Minjee Lee close to lead at US Women’s Open


Minjee Lee – hits her tee shot at the 17th today – image USGA

Minjee Lee added a second round of 69 at the US Women’s Open in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and as the game’s most prestigious women’s event heads into the weekend, she finds herself just three from the lead and in a share of 3rd place with first-round leader Yuka Saso.

The pair trail leader Wichanee Meechai of Thailand by three with American Andrea Lee two behind the leader.

Minjee Lee, who won this title in 2022 to claim a second major title, began round two strongly with two early birdies but bogeys at her 8th and 9th holes had her making the turn in even par before one further birdie at the 14th would see her as one of only four players to be under par through 36 holes on the demanding Lancaster Country Club layout.

Lee mentioned her enjoyment in playing what is one of the more testing layouts in recent US Women’s Open memory and US Opens in general.

“I’m really enjoying my time so far,” she said during her post round media conference. “The course is a really lovely walk, so a lot of different type of holes, so a lot of character to the course. It’s just nice to look at, and it’s tricky. The rough is up. The greens are fast. That’s what I expect for a U.S. Open. Yeah, I’m enjoying it.

“I mean, obviously I love playing U.S. Opens. I love the challenge. I love the difficulty. I love that I need to think about what I’m doing and be strategic.

“The older you get, I think your patience gets more. It is what it is. But yeah, in terms of being on the golf course, I just try to stay within myself and just stay as grounded as I can and just try and execute each shot to the 100 percent of my ability and obviously how I want to put full commitment into it.

“In terms of being patient and things like that, I think it comes with the nature of being at a U.S. Open. You have to because it’s so hard out there. Just try to stay in the moment.

“Obviously this morning we didn’t have as much wind, so it was a little easier to club here and there. But come the back nine, it was starting to get a little more windy. It was a little more similar to yesterday afternoon.”

Hannah Green recovered from a first round of 76 with a one over 71 to be at 7 over and inside the cutline of 8 over.

Also at 7 over are New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey and late inclusion in the field Sarah Kemp of New South Wales, both improving on their first-round efforts to be playing the weekend, Garvey for the first time in four US Open starts and Kemp for just the second time in now seven US Open appearances.

Victorian Gabi Ruffels recovered from 5 over for the day through 10 holes for a round of 73 to make the cut on the number.

Stephanie Kyriacou and Lydia Ko at 13 over and Keeley Marx at 14 over will miss the weekend.

Leaderboard

 

 

/by

Ryan Fox finding feet on PGA Tour


Ryan Fox – file photo USGA

Since his encouraging performance at Augusta National six weeks ago, Ryan Fox appears to be finding his feet on the PGA Tour.

While he finished only 38th at the Masters, there was a lot to like about how he played that week and it seems the confidence from his showing is carrying over to better performances since.

Two weeks after the Masters, Fox played well at the Zurich Classic when sharing 4th place in the team event, finished 4th at the Myrtle Beach Classic, made the cut at the PGA Championship and finished 32nd at last week’s Charles Schwab Challenge.

Fox began this week’s Canadian Open in 117th place on the FedEx Cup table but has made a fine start with an opening round of 4 under par 68 to be in a share of 6th place and four shots behind England’s David Skinns in the US$9.4 million event.

For Fox it appears to be a case of finding his feet not only in terms of his golf performances but in the logistics of playing the PGA Tour and feeling comfortable in what are rapidly changing conditions and environments.

“Obviously it’s a bit new for us, coming over here, and it can be a little bit hard to break into some social circles,” said Fox today.

“Yeah, getting to play with Bob (McIntyre) a few weeks ago we just basically said on the first tee, let’s just go have some fun, talk a bit of stuff basically. We both played really well that week.

“I enjoy myself out on the golf course. I like talking and playing with someone like that who I know really well is always nice. I think, going forward, the DP World Tour guys probably need to do that and spend a bit of time together. We know each other really well. I spent several years with most of the guys that have made it over.

“We probably need to socialize a little bit more and make it a bit more like it is in Europe. I think everyone tends to go their own way a little bit here, whereas in Europe I think everyone kind of stays in the same place, it’s a little more social. Yeah, if we can make it that way I think it will probably help all of us going forward.”

Fox bogeyed his final hole today but it was nevertheless an impressive start.

“To be honest everything was kind of working today. I drove it nicely. Which I think is important round here. If you hit it in the rough it’s hard to control your ball. Hit my irons great. Gave myself a lot of chances.

