Bryden Macpherson: photo Golf NSW

Six weeks ago, Victorian, Bryden Macpherson, was outside the top 700 in the world ranking.

Today, as a result of his three-shot victory at the Golf Challenge NSW Open in Sydney, Macpherson will move to around 280^th. This victory comes on top of his win at the Moonah Links PGA Championship five weeks ago but importantly this was a Tier One event on the PGA Tour of Australasia and carried a significantly larger first prize ($72,000).

Macpherson will also move to 8^th on the 2020 /2021 PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit completed today. To say the least the last two months have turned around the career of the 30-year old who, ten years after qualifying to play the Masters in 2012, has struggled to fully realise the significant potential he displayed as an amateur

Macpherson, who led by one through 54 holes, was engaged in a final round battle with recent recruits to the pro ranks, Elvis Smylie and Jack Thompson who would eventually share second place.

Michael Sim and Dale Williamson tied for 4^th, just one behind the joint runners-up.

For Macpherson, who until now had been known for his 2011 British Amateur Championship victory and multiple success on the China Tour, the sensational start to the 2021 golfing year opens the door for options later this year including access to various stages of qualifying for golf tours worldwide.

“I honestly thought my chance was on 12 when I had a 12-footer for a little two-shot swing, but luckily I got another chance on 13 and I took advantage,” Macpherson said.

“I hadn’t really holed any long ones all week and I kept saying to myself that I’m due to hole one soon. It looked good the whole way.

“I didn’t seem to be reading putts very well. The best thing I could do was just stick in there and get lucky and some of the other guys will get nervous.”

Smylie has had a meteoric start to his professional career. The 18-year-old has been runner-up twice in the three events he has played in the paid ranks and in moving to 21^st on the Order of Merit he guarantees himself security of tenure on the PGA Tour of Australasia for at least one year. His sights however will be set significantly higher than that now.

Smylie took the lead at various stages during today’s final round but a double bogey at the 17^th cost him any chance of a win especially when Macpherson birdied the 16^th soon after.

Elvis Smylie in action today – photo Golf NSW

23 year old South Australian, Thompson, like Smylie, has burst out of the blocks in his professional career. His runner-up finish today will move him to 23^rd on the money list and, like Smylie, has an important early milestone in his career in terms of gaining status for the next season in Australasia.

The winner of the Order of Merit, Brad Kennedy won both the NZ Open and the Tournament Players Series Victoria event during the 15-month period the extended Order of Merit has been based on.

Kennedy finished 7^th this week but by heading the OOM he has earned himself the right to play the European Tour for the next 12 months and creates as many questions answers for the Queenslander who currently plies his trade, in the main, on the Japan Golf Tour, when Covid allows again that is.

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A scene from the Austin Golf Club this week – photo Getty Images Darren Carroll

All three Australians have been eliminated from the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play Champions in Austin in Texas.

Cameron Smith, Jason Day and Marc Leishman all missed out on the chance to advance to the Round of 16 and with none entered for next week’s Texas Open in San Antonio they now focus their attention on The Masters in ten days’ time.

Day was eliminated even before today’s third round of round robin competition having lost his opening two encounters against Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, although he did defeat And Sullivan today.

Both Leishman and Smith maintained mathematical chances of advancing heading into day three having both recorded a win and a loss in rounds one and two.

Today, however, both needed several potential scenarios to fall in their favour and it was not to be.

Leishman could only tie with Russell Henley and Smith lost a two-hole lead through 12 holes against Rory McIlroy, McIlroy holing a 30 foot out from of the green at the last to tie the match, although Ian Poulter, who Smith lost to on day two, would have advanced anyway after he won his match today.

One player from each of the sixteen groups advances to the round of 16 to begin the knockout matches to determine the winner on Sunday.

Noted casualties include world number one and former winner Dustin Johnson, who lost to Kevin Na today in a close match, Na recording a birdie at the last to win 1 up, although it would be Scotland’s Robert McIntyre who advanced from their group.

