Potentially big day ahead for New Zealand Golf

Ben Campbell shares lead in Japan – photo Japan Tour

It may or may or turn out that way, but May 15th is shaping as a significant day in New Zealand golf.

In Japan, Ben Campbell has a share of the lead at the Asia Pacific Open Diamond  Cup event in the Oarai Golf Club in Ibaraki.

At the Soudal Open in Belgium, New Zealand’s highest ranked male golfer Ryan Fox leads on his own through 54 holes and on the PGA Tour Champions, Steve Alker is in second place and three behind Steve Stricker in the chase for one of that tour’s major titles, the Regions Tradition in Birmingham in Alabama.

Campbell is playing the event in Japan courtesy of his Asian Tour status as the event is jointly sanctioned by both tours and although one of four players tied for the lead heading into today’s final round, a win would provide the 30 year old with Japan Tour status for the remainder of the year at least.

Already bound for The Open Championship at St. Andrews this July, Campbell has another chance to turn his already encouraging season into an even better one. He has already finished runner-up at the Vic Open and 8th at the Singapore Open in 2022.

“I played solid,” said the Queenstown based Campbell. “My front nine was really good. I just putted solid the whole day,” he said. “It’s a great golf course. It’s tough. You just have to stay patient out there.

“If I can hit it a little bit better tomorrow, I think I should be in a good position. I’ve been putting well.”

Campbell, a former world number six amateur, has been on form this year, with a runner-up finish at the PGA Tour of Australasia’s Vic Open in February being his best result to date which resulted in him earning a start at the Open Championship.

Campbell, who was sidelined for 18 months following a hip surgery before returning in April last year.

Campbell will be relishing the prospect of playing full-time in Japan, having played four events in 2017 but failing to make an impact. But that trip was memorable enough to make him keen on coming back for more.

“I love coming to Japan. The people here are amazing. I love the food as well. I love the golf courses we play here,” said Campbell.

“Every time we come out here, it’s always been amazing. I always enjoy myself here. It would be great to have a good day tomorrow.”


Ryan Fox – begins his third round on Saturday – photo Getty Images

Last week Ryan Fox’s 8th place finish in Belgium ensured he would gain a start at this coming week’s PGA Championship in Tulsa.

Perhaps surprisingly, he decided to play this week rather than head to the US earlier and prepare for one of golf’s majors but he will be pleased he did so as he leads the €2 million event and is chasing his second title of the year having won in the UAE earlier.

Fox returned home after that win and spent two months back in New Zealand but since his return he has continued to play well having finished 15th, 9th and 8th in the three events since.

Fox started his third round slowly but a final nine of 30 swept him to the lead ahead of England’s Sam Horsfield.

“I played really solid on the back to be honest, holed a couple putts as well and I hope I figured something out after a couple of scrappy drives early on in the round, and it felt pretty good form the tenth hole onwards. So, hopefully I can take that into tomorrow.

“So, you know you are going to make a few mistakes which I have done, I’ve gotten away with a couple this week, I’ve not got away with a few as well, and thankfully made a few birdies to counteract it.

“I have been in contention the last couple of weeks as well and not really done much on Sunday, so I am looking forward to being in the mix again. Obviously, Sam Horsfield is playing some good golf as well, and he is a heck of a player, so hopefully we will have a good tussle tomorrow.”

Fox is currently in 13th place in the DP World Tour rankings for this season and a win tomorrow would move him from just outside the top 100 in the world ranking and close to 60th.

Alker has been a revelation on the PGA Tour Champions since making his debut last August where he was forced to pre-qualify. Since then, it has been a simply stunning run and in 2022 he leads the money list with earnings just over US$1 million, more than US$200,000 ahead of Miguel Angel Jimenez.

A win tomorrow would add another US$375,000 to his swelling bank account but given the event is a major on the PGA Tour Champions and would further elevate his standing at this level.

Alker trails Steve Stricker by three following a third round of 65 and is alone in second place and two ahead of Jimenez.

Golf works in strange ways and it might be that none of the three New Zealanders complete a victory tomorrow but there are hopes that Sunday May 15th could be one of the finest days in New Zealand golf.

