Kelsey Bennett finshes runner-up in Belgium


Kelsey Bennett during today’s play – image LET Mark Runnacles 

New South Wales golfer, Kelsey Bennett, was unable to hold on to her 54-hole lead at the Hulencourt Women’s Open in Belgium, but she would finish alone in second place, recording her second runner-up finish of the season to go with her win earlier in the year in Australia.

Bennet established a two-shot lead through 54 holes over the eventual winner Carolina Chacarra, but Chacarra, whose brother Eugino has won two events on the DP World Tour this season, put together an almost faultless final round of 68 to Bennett’s 73, the Spaniard eventually winning by three over Bennett.

Bennett appeared to be losing grip on a winning chance when she fell three behind the Spaniard through 13 holes, but a chip-in for birdie at the 16th by Bennett reduced the margin to just one before Chacarra birdied the 17th and then parred the last to win by three.

Bennett remains in third position on the Ladies European Tour’s Order of Merit.

Kirsten Rudgeley of Perth finished in a share of 7th place, her fourth top ten of the season, moving her to 14th on the LET Order of Merit.

The LET will this week join forces with the LPGA for the playing of women’s golf’s fourth major of their season, the Amundi Evian Championship in France, where Sydney’s Grace Kim will defend the title she won so dramatically last year.

The Evian Championship carries prizemoney of US$9.1 million, with many of the LET Tour getting the chance to play for their biggest ever purse.

Hulencourt Results

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Harrington wins third US Senior Open – Jones and Wright lead Australians


Padraig Harrington – holds his third US Senior Open trophy – image USGA Jeff Haynes 

54-year-old Padraig Harrington won three majors in regular tour golf (two Opens and a PGA Championship) and today he added a fourth major in senior golf when he played his way to a comfortable four-shot win over Stewart Cink at the US Senior Open in Columbus, Ohio.

It was Harrington’s third US Senior Open title, having also won in his rookie season in 2022 and again in 2025, joining Miller Barber as the only player to win three US Senior Opens. It also became Harrington’s 12th PGA Tour Champions victory.

“It’s different, I’ve got to say,” said Harrington, whose first two Senior Open victories came in nailbiters. “It feels great, but obviously there wasn’t the drama that I know we normally provide down the stretch. That doesn’t mean that I wasn’t feeling it. I was really trying to stay in it, stay focused. I knew I had a nice lead, which let me play to the middle of the greens, and let me hit the shots.

“But I did hit some big shots coming on the way home to take all the stress out of it. I had a great week putting, which, wow, golf is easier when you putt well.”

The day began with Stewart Cink, the winner of the opening two senior majors to date this season, one ahead of Harrington, but the potential shootout between the two dominant players on the PGA Tour Champions this season never really developed. By the 4th tee, Harrington had moved three clear after birdies at his opening two holes and two early bogeys by Cink.

By the turn, Harrington was four clear, and he would eventually go on to win by four over Cink, with PGA Tour Champions rookie George McNeil another two shots back in 3rd place.

In what was ultimately a disappointing week for the large Australasian contingent, Brend Jones and Michael Wright emerged as the best placed of the 12 who started the week when the pair tied for 20th place.

Jones is playing with limited status on the PGA Tour Champions and, in his second season, gets very few opportunities, but after a slow start to the week, he put together rounds of 69, 69, and 70 to record his best finish of the year and earns a cheque for US$37,000.

Wright’s third round of 67 had him close to the top ten, but a round of 72 today saw him share 20th place with Jones.

 Results

Brendan Jones, along with Michael Wright, led the Australians – image USGA

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Richard Green heads Australians through 36 at US Senior Open


Richard Green in action during round two – image USGA / Jeff Haynes

Richard Green heads the 12-strong Australasian contingent at the US Senior Open in Columbus, Ohio, the Victorian at 1 under par and five shots off the 36-hole lead held by two-time PGA Tour winner and now PGA Tour Champions rookie, George McNeil.