 

 

Brad Kennedy – The NZ Open Champion – a clear winner of the Australasian Tour Order of Merit – Image – Photo Sport

This week’s Golf Challenge NSW Open at the Concord Golf Club in Sydney will bring to a close the PGA Tour of Australasia’s Order of Merit for the extended 2020 / 2021 season and while the current leader, Brad Kennedy, has the top spot already wrapped up, at the other end of the list there remains a lot at stake.

The top 50 at the completion of this week’s event retain full status on the PGA Tour, the following ten eligible for a lesser status and those beyond that, unless covered by other categories, subject to the possibility of having to re-qualify to play the Australasian Tour.

Kennedy leads by just under $40,000 over Min Woo Lee with another $85,0000 back to the third placed Ryan Fox.

With a maximum of $72,000 up for grabs this week and both Lee and Fox not in this week’s field then Kennedy will be officially crowned the Order of Merit Champion on Sunday evening.

Kennedy’s lead comes courtesy of his victory over Lucas Herbert at last year’s New Zealand Open and his recent win over rookie Elvis Smylie at the TPS Victoria event on the Mornington Peninsula.

Both Lee and Fox gained the bulk of their money as a result of their 1^st and 2^nd places at the Vic Open 13 months ago and while in a normal season their standing on the Order of Merit would not hold up because of the limited number of events they have played, this season’s disrupted nature means they will finish 2nd and 3rd.

For those nearer the cut off mark of the top 50, however, this week remains an important week in terms of their prospects of playing a full schedule next season whenever that might happen.

Current standing

Jones enjoying the moment- photo Jared Tilton Getty Images.

It started with his brilliant best-ever PGA Tour round of 61 on Friday at the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens in Florida and finished today with an impressive front running round of 68 on one of the most demanding of layouts on which to lead a tournament.

40-year-old Australian Matt Jones did just that to win his second PGA Tour title by five shots nearly seven years after his first, add US$1.26 million to his PGA Tour earnings and take them to US$15 million, earn an invite to this year’s Masters, move to 49th in the world ranking and to 11^th in the FedEx Cup table.

To say the least it has been a milestone week for the two-time Australian Open champion and highlights a game that is perhaps even better than his record to date shows.

Jones’ three shot 54 hole lead was reduced to just one when Aaron Wise made a fast start and turned in 32 to be just one behind but disaster would strike Wise when, looking for his second PGA Tour title, he four putted the 10^th to fall four behind.

Although Jones would three-putt on two occasions on the inward nine such was his margin that he was able to enjoy a five shot lead over Brandon Hagy playing the last.

Jones was not about to make any mistakes, plotting his way conservatively up the par five last, two putting from 40 feet for par and the five-shot victory over Hagy.

Hagy, a late inclusion in the tournament, had begun his final round seven off the lead but the combination of his own brilliant best of the day 66 and the demise of several of those ahead of him starting the day saw him move into second place.

Jones was understandably emotional after his win especially given the quality of his ball striking suggesting it was his best-ever week in that regard.

“I said that to Lance (caddie) walking up 18,” said Jones. “That’s the best I’ve hit it from tee to green for, ever. And to be able to do it on this golf course is amazing. I mean, you have to do it out here to have a chance and I did it.

“I probably had a goal this week to walk a little slower and just relax. I’m normally an up-pace up-tempo person, play golf quickly, so I tried to stay calm and stay relaxed out there, and I know you have to be when you play this golf course, so I actually probably set that as a little goal this week and it worked out.

“It’s not easy to win out here. I’ve had a couple of chances, but they’re few and far between unless you’re the top guys, which they’re there regularly. But for me to close it out today on this golf course is amazing and it’s something that I can always look back on.

“I mean, golf, it’s a very tough sport we play out here. It’s very cut-throat. We’re working to keep our jobs every year and you have to perform well to be able to do that. So it’s probably been seven years since I won, but I’ve had some lean years in there, and to get back to the winner’s circle and to win this golf tournament was pretty emotional for me.”