“While I missed a couple of short ones, especially one on the last, I actually did hole some nice putts as well today. A little bit of give and take in that regard. Felt like I hit a lot of good putts that kind of didn’t go in. I can take a lot of confidence from that and kind of try to do the same thing tomorrow.

“Really happy with where the game’s at. This is my sixth week in a row, so I’m running on fumes at the moment. So, go get some physio, have a bit of a rest. I feel like my game’s in pretty decent shape, just go out there tomorrow and get out of my own way, try to hit a few greens and give myself plenty of chances, and hope the putter works.”

Fox is exempt for the upcoming US Open where he gets another chance to display his capacity to play well in major championships but, before that, he has a chance to finish off the Canadian Open well and further boost his standings on the FedEx Cup table.

 

/by

Minjee Lee starts well at US Women’s Open

Minjee Lee – in action today – photo USGA

Minjee Lee has begun her quest for a second US Women’s Open title with an opening round of even par 70 at the Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania, leaving her just two behind the opening round leader Yuka Saso of Japan who is also chasing a second US Open victory.

On a day where the revamped Lancaster Country Club well and truly bared her teeth, only four of the 156 players in the field broke the par of 70 and some of the world’s best made horror starts.

World number one Nelly Korda was never able to recover from a seven over par 10 on her 3rd hole of the day and finished with 80 as did New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, but with the cut looking as if it will be around 8 or 9 over tomorrow evening, then even Korda and Ko have a chance of making it to the weekend.

Lee’s round of five birdies and five bogeys included 10 of 14 fairways hit and 14 of 18 greens so her game on one of the most demanding golf courses was impressive and leaves her well-placed to take advantage of an early morning tee time tomorrow.

“Yeah, I felt pretty good out there,” said Lee after her round. “Obviously if you missed the fairway a little bit, you were in quite a bit of trouble. It’s quite detrimental. Pretty much the bogeys I made were off the fairway. My second shot put a little bit more pressure on that.

“I think I still gave myself great opportunities for birdie. The birdies that I had were, a couple of them were short, like four or five feet, and some were maybe like 12 to 15 feet. Yeah, I still had good looks when I had birdies, so I was kind of back and forth with my bogeys and my birdies.”

Lee was asked whether the layout deserved its title as The Beast?

“Yeah, I remember it from nine years ago. It was my rookie year, and it was like, oh, my God. But now that I come back, it is hilly, but it’s the same for everyone. It is a monster of a walk, and it’s just going to be good recovery, and — it’ll be good recovery tonight and just come back and try and beat the course again.”

Gabi Ruffels and late inclusion in the event, Sarah Kemp are the next best of the Australians at 5 over and seven off the pace while one of the more favoured players heading into the event, Hannah Green is at 6 over along with New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey and Victorian amateur Keeley Marx, Stephanie Kyriacou is at 7 over and Lydia Ko 10 over.

The leader Saso won this event at the Olympic Club near San Francisco in 2021 but that has been her only won in the LPGA Tour although most recognise her as having a game particularly suited to US Open style set-ups.

LEADERBOARD

 

 

/by

Hannah Green in unfamiliar role ahead of Women’s US Open


Hannah Green – in practice this week – image USGA

For the first time in her professional career, Perth’s Hannah Green will start a major championship as the highest-ranked Australasian female golfer, her two wins and runner-up finish this season elevating her to the 5th ranked golfer on the Rolex World Rankings ahead of this week’s Women’s US Open in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Although both Minjee Lee and Lydia Ko (who have been ranked ahead of her heading into previous majors) played this week’s venue when the US Open was staged here in 2015, Hannah Green did not, although she was, interestingly, present during that week.

“Yeah, so I won Karrie Webb’s scholarship in 05 for the first time,” said Green today at a pre-event media conference. “So myself and Julienne Soo, she’s an ex-professional golfer from Australia, we were both able to be inside the ropes with her this week.

“So this was my first ever LPGA event that I ever watched, and I don’t really think I watched that much just because it’s so hilly outside the ropes. But I did get to see Webby. She played really well the first round, so I got to see her doing all the media and things like that and didn’t really know what a professional golfer came along with.

“So that was really cool. Yeah, it’s nice to be back inside the ropes, and I can somewhat remember some of the holes, so it’s kind of nice.”

Green has moved from 29th in the Rolex Ranking to 5th in 2024 and currently stands in second place behind only Nelly Korda in the 2024 Race to the Globe and money standings.

