Joaquin Niemann’s bizzare Friday at Shinnecock Hills


Joaquin Niemann – rebounded from hissy fit – image Australian Golf Media

One of the more bizarre stories to come out of day two of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills was that of Chilean Joaquin Niemann, who late in his opening round on Thursday, recorded a quintuple bogey 9 at his 15th hole, but unfortunately, that would not be the end of the story for the 27-year-old.

Niemann’s two out-of-bounds tee shots meant he was playing his 6th shot to the par 4, and when that came up short of the green, he expressed his frustration by throwing a club in disgust.

After completing his round on Friday morning (he was caught up in the suspension of play for darkness on Thursday), he was approached by a USGA official who advised Niemann he would incur a two-shot penalty for an infringement of a rule introduced recently for major championship golf. Thus, the score of 9 became 11 and Niemann signed for an opening round of 78.

The LIV Golf player could have been forgiven for feeling his chances of making the weekend were gone, but, with five birdies in his first six holes in round two, he eventually finished with a round of 65, and at 3 over for the championship, he has finished safely inside the cutline in 46th place.

“I mean, I hit it two times out of bounds on the right, two bad swings, said Niemann. “Then, yeah, got pretty frustrated. I’m not someone that like to be in that behavior. I’m the first one to judge myself when I don’t behave on the golf course.

“Yeah, that was a misbehave from my part. I felt like a little bit extra penalized with two-shot penalty, but I think it is what it is. I think I’m going to learn from it. It definitely kind of helped me a little bit to have a better round today.

“I hit two terrible tee shots, came out of nowhere. Hitting the golf ball at 8:30 p.m., I felt like my body wasn’t quite there. Yeah, I had a bad lie on the third tee shot in between the fairways, and it was a pretty bad lie.

“I saw a lot of ants there, and I was just asking the referee if they were fire ants, and like, he say, no. To be honest, I was pretty — I wasn’t angry asking him. I was pretty normal, pretty chill, because I knew I needed to keep going and try to shoot the less possible.

“After that shot, I hit it, I lay up, and the whole frustration went inside me. I think they blew the horn already. I’m not sure if they did or not, but after I hit that shot, yeah, I was — like all the frustration that came inside me and had my club in my hand, and I couldn’t resist to throw it away.

“Yeah, I mean, I was looking around. There were no people, obviously. No one there. I’m not proud of it, but yeah, I mean, sometimes, you know, all the expectation of trying to play well and things don’t go your way, you get frustrated, and that was me there.

“I mean, obviously, I finished my round this morning. I had three holes left. Signed my scorecard, and then a referee came up to me and said, I need to talk to you. I was, like, sure. I knew I had misbehaved, but I feel like everybody had some, and it’s never going to anything major like a two-shot penalty, you know?

“So, yeah, I mean, he started talking to me. They considered with the whole committee that it was the right decision to give me a two-shot penalty, which I was trying to argue back and try to not get the two-shot penalty.

“But, yeah, I mean, it’s their decision, and I feel like, yeah, I wouldn’t be happy seeing players throwing clubs and behaving that way so yeah, I mean, I agree.”

Niemann’s rebound and attitude have to be admired, given that he likely felt his 2026 US Open campaign was over for the two-time PGA Tour event winner and the 2023 Australian Open Champion. It is highly unlikely, but who knows, a couple more rounds of 65 and who knows just where he might end up.

Wouldn’t that be a story?

 

 

/by

Clark extends lead at Shinnecock Hills – Fox safely makes weekend


Wyndham Clark surveying a putt today – image Dustin Satlof USGA

2023 Champion, Wyndham Clark, has control of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills, returning to the course early this morning to complete his opening round of 64 and then adding a second round of 69 to be at 7 under and ahead by four.

Clark was up at 4.00 am to complete his round after play had been called late in his opening round at 8.30pm on Thursday.

He finished off his opening round with pars to finish with his round of 64 to lead by three over Mathew Fitzpatrick and Gary Woodland, and then, after a slow start to his second round, put together a second round of 69, including a 25-foot birdie putt at the last, to lead by four over Matthew Fitzpatrick and Xander Schauffele when he walked off the course.

