Cameron Smith being interviewed after his win
28 year old Cameron Smith was arguably amongst the game’s elite even before his historic victory over an equally determined India’s Anirban Lahiri in today’s final round of the Players Championship, but his hard-fought one shot victory in golf’s richest tournament takes him to a career high 6th place in the world ranking, adds another US$3.6 million to his already bulging bank account and provides a five year exemption to the PGA Tour, amongst many other rewards.
Just six years after first joining the PGA Tour in 2016, Smith has amassed earnings of more than US$23 million but, more importantly, he has proven himself at the highest level by beating one of the game’s strongest fields and in the process, showing the sort of game, guts, determination and game that might well see him joining the likes of Greg Norman, Adam Scott and Jason Day as Australian world number ones in the years ahead, perhaps even sooner.
Smith has already displayed a capacity to contend at the pointy end of major championships having already recorded top five finishes on three occasions at the Masters and the US Open and given the manner in which he handled a demanding week of delays and, at times, horror conditions this week, suggests he may well be contending for a major title in 2022.
The first of those of course will be when he heads to Augusta National in three week’s time a venue which has already seen him finish runner-up and 5th.
Smith began today’s final round in a share of 7th place and two shots behind Lahiri who was looking for his first PGA Tour title and who began the week in 322nd place in the world ranking but jumped to 89th as a result of his brilliant week at the TPC Sawgrass.
Five birdies in his first six holes swept Smith to the lead today but Lahiri was not going away and when Smith bogeyed the 7th and 8th holes the pair was tied at 10 under. Lahiri struck trouble when he double-bogeyed the 8th and by the turn Smith who would also bogey the 9th was tied with Paul Casey at 9 under one ahead of Adam Hadwin, Keegan Bradley, Patrick Hovland and Lahiri.
Smith would begin his closing nine in the same manner he began his round, two and a half hours earlier. Four birdies from the 10th gave him the outright lead but neither Lahiri nor Casey were about to lay down.
Lahiri eagled the 11th from 15 feet and joined Smith in the lead although, soon after, Smith birdied the 12th to grab the lead again.
Smith always appeared to have the edge over the closing holes but it would be his stunning tee shot at the dangerous par 3 17th that set up a birdie and a three shot lead.
Lahiri would also birdie the 17th a few minutes later and although Smith found the water when laying up from the trees at the 18th, he managed to hit a magnificent 4th shot to three feet and when he converted for a bogey his lead was still one and Lahiri need a birdie to tie.
It was not to be and Smith was the winner by one shot over Lahiri with another shot back to Casey.
Smith’s press conference may be heard and watched below but he described his approach to the final round in this way.
“I think I just knew that the golf course was going to kind of let up a few — there were a few pin spots out there that were very gettable, and being the way that the course played with all the rain, just soft and sticky, I just knew I had to make plenty of birdies.
“I was a few behind, I think, going into the start of the round, and just needed to get after it basically.”
His elevation to 6th in the world is a tremendous accomplishment and Smith was asked how it feels.
“I feel as though I’m playing the best that I’ve ever played. It’s kind of weird to think like that, being kind of the — probably the last three or four years being the guy that kind of goes from 20th to 40th in the World Rankings, and then all of a sudden to be 6th is kind of weird.
“But I feel as though I’ve put in the work and I feel as though I’ve done a lot of work on my body and I’ve put in the time. Yeah, it’s nice to see all that stuff paying off.”
The final two holes at the TPC Sawgrass have provided plenty of drama over the years and today was no exception with Smith hitting a shot under the most intense of pressure to five feet and converting then hitting his escape from the trees on the 18th into the water.
“I mean, on 17 I hit a really good shot. The wind didn’t quite hit it as much as what I thought it was going to. Kind of left it alone there for a long time and just kind of helped me out there at the end.
“I’d be lying if I said I was aiming there. I was probably aiming 10 feet left of that. But still wanted to stay aggressive, still wanted to make birdie.
“18, just a hole for me that doesn’t really suit my eye. I like to work the ball left to right off the tee. That’s where I feel comfortable, and I feel as though I can’t hit that shot down there. Just haven’t quite figured that hole out.
“I hit Driver, just because I just wanted to get it down there as far as I could basically. If it did turn over, I was going to have a short shot in, and it just didn’t quite turn over.”
