Alfred Dunhill Links offers rare European Tour experience for some

 

Denzel Ieremia – gets a rare chance – file photo PGA of Australia

The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews has long provided an opportunity for Australasian golfers without European Tour status to play one of the most popular and lucrative events on that tour.

One of the entry criteria for the event is based on the leading ten players from the top 30 of money lists from the Australasian, Sunshine (South Africa) and Asian Tours.

Players such as Dimi Papadatos, Travis Smyth, Brett Rankin and New Zealander, Denzel Ieremia, therefore, get the chance to join more regular European Tour players such as Min Woo Lee, Scott Hend, Jason Scrivener, Ryan Fox, Maverick Antcliff, Bryden Macpherson, Josh Geary and Deyen Lawson in a 12 man Australasian line-up in the US$5 million event.

The pro-am format for the 72 hole event, a concept proving hugely popular in events on the PGA and Korn Ferry Tours and the New Zealand Open in our region, utilises multiple golf courses over the opening three rounds, allowing for a larger than normal field and opening the door for a field with wider diversity than a typical European Tour event.

The tournament proves popular with not only those without status on the European Tour but also for many of the leading European Tour, even players such as two time winner, Tyrrell Hatton and Shane Lowry, who just a few days ago battled it out over Whistling Straits in their forlorn battle against the Americans.

The timing of the event in 2021 so close to a draining week in Wisconsin has perhaps precluded an even stronger field but given that it is played over three outstanding courses in the St Andrews area (St Andrews Old, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns) the tournament attracts a lot of interest from players and golf fans worldwide.

Ieremia is one player who will warrant attention. He has not played a world ranking tour event since March of 2020 but in late 2019 he displayed an indication of his considerable talent when recorded top ten finishes in the NSW Open and the Australian Open and PGA Championships.

The Waikato (New Zealand) raised Iowa State University graduate is a significant talent and his showing this week will be of interest to many.

An Australasian has yet to win the event but the likes of Min Woo Lee, Jason Scrivener and Maverick Antcliff have played well in 2021 and this might be an opportunity to grab a share of the significant prizemoney on offer.

 

 

 

 

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USA Outguns Europe in Landslide Victory

The USA side enjoying the moment – photo Darren Carroll PGA of America

Ultimately it was the weight of numbers that counted in the final analysis of the 2021 Ryder Cup, those numbers involving the world rankings of the USA side as they tackled and comfortably defeated a European side who were not the dominant force they have been in recent years in the biennial event.

Heading into this week’s event, all but one of the US side were inside the top twenty in the world ranking, the highest ranked being Scott Scheffler who was only just outside that group in 21st place.

The Europeans on the other hand boasted only four inside the top twenty with a lowest ranked player at 63rd in the world.

While such disparity has regularly been the case in the past and allowed a David and Goliath mentality for the Europeans to feed on, the US side appeared very much united as they took on a European side which perhaps should have been more at home on the windswept and exposed Whistling Straits layout than their opponents.

After all, in the two most significant events held at Whistling Straits previously, the winners have been non-Americans but, despite many thinking differently, the Americans have historically shown a capacity to handle windswept layouts far more than they are given credit for.

The USA won by 19 points to 9 after an 8 points to 4 victory in Sunday’s singles in which only Rory McIlroy, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood were able to stem the tide of an even greater winning margin by the rampant US side.

Matthew Fitzpatrick and Viktor Hovland also recorded a half point each for the European side today.

McIlroy was up against Olympic Gold Medallist, Xander Schauffele in the opening match of the day, European captain Padraig Harrington no doubt keen to provide some momentum for the almost impossible turnaround needed for the Europeans to claim the improbable nine points they required to retain the 94-year-old trophy.

McIlroy somehow found the resolve to turn around a horror week for him personally, having earlier lost all three of his team matches, and raced to an early lead against Schaufelle and remaining in front to win 3&2. It gave the Europeans a brief glimmer of hope but the out on the golf course the reality of the situation was kicking in.

