Class prevails as Hannah Green wins again


Holding trophies a habit worth getting used to for Green – photo PGA Australia

Perth’s Hannah Green might have had the benefit of playing from the forward tees available to the women’s field in this week’s TPS Murray River event in the cross-border townships of Cobram Barooga on the Murray River, but the highest ranked golfer of either gender in the field showed why she is just that with a four-shot victory in the $200,000 event.

Green was one of four golfers tied in the lead at 15 under par as the event entered its final round today although the early stages of the day became a contest between Green and NSW Japan Tour player, Andrew Evans – until the 10th hole that was.

It was at that point when Green, one of only four Australian females to win a major championship, separated herself from the field when she chipped for eagle in from just short of the near driveable par 4, then added another birdie at the 11th to race clear.

Others would then join Evans in the race for second place, but Green held on to win comfortably and complete a great start to 2022, this being her second win in as many starts following her Vic Open victory last week and earn $36,000 to go with her $72,000 last week.

“I feel amazing,” said Green. “I’m just so grateful that I came. It actually wasn’t my plan to play; I was hoping to go back to Perth. Things happen for a reason so I’m really glad that I made it,” added Green, who last Sunday won the Vic Open title at 13th Beach.

“I wanted to win these two events as soon as I said that I’d enter them. I didn’t think it was a ridiculous goal to try and get my name on these trophies so now that that’s done hopefully I can continue this momentum.

“I want to be in the top-10 in the world. I think I can achieve it. If I keep playing the golf that I am now hopefully I can get there.”

Evans and West Australian amateur, Hayden Hopewell tied for second place, Evans earning $20,000 while Hopewell is still unable to accept prizemoney.

Rookie professional Grace Kim and New Zealand rookie Momoka Kobori tied for 4th.

Green is currently ranked 30th in the Rolex Rankings for female golf but she has been as low as 13th and today she gave an indication of why she is not only ranked so highly but rated so highly by the industry and her peers.

This was just her second tournament of the year and given her win last week and this convincing performance the break she has had has done her well.

Evans regained his Japan Tour playing rights late last year when winning the Tour School in that Country while Hopewell could now be considered one of Australia’s best young prospects, having won the West Australian Open in 2020 as an amateur amongst many other titles.

The winner now heads to Singapore for her first LPGA Tour event of 2022 and takes an impressive vein of form with her.

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Hannah Green continues great start to 2022 to lead in Cobram Barooga

Green in full flight on Friday – photo PGA Australia

The series of events jointly sanctioned between the PGA Tour of Australasia and the WPGA Tour rolled into Cobram / Barooga, joint towns on opposite sides of the Murray River in Northern Victoria, this week for yet another event in the Webex Player Series and it is last week’s Women’s Victorian Open winner, Hannah Green who leads the way.

This week’s event brings both the men’s and the women’s fields together for the $200,000 TPS Murray River in honour of Jarrod Lyle where both genders compete against each other, separated only by the tees which the respective fields play from.

Green added a second round of 65 to her opening 64 and leads by one over NSW golfer and Japan Tour player, Andrew Evans, and by three over last week’s contender at the Vic Open Whitney Hillier, Cassie Porter, New Zealand’s Momoka Kobori and Canberra’s Matthew Millar.

Green, one of only four Australian females to win a major title, is playing just her second tournament of the year but the manner in which she won last week at 13th Beach and her hot start today suggests she will be great chance to make it two in a row to get her 2022 season underway.

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Ryan Fox completes impressive weekend for New Zealand golf

Ryan Fox holds his second DP World (European) Tour trophy – photo Getty images

Ryan Fox has led the way in what has been a good weekend for New Zealand golf, Fox winning his second European Tour title, Daniel Hillier finishing third in a European Challenge Tour event in South Africa and Ben Campbell finishing runner-up at the PGA Tour of Australasia’s Vic Open and, for Campbell, gaining a start at the Open Championship in July

Fox took a six shot lead into the final round of the Ras Al Khaimah Classic in the UAE but, as is often the case, such leads can prove difficult to defend. He did eventually win by five but there were occasions during the final round when things appeared to be going against the 35 year old, his lead reduced to just two early in the second nine.

It would be a birdie putt of some 45 feet at the 12th that got things back on track and with further birdies at the 13th and 18th he would win by five over England’s Ross Fisher.

