New Zealander Garvey’s move to Europe a good one

Garvey in action this week – image Ladies European Tour 

New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey recorded her third, 3rd place finish in her last four starts on the Ladies European Tour at this week’s KPMG Women’s Irish Open.

Garvey, who played collegiate golf in the US before turning professional three years ago, will move to 10th place on the LET Order of Merit, justifying her decision to focus her attention on the LET after playing on the Futures Tour in the US until this year.

Garvey finished seven shots behind the brilliant English amateur Lottie Woad but was only one shot out of second-placed Madelene Sagstrom of Sweden.

“It’s unreal, just to have another good week after playing five weeks in a row, Garvey told the Ladies European Tour. I’m really happy to finish it off like that,” said Garvey, who has recorded four top-10 finishes in her last five events.

“The plan was to make birdies early on and try and put a good front nine up. If she had come back to the field, you never know what could have happened, but she’s played great and it’s awesome to see the world number one amateur win this event. I did a good job.

“It’s all down to my coaches back in Manchester. I put in some really good work, I decided to take Jabra off and train back there with them. I’ve been feeling great since. I’m excited to be in the Scottish now, so I will keep playing and keep it up hopefully. I knew a good week here would get me in the AIG Women’s Open and it’ll be my first one, so I’m really looking forward to it.”

Perth’s Kirsten Rudgeley was the next best of the Australasians when she tied for 5th.

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Good week for Australasians in Morocco

 

Denzel Ieremia – file image Golf NZ

It was a good week for Australasian golfers at this week’s International Series Morocco event at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam (Red Course), with five finishing inside the top ten of the US$2 million event.

New Zealand’s Denzel Ieremia and Australian Maverik Antcliff both picked up cheques for US$102,000 for finishing in a share of the runner-up position.

Sydney’s John Lyras and South Australian Jack Buchanan shared 8th place while another Sydney golfer, Kevin Yuan tied for 10th.

For Ieremia the performance represents his best finish in an event on a recognised tour and the biggest cheque to date in his professional career.

The former Iowa State graduate finished 5th in the 2019 Australian Open but has struggled to go on from there and has struggled, without full status, to gain starts in events of late.

Antcliff is a multiple winner on the China Tour in previous years and managed to gain access to the then European Tour as a result of that pathway and did finish runner-up in the Canary Islands and an impressive 3rd in the Irish Open in 2020 but is currently without status in Europe. Antcliff too played collegiate golf in the US at Augusta State before turning professional in 2016.

The winner of the event was Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent who won his 5th professional title but his first in nearly three years with his four shot victory.

The Asian Tour now has a break of several weeks until the Indonesia Open in late August, although several of its players have a start at the Open Championship in two weeks.

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Australians feature on International Series Morocco leaderboard


Maverick Antcliff – file photo AGM

Australasian are well represented near the top of the leaderboard at the halfway stage of the US$2 million International Series Morocco event at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam.

Queensland’s Maverick Antcliff is in outright second position and two shots from the leader Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe, but Sydney’s John Lyras and defending champion, New Zealand’s Ben Campbell, are just two shots further back in a share of 5th with Sydney’s Kevin Yuan also in the top ten in a share of 10th place and five shots from the lead.

Antcliff, who played collegiate golf in the US before turning professional, is a former multiple winner on the China Tour before joining the European Tour in 2020 and 2021. He is now back on the Asian Tour but in eight starts this season he has yet to record a top twenty.

The event which includes several LIV Golf League players, is one of a series of ten such events in which a pathway to the LIV Golf League is the reward for the successful leader of the Order of Merit at season’s end.

Last year, Campbell defeated, in a playoff, the man who would go on to lead the 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit, John Catlin who this week recorded a second round of 76 after sharing the opening round lead and is now tied for 27th.

A massive 26 players are within six shots of the lead starting the final two rounds.

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Lucas Herbert makes ten Australasians for Royal Portrush


Lucas Herbert gains one of the final places in the field – image Australian Golf Media

The success of Lucas Herbert in the Open Championship’s final qualifying at West Lancashire this week brings to ten the number of Australasians who will tee it up at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland on July 17th.

