Justin Thomas – Photo Getty Images Sam Greenwood
It was a frustrating final day for Queensland’s Cameron Smith at the Players Championship but he finished as the leading Australian in 17th position after a final round of 72.
Smith produced a round of five bogeys and five birdies although after two early bogeys it was perhaps a solid recovery and having a best of 56th in his previous starts in the event, the performance reflects the continuing advance of Smith towards the elite of the game.
A bogey at the last today followed birdies at the 16th and 17th, in fact he would birdie the dangerous 17th on three occasions during the week, but, overall, after working himself to the edge of contention during the weekend it was a result below his now considerable expectations.
With The Masters now fast approaching and Smith no doubt buoyed by his extraordinary showing in the 2020 event a few months ago when runner-up to Dustin Johnson, there is a lot to like about the 27 year old’s chances of another strong performance in a major.
Smith finished 7 shots behind the winner, Justin Thomas whose remarkable weekend rounds of 64 and 68 swept him from just inside the cutline to victory after birdies at the 16th and 18th on Friday evening saw him survive the cut.
Thomas struggled through the opening nine today but a birdie at the 10th followed by a 20 foot eagle putt at the 11th had him in a share of the lead with 54 hole leader Lee Westwood and he would go ahead with a two putt birdie at the 16th and held on to win by one.
Westwood was not at his best today but fought doggedly making a fine par save at the 16th before a three putt bogey at the 17th. He then holed a fifteen foot birdie putt at the last to edge clear of Bryson De Chambeau and Brian Harman who tied for 3rd.
“It means a lot, obviously,” said Thomas when asked of the significance of the victory to him.
“It’s a huge championship, very special. It’s a tournament I’ve wanted to win, a tournament that I truly did feel like I was going to win at some point, and hopefully multiple times.
“I love the golf course. It was in incredible shape this week. The greens were so good. The fairways were perfect. Rough was long. Just a great test of golf. I mean, that’s why it’s a PLAYERS Championship.”
“It’s been a crappy couple months. I’ve had stuff happen in my life I never thought I’d have happen, and I mean, losing grandpa was terrible, and having to play a round of golf dealing with that, and then on top of that not playing well, it just was a lot, and it took a lot on me mentally.
“At the same time, that’s just the way that it was. I had to figure it out and had to get over it, and if I wanted to come to these tournaments and have a chance to win, then I needed to suck it up and get over it. If I wanted to throw a pity party for myself or feel sorry for myself, there’s no reason to show up, and I can stay home until I feel like I’m ready.
“I felt like I was in a good enough head space where I could play. I just wasn’t playing well. And then once I wasn’t playing well, it was kind of snowballing.
“This week was huge to win a big championship like this in front of fans again, which is incredible. You know, it tested me mentally, physically, emotionally, and I’m very proud of myself for getting it done.”
Thomas reached some low points during the personal and on course issues he was facing and spoke of the manner in which he dealt with it.
“I talked to people. I’ve reached out to people. I mean, it’s not — I mean, I’m not embarrassed to say that I reached out to talk to people to kind of let my feelings out and just discuss stuff with them.
“I think it’s something, especially at our level, a lot of people probably think that they’re bigger and better than that, but some of the thoughts and things I was feeling, it wasn’t fair to myself, and I needed to do something, and my girlfriend Jill was very helpful with that and staying on me to make sure I was taking care of myself, like I would want to do for anyone else in my family.
“Yeah, just like I do in my golf, if things are going on in life, I need to work on it to try to get it better.”
Thomas moved up one place in the world ranking to 2nd behind Dustin Johnson.
Westwood finished runner-up for the second occasion having finished behind Bryson De Chambeau last week in Orlando.
“Obviously, when you’re in contention, you’d like to win every tournament you’re playing in, but I didn’t quite have my game today,” said Westwood.
“I don’t know what it was. Maybe I just haven’t played a lot of golf. I hate to say it, age is catching up with me. Yesterday I felt like my legs were just starting to get a bit tired and weak, and today I just didn’t feel like I had my legs under me. I was hitting shots I don’t normally hit. The ones right off 2, 4, and 11 were poor shots. Couldn’t quite find the strike.