Slowly but surely the inevitable became reality and when Collin Morikawa tied his match against Viktor Hovland the Americans had officially put Europe out of their misery, the Americans then with the 14.5 points they needed to secure the victory.

Harrington perhaps summed up the week and the gap between the two sides.

“The U.S. were very strong,” he said. “They got it right, whatever their plan was, they got it right this week, and a strong team, played well. Kept the momentum. And they would have been tough to beat at the best of times, let alone when they are at top form. It’s a great win for them.

“I can’t say we were surprised by it. I think we were as prepared as we could be. It’s maybe difficult to come to a golf course that the players haven’t played for a few years in that sense, but I think the players knew the course well enough. The U.S. were well-prepared. Good team. Played well.”

Steve Stricker has been low key but thorough and diligent throughout his reign as the US captain and the players responded.

“Speechless,” he said when asked for a response. “Everything about it, these guys all came together. Two weeks ago they came together. Showed me a lot about this group of guys. They all showed up for the practice rounds, all the assistant captains showed up at the practice rounds (tearing up).

“They had a mission this week and you could tell, they played great and they came together. I just can’t tell you — I mean, Brooks and Bryson wanted to play together; that’s how much it came together. That shows a lot about this whole team.

“From day one, it was about out-preparing, right, getting the guys here, getting them on the same page. This is a new era for USA golf. They are young. They come with a lot of passion, a lot of energy, a lot of game. They are just so good. So it’s exciting to see these guys and exciting for us in Wisconsin to experience this.”

Stricker’s success had double meaning for him given he is a native of Wisconsin.

Foes but friends, Ryder Cup captains Steve Stricker and Padraig Harrington photo PGA of America

Perhaps, though, it was Rory McIlroy, who, in an emotional interview, so aptly described just what golf’s greatest and arguably one of sport’s greatest contests means to those involved despite being on a losing side.

“Yeah, incredibly proud to be a part of this team, to be a teammates of all these guys, the captain, the vice captains, said the man playing in his 6th Ryder Cup.

“We’ve had a great time. You know, it looks like it’s not going to pan out the way we want on the golf course. I’ve been extremely disappointed that I haven’t contributed for more the team. I’m glad I got a point on the board today for them.

“It’s been a tough week. And the more and more I play in this event, I realize that it’s the best event in golf, bar none. I love being a part of it. I can’t wait to be a part of many more. Yeah, it’s the best. (Tearful).

“Yeah, I don’t think there’s any greater privilege to be a part of one of these teams, European or American. It’s an absolute privilege. I’ve gotten to do this six times. They have always been my greatest experiences of my career.

“I have not — never really cried or got emotional over what I’ve done as an individual. I couldn’t give a s—. But this team, and what — and what it feels like to be a part of, to see Sergio break records, to see Jon Rahm come into his own this week, to see one of my best friends, Shane Lowry, make his Ryder Cup debut.

“All that, it’s phenomenal and I’m so happy to be a part of it. As I said I’m disappointed that I didn’t contribute more this week, but you know, in two years’ time, we’ll go again and try to, obviously it’s not over yet but we’ll give it another go again. Sorry for swearing, as well.

“I love being a part of this team and I love my teammates so much I should have done more for them this week. I just can’t wait to get another shot at this. It is by far the best experience in golf, and I hope little boys and girls watching this today aspire.”

The respective teams will reassemble in two years time in Rome where the Europeans will be effectively on home soil and enjoy the luxury of a partisan crowd to urge them on just as the US fans had this week.

Rory McIlroy sets out today. His emotional interview (below) tells the story of what the Ryder Cup means to those involved – photo PGA of America

 

 

 

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Alker records 5th consecutive Champions Tour top ten as non member

 

Steve Alker – file photo Bruce Young

New Zealand’s Steve Alker has continued the remarkable start to his career on the PGA Tour Champions when again finishing inside the top ten in an event on the tour for the over-fifties.