Herbert joins Jason Day, Ryan Fox, Minwoo Lee, Adam Scott, Marc Leishman, Cam Smith, Elvis Smylie, Ryan Peake and Curtis Luck in the field for the final major of the year,

Day, Fox, Lee and Scott are all in the field courtesy of their current world ranking and through other criteria also, Smith due to his win at the Open in 2022, Smylie courtesy of his success on the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit, Peake due to his win at the New Zealand Open, Leishman and Luck as a result of finishing inside the top three and not otherwise exempt at the Australian Open in December, and Herbert as a result of earning one of the five cards given out at his final qualifying venue.

Royal Portrush will play host for the third occasion, the first in 1951 when Max Faulkner took the title and again in 2019 when Shane Lowry from across the border in Ireland gave local fans plenty to shout about as he cruised to a six-shot victory.

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Mark Hensby shares 4th place at US Senior Open


Despite a disappointing final day, it was not all doom for Hensby as his birdie putt on the 7th indicates – image USGA

Mark Hensby’s bid for the most significant title in his professional career has fallen short after a final round of 73 at the US Senior Open saw him finish in a share of 4th place and six shots behind the eventual winner Padraig Harrington.

Hensby started the final round tied with Harrington and Stewart Cink, but a bogey at the very first hole today saw him fall two behind immediately when Harrington birdied and although he made the turn in even par 36, he was three shots from the lead and the horse had essentially bolted.

Bogeys at the 11th and 12th were more cause for concern, especially with others making a bid from behind, but a series of pars over the closing six holes including an impressive par from an awkward lie in the fairway bunker at the last were enough for the now 54 year old (his birthday was today) to record an impressive share of 4th place with Thomas Bjorn.

“Yeah, I’m going to be honest, today I just got off to a bad start,” said Hensby. “We just hit a few clubs that probably weren’t the right clubs and hit it in some bad spots where it’s hard to two-putt. Just couldn’t get any momentum going. Just couldn’t get the putter right today.

“As I said last night in the media tent, when you play with two — one Hall of Famer, and Stewart Cink obviously a very accomplished player, it’s always fun. You always learn something from them, what they do.

“I felt comfortable, I must admit. Obviously, we all get nervous, but I just didn’t get off to the start I needed to really contend. Overall, I’m happy for the week. I had a good week.”

Hensby’s cheque for the week was US$165,000.

Steve Alker finished alone in 7th place, and Cameron Percy continued his recent good form with a share of 9th place following his final round of 66.

As for Harrington (pictured below), he adds a second US Senior Open title to his three regular tour major titles (two Open Championships and one PGA Championship) and brings his total of professional wins worldwide to 42.

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The winner – Padraig Harrington – image USGA

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Mark Hensby chasing a birthday bonus at US Senior Open


Mark Hensby and caddie watch the result of his second to the 17th today – image Logan Whitton USGA

Mark Hensby, Stewart Cink and Padraig Harrington remain tied for the lead following the completion of a weather-disrupted final round of the US Senior Open at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Hensby missing a great chance to take the outright lead at the last when a five-foot birdie putt slipped by.

For Hensby, however, his 2 under par round of 68 to follow up consecutive 67’s in rounds one and two has him well placed to better his previous best in this championship when 3rd behind Harrington in 2022.

Hensby’s round was highlighted by a 20-foot eagle putt at the 9th, but perhaps an even bigger statement came when he birdied the 13th and 14th holes to lead on his own before he bogeyed the 17th hole to lead with Cink. He and Cink were one clear of Harrington playing the last but, in an unlikely twist, Harrington holed for birdie from 20 yards short of the green and Hensby missed a very makeable 5 footer for the outright lead again.

And so, the joint leaders, who were tied through 36 holes, will do battle again tomorrow. While Hensby could be considered the least likely of the three to win, his pedigree and form this week make such an outcome well within the realm of possibility.

Hensby was one of Australia’s best players during the mid-2000’s wining in Sweden and on the PGA Tour and playing in the 2005 Presidents Cup team, before a car accident saw him struggle. By playing competitively where he could through until turning 50, however, his determination and talent has seen him forge a relatively successful PGA Tour Champions career, and a win tomorrow would be very fitting for the now 53-year-old.

What would make a win even more special for Hensby is that it would come on the day of his 54th birthday

The hole out by Harrington at the last when a dropped shot seemed a possibility and missed birdie chances by both Cink and Hensby changed the dynamic of the event heading into tomorrrow’s final round but all three have realistic chances of claiming hyet another major in the case of Harrington and a first major in either regular or senior golf for Hensby and Cink

There is little doubt that Hensby is enjoying the experience of being in contention and playing with two players of the calibre of Harrington and Cink.

