The Australasians at the US Open


The US Open trophy at the Los Angeles CC with the LA skyline behind – photo USGA J.D. Cuban

Seven Australians and one New Zealander will tee it up at the US Open at the Los Angeles Country Club  on Thursday, the group attempting to be one of what would be only four Australasians to win this prestigious title.

David Graham, Michael Campbell and Geoff Ogilvy are the previous three and at least three of the seven could be considered chances at least to make it four.

Cam Smith heads the group in terms of world ranking and arrives in Los Angeles after a 9th place at the PGA Championship and an 11th place finish at the LIV Golf event in Washington DC in his most recent starts.

Smith’s record at the US Open is an interesting one. His 4th place finish on debut in the event at the 2015 US Open was the catalyst for him getting to the PGA Tour soon after but that aside, in six other starts he has a best of 38th with three missed cuts amongst the others.

Smith’s 9th place finish at the PGA Championship gives some hope to an improvement to his US Open record but he will need to  improve on his overall 2023 form if he is to challenge for the title.

Jason Day’s current form is a bit hard to work out. His fine win at the AT@T Byron Nelson Championship in May has been surrounded by three missed cuts so while he displayed golf at close to his best in Dallas, his form since has been below what he would need this week to go one better than his two runner-up finishes.

Adam Scott finished 9th in his warm-up event at the Memorial suggesting things are on track for a good week.

Scott will play his 22nd US Open but with only three top tens including a best of 4th at Chambers Bay in the event thus far, he will need to be at his very best to beat his effort in 2015.

New Zealand’s Ryan Fox has played well in nine events to date in the US and now has the opportunity to play as many PGA Tour events as he can gain invites to.

This will be Fox’s 5th US Open but with a best of 41st in those starts he will need significant improvement if he is to do better. He is, however, a much better and more experienced player than ever before and, with the benefit of increasing confidence in the US, a good week could well be expected.

For Cameron Davis, this will, perhaps surprisingly, be his first US Open, not having a high enough ranking or been able to qualify in the past. The former Australian and World Amateur Champion, Australian Open Champion and winner on both the PGA and Korn Ferry Tours is a classy player building a great career in the US and he deserves his chance in this great event.

Davis’s form in recent times includes a 6th place finish at the Players Championship, a 7th place at the RBC Heritage event and, very importantly, an outstanding 4th place at the PGA Championship.

He displayed on the tough layout at the PGA Championship that he was up to this  style of golf and his performance this week will be of much interest.

Lucas Herbert will play his fourth US Open having missed the cut on two previous occasions and with a best of 31st at Winged Foot in 2020.

Herbert has missed his last two cuts this year but prior to that was midfleld at the PGA and won in Japan so there is a bit to like about his form. Herbert could struggle to contend this week but his turn in majors might well come and before long.

Min Woo Lee’s best and only finish at the US Open was when 27th at Brookline last year. He also played well on debut at the Masters last year, suggesting the majors do not faze him.

Lee was 18th at the PGA Championship and a very impressive 6th at the Players Championship also on debut but there have been a few missed cuts thrown in of late. Lee is an amazing talent with skills destined to take him to the elite of the game but it may be a bit soon to suggest he can contend this week.

The final player amongst the Australasians is West Australian amateur, Karl Vilips, who gained his start at last week’s Final Qualifying. For Vilips it will be his first major appearance and while this will be a huge learning curve he has done exceptionally well to advance from the original 10,000 or so entries for this event to make the field of 156.

Vilips is a former Junior Presidents Cup player and a winner of the prestigious Southern Amateur and is currently attending Stanford University.

On paper at least it appears as if Cam Smith and Adam Scott provide the most hope for Australasians but Cam Davis might well be one to perform very well in his US Open debut.

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Jordan Zunic finds form in Spain


Jordan Zunic file photo

Wollongong golfer, Jordan Zunic’s golfing career has been somewhat of a roller coaster since turning professional in 2014, a win at the 2015 New Zealand Open and a runner-up finish at the Australian PGA Championship perhaps the highlights to date but there have been plenty of dry spells also.

