Four Australasians tackle LPGA Tour Final Stage


Su Oh – file photo – Bruce Young

Final Stage Qualifying for the 2023 LPGA Tour begins today in Mobile in Alabama where 100 players will chase one of 45 cards and earn the right to ply their trade on the LPGA Tour next season.

Playing alongside the top 50 players that battled each other – and the elements – in Stage II just over a week ago are two additional groups: LPGA Tour pros ranked 101-150 in the Race to the CME Globe and Epson Tour players ranked 11-35 in the Ascensus Race for the Card. A few players who earned the LET Order of Merit and those in the Rolex Top 75 have also entered the field.

Amongst that list are three Australians and one New Zealander.

Australians Su Oh, Robyn Choi and Karis Davidson will be chasing a return to the LPGA Tour while New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey is hoping for the right to play the LPGA Tour for the very first time.

For Su Oh this will be her first time at the LPGA Tour School since 2015 having kept her card every season since 2016.

Davidson was unable to capitalise on her rookie LPGA Tour status this year, Choi has played the secondary tour (Epson) in recent years and actually had a solid season there this year without advancing and Garvey will be the better for her rookie season on the Epson Tour in 2022.

One hundred individuals will compete in a 144-hole stroke-play format, with scores being cumulative over the two weeks. Play will start at Magnolia Grove Golf Course in Mobile, Ala. and conclude at Highland Oaks Golf Course in Dothan, Ala. There will be a cut to the top 70 players and ties after week one.

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Home grown golfers hold favouritism at Australian Opens


Minjee Lee with her US Women’s Open trophy in Melbourne this week – photo Golf Australia

Australian golf creates history this week when both the men’s and women’s Australian Open Championship are played concurrently at the Victorian and Kingston Heath Golf Clubs in Melbourne’s famed sandbelt.

While the concept and format has been used successfully at the Vic Open in the past few years, this is the first time for the concept of both a men’s and women’s national open being played concurrently at the same venues being introduced and along with the attractions of Open Champion Cameron Smith and US Women’s Open winner Minjee Lee, the format itself will add further interest.

With both Smith and Lee in their respective fields, the events promise to brings the sort of crowds not seen at an Australian Open since the heady days of Greg Norman.

At last week’s Australian PGA Championship, Cameron Smith’s international success in 2022, that he is now one of the top three players in the game and that he was a local, made that event the most attended for many years and this week promises the same.

The host venue, The Victoria Golf Club, might not carry the same profile as the likes of nearby Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath but it is considered one of Australia’s best and will provide a fine test of golf along with its joint venue in the opening two rounds, Kingston Heath.

Cameron Smith perhaps summed it up best yesterday when he reminded all that the two courses demand everything of a golfer’s game.

“I think these courses down here demand everything of you, so you need to be spot on.  So, no real time to waste over the next couple of days,” said Smith on Tuesday.

“I think these golf courses are a really good mix between that Links golf and almost like Augusta,” added Smith.  “You get to play plenty of shots, you have to, to play good golf around here.  I feel like I play my best golf when I’m creative and I’m just happy to be down here.

“I think as a kid growing up playing the amateur stuff down here and stuff like that, you take it for granted.  You go everywhere else around the world and realise that this is the best that golf has got to offer.  It’s just cool to be back down here.”

Smith is the highest world ranked player in the field followed by New Zealand’s Ryan Fox, Fox missing the cut last week in Brisbane although there were genuine excuses for the man who finished runner-up in the DP World Tour rankings in 2022.

Adam Scott was perhaps disappointing last week but he gets another chance to win his first tournament in Melbourne since his 2013 Talisker Masters victory.

Others considered genuine chances to challenge for the title include but are not limited to Lucas Herbert, Min Woo Lee and Cameron Davis.

Minjee Lee heads the women’s field as she chases a first Australian Women’s Open Championship. She will be joined by fellow Australian hopes, Hannah Green, Stephanie Kyriacou and Grace Kim and Major winners in 2022, the AIG Women’s Open Champion Ashleigh Buhai, and Chevron Championship Jennifer Kupcho.