“Slightly disappointed that I didn’t win, but you can’t be too wanting after a second place finish in the PLAYERS Championship. It’s something positive to take into next week to the Honda Championship, the Honda Classic.
“I’ve got a fun couple of days coming up. I’m going to play Augusta with my son Sam. Tomorrow’s going to be a good Monday.”
After Smith, Cameron Percy closed out his first Players Championship appearance with a 68 to be the next best of the Australians in 29th place, Jason Day was 35th, Adam Scott 48th and Matt Jones 55th.
The PGA Tour now moves south to Palm Beach Gardens for the Honda Classic.
Matt Jones’ Day Out at Honda Classic
Matt Jones birdies the 13th today – photo Getty Images Jared Tilton
Sydney’s Matt Jones has produced a stunning opening round of 61 at the Honda Classic at Plam Beach Gardens in Florida, the round so good it was three shots better than any other player on day one.
The two time Australian Open champion, who is playing the event for the 8th occasion, finished 4th on debut in 2008 although that aside there has not been a lot to get excited about. Today, however, he took advantage of a 7.36 tee time by producing four birdies in his first five holes and then finished as he started with three birdies to finish.
It was Jones’ lowest round on the PGA Tour and equaled the course record on the Jack Nicklaus designed PGA National Champion course layout.
“In my rookie year I think I finished fourth here, I think I was tied for the lead for a long time, and I thought about that while I was out there playing,” said Jones.
“Someone sent me a screenshot of that leaderboard yesterday, so it was good to see that. It’s just a difficult golf course. If you’re off a little bit you can’t get away with it around here. It was good to make birdies and get away with it.
“I don’t know why I always feel comfortable on this golf course. There’s so many uncomfortable golf holes out there. But it is a course I do like playing, and if I’m hitting it the way I am today the rest of the week, it’ll be a good week.”
Jones leads by three over Aaron Wise and Russell Henley but just two shots further back and tied for 4th is Jones’ fellow Sydneysider, Cameron Davis who played late in the day and put together an impressive round of 66.
Davis was struggling early in his round before he and his two playing partners eagled their 9th hole (the 18th). It was a feat Davis could not recall all three playing partners having done previously.
“I think that’s the first time I’ve seen that,” said the 26 year old. “That was awesome. Scott holed his putt and I was like, I got to make mine now, because I know that his was going in, because it was so close. So that was really fun. It was nice.
“I hit a couple of kind of okay shots, but I wasn’t really getting too much going until then. But I hit a really nice second shot into 18 and I feel like the feel from that shot kind of carried over a little bit onto the front nine.
“I think, like I just hit the ball probably a little bit better off the tee as well — I drove the ball pretty well all day. But I got to the point where I started getting some putts to go in and I think it was nice to get on a little bit of a roll from there on.”
Davis finished an impressive 8th in the event last year.
Cameron Percy and former winner of the event, Adam Scott, were round in 69, Percy continuing some good form of late and Scott’s three birdies and an eagle damaged by a double bogey at his 16th hole.
Lucas Herbert was one of the last out on day one and recorded a round of even par 70, an eagle at the last saving an otherwise ordinary day.
US based Lismore golfer, Rhein Gibson, gained a late start in the event courtesy of Daniel Berger’s late withdrawal and recovered from a horror opening nine of 4 over 39 to finish on that score (74)
Adam Scott timing his run to Augusta National
Adam Scott at Torrey Pines where he recorded his best finish in 2021 – photo Getty Images Donald Miralle
Former winner of the event, Adam Scott, plays the Honda Classic at the PGA National Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida this week off the back of a series of solid if unspectacular finishes in 2021.
Scott has played six events to date this year and while he has made every cut, the only top ten came when 10th at Torrey Pines so it has been a case of close but no cigar for the 40-year-old.
With this week’s event and just two more beyond that ahead of this year’s Masters, Scott is no doubt timing his run to Augusta National in order that he will have his game peaking for the first major of the year.
At a media conference ahead of this week’s event, Scott was asked about the state of his game and had mixed thoughts on just where it stands.
“It’s not really where I want it, to be honest, but it’s always nice returning to places you’ve had success.
