In Gee Chun and Australian caddie Dean Herden – in action today – photo Darren Carroll PGA of America
Former KPMG Women’s PGA Champion, Hannah Green, might be in a share of 6th place at this year’s event at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda near Washington D.C but such was the dominant performance of South Korean In Gee Chun in today’s opening round that the West Australian is some seven shots off the lead.
Chun’s round of 64 has opened up a five shot lead over the nest female golfers in the game, former Australian Amateur Champion Hye-Jin Choi and Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum, the former US Women’s Open champion returning to the form which saw her win not only the US Women’s Open in 2015 but the Evian Masters the following year.
Chun is taking on a new approach to her game trying to enjoy it more and focus on the process rather then the result.
“I think golf is all about the process, so after I had a couple of not good weeks before, so I felt really bad after that, but I’m trying to make the focus on the course for the process, not for the result.
“That helps a lot. I’m trying to enjoy to play golf more on the course, more talk with my caddie. I’m happy with the good round today.”
Chun’s caddie is veteran Australian Dean Herden who has an enviable record with Koreans in major championships. He was on the bag of So Yeo Ryu when she won the US Women’s Open in 2011 but has teamed with several other Koreans to win significant events on the LPGA and other tours including Jin Young Ko’s win at the Australian Women’s Open.
Hannah Green, however, began the event well and sits in a share of 6th place with eight others and one shot ahead of the next best Australasians Stephanie Kyriacou and Lydia Ko who recorded rounds of even par 72.
Green played in the wet conditions faced by the morning field and she did well to dig in after a slow start.
“I bogeyed my first hole, didn’t get a great shot, and then just tried to hold on as much as possible. On the front nine, I had a lot of long clubs in. Completely different to what I played in the practice round, which I’m sure every other player has experienced today.
“Luckily, our back nine we got some better weather. The rain stopped, and it was still hard, but, yeah, made a couple of soft bogeys, but super happy to birdie 16, 17 to get me under par.
“Even par is a great score out here today. Nasa (Hataoka) and I played really well, and it was just like we were kind of feeding off each other and trying to hang in there.
“I knew there were a couple of shorter holes on the back nine that I could kind of access, so I wanted to make sure I wasn’t putting too much pressure on myself, but I wanted to make sure I was putting myself in a position to have a birdie or have a low score.
“After the start I’m just glad that I held in there and stayed patient.”
Minjee Lee is another shot back at 1 over 73 along with Sarah Kemp amongst others, that pair tied for 30th.
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L-R Hannah Green, Jan Stephenson and Karrie Webb at this week’s Champions dinner
Steve Alker improves sharply at US Senior Open
Steve Alker in action today – photo USGA Chris Keane
Steve Alker has overcome yesterday’s slow start to the US Senior Open at the Saucon Valley Country Club in Pennsylvania and finds himself just three shots from the leader Padraig Harrington at the halfway mark of senior golf’s most significant event.
Alker was 3 over par early in his first round yesterday but fought his way back to a round of 1 over 72 and then, despite a double-bogey at his 9th hole today, he added enough birdies for a round of 67 and a share of 4th place.
“Yeah, the putter was working much better today,” said Alker. “I was a little bit scrappy in places, but the putter looked after me today.
“I had some nice iron shots on the front nine and just got some momentum early on, so it was good. Then lost
momentum during the round and then got it back again.
“It was a bit topsy turvy, but the putter, I was pleased with that.
“We had a little more wind today. It was kind of all over the place. I learned that the winds just kind of switch around. We had wind on the back nine from all over the place, so that was tricky.”
Mark Hensby stays in touch – photo USGA Chris Keane
Mark Hensby was unable to maintain the pace of yesterday’s round of 67 but he remains well placed despite his round of 73 today, the US based Australian, who qualified to play in the event, in a share of 9th place and four from the lead.
Hensby struggled with the greens today after what appeared to him as a significant increase in speed.
“Obviously we played later yesterday and it was wet, but, yeah, I was shocked how fast they were. I just never got
my speed today.
