Australian team finishes well back at Espirito Santo

The Australians (middle three) Maddison Hinson Tolchard, Kirsten Rudgeley and Kelsey Bennett – photo USGA

In what can only be described as a mediocre performance at the Espirito Santo tournament, the Australian Team has finished in 14th place at the event in Paris.

West Australian Kirsten Rudgeley did best in the individual standings when she finished in a share of 21st, NSW’s Kelsey Bennett was 42nd at Perth’s Maddison Hinson-Tolchard 55th.

The team finished 16 shots behind the winning team, Sweden, who defeated the USA on a countback.

The Swedes and Americans tied at 13-under par 559 but after comparing non-counting scores, a 1-over-par 73 from Sweden’s Louise Rydqvist was one stroke better than Rachel Kuehn’s 74 giving Sweden the gold medal and the USA the silver.

One stroke behind were Germany and Japan tied for the bronze-medal position.

New Zealand’s Fiona Xu, the current Women’s Australian Amateur Champion, did best of the players from our part of the world when she tied for 16th in the individual standings, with the New Zealand team 20th.

Next week it is the turn of the men when they play for the Eisenhower Trophy at the WATC Championship at the same venues in Paris, Le Golf National and St Nom la Breteche.

 

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Australians drop to 9th at Espirito Santo

Kirsten Rudgeley in today’s second round – photo USGA Steve Gibbons

The Australian team has dropped to a share of 9th from 6th after the second round of the World Amateur Teams Championship (Espirito Santo) in Paris.

Kirsten Rudgeley is the best placed at 1 under par and in a share of 12th in the individual while Kelsey Bennett is tied for 22nd and Maddison Hinson-Tolchard struggling back in 73rd place.

The Australians are now nine shots behind the leaders, Sweden and seven behind Germany and the USA in the 72 hole event.

The New Zealand team is currently in 26th place.

Sweden’s Meja Ortengren leads the individual at 6 under par.

 

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Fitting finale looming at Tour Championship

The Open – One of Cameron Smith’s three wins in 2022 – perhaps another this week? photo R&A via Getty

The most tumultuous season in the history of the PGA Tour comes to an end this weekend when the leading 29 FedEx Cup eligible players (Will Zalatoris has been forced out through injury) chase the riches of the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup.

With LIV Golf casting a shadow over the latter half of the season, the Tour gets the opportunity to reset following this week’s event but before it does there are some fairly significant FedEx Cup riches on offer.

Two of the 29 players are Australians, Cameron Smith at number 6 in the standings and Adam Scott just scraping into the field with a stunning up and down for par at the last hole of last week’s BMW Championship to ensure he would be in the field for the 12th occasion.

Smith will be playing the tournament for the 4th time having a best of 14th last year but it is fair to suggest as the number two player in the world he arrives at East Lake with a good chance to win the Tour Championship to go with his Tournament of Champions victory, his Players Championship and of course his Open Championship win in 2022.

The niggling hip injury that caused him to miss last week’s event would appear to be at a stage where he feels well enough to tackle such a big week and with so much at stake there is little wonder why he is doing so.

Smith begins the event at 4 under, handicapped six shots behind the FedEx Cup leader, Scottie Scheffler, so he is giving a man who has recorded four wins two seconds and a third, six shots in the format designed to reward the FedEx Cup points leader for his performances in a season. It is a big task but Smith has shown that when right he can outperform most.

Scott begins the event at even par, so he is yielding ten shots to Scheffler, a mammoth task, admittedly, but he does enjoy a good record in the event in his 12 starts including a win and five other top tens. Although that needs to be tempered with the fact that there are typically only 30 players in the field each year, it is a strong record and provides hope for him, especially given the manner in which he is playing right now.

There is plenty at stake for the now 29 players who advanced to the season-ending championship.

There is an 18 million bonus to the winner of this week’s event, the second-place finisher in the FedEx Cup earns a bonus of $6.5 million, $5 million going to third, $4 million to fourth and $3 million to fifth. The player who finishes 30th will earn $500,000, even Zalatoris withdrawing will still yield him US$500,000.

Whether this is Smith’s last event as a PGA Tour player remains to be seen, but if it is then he could potentially go out with a bang and add US$18 million to his huge earnings in 2022.

To do so however, he has to beat some very much in form players such as Scottie Scheffler, Patrick Cantley and Xander Schaufelle in the process, with Cantlay looking to defend his title and the FexEx Cup title also.

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The heat rises in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals


Jason Scrivener – after several years in Europe a chance to make it to the bigtime – file photo Bruce Young

The Korn Ferry Tour Finals are into their second week with several Australians attempting to play their way onto the PGA Tour over the next two weeks at this week’s Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship in Ohio.