“This is a very demanding golf course, so it’s going to certainly test every aspect of my game, certainly. I’m not quite on top of my long game at the moment, and it’s a bit of a work in progress, but playing today it was a little bit better than it was Sunday at TPC, so hopefully it’s moving in the right direction.”
Scott may be a little unsure about his game overall but he is delighted with his short game jokingly suggesting if that was not holding up then he might be doing something else.
“My short game is fantastic at the moment. I mean, for sure the best consistently it’s ever been, which is fortunate, otherwise I’d be selling hot dogs, not playing golf if I didn’t have one.
“But I’m not really where I want to be with my long game. I can sit here and bore you with details why, but it’s just the fact is it’s just not good enough. In the big picture of things with Augusta in mind, I think if I can make some progress this week, I’ve got two weeks of practice which I really, really need to be ready for Augusta, and I still believe I can.”
Scott will be joined by fellow Australians Matt Jones, Cameron Davis, Cameron Percy and Lucas Herbert. Herbert gets a start for the first time in the event courtesy of a sponsors’ exemption ahead of a likely start at the Dell Technologies Match Play in Texas next week.
Davis is playing the event for the third occasion having finished an impressive 8th last year and Matt Jones will also have fond memories of the Palm Gardens layout having finished 4th on debut in the event 13 years ago although there has not been a lot to get excited about since.
Justin Thomas wins Players – Cameron Smith heads Australians
Justin Thomas – Photo Getty Images Sam Greenwood
It was a frustrating final day for Queensland’s Cameron Smith at the Players Championship but he finished as the leading Australian in 17th position after a final round of 72.
Smith produced a round of five bogeys and five birdies although after two early bogeys it was perhaps a solid recovery and having a best of 56th in his previous starts in the event, the performance reflects the continuing advance of Smith towards the elite of the game.
A bogey at the last today followed birdies at the 16th and 17th, in fact he would birdie the dangerous 17th on three occasions during the week, but, overall, after working himself to the edge of contention during the weekend it was a result below his now considerable expectations.
With The Masters now fast approaching and Smith no doubt buoyed by his extraordinary showing in the 2020 event a few months ago when runner-up to Dustin Johnson, there is a lot to like about the 27 year old’s chances of another strong performance in a major.
Smith finished 7 shots behind the winner, Justin Thomas whose remarkable weekend rounds of 64 and 68 swept him from just inside the cutline to victory after birdies at the 16th and 18th on Friday evening saw him survive the cut.
Thomas struggled through the opening nine today but a birdie at the 10th followed by a 20 foot eagle putt at the 11th had him in a share of the lead with 54 hole leader Lee Westwood and he would go ahead with a two putt birdie at the 16th and held on to win by one.
Westwood was not at his best today but fought doggedly making a fine par save at the 16th before a three putt bogey at the 17th. He then holed a fifteen foot birdie putt at the last to edge clear of Bryson De Chambeau and Brian Harman who tied for 3rd.
“It means a lot, obviously,” said Thomas when asked of the significance of the victory to him.
“It’s a huge championship, very special. It’s a tournament I’ve wanted to win, a tournament that I truly did feel like I was going to win at some point, and hopefully multiple times.
“I love the golf course. It was in incredible shape this week. The greens were so good. The fairways were perfect. Rough was long. Just a great test of golf. I mean, that’s why it’s a PLAYERS Championship.”
“It’s been a crappy couple months. I’ve had stuff happen in my life I never thought I’d have happen, and I mean, losing grandpa was terrible, and having to play a round of golf dealing with that, and then on top of that not playing well, it just was a lot, and it took a lot on me mentally.
“At the same time, that’s just the way that it was. I had to figure it out and had to get over it, and if I wanted to come to these tournaments and have a chance to win, then I needed to suck it up and get over it. If I wanted to throw a pity party for myself or feel sorry for myself, there’s no reason to show up, and I can stay home until I feel like I’m ready.
“I felt like I was in a good enough head space where I could play. I just wasn’t playing well. And then once I wasn’t playing well, it was kind of snowballing.
“This week was huge to win a big championship like this in front of fans again, which is incredible. You know, it tested me mentally, physically, emotionally, and I’m very proud of myself for getting it done.”