“No, nothing really changed except for the speed of the greens. I mean, they were soft but they were fast. I mean, it felt like two, three feet faster.”
Richard Green is the next best of the Australasians in a share of 13th place and six from the lead, his performance made even more meritorious considering he recorded an early quadruple bogey on day one.
Harrington, a three time major winner in his regular career, produced a bogey free round of the day 65 to lead by one over Steve Stricker.
Harrington was pleasantly surprised at the test the Saucon Valley Country Club’s layout and set-up has provided to date.
“It’s a much stronger test than I expected. This is way, way tougher than our regular Champions Tour events. I knew this was a big advantage to me starting the week, both length-wise and being able to play from the rough if I am in the rough.
“Certainly this is a real strong test. This is a big golf course, well set up. I know it’s gotten a little soft, so the scoring is better because of that. Certainly I’m very impressed with the USGA.”
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Cameron Davis shares second place at Travelers Championship
Cameron Davis and caddie Andrew Tschudin – file photo
US based Sydney golfer, Cameron Davis, is in a share of second place at the Travelers Championship near Hartford, adding a second round of 66 to his opening 65 and although five shots behind the tearaway leader, Xander Schauffele, the 27-year-old is well placed to produce a third top ten is his last six starts on the PGA Tour and perhaps even better.
Davis produced a homeward nine of 31 today including a birdie at the last (see video) to be amongst a group of five players tied for second.
Davis has played this event on two previous occasions missing the cut once and finishing 43rd in the other so this is quite a turnaround over the TPC River Highlands layout for him.
If he was to find a way to win this weekend and record a second PGA Tour title Davis would become the third Australian after Greg Norman and Marc Leishman to claim the title or its equivalent.
Leishman, Brett Drewitt and Jason Day were Australians to miss the cut while New Zealand’s Danny Lee withdrew halfway through round one.
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Ryan Fox one behind at BMW International
Ryan Fox – photo PGA of Australia
Ryan Fox’s stellar 2022 season continues in Munich in Germany this week with the 35 year old New Zealander just one shot off the 36 hole pace held by a resurgent Li Haotong at the BMW International.
Fox’s second round of 64, which was the equal best of the day, included six birdies and an eagle as he chased his 6th top ten in his last nine starts on the DP World Tour and even a missed cut at the US Open at his last start could not dampen what has been a significant elevation in standing for the Aucklander.
Fox is currently 7th on the DP World Tour’s standings in 2022, improving his standing in the word ranking from 213th at the end of last year to his current 67th and has set himself up for a potential second win of the year after winning in the UAE earlier this season.
Fox’s round was disrupted by a weather delay but on his return he was able to finish off a brilliant round despite losing some of the shot quality he was producing before play was called off.
“I’m really happy,” said Fox. “I did everything right the last couple of days and my short game has been really tidy – that’s been a big positive. I don’t think I’ve ever gone bogey-free for 36 holes. I’m happy and in with a chance over the weekend again.
“(Li’s score) proved there was a low number out there. We had a really nice group, I really enjoyed playing with Billy (Horschel) and Tom (Pieters). We got it going for a while and fed off each other. It’s nice to be up there and shoot a decent score today and be there or thereabouts for tomorrow.
“I had a couple of really good shots just before the rain delay and I was really disappointed we stopped. Obviously we had no choice, it was pretty dark out there. It was a little scratchy the first couple of holes coming back, but I made a nice birdie on 11 and then a 35-footer on 14, then hit some good shots coming home after that.
“It took a little more to get the rhythm back, but I was happy that the half-scratchy shots I hit were still not that bad. That’s what golf’s about right? It’s not how good your good is, it’s how good your bad is, and my bad has been pretty good the last couple of days.”
Li Haotong is fighting his way back to the level of golf he produced three or four years ago when he reached close to the top 30 in the world and in 2022 he has turned around a from slump which saw him drop to 463rd in the world heading into this season.