Later, Sam Stevens and Tom Kim joined the group at 3 under and four off the lead, with Collin Morikawa another shot back.

Only eleven players are under par at the halfway stage, but a massive 34 players are within just four shots of the lead, and so, subject to Clark’s performance over the weekend, so many of that group must still feel they are very much in the hunt.

Included in that large group are Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy at even par, both no doubt feeling that, although seven from the lead, they are very much in contention for a second US Open in the case of McIlroy and the chance to complete the Grand Slam for Scheffler.


Ryan Fox – in action during today’s second round – image Dustin Satloff  USGA

Of the six Australasians who teed it up on Thursday, only one, Ryan Fox, has made it to the weekend, the New Zealander adding one late birdie on his return to the course this morning to finish his opening round and then completing a second round of  73 to be at 3 over and tied for 46th and safely inside the cutline of 4 over par.

An agonising four-putt double bogey at his 7th hole on day two put paid to an otherwise impressive effort, but he is still well enough placed given the congestion amongst the field, Clark aside.

Cameron Smith and Lucas Herbert are at 6 over, Min Woo Lee at 7 over, and Adam Scott at 8 over. Jason Day was forced to withdraw halfway through his opening round with back issues.

Clark is steadily rebuilding his reputation after one or two temper tantrums on the golf course, including at last year’s US Open, when he missed the cut by one and took his anger out on the locker room at Oakmont.

“Yeah, I’ve gotten a lot of grief since last year, rightfully so,” said the leader. “The unfortunate thing is that’s not who I am, what happened last year.

“I’m hoping I can win back the fans that I had or some new fans because it was a terrible incident. You know, I really feel like I can show people that I’m fun and outgoing, I’m fierce, competitive, love the game, respect the game, and I just had a bad moment. Hopefully, I can win those people back.

“Yeah, I definitely feel like I’m in a better place. Hopefully a great weekend and a great rest of the year, maybe I’ll gain all those fans back.

“I was on top of the world in my game at least when I won the U.S. Open and then had some good years. Then the next thing you know, I’m apologizing for breaking a locker the year later.

“I just think with the mental game there’s ebbs and flows. If you think of it as climbing Everest, sometimes you go up, sometimes you have to go down to go back up.

“I think that’s kind of what happens both on the golf course and off the golf course. Right now I’m trending back up, which is nice. So, yeah, I kind of look at it that way.

Clark seemingly lost his way after his major championship breakthrough at the Los Angeles Golf Club but pays a lot of credit to his improved play of late to meeting his coach, Patrick Coyner, earlier this year.

His most recent results, which have included a win at the Byron Nelson and a 3rd place at the Memorial, tell the story of his game getting back to where it was.

“Well, Pat, it’s pretty crazy,” added Clark. “I’ve been on my own for three years with my golf swing, and I just got a membership at Cherry Hills. Pat just started working there as an instructor. I didn’t really know him. I kind of knew a lot of people — kind of knew of him.

“I was hitting balls one day and just asked him, like, hey, what do you think? He goes, honestly, I mean, I look at a few things that how you’re swinging in ’23 and ’22, and you’re way longer, you’re kind of cupped, your wrist isn’t flat, X, Y, and Z. He goes, if we could just get you back to ’23 by the start of January 1, like some of those moves, and then continue to get better as the year goes on, and he’s done that.

“I mean, I’ve gained so much control with my irons. Now I think of myself as a good iron player. Now I’m starting to hit driver a lot straighter.

“So if I can hit it in the fairway, I feel like I’m pretty deadly.”

Leaderboard

 

 

 

/by

Cassie Porter shares second place in Michigan

Cassie Porter – her first LPGA Tour title creeping closer – image Australian Golf Media 

Queensland’s Cassie Porter, playing her second season on the LPGA Tour, is just one off the pace at the halfway stage of the Meijer LPGA Classic, the 23-year-old adding a second round of 68 to her opening 67 to be alongside brilliant English rookie, Lottie Woad, and one behind Jing Yang.

Porter’s best finish in 33 starts to date on the LPGA Tour was 4th in China early in her rookie season, and she also finished 5th earlier this season at the Fortinet Founders Cup. This weekend provides the opportunity for a potential breakthrough win for Porter, who gained access to the LPGA Tour via the Epson Tour in 2024.