Lucas Herbert was the only other Australasian to make the cut and on debut he did well to do so despite finishing 68th.
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Smith with his trophy – Getty Images
Adam Scott lone Australian into Round of 16
Scott makes first appearance in top 16 since 2005
Adam Scott will advance to the Round of 16 at the WGC Dell World Match Play Championship in Austin in Texas after heading his group in the round robin phase.
Scott, today defeated Jordan Spieth 3&2 after never being behind in his match against the 11th seed having earlier defeated Justin Rose and sharing honours with Keegan Bradley.
It is the first time Scott has reached the final 16 since the 2005 version of the event when he finished 5th.
“I felt it was good,” said Scott. “I mean, a bit of a shaky match with Justin. Neither of us played particularly well, but I played well in the next two. Now kind of have a run at it over the weekend and see what happens. I feel like I’ve got everything I need ahead of the Masters, obviously. Even though there’s a great event on the line this weekend, everyone is thinking about Augusta, it’s so close.”
When asked how he would pace himself given the potential for 36 holes over each of the next two days and the Masters looming, should he get to the final, Scott responded; “Well, it’ll all depend how much golf is played on the weekend now for me. Going all the way next week is going to be a lot of rest and less golf, and that’s a good thing.
“That’s only a good thing because if you play deep in the weekend the confidence will be high, no doubt. If I only play one match, then it’s a normal week, and just carry on. But it feels good to get to the weekend. For some reason getting out of the group feels like a real accomplishment at this tournament.”
While it was joy for Scott it was agony for his fellow Australian and event debutante, Lucas Herbert.
Herbert needed to defeat rising Japan superstar Takumi Kanaya in today’s final match in his group after earlier defeating Tony Finau and Xander Schaufelle.
Herbert was never in his match against Kanaya, however, eventually losing 5&4 and so the pair advanced a playoff to decide who would emerge from the group to play Corey Conners in the Round of 16, both having won twice in their preliminary matches.
Herbert appeared to have the inside running when he found the fairway from the tee while Kanaya could only pitch out after a wild drive finished near the lip of a fairway bunker. Herbert’s approach finished 20 feet behind the hole while Kanaya recovered well hitting a pitch from 90 yards to two feet.
Herbert then proceeded to three-putt and when Kanaya saved par it was all over.
Marc Leishman and Min Woo Lee both missed out, Leishman defeating Luke List today after losses to Justin Thomas and Kevin Kisner and Lee defeating Thomas Pieters and sharing honours with Tom Hoge today after a round one loss to Billy Horschel.
The winners of each of the sixteen groups advance to a knockout match play phase, Scott to take on Kevin Kisner.
Lucas Herbert and Takumi Kanaya shake hands
Karrie Webb nominated for Olympic Captain role
Karrie Webb – photo and article Golf Australia
It was announced today that arguably Australia’s greatest ever golfer, Karrie Webb, is to be nominated as captain of Australia’s golf team for the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.
Webb, the legendary seven-time major winner and World Golf Hall of Fame member, steps in to replace Ian Baker-Finch, who has retired from the role after captaining Australia at the 2016 Rio De Janeiro Games and the 2020 (2021) Tokyo Olympics.
She will possibly become the first-ever woman to captain both men’s and women’s teams at an Olympic Games golf competition. In previous Games since golf returned the schedule in 2016, nations have used separate men’s and women’s captains, but Golf Australia, which made today’s announcement, chooses to use a single captain for both competitions.
Webb has also agreed to coach the Australian women’s team at the World Amateur Teams Championships this year.
That event is being held at the same venue that will host Olympic golf, Le Golf National, in August-September, meaning that Webb will get first-hand information about the Olympic host course, which is just outside Paris.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be nominated,” said Webb.
“The Olympic Games are very special to me and I’m a patriotic Australian, so to have an opportunity to work with the best Australian players on the biggest stage in sport is incredibly powerful.
“Aside from all that I’m very familiar with all the players who are likely to be in contention to play in Paris and in some cases, they are close friends of mine.
“I’m rapt to see that golf is in the Olympics as I think it has the potential to help grow our game globally as well as in Australia. Our best Australian players continue to fly our flag so well internationally and I know they will do so in Paris 2024 hopefully coming away with a medal or two. That’s what I’d love to see.”