Harrison Endycott is also in this field but he has already earned the right to play in the big league next year courtesy of a fine year on the secondary tour  in 2022. But, the NSW golfer can improve his priority ranking if he plays well in the Finals and last week he did just that by finishing 18th at the Boise Open to gain a place or two in the standings which will be divided between those 25 players who have already gained a card and the 25 players who will earn a card via the three final events.

Min Woo Lee and Jason Scrivener are in 17th place of those not already with tour cards via the regular season after the opening event last week and Anthony Quayle is 56th.

Aaron Baddeley who has of course been a PGA Tour member (on and off) since 2002 gets another chance and is in 26th place after last week’s event.

The volatility of the format means that one good finish in the Finals can earn a coveted PGA Tour card for next season.

 

 

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Australians tied for 6th after day one of Espirito Santo

Le Golf National – Paris – photo WATC

The Australian team of Kirsten Rudgeley, Kelsey Bennett and Maddison Hinson Tolchard, find themselves in a share of 6th place after day one of the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship (Espirito Santo) in France.

Bennett and Rudgeley both recorded rounds of 70 in a format where only two of the three scores each day count, Hinson Tolchard’s round of 75 not required in today’s scoring.

The Australians, at 2 under par, are three shots behind the USA side who in turn are one ahead of Germany.

Bennett and Rudgeley are tied for 11th place in the individual standings but only two shots from the lead.

Australia last won the Espirito Santo in 2014 when Minjee Lee, Su Oh and Shelley Shin, teamed to win 12 years after winning in Malaysia.

New Zealand’s Fiona Xu, the current Australian Women’s Amateur Champion has started slowly and finds herself in a share of 50th place with a round of 73. New Zealand is in 28th place in the team standings.

Le Golf National (Albatross Course) and Golf De Saint Nom La Breteche are the two venues being used this week where three players from 56 countries battle it out for the most significant teams title in women’s amateur golf.

The event is played over 72 holes, finishing this Sunday with the men’s equivalent the Eisenhower trophy being played next week.

 

GOLF
DE SAINT-NOM-LA-BRETÈCHE

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Scott’s brilliant shotmaking under pressure gets him to Atlanta


Adam Scott – on his way to Atlanta – file photo

The volatility and the range of permutations of the FedEx Cup Playoffs were no better illustrated than this weekend when, after leading the BMW Championship though 36 holes and moving into 3rd place in the projected FedEx Cup standings, Adam Scott was forced to fight to the end to ensure he would be in Atlanta next week for the Tour Championship.

Scott’s third round of 69 yesterday dropped him to 28th in the standings and he needed a round of even par or better today if he was to maintain his place inside the top 30 players who earned the right to play at East Lake next week.

The 42-year-old Australian’s final round got off to a shaky start when he reached the turn in 2 over 37 and by then he had slipped outside the top 30 in FedEx Cup standings.

Three shots however, and perhaps two in particular, would determine his fate. A stunning approach from just over 200 yards with a mid-iron to 15 feet at the 12th set up an eagle chance which was converted and, all of a sudden, he was back inside the top 30.

Scott then proceeded to bogey the very next hole to be right on the cusp but a fine bunker shot to 6 feet at the 14th set up a birdie and needing to par his way in he managed to do that at the next three holes before, from an awkward lie at the last, he pulled his approach into the left hand greenside bunker.

Needing to get up and down from 30 yards for the all-important par, Scott hit a brilliant bunker shot to 2 feet (see below) and when he converted he was safely inside the top 30 and on his way to Atlanta.

Scott finished in a share of 5th in this week’s event but he gets another opportunity to advance his cause at next week’s Tour Championship which he has won previously (2006).

“Yeah, it’s really good,” said Scott. “I guess that’s the beauty of the FedExCup Playoffs the way they are. You can scratch it around a lot for the year and have a couple good weeks and get heavily rewarded by getting to East Lake and being in that top 30 and all the perks that come with it.

“This week was a great event, and I felt like I played some really good golf. Today was a bit of a struggle, but still managed to have a decent score.

“This week I felt like I played really high-quality golf. I was out there with Scottie Scheffler yesterday who’s obviously played incredible this year, and I felt like I was playing at that high, high level again, and I haven’t been in so many of those situations this year. But I felt like my game stacked up, and I felt like a top player.

“Hopefully stuff to build on this week, and go for it next week with really nothing to lose and head into the next season full of confidence and hopefully keep my head in this place where I feel like I’m one of the best players out here.”

