Ashleigh Buhai – her first LPGA Tour win is a major – photo R&A via Getty Images
Perth’s Minjee Lee has recorded her 6th top 5 finish of the 2022 LPGA season when sharing 4th place at the AIG Women’s Open at Muirfield this week.
Lee put together a final round of 69 to share 4th place with Leona Maguire and Madelene Sagstrom and just three shots from the playoff for the event, won eventually by South African Ashleigh Buhai who won with a sand save par at the fourth extra hole.
“I’m not sure where I’m going to finish but I feel like I played pretty good considering how windy it was all week,” said Lee. “You know, missed some birdie opportunities here and there but I still played pretty solid today, so I’m happy with how I played.
“I mean, I’ve always really loved links golf and just playing in the wind in general, and how challenging it is. Yeah, I kind of embrace it when I get the chance to come over here and play, so no, I always have lot of fun.”
When asked as to how she felt about her season to date in 2022 Lee responded; “I’ve had some really great finishes at the majors. I won the U.S. Open and I did really well at the KPMG, and I think I’m going to finish pretty well here, too. I feel like I’m trending in the right direction, and pretty excited for the rest of the season.”
Lee adds another US$309,000 to her already massive earnings in 2022 and she continues to dominate the LPGA Tour money list, leading by some US$1.15 million over In Gee Chun.
Minjee Lee during this week’s AIG Open – photo R&A via Getty Images
Sydney’s Stephanie Kyriacou and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko finished as the next best of the Australasians when they tied for 7th and for LPGA Tour rookie, Kyriacou, it was an impressive performance on a final day where she recorded three double-bogeys en-route to a round of 71 and her best LPGA Tour finish.
“I played pretty solid the whole week, said Kyriacou. “Today was a bit yucky. I hit maybe three bad shots that cost me more than three shots. But yeah, still lots of positives to take. Still a couple things to work on but yeah, everything for me is trending, which I can’t be too mad about that.
“I definitely have confidence in myself. It might sound a bit arrogant but I think I’m going to win majors. It’s just a matter of time I feel.”
Kyriacou’s cheque for US$160,000 is her biggest of her career to date.
Stephanie Kyriacou – recorded her best finish on the LPGA Tour when she tied for 7th – photo R&A via Getty Images
Of the other Australians in the weekend field, Hannah Green was 35th and Whitney Hillier 48th.
But the day belonged to Buhai who, after beginning the day five shots ahead of In Gee Chun, was still in control of the outcome before a triple bogey at the 15th had her tied for the lead. That she was able to dig deep and par her last three holes and then survive a playoff against three time major champion Chun.
“A little overwhelmed to be honest,” responded Buhai when asked how she felt. “You know, trying to take a breath, but obviously fantastic to win this championship, the AIG Women’s Open, it’s a dream come true.
“Obviously In Gee is a major champion, and I knew I had to go out and win it. I mean, 18 played so tough the whole week, so it was going to be a grind and then it started to get cold and windier.
“But I was just very proud of how I managed to stay focused on myself and try to do what I needed to do.
“I started working with a sports psychologist, mental coach, someone called Duncan McCarthy in February this year, and if you told me in February this year that I would be sitting here, I would never have believed you with the mental state I was in to be honest.
“I had been swinging good for a long time and could not keep myself in the moment. He’s given me the tools, we say, to stay in the moment, and all I can control, and stay away from outcome. We get so lost in what can happen, and sure, it’s easy to drift and you’re going to go there, but as long as you bring yourself back, it’s fine.”
RESULTS
Cam Smith closes in on world number one ranking
Cameron Smith – file photo USGA
Cameron Smith is on the verge of becoming the world number one, tomorrow’s final round at the FedEx St Jude Championship in Memphis to decide if he is to become Australia’s fourth golfer to reach the ranking pinnacle of the game.