In eleven starts in 2023 there has been just the one top ten that coming in a smaller TPS event in Sydney but this weekend may well see that record improve significantly.

At the halfway mark of a Challenge Tour event in Europe, the 31 year old shares the lead with England’s Sam Hutsby, that pair opening up a three shot lead at the Andalucia Challenge in Spain.

In addition to his New Zealand Open win and near miss against Cameron Smith at the 2017 PGA Championship, Zunic has also won the Queensland Open and the NTPGA Championship so contending and winning is not unfamiliar to him but given his form thus far in 2023 his performance this week is both a surprise and encouraging.

Zunic puts his improvement down to recent work with his putter. “I had a good start today with a couple of birdies and my putter has been so hot over the last two days,” he said. “Putting is half of the game and it has been so nice to see them roll in recently. I’m very happy with how things have gone.

“This round has been a long time coming and I’ve done a lot of work on my putting in recent weeks. It’s nice to see that come to fruition and these greens definitely suit my eye.”

SCORES

 

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Karl Vilips earns US Open start


Karl Vilips – file photo courtesy of USGA

Indonesian born but now US based West Australian amateur, Karl Vilips, will join seven other Australasians in the field for this year’s US Open following the completion of Final Qualifying over 36 holes at ten venues across the USA this morning.

Vilips, who is currently attending Stanford University in Northern California, earned one of the four spots available amongst 60 golfers at his venue in Maryland and will play his first US Open at the Los Angeles Country Club on June 15th.

Vilips finished tied for 1st at the Woodmont Country Club in Rockville after rounds of 68 and 70.

Vilips, a winner of multiple Junior World Championships, a winner of the Southern Amateur Championship, a member of the Junior Presidents Cup team and a quarter finalist at the 2019 US Amateur, amongst his many achievements in the game to date, is currently a key member of the Stanford Golf Team but now gets his chance on a truly international stage.

Other Australians at the same venue included Marc Leishman who finished in 8th place today and Travis Smyth who finished 22nd.

There were several other Australasians competing at other venues but only Vilips has played his way through the demanding qualifying process and earned the right to play the third major of the year.

SCORES

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Final US Open Qualifying offers further hope


The US Open – over 10,000 entries narrowed to 156 – photo USGA

If you have ever fancied the idea of playing the US Open, just consider, if you will, the odds of even getting into the field and the respect due those who make it to the first tee at the Los Angeles Country Club on June 15th.

With over 10,000 original entries, the field will eventually be narrowed to 156 and with around 110 of those already eligible through various qualifying criteria, another 45 or so face the prospect of being amongst the 645 players at ten different venues across the USA on Monday June 5th, chasing one of those 45 or so further spots available in the field for the third major of the year.

Included amongst those 645 teeing it up in pursuit of a place in the field are 14 Australasians, including the likes of 2006 Champion Geoff Ogilvy, two time Australian Open champions Matt Jones and Aaron Baddeley and Marc Leishman.

The Australasians already exempt into the field are Cameron Smith, Jason Day, Adam Scott, Cam Davis, Lucas Herbert, Min Woo Lee and Ryan Fox.

Final Qualifying fields and scoring

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Rose Zhang confirms superstar status with debut LPGA Tour victory


Rose Zhang – with the first of what will no doubt be many trophies Image Getty / LPGA

Women’s golf have uncovered a rising superstar, the game’s hottest amateur golfer, American Rose Zhang, making an immediate and successful transition to the professional ranks by winning at her first professional start.

Zhang was playing the event on an invitation by the tournament sponsors after making the move to the paid ranks just last week. As a result of the win she now has full LPGA Tour status.

The only recently turned 20 year old, parred the second extra hole of a playoff between her and Jennifer Kupcho to take the Mizuho America’s Open title at the Liberty Golf Club on the shores of Upper New York Bay after Kupcho had gained five shots on the 54 hole leader with a final round of 69.

Two weeks ago Zhang was winning the NCAA title for the second consecutive occasion as part of the Stanford University team but that was one of many prestigious titles she won during her stellar amateur career. Zhang also won the US Amateur Championship in 2020 as a 17 year old defeating Australia’s Gabriella Ruffels in the process and in 2021 was the US Junior Girls Champion.