Green actually made a strong mid-round move with four birdies in eight holes on the demanding Scioto Country Club layout to join the lead at 4 under, but three bogeys in his last five holes would see him finish his opening 36 holes in a share of 10th place.

Six of the 12 Australasians in the field made it to the weekend, Cameron Percy and Greg Chalmers at 1 over, Brendan Jones and Michael Wright at 2 over, and Scott Hend at 4 over, all making it to the 4 over cutline or better.

Michael Campbell, Steve Allan and David Bransdon all appeared as if they might just scrape in at 5 over, but, very late in the day, their hopes were thwarted as the cut moved from 5 to 4 over. Allan bogeyed his final two holes after appearing to be safe.

Surprisingly, Steve Alker missed by two, while Mark Hensby and Stuart Appleby finished further back.

Leaderboard 

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Kelsey Bennett well placed in Belgium


Kelsey Bennett – during today’s second round – image Ladies European Tour 

New South Wales golfer, Kelsey Bennett, already in third place on the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit in 2026, finds herself in outright second place and two shots from the leader after the second round of the Helencourt Women’s Open in Belgium.

Bennett, in her third season on the LET,  won earlier in the season in one of the Ladies European Tour events in Australia when she was successful at the Australian Women’s Classic in New South Wales and also recorded a runner-up finish in Morocco this season, but a second round of 67 has her two behind Spain’s Carolina Chacarra.

If the name Chacarra sounds familiar, it is perhaps because her brother Eugenio has won twice on the men’s European Tour (DP World Tour this season).

“It was really solid,” Bennett said after her round. “I rolled in some nice putts and am really looking forward to this weekend. There’s still lots of golf to play out there. It was really tough out there yesterday. I was level-par through nine, then managed to squeeze a few in at the end. I definitely have a lot more confidence now I’ve won on tour.”

Bennett led this event after the opening round twelve months ago, so this is a venue that clearly fits the 26-year old’s eye.

Leaderboard 

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12 Australasians get their chance at US Senior Open


Scott Hend – may well be a factor given his good play in 2026 and a solid debut in the event last year – image PGA of America

Undoubtedly the flagship event of the PGA Tour Champions, the US Senior Open, gets underway on Thursday at the Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio, the event carrying a purse of US$4 million, the richest purse on the PGA Tour Champions schedule.

Ten Australians and two New Zealanders get their chance to become just the second Australasian to win the title following the victory by Graham Marsh in 1997.

A field of 156 from an original entry of around 3000 has made it through the event over a layout steeped in American golfing history, with Bobby Jones having won the US Open in 1926, and where the US Senior Open is being held for the third occasion.

In Alphabetical order, the 12 Australasians in this week’s field are Steve Alker, Steve Allan, Stuart Appleby, David Bransdon, Michael Campbell, Greg Chalmers, Richard Green, Scott Hend, Mark Hensby, Brendan Jones, Cameron Percy and Michael Wright.

Defending champion and two time winner, Padraig Harrington, will likely start favourite for the event, although Stewart Cink, who finished runner-up last year and who has been a standout on the PGA Tour Champions in 2026, will have his followers, as will Steve Stricker, who in four starts in the event has won, been runner-up twice and finished 4th on the other occasion.

Steve Alker gets the nod amongst the Australasians, although in four starts his best has been when 6th last year. Mark Hensby finished tied for 4th last year after leading at various stages, Scott Hend could make his presence felt now that he is firmly ensconced on the PGA Tour Seniors, and with a win to his name in 2026, and Richard Green finished 3rd two years ago.

Tee Times / Leaderboard

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Kazuma Kobori earns Open Championship start


Kazuma Kobori – file image courtesy of Australian Golf Media 

Final qualifying for the 2026 Open Championship was completed across England overnight, where nearly 80 golfers at each of the four venues were competing over 36 holes for five spots at Royal Birkdale on July 16th.

Many Australasians were in the respective fields, but only New Zealander, Kazuma Kobori, was successful when finishing runner-up at his venue at West Lancs Golf Club near Liverpool.

Kobori followed up an opening round of 70 with a stunning afternoon effort of 65 to finish one shot behind the leading qualifier Sam Bairstow at his venue.