Thomas reached some low points during the personal and on course issues he was facing and spoke of the manner in which he dealt with it.
“I talked to people. I’ve reached out to people. I mean, it’s not — I mean, I’m not embarrassed to say that I reached out to talk to people to kind of let my feelings out and just discuss stuff with them.
“I think it’s something, especially at our level, a lot of people probably think that they’re bigger and better than that, but some of the thoughts and things I was feeling, it wasn’t fair to myself, and I needed to do something, and my girlfriend Jill was very helpful with that and staying on me to make sure I was taking care of myself, like I would want to do for anyone else in my family.
“Yeah, just like I do in my golf, if things are going on in life, I need to work on it to try to get it better.”
Thomas moved up one place in the world ranking to 2nd behind Dustin Johnson.
Westwood finished runner-up for the second occasion having finished behind Bryson De Chambeau last week in Orlando.
“Obviously, when you’re in contention, you’d like to win every tournament you’re playing in, but I didn’t quite have my game today,” said Westwood.
“I don’t know what it was. Maybe I just haven’t played a lot of golf. I hate to say it, age is catching up with me. Yesterday I felt like my legs were just starting to get a bit tired and weak, and today I just didn’t feel like I had my legs under me. I was hitting shots I don’t normally hit. The ones right off 2, 4, and 11 were poor shots. Couldn’t quite find the strike.
“Slightly disappointed that I didn’t win, but you can’t be too wanting after a second place finish in the PLAYERS Championship. It’s something positive to take into next week to the Honda Championship, the Honda Classic.
“I’ve got a fun couple of days coming up. I’m going to play Augusta with my son Sam. Tomorrow’s going to be a good Monday.”
After Smith, Cameron Percy closed out his first Players Championship appearance with a 68 to be the next best of the Australians in 29th place, Jason Day was 35th, Adam Scott 48th and Matt Jones 55th.
The PGA Tour now moves south to Palm Beach Gardens for the Honda Classic.
Andrew Evans another first time winner on the Australasian Tour
Andrew Evans – photo courtesy of Golf Australia
The PGA Tour of Australasia has conducted six events to date in 2021, four of those resulting in first time winners on that tour.
Today Andrew Evans added his name to the list of Chris Wood, Bryden Macpherson and Andrew Martin who have taken their careers to another level courtesy of the events conducted under the somewhat restrictive nature of the current world environment.
The 35 year old New South Welshman won the Isuzu Queensland Open at Pelican Waters on the Sunshine Coast by two shots over Deyen Lawson, Bryden Macpherson and Blake Windred, reversing a trend which had seen him miss eight of his last nine cuts in events on recognised tours, those results including a missed cut in this event last year.
The highlight of Evans career until now has no doubt been his runner-up finish to Peter Senior at the 2015 Australian Masters at Huntingdale Golf Club but despite today’s victory being worth considerably less monetarily, the actual win and the manner in which he did so will stand him in good stead for what lies ahead.
“This is unreal…I never thought this day would happen,” said the winner.
“I try not to look at leaderboards but I had a guy with a mobile leaderboard 50m ahead of me the whole day so I had to try hard to stay doing my own thing.
“I think I’m a good player but without something like this to your career you are kinda just another player. It’s pretty sweet to get over the line.”
The victory jumps him from just outside the top 1800 in the world to just inside the top 700 but the cheque for $18,750 gives him security of tenure on the PGA Tour of Australasia as the 2020 / 2021 season looks to wind up at the NSW Open in two weeks’ time.
This week’s result moves him to 35th in the Order of Merit rankings which, given how things were looking just a few days ago, is a big relief for him and provides a place to play in the upcoming PGA Tour of Australasia.
“I missed a lot of cuts last year and three in Victoria to start this year and absolutely I was worried about keeping my card to stay on the tour,” Evans added..
Evans was locked in a tight battle with as many as five or six players throughout much of his final round today and he led through 9 holes over American Derek Ackerman and Christopher Wood.
Others began to emerge as threats but brilliant iron shots to his 15th and 16th holes resulted in birdies which allowed him a two-shot cushion playing the final two holes, providing him the luxury of an important gap under the most intense of pressure.