“Any time you play with two great players like that, it’s definitely fun,” said Hensby after his round.  “Didn’t go off to the best start, but as Padraig said, we all kind of made a few birdies there in a row and we started to get things going.

“It’s fun playing with those two guys. They’re just such great players. Obviously, Padraig winning three major championships in his career, and Stewart Cink is — it’s awesome, no doubt.

“That chip, (by Harrington) obviously going in was momentum, and then I actually felt like, okay, now it’s time to go. Unfortunately, around here is tricky. You can have a five-footer that can break two feet. People go, ahh, when you miss a four-footer even though you’re aiming at a cup outside the left edge and hoping. But it was fun.”

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Mark Hensby rallies late to rejoin the US Senior Open lead


Mark Hensby on his way to a second consecutive 67 today – image USGA

In yesterday’s opening round of the US Senior Open Championship at Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs, Mark Hensby let a great halfway position slip over the closing stages of his first round. Today, however, the reverse applied as, after an early birdie and an opening nine of even par 34, the 53 year old from Lismore in northern New South Wales, powered home with a closing nine of 3 under 33 to re join the lead Padraig Harrington and Stewart Cink had created earlier in the day.

That trio has edged clear of the field by three shots over Thomas Bjorn with Billy Andrade and Y.E. Yang another shot back.

Hensby, who turns 54 on Sunday, was a lot calmer about his finish today and less frustrated with the golf course than was the case yesterday. He had also been bothered by the television cameramen on Thursday, taking their time getting set up behind him when about to play his shot.

“The TV guys kept running up on me when I’m over my shot, and when I’m a fast player, which I am, it’s like, I’m ready to go and then I have to back off because they ran to stick that mic pretty close.

“And that happened three times. Yeah, that got a bit frustrating when my caddie had to keep telling them to stop it. But as I said, today we told them from the get-go, stand aside, and it was fine.”

“Yeah, I was frustrated yesterday more with what was going on out there than my game, especially the back nine,” said Hensby. “There was a lot of disturbances and I didn’t want to bring that up because I didn’t play well the back nine, but a lot was going on yesterday afternoon when I was playing well. But no, definitely played more steady today than I did yesterday, that’s for sure.”

Queensland’s Scott Hend recorded a 1 under 69 today to move into a share of 10th place and five off the lead. While Steve Alker and Stuart Appleby stayed in touch at 1 over and seven shots from the leading trio.

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Mark Hensby shares opening day lead at US Senior Open


Mark Hensy in action today – image Kathryn Riley USGA

Australia’s Mark Hensby was a frustrated golfer after the opening round of the US Senior Open at the Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs but his opening round of 3 under par of 67 has given him a share of the lead as the field in the game’s most significant event for senior golfers heads into round two.

Hensby had reason to be annoyed, given his faltering back nine after an outstanding opening nine of 30 had him well clear of the field. Five bogeys and two birdies on his way home, including dropped shots at each of the last two, however, led to him leading at the close of his morning round before, late in the day, Padraig Harrington, would join him at 3 under.

The pair is a shot clear of a group of seven players at 2 under 68, with another eight at 69, making a total of 17 players under par on the demanding layout high in the Southern Rocky Mountains, nearly 6300 feet above sea level.

It is not the altitude adjustment that provided frustration for Hensby, however, but rather the greens where slope and mountain influence, made picking less than obvious lines very demanding.

“It’s difficult,” said Hensby. “The greens are where all the problem is. But yeah, it’s a hard golf course from around the greens.

“Just the slope. I mean, there’s so much slope, and it all comes off that mountain most of the time. Sometimes it doesn’t. But yeah, the greens were softer today, so it kind of made it a little bit easier and probably not as fast as they can get.

“But you put the pins in certain spots, it’s pretty tough.”

Hensby did not hold back when expressing his feelings on a poor finish to what had been a brilliant start.

“Yeah, obviously I felt like I lost some out there. It’s just frustrating. I played like shit the back nine. What else can you say?

“But I’ve never been a very consistent player. I’m hot or cold, and that kind of sucks. Certain shots I keep hitting during rounds, it just pisses me off, so to speak. So yeah, the back nine was just kind of a bit of that.”