Smith starts the final round of the opening event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs just two shots behind the lead held by J.J. Spaun and in a share of 3rd place in the US$15 million event where not only is a first prize of US$2.7 million available to Smith should be win but the world ranking points available will see him move past the incumbent Scottie Scheffler who has missed the cut this week and can do no more.
“Yeah, that would mean a lot,” said Smith when asked what such elevation would mean to him. “I mean, that’s what we’re all here to do. That’s been one of my goals probably since the start of the year is to try to get to that top spot and (inaudible) and try and chase it down.”
Smith began 2022 in 21st place but wins at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, the Players Championship and last month’s Open Championship along with three other top tesn in 2022 have jumped him to number two and if he can get across the line tomorrow then the coveted spot at the top of the world ranking is his.
Smith would join Greg Norman, Adam Scott and Jason Day as former Australian world number ones and although a world ranking for women came after the height of Karrie Webb’s career she too could well have been number one in earlier times.
Minjee Lee is currently the world number two in the female rankings.
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Cam Smith improves sharply to share 5th at FedEx St Jude Championship
Cameron Smith has improved 25 positions on his opening round with a second round of 65 at the FedEx St Jude Championship in Memphis and at the halfway stage of the opening event of the FedEx Cup playoff series he finds himself in a share of 5th place.
The highlight of Smith’s round came at the 16th (video below) when he converted an 18 foot eagle putt after a superb approach from 235 yards at the par 5, his only real blemish coming at the 15th when he was forced to lay up after finding the rough and eventually dropped his only shot of the day.
Smith is now just three behind the leader, J.J. Spaun who leads by one over Sepp Straka and Troy Merrit.
Smith has slipped one spot to 3rd in projected FedEx Cup standings although such projections are very much a moving feast at this early stage.
Scotttie Scheffler, who missed the cut retains his top ranking while J.J. Spaun has moved into second place.
Adam Scott was another to advance his cause considerably on day two, a round of 67 moving him from 18th to 9th this week and importantly, in terms of projected FedEx Cup standings, to 53rd from 77th and given that at next week’s BMW Championship only the top 70 are eligible he has opened the door for that possibility.
Marc Leishman, and Cameron Davis made the cut on the number and are currently 66th and 72nd in the projected standings.
Jason Day bogeyed six of his last eight holes today for a round of 75 to miss the cut and his season is over.
Lucas Herbert missed the cut this week but has done enough this season to ensure he will be at the BMW Championship irrespective of what happens over the weekend, but for New Zealand’s Danny Lee, after missing the cut this week his FedEx Cup journey is over for the season.
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Kelsey Bennett bows out at US Am but not without titanic battle
New South Wales golfer, Kelsey Bennett, was the last Australasian woman standing in today’s Round of 16 encounters at the US Women’s Amateur Championship at Chambers Bay but although she staged a titanic battle against American Brianna Navarrosa, she would eventually bow out at the third extra hole.
On four occasions during her afternoon match against Navarrosa, Bennett recovered from a 1 hole deficit and was able to do it for one last time at the 18th hole which she birdied to take the match into extra time after holing a testing putt at the 17th to keep the match alive.
Both players would par the 19th and 20th before the American won the third and final extra hole (after Bennett found the front bunker and took bogey) to take the match 1 up.
Bennett had impressed in her morning match, after fog had again delayed early play, against Japan’s Nika Hito winning by a 5 &4 margin.
The other Australian into the round of 32, Maddison Hinson Tolchard, lost out in her morning Round of 32 match going down 4&3 after never being in front against American Annabelle Pancake.
Fog over Puget Sound delayed early proceedings on day four of the event – photo USGA
Jason Day bounces back from illness at FedEx St Jude
Jason Day – file photo PGA of America
Jason Day has bounced back from his withdrawal at last week’s Wyndham Championship to open with a round of 65 in the opening event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs the FedEx St Jude Championship at the TPC Southwind in Memphis.
