Jason Norris joins large Australian line-up on PGA Tour Champions


Jason Norris – file photo

2024 has seen a great increase in the amount of Australians playing the USPGA Tour Champions and this week’s field for the Sanford International is a great example of just that.

The event, being played at the Minnehaha Country Club in Sioux Falls in South Dakota, will see 12 Australians teeing it up, perhaps one of the largest line-up of Australians ever in a PGA Tour Champions event.

Throw in New Zealand’s Steve Alker and the representation from our part of the world is even stronger.

Richard Green, Rod Pampling, Mark Hensby, Stuart Appleby, Stephen Allan, Greg Chalmers, John Senden,  Cameron Percy, David Bransdon, Michael Wright, Mathew Goggin and Jason Norris will join Alker in the field.

Goggin and Norris each gained one of the three positions available in event qualifying in Sioux Falls on Tuesday and, for Norris, it is especially exciting as he gets his first start in a PGA Tour Champions event.

Goggin topped the three qualifiers with a round of 63 while Norris was round in 64 amongst the 36 players attempting to get a start in the US$2.1 million event.

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Important finish for Jason Scrivener in Switzerland


Jason Scrievenr – file photo courtesy of Golf NSW

Perth’s Jason Scrivener has made an important leap in the Race to Dubai rankings following his share of 4th place at the European Masters in Crans Sur Sierre this weekend.

In 123rd place in the ranking heading into the event held high above the Rhone Valley in Switzerland, Scrivener’s first top ten of the season comes at an opportune time to secure his playing privileges for next season as he jumps to 78th.

The finish also opens the door for a good run through the lucrative events in September and October to launch him into the top 50 who gain access to the DP World Tour Championship.

Having missed eight of his previous ten cuts, it was a welcome return to form for the 35 year old South African born but Perth raised golfer.

A slow start to his third round when close to the lead proved costly in the end result but it was an encouraging bounce back as he added a final round of 67 to finish three shots behind the playoff between the winner, Matt Wallace and  Alfreda Garcia Heredia.

Scrivener earned €135,000.

RESULTS

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Travis Smyth finishes runner-up in Korea


Travis Smyth – file photo courtesy of Paul Lakatos Asian Tour  

NSW golfer Travis Smyth continued his money-making ways in Incheon, Korea, this week when finishing runner-up at the Shinhan Donghae Open.

The event is tri-sanctioned between the Asian, Korean and Japan Golf Tours and with Smyth finishing in the runner-up position he moves to 6th on the Asian Tour for the season.

Smyth finished one shot behind the Japanese golfer Kensei Hirata following a final round of 64 which included an outward nine of 8 under 28.

It was Smyth’s 6th top ten of the 2024 season and while not winning since the Yeangder TPC event two years ago, he has accumulated substantial earnings in the time since and with a series of lucrative events between now and early December he has the chance to add significantly more.

His earnings this week were US$116,000 but with two lucrative International Series included in the schedule over the next three months, there is still much to play for.

“Bittersweet, after shooting eight under, but not winning,” said the 29 year old Smyth. “To fall one short sucks a bit, but my game is in a good spot

“The front nine, I honestly don’t know. Obviously, everything went my way. I do have the ability to hit good shots but to hit so many good shots in the space of nine holes is pretty amazing.

“It was amazing, it was good shot after good shot. Never had seven birdies in a row, that’s another personal best of mine.”

For the 23 year old Hirata it was his third win of the Japan Tour season and his second in succession and takes him to the top of the standings on the Japan Tour.

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Three Australians make International Presidents Cup side


Min Woo Lee – one of six Captain’s Picks – image Getty Images

Three Australians are included in the twelve-strong International Presidents Cup team to tackle the USA in Montreal from September 24th to 29th  following the announcement of the six Captain’s Picks overnight.

Jason Day, Adam Scott qualified through the automatic qualifying while team captain Mike Weir selected Min Woo Lee as one of his six wild cards.

Weir said: “As one of the most popular players on the PGA TOUR, Min Woo is going to be an incredible addition to the International Team and our passionate fans in Montreal. He is one of the best drivers of the golf ball, and I can’t wait to let him cook at the Presidents Cup in a few weeks.”

The 26-year-old Lee, who finished ninth on the International Team rankings when qualifying concluded two weeks ago, is fired up for Royal Montreal. “What I can bring to the International Team is flair and hopefully some good golf. I’ve been playing pretty solid this year. Being on the International Team is very special and obviously being the home side, it’ll be massive to play good in front of the fans.”

Weir also included South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Canada’s Corey Conners, Korea’s Si Woo Kim and Canadians Corey Connors, Taylor Pendrith and Mackenzie Hughes as his other five picks.