Lawson produced the equal best round of the day almost under the radar as he played some 30 minutes ahead of the final group. The limited televised coverage missed his brilliant finish, but the result tied Lawson’s previous best on the PGA Tour of Australasia.
Macpherson continued his recent good play, which included a victory in Victoria, as did Windred, who is relatively new to professional golf but is showing signs of a promising career.
Defending champion, Anthony Quayle, was one of three players who tied for 5th.
The PGA Tour of Australasia will wind up its delayed 2020 / 2021 season with the playing of the NSW Open at the Concord Golf Club in Sydney beginning on March 25th.
Scores
Westwood leads at Sawgrass but Jason Day not without hope
Lee Westwood – playing some of his best golf at age 48 – photo Getty Images Kevin Cox
Play in round two of the Players Championship has been suspended and will be completed on Saturday morning US time but, to all intents and purposes, the eight players still required to complete their rounds will have little impact on how the weekend field takes shape.
Lee Westwood, who last week finished runner-up behind Bryson De Chambeau at the Arnold Palmer Invitational has carried that impressive form into the PGA Tour’s flagship event and leads by one over his fellow countryman Matthew Fitzpatrick with another shot back to first round leader, Sergio Garcia and Chris Kirk.
Westwood’s second round of 66 came of top of his solid opening 69 and at the age of 47 it appears Westwood is playing some of his best golf and Westwood agrees.
“I believe I’ve played some of my best golf over sort of the last year and a half and I’ve had some good results against quality fields,” said Westwood. “A win in Abu Dhabi and then finishing second in Dubai end of last year to win the Race to Dubai was great playing under pressure and birdieing two of the last three holes.
“Last week I obviously played well under pressure again, and this week I’ve carried it on but the nice thing for me about this week is not letting last week (his near miss) affect me in a negative way.”
“I’ve regrouped. I’ve still got the memories of last week, of playing well and hitting good shots when I needed to, but there’s no hangover from last week. It’s a feel-good experience for me this week, and I’ve carried that into the first two rounds.”
Jason Day is the best of the Australians to date, the former winner in a share of 18th place but only six shots from the lead and only four out of 3rd place. A good weekend on a golf course where has tasted success previously could seem him finish very well.
“I was just a little bit disappointed with my ball-striking coming out,” said the 2016 champion.
“I struck it pretty nice kind of early on and mid part through my round. Obviously the last two fairways I missed, and then, yeah, from there you’re just trying to scramble, making sure that you get in there with par.
“I think overall it’s nice to be able to be in at 3-under. I’ve just got to be patient. I was obviously alluding to it earlier. There’s two more days.
“I think the course will play obviously a lot more difficult over the next two days, after today, just because I think their greens will start to firm out a little bit more, and we’re going to have a little bit more wind, too, a lot more than what we’ve had today. I think I’ve just got to stay patient.”
“If I can just get the putter going on those birdie putts, some things like kind of move my way, then I feel like I’m in good position. I feel like I’m striking the ball well enough to give myself opportunities, just got to get the putter going again.”
Cameron Percy is playing his very first Players Championship and has handled the TPC Sawgrass layout well with a second round 70 to be in 36th place, a position he shares with another former winner of the event, Adam Scott, Matt Jones and Cameron Smith who made the cut on the number.
Smith needed to birdie his final hole to make the weekend and from 255 years hit his second to 10 feet at the par 5 9th. He missed the eagle putt, but the birdie was enough to get him home.
SCORES
Congestion reigns at Queensland Open
Veteran Michael Wright – at 47 years of age chasing his first Australasian Tour victory – photo PGA of Australia
21 players are within two shots of the halfway lead at the Isuzu Queensland Open at the Pelican Waters Golf Club near Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast, the cut finalised earlier on Saturday morning when the twenty or so players yet to finish their second rounds returned to the golf course.
Recent PGA Tour of Australasia winners, Bryden Macpherson and Christopher Wood, along with recently turned professional Blake Windred and veterans Peter Wilson and Michael Wright are tied in the lead at 8 under par but six players are just one back at 7 under and another ten players are at 6 under.
Wright and Wilson had two holes to play when darkness stopped play on Friday evening and they returned to complete those holes in even par to remain in a share of their overnight lead.