Lee spoke to the media this morning and expressed her delight in being able to play such a unique format especially with her brother (Min Woo Lee) in the men’s field.

“Yeah, I mean it’s pretty cool to be able to play with the men and also the All Abilities tournament that’s going on all at the same time,” said the West Australian. “Obviously playing with Min Woo and being able to see him is really special to me.  Just being back in Australia I think is really cool.  I haven’t played in a couple of years back home, so I think it’s going to be a great turnout and I’m looking forward to seeing all the fans come out and maybe a lot of little kids here and there. I think it will be really fun.

“I think the Australian Open, your national championship is always really high on the list.  For me, I always want to do well. The previous Aussie Opens that I have played, I think I haven’t quite shown that as much, so hopefully I can settle the nerves and just enjoy it and just play well for me and play well for the Australian crowd

“It may not be LPGA right now but I think it always has a special place in my heart and I always love coming back to Australia and playing. We don’t get too many opportunities to do that, so whenever I get the chance, I do like coming back.”

108 women and 156 men take their place in the field where the opening two rounds are flipflopped between the Victoria and Kingston Heath Golf Clubs before those making the cut focus their attention on the Victoria Golf Club for the final 36 holes.

Both events carry prizemoney of A$1.7 million.

TEE TIMES

 

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Lucas Herbert fit for ‘home’ national open


Lucas Herbert generating media interest in Melbourne this morning – photo Golf Australia

Victorian golfer Lucas Herbert is Australia’s third highest world ranked golfer and after back issues forced him to withdraw at last week’s Australian PGA Championship he is keen to bounce back with  good showing, if not better, at this week’s Australian Open at the Victoria Golf Club.

After securing his PGA Tour playing rights in October of 2021 via the Korn Ferry Tour finals, Herbert was quick to break through for his first win at that level and although his follow up events on season 2021 and 2022 saw only two further top tens, he has status in the US for another year at least and given the manner he has handled the step up more success appears in store for the powerful 26 year old.

At this morning’s media conference ahead of this week’s event, Herbert was asked how the back was recovering.

“A lot better than I was on Friday.  I felt it just slip out on the range, my back, my lower back kind of just slipped and it wasn’t necessarily painful, but I lost a lot of power.  I could tell it wasn’t right.  I was like, it’s going to be one of those days, I’m just going to have to fight through it, make the best of it and get it worked on this afternoon.

“I had referral pain down my legs as well and they 9his team) were pretty insistent on me pulling out and I really didn’t want to.  I didn’t want it to seem like I was just playing badly and wanted to get out of there or anything like that.

“I obviously wanted to be playing the Australian PGA Tour, so I pushed them away for a couple of holes before I was like, yeah, they’re probably right.

“I saw my chiropractor that afternoon and he was very thankful to me that I did pull out, because he said it was in a position that was very susceptible to doing a lot of damage.”

Herbert has been a professional for seven years now and has slowly but surely worked his way to being one of Australia’s leading players.  He knows this week on familiar territory provides a great opportunity to claim his own national open and he is aware of what a win would mean on such hallowed ground as Melbourne’s sandbelt.

“It’s a little bit like the Open Championship, winning at St Andrews versus winning at any other venues.  You’re not going to say no to winning it at another venue, but it’s definitely a lot more special to win in on the Sandbelt, for me anyway, given I grew up basically around this area and have played a tonne of golf at both these golf courses.

“To win one here, it would just be, like you said, a lot more special than anywhere else where you don’t have that same connection.  So yeah, it would be very cool to be holding that trophy at the end of the week.”

One of the disappointments of 2022 was being overlooked for the Presidents Cup team when other captain’s picks were ranked lower than himself but after initial disappointment he is now philosophical about the missed opportunity.

“The selections were made based off stats for Quail Hollow.  Had it been at a different golf course, I might have got a different look-in for the way it was, but if you look at the statistics, the weakest area of my game is my driving accuracy and it’s something that you need around Quail Hollow.