Scott, Leishman, Herbert and Lee play WGC Dell Matchplay
Adam Scott – file photo
Cameron Smith might have decided to give this week’s WGC Dell Technologies Match Play at the Austin Country Club in Texas a miss but four of his fellow countrymen will take their place in a field containing the leading 64 available world ranked players.
Adam Scott, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert and Min Woo Lee tee it up in the US$12 million event where the winner earns US$2.1 million, each to play the required three round robin-matches in their particular group before the leading player in each group of four advances to the round of 16 on Saturday.
Scott faces Jordan Spieth, Keegan Bradley and Justin Rose in his group as he looks to better his previous best showing when 3rd in 2003.
Leishman will tackle Luke List, Justin Thomas and Kevin Kisner as he looks to better his previous best on reaching the round of sixteen on three occasions in his seven appearances to date.
Lucas Herbert faces Japan’s Takumi Kanaya, Xander Schaufelle and Tony Finau, while Lee takes on Billy Horschel, Thomas Pieters and Tom Hoge.
Herbert and Lee will tee it up in the event for the first occasion, their elevation in world ranking over the past twelve months allowing them to join this elite field.
Brackets
Stephanie Kyriacou shares 6th in Saudi Arabia
Stephanie Kyriacou in action during the final round – image LET
Sydney’s Stephanie Kyriacou heads to her debut as an LPGA Tour cardholder off the back of a 6th place at the Saudi Ladies International and, although her weekend rounds of 72 and 72 were perhaps disappointing in attempting to improve on her halfway position, it was an encouraging warm-up for what lies ahead.
Kyriacou, who leaves the Ladies European Tour as a two-time winner, is entered in this coming week’s JTBC Classic in Carlsbad in California, having earned the right to play the LPGA Tour by finishing 16th at last year’s Q School.
Still only 21, Kyriacou is expected to make quite an impact on the LPGA Tour where she joins fellow Australians Minjee Lee, Hannah Green, Su Oh, Sarah Kemp, Sarah Jane Smith, Katherine Kirk, Sarah Kemp and fellow rookie Karis Davidson.
Smith and Davidson are at this stage on the reserve bench for this coming week’s event.
Kyriacou began today’s final round in Saudi Arabia well enough placed an improved her position in the windy conditions by reaching the turn at 1 under although two early bogeys in her closing nine cost her a significantly higher finish.
Kyriacou played two events in Australia in 2022 before Saudi Arabia and will arrive in the US with her game having built momentum as a result of her solid effort at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club.
She earns US$25,000 for finishing tied for 6th and eight shots behind the runaway winner, Georgia Hall.
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Amateur Harrison Crowe takes NSW Open title
Harrison Crowe with his trophy – photo Golf NSW
20-year-old New South Wales golfer, Harrison Crowe, became the third amateur in recent memory to win the NSW Open Championship after the weather shortened event was completed today at the Concord Golf Club in the inner west of Sydney.
The last amateur to win the title was Victoria’s Ben Eccles at Stone Cutter’s Ridge in Sydney’s west in 2015 and in 2006 West Australian Rick Kulacz won at Moore Park in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
Crowe, who shared the lead through 36 holes, held off a spirited late challenge from his fellow New South Welshman, Blake Windred, to win the title and open to door to a possible professional career as success this week would provide access to the PGA Tour of Australasia over the next two years should he decide on that path.
For Harrison it completes an outstanding few months, having won the Master of the Amateurs and the NSW Amateur Championship in January and the Victorian Amateur Championship late in 2021.
Crowe began the final round tied with Victorian Blake Collyer but with an outward nine of 30 he raced to the lead and although he would bogey the 10th he was able to hold onto defeat Windred by one, after Windred had put together a final round of 64, 30 minutes ahead of the final group.
Windred, though, will receive the first place cheque of $72,000 given the still amateur status of the winner.
“I can’t describe it,” said Crowe. “So good. I really actually settled down after about six. I felt all right after the first tee shot and really knuckled down. Then to turn five-under (par), but not getting up-and-down on 11 kind of creeped me a little bit, and 17 and 18 I’ve never been so nervous in my life.”
Crowe was not giving anything away in terms of a possible switch to the professional ranks.
“It’s something to think about,” he said. “I don’t want to try and dwell on it too much now. I think I’m going enjoy my night. I’ve got an early flight tomorrow which I won’t be crash hot for out to Adelaide. It’s something to talk over with the parents, the coaches, team, and go from there.”