In April she won the Augusta National Women’s title and, as the World’s Number One female amateur, she entered the pro ranks with expectations on her to perform early in paid ranks, but that she has been able to win and to do so over a demanding golf course in tough conditions and to survive a playoff speaks volumes for her future.

Zhang wins $415,000 for her victory and she is now likely to be part of the US Solheim Cup team in France later this year.

Australia’s Minjee Lee and New Zealander Lydia Ko started the event well but struggled over the weekend and it would be NSW’s Stephanie Kyriacou who would lead the Australasians at week’s end.  Kyriacou finished tied for 10th, her third round of 65 the catalyst for her best finish of the year.

Lee finished 13th and Ko 33rd after a horror weekend which she played in 6 over par.

Grace Kim was 43rd.

SCORES

 

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Adam Scott impresses in US Open warm-up


Adam Scott – file photo PGA of America

Adam Scott might not have contended for the Memorial Tournament’s first prize in Dublin, Ohio, this week but by finishing inside the top ten (9th) he has completed his final tournament preparations for the US Open beginning on June 15th in excellent style and heads to the Los Angeles Country Club with his game in good shape.

Scott’s final round of 71 on a demanding Muirfield Village layout saw the 42 year old improve 23 places to finish just five shots from the playoff between Viktor Hovland and Denny McCarthy, Hovland winning with a par at the first extra hole.

Scott will play his 22nd US Open but has only three top tens to his name, the best of those when 4th behind Jordan Spieth at Chambers Bay in 2015.

Ryan Fox, playing in his first PGA Tour event with special temporary membership, was the only other Australasian to make the cut and finished 30th after a final round of 70. Fox has shown in his few starts on the PGA Tour in 2023 that he can look forward to a bright future in the US.

Like, Scott, Fox’s next start will be at the US Open which he will play for the 5th occasion having a best of 41st in 2018.

This week’s winner, Hovland continued an impressive run of form of late having finished 7th at the Masters and runner-up at the recent PGA Championship, suggesting he will be quite a force at the US Open.

Hovland’s win was his 6th victory on the PGA Tour.

SCORES

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Minjee Lee and Lydia Ko contend in New Jersey

Minjee Lee seen during round two today – photo LPGA / Getty Images

Minjee Lee and Lydia Ko, two of the more dominant players on the LPGA Tour in recent times have been below their best for much of early 2023, but at the halfway mark of the Mizuho Americas Open in Jersey City, New Jersey, they find themselves very much in contention in the inagural staging of the event.

Lee’s second round of 64 saw the 27 year old jump from 55th after an opening round of 73 to a share of the lead with American Cheyenne Knight while Ko added a second consecutive round of 69 to be just one shot from the lead.

A few players are yet to complete their second rounds after play was suspended and the likes of Jin Young Ko and India’s Aditi Ashok could yet make a difference.

Lee raced to the turn in 30 and, in fact, birdied eight of her first twelve holes at the Liberty National Golf Club before the momentum slowed somewhat over the closing stages but she signed for an 8 under par round and a share of the lead.

“Yeah, I mean, I didn’t really feel like my score reflected sort of how I played yesterday, so I really just came in with a positive attitude,” said Lee. “I knew there was probably going to be less wind this morning, so just tried to take advantage of the good conditions that were given to me.

Lee gave an indication at the Founders Cup three weeks ago that things were on the improve after a start to the season which saw her record a best of only 41st in four early season starts. She finished runner-up there and this continues that impressive effort.

Lydia Ko today – image Getty / LPGA

Ko also has had an indifferent run by her standards on the LPGA Tour thus far in 2023. She finished 6th in the season opener in Thailand but has a best of 41st in four other LPGA Tour starts so this represents a significant improvement for the world number three.

She did however win an LET event in Saudi Arabia early in the year and was 3rd in an LET event in Florida two weeks ago.

“I haven’t — to be honest, haven’t been playing that great leading up to this week, said Ko. “I played much better and solid on the LET event a couple weeks ago, so that was a good momentum shift.

