Marc Leishman in action this week – image Tom Shaw R&A / Getty Images 

The eleven-strong Australasian contingent at this week’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush has been reduced to just one as the event heads into the weekend.

Victorian Marc Leishman added an impressive second round of 68 on Friday to finish his opening 36 holes at 1 under par and in a share of 26^th place, but for the other ten players from our part of the world, it has been a week of mixed fortunes.

“Everything felt pretty good,” said Leishman after his round. “I putted well. Probably left a couple out there. I had a three-putt on 5, but that was a really tough pin. Drove it well, didn’t hit any fairway bunkers today, which was good. That’s what killed me yesterday.

“No, happy with how everything was feeling. Obviously, that little mishap on 13 there. It’s a bit scary when that happens. Two-hole stretch that didn’t sort of do a whole lot wrong apart from that tee shot on 13. Happy with the day.”

Leishman shanked his tee shot at the 13^th, which led to a bogey and followed up with another dropped shot at the next.

“I was certainly thinking about it when I was trying to cut up an 8-iron into the last, exactly the same shot I hit on 13. Yeah, obviously you try to block it out of your head, but they do say the hardest shot in golf is the one after a shank. I felt like every shot coming in was that shot.”

“It was tough, but you’ve got to laugh about it and hope it doesn’t happen again for a while.”

New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier opened with an encouraging round of even par 71, but today, despite an early morning tee time, he could only record round of 73 to miss the cut by one, made even more frustrating by dropping shots at his 16^th and 18^th holes.

Jason Day and Ryan Fox also missed by one, Fox’s second round of 68 a big improvement on his opening 75 but falling just short of the required number he needed to make any further progress in the tournament.

Day added a round of even par 71 to his opening 73, but the damage from his opening nine of 39 on Thursday morning could not be repaired and he misses just his third cut in 13 starts in the event.

Elvis Smylie did his best in trying to make the weekend when he birdied two of his last three holes to record a round of 71 but it, too, fell just short, in his case by two shots.

Lucas Herbert would miss by three, Minwoo Lee by four, Curtis Luck, Cam Smith and Ryan Peake by seven, and Adam Scott by eight after his horror round of 79.

The leader at the halfway mark is none other than the world number one, Scottie Scheffler, who gave a clinic during his stunning round of 64 to take a one-shot lead over a resurgent Matthew Fitzpatrick, who produced the second-best round of the day and the week with his 6-under 65.

Scheffler appears on the brink of a 4^th major title and what would be the third of the four needed to make up the Grand Slam. Admittedly, a win is no lay down misère at this stage, but his great consistency and his growing understanding of playing golf of this nature and in these conditions, has him as the man to beat over the next 36 holes.

“When we were teeing off, depending on what weather forecast you looked at, it was going to tell you something different,” said Scheffler. “It was super sunny when we were on the driving range, I’m out there in short sleeves, it’s warm out. Then we get to the 1st hole, it’s still sunny. Then all of a sudden, you look around and it’s super dark and it starts pouring rain. You’re like, boy, I wonder how long this is going to last.

“Fortunately, it didn’t pour the whole time. We only had maybe four or five holes where it was really coming down, and I was able to take advantage of the holes where we had some good weather.”

Scheffler is looking to become only the second player to win The Open when being world number one (the last was Tiger Woods in 2000, 2005, and 2006).

Leaderboard

 

 

 

Daniel Hillier’s round of even par 71 heads the Australasians – image Stuart Kerr R&A via Getty 

With play on day one of the 153^rd Open Championship drawing to a close, the fact that 33 players have finished under par over a testing golf course and under typically demanding links golf weather bears testament to Royal Portrush being well set up to examine the skills of the world’s best fairly.

4 under par 67, held by five golfers, leads the way, but 29 players are within two of that lead, and with 72 players within five, then anyone within those parameters and perhaps beyond has done enough to feel that they are still very much a chance to contend over the weekend.

Norway’s Jacob Skov Olesen, China’s Haotong Li, England’s Matt Fitzpatrick, South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout and American Harris English all begin round two with a share of the lead, Olesen’s bogey at the last hole of his morning round eventually costing him the honour of leading the event into tomorrow’s second round.

The eleven-strong Australasian contingent is currently headed by New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier, at even par 71. The 26-year-old Wellingtonian is playing his fifth Open Championship, where his best finish was 31^st last year.

Hillier bogeyed the first and third holes but birdied the second, the highlight of his round coming at the par 5 12^th hole, where after a 225-yard approach he holed a 16-footer to move 1 under for the day before he bogeyed the 14^th to eventually finish at even par and in a share of 32^nd place.

