will witness the female game’s leading players vying for a first prize of US$2 million from a total purse of over US$10 million, the final figure announced on Wednesday.

Amongst the field will be five Australians and two New Zealanders with one, Minjee Lee, defending the title she won so brilliantly twelve months ago at Pine Needles.

Joining Lee will be New Zealander Lydia Ko, Lee’s fellow Australians Hannah Green and Grace Kim and three who survived Final Qualifying, New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey and Australians Gabi Ruffels Ruffels and Madison Hinson Tolchard, the latter of whom is currently attending Oklahoma State college in the US.

Perth’s Lee is perhaps not playing at quite the same level now that she was ahead of her win last year but she is not far from it and her game, built around demanding golf courses, should suit Pebble Beach. She has recorded top 20 finishes in her last three starts and just prior was runner-up at the Cognizant Cup, an event she won last year two starts ahead of her historic win.

Prior to her great win last year, however, in eight previous starts in the event, Lee had not recorded a top ten.

By her standards, Ko has struggled for much of the year following her win in Saudi Arabia earlier. This will be Ko’s 12th US Women’s Open appearance, but she has only two top tens to her name in that time and a best of 3rd at Cordevalle in 2016.

This will be the West Australian Green’s 5th US Women’s Open but with a best of 48th in her previous four and a roller coaster of form to date this year her chances of contending would appear slim. At her best she is capable of doing so but she has struggled since her win in Los Angeles four starts ago.

Sydney’s Grace Kim has taken to the LPGA Tour like a duck to water in 2023 and with a win in Hawaii already in her rookie LPGA Tour season, and one or two other strong finishes including an impressive 14th place finish at the KPMG, then she stands a chance of another good week.

Kim made the cut although finished well back on debut in this event last year.

Gabi Ruffels, has taken the secondary Epson Tour by storm this year and has already secured her place on the LPGA Tour for 2024.

The Victorian has shown a capacity to handle the big occasions with three top twenties in major championships including when 13th in this event in 2020.

Perth’s Madison Hinson Tolchard is studying at Oklahoma State and will play her first US Women’s Open after topping the qualifiers at her venue in Final Qualifying. The 21 year old has excelled in her golfing career at Oklahoma State and while the former Australian Junior Champion will be better for the experience this week she has done well just to make the field.

New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey will play her third US Women’s Open, missing the cut at her first two. A former University of Southern California golfing team member is now a Epson Tour player and gains a start this week courtesy of a gutsy playoff during Final Qualifying.

NSW’s Sarah Kemp is an alternate but it appears she will just miss out on a start.

PLAYERS

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Bernhard Langer creates history at US Senior Open


Bernhard Langer – image USGA Jeff Haynes

He might have bogeyed his last three holes of the 2023 US Senior Open, but 65-year-old German, Bernhard Langer, can perhaps be forgiven, knowing, that in winning today, he has become the oldest (by eight years) player in history to win this event and in doing so has become the most successful player in the history of the PGA Tour Champions.

Langer had extended his overnight two shot lead in today’s final round when he played the opening ten holes of one of the more demanding layouts used for this event in 4 under par, but despite the late stumble he was able to win by two over Steve Stricker (ten years his junior) and the winner’s close friend, Jerry Kelly, by three and celebrate a record setting 46 victories on the PGA Tour Champions.

“It feels awesome,” said Langer, who finished at 7-under 277. “It’s been a long time coming, but very, very happy. Never thought it would happen at a U.S. Senior Open, but I’m very thrilled that the record of 46 wins happened this week.

“It’s certainly one of the greatest tournaments we ever compete in, and to beat this field, where everybody was here, especially Stricker and Kelly on their home [turf], is a very special feeling. Very grateful.

“It’s (SentryWorld) one of the best golf courses I’ve ever played. Condition of the golf course was fabulous all week long. Beautiful fairways, great greens. The ball rolled really nice. Bunkers were good. Rough was a bit juicy, but it’s the same for everybody, and it’s a U.S. Open. My hat’s off to the greenkeeping staff, to the owners of SentryWorld. They’ve got a jewel here.”

Langer has now moved one clear of the remarkable PGA Tour Champions record set by Hale Irwin in terms of victories at this level.

It was Langer’s second victory in senior golf’s greatest championship, the first coming 13 year ago when the German defeated Fred Couples in Seattle.


Steve Alker finished 6th – in action this week – photo USGA

New Zealand’s Steve Alker completed a stunning weekend during which he recorded rounds of 70 (Sat) and a best of the week 65 today to finish in a remarkable share of 6th after struggling over his opening two rounds.

Amongst the other Australasians, Rod Pampling and Richard Green tied for 27th and Mark Hensby 47th.

In a note of self indulgence, in 1974 this writer caddied for the winner of the 1974 German Open (Simon Owen) and in the opening two rounds Simon was paired with a then 16 year old Bernhard Langer. I guess we have both been around for a while !!

SCORES 

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