Day began the Playoffs in 113th position in the FedEx Cup standings and needs a good week (perhaps a top ten or better) if he is to advance to next week’s BMW event in Delaware where the leading 70 will tee it up.
Day’s outstanding career has been plagued by injury and illness throughout but while the illness he suffered last week was enough to force his withdrawal from that event, he was able to recover in time to tee it up today.
“I’m just tired,” said Day referring to the lingering effects of last week’s flu like illness.
“I got a fever on Friday morning and I just knew I wasn’t going to be able to go. Over the weekend I felt great. Unfortunately, it was just one of those weird kind of like a flu or something like that, I guess. But I feel good now. I’m just going to kind of take it easy the rest of the day.
“I don’t feel like I needed to do anything today to kind of build on for tomorrow, I feel like everything’s pretty solid. I’ve just got to kind of stick to the game plan that I come up with in my head and if that doesn’t work out, just keep grinding.
“I mean, I felt like I was working on a lot of good momentum going into especially last week, from kind of Rocket Mortgage on. Felt like the game was starting to show a lot of good signs, which was nice, not only from, you know, tee to green, but also on the greens.
“I don’t know, it’s hard. Like you’re always just trying like to just blend everything together and hopefully it will click. I’m not getting too excited about anything right now, just got to stay patient as much as I can because the more I start thinking about outcome and being able to get into next week, it just does nothing for me, or at least anything positive for me.
“It actually gives you more anxiety and a lot of other stuff that comes along with it. Yeah, I feel pretty good about the opening round and looking forward to the rest of the week.”
Day leads the Australians although Adam Scott has also begun well with a round of 66, Cameron Davis and Cameron Smith (67), Marc Leishman 69 and Lucas Herbert 73.
New Zealand’s Danny Lee had 72.
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Hinson Tolchard and Bennett advance at US Women’s Am
This week’s venue and venue for the 2015 US Open Chambers Bay – photo USGA
Perth’s Maddison Hinson Tolchard and NSW’s Kelsey Bennett have advanced to the Round of 32 following victories in their opening round matches at the US Women’s Amateur Championship at Chambers Bay in Washington State this morning.
Hinson Tolchard, now a member of the Oklahoma State University team, came from 1 down at turn in her match against China’s Yixian Guo to win 2&1, sealing the deal with a birdie at the 17th hole.
“It was a bit weird to start off with,” said Hinson Tolchard referring to the conditions. “Definitely didn’t expect it to downpour like it did to start off with, and then this weird misty fog came in in the arvo, but yeah, it’s a bit cold now, but it didn’t bother me too much. You have to take it as it comes with the weather, so it’s fine.
“Dad (father and caddie) and I have been having fun, so we’re just going to go out and take it one shot at a time again and just enjoy it. I don’t think we can really do anything different at this point.”
Bennett also faced a competitor from China, Jieni Li, and was never behind in their match, although after being tied through nine holes Bennett drew clear to win at the 17th which she too birdied to win 3&1.
New Zealand’s Fiona Xu, the current Australian Amateur Champion, lost her encounter against Ireland’s Annabel Wilson 5&4.
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Three Australasians reach matchplay at US Women’s Amateur
Maddison Hinson Tolchard – continues her recent collegiate form – photo USGA Darren Carroll
Three Australasians have made it to the match-play phase of the US Women’s Amateur Championship at Chambers Bay in Washington, Kelsey Bennett, Madison Hinson Tolchard and New Zealander, Fiona Xu, negotiating their way through the 36-hole qualifying stage to earn their right to tackle the knockout matches starting tomorrow.
After an opening round of 69 yesterday Bennett’s future in the championship could have gone either way when she reached the turn in 2 over in today’s second round but then came six birdies in seven holes to start her inward nine before a bogey at the last and after a round of 70 (the par is 73) she had qualified in a share of 4th place and one shot ahead of Hinson-Tolchard.