“I obviously said last week that I was really pissed off to not play and I think I have every right to be pissed off.  You can make a very solid argument as to why the six guys that got selected at Captain’s picks got selected and they did a great job.  They did a lot better job than everyone game them credit for in terms of we thought it was going to be a 30-nil whitewash at the start of the event, so for a minute and a half there on Sunday it looked like we were have a chance there to win, the Internationals.

“Those picks played really well and if you go off the numbers, they were the rights picks to make.  If I want to make that team next time and not have to worry about the politics, I just play better and get in as an automatic qualifier, but it’s still disappointing to have the year I had and feel like I was there to offer what I had and not get picked.”

Playing essentially at home (he hails from country Victoria’s Bendigo) Herbert will have family and friends urging him on and this morning he talked about an illness his mother is suffering at present and the role his parents have played in him becoming the golfer he has.

“Yeah, it’s just happened over the last couple of months,” added Herbert referring to his mother’s illness. “It’s sad to watch your parents go through that kind of stuff but she’s more stubborn than me, so I know that she’ll get through everything and get there at some point.

“My Dad’s a great support for her.  I know he’ll do more than she wants him to do at home, so that sort of takes a bit of the pressure away and makes me feel a little bit more at ease, obviously being out there on tour.  We’ve had a lot of conversations about it the last couple of weeks and Mum more than anything wants me to go and play well and get my head on TV so that it gives her something to watch early in the mornings or late at night sitting at home, rather than being able to travel with me.  So, if that’s what she wants me to do, I’m going to have to go and work on that for her.”

Like so many others he sees Cameron Smith again as the man to beat this weekend and was full of praise for the man who was a peer in his amateur days.

“I think if you ask anyone standing around here and the bloke cleaning that marquee over there, they’ll all tell you that Cam Smith is the bloke to beat this week.  I don’t care whether he’s got a hangover or not, he’s probably the second best golfer in the world right now.

“I don’t know whether rankings are reflective of that, but he is.  He’s had the season that would prove that.  He’s the guy I’ve got to beat, for sure.  He’s proven that on multiple different venues, different styles of golf courses, everything like that.  So I don’t think it matters that we’re now down in Victoria, he’s got a hangover.  He’s definitely the guy we’ve got to beat.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A happy Lydia Ko returns to world number one


Lydia Ko – a year of rewards for effort – photo LPGA Getty Images

Lydia Ko’s return to the number one position in the female game following her win in the season ending LPGA Tour event, The CME Group Tour Championship, comes 5 years after her last time at the top of the Rolex Rankings.

Ko’s revival began after she had reached an all time low of 55th in August of 2020, a return to her former glory days beginning soon after when beginning a working relationship with new coach Sean Foley who had been known until that point as a one time coach of Tiger Woods.

It was Foley who changed her thinking from obsession on perfect technique in her swing to a more natural way of swinging the golf club and playing the game.

“He’s, I think, gotten me not to think too much about the lines of everything. I’ve tried to change my mindset of not trying to take a video of my swing every single time I’m on the driving range.” Ko told Golf Week at the time. “It doesn’t need to look like a perfect swing for me to just play golf.”

Just a few weeks ago when announcing a cordial split with Foley, Ko highlighted just what Foley had meant to her in the return to her best. “When I first met Sean, I was in a place where I didn’t have a lot of confidence in myself and in my game. Over the past two years he has helped me evolve as a better player and person. Our time together was full of so much learning, laughter.”

Ko’s season in 2022 is the culmination of the sound base Foley established in both Ko’s technique and thinking as she slowly but surely crept her way back into the top twenty at the start of 2001 and from 9th at the beginning of this year to now the world number one once again.

“You know, a lot of things have happened since I was 17 in 2014. I don’t feel 25 right now. There’s been a lot of ups and downs both on and off the golf course, but all of those moments have made moments like today. I think, yes, maybe when I was younger, I played maybe a little bit more freely because I was a little clueless at the same time (laughing).

“But now, you know, I’ve gone through my share of ups and downs, and I think that’s helped me to realize that, hey, we’re going to have good days and we’re also going to have bad days. I think my prospective on how I treat the bad shots or the bad events is a lot better now than I did then.