Of the other Australians in the field at the BMW Championship, Lucas Herbert put together a very good week with rounds of 68 and 69 to finish in a share of 15th this week but fell short of making it to the top 30, finishing 43rd in the FedEx Cup standings.

Despite this, it has been an impressive first full season on the PGA Tour for the Victorian with a win and two other top ten finishes.

Marc Leishman finished 28th this week but misses out on a trip to Atlanta by finishing 58th in the race to Atlanta as does Cameron Davis who finished 35th this week but ends the year in 55th place in the FedEx Cup standings.

Cameron Smith who was forced to withdraw this week due to injury issues is now in 6th place on the FedEx Cup table.

The event was won by Patrick Cantlay who successfully defended the title he won last year, albeit on a different layout.

Cantlay goes to 2nd on the Fed Ex Cup standings while Scottie Scheffler who finished third this week is back on top of the FedEx Cup after being overtaken briefly by Will Zalatoris last week. Zalatoris was forced to withdraw with injury this week and is now 3rd on the FedEx Cup table.

SCORES

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Endycott and Lee start well in Korn Ferry Tour Finals


Min Woo Lee – has made a good start in his quest for the right to play the PGA Tour – file photo PGA of Australia

Perhaps building on the euphoria and momentum gained when earning a PGA Tour card in the final event of the regular Korn Ferry Tour season last week, Sydney’s Harrison Endycott has made a fine start to the opening event of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals in Boise in Idaho with a second round of 64 to be in a share of 7th place.

Play has been suspended in the low scoring event, with just a few players remaining on the Hillcrest Country Club’s layout, but all but one (Aaron Baddeley) of the five Australians in the field have completed their rounds. Baddeley has one hole to play and is one shot behind Endycott and fellow Australian Min Woo Lee.

Endycott has of course already a PGA Tour card for next season securely in his pocket, but he can improve his chances of early season PGA Tour starts by finishing well in the three event Final series and improving his priority standing.

Endycott shares 8th place with first round leader and fellow countryman Lee, who needs to finish inside the top 25 of the players not already qualified for a card at the end of the finals and after a second round of 69 to go with his brilliant opening 63 he is nicely placed.

Baddeley is chasing a return to full PGA Tour playing rights and at 9 under par with one hole to play he is tied for 15th.

Jason Scrivener is tied for 41st after an impressive second round of 66 while Anthony Quayle will miss the cut despite an opening round of 68 yesterday and will need to rely on a good week over either or both of the next two playoffs in Columbus, Ohio and at the Tour Championship in Newburgh in Indiana.

Lee, Baddeley, Scrivener and Quayle are all in the category of needing to finish inside the top 25 money winners from the Final series if they are to earn PGA Tour playing rights.

SCORES

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Scott leads BMW and moves to 3rd in projected FedEx Cup standings

Adam Scott – file photo

Adam Scott began the Fed Ex Playoffs on the outside looking in as far as his chances of making it to the Tour Championship were concerned but an impressive share of 5th place at last week’s opening event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs in Memphis and now a brilliant start to the BMW Championship in Delaware, has the 42 year old Australian with not only Atlanta on his mind but the possibility of even winning the FedEx Cup.

Scott added a second round of 69 to his opening 65 and at the halfway mark of the penultimate event of the PGA Tour season, he leads by one and has improved 42 places to 3rd in the FedEx Cup projected standings.

Only Scottie Scheffler and Will Zalatoris are ahead of him at this stage and while there are many permutations which might eventuate over the next six rounds of the FedEx Cup, Scott has emerged as a real threat.

Scott leads the BMW over the projected FedEx Cup leader, Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Young, Corey Connors and Jordan Spieth with Australian Cameron Davis amongst a group another shot back and sharing 6th.

Scott’s only real blemish came at the par 4 16th where  a poor drive led to a double bogey but that aside it was yet another impressive round to add to the solid form he has been in of late.

“Overall, I felt really in control today,” said Scott. “When you’re playing that way, it always could be a couple better, and a poor shot on 17 was quite costly.

“It’s a good reminder for the weekend that I’ve really got to keep it under control and don’t want to have too many get off the map and get out of position around here. But I kept it in position really well all day and had so many good looks and was cruising there for a while.

“I mean, last week I kind of got it done with the putter, and this week it feels like the game is taking shape a bit, which is a nice position, and I played very free and was able to let go a little bit today and swing freely and rolled a few in. That’s a nice feeling. I’d like that kind of feeling over the weekend.”