Cam Smith and Adam Scott are both at 1 over 72, Smith’s outward nine of 39 rescued by an impressive inward nine of 33 where he birdied twice, no doubt leaving him boosted by the recovery. Smith played in one of the first few groups out on day one and will therefore be faced with an afternoon tee time on day two, which might or might not work in his favour.

“It was pretty good, said Smith. “Pretty solid, particularly that back nine. Could have really got away from me, I think. Hung in there nice and just committed to some swings, what I’ve been doing the last few times out. Gave myself a little bit of a talking to through nine and played that last nine really solidly.

“Definitely a bit of a confidence boost today on the back nine for sure. When stuff’s not going through our way sometimes, like I said, it can get really away from me. I did a really good job of hanging in there, a bit of Queensland spirit but it was really good. Looking forward to tomorrow. It’s a tough test. You need to hit every shot perfect. A bit of luck of the Irish out there too wouldn’t hurt.”

Scott was out late on day one but has the advantage of a 7.08 tee time on day two to make his move. A bogey at the last was disappointing after fighting his way back from 2 over through 11 holes, but it was nonetheless a solid start.

“I mean, kind of. It could have gotten away, said Scott. “I don’t know; it felt like we teed off in the rain and played the whole lot in the rain. It was tricky at times. But my golf was okay. Shame about the last.”

Scott bounced back from two consecutive bogeys on 10 and 11 to keep his hopes of a good week alive.

“It is handy having birdies. I’d like to have some more stretches like that. It’s always an equation at the majors of how much do you press, how much you’re going to go and try and hit it close. It’s really hard here at a links when the wind is blowing and you’ve got to hang it way up the other side of the course and try and have it come back. Sometimes you can’t get it close. So, how aggressively you play is always the thing, and when you go for it and pull off a few, birdies go a long way.

“I’m not out of it, but I’m going to have to have a good morning tomorrow. Hopefully, the weather cooperates.”

Jason Day and Marc Leishman are at 2 over 73, Day also improving after an outward nine of 39 in his early morning round.

Leishman was 3 over through 12 holes but steadied the ship over the closing stretch.

Lucas Herbert and Min Woo Lee recorded rounds of 74, Ryan Fox and Elvis Smylie 75, New Zealand Open winner, Ryan Peake, who played with Phil Mickelson, had 77, and Curtis Luck 80.

Weather dependant, the cut appears as if it will fall around 3 over par tomorrow evening.

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The Open Championship Trophy stands proud on the shores of Royal Portrush – image R&A Getty Images

The 153rd Open Championship will be played for the third occasion in Northern Ireland when the event gets underway at Royal Portrush on Thursday 17^th July, when a total of eleven Australasians will tee it up.

In alphabetical order, Jason Day, Ryan Fox, Lucas Herbert, Daniel Hillier, Min Woo Lee, Marc Leishman, Curtis Luck, Ryan Peake, Adam Scott, Elvis Smylie and Cameron Smith get their chance at golf’s major title, Luck and Peake to play the event for the first occasion and Scott the most experienced of the group playing the Open Championship for the 25^th occasion.

Jason Day is the group’s second most experienced, having teed it up in 12 previous Opens.

Day is Australasia’s highest world-ranked player in the group at present, but his form has been a roller coaster for much of the year; the occasional brilliance overshadowed by some ordinary efforts, including two missed cuts in his last four starts. Day has just two top tens in his 12 starts at the Open, the best of those coming in 2023 when runner-up to Brian Harman.

Ryan Fox will play his 9^th Open Championship, his best effort when 16^th at this very venue in 2019, but, that aside, his next best was when 25^th last year. Fox has, however, taken his game to a new level this year with two wins on the PGA Tour and he arrives in Northern Ireland as a much more confident and credentialed player than ever before. He has a solid record generally on links golf courses and could well better his previous best in the event this week.

Min Woo Lee’s record in the event is well below his general career standing, having played the Open Championship on four occasions for two missed cuts and a best of 21^st. He plays Royal Portrush for the first occasion, but his form since his win in Houston earlier this year has fallen off a little.

Adam Scott has a very mixed record at the Open Championship. The undoubted highlight was when runner-up to Ernie Els in 2012, dropping four shots over the closing four holes to miss a playoff by one. The 44-year-old (45 this week) is, however, playing some fine golf of late and was an encouraging 17^th in Scotland last week.