Kobori will play the Open Championship for the second occasion, having missed the cut at Royal Troon in 2024.

At other venues, players such as Marc Leishman and Cameron Davis missed out, the closest of those not making it was Austin Bautista, who finished 2 shots from qualifying at Royal Cinque Ports.

There remains one last chance for qualifying on the Monday of Open Championship week, where up to 12 players will play off for one spot, but it appears no Australasian will be eligible for that field.

Kobori, however, will join Jason Day, Ryan Fox, Lucas Herbert, Daniel Hillier, Cameron John, Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott, Cam Smith, Elvis Smylie and Travis Smyth, who were already qualified for the final major of the year.

SCORES

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Queensland’s Justice Bosio runner-up in Czech Republic


Justice Bosio – file image Australian Golf Media 

Queensland’s Justice Bosio has stormed home in the Ladies European Tour’s Tipsport Czech Ladies Open in Beroun in the Czech Republic, her final round of 64 securing a place in the playoff against the eventual winner, Noora Koumalein and Lisa Petterson of Sweden.

All three golfers returned to the par five 18th, and after laying up, it would be Koumalein who pitched close and holed for birdie to claim her first Ladies European Tour title after 14 years trying.

For Bosio, from the Sunshine Coast, the finish represents the best of her rookie season, and her €26,000 cheque won’t hurt either. The finish follows an impressive 5th place in the Netherlands last week. Bosio will jump to 22nd in the Ladies European Tour standings, Kelsey Bennett currently the best of the Australians in 3rd position.

Leaderboard

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Karis Davidson earns career biggest cheque at KPMG Women’s PGA Championship


Karis Davidson – another fine week on the LPGA Tour – image Darren Carroll PGA of America

Karis Davidson has finished in a share of 12th place at the KPMG PGA Championship in Chaska, Minnesota, her final round of 1 over 73, not quite what she was after, but for the 27-year-old Queenslander, the finish represented her best finish in a major championship.

Davidson was on track for a top ten or even better finish when she reached the 14th hole, but a wild drive there would eventually lead to a double bogey, costing her a significant amount of money given the huge purse on offer. She bounced back, however, with a birdie at the 15th and then parred in for her impressive result.

Davidson will still, however, secure a cheque for US$210,000, by some margin (US$60,000), her biggest of her career, and this finish, along with a very solid 22nd place at the US Women’s Open a month ago, highlights the progress she has made in 2026, having made all eleven cuts this season.

The winner was Korean Haeran Ryu, who won her first major but her fourth LPGA Tour victory with a two-shot win over fellow Korean Ina Yoon, with Canadian Brooke Henderson and Dewi Webber of the Netherlands sharing 3rd place.

Davidson led the Australasians in the field, but Lydia Ko stormed home after just making the cut on Friday to finish in a share of 15th after beginning the week with a round of 76 on Thursday.

Sydney’s Grace Kim was 24th and Queenslander, Robyn Choi, 48th.

Leaderboard

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Karis Davidson stays in touch despite round two hiccups


Karis Davidson lining up a  putt at her final hole today – image Scott Taetsch PGA of America

Karis Davidson continues to show the way as far as the Australasian contingent is concerned at the 2026 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Chaska, Minnesota, a second round of 2 over par 74, not the round she was looking for on day two, but at 5 under, she is still very well placed as the third major of the year for women’s golf heads into the weekend.

Davidson played in the first group out on day two and began in the worst possible way when she double bogeyed her opening hole after missing the green, then three-putting, but the 27-year-old fought her way back to even par through 15 holes before another double bogey at the 16th after finding the water from the tee was a cruel blow, given she was close to the lead at that point.

When she walked from the course after her round, she was still within striking distance of the lead, but as the day progressed, the overnight leader, Ina Yoon of Korea, who began her round more than six hours after Davidson, was about to put her stamp on the event.

Yoon added a second round of 69 to her opening 63 to be at 12 under and five shots clear of the field.