SCORES JAPAN

SCORES BELGIUM

SCORES ALABAMA

 

 

/by

Sinnott’s great opportunity in Ibaraki

Todd Sinnot – Japan golf Tour

Australia’s Todd Sinnott admits he will have to conquer a “tough and demanding” Oarai Golf Club if he harbours hope of walking away as the winner of the Japan / Asian Tour’s Asia Pacific Open Golf Championship in Ibaraki on Sunday.

Sinnott battled through wet and windy conditions to shoot a two-under-par 68, leaving him at six-under 134 for the week and just two shots behind Japanese leader Kaito Onishi.

“Today’s a tough day, with the rain and wind. Honestly, I was just trying to stay really patient and just hang tough out there,” said Sinnott, who won the Myanmar Open in 2017 when it was held as a co-sanctioned event by JGTO and Asian Tour.

“I can’t even remember the round, very tired. I hit it solid in patches, but I think it’s my short game that stood out.

“I was able to get up and down whenever I missed the green. By doing that, I was able to keep the round going and keep the momentum going.

Starting the day from the 10th tee, Sinnott sandwiched three birdies between a bogey on 13 and a double bogey on 17 to make the turn at 35.

He then recovered strongly on his outward nine, with birdies on holes five and six to finish in a three-way tie for second place with defending champion Rikuya Hoshino and The Crowns winner Yuki Inamori.

Sinnott believes the playing conditions can only get trickier over the weekend, especially with the gusting wind. However, he is relishing the challenge.

“It’s a tough course. The wind will get up, so it’s important to stay patient. It’s a demanding golf course. Need to hang in tough,” Sinnott explained.

“There’s going to be bogeys, but just need to remain calm and try to make as many birdies as possible. I love playing challenging golf courses like this. You think your way around, hitting certain spots, keeping it below the hole.

“I like playing golf like that. That’s how golf is like in Melbourne, where I come from. We have to play really fast greens on difficult courses.”

Thailand trio Prom Meesawat and Sadom Kaewkanjana and Kosuke Hamamoto, New Zealand’s Ben Campbell and promising amateur Kazuma Kobori and American Ben Henson are the next best-placed international players in tied seventh on 137.

Scores

/by

Bautista breaks through in NT as three gain European cards

This week’s winner Austin Bautista – photo PGA of Australia

The 2021/2022 PGA Tour of Australasia’s Order of Merit was finalised over the weekend with the leading three players earning the right to play the DP World (European) Tour in 2023.

Jed Morgan, Blake Windred and Andrew Dodt retained the positions they held leading into this past weekend’s NT PGA Championship at the Palmerston Golf Club outside of Darwin and for Morgan and Windred they will play the DP World Tour for the first time as members next season, while Dodt will regain his previous full status there.

The new initiative to allow the leading three players to graduate to the European Tour was announced in January ahead of the win by Morgan at the Australian PGA Championship and was devised in some respects as a measure to counteract the push from the Saudi Arabian Liv Tour.

Morgan won the Australian PGA, Windred the Victorian PGA Championship and Dodt’s runner-up finish to Morgan at the PGA Championship were the catalysts for their career boost.

The NT PGA Championship was won by first time PGA Tour of Australasia winner, Austin Bautista from Sydney, who cleared out to win by seven over Victorian Ben Wharton and the Gold Coast’s Tim Hart who stormed home over the weekend with rounds of 64 and 67 to share second place.

Bautista earns $27,000 for his win and follows up a runner-up finish at the recent runner-up finish at the WAPGA in Kalgoorlie.and two 3rd place finishes earlier in the year in TPS events in Australia.

Dimi Papadatos and Aaron Pike finished 4th and 5th respectively on the Order of Merit and will earn the right to Finals qualifying for the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour in the US, Papadatos missing out on the third DP World Tour spot by just $1300.

/by

Jason Day moves further ahead at Wells Fargo Championship


Jason Day – file photo

Jason Day has turned his one-shot opening round lead into three with a second round of 67 at the Wells Fargo Championship in Potomac outside of Washington D.C.

Playing early in the generally easier, but still demanding conditions, Day made the turn in even par but three birdies on the way in opened up a three-shot gap that was maintained throughout the day as conditions worsened into the afternoon.

Day showed improvement in his recent outing at the Zurich Classic where he combined with fellow Australian Jason Scrivener but in his last three individual events he has missed the cut and so this week’s performance to date represents a significant turnaround for the 34 year old.

Day leads by three over Max Homa and after his round mentioned that he feels he benefits from tough conditions.