Bennett, from the Mollymook Golf Club on the south coast of NSW, gained her start in women golf’s most prestigious event, by qualifying first at her venue a month ago. She continues a great run in big events in the last twelve months including when reaching the quarter finals at the Women’s Amateur in Britain a few weeks ago, finishing runner-up in last year’s Asia Pacific Amateur Championship, and 3rd in the Australian Amateur Championship.
Perth’s Hinson-Tolchard is currently studying and on the golf team at Oklahoma State University where she recently won a NCAA Regional title. She made it into the match play stages in this event twelve months ago but was eliminated early.
Today she finished her 36 holes qualifying with a 2 under par round of 71 to finish in a share of 7th place.
“Last year I came up against a fellow Aussie in Emily Mahar, so that was a tough match having to go up against her, and we went down 18 holes last year in 64,” said Hinson Tolchard. “I mean, we’ll see what happens and who I get paired against, but definitely a lot of confidence in my game, so I think I’m going to go pretty good.
“I feel like it (the course) was a little bit tougher. A lot of the pins were sort of tucked away in corners a bit more. You had to work with the slopes a little bit, which we didn’t really have yesterday. But it was definitely a lot cooler, so the ball wasn’t flying as far, as well, so you had to take that into account. But yeah, I think it was a little bit tougher today but still scorable.”
New Zealand’s Fiona Xu made it to the quarter finals at the recent US Junior Girls Championship before being beaten but she is considered one of the brightest prospects to come out of New Zealand since Lydia Ko. Earlier this year she won the Australian Amateur Championship and has also won the New Zealand Amateur Championship previously.
Xu bounced back from an opening round of 76 with a round of 70 today to be at even par and safely inside the top 64 (26th) heading into the matchplay.
SCORES
This week’s venue – Chambers Bay Washington State – photo USGA
Cameron Smith faces more LIV Golf speculation
Cameron Smith – file photo
Cameron Smith neither fuelled or doused the increasing speculation about a possible move to LIV Golf during his pre-event media conference at the opening event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, the Fed Ex St Jude event, in Memphis today.
The suggestion that Smith might be about to join LIV Golf was raised this week by his fellow PGA Tour colleague and countryman, Cameron Percy, when he spoke to a Melbourne radio station but Smith was quick to cast a question mark over the source when asked.
“My goal here is to win the FedExCup Playoffs. That’s all I’m here for. If there’s something I need to say regarding the PGA TOUR or LIV, it will come from Cameron Smith, not Cameron Percy. I’m a man of my word and whenever you guys need to know anything, it’ll be said by me.
Seemingly agitated by what appeared to be a loose comment by Percy, Smith was again determined to remain focused on the job at hand and when asked if there was any truth to the suggestion in the Telegraph that he had already signed with LIV Smith again played a straight bat.
“I have no comment to that. Like I said, I’m here to play the FedExCup Playoffs. That’s been my focus the last week and a half, that’s what I’m here to do, I’m here to win the FedExCup Playoffs. And like I said, it will come from me, it won’t come from Cameron Percy.”
When asked if he would be in the field for the next LIV event in Boston on September Smith said; “Like I said, I’m here to play the FedExCup Playoffs, mate. That’s what I’m here to do. I’m here to win the FedExCup Playoffs, that’s my priority.”
Smith enters this week as the number two in the FedEx Cup standings behind Scottie Scheffler and is excited about the three event series which culminate at the Tour Championship in Atlanta in just over two week’s time.
“I have had a couple of good rest weeks, I guess, back home in Jacksonville, a few-night celebration and yeah, we had a really fun time. The last week and a half I guess has all been about prep. My trainer came in from Australia, he tried to get me back into shape before this big three weeks.
“Yeah, this golf course is course that I love. I’ve got a pretty decent record around here, really suits my eye. I love the grasses and yeah, can’t wait to get the week started.”