Just over a month ago Alker began his PGA Tour Champions career without status and Monday qualified for the Boeing Classic in Washington.

Since then has reeled off five consecutive tens, each allowing him to play the following event and that will be again be the case as a result of his 5th place at this week’s Pure Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach.

Alker’s final round of 67 improved him from 12th overnight to his share of 5th and the money he earns this week will take his earnings in five on the PGA Tour Champions close to US$400,000 for his 7th place at the Boeing Classic, his 3rd place the following week at the Ally Championship, his 9th place at the Ascension Championship, a 7th place at the Sanford event and this week’s 5th place.

Alker has moved to 59th in the projected standings in the Schwab Cup and while that will not yet earn him full status for next season, he is well on his way to doing so.

If he is to move inside the top 54 by season’s end, he will have access to as many as half the events in 2022 and if he was to finish inside the top 36 he will be eligible to play all events next season.

Even now, he might have the occasional event to play in 2022 but gaining full status without having to tackle the demanding tour qualifying school will be the initial aim.

A game built around fairways and greens has worked well for the just turned 50 year old and even though he struggled to keep pace with the longer hitters on the Korn Ferry Tour in recent seasons, now that he is playing PGA Tour Champions events he is proving more than competitive once again.

“I’ve just been out there grinding with the young guys, and it (The Korn Ferry Tour) really deserves a lot of the credit for keeping my game where it’s at,” Alker told Bob McLellan of the PGA Tour from Pebble Beach this week.

“I’m one of the shorter hitters out there, but on PGA TOUR Champions I’d probably says I’m at least above average, probably in the top 30 off the tee.”

Alker, a four times winner on the Korn Ferry Tour including when his win at the 2009 NZPGA Championship was part of that tour, lives with his family in Arizona and has continued to compete on the Korn Ferry tour since although he did play on the PGA Tour in 2003 after a good year on the then Nationwide Tour in 2002.

West Australian Stephen Leaney finished as the next best of the Australasians this week when he finished in a share of 13th and moved to 44th in the Schwab Cup standings.

SCORES

 

 

 

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Minjee Lee returns from break to finish runner-up

Minjee Lee – photo Kyle Rivas – Getty Images

Minjee Lee has added yet another high finish to what has been a breakthrough year in many respects, when finishing joint runner-up at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship in Rogers, Arkansas.

Lee shared the lead into to day’s final round and was still a factor playing the final hole of the 54 hole event but was unable to record the birdie at the par 5 last, missing a 15 foot birdie putt which would have seen her in a playoff with Japan’s Nasa Hataoka who would finish one ahead of Lee and Korea’s Eun Hee Ji.

Hataoka won the event for the second time having won in 2018. Holes in one on two consecutive days this week clearly assisted her cause

Lee, also, has a good record in the event, this being her fifth top ten in seven starts and her best finish at the Pinnacle Country Club.

Lee had a month away from tournament golf after a win at the Evian Championship followed soon after by a 5th place finish at the AIG Women’s Open and it would appear she has benefited from the break.

This was Lee’s 5th top 5 finish of the season and will improve her standing in the current Race to the Globe from her current 10th place.

Su Oh and Lydia Ko tied for 25th, Sarah Jane Smith recorded by far her best finish of the year when 34th and Katherine Kirk who lead after round one faded to finish 42nd.

 

The winner Nasa Hataoka – Jamie Sabau Getty / LPGA

 

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Anthony Quayle records best finish in Japan in 2021

Anthony Quayle – file photo NZPGA

The Japan Golf Tour never really gets the exposure it perhaps deserves and in this time of Covid related restrictions, that obscurity has been heightened, as, for much of the 2021 season, the tour featured mainly Japanese players without the significant contingent of foreigners who would otherwise ply their trade there.

In more recent months several of those international players have again appeared and in yesterday’s Panasonic Open in Kyoto, Queensland’s Anthony Quayle recorded his best finish in eleven Japan Tour starts in 2021 when finishing 11th.

