Simpson Outlasts Finau in Classic Phoenix Duel

Tony Finau had the 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open won everywhere but where it counted – the finish.

Webb Simpson wore down the luckless Finau to win his 6th PGA Tour title with birdies at his final two holes in regulation and another in extra time.

Finau had taken a one shot lead over Simpson into today’s final round at the TPC Scottsdale in the northeastern suburbs of Phoenix and although he led by just one at the turn he had extended his lead to two when walking to the reachable par 4 17th.

His tee shot there found the bunker some 60 meters short of the hole. From there he could only make par while Simpson’s more aggressive approach from the tee paid off in the form of a birdie and the gap was just one.

The 18th hole would see Simpson hole a birdie putt from 12 feet and when Finau was unable to match him from 7 feet the pair was tied and extra time was required.

It would take only one hole to decide the fate of the title. Simpson winning his 6th PGA Tour title and a cheque for US$1,314,000.

It would also see Simpson jump to 7th in the world ranking, up from 19th at this event last year and the highest he has been since August of 2012.

The victory goes some way to atoning for the playoff loss to Hideki Matsuyama by Simpson in this event in 2017.

For Finau it was yet another agonising near miss. The winner of only one event has now recorded seven runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour but he did little wrong today and was beaten by Simpson whose powerful finish was too hot to handle.

“I had two weeks of rest coming in,” said Simpson referring to his state of mind at the start of the week. “I flew out to see Butch Harmon (coach) in Vegas so I started the week off right getting a check -up form him.

“When I drove it in the water of 15 I knew it wasn’t over but I had to do something special to win it and thankfully I birdied the last two and then repeated in the playoff.

“I’ve picked up a mile and a half an hour (swing speed) in the last two years but I have been keen not to do it overnight as I do not want to lose what is my strength when playing well and that is hitting fairways.

“I hired a trainer three years ago and set out on a journey to get longer but very carefully as distance control, precision, accuracy etc is very important for me as I don’t hit it that far.

“We have the luxury on the PGA Tour to pick where we want to play which is a great luxury to have so I on purpose stay away from places that I don’t think give me a good chance to win.

“Playing well the last couple of years has been a lot of being smart about where I am playing.”

Justin Thomas and Bubba Watson both finished strongly to share third three shots from the playoff pair.

New Zealander, Danny Lee, was the leading Australasian when he finished 25th while former winner, Aaron Baddeley, was the only Australian to make it to the weekend and finished 40th.

The PGA Tour now heads back to the West Coast for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am.

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Graeme McDowell – Top 50 Again after Saudi Win

Graeme McDowell – Getty Images

Graeme McDowell has won his first European Tour title since the 2014 French Open, holding off a spirited late challenge from defending champion, Dustin Johnson, to win the Saudi International  at the Royal Greens G&CC in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia.

McDowell, who has won on the PGA Tour in more recent times when successful at the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship in March of last year, took a one-shot lead over Frenchman Victor Dubuisson into the final round.

Although he looked vulnerable through the early stages of his round, the man from Northern Ireland  birdied the 14th and 15th which proved crucial, especially when Johnson eagled the last to close within two.

McDowell, whose win was his 11th European Tour tile, will now move from just outside the top 100 to just inside the top 50 when revised rankings are announced later today. It will be the first time he has been been inside the top 50 since June of 2015.

“I didn’t realise it had been quite that long since I’d won here in Europe,” said McDowell. “I’m very excited. I’m very relieved. This is a difficult golf course this week.

“It’s unusual to win feeling as uncomfortable as I did on a lot of these holes because it was a tough golf course these last two days, especially with tough conditions. The birdies on 14 and 15 were just huge at the time, and it was nice to have a that little cushion coming down the last couple.

“My big goal this year was to be back in the Top-50 in the world, back competing in the big tournaments. I’m very excited that it’s happened a little faster than I expected but hopefully it’s laying some foundations down for having a big year.

“I really feel like I’m moving in the right direction, and it’s weeks like this that really give that you which I can additional effect and hopefully I can use it.

“It’s been ten years since I won a U.S. Open, ten years probably since I played the best golf of my life. I feel like I’m moving back in the right direction. I’ve got my head around what I’m trying to do with the swing and what I’m trying to do with the golf ball again, thanks to Kevin Kirk, who I started working with last August, and Pete Cowen who has been by my side for many, many years. Kenny on the bag there; I have a solid team.