“I hope that I’ve grown more as an individual since then, and I think golf is very relatable to life in general, and I think golf keeps you very humble as well. It’s a continuous learning journey, but I’m excited with where I am at in life and at the golf course.

“She is now working with former player Ted Oh who she had worked with previously before joining forces with Foley.

“I had a period of time where I was working with Sean and Ted kind of together this year as well, so I don’t think they’re on completely opposite sides of the spectrum. You know, having worked with Ted before a few years ago obviously makes it a little bit, like, easier transition where I’m not having — I don’t need to get used to the person and the style of coaching.

I think both Sean and Ted wanted me to, like, swing as most naturally to how I should be swinging, not to try and make a picture-perfect swing. I think those are probably some of the common things and differences.

Another key aspect of Ko’s improvement has been her engagement and pending marriage to Hyundai executive and son of Hyundai Vice President Ted Chung, Jun Chung.

“When I won in Korea, he wasn’t there,” said Ko at the CME Tour Championship. “And then he sent me a text while I was going up the 18th hole because I had enough of a lead that he thought I would win. I called him after my round, and I just started, like, bawling. I was in tears because I wish I could, like, celebrate that special moment with him.

“He is obviously a very special person in my life. I think having met Jun — was I meant to say his name (laughing)? Having met him, I think he motivates and inspires me to become a better person and a better player.

“I think when I first met him, it was just before — it was just before my win in Hawaii and then actually a few of the girls said, Hey, he is your lucky charm. I think Megan also said that too (laughing).

“I was, like, Yeah, I’ve got to keep him around.

“For a while when things weren’t going great in my career, I would — my identity felt so connected to golf. Having met him, I feel like he is introspective in life and in my golf.

“So, yeah, he is someone that I’m very thankful for, and I really wanted to win once in front of him.”

Clearly, Ko is in a very happy place and that it is reflecting on her on course performances is no real surprise.

“Yeah, this year has been an incredible year,” added Ko. “I really could never ask for more to win so early in the season and then to have won in Korea and then win the last event of the year. I couldn’t have drawn it up any better. There have been so many exciting things in my life that’s been going on.”

 

 

 

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Brendan Jones retains Japan Tour playing privileges

Brendan Jones – file photo

Last week I made mention of the fact that Australian golfer, Brendan Jones, needed a good week at the final full field event of the year on the Japan Tour, the Casio World Open, in order to retain his playing privileges  in Japan for next season without the need to use a career money list exemption.

The winner of 15 titles in Japan and one of the most successful foreigners to play the Japan Tour since since first joining in 2001, Jones has struggled in 2022 in his first season back after a Covid enforced break for foreigners from playing in Japan.

Jones finished 18th in last week’s event and eventually 68th on the money list after a comparatively strong finish to the season and safely retained the right to play in Japan next season.

Two of Jones’ last three starts of 2022 when 17th at the Visa Taiheiyo event and when 19th at the Casio World Open resulted in his best two finishes of the year.

Jones’ 2022 results

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Cameron Smith’s claims 3rd PGA title and fifth of 2022


Smith claims his third Australian PGA Championship – photo PGA of Australia

Cameron Smith today won his third Australian PGA Championship, his fifth title of 2022 and although some would argue he should be the number two player in the world, in many eyes he is, so 2022 has been a breakthrough year in so many ways for the 29 year old and a year of change, but there is one more task to complete a remarkable 12 months.

That will be to win the Australian Open and after his near miss in 2016 when runner-up after a playoff against Jordan Spieth and Ashley Hall, the door is now open to claim every golfer’s wish other than a major title, their own national open when that event begins in Melbourne on Thursday.

The only thing that appeared capable of stopping Cameron Smith from adding a third Australian PGA Championship today was a forecast storm in Brisbane and that so nearly proved to be the case.

As the last group of Smith, Masahiro Kawamura and Yan Wei Liu walked to their approaches to the 10th hole at 1.25, storms which had been building all afternoon unleashed their fury on the Royal Queensland layout with Smith one ahead of Jason Scrivener at the time.

Smith’s three shot 54-hole lead had been reduced to just one and with Smith having missed the green at the 10th the possibility existed when play would resume that he and Scrivener would share the lead.