The win was worth 299,000 (NZ$508,000) and move him from his current 211th place in the world ranking to around 120th when the revised rankings are announced later today.

It might have appeared like a comfortable win but there were some nervous moments for the long hitting Aucklander who won his second European Tour title nearly three years after his first in Perth in February of 2019.

“Probably relief is the main emotion, obviously it was a bit of a struggle today,” said Fox after his win. “Sleeping on a six shot lead, I didn’t sleep very well last night. Obviously a couple of the guys came at me early. I was a bit nervous, I had that awful feeling in the pit of my stomach all day but I’m very happy with how I played, a couple of great shots coming down the stretch and it was certainly nice walking down the last with putter in hand with so many putts to win.

“I learned that I’m pretty resilient, obviously there was some bad stuff in there but I just kept plugging away. There were a couple of big momentum putts on the back nine, the one on ten for par and then the one on 12 just kick-started everything and I felt like I played pretty solid the rest of the way in.

“It was going south pretty quickly there and I’m pretty happy I could turn it around and show plenty of mental fortitude there.

“Probably the one on 12 was the turning point. I haven’t been a massive fan of that tee shot for two weeks and I got away with one there. Obviously I wasn’t aiming there, I pushed it a little bit, but at least I hit it solid.

“I thought I hit a decent second shot, the breeze just didn’t really move it left and thankfully the hole got in the way with my putt, to be honest I probably would have had three or four feet coming back but it looked good all the way and that just changed everything, it gave me more of a buffer.

“Obviously 13 and 14 you feel like you have a couple of birdie holes coming home and I managed to birdie 13 which made it a little easier coming down the stretch, but obviously not that easy.

“I’ve got a nervous energy, my old man is the same – he paces around on the phone – and I think I probably walked 25km today with how much I paced around the greens. That’s just me and I was definitely thinking about the family coming down the last couple of holes.

“It’s pretty big for them, they’ve got to come over to Europe every year and that’s a little bit harder with a little one now, and this win makes that a little bit easier for them to do that.

“I’m a bit disappointed I missed (his 14-month-old daugher) Isabel walking for the first time and I’ve got ten days in a quarantine hotel when I get home to think about that as well, but I’m very much looking forward to seeing them when I get out of the hotel in late February. The first couple of days in there I might have a pretty sore head but after that I think it’ll feel pretty good with the trophy.”

Hillier bounced back from a disastrous start to his final round of the Dimension Data Pro Am at the Fancourt Estate in South Africa after beginning the final round just one from the lead.

A bogey at the 2nd hole was followed by a double bogey at the third and any hope he had of winning a second Challenge Tour title appeared gone. He would, though, add five more birdies before a bogey at the last saw him finish alone in 3rd place and four from the winner, Alexander Knappe of Germany.

The event was the first of several in South Africa and Tanzania over the next few weeks allowing the 23 year old New Zealander to build some early season momentum. It provides a solid start to his second season on the European Challenge Tour from which he no doubt hopes to emerge as a European Tour card holder at season’s end.

Ben Campbell finished runner-up at the Vic Open at 13th beach on the Bellarine Peninsula and a wrap of that event can be seen here.

 

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Papadatos and Green win respective Vic Open titles.

Hannah Green and Dimi Papadatos – photo Golf Australia

Dimi Papadatos and Hannah Green have won their respective Vic Open Championships at 13th Beach today.

Papadatos won by a narrow one shot over New Zealander, Ben Campbell, after a tense battle over the closing stages of the final round on the Bellarine Peninsula, while Green had a much more comfortable time when winning by six shots over the Gold Coast’s Karis Davidson and her fellow West Australian Whitney Hillier..

For Papadatos the win is his 5th in his professional career, his 4th PGA Tour of Australasia title and his second Vic Open win after first winning in 2017.

For Green it was her first win at home in the paid ranks, but her third overall in addition to her two LPGA Tour victories, one of those a major title.

In addition to his win and the $74,000 first place cheque, Papadatos, along with Campbell and Victorian Matthew Griffin, have played their way into the field for the Open Championship later this year, the leading three players in this week’s men’s field earning a start at St Andrews in July.

“The Open is an added bonus,” said Papadatos. “I was just trying to get the win today so that was definitely the highlight. I’ll worry about The Open when it comes. To win this is outstanding.