“I actually do. I’ve always kind of liked U.S. Open formats in regards to how tough the golf course is. You kind of have to grind it out. Obviously typically when you have tough conditions, long golf courses, tough conditions, thick rough, the guys that are playing well, they kind of usually find their way towards the top.

“Now, granted, I’m coming off some nice play at Zurich, so I’ve got some confidence there. It’s nice to be able to get in at 10 under through two rounds, especially with what kind of weather we’ve got coming in on the weekend. I’m looking forward to it. It’s nice to be back in the mix, nice to be leading. It’s still two more days left, so I can’t get too far ahead of myself.

“It was nice to get this round under my belt in these conditions. All the 2 Tee-Scripts.com work that I put in kind of in the off-season, off weeks, it’s starting to show a lot of signs and I’m finding a lot of confidence in that swing.

“Like I said yesterday, the driver swing is not where it needs to be, but it’s getting better each and every time I get to work on it.

“Every now and then it kind of falls back to some of the old stuff, but big thing for me is just to not kind of panic and just take a step back and go through my shots and try and trust it the best I can and if I can do that, hopefully I’m somewhere, if not leading come Sunday.”

Day appears to enjoy the area, the TPC at Avenel Farm just three or four miles from where he finished runner-up on debut at the US Open at Congressional in 2011.

Day lost his way a little after the passing of his mother, Dening, in March but he now appears to be heading back in the right direction, both mentally and technically.

None of the other Australians in the field will make it to the weekend but given the nature of the weather forecast, it might be that they will enjoy a weekend at home rather than battling the predicted wind and rain.

SCORES

 

 

 

 

/by

Jason Day’s encouraging start at the Wells Fargo

Jason Day – file photo

Jason Day has rekindled memories of an era where he was one of the more dominant players in the game with an opening round of 63 at the Wells Fargo Championship in Potomac in Maryland to give him a one-shot lead after day one.

Currently ranked 127th in the world, the former number one’s otherwise significant career has been disrupted by injury and illness throughout but he remains as a winner of 12 PGA Tour titles including a major title, two World Golf Championship titles, the Players Championship and just under US$50 million since first joining the PGA Tour in 2008.

Coming off the back of three consecutive missed cuts in individual events, Day was not getting too excited after one good round but he was clearly happy with the direction things are taking after so much recent work with swing coach Chris Como.

“I think it’s a good step in the right direction. Obviously, I’ve got to give myself a pat on the back because I played some nice golf today, but we’ve got three more days after this and I think the main goal is to try and focus and get
yourself in a position where you can win. Yeah, good positive stuff today. Get back, recover and try and get into tomorrow’s round

“Obviously I don’t want to get ahead of myself because I know that it’s easy in the position I am right now after a good round to get ahead of myself and start talking where it could potentially go.

“I think I’ve just got to stay as present as possible because if I can swing it the way I’m swinging it and have the short game and the touch that I have on the greens, I mean, I played some really good golf today. I feel like I can get back to where I need to be, but that’s a total decision up top in my head if I want to climb that mountain again.

“I feel good about myself and I’ve just got to slowly work on the confidence. The thing that’s different between now and when I was No. 1 in the world, even though the technique might not have been as crisp as it is right now, I had all the confidence in the world, especially on the greens. So that’s always the goal.

“I mean, obviously we’ve got some weather coming in, so I feel like we’re going to go into grind mode over the next few days, which I typically like. It’s going to be difficult, I know that we’re going to get a lot of rain, so just got to take it as it is and just focus on myself and just do whatever I can to shoot a low one.”

Cameron Davis is the next best of the Australians after his opening round of 67.

SCORES

 

 

/by

Ryan Fox shares early lead at British Masters

Ryan Fox in action today – photo Getty Images

Playing in just his 7th DPW event of 2022, New Zealand’s Ryan Fox has a share of the opening round lead at the Betfred British Masters and the Belfry Hotel and Resort in Sutton Coldfield in England.

After an extended break back in New Zealand following his win in the UAE in February, Fox returned to the DP World Tour two weeks ago with a 15th place at the ISPS Championship in Spain and followed that up with a 9th place in Catalunya last week so the break has had no impact on the form he was showing earlier in the year.

Fox shares the lead with Denmark’s Thorbjørn Olesen, a four-time winner on the European Tour, after the pair both recorded rounds of 67 to lead by one.