“I think obviously we all have one goal in mind, and, I mean, you’re not holding the trophy, you know what I mean, on a Saturday.

“So I’ve got nothing to defend. I don’t have a position to uphold. It’s just I’m going to play the best golf I can and see where that lands me on Sunday afternoon.

“I’m just looking at the big picture. That’s kind of my thing, just being able to stay grounded. As long as I do all I can and what’s in my control, that’s all I can really do. I can’t really control how other people play or the conditions.

“So, yeah, just taking each moment, each shot as it comes. As I said, see how that places us on Sunday afternoon.”

Of the other Australians, Grace Kim is at 4 under and tied for 21st, Karis Davidson at 3 under and Hannah Green and Minjee Lee at 2 under.

 Leaderboard 

/by

Wyndham Clark leads disrupted opening round at Shinnecock Hills


Every reason to be smiling after his impressive start – Wyndham Clark – image USGA/Logan Whitton

At 8.25 pm local time, round one of the 2026 US Open at Shinnecock Hills was suspended due to darkness, play having been delayed for two hours much earlier in the day when fog caused the suspension of play after play had been under way for just 30 minutes or so.

When play was called, Wyndham Clark had saved par from a bunker to the left of the 7th green (his 16th hole of the day) to remain at 6 under par, and he headed to the clubhouse with, still, two holes to play, holding a four-shot lead over a large group at 2 under, four of whom had yet to finish their opening rounds.

Amongst that group at 2 under were four former US Open champions, namely Dustin Johnson who had just double bogeyed his 15th hole, Matthew Fitzpatrick who has 12 feet left for a possible birdie at his 16th hole when he returns tomorrow, Gary Woodland who has a 30 footer for birdie at his 16th hole and Jon Rahm who is playing the 14th hole and is 74 yards from the hole with his 3rd shot at the par 5.

So things might change when those yet to finish return to the course early on Friday morning, but Clark has been simply brilliant in his opening round effort.

Making the turn at 3 under 32, Clark bogeyed his 11th hole, but then came two birdies and an eagle in his next three and with two holes to play, his four-shot lead might even be extended when he completes his round.

“Obviously, getting off to a great start was good,” said Clark. “Birdieing the first two was really nice. Then I kind of had a little bit of a lull, but made some great par saves. It was great birdieing 18 (his 9th).

“Then a little mishap, missed a shorty on 1 and then a bogey on 2, but then got into a nice rhythm. Yeah, everything was kind of clicking. We were definitely fortunate with the wind laying down. Overall, a good round.

“I would say when I got my tee times on Tuesday, I was like, oh, it could be a tough draw. That two-hour fog delay was very helpful, and it was really nice it laid down. So it definitely helped those last six, seven holes we played.”

There are several other heavyweights at 1 under and five from the lead including Rory McIlroy who faced the force of the winds through much of his round of 69. When he finished his round, it appeared that he might very well be amongst the day one leaders before the winds lessened later in the day and the demanding layout became just a little bit more generous.


Ryan Fox heads the Australasians at this stage – image USGA

The leading Australasian at this stage is Ryan Fox, who was putting together an impressive opening effort when he fought his way to 1 under through 12 holes before bogeys at his 15th and 16th holes and a par at the 17th had him at 1 over and in a share of 29th with one hole to play on Friday morning.

Adam Scott, playing his 100th consecutive major, finished with a round of 73 to be at 3 over and in a share of 76th, shares the second leading Australasian position with Min Woo Lee, who has four holes to play in round one tomorrow.

Lucas Herbert finished with 74, Cameron Smith 75 and Jason Day was forced to withdraw with a back injury after playing several holes.

Leaderboard

/by

Scottie Scheffler ambivalent on Grand Slam glory


Scottie Scheffler at Shinnecock Hills on Wednesday – image USGA / Dustin Satloff

It took Rory McIlroy just nearly nine years between his 2014 Open Championship and the 2025 Masters Tournament to complete the Grand Slam of Golf but this week if Scottie Scheffler was able to join six other golfers as Grand Slam Champions then it would have been just under a year since his win at the Open Championship which had him just the US Open short of joining Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlory in completing that feat.