“I’ve played the Dunhill Links about four times. I haven’t had much luck over there. I struggle in the cold and the wind so I’ve got a bit of work to do. But I’m just looking forward to it. It’s going to be awesome.

“I played Royal Portrush when I finished second at the Australian Open in 2019 and that was pretty cool. So I know what that’s all about now.”

“It’s been such a long time since my last win in Portugal in 2018 so I wasn’t sure I still had it in me,” added Papdatos jokingly

Campbell gave it his best but came up just one short although a start at The Open Championship  in July is quite a consolation. “It’s always nice to finish second if you have a bonus like that,” said Campbell on securing his place at St Andrews, where he will make his debut appearance in a major championship.

“I shot six under to finish today and it’s going to be nice heading to St Andrews. I’ve played there quite a bit, a lot as an amateur. It should be awesome.”

Papadatos plays the Challenge Tour in Europe, frustratingly missing out on full European Tour status over the last few years but this win will go some way to earning one of the three DP World (European Tour) cards available to the leading three on the PGA Tour of Australasia money list at the end of the 2022 season.

Papadatos will likely move inside the top five following his win.

Campbell has won only once in a career plagued by injury and health issues but the former runner-up at both the Australian and New Zealand Amateur Championships is a significant talent and today gave Papadatos all he could handle as he kept the outcome alive until the final hole.

Green is Australia’s second highest ranked female after her fellow West Australian Minjee Lee and her class showed as she fought off LPGA Tour rookie in 2022, Davidson and yet another West Australian Ladies European Tour player, Whitney Hillier.

This was Green’s first start in 2022 ahead of another LPGA Tour campaign which begins in Singapore on March 3rd.

She took control of the event from Hillier following her third round of 68 and despite a slow start to her final round she never gave the others a chance as she powered home in 33 for her comfortable win.

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Papadatos, Campbell and Griffin on their way to St Andrews – photo Golf Australia

 

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Fox and Hillier building on New Zealand’s early 2022 success

Daniel Hillier one off the lead in South Africa – photo Sunshine Tour

Fresh from the recent win by its favourite golfing daughter, Lydia Ko, and a runner-up finish in Hawaii by PGA Tour Champions player Steve Alker, New Zealand golf is poised for further success with their highest and third highest ranked male golfers, Ryan Fox and Daniel Hillier, very much in contention in events in the UAE and South Africa.

Fox continued his remarkable bounce-back from last week’s missed cut also in the UAE to lead from an opening round of 63 at the Ras Al Khaimah Classic at the Al Hamra Golf Club, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE.

Fox’s lead has stretched to six shots after a third round of 65 and he heads Spain’s Adri Arnaus and Pablo Larrazabal, Scotland’s Scott Jamieson and Poland’s Adrian Meronk in the US$2 million event.

In George in South Africa, the highly promising Daniel Hillier finds himself just one behind Germany’s Alexander Knappe at the Dimension Data Pro-Am, a European Challenge Tour event, having led after round one and following a relatively disappointing second round of 72, charging back into contention with round of 63 overnight.

Fox is chasing a second European Tour title, having won in Perth nearly three years ago while Hillier is seeking a second Challenge Tour title having won during his rookie Challenge Tour season in 2021.

Fox, who missed the cut last week due in the main to a back injury he was suffering at the time, has highlighted his fitness with his impressive play over the opening 54 holes and while a six shot lead can be a tricky one he is delighted with what his play has created ahead of tomorrow’s final round.

“My head is in a pretty good place,” he replied when asked where is head was given the lead he has. “Ask me that on the first tee tomorrow and I might have a slightly different answer but I felt like I had really good control over the ball today, only hit a couple of bad shots and holed some putts as well.

“So I’ve put myself exactly where I want to be and it’s all on me tomorrow, someone’s going to have to do something really low or I’m going to have to play poorly so hopefully I can keep playing how I’ve played in the past few days and put it out of reach.

“I think I’ve made six bogeys all week and bounced back every time, so I don’t know why. It’s just felt like one of those weeks where every part of my game has just worked and when I’ve hit a bad shot I haven’t let it get to me too much.

“I’ve probably been lucky enough for the most part, I’ve had an easier hole after I’ve made a bogey most of the week. I’ve also seen a couple of putts go in like the one I had on ten after bogeying nine so everything’s been going pretty well.