Cam Smith’s career highlight came in 2022 when he won the Open Championship at St Andrews, but, that aside, his record in the event is hardly inspiring, with only one other top twenty in his other five starts. His form in Liv Golf this year has been below his best, although it was a little better last week when 7^th in Spain.

Marc Leishman earned his place in the field courtesy of his placing at last year’s Australian Open, but he does have three of four very good finishes in the event, including his playoff loss at the 2015 Open Championship at St Andrews. He missed the cut at Royal Portrush in 2019, but after winning earlier in the year on the LIV Tour, his most recent form is below what he needs to do well this week.

Daniel Hillier will play his 5^th Open Championship with a best of 31^st last year, but after missed cuts in his last two starts this year in Germany and Scotland, things will need to improve sharply if he has a chance of bettering his previous best in the event.

Lucas Herbert will play his 5^th Open Championship, his best when 15^th behind Cam Smith at St Andrews in 2022. Herbert has played well in Liv Golf events this year and did win an International Series event in Japan a couple of months ago, but this is another level again.

Elvis Smylie is in the field courtesy of his great play on the PGA Tour of Australasia last season and will play his second Open Championship, having missed the cut last year. After what has been a run of indifferent form in 2025, he played a little better in Scotland last week but is playing well below his capabilities at present.

Curtis Luck and Ryan Peake will debut at the Open Championship, Luck courtesy of a runner-up finish at the Australian Open and Peake due to his surprise but welcome win at the New Zealand Open.

Looking at the field from a wider angle, the best prospects in this writer’s view are Jon Rahm, the defending champion Xander Schauffele, and Rory McIlroy, who, despite the pressure of playing in front of his home fans, family, and friends, should be in the mix on Sunday.

For slightly longer odds, Sepp Straka has been in fine form on the PGA Tour this season and does have a runner-up finish in this event in just three previous starts.

Field 

 

A very proud Grace Kim enjoys the moment – image Mark Runnacles Ladies European Tour 

Sydney 24 year old, Grace Kim, has joined a select group of Australia’s female golfers to win a major golfing championship after her miraculous finish to the Amundi Evian Championship in France to defeat the current world number two, Jeeno Thitikul, of Thailand at the second extra hole of a playoff.

Kim began the final day one shot out of the lead held by her fellow Australian Gabi Ruffels and England’s Cara Gainer but after two early bogeys and a double bogey at her 12^th hole the chances of such a breakthrough and career changing win seemed, at best, a remote possibility.

Then came a powerful finish in which Kim birdied the 15^th and 16^th before a stunning hybrid to 2 feet at the 72^nd hole set up an eagle which she converted and, when her playing partner Thitikul could only manage a par, the pair headed for the playoff tied at 14 under. They were one ahead of the brilliant English amateur Lottie Woad and Australia’s Minjee Lee who had also staged a late charge with an eagle of her own at the last to fall one short.

Both players birdied the first extra hole but it was the manner in which Kim had done so that will be long remembered. Her second shot from a similar distance to that in regulation play found the penalty area right of the green and after taking a drop and a one shot penalty she managed to hole her pitch across the green from 35 yards or so for birdie only to be matched by a gutsy up and down by what must have been a shell shocked Thitikul.

After taking a penalty drop Kim holes her pitch across the green at the first playoff hole – image Mark Runnacles LET

At the second hole of the playoff, Kim would again produce brilliance when her hybrid approach finished 12 feet behind the flag and when Thitikul was unable to birdie from left of the green it was left to Kim to finish off by holing the putt for the title.

Kim had therefore played her final six holes of the day in 7 under par to claim the first prize of US$1.2 million, but perhaps more importantly, to join the select group of Jan Stephenson, Karrie Webb, Hannah Green and Minjee Lee as Australian women to have won a major title.

“This is unbelievable,” said Kim. “Didn’t really know I was going to be sitting here this soon. I saw there is a picture of Karrie as you walk into the locker room, walking down 18 as well, so seeing that each day is motivating.

“Obviously, Minjee’s first major was this one and this is now mine as well. Oh, that’s definitely different. I’ll get used to it. (Smiling.) Yeah, I’m not sure when it’ll sink in for sure, but, yeah, this is incredible.

“Obviously, it’s a huge achievement for me. I’ve had a lot of doubts early this year. I was kind of losing motivation. I kind of had to get some hard conversations done with the team. Yeah, kind of had to wake up a little bit.

“So to be sitting here next to this trophy is definitely surreal. Obviously caught a bit of a cold early this week as well, so I was kind of knowing that I wasn’t 100%. But, again, even if I’m 80% I’ll give my 100% of that 80.