Quayle is in what is effectively his third season on the Japan Tour having been unable to play in 2020 due to Covid restrictions but he has proven himself to be a player capable of winning, having recorded top three finishes in events such as the Crowns and the Casio World Open in his career there to date.

Quayle’s second round of 64 was the second-best round recorded by any player at this week’s Panasonic Open and followed a slow start to the event on Thursday when opening with a round of 74.

His third round of 67 opened the door for possible contention but a round of 71 on Sunday saw him slip to his share of 11th. It was, though, his best finish of the year to date and no doubt provides a lot of hope for the lucrative end of season events ahead.

Of the other Australians in the event, Dylan Perry finished 47th, Todd Sinnott 53rd and Scott Strange 57th.

The tournament was won by former Australian Amateur Champion (2018) Keita Nakajima who like Hideki Matsuyama and Takumi Kanaya before him has won an event as an amateur on the Japan Tour in recent times and a lucrative professional career no doubt awaits the 21 year old.

Nakajima won after a playoff against Ryutaro Nagano.

Nakajima could turn professional and earn his Tour Card right away if he so chose, but he will remain an amateur so that he will be invited to US Open and The Open with the privileges of being World’s No.1 Amateur. Also, if he wins the Asian Amateur Championship in November, he will be invited to The Masters.

Keita Nakajima – the winner of the Panasonic Open – file photo

 

 

 

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Europe need history rewritten to take the cup back home

Day two action at Whistling Straits – Maddie Myer PGA of America

The European Ryder Cup side faces a massive task if it is to retain the Ryder Cup it won in Paris three years ago after sharing fourball honours on Saturday afternoon at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

Now trailing by a huge six point margin, they will need to win 9 of the 12 singles match-ups tomorrow if they are to force the draw and take the Cup back to Europe.

The largest previous margin overcome to win when heading into the singles was in 2012 when the Europeans chased down the Americans at Medinah after trailing 10-6 heading into the singles match-ups, winning eight of the 12 final day encounters.

The US side need only to win 3.5 points of the 12 available on day three to secure the 14.5 points they need to regain the Cup and win for just the third occasion in the last ten encounters.

After trailing by 6 – 2 after the opening day,  only Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm were able to put their finger in the dyke for the Europeans when winning their foursomes encounter over Brooke Koepka on Saturday morning but the margin had still increased to 9-3 ahead of the afternoon fourball matches.

Saturday afternoon offered a ray of hope for the Europeans as at one stage they were ahead in three matches and perhaps capable of closing the gap to at least a manageable position by day’s end.

It was not to be however as the Americans recovered to win 2 of the four matches and retain their six shot margin, a gap that has never been bridged in the history of the event.

The lead is the largest the Americans have ever held against Europe and the largest they have held since 1975 when just Great Britain and Ireland were the opposition.

Europe also held a similar lead in 2004 at Oakland Hills heading into the singles before going on to win 18.5 to 9.5.

Jon Rahm has been the European star winning three matches and halving one, three of those with his fellow countryman Sergio Garcia, the half coming when teamed with Tyrrell Hatton.

There are plenty of stars for the USA although Dustin Johnson perhaps stands out, winning all four of his matches, three of those when combined with Collin Morikawa.

Tomorrow’s singles have been announced and despite the apparently hopeless task facing the Europeans there will be still a lot of interest in just what the winning margin might be and whether the Europeans can save some face at least.

The Singles Match Ups

Overall Scoring

 

One of the tightest battles on Saturday afternoon saw a Victor Hovland and Shane Lowry win.

 

 

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Now its Minjee Lee’s turn to share Arkansas lead

Minjee Lee – photo Kyle Rivas Getty Images

Yesterday it was Australia’s Katherine Kirk who shared the lead at the LPGA’s Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, today it is her fellow countrywoman, Minjee Lee, who has that honour, the West Australian tied for the lead with one round remaining in the event in Rogers, Arkansas.