“I wouldn’t say it’s been perfect. I hit two terrible drives on nine and 12 and missed a short one for par on nine. I let a couple slip yesterday, obviously I bogeyed the last which was playing downwind, but for the most part everything has worked which is kind of rare for me to be honest.

“I’ve always had something for the week that hasn’t worked, whether it’s the putter or I haven’t done everything else very well. But everything has seemed to click and hopefully I can keep that going for one more day.”

Hillier’s win last year in his first season on the Challenge Tour was impressive but was not enough to earn him a European Tour card and so he will continue to build on his growing experience at this level and a win tomorrow would give him a great start in pursuit of a DP World (European) Tour card for 2023.

Hillier made the cut and performed with distinction in the Asian Tour event in Saudi Arabia last week and earned US$17,000 which at this stage was no doubt a boost to his bank balance and his confidence given the strength of that field.

The 23 year old former Australian and New Zealander junior champion and twice the New Zealand Amateur Champion, is expected to rise to significant heights in the game and tomorrow presents a good opportunity to build on an already impressive start to his professional career.

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Ryan Fox extends lead in UAE

Ryan Fox – file photo Getty images / European Tour

35-year-old New Zealander, Ryan Fox, has extended his opening round lead of two to three at the halfway stage of the US$2 million DP World Tour’s Ras Al Khaimah Classic at the Al Hamra Golf Club, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE.

Fox added a second round of 69 to his opening 63 to move clear of West Australian Jason Scrivener, Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal, South African’s Justin Harding, Zander Lombard and Oliver Bekker and Italy’s Francesco Laporta.

After missing the cut at last week’s Ras Al Khaimah Championship, when plagued by back issues, Fox has bounced back in the best of styles to enjoy a cushion heading into the weekend.

“I struggled with my back last week and I was fighting, everything was crossed over and I didn’t know where I was aiming. I was just pretty much trying to hit the ball to be honest and I was probably quite glad I had a weekend off.

“Had a lot of physio work over the weekend with the tour physios and then with my physio from Tuesday onwards. That loosened everything up and I felt like I could turn through it again, I felt like I could start the ball where I wanted to and from that point it was kind of easy. I felt like I could hit my shot where I wanted to which was a nice place to be.

“It was a bit scrappier than yesterday, I didn’t drive it quite as well, a little sloppy hitting in the water on the last – that doesn’t help – but hit my irons really good and gave myself plenty of chances. I made seven birdies today so hopefully I can just keep it going the next couple of days, but it’s been a lot of fun out there.

“It’s been lovely the last couple of days, I think it was four hours and five minutes on Thursday and four hours and ten this morning so hopefully the pace of play continues like that over the weekend. I played normally and we had two quick guys in our group, it was just nice being one of the first couple of groups out – we just had great conditions this morning as well – and it’s just been an enjoyable couple of days really.”

Fox has made a slow start to the year with a best of 26th in three starts to date but when he finds form, he typically goes on with it so this weekend could well see him contending for his second European Tour title.

Queensland’s Maverick Antcliff and South Australian, Wade Ormsby, are the next best of the Australians after Scrivener at 7 under and five shots from Fox’s lead.

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Fox’s Thursday interview

 

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Lyras and Hillier lead respective Vic Opens

Whitney Hillier – photo Golf Australia

NSW’s John Lyras and West Australian Whitney Hillier lead their respective Victorian Open fields at the halfway stage of the events being played at the 13th Beach Golf Club on the Bellarine Peninsula.

Lyras leads by three over fellow New South Wales golfer, Dimi Papadatos, with another shot back to Victorian Cameron John and Queensland’s Jake McLeod.

Lyras, who played the Beach Course in the morning draw of day two, added a round of 66 to his opening 64 and although yet to win on the PGA Tour of Australasia his recent form which included a 6th place at the Queensland PGA Championship and a 15th place at last week’s TPS Victorian Open, has suggested he is exactly where he wants to be.

“It’s not the first time I’ve done it, but this feels very different,” he said. “People out here, people following you everywhere, not Covid-effected per se. But this is why we play golf. This is where you want to be.

“You can’t get tired of it, if you love the game this much. I just want to keep doing it.”

Lyras’ best result to date on the PGA Tour of Australasia was when 4th at the Moonah Links PGA Classic last year but, clearly, he has found something with his game to allow the improved consistency he has shown of late.