“I definitely struggled, I think, after my win in Hawaii (in her rookie year). You know, I won very early and that was a great result. I was very grateful for that. But I feel like I haven’t quite crossed the line of kind of getting it done. I’ve been in contention a few times now and just being able to get it done wasn’t quite there.

“I think I’ve come to learn that it’s not quite my game technically. It’s more on course just the skills that I have to learn through experience being on the Tour week in, week out.

“Obviously, now it’s a huge topic with the mental aspect of the game. So much doubt has gone through my mind and it kind of snowballed very quickly. I guess it was a bit of a burnout at the start of this year.

“But, yeah, just overcoming that wouldn’t have been possible without my team. I know a lot of the girls know the importance of having a good team around you. Yeah, it’s definitely crucial to have the people to back you, and even in times where you don’t believe in yourself to have those people know that you are capable and they’re here for that ride.

“So, very grateful for them. Yeah, I honestly wouldn’t have done it without them.”

Thitikul would have become the world number one if she had been able to win but she and Kim appeared throughout the round to spur each other on and despite losing the playoff, she was proud of her effort.

“I think I’m so proud of myself on battling out there today, said the runner-up. “I know like it’s going to be a tough day, it’s going to be a long day, but I just want to say I’m so proud of myself and what I did out there.”

Minjee Lee’s near miss on a chance at the playoff was frustrating, but she earns another US$521,000 from the US$8 million purse and will move even higher in the Rolex Ranking than her current 6^th place.

“I’m a little disappointed, but I’m still happy with my result,” said Lee. “I felt like I left a lot out there. I didn’t have my best stuff. Just kind of scrambled here and there. Probably didn’t give myself too many birdie opportunities today where I could.

“Super proud of just all the Aussies. I played with Gabi (Ruffels) today, and I think over the years they’ve just gone from strength to strength. I step back and see them as the younger generation.

“Yeah, no, I think it’s really nice for them to be grinding and just trying to make their mark on the LPGA, which is awesome.”

Ruffels finished in a share of 9^th after a last round of 72 saw her slip back from the share of the 54-hole lead, but it was still a great week for the former US Amateur Champion.

Leaderboard and results

 

 

Grace Kim is all concentration during round 2. Image Mark Runnacles LET

Sydney’s Grace Kim is just one shot off the pace after round two of the Amundi Evian Championship in Evian-les-Bains in France, her second round of 3 under 68 leaving her just one behind the halfway leader, Somi Lee of Korea.

Sharing the lead after an opening round of 66, Kim dropped a shot at the 2^nd hole today in her early morning round but added four birdies and no bogeys over the next 16 holes to have the lead outright when she finished her round before overtaken an hour or so later by Lee’s round of 65.

Kim is playing the event for the third occasion, having missed the cut on debut in 2023 and finished 51^st last year.

In nine starts on the LPGA Tour this season, Kim has recorded just the one top ten, but the winner of one LPGA Tour title in her career to date was keen to take advantage of her 7.00am start today.

“Yeah, I mean, we were first off at 7:00 so it was an early start, but I wanted to make sure I took advantage of that tee time. It’s nice to be done before midday,” said the 24-year-old.

“So, yeah, just kind of, again, like I just knew how much this course can really sting you, so, yeah, just played fairways and greens. Had a few putts, maybe more than yesterday — but, yeah, just kind of kept it simple and it kind of worked out today.

“I think the last two years I’ve played it was definitely a learning experience, and I think for someone to dominate this course and capitalize on it, you have to know how this course is going to bite at you.

“I mean, I think the rookie year that I played out here, I had like 9-over and I cried, but I can definitely see now like how much it is worth that learning experience.

“It is obviously, again, just another week where you just kind of build on top of that. Yeah, I think experiencing that over the two years, even though it’s not that much to me, seems a lot because I feel like now I can comfortably play the course and know what the ball is going to do and how it’s going to bounce.”

The leader, Lee, is a five-time winner on the Korean LPGA Tour but is now in her second season on the LPGA Tour, where she has yet to win an individual title but did team with a fellow Korean to win the Dow event this season.

Joint first round leader Gabi Ruffelss of Australia could only manage an even par round today but she is just three off the pace at 7 under and in a share of 7^th place while Minjee Lee is another shot back and tied for 12^th.

Last year’s runner-up Stephanie Kyriacou of Sydney, improved with a second round of 68 to be at 4 under and in a share of 18^th place.

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