Cameron Smith – perhaps a disappointing week but a great season
Patrick Cantlay has emerged the winner of the money-fest that is the FedEx Cup following his win in the Tour Championship today, earning US$15 million for his one-shot victory over Jon Rahm in the season-long FedEx Cup.
Interestingly, however, Rahm won the Tour Championship in terms of the lowest score, his four-round total of 266 finishing three clear of that produced by Cantlay but the handicapping system for the Tour Championship, introduced to benefit the player with the better position in the FedEx Cup table, worked in Cantlay’s favour.
Cantlay began the week four shots ahead of Rahm, effectively handicapping the Spaniard chances but Rahm followed up a fast start to the week and despite the start he was giving Cantlay leading into the week he nearly pulled of what would have been a remarkable victory.
The margin in the end was one but taking into account the handicap, Rahm was the winner of the event itself by three. Understanding me so far? No, I appreciate it if you don’t.
Rahm was four shots clear of the 3rd placed FedEx Cup player, Kevin Na who actually tied Rahm for the lowest score in the 72-hole event. My head is hurting!!
Cameron Smith began the week in 5th place in the FedEx Cup standings but would eventually finish 14th but don’t feel too sorry for him as he takes home a cheque for US$583,000.
It was admittedly a perhaps disappointing end to the week for Smith but it brings to an end another fine season for him, a period in which he has been twice runner-up at the delayed 2020 Masters and the recent Northern Trust Open.
Just to have made the Tour Championship conforms a great season for the 28 year old and he will now be keen no doubt to take some rest before recommencing his PGA Tour campaign.
Smith might well have been considering defending his Australian PGA Championship title in December but with that event now delayed until the New Year, whether he can attempt a three-peat is problematical.
“It’s been pretty good,” said Smith referring to his season. “Been really good of late, just a bit of a shame this week. I just didn’t hit my driver good enough. You need to hit the fairways around here to make a score. East Lake hasn’t really been my friend in the past. It still isn’t.
“I’ve got five weeks off and my old man has come over from Australia, so lots of fishing and lots of sitting down and a few beers in there as well. I’m going to play three or four in the fall, a couple in Vegas for sure and thinking about Houston and RSM. Pretty mellow.”
Cantlay’s win in the event will come under scrutiny because of the handicapping system but there is little doubting the magnificent season he has produced.
Cantlay has recorded three genuine wins and this win under handicap conditions so there is little doubting his deserved win of the FedEx Cup but there will forever be a question mark over winning the Tour Championship because of the format used.
“Yeah, it was fantastic,” said the champion. “You know, as good as it felt to feel like I slept on the lead for two straight weeks darned near, it feels good to not necessarily have the lead anymore and be done and closed out.
“It was a long year. I thought I could barely remember when it started. A lot of events, and I’m very tired after, it feels like, you know, just a ton of golf and a ton of pressure golf.
“But I’m very grateful and happy to be here, and I’m really proud of myself for staying in the moment and delivering when it counted.”
His win at last week’s BMW Championship was one of the most memorable of the season and he deserves respect for the manner in which he has played and conducted himself.
Scott two behind Aphibarnrat at BMW PGA
Kiradech Aphibarnrat today – photo Getty Images
Adam Scott finds himself just two shots from the lead held by Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat as the BMW PGA Championship field enters the weekend at Wentworth in Surrey, England.
Scott recovered from a roller-coaster opening nine holes, during which he recorded and eagle, one birdie, four pars, two bogeys and a double bogey, with a homeward nine of 4 under 33 to be knocking on the door in his first appearance in the European Tour’s flagship event since 2006.
Scott is enjoying the opportunity to be back playing the event and the venue.
“I feel like my game is in good shape, and it’s kind of a bonus to be playing here for me, really,” said the 41-year-old Queenslander. “Once I was out of the FedEx Cup I was looking for events to play and what a great one to come back and play.