Harrison Endycott all but assured of PGA Tour card
Sydney golfer Harrison Endycott’s share of 5th place in the Korn Ferry Tour’s event in Utah, might have been only his third top ten in 17 starts on that tour in 2022, but very importantly for the 26 year old his finish has consolidated his standing inside the top 25 players in 2022 and will all but assure him of a first PGA Tour card next season.
The leading 25 players not only earn their PGA Tour cards but they will also get their chance to improve their standing via the three event playoff series beginning on August 18th.
First, however, there is one more hurdle to jump at the final event of the regular season next week in Omaha but improving to 19th in the standing, it appears the job is all but done for Endycott who has battled away on the South American and Korn Ferry Tours since turning professional in 2017.
A member of the Eisenhower winning trophy in 2016, Endycott’s only win in the professional ranks came when successful earlier this season on the Korn Ferry Tour setting up this opportunity to advance to the PGA Tour.
The volatile nature of the projected standings would mean that two late birdies were crucial to Endycott’s cause today and his round of 67 added to his round of 63 on Saturday completed an outstanding and important weekend in his golfing career.
The only other Australian inside the top 100 as they head into next week’s season ending event is another member of the winning Eisenhower side in 2016, Curtis Luck, who is currently 95th and will need something special to ensure he has at least a chance of graduating to the Finals by forcing his way inside the top 75.
This week’s scores
Korn Ferry Tour standings
Finals information
Seven Australasians make Fed Ex Cup playoffs as Tommy Kim wins Wyndham
Joo Hyung (Tommy) Kim – photo Getty Images PGA Tour
With the completion of this week’s Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, the PGA Tour’s regular season has drawn to a close, leaving the leading 125 eligible players in the FedEx Cup standings with full status on the PGA Tour next season.
Those players are also entitled to tee it up in the opening event of the FedEx Cup playoffs in this coming week at the FedEx St Jude event in Memphis with the leading 70 at the completion of that event moving on to the BMW Championship in Delaware and the leading 30 at the completion of the BMW heading for the Tour Championship in Atlanta.
Australia will be represented in Memphis by Cameron Smith, Lucas Herbert, Marc Leishman, Cameron Davis, Adam Scott, and if he is well, Jason Day.
They will be joined by fellow Australasian, Danny Lee of New Zealand.
The leading Australian in this week’s event in Greensboro was Cameron Percy who by finishing 8th will advance his standing in the year long FedEx Cup standings to 142nd which will retain some limited status for him next season and also allow him to tee it up in the Korn Ferry Tour’s three event, final series beginning on August 18th.
The leading 25 players from that three-event series, in which players ranked from 126 to 200 in the FedEx Cup standings will join with players ranked between 1st and 75th in the Korn Ferry Tour’s season rankings, gain, improve or regain their PGA Tour status.
This week’s event in Greensboro was won by the brilliantly talented Joo Hyung (Tommy) Kim who in winning became the second youngest (20) winner on the PGA Tour since WWII. Only Jordan Spieth was younger.
Kim has already won several events on the Asian Tour and spent seven years in Melbourne during his teenage years.
He led the New Zealand Open into the final round in 2020 before being passed by Brad Kennedy, Lucas Herbert and Nick Flanagan but even then, at the age of 17, he displayed much of the calm and patient manner which saw him overcome a quadruple bogey at his very first hole on Thursday this week to go on and win by five.
“Yeah, it’s crazy. I mean, I’ve never won a golf tournament starting with a quad,” said Kim referring to his horror start on Thursday. “It’s 24 strokes later and here we are. I played great this week. It was hard to stay in the moment in the final round just knowing that I was so close, but I just never let my guard down until I holed that putt on 18.
“It’s been a crazy month. Just before the Scottish I was just trying to get enough points to get in Korn Ferry Finals, and finishing third there, you know, finishing third, I think I was zero points, how many points away from getting special temporary membership, I had to make the cut at The Open and I did.
“I played 3M, Detroit and Wyndham and really it’s been a five-week stretch for me, but it feels like three months.