Another shot back was Japan’s Ryo Hisatsune whose score of 5 under through 11 holes included an eagle at the driveable 2nd hole. Hisatsune may well be the unknown figure amongst the final few groups but he has performed well in Japan in recent times and has a world ranking considerably higher than many of those around him.

When the threat of lightning eased and play did get underway again at 3.10, Smith saving par at the 10th, Scrivener also saving par at the 12th and Hisatsune producing a birdie at the 12th to get to 11 under and soon after he was tied with Hisatsune and Smith who would bogey the 11th.

Play resumed for only a short period and at one stage it appeared as if Monday morning might have to be used to finish the event but just after 4.00pm the rain lifted and there was enough daylight left to get the event finished.

Smith rebounded with a superb recovery shot over a tree for at the driveable par 4 12th and then birdied again at the par 5 13th and moved two ahead.

He was however just one ahead after Scrivener birdied the 15th and the title was on the line again.

Then however came disaster for Scrivener when he putted from just off the front of the green into a bunker at the 17th and took double bogey and when Smith knocked in a 12 footer for birdie at the 16th his lead was an near unassailable three, and he parred in to win by three over Scrivener and Hisatsune.

Having started the week with a satisfactory but hardly impressive round of 68, he steadily improved in a week where so much of his time was absorbed by the demands of being presented the keys of the city of Brisbane, the Greg Norman Medal for Australian Golfer of the Year and the burden of performing well in front of friends family and a growing fan base.

That he was able to hold off one or two spirited challenges to his lead given the distractions he faced this week gives further evidence of the growth of the man and the golfer.

“I really didn’t think I had it in me at the start of the week,” he said in his post-round interview.

“I was a bit scratchy and the game has got better and better as the week went on, other than the front nine today.”

“I guess it’s just a little bit frustrating,” he added referring to the rains delays You’re kind of in the mojo there a little bit and for it to be stopped not once, but twice, is a little bit frustrating. But just held onto it and played really solid those last eight holes.

“Obviously Scrivy (Jason Scrivener) is a great player and I knew he’d keep putting the pressure on me. It was a good last seven holes. I mean, lots of pressure and the golf course really wasn’t letting up even though it was a little bit softer.

“I think when we went in for that second time, I think I was just really tired. I came in, had a coffee, tried to get some energy back in me and went out there and played really solid the last seven or eight holes. It was kind of nice to know that I can do that with not much in the tank.”

Smith was also motivated by two significant family factors which played a role in keeping him going over the final stages.

“Yeah, I can’t believe she did it,” referring to his Nan who had walked with him every day. “Everyone at the start of the week was telling her to pace herself and she was out there all day every day, so it was pretty amazing. Definitely inspiring.  I don’t know how she did it, but it was also my Dad’s birthday as well.  After I got back to the tie for the lead there after 11, I really wanted to do it for those two.”

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photo – PGA of Australia

 

 

 

 

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Cam Smith on track for third Australian PGA Championship


Cameron Smith – enjoying massive crowd support – photo PGA of Australia

Cameron Smith heads into the final round of the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane with a three shot lead after his third round of 69 has him ahead of Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura and China’s Yan Wei Liu.

Another shot further back are 36 hole leader, Jason Scrivener and Min Woo Lee, both of West Australia and Queenslanders Jake McLeod and Brad Kennedy.

It would appear a third Australian PGA Championship title is now Smith’s to win or lose, a bogey at this final hole in round three perhaps keeping the door open for his chasers although given Smith’s class and current form should make him a very hard man to chase down especially given the disparity in world ranking between he and those closest to him on the leaderboard.

Kawamura is currently ranked 288th in the world and Liu 908th compared to the 3rd place ranking of Smith and while world rankings at present are under the microscope for their authenticity, it highlights the difference between the leading players on the leaderboard.

Smith had mixed emotions about his round given the contrast between the manner in which he started and finished the day.

“I think it was a little bit frustrating there on that back nine, but in these conditions I would have taken 2-under at the start of the day, so it’s kind of the case that beggars can’t be choosers,” he said  “But yeah, it was really hot obviously on that front nine.  I felt really good and it’s just frustrating to end like that.