“I’m feeling great,” said Li. “I think I’ve only missed two cuts this year. It’s been working, especially off the tee, I’ve improved a lot and it’s back to where I was. I just need to keep griding, keep improving and showing up.
Wade Ormsby, who is the only other Australasian to have made the cut, could not improve on his opening 68 and only just made the cut on the number, perhaps feeling the impact of the announcement of sanction decisions made on DP World Tour members such as him who played the first of the Liv Series earlier this month.
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Li Haotong – photo Getty / DP World Tour
DP World Tour announces LIV Series player sanctions
Keith Pelley – File photo
The DP World Tour has been noticeably quiet on their stance regarding its members signing up to play the LIV Series with some even suggesting they might eventually form an alliance with the Liv Tour but today’s announcement by the DP World Tour appears to have put any such speculation well and truly to bed.
The announcement falls short of suspending such players from the DP World Tour at this stage although they are banned from participating at the Genesis Scottish Open, the Barbasol Championship and the Barracuda Championship, each of which form part of a new alliance between the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour and are jointly sanctioned by both tours.
The statement released today by the Tour reads as follows;
“The DP World Tour today confirmed the sanctions to be taken against members who breached Tour regulations and participated in a LIV Golf event at Centurion Club from June 9-11, despite not having received releases to allow them to do so.
Such actions contravened the conflicting event Regulation laid down in the Members’ General Regulations Handbook as well as the Code of Behaviour Regulation, of which the members have been reminded on a number of recent occasions, and has led the Tour to take the following steps, which have been notified to all members concerned.
It is important to note that participation in a further conflicting tournament or tournaments without the required release may incur further sanctions.
*Money raised from the fines will be shared equally in two distinct ways; (i) it will be added to prize funds of upcoming tournaments on the DP World Tour, to the benefit of Members of the DP World Tour who have complied with the Release rules and (ii) it will be distributed through the Tour’s Golf for Good programme to deserving charitable causes in the communities that the DP World Tour plays.
Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the DP World Tour, said: “Every action anyone takes in life comes with a consequence and it is no different in professional sport, especially if a person chooses to break the rules. That is what has occurred here with several of our members.
“Many members I have spoken to in recent weeks expressed the viewpoint that those who have chosen this route have not only disrespected them and our Tour, but also the meritocratic ecosystem of professional golf that has been the bedrock of our game for the past half a century and which will also be the foundation upon which we build the next 50 years.
“Their actions are not fair to the majority of our membership and undermine the Tour, which is why we are taking the action we have announced today.”
Hannah Green starts well but trails in wake of In Gee Chun
In Gee Chun and Australian caddie Dean Herden – in action today – photo Darren Carroll PGA of America
Former KPMG Women’s PGA Champion, Hannah Green, might be in a share of 6th place at this year’s event at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda near Washington D.C but such was the dominant performance of South Korean In Gee Chun in today’s opening round that the West Australian is some seven shots off the lead.
Chun’s round of 64 has opened up a five shot lead over the nest female golfers in the game, former Australian Amateur Champion Hye-Jin Choi and Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum, the former US Women’s Open champion returning to the form which saw her win not only the US Women’s Open in 2015 but the Evian Masters the following year.
Chun is taking on a new approach to her game trying to enjoy it more and focus on the process rather then the result.
“I think golf is all about the process, so after I had a couple of not good weeks before, so I felt really bad after that, but I’m trying to make the focus on the course for the process, not for the result.
“That helps a lot. I’m trying to enjoy to play golf more on the course, more talk with my caddie. I’m happy with the good round today.”
Chun’s caddie is veteran Australian Dean Herden who has an enviable record with Koreans in major championships. He was on the bag of So Yeo Ryu when she won the US Women’s Open in 2011 but has teamed with several other Koreans to win significant events on the LPGA and other tours including Jin Young Ko’s win at the Australian Women’s Open.
Hannah Green, however, began the event well and sits in a share of 6th place with eight others and one shot ahead of the next best Australasians Stephanie Kyriacou and Lydia Ko who recorded rounds of even par 72.