Davis has moved from 51st to 32nd in the projected standings and if he is able to continue his early form this week he might well make it all the way to Atlanta where the leading 30 players in the FedEx Cup standings get to fight it out for the pointy end of the riches of the FedEx Cup.

“It was really good,” said Davis enthusing about his round of 67. “I started off really strong. My big issue is getting the ball off the tee around here. It was the same sort of last week, and once I started finding fairways I could start to get a bit of momentum going.

“I would say a round of two halves. Found a lot of fairways early on, and then towards the end of the round started finding it a little difficult to get myself in play, but I feel like I’m managing it well enough to not lose too many strokes when things are going wrong.”

“That would be goal achieved for this year,” said Davis when asked about the possibility of making it to Atlanta. “Last year I got to BMW and didn’t quite get to East Lake. This year I wanted to make it one step further forward. All I could do is get myself here and have a chance, and I guess I’ve still got a chance, so I’ve just got to keep playing well.”

Marc Leishman is 22nd this week and now 61st in the standings, Lucas Herbert 33rd and now 53rd and so both need to improve sharply over the final 36 holes if they are to have any chance of one more event in their PGA Tour season.

SCORES

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Australians eliminated at US Amateur Championship


Hayden Hopewell in action today – photo USGA

The two Australians who advanced to the match play phase of the US Amateur Championship in New Jersey have both been eliminated, Hayden Hopewell in the Round of 16 and Connor McKinney a few hours earlier in the Round of 32.

Hopewell, who survived a gripping first round match on Wednesday, was again locked in a tight battle in his Round of 32 encounter against American Ford Clegg, birdies at the 16th and 17th breaking him clear of a deadlock to win 2&1.

In his afternoon Round of 16 match-up against Californian, Stewart Hagestad, Hopewell recovered from losing the very first hole to be 1 up through 9 holes. The match was tied through 13 holes before the American drew clear when Hopewell bogeyed the 14th and 15th holes and although Hopewell won the 16th with a birdie, when Hagestad eagled the 17th he had won 2&1.

Australian Amateur Champion, McKinney, lost a close encounter against American Nathan Franks in the morning Round of 32, recovering from an early deficit to be 1 up through 15 holes.

Franks then won the 16th and 17th holes and when both bogeyed the last the American had won 1 up.

SCORES

Connor McKinney during his morning match which he lost 1 down. – photo Kathryn Riley USGA

 

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Four Australians chasing PGA Tour cards via Korn Ferry Tour

Queensland based Anthony Quayle – gets a great opportunity to earn PGA Tour playing rights – photo Japan Tour

Five Australians get their chance to either gain, regain or enhance their PGA Tour playing rights when the first of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, the Albertsons Boise Open, is played in Boise in Idaho.

One, Harrison Endycott, gained his PGA Tour card at the conclusion of the regular Korn Fery Tour last week in Omaha when he finished inside the top 25 players but the US based Sydneysider now has the chance to play each of the three Finals and enhance the standing he already has.

Four other Australians looking to secure the right to play the big smoke next season are Aaron Baddeley, Min Woo Lee, Jason Scrivener and Anthony Quayle.

They will need to finish inside the top 25 of the combined money list of the three Final events and of those not already qualified via the regular Korn Ferry Tour season at the completion of the Finals and, if they do, they are heading for the game’s holy grail.

Baddeley is a two-time Australian Open Champion, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour and a golfer who has accumulated more then US$22 million since joining the PGA Tour for the first time in 2003 and finishing runner-up in his very first event as a card holder.

The 41-year-old Baddeley has played on both the PGA and Korn Ferry Tours in 2002 with very little in the way of success but he finds himself with yet another opportunity to get his career back on track.

Min Woo Lee has reached a world ranking as high as 44 although he is currently 68th. His win at the Scottish Open last year and at the 2020 Vic Open were both DP World Tour events but in 2022 he has played seven events on the PGA Tour.

Jason Scrivener is looking for his first PGA Tour card after playing the DP World Tour over the last few years with some success including a runner-up and seven other top 3 finishes.

The South African born but Perth raised Scrivener has made steady progress in his professional career and is expected to do well if and when he gets to the PGA Tour. His time appears right.

Anthony Quayle has played his trade on the Japan and Australasian Tours since turning professional five years ago and with some success winning two events on the PGA Tour of Australasia and recording numerous other top 3 finishes on both Australia and Japan.

Quayle gets his chance as a result of his standing in the world ranking much of that boosted by his 15th place finish at the Open Championship this year.


Aaron Baddeley – chasing a return to full PGA Tour status 20 years after first gaining it – photo Bruce Young

 

 

 

 

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