“Life’s settled down. I’ve got a great wife and great family. I’m very happy with what’s going on in my life right now. I feel like the pond, the ripples in the pond have kind of steadied out a little bit now, and I’m in a good place to play some good golf.”

For Johnson it was just his second start of the year after recording a 7th place finish in Kapalua in early January.

“It was another day where it could have been a lot better,” said the American. “I’m happy with the way I’m playing. It was difficult to putt, though. It was really hard to make putts. I hit a lot of really good shots, and really good chances for birdie.

“I’m pleased with the way I played, but I would have liked to give Graeme a little more pressure coming down the stretch. I had some really good chances. I missed a real short one on 13, a close one on 14, 15, 17. I had all the chances, but I did finally make a nice putt on 18 to finish.”

Thomas Pieters, Phil Mickelson and Gavin Green tied for 3rd, one shot behind Johnson.

Lucas Herbert and Ryan Fox did best of the Australasians when they tied for 27th, for Herbert a solid follow up to his breakthrough win last week in Dubai.

Queensland’s European Tour rookie, Maverick Antcliff, has now made all three cuts in his first season in Europe, finishing 52nd this week.

The European Tour now heads to Australia for this week’s Vic Open at 13th Beach in Victoria before a one week break ahead of the WGC Mexico Championship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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European Senior Door Opens for Michael Long

Long (centre) with his fellow qualifiers – Getty Images

New Zealand’s Michael Long had headed the qualifiers for the 2020 European Senior (Staysure) Tour, the 51 year old the only player to card four consecutive sub-70 rounds in winning by two shots at Pestana Golf Resort in Portugal.

Long, who has competed in 99 European Tour events in his career, has eight professional victories to his name, his most recent in 2018 on the PGA Tour of Australasia, and he will now look to continue his winning ways in his rookie season against the best senior golfers in Europe.

The five players who secured status for this season are Long, Euan McIntosh, Andrew Raitt, David Morland IV and Carl Suneson.

Long, who has played on many of the world’s leading tours including the PGA, European, Korn Ferry and Australasian Tours, played the European Tour for three years in the late 1990’s, his best finish during that time when runner-up to Ernie Els at the Johnnie Walker Championship on the Gold Coast.

He headed to the US in 2000 and played there for several years, twice graduating to the PGA Tour via the Korn Ferry Tour.

While his career was reasonably successful it might have been more so but for a boogie board accident in the surf in 1999.

He has won several events on the PGA Tour of Australasia including the Greg Norman International, the New Zealand Open, the WA PGA and the Vic Open.

Now Perth based, Long has already won an event on the Australian Seniors schedule and gets the chance to capitalise on his significant game over a schedule of 18 Staysure Tour events in 2020.

“I’ve been lucky. I’ve been pretty much exempt on most tours that I’ve played on. I think the last time I had a successful Tour school was in 1992 or 1991, and that was down in Australia. I’ve failed a couple times in Final Stage on the US Tour.

“I can’t believe it really. This is completely out of the blue. It’s a lot of really good players out here, and if you can’t smile now, when can you? It’s just nice to come out on top of a top-quality field.

Scores

 

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Golf Betting Prospects for Saudi Arabia and Phoenix

The events under scrutiny this week are the Waste Management Phoenix Open in Scottsdale Arizon and the Saudi International in Saudi Arabia.

 

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Leishman Completes Remarkable January for Australian Golf

Marc Leishman – file photo

First it was Wade Ormsby in Hong Kong, then Cameron Smith in Hawaii, followed by Lucas Herbert in Dubai and just a few hours later Marc Leishman in San Diego – what a month for Australian golfing stocks with four worldwide wins by leading players.

Leishman today completed an amazing January with a one-shot victory over Jon Rahm at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, securing his 5th PGA Tour title and taking his earnings on the PGA Tour to US$29 million.

Leishman began the final round four shots off the lead of Jon Rahm but with Rahm stumbling out of the blocks when dropping four shots in the first five holes and Leishman producing birdies at five of his first eight holes, the Australian began to emerge as the potential winner.

Others were still in the mix, but Leishman was relentless despite struggling to find fairways. His putting was keeping him in the hunt for the title and although the likes of Rahm, Rory McIlroy and Brandt Snedeker had their chances he managed to birdie the last to provide the cushion he needed to hold off Rahm who played his final six holes in 5 under par to all but catch the winner.