“The front nine on this nine, this course is pretty short. The back nine is a totally different nine. I just took advantage of all the short shots that I had on the front nine.”

Hensby, though, has proven in the past that he has the game to contend at this level. In 2022, he finished third behind his co-leader Padraig Harrington.

New Zealand’s Steve Alker is two from the lead at 1 under 69 while Rod Pampling and Greg Chalmers are the next best of the 13-strong Australasian contingent at even par.

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Large Australasian field tackles US Senior Open

Australia’s Richard Green during last year’s US Senior Open where he finished 3rd – image USGA

The world of men’s over-fifty golf plays its second major in succession when the US Senior Open is played at the Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs from this Thursday.

Generally considered the most significant event in golf for those over fifty, the championship now carries a purse of US$4 million. The defending champion is Richard Bland of England, who added this title to the Senior PGA Championship he won a month earlier in 2024.

From 2585 initial entries, the field has been reduced to the 156 who will face the starter on Thursday.

Australasia carries a strong numerical representation in 2025, with 13 participants from our part of the world taking part, having qualified through their performances worldwide or via the Final Qualifying process, in which Brendan Jones, Matthew Goggin, and New Zealand’s Richard Lee earned their right to play.

Steve Alker, Steve Allan, Stuart Appleby, Michael Campbell, Greg Chalmers, Matthew Goggin, Richard Green, Scott Hend, Mark Hensby, Brendan Jones, Richard Lee, Rod Pampling and Cameron Percy make up a strong challenge for a title won previously by only one Australasian, Graham Marsh. Marsh also finished runner-up in the event three years before his win in 1997.

The course is one of the longest on the PGA Tour Champions in terms of actual yardage, but that length is offset somewhat by the altitude of Colorado Springs (6000 feet), where the thin air ensures the ball travels up to 10% further.

Steve Alker narrowly missed out on winning the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship last week when losing a playoff to Miguel Angel Jimenez and amongst the Australasians he appears to be the best hope of victory.

Richard Green, Cameron Percy and Mark Hensby, have all played well this season and have their chances, with Green also finishing in 3rd place behind Bland last year.

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Steve Alker narrowly misses second major title


Steve Alker – file photo courtesy of PGA of America

New Zealand’s Steve Alker and Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez were locked in an intense battle throughout the 72 holes of the Kaulig Companies Championship at the Firestone Country Club’s South Course in Akron, Ohio, but 61 year old Jimenez emerged the winner after holing a 20 foot birdie putt at the second extra hole of a playoff to win his 4th event of the season.

The pair were tied through 54 holes, and although Alker looked in control of a second major title with just a few holes to play, Jimenez birdied the final two holes of regulation play to force the event into extra time.

For Jimenez, it was his 17th PGA Tour Champions title, and he races well clear of Alker in the race for the Schwab Cup standings.

For Alker, it was his 7th top-five finish of the season and his second runner-up, but a second major to go with his 2022 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship eluded him.

“I had a chance to win the golf tournament,” said Alker. “It was some sloppy golf in the middle, I had to kind of mentally battle through some missed fairways and some sloppy golf in the middle, but I was really proud of how I kind of come down the stretch. I hit the last like five fairways or something and five greens and just gave myself chances. Yeah, I’m proud of that.

“You know, he made the plays. I hit a great putt on 17, I thought I made the putt on 17 in regulation and that would have given me just that little two-shot cushion. Yeah, he made the plays coming down the stretch. You look back and you go jeez, a bogey here or there, you know what I mean? I think Firestone got me. I think I had two bogeys every day. Just can’t do that around here.”

Alker, though, added another US$308,000 to his already significant earnings for the season, taking them to US1.6 million.

Jiminez is playing some of his best golf of his PGA Tour Champions career, eleven years after first joining and winning in 2014.

“Well, it’s very special,” said Jimenez.”I played very well this year, but coming in this third major of the year, I’ve been playing very well. This week I win here and put my name on the side of all great names through the history of the golf tournament here on this beautiful golf course, probably one of the better golf courses we’ll play all year. No words to explain, fantastic.”

Michael Wright and Richard Green were the next best of the Australasians when they shared 7th place, a double bogey at the last proving costly for Wright, who also finished 7th in this event last year.

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