Green played in the wet conditions faced by the morning field and she did well to dig in after a slow start.
“I bogeyed my first hole, didn’t get a great shot, and then just tried to hold on as much as possible. On the front nine, I had a lot of long clubs in. Completely different to what I played in the practice round, which I’m sure every other player has experienced today.
“Luckily, our back nine we got some better weather. The rain stopped, and it was still hard, but, yeah, made a couple of soft bogeys, but super happy to birdie 16, 17 to get me under par.
“Even par is a great score out here today. Nasa (Hataoka) and I played really well, and it was just like we were kind of feeding off each other and trying to hang in there.
“I knew there were a couple of shorter holes on the back nine that I could kind of access, so I wanted to make sure I wasn’t putting too much pressure on myself, but I wanted to make sure I was putting myself in a position to have a birdie or have a low score.
“After the start I’m just glad that I held in there and stayed patient.”
Minjee Lee is another shot back at 1 over 73 along with Sarah Kemp amongst others, that pair tied for 30th.
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L-R Hannah Green, Jan Stephenson and Karrie Webb at this week’s Champions dinner
Mark Hensby shares lead at US Senior Open
Mark Hensby had every reason to smile today – photo USGA Steve Gibbons
Former Tamworth golfer, but long time US resident, Mark Hensby, has a share of the lead after day one of the US Senior Open at the Saucon Country Club in Bethlehem Pennsylvania, the 50 year old former Presidents Cup Team member and winner on both the PGA and European Tours, round in 67 today to be tied at the top with 68 year old Jay Haas.
The 50 year old Hensby’s great period in golf came in 2004 and 2005 when winning the John Deere Classic and the Scandinavian Masters before gaining a place in the Presidents Cup Team in 2005. He would also finish 5th at on the debut at the Masters and 3rd at the US Open that year and so he appeared on a roll before injuries in a car accident early in 2006 curtailed his further rise in the game.
He would never return to the sort of form he had during that halcyon period and in 2017 he was suspended for one by the PGA Tour for failing to comply with a drug testing procedure.
Hensby has, though, continued to play where starts became available via his very limited PGA Tour status and although he has not earned the right to play the PGA Tour Champions with any status as such he has managed to qualify for events on occasions.
He gained a start in the US Senior Open through the demanding qualifying process when finishing runner-up at his venue in Texas last month and he has taken an early advantage by putting together an impressive start to the most significant event in over-fifty golf.
Six birdies and two bogeys led to his impressive start and although joined later in the day by the impressive round of Haas, it is an encouraging start for Hensby given his lack of status on any tour at present and that he has missed the cut in three of four PGA Tour starts where he has been able to gain a start this season.
“I got off to a decent start, which always helps, especially in a tournament like this,” said Hensby after his round. “Yeah, just kind of played pretty solid. There’s a few tee shots towards the end, but hit it far enough to where I could still get it on the green somewhat.
Only just short of his 51st birthday, Hensby also started in this event last year but was forced to withdraw through medical reasons.
“I had some medical issues last year. I still do have kind of sleep issues, bad insomnia. Last year I was up for three or four days before that first round.
“It was unfortunate because I was actually playing pretty well then. This year I’ve got it under control somewhat. Yeah, it’s kind of funny how I had to withdraw and now I’m leading. Pretty cool.”
Richard Green also gained a start in the event via Final Qualifying and recovered from a disastrous quadruple bogey early in his round to add four birdies to be at even par towards the end of his round.
One of the pre-tournament favourites, Steve Alker who has taken the PGA Tour Champions by storm this year was 3 over early in his round but finished with a respectable round of 1 over 72.
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Huge purse increase for this week’s KPMG PGA Championship
Congressional Country Club – host venue for the female game’s second richest purse – PGA of America
In 2019, when Hannah Green then became just the third Australian female to win a major golf championship at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Minnesota, the West Australian pocketed a cheque for US$577,500, a healthy figure by any standards.