Cam Davis can be considered extremely unlucky not to have made the team given his recent win on the PGA Tour and a 5th-place finish at his last start at the BMW Championship. He is actually ranked one point higher than Lee in the current world ranking.

The International Team will be chasing just its second victory in the event in 14 previous encounters and again face a tough task with 10 of the 12 man USA side in the top 20 of the world ranking verses only three of the International side.

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Adam Scott’s lucrative payday in Atlanta


Adam Scott – file photo Australian Golf Media

Adam Scott might not have won thus far in 2024, but has completed an outstanding finish to the FedEx Cup season with a share of 4th place at the Tour Championship in Atlanta, his final round of 67 leaving him tied with Xander Schauffele and Russel Henley.

The trio finished a massive 11 shots behind the winner, Scottie Scheffler, but each earned US$4.8 million for their efforts.

Scott share was reduced significantly by the lengthy hole-outs from off the green at the 18th hole by Henly for eagle and by Schauffele for birdie, but Scott’s season has been one of his most lucrative season ever and takes his career earnings on the PGA Tour alone to US$72 million.

Scott now looks ahead with optimism to the upcoming Presidents Cup beginning in Montreal on September 26th.

“Yeah, I’m really looking forward to it. It’s interesting, I was kind of struggling on the points list for most of the year, and then the last couple months really solidified my position on the team, and all of a sudden I feel like I’m a good player again and I’m looking forward to going up there and winning some points.

“I really like the way this team is going to be shaping up here when it’s announced in a couple days and feel like everything that’s gone into the international team over the last couple years from Ernie to Trevor and now Mike, I’m excited for what’s to come up there.

“I know they’re putting a lot into it to kind of make it feel like as much of a home game as possible for us, and we’re counting on the Canadian fans for that. But we’re all going to have to do our job and win some points to get them on our side.”

But Scott and the other 28 players were always chasing Scheffler this week, especially after Scheffler began the week two ahead courtesy of the FedEx Cup handicapping system and then led by seven after day one, the 28 year old adding another US$25 million to his already massive earnings this year and extending his lead at the top of the world ranking.

Scheffler finished the week four shots ahead of Collin Morikawa and six ahead of Sahith Theegala.

Scheffler won his 7th PGA tournament of the season in addition to his Olympic Gold Medal winning performance in France, completing a season comparable with the likes of Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Tom Watson and Johnny Miller in the modern era.

Off course, Scheffler has also experienced the arrival of his first child adding to all of his success on course.

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Adam Scott ‘s impressive late season form continues in Atlanta


Adam Scott File photo – courtesy of JPGA

Scottie Scheffler might have taken control of the Tour Championship in Atlanta but Adam Scott continued his fine end of season form by adding a second round of 67 to his opening 66 at the East Lake Golf Club and has kept himself in the hunt for a large share of the FedEx Cup riches.

Scott appears likely to walk away from the event with a substantial boost in his earnings for the year, with even the 5th place player this week guaranteed US$5 million, the winner to take home US$25 million.

Scott’s only real blemish in the opening 36 holes was when he bogeyed his 17th hole today after finding the trees from the tee and was unable to save par.

Scott did not speak to the media after his round but one look at his recent results indicates that his game is likely at its best level since this year. His last four starts have yielded two runner-up finishes and a 10th and one other top twenty so the last few weeks have been very productive in terms of his bank account and his confidence and it appears both might well be boosted significantly over the next two days.

Scheffler began the week with a two-shot lead courtesy of the FedEx Cup standings and has extended that to four over Collin Morikawa and Scheffler sounded an ominous warning for his chasers.

“I feel like my swing is in a good spot. I’ve hit it nice last couple days. Really felt like I’ve hit a lot of lips on the greens, but I am hitting a lot of quality putts.

Today the putts that did not go in did not — a lot of them did not miss the cup by very much. A lot of quality stuff out there, and yeah, in a good spot going into the weekend.”

Scheffler’s greatest rival in recent weeks Xander Schauffele begins the weekend five behind the lead and was asked after the round how we could reel in Scheffler.

“Yeah, it’s really up to him, to be honest. I have to play out of my “beep” to sniff. Being two back and then shooting 1-under yesterday and him shooting low round of the day, it’s just not the start I needed. A sense of urgency today to try and pick some up.”

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Adam Scott plays his way to Tour Championship

Adam Scott – file image courtesy of USGA

Adam Scott needed something special this week if he was to play his way into this coming week’s Tour Championship in Atlanta and he produced just that with an impressive share of the runner-up position behind Keegan Bradley at the BMW Championship in Colorado.