One of the rewards for this win is a start at the Masters in two week’s time and Jones is aware of the fact that this time he will have a greater opportunity to prepare for the iconic event.

In 2014 he won the week before in Houston to qualify for the Masters so only had three days to prepare for his debut and one of those was washed out but this time he has time to get things in order. His standard right to left game should stand him in good stead for a solid week at Augusta National which typically favours that shot shape.

“It’s going to be nice,” added Jones. “I can go prep for the Masters this time. Last time it was an absolute blur. I can’t remember a thing about it, so I’m going to do some prep this time before.

Adam Scott continued his build up to Augusta National with an encouraging week. The former winner of this event finished with a final round of 68 to share 13^th place in the event, his two birdie and no bogey round, a solid preparation for the Masters which is now just over two weeks away.

Cameron Davis tied for 33^rd after a final round which included six bogeys and three birdies and Lucas Herbert was 46^th.

Herbert remains as first alternate for next week’s WGC Dell Match Play Championship in Texas but he also has an invite to the PGA Tour’s alternate event in the Dominican Republic so he has a possible two options this coming week.

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It was not all plain sailing for Jones today but he scrambled well to lead by three – Getty Images  Jared Tilton

Australian Matt Jones has regained the three shot lead he held after round one of the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens in Florida, reversing a six shot deficit he once faced during today’s third round into a three shot advantage as the event enters tomorrow’s final day.

Jones trailed leader Aaron Wise by three shots as he began his third round and when Wise birdied two of his first four holes the gap was six after Jones had opened with a birdie but then bogeyed the 4^th and six holes.

Wise appeared to be in full control but the Champion Course layout at Palm Beach Gardens has dangers around every corner and he would fall victim at the 6^th which he double bogeyed before a dropping a shot at the 7^th.

Further bogeys followed at the 10^th 15^th, 17^th and 18^th, the last coming when losing a ball in a penalty area and with Jones being one of the very few amongst the leading dozen or so 36 hole scores to finish under par, his round of 69 saw him lead by three as he had 48 hours earlier.

Wise would eventually finish with 75 and find himself tied for second place with J.B. Holmes whose round of 67 saw him jump 12 positions to be just three behind the lead ahead of tomorrow’s final round.

Another shot back and tied for 4^th is Taiwan’s C.T Pan who reeled off a stunning round of 65 in the demanding conditions to jump 38 places and share that position with Cameron Tringale and Sam Ryder.

Jones has won just once on the PGA Tour, that coming at the 2014 Houston Open the week before the Masters, earning him his first start and only start to date at Augusta National.

A win tomorrow would provide him the chance to play the Masters again and along with the US$1,260,000 and a rise in the world rankings to around 50^th, then tomorrow is a potentially big day for Matt Jones.

Jones, though, is not getting too far ahead of himself.

“I’ve got a long way to go. A lot of holes out here that can get you, but if I keep managing my game, hopefully I’ll have a chance coming down the last nine.”

Jones was delighted how he had managed his game through the difficult finishing stretch known as the Bear Trap at Palm Beach Gardens.

“I plodded my way around those holes. They’re not birdie holes at all. They’re just don’t make the biggest mistake holes, and I managed to play them even par, which is great. And then played the front nine, made a couple of bogeys, but then made a couple of birdies coming down the stretch on the back nine.”

When asked what memories he will draw on the get through tomorrow Jones added: “I’ll draw on the fact I’ve won a couple of Australian Opens in between, so I can draw on those,” referring to the fact that it has been seven years since his first and only win to date on the PGA Tour.

“I mean, playing with those top players in the final group down there was always something I can draw on. And playing out here it’s just a tough golf course. I mean, you have to go hit the ball well in the wind and coming from Australia we grew up in a lot of wind I’ve got 36 years experience playing in those sort of conditions.

Cameron Davis is tied for 18^th at 3 under par after his round of 70 today, Adam Scott is 27^th and Lucas Herbert 34^th.

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