Leishman has a fine record at Torrey Pines, twice finishing runner-up and with a near faultless display on the greens and several gutsy par saves today he proved too good for a field which included the world number one and two.

Leishman should move close to the top twenty when the revised rankings are announced later in the day.

Finishing two shots behind runner-up in a share of 3rd place were Brandt Snedeker and Rory McIlory, yet another course specialist, Snedeker, costing also costing himself victory with three dropped shots in his first four holes today.

Snedeker had won the event twice and had been runner-up on two other occasions.

Jason Day finished as the next best of the Australians when he shared 16th place, an encouraging return to tournament golf after the back issues which forced him from the Presidents Cup team in December.

 

 

 

 

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Lucas Herbert’s European Tour Breakthrough in Dubai

Lucas Herbert – wins first event – Getty Photos

Twelve months ago Victorian Lucas Herbert finished 7th at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic which suggested a good year might lie ahead.

Since then, however, there had not been one top ten anywhere – until today that is.

The 24 year old not only recorded his first top ten in the last twelve months, he broke through for his first European Tour title with a playoff victory in the event at the Emirates Golf Club, defeating South African Christiaan Beizudenout with a birdie at the second extra hole.

The win was Herbert’s first on a recognised tour anywhere although he has been close to winning previously having finished inside the top 3 on seven occasions in events in Europe and Australia.

Herbert secures a cheque for the equivalent of $A795,000 and moves from outside the top 230 in the world ranking to inside the top 80.

He becomes the second Australian to win the event in its 31 year history, joining fellow Victorian Richard Green who also won in a playoff when defeating Greg Norman and Ian Woosnam in 1997.

Herbert’s final round of 68 was, along with Bezuidenhout’s, the best of the day and one of only 14 under par on a day where stormy, windy conditions prevailed.

Herbert had teed off over an hour ahead of the final group and perhaps benefited from the slightly earlier tee time but after a bogey at the first hole he played beautifully all day in the increasingly difficult conditions, birdies at his final two holes setting up a lengthy wait to see if the score he and Bezuidenhout (who finished ten minutes earlier) had set would be enough.

“The last ten minutes feel like I’ve been dreaming,” said Herbert in his post event media conference.

“It’s so weird. It’s awesome. It’s just the best thing ever. It is so good. We’ve got a bottle of Scotch at home to celebrate, so I can’t wait to get into that with the boys.

“Last week, I was probably like 20th going into the weekend, and probably like for the tenth time in the last 12 months seemed to just back it out and finish at the back of the field.

“We got really frustrated so put in some really good tactics this week with my mental coach, Jamie Glazier, trying to be positive and a lot of positive stuff. It’s so cliché but it works so much. I felt so confident out there and just felt like good golf was going to come.

“I spoke to him (Glazier) just before the play-off, and we talked about the fact that I hit some really poor shots out there today.

“I know everyone back home is going to be still up, and obviously there’s some pretty awful stuff happening right now in Australia with the fires; and Cam Smith sort of said it a couple weeks ago when he won, and I’d like to say the same thing.

“Everyone around the world is behind us and hopefully we can keep fighting harder than what I did on the first play-off hole. That’s nothing compared to the firefighters and volunteers putting out the fires. Sending all my love back home and hope everyone is well, and thanks for the support.”

Spain’s Adri Arnaus and Dean Burmester tied for 3rd two shots from the playoff.

Third round leader Ashun Wu and his nearest pursuer through 54 holes Bryson DeChambeau struggled and eventually finished 6th and 8th respectively.

New Zealander Ryan Fox finished 30th and West Australian Jason Scrivener was 58th.

The European Tour now moves to Saudi Arabia for the Saudi International.

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Eight Australians Make the Weekend at Torrey Pines

Jason Day – Impressive return

While none of the large group of Australians to make the weekend at the Farmers Insurance Open are in contention at this stage, all are within one good round of contending for the title over at Torrey Pines’ South Course over the final 36 holes.

The group is headed by Marc Leishman and Jason Day who have shown in the past that the venue is very much one that fits their eye. Day has won this event previously and won a World Junior Championship here during his amateur days while Leishman has been twice runner-up.

The pair are at 4 under and six shots behind Ryan Palmer but are only four shots from the second placed Brandt Snedeker.

Day’s second round of 67 over the North Course was particularly impressive given it was just his second round since returning from a lengthy break and that he continues to be restricted by the back issues that have plagued him for much of his career.