Scott’s big week would see him finish the week in 14th place in the FedEx Cup standings after beginning the week in 41st place and will thus earn the right to play the Tour Championship where he has regularly played well but under what is effectively a handicap system will begin the event at 3 under and seven shots behind FedEx leader Scottie Scheffler.

Scott began his quest for victory today by holing a 60 foot eagle putt at the first hole and made the turn in 2 under 34 before dropping three shots in three holes at the start of the back nine in a stretch of golf that would eventually cost him victory.

Scott still had his chances over the closing few holes but a bogey from the middle of the fairway at the 15th was crucial and although he birdied the 16th, so too did Bradley and although the eventual winner bogeyed the last, Scott was unable to produce to birdie to force a playoff.

“Really, I’m disappointed not to have won today, but I’m pretty happy to be going to East Lake because that wasn’t on the cards a couple weeks ago,” said Scott. “I’ve played well.

“You know, after a couple days of rest and getting my head into next week, it’ll be fun to go and have a couple good rounds and kind of find my way up the leaderboard at East Lake.

“You know, you kind of grind all year and then finally the last four events my game has really turned around and looked solid. A lot can happen in a few weeks out here, and all of a sudden I’ve gone from a very frustrating year had I not finished well to now feeling pretty pleased with myself.

“But it’ll be fun to go and run the tables next week.”

Cam Davis produced a great final round of 66 to finish in a four-way share of 5th but, unfortunately, it was not enough to play his way to the Tour Championship, eventually finishing 36th in the FedEx Cup standings when needing to be in the top 30.

Jason Day dropped five shots in two holes late in his round, a disaster in terms of his chances of making it to Atlanta. He finished 33rd this week and 33rd in the FedEx Cup standings.

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Lydia Ko completes outstanding August with Open victory


Lydia Ko – stands proudly in front of golf’s headquarters with the coveted trophy -image R&A via Getty Images 

Lydia Ko has added a third major championship title to her already amazing resume with two two-shot victory over a group of four golfers to win the AIG Women’s Open Championship over the Old Course at St Andrews.

The victory caps off a marvellous August for the 27-year-old New Zealander in which she has won the Olympic Gold, entered the LPGA Hall of Fame and now won a third major title some eight years after her second.

In trying wet and windy conditions for most of the week and again on Sunday, Ko overcame a three-shot 54 hole deficit to Jiyai Shin, emerging from an intense battle amongst some of the current game’s best to win by two over Shin, Ruoning Yu, Nelly Korda and Lilia Vu, all of whom have been recent world number ones.

Ko holed a sliding 10-footer from behind the hole at the last which gave her a one-shot cushion over those still on the course and as the challengers dropped away it became more and more obvious that her stoic final round under the most intense pressure and difficult overhead conditions would see her through.

Vu had one last chance at Ko when, needing to birdie the last, she hit her approach 20 or so feet beyond the hole and proceeded to three-putt to share second place two behind the winner.

Ko was still pinching herself when she arrived in the media centre after the post-round presentations.

“It’s been a crazy past few weeks,” she said. “You know, something that was too good to be true happened, and I honestly didn’t think it could be any better and here I am as the AIG Women’s Open Champion this week. Obviously being here at the Old Course at St Andrews, makes it so much more special.

“I just loved being out there this week. I had a lot of family members here with me. I played here when I was 16 in 2013, I think I was 16. I was 16. I don’t think I got to really enjoy and realise what an amazing place this is, and now that I’m a little older and hopefully a little wiser, I just got to realise what an historic and special place this golf course is, and it’s honestly been such a fairy tale.”

Ko was asked how she felt compared to her two previous successes at this level.

“I honestly — like the only bit I remember of winning the Chevron Championship, the ANA at the time, was jumping into Poppy’s Pond and holding my nose going down because I didn’t want to get water up my nose. That’s about it. It feels like it was such a long time ago.

“I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs between 2015, 2016 to 2024. A lot of things have happened. When things are going well, it’s kind of hard to think about when you’re not playing well because all you’re really doing is just enjoying that moment.

“And on the other hand, when things aren’t going well, you feel like you’re never going to get out of that lull. I’ve been in both of those positions. And you know, I thought, you know what, I’m very fortunate to say that I am a Major Champion and a two-time Major Champion. I’ve got nothing to lose in that sense.”

Korda was clearly gutted given that she began the week and the weekend as the favourite after regaining some of her early season from in recent weeks but was philosophical about the loss.
“Listen, it’s golf. I’m going to mess up and unfortunately, I messed up over the weekend twice in two penalising ways coming down the stretch. Theoretically, that’s what kind of cost me the tournament but I played well. I played solid. I even fought after that. I’m going to take that into the next coming events.”