“I’d like to be six or seven ahead, to be honest, but it’s a good spot to be in.  I can’t complain.  Everything’s feeling really good, so feeling really confident and really looking forward to tomorrow.”

Smith was asked what a third Australian PGA Championship title would mean to him and he was quick to acknowledge the importance of winning again and that it would set up a title which would mean even more to him, the Australian Open next week.

“Yeah, it would be nice.  Like I said at the start of the week, I wouldn’t complain with another one of these.  My big thing down here was to have a really big crack at the Aussie Open.  I haven’t won one of those yet and I think that would be a really good end to a really good year.  Yeah, I’ll be trying my best tomorrow still.”

That Smith is a local and a former member of Royal Queensland and that he has developed into one of the best players in the game in 2022 has ensured massive crowds at the event to observe and support him.

“I think the crowds have been awesome all week to me.  I’ve really ridden it all week, to be honest.  It seems like every tee there’s a “C’mon Smitty” or a pat on the bum or something like that.  I’ve had a few kind of awkward ones this week, so I just keep looking forward.  No, it’s been awesome.  The reception’s been incredible.”

Golf works in funny ways and the possibility exists for him to be run down on day four but that is a possibility at this stage rather than a probability.

The final stages of the 2022 Australian PGA Championship may well result in the large crowds sure to flock to at Royal Queensland tomorrow acknowledging not only Smith’s standing in the game but him joining some of Australia’s greats as a three time winner of one of Australian golf’s most iconic titles.

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Brendan Jones facing important weekend in Japan


Brendan Jones- photo Japan Golf Tour

Australian golfer, Brendan Jones, faces an important weekend at the Casio World Open in Japan this week.

Jones finds himself in a share of third place at the halfway stage but after a year which has seen the winner of 15 Japan Tour titles record a best of 17th place in 19 starts leading into this week’s event on the island of Shikoku, he needs a big finish in order to retain his Japan Tour status.

Jones is currently 77th on the Japan Tour money list and likely needs a top then finish at worst this week if he is to avoid using an all-important one off career money exemption to play in Japan next season.

Jones begins the weekend in  a share of third place, three shots behind the seven time Japan Tour winner, Chan Kim of the USA after a second round of 65 at the Kochi Kuoshio Golf Club.

Like so many other of the foreigners who play in Japan, Jones suffered from the impact Covid had on the Japan Tour, especially for foreign players, and for Jones he played virtually no events in that country in 2020 and 2021.

One of the most dominant foreign players in Japan over the past twenty years, Jones performance over the weekend will be one of the most important of his 2022 season.

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Cam Smith moves within one at Australian PGA Championship


Cameron Smith – photo PGA of Australia

Jason Scrivener’s two shot lead on the field when he finished his morning round on day two of the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship was reduced to just one by a brilliant afternoon round of 65 by pre-tournament favourite, Cameron Smith, setting up the prospect of a dream weekend for tournament organisers at Royal Queensland.

Playing in the more demanding afternoon conditions when the breeze strengthened across the riverside layout in Brisbane’s eastern suburbs, Smith recorded eight birdies and two bogeys in his round on a golf course where he is a member and moved within one of Scrivener and one ahead of the morning finishers Cameron John and Masahiro Kawamura.

Smith was a little more ready for his round today then was the case at 6.00am yesterday morning when his first round got underway.

“I definitely felt a little bit more alert out there today, I think,” said the current Open Champion and Brisbane local. “Yeah, just got off to a really good start I think. Had a really good warm up. I think the sleep-in definitely helped a little bit.  Yeah, it was just a good day.

“I only had a couple of bogeys, both on par 3s, which isn’t really a good sign most of the time, but I felt as though I hit my driver as best as I’ve hit it for a very long time, so it was nice to do that.  It gives me a little bit of confidence going into the weekend.”

Smith played in front of huge crowds drawn to Royal Queensland by the presence in the field of not only Smith but another Queensland golfing icon, Adam Scott, and enjoyed the opportunity to do so.