Day birdied four of his last five holes to put himself into the tournament and with the opening two rounds under his belt further improvement could be expected.

Cameron Percy, Cameron Smith and Cameron Davis are at 3 under and tied for 38th while Rhein Gibson is at 2 under with Aaron Baddeley and Matt Jones at 1 under.

The leader, Palmer, has been in good form of late finishing 4th in Hawaii last week and has finished runner-up in this event previously.

 

 

 

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Lucas Herbert Shows Improvement in Dubai

Lucas Herbert – photo Bruce Young

A second round of 71 has Victorian, Lucas Herbert, in a share of 11th place at the halfway mark of the Dubai Desert Classic but being only four shots from the lead of Eddie Pepperell leaves the 24 year old very well placed ahead of the weekend in the US$3.25 million event.

Herbert’s most recent form has been well below his capabilities but there have been reasons for it and this represents a return to the level of golf he displayed when 7th in this event last year.

Ryan Fox and Jason Scrivener were the only other Australasians to make the weekend, Scrivener improving eight shots from his opening round of 77 to record a round of 69 to just scrape into the weekend field in what were demanding conditions on the Emirates Golf Club layout.

Fox also showed improvement in round two after and opening 76 to be on the cutline.

The leader, Pepperell, is ahead by one over Dean Burmester, Robert Karlsson and the defending champion Bryson DeChambeau.

Pepperell has missed the cut in each of his last two starts and has a very ordinary record in this event but said he has felt more comfortable this week.

“I felt more calm today, I would say. Actually, I would tend to feel more calm as the week goes on at most tournaments. I was happy with how I was feeling early and I got off to a nice start.

“For the most part it was very, very good until the cameras came along. I must have been concerned with how I was looking, because then I started struggling.”

 

 

 

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Grace Kim and Ben Schmidt NSW Champions

Photo – David Tease Golf NSW

Englishman Ben Schmidt and Sydney’s Grace Kim have won their respective NSW Amateur Championship titles at the St Michael’s Golf Club on the coast of Sydney today.

Schmidt accounted for his fellow Englishman Callum Farr by the comfortable margin of 7&5 while the women’s final was a much more closely fought affair, Kim edging clear of her fellow Sydneysider, Kelsey Bennet to win 3&2 after the morning round was evenly matched.

Schmidt on the other hand enjoyed a 5 up lead at lunch and was never in danger of losing.

For Kim it completed a very special week having earlier in the week been invited to play the Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship in late March.

The victory also atoned for Kim’s near miss when losing in the final of this event twelve months ago.

Just 17 years of age, 17-year old Schmidt, from Barnsley in Yorkshire, is shaping as a great prospect for British golf having won events such as the Brabazon Trophy in 2019.

 

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Finalists Decided at NSW Amateur Championship

Grace Kim – made women’s final with a birdie in overtime.

It is an all-England Men’s final at the NSW Open at the St Michael’s Golf Club in Sydney with Callum Farr taking on Ben Schmidt in tomorrow’s 36 hole encounter.

Farr finally brought Queenslander Jed Morgan’s outstanding run to an end in this afternoon’s semi-final while Schmidt accounted for New Zealander Jayden Ford.

Callum Farr – photo David Tease

Morgan, last week’s Australian Amateur Champion and the leading qualifier this week, made it all the way to the semi-final before going down narrowly by one hole to Farr from Northamptonshire.

Morgan was always behind in his match although he did fight back late in the round to reduce a 3-hole margin to just one before both players parred the last.

Schmidt, from Yorkshire, enjoyed an easier ride to the final accounting for Ford 3&1. Ford, from Wellington, did win the opening hole but after conceding the second he was never ahead again, the match ending when he was forced to concede the 17th to go down by the 3&1 margin.

In the women’s event, NSW’s golfer, Kelsey Bennett will tackle her fellow Sydneysider, Grace Kim, after she defeated the leading qualifier at last week’s Australian Amateur and second in qualifying this week, Emily Toy.

Bennett, a member of the St Michael’s Golf Club, qualified 3rd in the stroke-play earlier in the week so the match-up between her and Toy promised much but she was never behind and drew clear late in her match to win 4&2.

In the other semi-final Sarah Wilson of Queensland and Kim fought out a tight battle with never more then one hole in it, both players having a lead before their match was taken into extra time.

Kim won with a birdie at the second extra hole and so it will be a Sydney battle between Kim and Bennett.

Kelsey Bennett – photo David Tease

 

 

 

 

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