Grace Kim (37th) and Stephanie Kyriacou (60th) were the only Australians to make the weekend.

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Jiyai Shin chases third AIG Open Championship

Jiyai Shin tees off in round three – image R&A via Getty Images

Korea’s Jiyai Shin, arguably the most underrated player in the female game, overcame an eight-shot deficit on world number one, Nelly Korda, in round three of the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews and will now take a one-shot lead over world number two Lilia Vu into tonight’s final round with Korda now one shot further back again.

Shin, a two-time winner of the event in 2008 and 2012 produced a round of 67 including an outward nine of 32 and swept past Korda and Vu Korda’s final nine of 40 costing her the lead.

Vu also had trouble on the closing nine dropping three shots in two holes on the 12th and 13th before three late birdies moved her into second position alone.

Shin is a prolific winner of titles with more than 60 wins worldwide, eleven of those LPGA events and three of those majors but in recent years she has focused her attention on the Japan LPGA Tour where she has won a massive 30 titles.

When asked what it was about links golf that suits her, Shin would say:

“Well, I try to, well, I played a long time, the golf. I’ve been here already third time. This is my third time at St Andrews. That’s how much I played it, for so long. I have a lot of experience with links course and with not like this tough wind but pretty much I have a lot of good experience.

“So that’s why I take all my skill today. Yeah, the wind — really, the wind is nice to me today, and also, I made a bogey — two bogeys today but I think everyone can make one or two bogeys. So this is nothing. I just keep focused forward.”

When asked why a player of her calibre would focus on the Japan LPGA rather than the LPGA Tour Shin was open in her response.

“Well, yeah, my rookie year was 2009, and then I have — like I have many goals for the ten years’ goal, I have a plan. But after three, four years, I finish everything. So I couldn’t find any next step.

That’s why I just — I want to play good, but it doesn’t like — like I couldn’t get any motivate by myself. That’s why, okay, I need to change. I need a change. So that’s why I moved to, close to the family so that’s why I moved to Japan and this is my 11th year in Japan tours.

Yeah, I worry about lost the fans, but I met new fans. More new fans. I had a great decision.”

Lydia Ko remained in a share of 4th place with her round of 71 and is just three from the lead and appears to have a genuine chance of a first Women’s Open Championship.

Stephanie Kyriacou shares 19th place at even par while Grace Kim, the only other Australian to make the cut is now in 70th place.

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Adam Scott finding form at right end of season

Adam Scott file photo – image Australian Golf Media

With a place in next week’s Tour Championship in Atlanta up for grabs in the final two rounds of the BMW Championship in Colorado in addition to the significant prizemoney for this event, this weekend takes on an important period in the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

The three Australians in the event have suffered mixed fortunes over the opening 36 holes with Adam Scott’s 9 under par round of 63 sweeping him into a three-shot lead over Keegan Bradley with Ludvig Aberg another shot back in 3rd place.

Scott finished runner-up at the recent Scottish Open, 10th at the Open Championship and 18th last week in Memphis, finding impressive form at a time when some serious money is up for grabs

Scott was in 3rd place after an opening round of 68 but his brilliant round on day two has him not only leading this event but, having jumped a projected 37 places in the FedEx Cup table, a solid weekend will see him comfortably into next week’s playoff finale.

Despite the fact he was outside the all-important top 30 for next week’s event leading into this week, Scott mentioned he felt there was nothing to lose.

“Leaving the range, I just kind of wanted to keep moving in the right direction, grind out and shoot under par and keep going that way. Then by the middle of the round I was thinking of how many birdies can I make. It’s funny how that happens.

“But I do, I feel like I really don’t have anything to lose this week. I can’t go out of the top 50. I’m going to have a good schedule in the Signature Events next year. Of course I’d love to make it to East Lake, but now I’d love to win this event.

“It’s a big deal for anybody to make it through to the top 50 on TOUR, and I think that was a relief last week. I have to say playing the last — the back nine last week was quite stressful. I knew I was a shot here or there from being in or out, and getting through that was good.

“I felt like I’ve been kind of a bubble boy all year for things, and now it doesn’t really matter. It’s more about getting out there and playing.

“My game is in a good place, and that freedom is helpful.”

Australia’s other two representatives this week Jason Day and Cam Davis both have work to do if they are to force their way into next week’s field.

Day recovered well from a horror opening round of 78 for a round of 69 today but is in 46th place this week and outside the top 30 in a projected 34th place in the FedEx Cup standings.

Cam Davis has fared better this week at least and is in 22nd place through 36 holes but needs a big weekend if he is to improve from his current 48th place in the standings.

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