Just over four years ago, in 2022, Scheffler broke through for his first major title when winning the Masters that year. He then won the Masters again in 2024, but he closed in on the Grand Slam when he won the Open and the PGA Championship in 2025, and as the favourite this week at Shinnecock Hills, he could well complete the remarkable milestone in extra quick time.

By his standards, Scheffler is having a lean year, but only by his standards, as a win, three runners-up and two 3rd place finishes would be a dream for any other of the game’s greatest players.

Scheffler spoke earlier this week about the possibility of such a career milestone by the age of 30 (he is actually 30 on Sunday) and had this to say.

“It’s kind of a funny thing. It’s like, yeah, if I win this tournament, that would be amazing, but I think then I show up the next week, and it’s like, okay, now Scottie’s won the grand slam, he’s won all these golf tournaments. Now, where do we go from here?

“So no matter what, I think as a player and as a professional athlete, you’re never going to live up to the expectations of people. I think sometimes that’s a little bit of the fallacy in our sport is like, if I win the U.S. Open, then I’m going to be satisfied. I’ve won all the tournaments, and my career is essentially over, and I’ve accomplished everything I could want to accomplish. But I think the goal posts are always just moved further and further.

“If you took my career from where I was as a college player, I would have extremely overachieved being in this position. I wasn’t the best college player. I had a decent college career, but by no means was I a can’t-miss type of prospect.

“The guys who turned pro at the time were better than me. There were guys, you look at Collin Morikawa and Hovland and Matt Wolff, those guys were winning tournaments immediately when they turned pro, and I had a little bit of a slower burn in terms of the development of my career.

“For me, would it be a dream to win the U.S. Open? Of course. But at the end of the day, like I — the grand slam has never been a motivating factor for me. I always just wanted to be the best version of myself, and that got me this far.

“So when it comes to this golf tournament, like I said, I’m going to step on the first tee and remind myself I’ve done everything I possibly could in order to play well, and now it’s just a matter of going out there and trying to execute and kind of going back to enjoying the competition versus feeling like you have to win for some reason.”

The comments resembled earlier comments on the impact of winning last year’s Open Championship as he tried to keep a lid on expectations, or perhaps he sees golf is only part of his life, along with family and faith and not the be-all and end-all, although I guess it is easy to say that when in his position.

“I always felt like The Open (British) would be one of the hardest ones for me to win because, as I said earlier, I didn’t have a lot of experience playing over there in the UK.

“Growing up, I played a lot of golf here in the States. I didn’t really play much internationally at all. For me, not having the experience on links golf, I would have said that would probably be the most difficult for me to win.

“I always had self-belief. I always believed that I could win golf tournaments out here. I always had that belief in myself that I could accomplish some nice things in the game of golf.”

So how does the world number one (by some margin) rate his game this season?

“I’d say I feel like I’ve been close most of the year. I feel like I just haven’t been as sharp as I needed to be. I think the margins in this game are so small. For me to be winning a lot of tournaments, you’ve got to just be really, really sharp.

“I feel like maybe I’ve just been a touch dull, because I think statistically I think I’m maybe leading the FedExCup, I think I’m leading the strokes gained statistics, so by no means is it a bad year. Is it up to the play I’ve had the previous couple of years? Probably not, but it’s not far off.

“I would say a lot of it is just the sharpness, and that can come from a variety of things. But sometimes, like, I’m either not making the momentum putt, or I make a sloppy bogey somewhere, or I hit an iron shot a touch thin instead of really solid, and all of a sudden it ends up in the bunker, and I make bogey instead of hitting a really good shot and making birdie.

“The margins are just so small, I think in this game. I feel like this year I’ve been what I would describe as close.”

Scheffler outlined his thoughts on Shinnecock Hills, which he is playing competitively for the first occasion, having not qualified for the event in 2018. This will be his 9th US Open Championship with a best of runner-up to Matthew Fitzpatrick in 2022. He was also 3rd in 2023.