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Stephanie Kyriacou performing well ahead of LPGA Tour debut
Stephanie Kyriacou in action this week – photo Ladies European Tour
Sydney’s Stephanie Kyriacou, now a fully-fledged member of the LPGA Tour, is back in the happy hunting ground for her of the Ladies European Tour this week and she is again performing well.
The 21-year-old from the St Michael’s Golf Club in Sydney, finds herself in fourth position and just three shots from the 36-hole leaders, England’s Georgia Hall and Czechoslovakia’s Kristyna Napoleaova in the US$1 million Saudi Ladies International at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in Saudi Arabia.
Kyriacou, already a two-time winner on the Ladies European Tour, played her way onto the LPGA Tour late in 2021 but has yet to play an event there as a cardholder although she is entered for an event in California next week.
Kyriacou recovered from a slow start to the event and added a second round of 66 to her opening 75 to close on the leaders. She took advantage of the relatively good conditions early but gusty winds soon kicked in and her equal best round of the day (66) was very impressive.
“At the start of the round, it actually wasn’t that windy, but as we got onto our 8th hole, it started picking up,” said Kyriacou after her round.
“Because of the direction of the wind, we caught back all the sand, and it was just not fun at all. It was really hard. It was about 40 Ks. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s pretty windy when you’re trying to play golf.”
Played adjacent to the desert she not only had to contend with the wind but the sandstorms also.
“It was just annoying really. Every time I’d look up, if I didn’t have sunnies — so every time I’d look up, something is going in my eye. I went home, there’s dust in my ears, my nose. It’s disgusting.”
Whitney Hillier is the only other Australian in the field and she is currently tie for 16th.
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Collyer and Crowe show the way at Concord Golf Club
Blake Collyer – in action today – photo Golf NSW
Victorian, Blake Collyer, and exciting Sydney amateur, Harrison Crowe, have the halfway lead at the Golf Challenge NSW Open at the Concord Golf Club in Sydney’s inner west.
The pair are tied at 14 under par through 36 holes in what has been a low scoring event to date, the cut falling at 3 under and thirteen of those players within four shots of the lead.
Collyer played in the morning field on day two and produced a round of 62 to add to his opening round of 66 and was joined later in the day by Crowe who has been bogey free over his opening 36 holes.
Collyer’s opening round of 66 on Thursday included a hole in one and today he produced another eagle when he holed out from 80 metres or so at the near driveable par 4 5th.
Crowe added a second consecutive 64 during his afternoon round on day two.
The leading pair is ahead by two over recent PGA Tour of Australasia winners, Dimi Papadatos and Jarryd Felton along with NSW’s Jordan Zunic and Queensland based Victorian Deyen Lawson.
Both Papadatos and Zunic are former New Zealand Open winners and Felton a winner of the NZ PGA Championship in addition to his win at the TPS Sydney, the NSW PGA Championship and the WA PGA Championship.
Collyer, now into his third year as a professional, has yet to record a win on a recognised tour as such, but he has played well in the few events he has played in 2022, finishing 4th at both the Victorian PGA Championship and the TPS Victoria, both events on the PGA Tour of Australasia.
Crowe, from the southern suburbs of Sydney, recently won the NSW Amateur, the Australian Master of the Amateurs and the Port Phillip Open and Vic Amateur Championship and is therefore considered one of Australia’s brightest and hottest amateur prospects and is currently ranked third amongst the Australians in the world amateur rankings.
The event is currently one of the more lucrative on the PGA Tour of Australia’s schedule given the impact Covid has had over the past two years, only the Australian PGA Championship worth more to date in 2022.
As such, a victory and the $72,000 first prize will go a long way to cementing a place amongst the all-important top three on the PGA Tour of Australasia, that group to gain access to the DP World (European) Tour in 2023 and so this weekend may prove crucial for several of those chasing that milestone.
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Harrison Crowe shares the lead – photo Golf NSW
NSW Open victory could open important door for many
Defending champion Bryden Macpherson playing well enough to contend again – photo Golf NSW
One of Australian golf’s more iconic titles is to be decided this week at the Concord Golf Club in Sydney, the Golf Challenge NSW Open one of the more lucrative of the PGA Tour of Australasia after Covid had taken its toll on the pre-pandemic schedule.