“I’m happy that it fell into my schedule. Brings back a lot of good memories from early on in my career. There has always been such a great atmosphere here at Wentworth, so happy to be in the mix.
“I mean, early in the week, the sun was shining and it was really glorious, and then getting paired with Justin the first two rounds, our careers have paralleled each other the whole way, and I’ve really enjoyed myself these two days.
“I’ve always enjoyed coming here and I moved myself over to America a bit, but now that I have the chance to come back, I hope I get many more chances in the future.”
Scott’s longtime friend and fellow Australian, Wade Ormsby, made a big move on day two when he produced a 6 under par round of 66 to move into a share of 25th after his opening round of 73 had him considering his options for the weekend.
Ryan Fox was the only other Australasian to make the cut when he finished his opening 36 holes in 62nd place and right on the cut-line of 2 under.
Aphibarnrat only last week regained his playing rights for the PGA Tour via the Korn Ferry Tour Finals and that has clearly helped his mindset in terms of freeing him up.
The 42 year old leads by one over England’s Laurie Canter and Italy’s Francesco Laporta, Aphibarnrat a four time European Tour winner but he has slipped outside the top 500 in the world and has endured a tough year in 2021 before regaining his PGA Tour card with three solid finishes in the season ending Korn Ferry Tour events.
“To get my tour card back, I can play free and I love to hit right-to-left and left-to-right,” said the Thai. “Before I was a little tight, trying to hit everything straight and perfect position, which you can’t do. Now when I got the card back, look forward to next season. I feel like I want to play my own game and enjoy.
“I’m really proud the way I’m playing first two rounds. A lot of good stuff in there. I mean, everyone tried to get a low score but this golf course, you can hit a lot of birdies but it can hurt you if you’re out of position. I tried to play for more fairways, more greens. My putter was rolling well this week and really pleased.”
Scores
Adam Scott starts well in first BMW PGA since 2006
Adam Scott in action during round one – photo European Tour
It has been 16 years since Adam Scott last played the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in Surrey but, on his return today, he displayed the game which has witnessed him developing into one of the world’s leading players during that period.
Scott opened the European Tour’s flagship event with a round of 7 under par 65, a glorious short iron to just a foot at the last after finding the rough from the tee and being forced to lay up, setting up his eighth birdie of the day.
Scott finds himself just one behind the lead held by Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat and South Africa’s Christian Bezuidenhout and two clear of three players tied in 4th place at 5 under.
In just his 17th start of 2021, Scott’s year to date has been mediocre by his standards although a recent runner-up finish, a month ago at the Wyndham Championship, suggested things were improving. That finish allowed him into the first of the FedEx Cup Playoffs but that was as far as he could get in his quest for FedEx Cup riches after missing the cut at the Northern Trust Open.
The highlight of his round today came immediately after one of his lowlights. After thinking he had driven it out of bounds at the 15th, Scott found his ball and advanced it down the fairway and some 50 yards from the hole. From there he pitched in for birdie and, although he would bogey the next, it was a key moment in keeping the round going.
“I definitely thought the first ball was out-of-bounds but it must have clouded around in the trees and dropped down,” said Scott. “The second ball actually night not have been any better off the tee but found the first one and punched it up there. That was a good shot, hit it 50 yards and flicked it straight at the hole.
“Some days it’s your day out there, and it kind of felt like that a bit for me today. It was nice to make the most of it and shoot a good number.”
Scott is playing with his brother-in-law and coach Brad Malone on the bag this week and it is a case of so far so good for the combination.
“It worked good today, so we’ll see how the next three days go., added Scott. “But he’s caddied for me once before, and he likes getting in there and having a look and seeing what’s going on every once in a while on the course.
“It’s not been the easiest year on the course for me. I’ve struggled to get momentum going, unlike today. Maybe driver is the answer today.”
Of the other Australasians in the field, Ryan Fox and Wade Ormsby are at 1 over, Min Woo Lee at 3 over and Scott Hend at 6 over with the cut looking likely to fall around even par tomorrow.