She’s (Korda) making history this year. I’m kind of happy to be outside the limelight. I just wanted to make sure that my golf is performing and what happens after that I’ll take as it comes.

“It’s obviously been a really great season, and to have my name kind of behind Nelly I’m still very happy with.”

Green was asked what the difference had been this year for her performances to have improved so much.

“I actually feel like I haven’t been as aggressive as I have been the last few years. I’ve played a lot better in these last two years, but not as consistent as I would like. I think I’ve finally been able to put those rounds together.

“Sometimes when I mis-hit a shot it’s actually leaving it in the right area versus trying to go for that — not one in a million, but one of those shots that is quite risky.

“I feel like I’ve actually been hitting the ball better and just making everything work a little bit better. I wouldn’t say that my ball-striking or my putting has been significantly better. It’s just shaping it all together has been really nice this year.”

“I just feel really settled this year. I don’t know what it comes down to. A lot of people have said it’s the wedding, being married, not having to worry about having a wedding to plan and things like that.

“But it just feels different this year. I guess I didn’t play the first two events in Florida so I just gave myself a little bit of extra time in the off-season to stay away from golf.

“I gave myself four weeks to prepare for Asia, and I think that really motivated me more to actually practice harder and see the other girls winning tournaments.

“I’m kind of glad that I’ve been able to do that, and obviously had the opportunity to miss some events earlier in the year, as well.

“I think it’s definitely one of the reasons why I’ve been able to be so consistent throughout the start of the year, and we have so many great tournaments coming up, I hope I can continue this form.”

Green has been joined by her husband Jarryd Felton (an Australian golf professional) this week and for the next few weeks and she is enjoying the time being spent with the four-time winner on the PGA Tour of Australasia.

I think because my husband plays golf, too, we’re very competitive no matter what we’re doing, so it’s kind of fun playing with him.

“He’s here this week and we were together last year playing a couple games against each other, so it’s just — I love playing golf, I guess, love competing and trying to be No. 1 in the world and the best player that I possibly can be.

“So we played Wolf last week, and let’s just say he owed me some money. I don’t know if he was being nice since it’s coming into U.S. Open, but I don’t know, we just like to play.

“Even if it’s a chipping, putting contest, whatever it may be. It’s always very competitive. We’ve already played table tennis a couple times this week. So anything and everything.”

This will be Green’s 6th US Open with a best of 13th last year so it will be interesting to see how her improved performances in 2024 translate into a good showing in this the female game’s most significant event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, it’s been good. Obviously the result last event, close neck and neck with Nelly and also a couple wins this year. I feel like this is the best form I’ve come into a major.

Chevron I didn’t make the weekend, so I’m kind of wanting to make sure I perform well this week.

I’m really enjoying this golf course. It’s really testing all parts of your game.

 

/by

Minjee Lee and Lydia Ko seeking improvement at Women’s US Open


Minjee Lee during practice this week – image USGA

The Women’s US Open begins Thursday at the Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster, Pennsylvania where Australasia’s two leading players in recent years, Minjee Lee and Lydia Ko, are chasing a return to the sort of form that would see them as possible winners of the women’s game’s most prestigious event.

Lee began the year in 4th place in the world ranking but has slipped to 9th as a result of three missed cuts and just two top tens in her eight starts in 2024 but as a winner of this same event two years ago she knows that when right she has the game to win this great title.

Lee is playing her 11th Women’s US Open but interestingly she has recorded just one top ten in those starts, that coming when successful at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club in North Carolina in 2022.


Lydia Ko – chasing first US Open title – image USGA

Ko has also gone backwards in 2024 having started this year in 9th place in the Rolex Rankings but is now back in 14th place.

Both players have been surpassed in world ranking by Lee’s fellow West Australian Hannah Green who began the year in 29th place but has made a stunning move with two wins and a runner-up finish to be now in 5th place.

Green will play her 6th US Open, her best finish coming last year when 13th at Pebble Beach Links.

The three leading female players in Australasia will be joined in the field by the ever-improving Gabi Ruffels Stephanie Kyriacou, New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey, Victorian amateur Keely Marx and the late inclusion of Sarah Kemp who gained a start yesterday as an alternate courtesy of a withdrawal.

Tee Times 

 

/by

Australians 2nd, 3rd and 4th at Senior PGA Championship


Richard Green and caddie walk from the 12th green today – image Ryan Lockhead PGA of America

Richard Green has finished runner-up, Greg Chalmers 3rd and Scott Hend in a share of 4th place at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Benton Harbour in Michigan, England’s Richard Bland winning the event in his first appearance on the PGA Tour Champions.