Fast forward three years and the winner in 2022 will take away US$1.35 million following the substantial increase in prizemoney of 100% from last year’s US$4.5 million figure.
Women’s events typically pay out 15% to the winner and so the winner’s cheque is the second largest in the female game behind the US Women’s Open.
Even the 10th placed golfer this week will walk away with just under US$190,000 so events like the US Women’s Open and this week’s KPMG PGA Championship have seen substantial increases in recent years.
Even the last placed of those making the cut this week is guaranteed US$18,000.
Ten years ago, the winner in 2022, Shanshan Feng, secured US$375,000 for her victory.
Will Minjee Lee or Lydia Ko be first to three major titles ?
Minjee Lee raises her arms high to acknowledge the crowd after her US Open win – photo USGA
The golfing world of both genders are in the midst of their major seasons and at this week’s KPMG PGA Championship at the famed Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland, is where the women get to play their third of five majors for the season.
The event carries a healthy purse of US$9 million and Nelly Korda, on the bounce back trail from injury, will defend the title she won by three shots over Lizette Salas last year and became the world number one in doing so.
Eight Australasians get their chance to add to the three victories in this event claimed by those from either Australia or New Zealand, Jan Stephenson, Karrie Webb and Hannah Green the previous champions.
Minjee Lee, Lydia Ko, Hannah Green, Su Oh, Sarah Kemp, Stephanie Kyriacou, Sarah Jane Smith and Katherine Kirk will tackle the golf course close to Washington DC, a venue where Rory McIlory won the first of his four majors when winning the US Open be eight shots over Jason Day in 2011.
Lee is, of course, the current US Women’s Open Champion and Ko has been in fine form of late, suggesting both have excellent chances of adding another major title to their already impressive credentials which include two majors for both.
“Kind of a speechless moment for me,” said Lee referring to her US Open win. “It was super special. To be able to do it at Pine Needles, I think it was a little more extra special.
“Yeah, no, it’s been really good. I played last week, and I had the week off before that, so it’s been good.”
Lee was asked what it was about majors that appeals to her so much.
“I think just the challenge,” she resonded. “I like to embrace the challenge, and I think the harder the golf courses get, I think the better I play. You do have to focus a little bit more on smaller details, so I think that’s where I kind of excel. When I play under pressure, that is where I excel as well. I think it just really sets up well.
“Today (Tuesday) is going to be the first day I see the golf course, so I think I’ll just kind of soak it in a bit and test the grass out a little bit and try and adjust what was different from last week to this week.
“So I think my first look I always try to look at everything and try to see where it’s good to miss and all those kind of things. Obviously, tomorrow we have another practice, so I’ll probably play nine on the nine that I think I need more work on.”
Lydia Ko with one of her two major titles to date – photo LET
Congressional’s 18th – one of the scarier finishing shots in the game – photo Matthew Harris PGA of America
Can Steve Alker win a second senior major title in 2022?
Steve Alker won the US Senior PGA Championship a month ago – photo Montana Pritchard PGA of America
First it was the ladies, then the men and now the senior men who get to contest a US Open Championship, this week’s US Senior Open at the Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem in Pennsylvania, the greatest title in the game for the over-fifties.
Nine Australasians will tee it up in the first of three consecutive major championships on the PGA Tour Champions, this week’s event followed in two weeks by the Senior Players Championship at the Firestone Country Club and two week’s later by the Senior Open Championship at Gleneagles.
Steve Alker is the standout amongst the Australasians, the 50-year-old New Zealander having taken the PGA Tour Champions by storm over the last ten months, winning on four occasions since his debut in August of last year and in 2022 finishing inside the top three seven times in ten starts.
Such has been his domination in 2022 that Alker leads the PGA Tour Champions money list by a massive US$714,000 over second placed Miguel Angel Jimenez and his amazing run appears unlikely to stop.
Alker won a first senior major title a few weeks ago when he claimed the Senior PGA Championship and a second now appears at his mercy.