The $400,000 event and its $72,000 first prize cheque will play a key role in the finalisation of the Order of Merit to be decided later this year, more especially because the leading three players at season’s end will earn the right to play the DP World Tour in 2023.
The leading three currently are Jed Morgan, Andrew Dodt and Dimi Papdatos although a win this week by any of the leading twenty or so could catapult them into that all important top three.
The Concord Golf Club has staged this event just twice in the past 35 years, Victoria’s Bryden Macpherson winning in 2021 and Greg Norman the previous winner in 1988.
Redesigned in recent years by one of the modern-day greats of golf course design, Tom Doak, Concord’s location in the inner west of Sydney and revamp, make it one of Sydney’s most sought-after clubs and its reallocation of such a significant event reflects its revised standing in NSW golf.
This week’s event brings together the typical line-up of Australasian golfers seen at recent events on the schedule although in this case the women are not involved, their own NSW Open being played at Coolangatta Tweeds Heads in early May as part of the WAPGA and Ladies European Tour.
Former British Amateur Champion, Macpherson, defends the title he won by three shots over Elvis Smylie and Jack Thomson twelve months ago. Macpherson has played well enough of late to be a consideration this week having recorded two top tens in recent starts in the TPS Series of events. He has now won two PGA Tour of Australasia events and twice on the China Tour so has the credentials to add another NSW Open to his resume.
Recent Australian PGA Championship winner, Jed Morgan, Queensland PGA Champion Anthony Quayle, recent rejuvenated winner of the TPS Sydney, Jarryd Felton, last week’s TPS Hunter Valley winner, Aaron Pike, 15 time Japan Tour event winner, Brendan Jones and up and coming New Zealander, Denzel Ieremia, are others who could be considered amongst the likely contenders.
Cameron Smith’s standing in world golf taken to another level
Cameron Smith being interviewed after his win
28 year old Cameron Smith was arguably amongst the game’s elite even before his historic victory over an equally determined India’s Anirban Lahiri in today’s final round of the Players Championship, but his hard-fought one shot victory in golf’s richest tournament takes him to a career high 6th place in the world ranking, adds another US$3.6 million to his already bulging bank account and provides a five year exemption to the PGA Tour, amongst many other rewards.
Just six years after first joining the PGA Tour in 2016, Smith has amassed earnings of more than US$23 million but, more importantly, he has proven himself at the highest level by beating one of the game’s strongest fields and in the process, showing the sort of game, guts, determination and game that might well see him joining the likes of Greg Norman, Adam Scott and Jason Day as Australian world number ones in the years ahead, perhaps even sooner.
Smith has already displayed a capacity to contend at the pointy end of major championships having already recorded top five finishes on three occasions at the Masters and the US Open and given the manner in which he handled a demanding week of delays and, at times, horror conditions this week, suggests he may well be contending for a major title in 2022.
The first of those of course will be when he heads to Augusta National in three week’s time a venue which has already seen him finish runner-up and 5th.
Smith began today’s final round in a share of 7th place and two shots behind Lahiri who was looking for his first PGA Tour title and who began the week in 322nd place in the world ranking but jumped to 89th as a result of his brilliant week at the TPC Sawgrass.
Five birdies in his first six holes swept Smith to the lead today but Lahiri was not going away and when Smith bogeyed the 7th and 8th holes the pair was tied at 10 under. Lahiri struck trouble when he double-bogeyed the 8th and by the turn Smith who would also bogey the 9th was tied with Paul Casey at 9 under one ahead of Adam Hadwin, Keegan Bradley, Patrick Hovland and Lahiri.
Smith would begin his closing nine in the same manner he began his round, two and a half hours earlier. Four birdies from the 10th gave him the outright lead but neither Lahiri nor Casey were about to lay down.
Lahiri eagled the 11th from 15 feet and joined Smith in the lead although, soon after, Smith birdied the 12th to grab the lead again.
Smith always appeared to have the edge over the closing holes but it would be his stunning tee shot at the dangerous par 3 17th that set up a birdie and a three shot lead.
Lahiri would also birdie the 17th a few minutes later and although Smith found the water when laying up from the trees at the 18th, he managed to hit a magnificent 4th shot to three feet and when he converted for a bogey his lead was still one and Lahiri need a birdie to tie.
It was not to be and Smith was the winner by one shot over Lahiri with another shot back to Casey.
Smith’s press conference may be heard and watched below but he described his approach to the final round in this way.