Macpherson and Wood both broke through for their maiden PGA Tour of Australasia victories a month ago in Victoria, Wood winning the Vic PGA Championship and Macpherson, a former British Amateur Champion, the Moonah Links PGA Classic and their form has rolled over into this $125,000 event.
Macpherson’s second round of 64 is the best of the week thus far.
NSW’s, Windred, turned professional just over twelve months ago, but like so many others in his position, his introduction to the paid ranks has been hampered by Covid 19. He has, though, put together several solid finishes in that time when the opportunity has presented itself.
47-year-old Wright and 44 year old Wilson have both won events at this level earlier in their career although for Wright they were on the former Von Nida Tour and although both are now ranked outside the top 1500 in the world at present, their experience will carry them a long way this weekend.
Amongst those in the next line is arguably the most credentialed player amongst the contenders Matthew Griffin, a winner of the New Zealand and Victorian Opens amongst his five professional titles.
The cut fell at 1 under and amongst the victims were the recently turned professional Elvis Smylie who after finishing 3rd in his professional debut last week missed the cut by one shot, experiencing the roller coaster fortunes of professional golf so early in his career.
Also a victim of the cut was 15 year old Billy Dowling who had just three holes to play and was on the cutline at that point when he returned to the course this morning. Unfortunately he would drop two shots and finish two shots from playing the weekend.
The event included five invited women and one who had qualified on her own merits, but none were able to make it into the weekend.
Scores
Stunning performance by Jordan O’Brien to qualify for State Open
A very happy Jordan O’Brien – photo Golf Australia
RACV Royal Pines member and employee, Jordan O’Brien, has today qualified for the Isuzu Queensland Open on her own merit, after recording a round of 67 from the same tees as the men to play her way into the field for the event beginning on Thursday.
The tees at the Pelican Waters Golf Club in Caloundra were, admittedly, more forward than will be the case when the event gets underway but it was an extraordinary effort over the Greg Norman designed layout and the petite (56 Kilo) golfer was delighted.
“I just went out and tried my absolute best. I wasn’t really expecting it to be honest so the feeling is incredible. I’m stoked,” O’Brien, 24, said.
“My coach (Ali Orchard) had told me ‘see it, feel it, trust it, you’ve only got something to gain today’ and I kept repeating that in my head.”
O’Brien, who is one of the golf shop staff at RACV Royal Pines on the Gold Coast, grabbed one of just 12 prized spots from pre-qualifying at Pelican Waters where 100 players teed up.
O’Brien’s coach, Ali Orchard, is a former playing professional and teaches at both RACV Royal Pines and the Surfers Paradise Golf Club where her father is the professional.
Orchard will have additional interest in the event as her life partner, Deyen Lawson, will also tee it up.
O’Brien said the 2018 effort of now-pro Becky Kay to create history as the first female to qualify for the Queensland Open was inspiring.
“Absolutely it is when you see other girls able to do it,” O’Brien said of how powerful role models are across all women’s sports in Australia.
“Just the feeling of being able to compete with the men off the same tees increases your confidence majorly.
“The game is moving in that direction to include women. To have spots available at this tournament is awesome and also what they are doing with the WPGA and the new Athena event.”
Isuzu Queensland Open organisers had already taken the progressive step of inviting five top female players directly into Thursday’s field…Kay, Steph Kyriacou, Karis Davidson, Sarah Wilson and Grace Kim
DeChambeau outlasts Westwood in battle of the ages
De Chambeau- photo Getty Images Sam Greenwood
To a large extent, the 2021 Arnold Palmer Invitational at the Bay Hill Club in Orlando developed into a classic battle between the old and the new.
27-year-old, Bryson DeChambeau, would eventually defeat a man twenty years his senior (Lee Westwood) by one shot is an intriguing shootout over the closing stages of the event inspired and perhaps still looked over by arguably the games greatest ambassador, Arnold Palmer.
It was, though, a result that was in doubt until the very last putt, DeChambeau holing from six feet for par at the 72nd hole after Westwood had survived an encounter with a divot at the last before holing an eight-foot put of his own for par to force DeChambeau to hole his.
