Cameron Tringale – an opening round of 61 – photo DP World Tour / Getty Images

A day that began so promisingly for the Australian contingent at the Genesis Scottish Open did not end that way although Cameron Smith (15th), and Lucas Herbert and Jason Scrivener (28^th) have made reasonable starts in the traditional Open Championship lead-up at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick.

On a breezy yet fine day, Scrivener, in particular, was quickly out of the blocks and through seven holes he had recorded four birdies and led the event and was still at 4 under through 10 holes before four bogeys over the closing stages along with a lone birdie left him at 1 under.

Cameron Smith, though, finished as the best of the Australians at 2 under and tied for 15^th although a massive seven shots behind the tearaway leader Cameron Tringale who leads by three over fellow American Gary Woodland.

Smith reached the turn in 3 under 32 but was back in 36 for his round of 68 although like Scrivener and Herbert he will play in the afternoon field tomorrow.

Herbert, too, began well with three birdies in his first four holes but he was unable to capitalise on such a hot start and finished with a round of 69.

Marc Leishman continued his recent struggles when he opened with a round of 73 to be tied for 89^th which, given he began with two early birdies, was particularly disappointing.  Leishman will require a round under par tomorrow to be around for the weekend as he looks to a return to St Andrews next week where he lost a playoff for the 2015 Open Championship.

Last week’s runner-up in Ireland, Ryan Fox, never recovered from an outward nine of 4 over and finished with 74 to be tied for 112^th and he too has a big task tomorrow if he is to be around for the weekend. The cut appears at this stage at least as if it will be around 1 or 2 over so Fox will need 68 or better it would seem to play all 72 holes here.

Scott Hend also had 74 but for the defending champion Min Woo Lee it was a nightmare start and finish. Three bogeys in his first four holes was not helped by four consecutive bogeys to finish his round and at 7 over 77 he is in 148^th place while Queensland’s Maverick Antcliff had 82.

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The Open Trophy – The Claret Jug

With just two events remaining before the final field for the 150^th Open Championship is settled, 13 Australians and New Zealanders are already confirmed to tee it up at St Andrews beginning on July 14^th.

This week’s PGA Tour’s Barbasol Championship in the USA and the DP World Tour’s Scottish Open provide several Australasians one last chance of gaining a start in the historic event for those not otherwise qualified but, either way, Australasian golf will be well represented.

Peter Thompson (1955) and Kel Nagle (1960) are the Australasian golfers to have won an Open Championship at St Andrews but Thomson also finished runner-up there in 1957 during his remarkable run at the Open Championship between 1952 and 1958 when he finished either first or second in seven consecutive Open Championships.

New Zealand’s Simon Owen also finished runner-up behind Jack Nicklaus at St Andrews in 1978 after leading through 16 holes on the final day and Marc Leishman lost a playoff to Zach Johnson the last time the Open was played at the home of golf in 2015.

In world ranking order, Cameron Smith, Adam Scott, Ryan Fox, Lucas Herbert, Marc Leishman, Jason Scrivener, Min Woo Lee, Brad Kennedy, Jason Scrivener, Anthony Quayle, Jed Morgan, Dimi Papdatos and Ben Campbell are the 13 from this part of the world to earn their right through various means to play such an historic Open Championship.

Smith, Scott, Herbert and Leishman are in because of their world ranking, Fox first gained his start via the Dutch Open a few weeks ago although he is now inside the top 50 in the world, Lee and Scrivener because of their finishes inside the top 30 in the DP World Tour rankings in 2021, Papadatos, Campbell and Griffin courtesy of their finishes at the Vic Open, Quayle and Kennedy via their efforts at an event on the Japan Tour and Jed Morgan as a result of finishing atop the PGA Tour of Australasia money list.

Ryan Fox in action this week – photo DP World Tour / Getty Images

Ryan Fox might not have won this week’s Horizon Irish Open but today’s runner-up finish further confirmed his remarkable success in that event.

By staging a magnificent final round of 64, Fox added this week’s runner-up finish to a similar finish in the event in 2018 and a 4^th place finish in 2017.

In addition, one of Fox’s two Challenge Tour victories and his best finish in a major (16th at Royal Portrush in 2019) came in Northern Ireland so his love affair with the island containing the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland have played a key role in the 35 year old’s standing in the game.

Fox’s finish this morning will again move him to an all time high in the world ranking following the rise to 56^th his 3^rd place finish in Germany last week gave him. When the revised rankings are released later today Fox will find himself just inside the top 50 for the first time in his career, providing opportunities for players inside that milestone ranking.

Today Fox began the final round 1 hour and 15 minutes behind the final group and five shots behind the eventual winner Adrian Meronk.

Working through the front nine in 3 under, Fox had made progress on those ahead but was still four behind Meronk. Then would come a rush of birdies and an eagle and despite being unable to get up and down from behind the green at the final hole to save par, when he finished his round Fox had the lead by one.

Meronk, though, would also produce a remarkable finish with birdies at the 15^th and 16^th and an eagle of his own at the par 5 17^th and he had opened a three-shot lead playing the last. A final par gave him a three shot victory and his first European Tour win and for his country, their first success on the DP World Tour.