“Yeah, I think it’s kind of given me time to work with my team and reset. I think we’re moving in the right direction. It’s not perfect, but I feel a lot more comfortable and confident now than maybe a couple weeks ago.

“So I’m just taking it day by day and trust my team, and I think that’s the biggest key thought for me out there.”

Rookie, Grace Kim, is the next best of the Australasians in a share of 17th place and five shots from the lead.

SCORES 

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Australian Open heads back to Sydney in 2023


The Men’s and Women’s trophies – image Australian Golf Media

The Australian Open returns to Sydney in December, the 2022 introduction of a multi-layer event continuing with the staging of the Men’s Australian Open, the Women’s Australian Open and the All Abilities Australian Open to be played from November 30th – December at the Australian Golf Club with the Lakes Golf Club playing a co-host role over the opening two days.

With the concept of all three championships being staged at the one venue over the same dates introduced last year at the Victoria and Kingston Heath Golf Clubs in Melbourne, the three tiered event had its teething problems but no doubt as a result of that initial experiment Golf Australia has ironed out such issues including the re-introduction of  just one cut for the men.

In 2023 several leading players missed the final day due to a second cut being made on the Saturday night including Cameron Smith who had been the catalyst for the significant crowds which had turned up t0 attend the event.

After a review of last year’s tournaments in Melbourne, and following consultation with both the men’s and women’s tour bodies and playing groups, the 2023 edition will have some format changes.

The men’s field will consist of 156 players, with 84 in the women’s field. Only one cut will be made, after 36 holes, reducing the field to the top 60 professionals plus ties in the men’s Open, and a pro-rata top 32 professionals plus ties in the women’s Open.

All professionals who make the cut will receive prizemoney, with both the male and female professionals earning the equivalent figure per finishing position.

In another change to the tournament schedule, the finale of the 54-hole Australian All Abilities Championship will start a day earlier with the final round and the champion player to be showcased on Saturday afternoon.

It will be the first time the Australian Open has been played at the Australian Golf Club since 2019 when Matt Jones won the second of two Australian Opens he has won at the Australian Golf Club, defeating Louis Oosthuizen by just one shot.

The men’s event will be jointly sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia and the DP World Tour.

The Australian Golf Club – image Bruce Young

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Steve Alker finishes 5th when defending Senior PGA title


Alker in action this week – image PGA of America.

New Zealand’s Steve Alker might not have been able to successfully defend his KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship title in Texas this week, but his 5th place finish was yet another fine week against a particularly strong field in which five of the first nine finishers were regular tour major champions.

Alker finished a massive 9 shots behind the winner, Steve Stricker, who won at the first extra hole of a playoff against long-time leader, Padraig Harrington, but he recovered well from a slow start to the event.

Alker retains his 3rd place position in the Schwab Cup standings behind Stricker and David Toms.

Stricker now has three wins, and three runner-up finishes in nine starts this season on the PGA Tour Champions and had the pleasure of having his daughter Izzi, a fine high school golfer in her own right, caddy for him for the first time.

SCORES


The champion Steve Stricker and daughter / caddie Izzi  – image PGA of America

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Daniel Hillier’s KLM 5th place finish best finish of 2023


The KLM Open Champion Pablo Larrazabal collects his second trophy in three starts – image Getty Images

European Tour rookie, Daniel Hillier, recorded his best finish since gaining his full playing rights for that tour when finishing in a share of 5th place at this week’s KLM Open in Cromvoirt in the Netherlands.

The 24 year old New Zealander’s final round of 71 will secure a cheque for €66,600 and after three consecutive missed cuts the return to form comes at a crucial time.

Hillier’s best finish to date in a European Tour event was when 3rd while playing the 2021 ISPS Handa World Challenge without full playing rights but given this event comes after a very slow start to the year the result will provide both a financial and confidence boost for the talented Wellingtonian.

The former Australian Junior Champion, two time New Zealand Amateur Champion and two time Challenge Tour winner is considered New Zealand golf’s most exciting young prospect and it is hope that this week’s effort will be the catalyst for continuing good results this season.

Hillier finished four shots behind the winner, Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal who won his second event in his last three starts having also won in Korea a month ago.

RESULTS

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