“I hit it really solid,” said Fox. “Maybe one tee shot on the second which looked a little dicey but hit a lot of wedge shots close and took advantage on a couple of the hard holes on 12 and 18. Holed a couple of 40-footers which is always nice to keep the round going and.

“I did everything pretty well which is nice and had a good group to play with Thomas (Bjorn) and Jack (Singh Brar), and we had a few laughs out there, especially on 10. It was just a nice day.

“It’s a fun golf course to play. I grew up on this kind of grass as well. So it fits quite nicely in my head. Kind of know what it’s going to do and how it’s going to react and just went out and tried to hit a couple of shots and did that well.”

Fox has won twice on the European Tour, the last of those coming when wining by five at the Ras Al Khaimah Classic in February.

Fox is currently 110th in the world ranking having reached a high of 66 when winning the World Super 6 Perth in 2019.

Jason Scrivener is the leading Australian in a share of 17th after his round of 70.

SCORES

/by

Jed Morgan wins Order of Merit but still a lot at stake at NTPGA

Jed Morgan his immediate future assured – photo Bruce Young

Queenslander Jed Morgan, the current Australian PGA Championship winner, will play in his first majors, this year’s US Open and Open Championship, after securing the Norman Von Nida Medal as the Order of Merit champion on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.

The talented Queenslander, just 22, was confirmed as the winner today by the PGA Australia Chair Rodger Davis, with an unassailable lead ahead of the Tailor-Made Building Services NT PGA Championship, the final event of the tour.

The rising star of Australian golf earned just over $190,000 for the season, with the PGA of Australia ensuring the Norman Von Nida Medalist would have automatic entry to the US Open at Brookline Country Club next month, and the Open Championship at St Andrews in July.

For the first time ever, Morgan will form one of three players on the PGA Tour of Australasia to gain a DP World Tour playing card, with the top three placed on the Order of Merit gaining exemption.

The 2022-23 DP World Tour season will begin at Morgan’s hometown Brisbane in November at the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland, the same event that he won in stunning fashion earlier this year.

The Major Championships and DP World Tour opportunities are substantial for a player who has only been a professional for less than a year, capping off a stellar rise to prominence for the Golf Australia rookie squad member and the 2020 Australian Amateur champion.

The Norman Von Nida Medal, struck in honour of one of Australia’s greatest professional players, is awarded each year to the Order of Merit champion on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.

The final Order of Merit placings offer a significant carrot for those in contention, with everything to play for at the NT PGA Championship at Palmerston this weekend.

Blake Windred (NSW) currently sits in second with a $14,055 buffer to third placed Andrew Dodt (Queensland), with the likes of Dimi Papadatos (NSW), Louis Dobbelaar (Queensland) and seventh-placed Aaron Pike (NT) all a chance of leaping into the top three in Darwin to claim European status.

The top five on the Order of Merit list are also given exemptions into the final stage of Korn Ferry Tour qualifying school in the United States this year, so there is plenty on the line this weekend at the NT PGA.

Morgan’s form after his breakthrough win in January dropped off as perhaps the realisation of his achievement and the repercussions for him sunk in but in m,ore recent events he is finding form again and although he will not be involved this week, the initiative by the PGA of Australia to provide these exemptions through their stronger alliance with the DP World and PGA Tour’s could well set him up for a lengthy and successful professional career.

“This is something that I’m going to treasure forever,” Morgan said today.

“Obviously as a young player I’m heading away to follow my dreams and I’m focused on what is ahead of me, but to win an Order Of Merit is something special, I know, and the opportunities that it provides for me are priceless.

“I’m thankful to the PGA for this and I hope that I can justify it by playing well. I’ll certainly by trying hard and I can’t wait to get to America and then to Scotland to play in those majors. Clearly it’s been a massive change in my career and in my life and I’ll always be grateful for getting this kickstart.”

PGA of Australia Chair Rodger Davis said Morgan’s situation epitomised what the PGA Tour of Australasia was trying to achieve when it reached agreement with the DP World Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour about the benefits of Order Of Merit placings.

“We’re trying to create the pathways for these great young players to walk through and chase the world. We have sensational talent in Australia, Jed’s a perfect example of that.