“It may look like a links course. I don’t think it really plays like one. Links golf is really interesting in the sense that once you get the ball onto the green, most of the greens are pretty flat and they’re fairly slow compared to these greens, just because you have so many elements. Those golf courses are naturally always firmer as well.

Links golf is one of those things where once you get the ball on the green, it’s actually fairly easy. There’s not a ton of slope on the greens. These, you can be in the middle of the green and be like, ” Wow”, I don’t know how I’m going to two-putt from here. I think it may look like links golf, but doesn’t necessarily play like it.

In all of these shots here, there’s a lot of false fronts on the greens, and it’s not really easy to run it up. On this golf course, the challenge is you still have to play a lot of shots into the air and then control your spin in the wind as well. That’s really the challenge here.

I think links, a lot of times, you can hit just really, really low shots and kind of run it around everywhere. Around this golf course, I’m not really sure that necessarily works. It may, on a couple of holes, but for most of the holes, you’ve still got to be hitting the ball up in the air in order to hold the greens.

Tee Times / Leaderboard

 

 

 

/by

Adam Scott’s 100 consecutive majors a stunning milestone


Adam Scott – acknowledging the crowd after his 2013 Masters victory, his 47th consecutive major start – image Masters Tournament 

At Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, New York, on Thursday, Australia’s Adam Scott will tee it up in his 101st major championship, but his 100th in succession, becoming just the second person in the history of the game, after Jack Nicklaus, to reach that milestone, Nicklaus’ amazing run of 146 stretching from the 1962 Masters Tournament through to the 1998 US Open.

The number of US Opens Scott has played in the past (24) has him as the player with the most starts in the event in this week’s field. Justin Rose, with 21, is the only other player competing this week with more than 20 appearances.

Whichever way you look at it, the achievement of maintaining a game in good enough shape to gain entry to that many major championships is phenomenal.

In his pre-tournament media conference today, Scott was asked his thoughts on the approaching milestone.

“Yeah, it’s an interesting one, as I’ve thought about it over the last couple of weeks, obviously this week getting closer. I found it difficult at first to reflect on something while I’m still playing. I think I’ve never really been one to dwell on milestones. I think it’s something I’ll probably do at the end of my career.

“However, it’s resonated a little bit more with me the last few days, and from people close to me, to my sponsors and partners, I’m so appreciative of everyone recognizing this. It’s a strange one because it’s not something you really set out to do or aim for.

“But in all honesty, since Pinehurst a couple of years ago, it was kind of on my radar. Earlier this year, as I wasn’t automatically qualified for this event, it became a bit of a weight on my shoulders, making sure I got here.

“It’s been fun. I had a photograph with Jack Nicklaus a couple of weeks ago at his Memorial Tournament, and he’s the other guy who made it to a hundred in a row. He, in fact, made it way past that, and I can’t even think about playing another 11 or 12 years straight of these, but I’m really excited for this week.”

Scott was further asked as to the key to such longevity.

“I would say, probably overall, a certain level of focus has been required over the 25 years to maintain, I’ll call it golf at this elite level, major championship level. It has taken a lot of focus to do that.

“I think there are lots of little things you could break down after that, but I’m quite proud that I’ve managed to keep my focus this long and keep pushing through. Obviously, not all years and all weeks out here are easy, and you’re playing full of confidence.”

Scott’s stretch might have been halted at 93 when he was forced to attend final qualifying in 2024 and finished as the first alternate at his venue. Soon after, however, Grayson Murray, who took his own life when he was the 61st-ranked golfer in the world, opened the door for Scott, who was then 61st in the world, to take his place in the field as a result of the leading 60-ranked world golfers earning the right to play.

Of the 100 he has played already (including the 2001 Open Championship, which is not included in the run of consecutive events), Scott has made the cut on 74 occasions and been inside the top three on six occasions, his win at the 2013 Masters the standout along with his near miss when runner-up to Ernie Els at Royal Lytham and St Annes in 2012.

Adam Scott is a testament to longevity and, even at the age of still just 45, is considered by many to be one of the great statesmen of the game, his measured but well-thought-through opinions on the game and its administration valued by players, administrators, and golf fans worldwide.