Lee made the turn in 30 in today’s second round and added two further birdies on the way home for a round of 63 and a share of the lead with Japan’s Nasa Hataoka.

Lee, who has had nearly a month away from tournament golf since finishing in 5th place at the AIG Women’s Open Championship at Carnoustie, improved from 16th after her opening round of 67 to her joint position at the top of the leaderboard.

“I think I really, really needed that month off,” said Lee, referring to a hectic month or so beforehand which included her breakthrough major victory at the Evian Championship.

“Two weeks felt like it was two days pretty much, so I didn’t touch a club for 15 days, so I just practiced the last two weeks and then came here. So, no, it was nice. It was a nice break, a nice kind of prep time before they next couple tournaments I have coming up.

“You know, very familiar with this place. I have great housing here so I just really love coming back. Just the hospitality is always nice and the fans are always great to us. I just think that really makes the tournament special and I just really like coming back.”

Kirk who opened with a round of 63 herself was unable to maintain that momentum but a late birdie after a mid-round struggle kept her in touch although she is now four from the leading trio and tied for 9th.

Lydia Ko is at 4 under and tied for 35th, Su Oh had two eagles in the opening nine of her round of 66 to also be in 35th place and Sarah Jane Smith made the cut in 47th place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Katherine Kirk shares lead in Arkansas

Katherine Kirk – file photo Bruce Young

Australian Katherine Kirk’s year in 2021 has been a struggle to date but, just as her fellow countrywoman, Su Oh, did last week in Portland she might well have turned a corner with an opening round of 8 under par 63 in the opening round of this week’s Walmart NW Arkansas Championship in Rogers.

Oh turned a round a very ordinary season with her runner-up finish last week and it appears Kirk could also make 2021 a whole lot better this week.

“It was fun,” said the 39 year old. “I got off to a good start and this is the kind of golf course where you just have to keep the pedal down and I was able to do that, rattling off four birdies on each side so am really happy with the round. This course is more of a sprint than a marathon so I am super happy.

“Lots of good stuff happened last week,” added Kirk referring not only to a hole in one she recorded in Portland but an improved showing. “I needed a little bit of a confidence boost as this year has been a bit of a grind.

“I have been striking the ball well but have not been scoring that well so it has been frustrating but as a veteran I know I have to remain patient and keep doing the right things and eventually it will turn the corner.”

Kirk finished 7th in this event last year so has nice memories of the Pinnacle Country Club. “I love this golf course so have good memories and good vibes so it was a matter of going out there and I had a great pairing so that was nice too.”

Kirk shares the lead with South Koreans Eun Hee Ji and A Lim Kim the trio one ahead of American Sarah Burnham.

Minjee Lee is the next best of the Australasians in 16th position after her round of 67, New Zealand’s Lydia Ko was round in 68 to be tied for 29th, Sarah Kemp is 39th after her round of 2 under 69 and Sarah Jane Smith a 1 under 69.

 

 

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The Ryder Cup – one of Sport’s greatest battles

The Ryder Cup – photo PGA of America

As has been so often the case, even over the 42 years since the Ryder Cup developed in 1979 into a contest between Europe and the USA rather than just Great Britain and the USA, the Americans will start the on-paper favourites at this week’s edition of one of sports’ most intriguing battlegrounds.

One look at the respective line-ups of the two sides highlights why the Americans command such respect by those making books for betting on the event but as the last 42 years have shown, what is on paper is often irrelevant in the heat of this most tense of encounters.

This week the Americans can boast 11 of their 12 players inside the top sixteen in the current world ranking while the Europeans claim just three in that category.

The lowest ranked American is rookie Scottie Scheffler at 21 in the world while for the Europeans, eight of their 12-man line-up are ranked lower than Scheffler and their lowest ranked, Bernd Wiesberger currently stands 63.

Disparity of this sort has been the norm over the last 36 years since the Europeans first won the Cup in 1985 and, despite it, in the 17 encounters between the sides including and since 1985, the Europeans have dominated the contest, winning on 11 occasions losing five and forcing a tie once.