“What he did at Royal Queensland winning by 11 shots is exceptional. So what he needs is to be given opportunities, and as a Tour, we’re working hard to create those opportunities, not just for Jed, but for all our players.

“We bat above in terms of population to high quality golfers, and it’s critical for us to form these alliances with the DP World Tour so that we can keep producing some of the best players in world golf,” he said.

ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit (through WA Open)

1. Jediah Morgan            $190,408.77
2. Blake Windred            $125,285.83
3. Andrew Dodt*             $111,230.70
4. Dimitrios Papadatos* $110,261
5. Anthony Quayle          $97,217.33
6. Louis Dobbelaar*       $96,691.10
7. Aaron Pike*                 $93,480.83
8. Brad Kennedy              $85,985
9. Jarryd Felton                $78,775
10. Daniel Gale*              $77,901.88

Asterisk highlights players playing in this week’s event in Darwin.

/by

Lydia Ko’s candid comment adds to her fan base

Lydia Ko in action yesterday – photo Harry How Getty / LPGA

A beautifully candid comment by New Zealander Lydia Ko after finishing in a share of third in last week’s LPGA Palos Verdes Championship in Los Angeles has added many more admirers to the army of golfing fans she already enjoys.

When asked by on course commentator Jerry Foltz at the completion of her final round as to whether the need to have physical therapy during her round on what appeared to be a back issue she had been suffering was a concern, Ko responded.

“I hope not. It’s that time of the month,” said Ko referring to the fact that the issue had been period pain. “I know the ladies watching are probably like, yeah, I got you. So, when that happens my back gets really tight and I’m all twisted. It’s not the first time that Chris has seen me twisted. I felt a lot better after he came.

“Yeah, there you go. I know you’re lost for words, Jerry. Honesty it is.”

During her now many years in the media spotlight and Ko’s responses to the thousands of questions she has faced in media conferences during that time, it has often been hard to isolate comments that are all that quotable, but she certainly changed that yesterday and one could not help but be delighted by her open and candid response involving the issues facing many sportswomen.

It opens the door for issues such as period pain, unique to women in any sporting arena, becoming more regularly discussed and not the taboo subject where no man or even woman has dared to tread.

Congratulations Lydia Ko for creating an environment where the raising of such issues can be more regular and more comfortable than has been the case in the past.

I now have even more respect for the world number three than previously the case and that it was a woman of her standing that was prepared to be so candid, further allows for the normalising of such discussion and creates an awareness of such issues that might not have been the case previously.

 

 

 

/by

Harrison Endycott’s maiden win both emotional and timely

A very happy Harrison Endycott – photo Getty Images. Article PGA Tour.

Sydney’s Harrison Endycott was not ever sure he would win in the United States, or ever win again for that matter. The 25-year-old Australian last won in 2016, when he was still an amateur, and Endycott described much of his roughly five-year professional career as “frustrating” multiple times this week.

All those frustrations were put to rest Sunday at The Ledges, as Endycott closed out a five-stroke victory at the Huntsville Championship with an even-par 70, capping the final round by draining an 11-footer for birdie on the 72nd hole to finish at 16-under par.

Endycott carried a five-stroke lead into the final round, the largest 54-hole advantage on the Korn Ferry Tour since April 2019, and he turned it into the largest margin of victory in a Korn Ferry Tour event since PGA TOUR rookie Cameron Young’s five-stroke win at the 2021 NV5 Invitational presented by Old National Bank.

“I mean, it’s just a long journey to get here, and we dealt with a lot of real hardships, our family,” said the 25 year old. “Sadly I lost my mum to cancer in 2012, and sadly last week I just lost my grandmother, too.

“The timing of this win is just really special, and, yeah, what a great place to do it as well. I love coming here. I
remember first time I was here was last year and I loved it. Yeah, it’s just super special to be able to do that. Hits
home a little bit because not being able to do it in front of my friends and family, but, yeah, no, I’m very blessed to be able to get it done this week.”

“Yeah, she’s always, and same as my grandmother,” responded Endycott when asked if his mother had been in his thoughts during the final round. Sadly, life just is cruel. You know, you just got to embrace like great moments.

“I’ve had a lot of disappointments in my life and this is definitely not a disappointment.I’m just kind of just a bit shellshocked right now. I’m just trying to figure out kind of how to eat humble pie a little bit right now.