Bland, who is a regular on the LIV Golf Tour, was tied with Chalmers heading into the final round and when Chalmers birdied the 14th he had moved one clear of Bland. An eagle by Bland at the 15th and three consecutive bogeys to finish for Chalmers saw Bland win by three over Green who stormed home in 30 including two eagles to edge Chalmers out of second place.

Chalmers was alone in third place in his first appearance in a PGA Tour Champions and Hend, also playing his first major event on the PGA Tour Champions and his first event of any sort on that tour, was home in 31 to finish tied for 4th with one other.

“Yeah, exciting to have a chance,” said Green. “I felt like I had some opportunities early and I missed the birdie at the second, missed a birdie at the third, and sort of thought, well, is this going to happen.

“But I suppose as the round progressed I sort of hung in there and got myself back with a couple of birdies and turned under par and felt like I was still half a chance of getting in there. And then obviously to make another couple eagles.

Obviously disappointed given what a win would have done for him on the PGA Tour Champions, Chalmers was happy with his week despite the late demise and saw the possible benefits moving forward.

“You know, it does help me down the line,” said Chalmers. “Doesn’t help me in the immediate future in terms of getting opportunities. Still got to go qualify on Tuesday for next week in Des Moines. Down the line I think I’m going to get some more opportunities. Certainly helps some steps towards gaining playing rights for next year in terms of money and points, so however it works.

“Even though I didn’t finish as strongly as I would like, I take solace in the fact that I was 3-over at the start of the tournament on Thursday and here I am, finished third outright. It’s a great week in any first major, first real taste of being in the last group and seeing what it takes and what I need to work on and improve.

“So I take a lot of positives about it. I’m hopeful I can get another opportunity down the line. Ironically, I’m in the U.S. Open and the British Open coming up, so hoping I’ll get some chances to get in this position again.”

Green earns US$380,000 and will move close to the top five on the PGA Tour Champiosn money list, Chalmers US$237,000 and Hend, US$148,000.

Results

Greg Chalmers in action today – image PGA of America

/by

Five Australians and two New Zealanders make US Women’s Open field


18th hole Lancaster Country Club – image USGA

The most significant event in women’s golf, the US Women’s Open, begins Thursday at the Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania, with five Australians and two New Zealanders having earned the right to start the event.

Hannah Green heads the group in terms of current world ranking and, with two wins and a runner-up finish in eight starts this season, she looms as a genuine prospect to add a second major to her 2019 KPMG PGA Championship title.

This will be Green’s 6th US Women’s Open for a best of 13th last year.

2022 champion Minjee Lee heads the Australians in the field although her form has dropped off in recent weeks.

Lee plays her 11th US Women’s Open but other than her win in 2022 she has no other top tens.

After what had been a good start to 2004, Lydia Ko has also lost her form in recent weeks and she will need a significant reversal to win her first US Women’s Open and a third major title.

Ko is playing her 13th US Women’s Open but interestingly for a player of her undoubted class, she has only two top tens, the best of those when 3rd in 2016.

Gabi Ruffels keeps getting better in what is her rookie season. She leads the race for rookie of the year honours with three 3rd place finishes and has experience at the US Open despite being in her first year on the LPGA Tour. This will be Ruffels’ fifth US Open start with a best of 13th in 2020.

Ruffels led her qualifiers in Final Qualifying to earn a start and, after leading the money list on the secondary Epson Tour last year, she is beginning to realize her significant talent.

Stephanie Kyriacou also led the qualifiers at her Final Qualifying venue and will play her first US Women’s Open. The Sydney golfer has made six of nine cuts to date in what is her second full season on the LPGA Tour.

20 year old Victorian Keely Marx led the qualifiers at her venue and will play her first US Women’s Open. Now attending Iowa State University, the 2022 IMG World Junior Championship winner has done well to make the field.

New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey will play her 4th US Women’s Open although she has yet to make the weekend in any of those. After attending College in the US, Garvey is playing the secondary Epson Tour where she has missed six of seven cuts this season so to have led the qualifiers at Final Qualifying was quite an effort.

Field

/by

Greg Chalmers shares lead at Senior PGA Championship

Greg Chalmers in action today – image PGA of America

Australian Greg Chalmers has produced a third round of 66 at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in Benton Harbor in Michigan and now has a share of the 54-hole lead with Ernie Els, the pair one shot ahead of Chris DiMarco and England’s Richard Bland.