Just a handful of players were stuck on the course when darkness stopped play and they will return tomorrow morning to complete round one.
Scores
Cantlay FedEx Cup Champion but Tour Champion on handicap only
Cameron Smith – perhaps a disappointing week but a great season
Patrick Cantlay has emerged the winner of the money-fest that is the FedEx Cup following his win in the Tour Championship today, earning US$15 million for his one-shot victory over Jon Rahm in the season-long FedEx Cup.
Interestingly, however, Rahm won the Tour Championship in terms of the lowest score, his four-round total of 266 finishing three clear of that produced by Cantlay but the handicapping system for the Tour Championship, introduced to benefit the player with the better position in the FedEx Cup table, worked in Cantlay’s favour.
Cantlay began the week four shots ahead of Rahm, effectively handicapping the Spaniard chances but Rahm followed up a fast start to the week and despite the start he was giving Cantlay leading into the week he nearly pulled of what would have been a remarkable victory.
The margin in the end was one but taking into account the handicap, Rahm was the winner of the event itself by three. Understanding me so far? No, I appreciate it if you don’t.
Rahm was four shots clear of the 3rd placed FedEx Cup player, Kevin Na who actually tied Rahm for the lowest score in the 72-hole event. My head is hurting!!
Cameron Smith began the week in 5th place in the FedEx Cup standings but would eventually finish 14th but don’t feel too sorry for him as he takes home a cheque for US$583,000.
It was admittedly a perhaps disappointing end to the week for Smith but it brings to an end another fine season for him, a period in which he has been twice runner-up at the delayed 2020 Masters and the recent Northern Trust Open.
Just to have made the Tour Championship conforms a great season for the 28 year old and he will now be keen no doubt to take some rest before recommencing his PGA Tour campaign.
Smith might well have been considering defending his Australian PGA Championship title in December but with that event now delayed until the New Year, whether he can attempt a three-peat is problematical.
“It’s been pretty good,” said Smith referring to his season. “Been really good of late, just a bit of a shame this week. I just didn’t hit my driver good enough. You need to hit the fairways around here to make a score. East Lake hasn’t really been my friend in the past. It still isn’t.
“I’ve got five weeks off and my old man has come over from Australia, so lots of fishing and lots of sitting down and a few beers in there as well. I’m going to play three or four in the fall, a couple in Vegas for sure and thinking about Houston and RSM. Pretty mellow.”
Cantlay’s win in the event will come under scrutiny because of the handicapping system but there is little doubting the magnificent season he has produced.
Cantlay has recorded three genuine wins and this win under handicap conditions so there is little doubting his deserved win of the FedEx Cup but there will forever be a question mark over winning the Tour Championship because of the format used.
“Yeah, it was fantastic,” said the champion. “You know, as good as it felt to feel like I slept on the lead for two straight weeks darned near, it feels good to not necessarily have the lead anymore and be done and closed out.
“It was a long year. I thought I could barely remember when it started. A lot of events, and I’m very tired after, it feels like, you know, just a ton of golf and a ton of pressure golf.
“But I’m very grateful and happy to be here, and I’m really proud of myself for staying in the moment and delivering when it counted.”
His win at last week’s BMW Championship was one of the most memorable of the season and he deserves respect for the manner in which he has played and conducted himself.
Herbert and Drewitt confirmed as PGA Tour graduates
Lucas Herbert – a PGA Tour player – file photo USGA
With the final event of the Korn Ferry Tour season, the Korn Ferry Tour Championship, now run and won, the fallout for a number of Australasians attempting to regain their full PGA Tour playing privileges has been decided.
At the completion of the eventand therefore the season, just two Australians will earn their playing privileges for the 2021 /2022 PGA Tour, Brett Drewitt and Lucas Herbert making it to the big time by differing means but earning the right to play for the riches available to them next season.