“It seems like last time I was home, obviously a lot’s changed in three years, that really wasn’t the case. It’s a little bit different, but the crowd was great today.  It seemed like they were three or four deep down either side of the fairway all day.  My old boy was whinging actually at me yesterday saying that he didn’t get to watch me play golf.  I don’t know what he’s whinging about (laughing)

“Lots of my mates actually that I went to school with were out here today and they were yelling at me on 17 so that’s why I was having a little bit of a chuckle to myself.  I’m sure they were giving me shit about missing that second putt as well.  Yeah, it was really good energy out there.  Golf should be more like that I think.  That’s what we need.”

Smith will play with Scrivener and although he played with him in amateur days it was not so much the case in recent times.

“I’ve played with him a fair bit in kind of amateur, junior days.  I haven’t played with him a lot recently, him being over in Europe and obviously me in the US. I’ve played a couple of practice rounds with him at one of the Majors this year, I’m not sure.  He’s a good player.”

After a slow start Adam Scott fought back to finish with a round of 72 to be at 4 under and six shots from the lead.

“I didn’t come home like a house on fire, but any shot anywhere is important,” said Scott referring to the late birdie he made in front of a huge crowd on the par 3 17th.

“Just to get one and start out tomorrow one better is a good feeling.  I’m going to have to really shoot the lights out on the weekend and play good, which I know I can. Just yesterday I played good.”

“It was nice something went in and it salvaged one shot for the round. It was a tough day. I had nothing out there good, nothing felt good today and I managed to get it in the clubhouse. I’m a good weekend away from being in the hunt at the end; so, it’s all good.”

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Perth’s Jason Scrivener takes morning lead on day two at Aust PGA


Jason Scrivener in action this morning – photo PGA of Australia

South African born, but West Australian raised, Jason Scrivener, completed his morning round at 10.45 on day two of the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland and when he had done so, he held a two shot lead over Victorian golfer, Cameron John and by three over Poland’s Adrian Meronk and New Zealand’s Denzel Ieremia,

John and Ieremia still had holes to play so the gap may close as the morning field finishes off their rounds but for Scrivener it was a near perfect start.

Later in the morning Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura birdied his last three holes to join John in a share of second place as the morning field completed their rounds.

“The two days have been quite different,” said Scrivener. “Yesterday was stress free and I hit the ball tee to green very well. Today was a little scrappier but got away with a few things and scrambled well so all in all pretty happy with it.

In hot calm conditions Scrivener put together a second round of 67 to go with his opening 65 and at 10 under par he had established a break before the likes of Adam Scott and Cameron Smith had even teed off.

Scrivener has just completed another year on the DP World Tour with the occasional trip to the US to play Korn Ferry Tour events and although his results fell short of previous seasons he still has full status in Europe and with this event jointly sanctioned by the DP World Tour an opportunity exists for a breakthrough win at this level.

Scrivener’s only previous win as a professional was when successful at the 2017 NSW Open at Twin Creeks and to some extent the win might have signalled further wins to come but to date they have not although he has made steady but impressive progress with his game.

“It just shows that it’s just hard to win really,” said Scrivener when asked why more wins had not come his way.  “I definitely thought it was going to be kind of the start of something.  But yeah, it’s difficult to win nowadays.  You’ve got to play pretty flawless golf.  The level of play is pretty high, but yeah, another opportunity this weekend, looking forward to it.”

This writer has always described Scrivener as a very professional, professional. He looks the part and his ever-improving game and apparent work ethic suggests that he might yet develop into one of Australia’s better players.

John has played in Canada and Australia for much of this year with several top tens in Australian events in particular. His best finish as a professional was when runner-up in the 2018 NSW Open but this fine start opens up even greater opportunities.

Kawamura is a player good enough to have played the DP World Tour this season with a best of 5th place at the European Open in Germany, comfortably retaining his playing privileges there.

The weather remains hot for those heading out in the afternoon side of the draw but the gentlest of early breezes strengthened as the morning turned into afternoon and there is a good chance that Scrivener’s winning score will lead into day three.

SCORES

 

 

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