The change in fortunes came about when a decision was made for the 1979 cup allowing Great Britain and Ireland to become a European side and when players such as Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Jose Maria Olazabal, Sergio Garcia, amongst others, helped balance the respective strengths of the sides, the Ryder Cup developed into one of sport’s greatest contests and spectacles.

The inclusion of World Golf Championships in 1999 also aided the cause of the Europeans as those events allowed greater access to events to international where the best played against the best and players from the European Tour developed a greater belief in their ability to compete as individuals against the Americans.

In 2021 the Americans have a home-town advantage. At Whistling Straits, on the shores of Lake Michigan, this year’s event is likely to command one of the most passionate and partisan fan-bases seen in a Ryder Cup for many years.

It is about now, and because of the global reach of the contest, that every sports fan, golfer or not, becomes an expert, rolling out all sorts of statistics as to why the Americans will dominate this event from the start but in the heat of a Ryder Cup battle, recent history has shown that statistics only matter after the event and not before and there will be plenty of Monday morning quarter backs saying why whatever result eventuates was predictable.

For many years this contest gained its popularity because of its David and Goliath appeal but in the modern day it is a case of just who is David and who is Goliath?

Common sense suggests the Americans should and will start as red hot favourites to reclaim the title they lost in Paris in 2018 but this contest is not so much about common sense but rather the raw ingredients of a contest of the highest order when bodies and reputations are on the line.

There is little doubt that, on any given day, any one of the combinations in the fourballs or foursomes or individuals in the single match-ups are capable of beating their opposite number. That unpredictability is what makes the Ryder Cup what it has now become.

In the many years between 1927 and 1979, there was a predictability about the result that ensured the biennial contest was little more than an exhibition which allowed golf in Great Britain the opportunity to see the great Americans on their soil every four years.

It is far from an exhibition now .

USA Team

European Team

The fans in Paris in 2018 – photo PGA of America

 

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Impressive PGA Tour Champions week for Australasians

John Senden file photo – records top ten on PGA Tour Champions

Four Australasians have finished inside the top 12 players of the PGA Tour Champions Sanford International in Sioux Falls in South Dakota, making it one of the most successful weeks ever in terms of the number of down-under golfers featuring in a PGA Tour Champions event.

Rod Pampling was 4th, John Senden and Steve Alker were 7th and David McKenzie 11th, Pampling contending for the title before finishing two shots from the winner in a playoff, Darren Clarke.

Despite his impressive finish, Pampling slips one place to 11th on the season’s Charl Schwab points table, but it continues a season where he has recorded a breakthrough win at this level and produced seven other top tens in the combined 2020/2021 season.

New Zealander, Alker, is one of the finds of the 2021 Champions Tour. Turning 50 in just July, the US based, Waikato golfer has now recorded four top tens after qualifying for his initial event in early August via Monday qualifying.

Playing without PGA Champions Tour status, Alker has, by finishing inside the top ten each week, gained a start the following week and he has already accumulated enough Charl Schwab points to move to 63rd on the table.

Needing to finish inside the top 54 by season’s end to earn at least partial status on next year’s tour he is moving along nicely although the job is not yet done. If he can continue this progress and finish inside the top 36 by season’s end, he will have earned full status for next season.

Senden recorded his best finish on the PGA Tour Champions having turned 50 in April of this year after 20 years as a PGA Tour player, his final round of 65 today allowing him to jump 24 places from his 36-hole position.

Like Alker, Senden continued to play to play competitively until the age of 50 and despite little success while doing so of late he arrived at the PGA Tour Champions with his game ready to compete at this level. He needs something special over the next few weeks if he is to avoid the demanding Tour School however

McKenzie’s 11th place finish has moved him one place to 50th in the standings and now in his 4th year on the PGA Tour Champions he continues to perform at a level above his previous exploits in the game.

Stephen Leaney was 44th this week, Mark Hensy 49th and Robert Allenby 65th.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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