I have had the good fortune to caddie in two US Senior Opens, one when Graham Marsh bogeyed the final hole at Pinehurst in 1994 to lose by one shot to Zimbabwe’s Simon Hobday. I caddied in another the following year at Congressional when Marsh finished 8th behind Tom Weiskopf.
Marsh would go on to win the event in 1997 and in doing so he is the only Australasian to have won this event.
I make these comments as what those experiences displayed to me was that these events are not just exhibitions for those who have reached the age of 50 but even back then, nearly thirty years ago, I was struck by the quality of play on display and the typical classiness of yet another USGA run event.
The courses are, admittedly, shorter than those used on the PGA Tour (although this one is still 7020 yards), but the quality of play leaves one in no doubt that these events are hard fought, serious contests, those involved desperate to add a senior major to their resumé.
Alker’s most amazing consistency should ensure he is again in the mix on Sunday and it will be of some surprise if he is not contending for this week’s title especially given he possesses a game built around the requirements of US Open style golf.
Alker will be joined in the field by fellow Australasians, Rod Pampling, Stuart Appleby, Michael Campbell, Robert Allenby, John Senden, Richard Green, Mark Hensby and Gavin Coles.
Senden, Green, Hensby and Coles played their way into the field via final qualifying, Coles an alternate before gaining a start. Given there were over 3000 entries into the event, even to have made the field is an achievement in itself.
Graham Marsh won the US Senior Open in 1997 – the only Australasian to do so.
Scott and Leishman finish best of Australians at US Open
Adam Scott in action this week – photo USGA Jeff Haynes
Marc Leishman and Adam Scott have finished as the leading Australasians at the 2022 US Open at the Country Club, Brookline, the pair both recording impressive final rounds of 68 and finishing the event at 2 over and tied for 14th place.
Despite the scoring becoming a little easier on day four following overnight rain, their rounds of 68 were some of the best of the day and moved the pair from a their 54 hole tie for 35th to their finish inside the top 20.
“I played some really good stuff,” said Scott reflecting on the week. “I’ve felt good all week, but U.S. Opens are hard because you can derail so quickly. I managed to keep it together today. The course was a little friendlier with the rain overnight, but the wind was up early.
“I hit some good shots and got off to a good start and survived a day at the country club.
“I really enjoyed the week. I feel like I had a plan for the golf course and it worked well. Of course when you’re not winning, you can easily point out areas where you can do better. The last three holes on Friday probably really cost me a good run at this tournament over the weekend.
“That’s my simple explanation after just walking off. It would have been nice to be under par on Friday night and been feeling like I’m really in contention, but I was on the periphery all week.”
Min Woo Lee began the final day as the leading Australasian and after a great final round on debut at the Masters in April, there was an expectation he might repeat the dose and perhaps even contend on day four. It was not to be, however, although after dropping four shots in his first six holes he managed to fight back for a round of 73 to finish in a share of 27th.
Todd Sinnott recovered from his horror final nine yesterday with a round of 70 to finish 31st in his very first major appearance and despite finishing four shots behind Scott and Leishman it may be that his performance could be considered the best of the nine Australasians who started the event, especially given his lack of experience at this level.
Sinnott will however secure a cheque for lose to US$100,000, one of his biggest in the game behind his win at the Myanmar Open in 2017 (US$135,000).
The winner, though, would be England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick who emerged the winner after a final round battle with Will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler, Fitzpatrick winning by one after an impressive ball striking round on day four in which he hit an amazing 17 of 18 greens.
Perhaps the birdie 3 he made from the crowd on the right of the 15th followed by a 20 foot putt which edged him ahead was the highlight but so too was the shot he hit from the fairway bunker at the last to 25 feet followed by a two putt par to all but seal the victory when Zalatoris was unable to hole from shorter range.
Fitzpatrick would later describe his fairway bunker shot to the last green as one of the best shots he had hit in his life and that it (a fairway bunker shot) was a shot that had been giving him grief of late. It will no longer.
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Fitzpatrick with his treasured trophy – photo Jeff Haynes USGA