Scott trails only Karrie Webb in terms of the number of majors played by Australians. Webb played 100 in her 23 years at that level, while Greg Norman competed in 90.

Not only has Scott become a highly regarded spokesperson for the game, but his golf has withstood the passage of time, continuing to compete at close to the highest level despite the rapid changes in technology and fitness, and as a father of three, he has displayed a great ability to compartmentalise his life in a manner that allows him to continue his remarkable run at such a level.

At Shinnecock Hills this week, Scott will play his 25th US Open, two of those played at this venue. In both 2004 and 2018, Scott missed the cut at this venue. In fact, in four competitive rounds at Shinnecock Hills, Scott has not recorded a round better than 75, so his performance this week will be of much interest.

“I love Shinnecock,” added Scott. “I’ve played here a fair amount socially over the years. This is my third U.S. Open here. I haven’t played well in either U.S. Open, which is really disappointing to me, but hoping to change that this week.

“I still love the golf course. I think it’s as good as any test we have at the U.S. Open.

“I came up straight here from Ohio and played from last Thursday. I’ve played four practice rounds, and I came with a blank slate. It’s funny how when you play poorly at an event, you can forget about what went on, and I really don’t remember much of ’18 from a playing perspective.

“Came here excited on Thursday and really felt like I had a fresh look at the golf course and a fresh take and felt comfortable straight away. I think the green complexes aren’t dissimilar to playing into Royal Melbourne style greens. At least that’s what I’m telling myself, and that’s a comfortable place for me.

“I’m looking at it with a fresh set of eyes this week and feel like I’m much more prepared at this point than I was at the last two here.”

Deservedly, there will be a lot of attention on Scott’s milestone this week, and it is hoped that he can at least make it to the weekend so that his remarkable achievement gets the full recognition it deserves, and for him to continue his remarkable run as one of the game’s most impressive performers, irrespective of age.

 

/by

New look Australian Open details revealed


The Australian Open trophy – image courtesy of Golf Australia

The news today of the Capital.com Australian Open being confirmed for Victoria in 2026, 2027, 2029, and 2030 (the 2027 edition played at the Peninsula Kingswood Golf Club) clarifies earlier suggestions as to Adelaide’s soon-to-be-redeveloped North Adelaide Golf Club hosting the event from 2028.

The earlier statement suggested there was to be at least three men’s Australian Opens played in Adelaide between 2028 and 2034, and today, the news that the highly regarded Peninsula Kingswood’s role in 2027, resulting in Victoria playing host to the event in four of the next five years, provides a level of certainty for the event’s direction. The 2026 version will, of course, be played at Kingston Heath Golf Club in December.

There is no indication at this stage as to which of Melbourne’s great sandbelt layouts will play host in 2029 and 2030.

In 2028, the Presidents Cup returns to Melbourne and Kingston Heath for the fourth staging of the clash between the Internationals and the USA, and, in that year, North Adelaide is expected to play host to the Australian Open on the basis that the newly redesigned Greg Norman layout is ready for the task.

The arrangement would suggest that Adelaide would also host at least two of the next four Australian Opens beyond 2030.

The news that the PGA Tour is providing support should, in theory, provide a boost for the event in terms of funding and encouragement for members of that tour to play the event, although it should be remembered that the partnership between the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia does not include a full joint sanctioning arrangement with the Americans.

Therefore, there is no suggestion at this stage that a winner of the event would automatically gain playing rights for the PGA Tour.

It should also be remembered that in 2001, when the PGA Tour decided to bring its Accenture World Golf Championship event to the Metropolitan Golf Club in Melbourne in January of that year, very few of the world’s leading players attended, although the date in early January proved troublesome in terms of attracting such players to the other side of the world.

American Steve Stricker won that event, defeating Sweden’s Pierre Fulke in the final, leaving many a little disappointed in the lack of big-name players in the latter stages of the event.

This new arrangement, however, comes at a different time for world golf and the financial and moral support of the PGA Tour, resulting in a more attractive purse and a definite place in the world golfing schedule, should encourage more of the leading DP World Tour players and PGA Tour players to Melbourne a week after the Australian PGA Championship in late November.