For Fox, however, his great season in 2022 continues, this being his 7^th top ten in his last tens starts including his win in the UAE earlier in the season. The finish this week and the massive cheque for €630,000 takes Fox to 4th in the Race to Dubai Rankings.

“Apart from bogeying the last,” responded Fox when it was suggested soon after walking from the last green his finish might have closed out another European Tour title. “18 was only bad shot I hit today and nice to see some putts go in. Been a weird week, shoot 64 in the first round, didn’t miss a shot and same today, and then a little bit of scrappiness in the middle. I think it’s going to be one short.

“To be honest, everything clicked. Actually, through the front nine I had a couple chances and didn’t convert them. On the back nine made a few nice putts and it was one of those days where everything kind of worked. Literally only hit one bad shot, the one down 18 and just happened to be in between clubs and went for a draw and pulled it a little bit.

“You know, rest of the game was solid was it was most of the week. I just had a couple cold days with the putter in the middle but very happy with the game is at at the moment obviously.”

Fox will now play the Scottish Open and Open Championships and believes it is now a case of saving energy as he looks ahead to St Andrews where he performed well in 2015.

“For me the next couple of weeks, I’ve played both the golf courses a lot, so it’s going to be more about energy management rather than trying to find anything in the game. Obviously the game is in pretty good shape at the moment. Yeah, just go out, try to beat the golf course. That’s what I’ve been trying to do the last few weeks and seems to be working pretty well.”

Defending champion, Lucas Herbert, was well placed heading into the final round but made a horror start to his day when making the turn in 40 but stormed home with a back nine of 31 which also included a bogey at the last and he would finish 9^th.

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Dustin Johnson – photo LIV Golf Getty Images

Dustin Johnson and newcomer Carlos Ortiz share the lead with one round to go in the second of the LIV Golf Invitational Series being played at the Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in Portland in Oregon.

Johnson and Ortiz are tied at 8 under par and lead by two over South African Brandon Grace with another South African, Justin Harding another shot back and alone in 4^th place.

Johnson added a second consecutive 68 to catch the first round leader Ortiz, who was making his debut in the LIV Golf series but who has struggled for much of 2022 having not recorded a finish inside the top 30 in 15 PGA Tour starts.

Australia had five players in this week’s field and they are headed by Matt Jones who has put together two consecutive rounds of 72 to be in 17^th place at even par.

Wade Ormsby is 2 over, Travis Smyth 4 over, Blake Windred at 9 over and the current Australian PGA Champion Jed Morgan at 16 over after a horror second round of 84.

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Matt Jones leads the Australians but is eight shots from the lead – photo LIV Golf Getty Images

Herbert – with last year’s trophy – photo Getty Images

Lucas Herbert has moved within four shots of the lead at the Irish Open at the Mount Juliet Estate in Co Kilkenny, the defending champion in a share of 11^th place behind the leader Jorge Campillo of Spain as the US$ 6 million event enters the weekend.

Herbert who has focused much of his attention in the USA this season, returned to Ireland as the 48^th ranked player in the world after beginning this event twelve months ago as the game’s 91^st player.

The progress and elevation in standing has been more than just in world ranking given he has since earned full status on the PGA Tour, has won on that tour and consolidated his standing as not only one of the game’s brightest prospects, but he is now Australia’s third highest ranked player behind only Cameron Smith and Adam Scott.

Herbert played his opening two rounds with legendary Irish figure Padraig Harrington, a three time major winner and a winner of a senior major at last week’s US Senior Open but felt very much at home despite his ‘crowd favourite’ playing partner.

“There’s so much support here. I almost feel like an adopted Irishman this week,” said Herbert.

“It’s been great with Paddy as well. The crowd out there for him has been unbelievable.

“He holed a putt on the ninth to be safe to make the cut. The roar that came out of them was pretty incredible.

Herbert’s round today was significantly less of a roller coaster then that he produced yesterday when six birdies and eagle and five bogeys led to his opening round of 69.

That he got the favourable side of the draw did not go unnoticed by Herbert.

“Yeah, I had to pretend to be upset what I saw last night when I saw what the weather forecast looked like in the afternoon. Just luck of the draw.

“Some weeks you get, it some weeks you don’t. PGA Championship, I got the bad side of the draw. There’s times where you get the good side and the bad side and this week I got the good side.”

Round two was highlighted by greater consistency with six birdies and a double bogey for a round of 68 and he is well placed heading into the final 36 holes.

New Zealand’s Ryan Fox was unable to maintain the pace of his eight birdie opening round 64 and slipped to a  round of 73 to be tied with Herbert in 11^th place. He was out in today’s more difficult afternoon conditions however and is not yet out of things.

Fox, too, has a good record in this event having finished runner-up and 4^th in previous years.

Queensland’s Maverick Antcliff is tied for 36^th, while both Min Woo Lee and Scott Hend both made the cut on the number.

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Ryan Fox in action this week – photo Gety Images