“I think I just knew that the golf course was going to kind of let up a few — there were a few pin spots out there that were very gettable, and being the way that the course played with all the rain, just soft and sticky, I just knew I had to make plenty of birdies.
“I was a few behind, I think, going into the start of the round, and just needed to get after it basically.”
His elevation to 6th in the world is a tremendous accomplishment and Smith was asked how it feels.
“I feel as though I’m playing the best that I’ve ever played. It’s kind of weird to think like that, being kind of the — probably the last three or four years being the guy that kind of goes from 20th to 40th in the World Rankings, and then all of a sudden to be 6th is kind of weird.
“But I feel as though I’ve put in the work and I feel as though I’ve done a lot of work on my body and I’ve put in the time. Yeah, it’s nice to see all that stuff paying off.”
The final two holes at the TPC Sawgrass have provided plenty of drama over the years and today was no exception with Smith hitting a shot under the most intense of pressure to five feet and converting then hitting his escape from the trees on the 18th into the water.
“I mean, on 17 I hit a really good shot. The wind didn’t quite hit it as much as what I thought it was going to. Kind of left it alone there for a long time and just kind of helped me out there at the end.
“I’d be lying if I said I was aiming there. I was probably aiming 10 feet left of that. But still wanted to stay aggressive, still wanted to make birdie.
“18, just a hole for me that doesn’t really suit my eye. I like to work the ball left to right off the tee. That’s where I feel comfortable, and I feel as though I can’t hit that shot down there. Just haven’t quite figured that hole out.
“I hit Driver, just because I just wanted to get it down there as far as I could basically. If it did turn over, I was going to have a short shot in, and it just didn’t quite turn over.”
Lucas Herbert was the only other Australasian to make the cut and on debut he did well to do so despite finishing 68th.
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Smith with his trophy – Getty Images
Aaron Pike wins playoff for TPS Hunter Valley title
Pike with his TPS Hunter Valley trophy – photo PGA of Australia
Queensland’s 37-year-old Aaron Pike has today won his third PGA Tour of Australasia title with a playoff victory over 22-year-old New Zealander, Momoka Kobori, in the mixed gender event, the TPS Hunter Valley, played at the Cypress Lakes Resort in Pokolbin, New South Wales.
It took three playoff holes before the deadlock could be broken after both players finished at 8 under par in the weather reduced 54 hole event, Pike eventually taking the title with a short birdie putt to claim the first prize of $36,000 dollars.
“I didn’t feel like I was doing much wrong to be honest”, the 36-year-old said following the victory.
“This golf course doesn’t give its shots up easy so I knew someone in front of me might be playing well but they’re not going to be seven or eight-under through 10 holes.
“I couldn’t believe she was four-under through nine. I don’t know what golf course she was playing. She’s obviously playing like a gun at the moment.”
“It’s a matter of time until she wins, not if.”
Pike’s last victory came when successful at the NT PGA Championship in the state in which he was raised in the Northern Territory in late 2020, but his form in the early part of 2022 has been solid with a 6th place at the Australian PGA Championship and an 8th place at the Vic Open.
Pike was a teammate of Jason Day during the period both attended the Hills International College in Jimboomba south of Brisbane in the early 2000’s and gained attention when he led then finished 4th behind Justin Rose at the Australian Masters in 2006 as a 20 year old amateur.
Injury has been a constant companion in the career of Pike but he has shown that when healthy, he has the game to finish as high as third in the Australian Open in 2019 and that amazing finish at Huntingdale in 2006.
Kobori was born in Karuizawa in Japan but raised in Rangiora north of Christchurch before attending Pepperdine College in California where she accrued a very successful collegiate golfing career.
The 22-year-old has played well in the combined gender events on the PGA and WAPGA Tours in recent weeks and will no doubt look to taking her game internationally before long.
Kobori’s brother Kazuma won the New Zealand PGA Championship as a 17 year old amateur she fell just short of becoming the very first brother and sister duo to win events on the PGA Tour of Australasia or anywhere for that matter.
Queenslanders Lawry Flynn, Brad Kennedy, Victorian Ben Wharton and New South Wales Cassie Porter all tied for 3rd place.
The next event on the PGA Tour of Australasia will be next week’s NSW Open at the Concord golf Club in Sydney.
Momoka Kobori – photo PGA of Australia