The news is a considerable boost for the Australian Open, which, until last year’s event at Royal Melbourne when some of the greatest crowds to an Australian golfing event since Tiger Woods’ appearance 15 years earlier flocked to see Rory McIlroy, had lost its way with a desire to combine both the men’s and women’s events at the same venue at the same time proving very unpopular.

The involvement of a new naming-rights sponsor, Capital.com, an international company established in 2016 to facilitate trading on the financial markets, of the world should also provide an injection of funding to assist in elevating the Australian Open to its rightful position in world golf.

The continued return of the Australian Open to its former glory of the 1970’s can only be a good thing for Australian golf, and it is hoped that the players being targeted respond accordingly.

 

 

 

 

/by

Ryan Fox solid warm up for US Open


Ryan Fox – file image PGA of America

New Zealand’s Ryan Fox might not have been able to successfully defend his RBC Canadian Open title this week near Toronto, but he gave every indication his game was in good shape to tackle next week’s US Open at Shinnecock Hills when he finished in a share of 8th place after getting into a share of 3rd place midway through his closing nine.

Fox was languishing at even par for the day and well off the pace when he reached the turn, but then came a hole out for eagle from 80 yards at the 12th, and three consecutive birdies from the 14th to open the door for a possible successful defence.

Bogeys at the 17th and 18th, however, and a relentless finish from first-time PGA Tour winner, Bid Cauley saw him finish five off the lead.

Cauley was playing his 239th PGA Tour event, but until today, his best result had been when 3rd on three occasions, much of his early career curtailed by a car accident during the Memorial Tournament in 2018, complications from which eventually kept him from playing competitively for three years.

Cauley finished two ahead of Matthew Fitzpatrick, who takes over as the leader in the FedEx Cup standings courtesy of his three wins earlier this season and now this runner-up placing.

Fox now heads to Shinnecock Hills to play his 8th US Open, in which he has a best of 19th in 2025.

Canadian Open Leaderboard

/by

Richard Green records best finish of season in Des Moines

Victorian
Richard Green – file image courtesy of USGA

Richard Green has produced his best finish of the 2026 PGA Tour Champions season when finishing in a share of the runner-up position behind Zach Johnson in the Principal Charity at the Wakonda Club in Des Moines, Iowa.

Green began the final round three off the lead held by Johnson, Scott Hend and Brett Quigley and actually took the lead when he moved 6 under for the day and 15 under for the tournament through 15 holes before bogeys at the 16th and 17th, and a strong finish by Johnson saw the 55-year-old finish four behind.

Green has been steadily improving in recent starts, this now his third consecutive top ten, and a cheque for US$160,000 is his reward.

“There was some good stuff,” said Green. “Just got a bit challenging towards the end for me, really. I had a really long putt for birdie on 16 and left it short and three-putted from just off the green, yeah, so that was a difficult hole.

“Then I made sort of a mess of 17 really as well into the wind, that probably cost me in the end. The guys will probably finish off pretty well from where they are now. It was a good result. It’s nice to sort of put my name back up there.”

Green’s fellow Victorian, David Bransdon, added to a good week for the Australians when he finished in a share of 4th place, but a costly double bogey at the 16th will no doubt haunt Bransdon, who is playing without full status on the PGA Tour Champions this season and getting starts where he can.

Bransdon, who has been able to play only three events up until this week in 2026, given his limited status, will add considerably to his earnings of US$47,500, a cheque for US$108,000 coming his way.

Mark Hensby followed up his last start 5th place, his best of the year, with a share of 10th place, rounding out a good week for the large (10 players) Australian contingent.

But it was a disappointing Sunday for Scott Hend, who, with a win and two top 3 finishes in three starts, has been one of the talking points on the PGA Tour Champions this season.

Hend took a share of the lead into the final day, but a horror outward nine of 41 resulted in a final round of 77 and a share of 22nd.

Leaderboard

/by

Ryan Fox defends Canadian Open title


Ryan Fox – holds the trophy for the 2025 Canadian Open – file image

New Zealand’s Ryan Fox gets the chance to defend a PGA Tour title for the very first time when he tees it up at the RBC Canadian Open in Toronto this week, Fox unable to defend his first PGA Tour win at Myrtle Beach in May, as he had qualified for the opposite Signature event, the Truit Classic at Quail Hollow that week.