Yeah, it’s been a hectic month and a lot of things have changed, for sure.”
Kim has been playing on a special temporary PGA Tour membership but the win guarantees him full PGA Tour status and access to the FedEx Cup playoffs over the next three weeks given he is now in 34th place in the FedEx Cup standings.
SCORES
Minjee Lee shares 4th as Ashleigh Buhai wins AIG Women’s Open
Ashleigh Buhai – her first LPGA Tour win is a major – photo R&A via Getty Images
Perth’s Minjee Lee has recorded her 6th top 5 finish of the 2022 LPGA season when sharing 4th place at the AIG Women’s Open at Muirfield this week.
Lee put together a final round of 69 to share 4th place with Leona Maguire and Madelene Sagstrom and just three shots from the playoff for the event, won eventually by South African Ashleigh Buhai who won with a sand save par at the fourth extra hole.
“I’m not sure where I’m going to finish but I feel like I played pretty good considering how windy it was all week,” said Lee. “You know, missed some birdie opportunities here and there but I still played pretty solid today, so I’m happy with how I played.
“I mean, I’ve always really loved links golf and just playing in the wind in general, and how challenging it is. Yeah, I kind of embrace it when I get the chance to come over here and play, so no, I always have lot of fun.”
When asked as to how she felt about her season to date in 2022 Lee responded; “I’ve had some really great finishes at the majors. I won the U.S. Open and I did really well at the KPMG, and I think I’m going to finish pretty well here, too. I feel like I’m trending in the right direction, and pretty excited for the rest of the season.”
Lee adds another US$309,000 to her already massive earnings in 2022 and she continues to dominate the LPGA Tour money list, leading by some US$1.15 million over In Gee Chun.
Minjee Lee during this week’s AIG Open – photo R&A via Getty Images
Sydney’s Stephanie Kyriacou and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko finished as the next best of the Australasians when they tied for 7th and for LPGA Tour rookie, Kyriacou, it was an impressive performance on a final day where she recorded three double-bogeys en-route to a round of 71 and her best LPGA Tour finish.
“I played pretty solid the whole week, said Kyriacou. “Today was a bit yucky. I hit maybe three bad shots that cost me more than three shots. But yeah, still lots of positives to take. Still a couple things to work on but yeah, everything for me is trending, which I can’t be too mad about that.
“I definitely have confidence in myself. It might sound a bit arrogant but I think I’m going to win majors. It’s just a matter of time I feel.”
Kyriacou’s cheque for US$160,000 is her biggest of her career to date.
Stephanie Kyriacou – recorded her best finish on the LPGA Tour when she tied for 7th – photo R&A via Getty Images
Of the other Australians in the weekend field, Hannah Green was 35th and Whitney Hillier 48th.
But the day belonged to Buhai who, after beginning the day five shots ahead of In Gee Chun, was still in control of the outcome before a triple bogey at the 15th had her tied for the lead. That she was able to dig deep and par her last three holes and then survive a playoff against three time major champion Chun.
“A little overwhelmed to be honest,” responded Buhai when asked how she felt. “You know, trying to take a breath, but obviously fantastic to win this championship, the AIG Women’s Open, it’s a dream come true.
“Obviously In Gee is a major champion, and I knew I had to go out and win it. I mean, 18 played so tough the whole week, so it was going to be a grind and then it started to get cold and windier.
“But I was just very proud of how I managed to stay focused on myself and try to do what I needed to do.
“I started working with a sports psychologist, mental coach, someone called Duncan McCarthy in February this year, and if you told me in February this year that I would be sitting here, I would never have believed you with the mental state I was in to be honest.
“I had been swinging good for a long time and could not keep myself in the moment. He’s given me the tools, we say, to stay in the moment, and all I can control, and stay away from outcome. We get so lost in what can happen, and sure, it’s easy to drift and you’re going to go there, but as long as you bring yourself back, it’s fine.”
RESULTS