Chalmers’s fellow Australian Richard Green is another shot back and alone in 5th place while Scott Hend is another shot back in a share of 6th place and only three shots from the lead.

Chalmers is in his first season on the PGA Tour Champions and this is his first major event at this level. He is playing his fifth PGA Tour Champions event, two of which he has finished inside the top ten.

Chalmers is a two-time Australian PGA and Australian Open Champion and won one event on the PGA Tour.

Chalmer’s round of 66 today was bettered only by Bernhard Langer’s 65 and it was enough for Chalmers to join Els in the lead and open the door for a significant win on the Champions Tour and open up permanent status there.

“It’s great. Yeah, look, this is the thing, I haven’t had this for so long,” said Chalmers. “This is the great thing about sort of Champions Tour golf. It feels like you’re part of a big event, which you are.

“So I’ve been looking forward to this opportunity. I need the challenge. I’m looking forward to see how I do tomorrow and how I play. See if I can embrace it with both hands and play some good golf.”

When asked how he might handle the pressure tomorrow after being so long away from this scenario Chalmers responded:

“Look, it’s relatively new me. Over the last few years I’ve been pretty much not dealing with that kind of stuff.

“I don’t know how much pressure is on me personally. I think there is a long way between now and when they hand the trophy to someone. There is a lot of golf that has to be played.

“You saw today how easy it was for people to fall down and back and up, so I’m not too concerned about that right now. I got to play good. Got to play some good golf. So I’m more focused on trying to do that.”

Green and Hend are within striking distance and for Hend he will be buoyed by the opportunity to win on his PGA Tour Champions debut and claim playing rights there.

Hend lost at the last hole of the New Zealand Open in March so has a game which is still reasonably competitive at the regular tour level but his length will prove a major benefit should he earn his right to play the PGA Tour Champions regularly.

Leaderboard

 

 

/by

Australians performing well at Senior PGA Championship


Leader Richard Bland studies the leaderboard during his round – image PGA of America

The KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Benton Harbor in Michigan has reached the halfway stage and several Australians are nicely placed as the second major of the year for the PGA Tour Champions heads into the weekend.

First-round leader Richard Green was unable to repeat his brilliant 64 on Thursday, adding a round of even par 71 today to be sharing 6th place and now five shots from England’s Richard Bland.

Michael Wright and Scott Hend are another shot back in a share of 11th place with Greg Chalmers at 5 under and sharing 13th.

Hend is playing his first PGA Tour Champions event while Wright, who is in his first year on the PGA Tour Champions, is playing his first PGA Tour Champions major.

Leaderboard

/by

Richard Green shares Senior PGA lead


Richard Green in action during his round of 64 – image Ryan Lochhead PGA of America

Australia’s Richard Green has made a great start to the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in Benton Harbor in Michigan, an opening round of 7 under 64 giving him a share of the lead with England’s LIV League golfer, Richard Bland.

Green, who is in his second season on the PGA Tour Champions, has yet to win but has shown a great level of consistency with numerous top tens and a near miss when beaten in a playoff late last year, but, in this second major of the year for the PGA Tour Champions, he has opened up the possibility of a breakthrough.

Green produced an eagle, six birdies and one bogey in his morning round on day one, making a fast start when 4 under through 5 holes. A bogey at the 6th was the only blemish of the day.

“It was an exceptionally good day,” said Green. “You know, it’s a very challenging golf course, and one that can really bite you at times.

“So the start of the day it was to go out there and treat it with as much respect as possible and play good golf shots, and I was doing that, which was nice. Got off to a great start.

“Made the opportunities when needed and scored on the difficult holes well. Yeah, just kept the round going.”

When asked about the state of his game ahead of this week Green responded; “It’s been okay. It’s obviously a work in progress all the time. Golf, you’re ebbing and flowing with form and your belief in what you’re capable of with everything in the bag.

“You know, I was just pleased at my preparation this week. It’s been really nice. I feel really good about my game. I feel everything that I’m using in the golf bag is what I’ve been using for most of this year and I’m feeling good with it, so it’s nice.”

Of the other Australasians in the field, Scott Hend, playing in his first PGA Tour Champions event, is at  3 under along with Mark Hensby, while PGA Tour Champions debutante, Cameron Percy and Greg Chalmers are the next best at 2 under par.

Leaderboard

 

/by