Last year, Fox won a dramatic playoff when he defeated Sam Burns at the 4th extra hole at the same venue he tackles this week, the TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley. He had earlier holed a lengthy putt at the 72nd hole just to get into the playoff.

Fox’s approach at the par 5 18th (the 4th occasion)with a fairway wood,  after the hole had been relocated during the playoff, finished 6 feet from the hole, and although he missed the eagle attempt, the birdie secured the victory.

Fox also finished 7th in the event at another venue on debut in 2024.

Fox is one of four Australasians in the field, the others being Karl Vilips, the out-of-form Cam Davis, and Davis’s fellow Sydneysider, Declan O’Donovan, who earned his start by winning the Canadian Amateur Championship in Quebec last year.

Donovan has subsequently turned professional but is still eligible to take up his entry into the event.

Fox has recorded just the one top ten in eleven starts in his third season on the PGA Tour, but that 7th place was timely in that it came at the lucrative (US$20 million) Genesis Invitational, where he earned US$603,000.

The 39-year-old Aucklander is currently in 64th place in the FedEx Cup standings and has banked US$1,651,000 thus far.

As the defending champion, Fox faced the media on Wednesday and enthused about the prospect of defending such a significant win in his career.

“It’s always great coming back to a course that you’ve got good memories at,” said Fox. “I love the golf course. I love the fans here last year. They treated me really, really well. I’m just seeing that plaque on 18 for the first time, and that brought back a lot of memories that have shot.

“I still think it’s the best shot I’ve ever hit. Yeah, I’ve seen my face in a few different places this week than I would normally, and that’s pretty cool.”

Fox was asked about the memories he carried from last year’s win.

“I think it’s the shot on 18. Then the other one that comes to mind is I distinctly remember standing up there, waiting to get this trophy, and I saw my kids in the background, not caring, just throwing sand in the bunker on the back of 18. I’ve got a lot of memories of that, and I’ve had a few people say that to me as well, that they really enjoyed seeing that. That’s a big memory for me of last year, too.”

A plaque has been installed on the 18th to commemorate the magnificent fairway wood approach, which ultimately led to the win, and Fox had been excited at the prospect of seeing it first hand.

“I think the thing I was looking forward to the most was seeing the plaque on 18. I’ve never had one of those before, so that was a pretty cool novelty today. And today was the first time I saw it, literally 15, 20 minutes ago. So, to see that and also look at that second shot again and try to relive that memory. Yeah, that was pretty cool.”

Fox feels his game is not too far from where it needs to be for him to be a factor again this week.

“The game’s pretty close. I feel like I’ve said that a lot this year. There was a lot of good signs last week at Memorial. I played pretty decent for the most part at the PGA. I’ve just not really put everything together this year.

“There’s always something been wrong, whether I struggled with the putter, or last week I didn’t drive it great at Memorial. So, a week’s a long time in golf, and hopefully I can figure out how to put it all together this week, and, as I said, I like the golf course.

“I think that helps a little bit where you feel comfortable around a place, and it makes it easier to pick shots and commit to shots. So hopefully that helps me a little bit this week.”

Fox was asked his thoughts on the field this week, especially given the event’s place in the schedule as the lead-up event to next week’s US Open.

“I mean, for me, it seems like a stronger field than last year. Obviously, it’s a major for all the Canadians; all of the top Canadian guys are here, and it’s great to see.

“But having Brooks, Justin Rose, Tommy, Aaron Rai, Matt Fitz, his brother’s playing great as well. Yeah, I think this event holds — it’s a tough place in the schedule, there’s going to be guys just not wanting to play the week before a major, regardless of the event.

“There’s going to be guys that will play an event regardless the week before a major that they want to play. But I think it speaks to the history of this event. I think everyone who came out of this golf course last year really enjoyed it. I think we’ve got a stronger field than last year because of that, that everyone did enjoy themselves, that there’s such a great history at this event, and it is a pretty good warm-up for next week.

The US$9,800,000 event carries a first prize of US$1.764 million.

Leaderboard / Field

/by