“Yeah, today felt — I felt a little bit under pressure today actually,” said a candid Davidson. “I’ve never been in contention in a major after the first round, so it was a little bit of a different experience for me.

“I hit two bad shots that cost me two doubles today, but really grinded in the middle and made a couple of birdies. Still seems like I’m in contention, so I think it was good to get that pressure out of the way today, and then I can hopefully have a couple good rounds on the weekend.

“The start definitely brought me back down to earth. Because yesterday felt really smooth, and then obviously starting with a double, I was like, “Ah, crap.” Then, it just felt like a grind after that. I felt like it was really tough this morning with the dew on the grass. It was playing longer.

“So, yeah, I just kind of had to really focus after that double start, definitely.”

Ina Yoon – in action during round two – image Darren Carroll, PGA of America

23-year-old Yoon, who is in her second season on the LPGA Tour, has yet to win in the US, but after her record-breaking opening round of 63 (the best in the history of the event), she quickly built on her lead with an outward nine of 32 to move seven shots clear of the field at that point.

Yoon was unable to build on that lead, but at the end of Friday’s play, she is five shots clear of Brooke Henderson, Hae Ran Ryu, A Lim Kim and Nasa Hataoka.

“This is actually my first time being lead going into the weekend,” said Yoon. “It’s actually a really nice experience for me. I’m so excited to play two more days, yeah.

“Sometimes players have to focus on their play, but when they really want to win, then they get nervous.

“So that’s happened to me as well. So last two — like two more days I try to focus on my stuff and just have fun with my caddie, Kevin, out there. That’s all my goal.”

Nelly Korda is threatening danger, another shot back at 6 under, with Davidson in a group at 5 under, and seven shots from the lead, but just two out of second place.

Of the other Australasians, Robyn Choi and Grace Kim are at 1 under and in a share of 30th place, while New Zealand’s Lydia Ko just made the cut on the number in 55th place at 1 over.

Hannah Green, Minjee Lee and Gabi Ruffels all missed out on the weekend by just one shot at 2 over par with Cassie Porter several shots further back.

Leaderboard 

 

 

 

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Karis Davidson starts brilliantly at Hazeltine National


Karis Davidson in action during round one – image Scott Taetsch PGA of America

27-year-old Gold Coast golfer, Karis Davidson, continues to make significant strides in her LPGA Tour career, three weeks ago finishing as the joint leading Australian when 22nd at the US Women’s Open in Los Angeles after gaining the last spot in the field there, and, now, producing a stunning opening round of 65 at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Minnesota.

Beginning her round at the 10th hole of the Hazeltine National Golf Club’s layout, Davidson made the turn in 32 and then added four more birdies and a bogey on her way in to be at 7 under and two shots from the lead of Korean Ina Yoon.

Scottish-born and raised till the age of 13, Davidson, who first joined the LPGA Tour in 2022 after several seasons on the Japan Ladies Tour where she essentially flew a lone Australian flag, has made all of her ten cuts in 2026 on the LPGA Tour, improving some 90 positions in the Rolex World rankings standings as a result.

At the US Women’s Open, Davidson gained a late start as a result of Celine Boutier’s win in the preceding event, opening up an opportunity for a first alternate from qualifying, and Davidson was the lucky recipient. She took full advantage by finishing 22nd and earning the second biggest cheque of her career to date on the LPGA Tour (US$133,000)

I definitely hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of greens, and my putting was pretty on today,” said Davidson. “Really felt like I was going to hole everything. So it was a pretty perfect round.”

When asked what the difference has been in her very consistent season in 2026, Davidson responded;

“Well, I think — that’s a good question. I think I’ve been working on myself. Like mentally finding out what I enjoy off the course, I think, has really helped me on the course, because now I feel like I can enjoy it more.

“I think I just need to keep enjoying it and just try and hit the best shots I can; just really embrace the experience. I think it’s pretty special to be up top after day one, so I’m just going to embrace it.”

Minjee Lee is the next best of the Australasians at 1 under and tied for 27th, while Hannah Green, Robyn Choi and Grace Kim are at even par.

Leaderboard 

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