For DeChambeau it was his 8th PGA Tour title since joining the PGA Tour in late 2016 for the 2016/2017 season, one of those his victory at the 2020 US Open and the former US Amateur Champion appears to have the golfing world at his feet.
He moves back inside the top ten in the world to # 6 from his current 11th place in the standings and with PGA Tour earnings already of nearly US$23 million it has been a meteoric rise.
DeChambeau polarises some because of the vast distances he hits the ball and the almost forensic approach to the game but to many he is an example of the benefit of hard work and taking full advantage of the modernisation of equipment, allowing his massive body to have him as perhaps the most powerful hitter in the game.
His dedication to improvement both physically and mentally can only be admired and while the current controversy around equipment in the game continues, DeChambeau can only be respected for working within the confines of legalities and yet still stand out in terms of his uniqueness.
“It’s beyond my wildest dreams for Mr. Palmer ‘s event,” said the winner. “Came here as an amateur, he gave me an invitation and I loved this golf course the minute I arrived and I love the atmosphere and I love the fans, I loved what Mr. Palmer did with this place and what he’s done and his legacy he’s left here. It’s quite amazing.
“I’m glad I made that last putt. I did not want to go into a playoff. I took a little extra time on that because I knew that ball was aimed a little too far right and sure enough it was. I took a deep breath was able to execute and knock it in.
“But first and foremost I got to thank personally Chris Como (coach), Tiger Woods even, he helped me out quite a bit today this morning, talking to him from texts, but also Chris Como, we have been talking even before the round, 10 minutes before the round I called him and was talking about my golf swing.
“So there’s numerous people that have helped me get this victory. My caddie worked really hard, Tim Tucker, Brett, obviously my agent, manager, Connor, we all work hard every day. We were out here super late last night, just like I was at the U.S. Open working hard to figure out my golf swing, albeit I didn’t figure it out all the way I was able to come through clutch in the end and execute the shots when I needed to and win this golf tournament.”
Lee Westwood – photo Getty Images Sam Greenwood
Westwood, too, is one for admiration. One of the game’s better players over the past 25 years but still without a major to his name, Westwood’s career is resurgent and although his last and only win on the PGA Tour came in 2010, he has continued to be a dominant force in Europe, winning the Abu Dhabi tournament in 2020 en-route to another Race to Dubai title.
Westwood began today’s final round in the lead but on a day where windy firm conditions resulted in only two players breaking par on the par 72 layout, he was round in 73 to finish just one behind the winner.
Westwood missed a golden opportunity to close the gap at the par 5 16th but from just 156 years he took four to get down and then, at the last, when needing a birdie to force a possible playoff he found a divot in the middle of the fairway and was unable to attack the dangerous flag position.
Both players would par the hole and DeChambeau ran out the winner by one.
“I thought we had a really good battle,” said Westwood. “There was never really more than one in it all day and there were tough conditions out there and it wasn’t going to be a day where — I don’t think anybody was going to shoot 68 or 67 — it was a day for playing sensible and hanging on and grinding out the pars.”
Canada’s Corey Conners finished third after getting within one shot when he eagled the 16th from 12 feet. He would though bogey his final two holes but it was one of his best finishes on the PGA Tour after his win in Texas in 2019.
Jason Day finished as the leading Australian but after working himself into contention on Saturday his final round of 79 saw the former winner of the event finish 31st.
New Zealand’s Danny Lee was 49th.
The PGA Tour now moves a little further north to Ponte Vedra Beach near Jacksonville for this week’s Players Championship.
Andrew Martin’s Milestone Day at Bonnie Doon
Andrew Martin – photo PGA of Australia
Nearly 16 years after turning professional, former Australian Amateur Champion, Andrew Martin, has won his first PGA Tour of Australasia title with a one-shot victory at The Player Series Sydney event at the Bonnie Doon Golf Club.
The 36 year old Victorian began his final round eight shots behind the leader, Charlie Dann, who at one stage today led by five but an outward nine of eight under 29 (which four eagles, one birdie and a bogey) saw him on the heels of the leader and birdies at his 11th and 18th holes saw him take a two- shot lead into the clubhouse.
The four eagles in any one round is believed to be a record in tournament golf but for those four to come in his opening nine holes made it even more spectacular.