“We’ve still got a golf tournament to get ready for next week, and I’m really looking forward playing in Nashville next week, and Knoxville. So two Tennessees are great. So, yeah, like I said, it’s just a really, really emotional win for me.”

Endycott concluded a decorated amateur career with five individual victories in the 2016 calendar year, highlighted by a win at the prestigious Porter Cup, and a team win for Australia alongside future PGA TOUR winner Cam Davis and future Korn Ferry Tour winner Curtis Luck at the 2016 World Amateur Team Championship. Shortly after a top-10 at the 2017 Asia-Pacific Amateur, Endycott turned professional and debuted at the New South Wales Open Championship in November 2017.

Endycott’s next two seasons (2018 and 2019) were spent on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, where he ended both without much in the way of improved status, but gained incredible perspective on life as a professional golfer.

“It’s challenging off the golf course and toughens you up as a player. “I learned how to manage myself away from the golf course… learning how to get away from the money. This time (in 2017), I was always looking at how much I could make, whereas (Latinoamérica) Tour taught me how to get into contention more.”

Endycott eventually moved to Scottsdale, Arizona and earned Korn Ferry Tour membership via Final Stage of the 2019 Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament. As a rookie last season, Endycott logged three top-10s, including a season-high T4 at the 2021 Visit Knoxville Open, and six top-25s across 35 starts. After the high point of Knoxville, Endycott bottomed out with nine missed cuts and a withdrawal in his final 10 starts of the season, leaving him 81st on the 2020-21 Regular Season Points List, six spots outside the top 75 for fully exempt status in 2022.

The Sydney, Australia native tried to improve his status at Final Stage of the 2021 Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament, but finished T80 and failed to do so.

Prior to Sunday’s win, the closest Endycott came to a professional victory was a runner-up finish at the 2018 Victorian Open, an Australian state open championship sanctioned by PGA Tour of Australasia. Endycott watched as Simon Hawkes birdied the 72nd hole and forced a playoff, which he lost. Endycott posted a T2 on PGA Tour of Australasia in 2019, but finished six strokes behind the champion.

Endycott’s win launched him from 103rd to 12th on the 2022 Regular Season Points List. With 573 points, Endycott is primed for a legitimate run at his first PGA TOUR card, but the regular season is only through 10 of 23 events and he knows more first-time winners await their own moment atop the mountain.

The 2022 Korn Ferry Tour season continues Thursday with the first round of the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation, hosted by The Grove in College Grove, Tennessee.

Scores

 

 

/by

Braden Becker holds off Hopewell to win first title

Braden Beacker (centre) holds his precious trophy – photo PGA Tour of Australasia

29-year-old Braden Becker has won his first PGA Tour of Australasia title with a one-shot victory over outstanding amateur and defending champion, Hayden Hopewell, at the West Australian Open at the Freemantle Golf Club south of Perth.

Born in Pietermaritzburg in South Africa before moving to Perth at the age of 8, the now Mandurah based professional has become a consistent performer on the pro-am circuit in the west but until this week his best performance in a PGA Tour of Australasia event has been when runner-up at the SP PNG Open and 4th at the WAPGA in 2020.

Today Becker took a four shot lead into the final round but eventually held on to win narrowly over Hopewell who began the final day five off the pace, with NSW’s Nathan Barbieri another shot back in third place.

In a rather bizarre finish, Becker bounced his wedged fourth shot at the closing par-5 off the golf ball of playing partner Nathan Barbieri, sitting in the fringe behind the green, and back to a foot from the flag.

It left him with a tap-in par when it could have been so much worse, and moments later a stunned Hopewell three-putted from long range to hand the win to Becker, 29, who has been a prolific winner of pro-ams but had never completed the task over four rounds.

Tied for 4th place were previous winner and US Amateur runner-up Oliver Goss and the in form Josh Armstrong who shared the third and fourth prizes in the professional pool given Hopewell’s amateur status.

“I’m in shock,” said Becker. “I’m still shaking. Hit a lot of good shots and I hit some terrible ones and I got punished for them, and I just scraped through.”

Becker receives a two-year exemption to play on the Australasian Tour. “It’s a really good feeling, knowing I’ve got somewhere to play for a couple of years, it’s awesome, but it also gives me the confidence and the dollars to go and push somewhere else, whether it’s DP World Tour or Korn Ferry.”

SCORES

 

 

/by