Drewitt earned his way back to the PGA Tour via the regular season after finishing inside the top 25 points earners for the overall season while for Herbert he gets the chance to advance his already considerable career by a 4th place in the opening event of the Finals, a finish which would play a major role in him finishing 14th amongst the 25 from the Finals who gained cards.
In this week’s event in Newburgh in Indiana, New Zealand’s Danny Lee finished the best of the Australasians when he tied for 20th in the event but he was chasing a top ten at least if he was to regain the PGA Tour playing privileges he has owned since 2014.
Lee failed to build momentum early in his round today when needing something special but when he birdied the first three holes of his final nine he was not without hope.
His hopes were spoiled however when he took double bogey at the 14th and he will now play his 2022 season on the Korn Ferry Tour, with the occasional PGA Tour start a possibility because of previous achievements.
Rhein Gibson also need a big week this week but in finishing in 41st place he slipped to 50th in the finals standings and will play mainly the Korn Ferry Tour for the next 12 months at least.
Lucas Herbert finished 45th this week but he will be happy in the knowledge that he is on his way to the PGA Tour courtesy of that earlier finish in the Finals.
Greg Chalmers and Aaron Baddeley were the other Australians to make the weekend this week, but they were unable to stage the charge they needed to return to the PGA Tour.
Remarkable European Tour double for Højgaard brothers in Italy
The brothers Højgaard- consecutive winners on the European Tour – photo Getty Images
West Australian Min Woo Lee has dropped from contention at the DAS Automobiles Italian Open in Rome, eventually finishing in a share of 12th place after leading the event by two heading into the final 36 holes.
Lee’s rounds of 71 and 73 to finish the event were somewhat of a surprise given his great play for much of the season but interestingly, despite the weekend slip-up, he will improve one place to 9th in the Race to Dubai rankings as he and the European Tour head to the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth this week.
Lee was able to recover from a horror start to his final round after dropping four shots in his first 11 holes. He birdied the 12th and 16th and adds another €47,000 to his quickly growing bank balance but given the manner in which he played his opening 36 holes it was disappointing weekend.
In a first for the European Tour, twin brothers have won on consecutive weekends, Denmark’s Nicolai Højgaard completing a unique double when he won by one shot just seven days after his brother Rasmus (a three time European Tour winner) won the Omega European Masters in Switzerland last week.
“It means a lot,” said Højgaard. “I’ve been grinding for a long time and seeing Rasmus win three times made me want to do it even more. And to finally get it done is very special and it’s been a great week here so I’m just very happy to get it done.
“I’m very happy that Rasmus, his girlfriend and my girlfriend were around watching. I really appreciate it because I haven’t been (able) with any of his wins to see him. I could only see him in the crowd. It really means a lot to me and it’s just a very special day.”
“It’s crazy to think of (being last man in). I had a bad foot before coming here and to get it done, it’s quite a good story. I didn’t see the back nine before the first round, so it’s been a crazy week.”
Scott Hend was the only other Australian to complete all 72 holes but struggled to a final round of 75 and finished 52nd while Maverick Antcliff made the cut and was well placed after consecutive opening rounds of 69 but was forced to withdraw.
Important weekend ahead for Australasians at Korn Ferry Finale
Danny Lee – needs big weekend – photo Bruce Young
The final 36 holes of the Korn Ferry Tour Championship have proven to be heart-stopping in recent years, the final result often determining just who earns the right to play the PGA Tour next season.
This week is no different and just where two or three Australasians will ply their trade over the next 12 months will be determined by just how they perform over the final two rounds in Newburgh Indiana where the final event of the combined 2020/2021 Korn Ferry Tour season comes to an end.
Unfortunately for the Australasians involved, there is a lot of work to do if they are to secure the right to play the PGA Tour given to the leading 25 players at the completion of the three event Finals and not otherwise qualified through the regular season.
New Zealander Danny Lee and Greg Chalmers are doing the best of the down-under brigade this week, the pair in a share of 13th place with Lee a having a now projected standing of 33rd and Chalmers 40th in the race for one of the aforementioned 25 cards.