Hillier has been stranded in Europe, where she is now based, since the Covid 19 pandemic began but is delighted to be playing at home and playing as well as she is.

She leads by two  over the highest ranked player in the field of either gender and her fellow West Australian, Hannah Green.

“It’s just nice to be home. It’s been two years since I’ve actually been back so I’m just so happy to be quite honest,” she said.

“Obviously to be playing golf is a bonus. It’s nice to play in the heat. I’m so used to wearing jumpers and trousers. It’s just nice to be in the sun to be quite honest with you.

“I love it. It’s what I’m here for. I can’t wait for the weekend.”

Hillier has yet to win an event as a professional but she has produced several good performances on the Ladies European Tour and in 2021 recorded her best season to date.

Both the men’s and the women’s events focus on the Beach Course, one of two at the 13 Beach golfing facility for the weekend.

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John Lyras – photo Golf Australia

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Victorian Open fields reflect event’s popularity

The 13th Beach golfing facility on the Bellarine Peninsula – photo PGA of Australia

The Vic Open has become one of the mainstays of the PGA Tour of Australasia in recent years, the event now considered one of the most popular on the Australasian professional golfing scene for both men and women.

That the event is attractive to both genders is a reflection on a decision made several years ago to stage both the women’s and men’s Victorian Open concurrently at the one venue and the concept has proven to be a winner.

The complications surrounding Covid 19 have impacted the event to the point that it is now no longer a European or LPGA Tour event as it had been in recent years but with Hannah Green, Su Oh, Stephanie Kyraciou and Karis Davidson in the women’s field the LPGA Tour is well represented.

The men might not boast any current DP World (European Tour) representatives as such, but with the likes of recent winners, Anthony Quayle, Jed Morgan, Todd Sinnott, the consistent Brad Kennedy and Louis Dobbelaar and in form Andrew Dodt in the field, there is plenty of interest in an event that carries $410,000 for either event.

Green will play her first event of 2022 and will start as the favourite in the women’s field although recent WPGA winner in Brisbane, Su Oh, who finished midfield in Florida last week and who must be congratulated for rushing back for her home state open is likely to give Green plenty to think about.

Kyriacou was unable to play the WPGA Championship in Brisbane due to Covid but her season on the Ladies European Tour last year where she finished 3rd on that order of Merit set her up to gain LPGA Tour status in 2022. 

Adding further to the appeal of the men’s event is that three Open Championship starts are up for grabs to the leading three players this week and not otherwise exempt for the 2022 Open Championship. With the cancellation of the New Zealand Open due to Covid restrictions, those exemptions were transferred to the Vic Open.

Can the field’s highest ranked male player Jed Morgan reproduce his stunning Aust PGA form – photo Bruce Young

Amongst the men, Morgan, Kennedy, Dobbelaar, Dodt and Travis Smyth have also made a rushed trip back to Victoria after playing in Saudi Arabia last week, Kennedy finishing 14th in that lucrative event, but Dobbelaar and Dodt also had good week’s, Dobbelaar continuing an impressive start to his professional career which began only a couple of months ago.

Quayle finished 6th at the Australian PGA Championship, then won the Queensland Open before finishing runner-up at the TPS Victoria last week so there is no doubting his current form and he might do well again.

The Creek and Ocean Courses at 13th Beach on the Bellarine Peninsula plays host to the event, the extra capacity of 36 holes allowing 142 men and 72 women to tee it up over the opening two days.

Recent WPGA winner Su Oh back from Florida to play her State Open – Bruce Young

 

 

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Dramatic win for Harold Varner, Cameron Smith shares 4th

Harold Varner reacts to his monstrous winning eagle putt at the 72nd hole photo Paul Lakatos

Cameron Smith has finished in a share of 4th place and four from the winner, Harold Varner 111 at the inaugural Asian Tour’s staging of the PIF Saudi International at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in the King Abdullah Economic City in Saudi Arabia.

Smith’s final round of 69 earned him US$217,000 in addition to what no doubt would have been a substantial appearance cheque, but it also continued a start to the year which included a win at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii, one of just three starts to date in 2022.

“It was really solid,” said Smith when asked to reflect on his play for the week. “I just struggled on the greens all week. I felt as though I was hitting good putts, and I just couldn’t get them to drop this week. A bit disappointing that I came pretty close, but it is what it is. It’s golf.