Dann was some 45 minutes behind Martin on the golf course and when he made the turn in 3 under he was at 19 under for the event and well clear of the nearest chaser.
Then came three consecutive bogeys to behind his back nine and with Martin putting together his final round of 61 he took the lead.
Dann was unable to close the gap and, looking to force a playoff at the last, eventually three putted to finish alone in second place but two behind Martin.
Martin has finished runner-up in events previously, namely the 2012 NZ PGA Championship behind Michael Hendry and the Coca Cola Queensland PGA Championship in Toowoomba the same year but given his significant amateur success it has been a long road as a professional thus far.
“It’s still a bit of a whirlwind,” Martin explained. “To shoot 10-under, that’s still hard to get through my head, but mainly just the support of my family and my wife Rachel has given me to be able to keep doing this because it is tough in Australia to make a living here.
“I’ve never really fallen out of love with the game. I’ve always wanted to do it and if I was ever going to stop playing it would be a hard pill to swallow because I still feel there is a lot I want to achieve.
“This is one little box ticked but there a couple more I want to do. It’s just good to show that my game is still there.”
Despite the relative lack of world ranking strength in the field, Martin will improve more than 300 places in the world ranking to just inside the top 500 as a result of his win and achieve his highest ever ranking.
For Dann, who was also looking for the first win on his two year professional career, to have let such a significant lead slip but he can rest easy in the knowledge that his defeat was more to do with the brilliance of Martin’s day rather than his own demise.
Dann’s second place finish was by some margin his best finish in tournament golf and that he was able to lead for as long as he did will stand the former Master of the Amateurs Champion in good stead for future endeavours.
Charlie Dann – near miss for the Queenslander – photo PGA of Australia
The main talking point of the week was the professional debut of the outstanding 18 year old Elvis Smylie who gave a further indication of just what a future he has when he finished tied for 3rd, one shot behind Dann.
But for a hiccup in the middle of his Saturday round where he dropped four shots in two holes in the middle of his back nine it might have been a much different story to report on but it was nonetheless an outstanding debut, providing confidence and a little bit of cash ($7,350)
Smylie tied for 3rd with fellow Queenslanders, the amateur Louis Dobbelaar, Shae Wools-Cobb, Brett Rankin and New South Welshman, Jordan Junic.
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Jason Day well off lead at Arnold Palmer Invitational
The leader, Corey Conners, – photo Getty Sam Greenwood
Jason Day is the leading Australian through 36 holes of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at the Bay Hill Club in Orlando but if he is to repeat his 2016 victory in the event, he will need something very special over the weekend.
Day finds himself seven shots from the lead of Canadian Corey Conners but his task was not made any easier today when his tee shot at the par 5 16th stuck in a tree, forcing drastic measures just to identify the ball.
“I don’t know where he got the rules official got the binoculars it from, but it was actually he came in and zoomed in on it, said Day when describing the unusual occurrence. “So I’ve got the ball, well I don’t have the ball, but like I could see the Tour B XS on the logo on the side and I’m like, That’s it, that’s perfect.
“So a little unfortunate that it got stuck up, it was literally in a nest, so I think the mama birdie’s going to come back and find another egg there, so it’s unfortunate, but it is what it is.”
Day began at the 10th in round two and two double bogeys before the turn had him on the back foot before turning for home.
Three birdies on the way in had him moving in the right direction but a bogey at his final hole after finding the greenside bunker was a disappointment after his recovery.
New Zealander Danny Lee was the only other Australasian to make the weekend and is in 38th place while Matt Jones, Cameron Davis, Cameron Percy and Marc Leishman have the weekend to do other things.
The leader, Conners, has missed the cut at his only two starts in the event to date but his rounds of 66 and 69 have him one ahead of Scot, Martin Laird, who won this event ten years ago.
Conners, the winner of the 2019 Texas Open, has been in consistent form in recent months although he did miss the cut at his last start at the Riviera Country Club.
“I haven’t really been in this position a lot, but I have a lot of confidence in my game and feeling really relaxed the last few days, so try and keep that going,” said Conners. “I feel like I have a lot of energy, I had an off week last week and really excited for the weekend.
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