Six years ago, Lee was a good enough player to finish runner-up in the PGA Tour’s Tour Championship but he has struggled in 2021, failing to make the weekend in 14 of 20 starts on the PGA Tour and was forced to play the Korn Ferry Tour Finals in order to regain his PGA Tour status.
For him to do so, however, Lee will need further improvement over the weekend but his second round of 67 has lifted him off the canvas and kept the door open.
Chalmers missed the cut in the first two of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals and so needs something special this week. Like Lee, he too added a second round of 67 after his opening round of 73 had included a double and triple bogey in his homeward nine.
Chalmers has moved to a projected 40th place in the race for one of the cards so he also requires further improvement over the weekend, but he is not without hope.
Victorian Lucas Herbert is tied in 44th place this week, a position he shares with Lismore’s Rhein Gibson although Herbert is safe in the knowledge that his 4th place finish at the opening event of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals was nearly enough to secure one of the top 25 cards. He has slipped to a projected 17th and although safely on his way to the big time next season, a big weekend will help his standing amongst those cardholders.
Gibson has played the PGA Tour previously but after a slow start to the Finals he finds himself in a projected 57th place and will need a very strong weekend if he is to regain his playing privileges.
Aaron Baddeley is the only other Australasian to have made the cut and finds himself in 64th place in this week’s event after just making the cut.
Baddeley began the week in 31st place in the race for a card but has slipped to 39th and he too needs a huge weekend to play his way back to golf’s holy grail.
NSW’ s Brett Drewitt and Perth’s Curtis Luck have both missed the cut this week and while Drewitt has already earned PGA Tour playing privileges through the regular season, the highly talented Luck is again faced with another frustrating year on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Three double bogeys in his opening nine holes today have proven very costly for luck as starting the week he was 24th in the standings and a midfield finish might have got the job done. Missing the cut by four however has seen him slip to 32nd and means he will progress no further.
Cameron Smith’s fightback keeps hopes alive in Atlanta
Cameron Smith – file photo IGF
Cameron Smith recovered from a slow start to his second round at the Tour Championship, a final nine of 31 allowing the 28-year-old Queenslander to move into a share of 5th position and, although now eight shots from the lead held by Patrick Cantlay, he is well positioned to contend for some of leading prizes available in the event.
Smith’s recovery might well have been even more dramatic as he missed very makeable birdie opportunities at the 10th, 12th, 15th and 16th but after his outward nine of 37, he will be delighted to be back in the thick of things for the weekend.
If he was to finish 5th this week, he would be up for a prize of US$2,500,000 and even 10th place earns US$830,000 so there is a lot to play for even if Smith can’t get himself into winning contention where first prize is a massive US$15 million
Cantlay leads by one over Jon Rahm but there is a break of five shots back to the third placed Bryson DeChambeau and so Smith finds himself just two shots out of a possible cheque for US$4 million for the third placed finished this week.
Once again Smith showed his growing capacity to knuckle down even when things aren’t going well and fighting to finish as well as he can, and it will be that resolve that will stand him in good stead over the weekend.
SCORES
PRIZEMONEY
Min Woo Lee has the lead in Rome
Min Woo Lee in action today – photo European Tour
Perth’s 23 year old, Min Woo Lee, has the halfway lead at the DS Automobiles Italian Open in Rome, backing up his impressive opening round of 64 with a round of 68 today to move two clear of the field.
Lee, who is currently in 10th position in the Race to Dubai season long points table, much of that the result of his recent Scottish Open victory, has the seemingly ever-present American Johannes Veerman, England’s Tommy Fleetwood, Finland’s Mikko Korhonen and Spain’s Adri Arnaus hot on his heels.
“It was very solid again,” said Lee after his round. “I didn’t make too many mistakes, made a couple of bad swings but the ball, it was going really far, and I didn’t really change the way I played, I just hit everything so long.