“I loved it (here). The course is great. It’s tough. When the wind gets up, it’s really tough. There’s a couple of greens out here that get a bit dicey with that wind. I loved the week. I loved the people here. It’s been great.”

Smith will take next week off before reappearing at the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles.

“I guess just knowing my game’s in the right spot,” he added. “I’ll have a week off next week and recharge at home and get ready for L.A.”

Varner 111 won the event by holing a 90 feet putt at the 72nd hole after the man he defeated by a shot, Bubba Watson, had also eagled the last from 15 feet just 30 minutes earlier.

For Varner it was just his second win as a professional the only other coming on the Gold Coast of Australia when winning the 2016 Australian PGA Championship, at that stage an Australasian and European Tour event.

Varner was questioned why he had not been able to win as often as his win in Australia suggested he might.

“I can answer this so easily. I’ve never questioned my ability. The only people that question it are the people that sit right in here, and they’re like, man, he needs to be winning. But I don’t march to anyone’s beat in here. I do what I’m supposed to do, and things come.

“Life happened. My wife, my girlfriend at the time, her brother died a week after that and we were celebrating. Things that I wasn’t ready to be a man about. I can sit here and tell you like I just didn’t know how to handle it because, I don’t know, I think it’s a hard thing to deal with. Those things get in the way of just focusing on golf.

“When you’re a kid and there’s nothing else to do, it’s only golf. No, I wouldn’t change a thing. How cool is that? It hasn’t happened in a long time, and the way it happened right there, it’s frickin’ awesome. I could say something else, but I can’t say that here.”

Other Australians in the field included Brad Kennedy 14th ($US68,500), Wade Ormsby 18th (US$57,000), Lucas Herbert 21st (US$52,000) Marc Leishman 28th (US$38,000), Andrew Dodt 45th (US$24,600) and Andrew Dodt and New Zealander Daniel Hillier 55th (US$17,750 each).

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Todd Sinnott claims second professional title at Rosebud

Todd Sinnott – after a horror run of injury and illness the former impressive amateur wins again

29-year-old Victorian, Todd Sinnott, has won his second title as a professional with a one shot win over Anthony Quayle and Daniel Gale in the PGA Tour of Australasia’s TPS Victoria event at the Rosebud Golf Club on the Mornington Peninsula.

Sinnott began the final round tied in the lead with veteran Richard Green but at one stage actually fell three shots behind the lead which was then held by recent Queensland PGA Champion Anthony Quayle.

Quayle moved to 6 under par through 10 holes of his final round and actually led by three but mistakes from the tee at the 15th and 17th holes along with a missed five foot birdie putt at the last would cost him a chance of back to back wins.

Three birdies in four holes while Quayle was dropping shots took Sinnott to the lead and an impressive two putt from 70 feet or so at the last secured Sinnott his first win since the 2017 Myanmar Open, a victory which also earned him the right to play the Japan Tour as that event was jointly sanctioned between the Asian and Japan Tours.

Injury (back) and issues surrounding Covid have curtailed the progress of the long hitting Sinnott over the last two years but at his best he was one of Australia’s better amateurs before turning professional, and now he appears to be playing injury free, his professional career is building momentum.

Quayle’s share of runner-up place with the man he edged out at the recent Queensland PGA Championship in Brisbane, Daniel Gale, moved him into third place behind Jed Morgan and Andrew Dodt on the PGA Tour of Australasia’s Order of Merit, the significance of that being that the leading three players at season’s end will secure playing rights to the DP World (European Tour in 2023.

Sinnott was clearly delighted to have survived the demands of the last two years and his return to the winner’s circle which many felt might have come earlier given the encouraging start he made to his professional career

“I’m not going to lie, it was really, really hard,” he said after the win referring to his difficult times over the last two years. “But I have a belief and I practise my butt off. My coach Denis (McDade), I don’t think I’d be here without his help. I honestly don’t believe I’d be here. I think we can go places together.”

Sinnott will improve his world ranking from just outside the top 800 to just outside the top 500.

Welsh golfer Lydia Hall led the women’s event while 17 year old Michael Song won the junior event played in conjunction with the main championship.

Lydia Hall of Wales – won the women’s title – photo PGA of Australia

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