“I hit a couple nice putts coming down the stretch and happy to be in the lead with two rounds to go. First step will be to keep the umbrella in the bag. I ’m not sure how it will play wet but I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Lee has struggled to regain the form which saw him win the Scottish Open in July but he did play well in Switzerland last week, a third round of 74 costing what otherwise might have been a high finish.
Maverick Antcliff is the next best of the Australians, the Queenslander tied for 18th and six from the lead while Scott Hend is another shot back and the only other to make the weekend.
Australasians chasing PGA Tour status in Indiana
Greg Chalmers – can he regain PGA Tour status from a standing start? – file photo Bruce Young
The Korn Ferry Tour’s final event of the year, the Korn Ferry Tour Championship is played this week with six Australians and one New Zealander hoping to finish the season strongly and be on their way to the PGA Tour’s first tournament of the new season in Napa in two weeks’ time.
The Victorian National Golf Club in Newburgh in Indiana plays host to the US$1 million event but, while the prizemoney is strong by Korn Ferry Tour standards, the bigger prize is earning a card to compete on the big stage next season.
Brett Drewitt and Lucas Herbert have already earned that right courtesy of Herbert’s good start to the three event Final Series but they can advance their cause even further with a good week and claim higher status in their quest for early season PGA Tour starts.
For Curtis Luck 24th, Aaron Baddeley 31st, Rhein Gibson 48th, Greg Chalmers (no position on the list) and New Zealander Danny Lee 77th, their goal is to finish inside the top 25 of those not already qualified via the regular tour season.
One good finish can get the job done and, even Chalmers, who has missed the cut in his opening two events of the Final Series, can return to the PGA Tour with perhaps even a top ten finish this week dependent on the performances of others.
There is a lot to play for with six of the seven Australasians looking to return to the PGA Tour they have played previously while for Herbert he is on his way to the big time for the first occasion.
Can Cam Smith become Australia’s first FedEx Cup Champion?
Cam Smith – file photo Getty / PGA Tour
Cameron Smith enters this week’s Tour Championship at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta as Australia’s only representative and in a position to become, potentially, the first Australian winner of the FedEx Cup.
Smith can win the season long series, the massive $US15 million bonus and a five year exemption to the PGA Tour by winning the Tour Championship but in order to do so he will need to overcome the five-shot deficit he gives Patrick Cantlay beginning the event.
The FedExCup points leader after the first two Playoffs events, Cantlay, will begin the TOUR Championship at 10-under par. The No. 2 player will start at 8 under.
The No. 3 player starts at 7 under; the No. 4 player starts at 6 under; the No. 5 player (Smith) starts at 5 under. Players 6-10 start at 4 under; players 11-15 start at 3 under; players 16-20 start at 2 under; players 21-25 start at 1 under; and players 26-30 start at even par.
So, the winner of the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup and its massive first prize bonus will be the player who comes out on top when the scores after 72 holes are combined with the handicap given at the start of the week.
The main reasoning in this format is to ensure the outcome of the FedEx Cup is not determined until the result of the Tour Championship is decided as there have been occasions in the past when the FedEx Cup was decided before the Tour Championship was complete.
A mid field finish at last week’s BMW Championship saw Smith slip from 3rd to 5th in the FedEx Cup standings but he still has a great opportunity to steal the show on Sunday.
The 28 year old Queenslander will be playing this event for the third occasion having finished 20th in 2018 and 24th in 2020.
Smith began the event well last year and finished well in 2018 so if he can find a away to combine his opening and finishing 36 holes then the chance of winning such a massive prize is not beyond him.
Smith was 10th at the Olympics, 5th at the WGC FedEx St Jude Classic and then runner-up after a playoff at the Northern Trust before finishing 34th last week so his form of late has been encouraging ahead of such a significant event.
Just by making this week’s event Smith is assured of a cheque for US$395,000 for finishing in 30th place in the 30 man field but the possibility of the first prize of US$15,000,000 must be very much a possibility for the young man from Brisbane.