Grace Kim and Andrew Richards – article and photo Golf NSW
For one, it was a display for the ages, for the other, a win as unlikely as it was epic.
Grace Kim from Avondale has done what most expected, and made it back-to-back women’s NSW Amateur Championships, becoming the first repeat champion since Sarah Oh in 2005/2006.
For Andrew Richards, the win is the biggest of his career and one he least expected.
“I was just happy to make the match play this week,” Richards confided after his semi-final win against Thomas Heaton.
The finals were different affairs, but with one constant; the rain and wind didn’t let up all day.
In the women’s final, Kim was out of the blocks early, immediately vaulting to a three-hole lead. By the 7th it was five, and by the 12th it was six. Ji managed a birdie on the 18th to bring it back to five, but realistically, by then the battle was probably lost.
Kim stepped on the gas to begin the second 18, getting to seven up before Ji grabbed a much needed hole on the 21st. The pair then swapped a few holes, however, when Kim took the 27th and 28th to get back to seven up, the match was as good as over. Two holes later Kim was champion, 7-6.
Kim described her play as some of her best in recent times, particularly in the conditions.
“I mean the past two days have been quite brutal. It took some getting used to,” Kim said
Due to COVID, the NSW amateur has effectively been Grace’s only hit out in almost 12 months, something which has frustrated the talented star.
“You know through this time; it was tough not doing anything. Preparation for what? Nothing, so to claim this title again feels huge for me.”
With borders now opening across the country, Kim is looking forward to now competing at the Australian Amateur. After that, she will be making the trek to the United States to compete at the Augusta Women’s Invitational, an opportunity taken from her last year due to the pandemic.
“I’ve got to get a move on with that, figure it all out,” she smiled.
For the hardy souls who braved the conditions at Magenta, the men’s final was a classic. Despite the rain, the golf on display was sublime.
Like Kim, Richards was first to make a move, getting out to an early lead. By the 11th he had marched it out to four holes and looked like a man in complete control.
However, Guan bounced back. Before the opening round ended, he had clawed his way back to just a one-hole deficit.
The pair traded the lead a couple of times as the second 18 began, before Richards went on a run, winning five holes in the next eight to grab a four-hole lead.
The pair traded holes on the 31st and 32nd before Richards made par on the 33rd hole to claim the biggest win of his golf career with a 4-3 victory.
“I was quietly confident,” said Richards
“I’ve been playing well, and match play is a huge strength of mine.
“I played great the first 14 holes; I was three-under in this rain.
“I knew when I got the lead back (the second time) I couldn’t lose it again,” Richards said after the win.
Richard admitted reading his quote about simply being happy to make the match play spurred him on in today’s final.
“When I saw yesterday’s quote, I was almost motivated by it; I wasn’t just happy to be there. I’m going to go out and win.
”I knew I had the experience to win.
The win is a massive boost for Richards, who intends to turn his attention to the professional ranks shortly.
“I plan to turn pro this year,” he said. “Obviously I’m now in the NSW Open, so I do need to think about it.”
Richards said the plans for his victory celebration were already well underway.
“We are going back to ‘Penno’ (Pennant Hills) with everyone here, and there’s a lot of people already there, so it’s going to be a big night,” Richards grinned.
Patrick Reed Deflects Controversy To Win 9th PGA Tour Title
Reed with his trophy – photo Katelyn Mulcahy Getty Images
Patrick Reed has come under the greatest of golf course scrutiny this weekend at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines but in an amazing display of deflecting the criticism he copped as a result of a ruling incident during Saturday’s third round, he has won his 9th PGA Tour title.
Whatever the golfing world thinks of Patrick Reed, and there are many who are questioning his integrity, the one thing that can’t be questioned is his amazing capacity to ignore the many who have attacked him and focus on the job at hand.
Reed’s seemingly dubious action from what he perceived as an embedded lie at the 10th hole during yesterday’s play was brought under severe question on social media and elsewhere but his actions were defended by the PGA Tour’s rules officials and armed with that knowledge he put the controversy aside and set out today with a share of the lead.
Just as he had in Melbourne during the 2019 Presidents Cup when local golf fans and others paid out on his ‘bunkergate’ incident a few weeks earlier, Reed used the criticism then as motivation and played a key role in the comeback of Tiger Woods’ team to win the event on Sunday.
Today, displaying similar resilience, he began the day tied in the lead with Carlos Ortiz but when he holed a 45-foot eagle putt at the 6th and then added another lengthy putt for birdie at the 7th he established a lead that grew over the closing nine despite playing those holes in just one under.
It was an impressive display of golfing skill and dogged determination in so many respects, under the greatest of scrutiny and on one of the PGA Tour’s toughest tests to not only hold on to the lead but to extend it and win by five.
As many of his nearest chasers fell victim to the demands of Torrey Pines closing stretches, Reed played the homeward nine in 1 under and sealed the victory with a ten-foot birdie putt at the last.
He won by five over Tony Finau, Henrik Norlander, Ryan Palmer, Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovalnd
His media conference was always going to be another test for him and like his display on the golf course he was ready for it.
“Actually, when I’m in tournament weeks I don’t ever look at anything,” Reed told the media conference after his round. “I can get in my own kind of world and that’s stuff that my coaches and team work on, I can kind of go out there and just kind of improve each and every day and work on what we’re supposed to do.
“I think that was the biggest thing is I was allowed to kind of put it behind me when the head rules official comes up and says you did everything you were supposed to do. When you do everything you’re supposed to do, at the end of the day that’s all you can control.
“Going into today, I felt good, I felt confident and really went to the golf course, plugged in my headphones and just kind of got in my world with my coach and got to that first tee.”
Reed has been working on his game and swing with David leadbetter and was asked how today shaped up given the work he has been doing.
“I think that was the biggest thing is today was — I had more nerves today than I did during the final round at Augusta because I was in a different spot; still working on the swing, still not fully where we want it to be.
“But the hard work that my team is going through and working with me on trying to dial it in, get it where it is right now is amazing.
“The good thing is, Led’s always told me, he’s like, hey, you’re working towards something, there’s no reason why you can’t go ahead and win. Because of that I had that kind of attitude going into today that, hey, even though the swing’s not 100 percent, you know how to get it around this golf course, you can go out and shoot a number and put up a fight.”
Adam Scott was unable to take advantage of his 3rd place position through 54 holes and eventually finished tied for 10th after a final round 73. Two late birdies saw a late recovery from an overall disappointing day for Scott.
Defending champion, Marc Leishman, was the next best of the Australians, his final round of 70 improving him to a share of 18th.
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Kennedy Holds off Smylie To Win Inaugural Players Series Event
Photo courtesy of PGA of Australia
46-year-old Gold Coast golfer, Brad Kennedy, has played just two events since his second New Zealand Open victory 11 months ago but he gave a further display of his quality game and mindset when one of those events resulted in victory in the inaugural Player Series Victoria at the Rosebud Country Club on the Mornington Peninsula today.
Kennedy held off his fellow Gold Coaster and a young man 28 years his junior, Elvis Smylie, to win by one after Smylie had produced remarkable weekend scores of 63 and 63 including birdies at his final three holes to catch the leader at the 18th before Kennedy, playing in the group behind, birdied the last to take the title.
Kennedy’s only other event since his win at the Millbrook Resort near Queenstown last March was when taking up an invitation to play the ZOZO Championship on the PGA Tour where he finished a very credible 41st.
For Kennedy, a regular on the Japan Tour in non-Covid days, it was his 6th PGA Tour of Australasia victory and his 14th as a professional and further confirmed him as one of the quiet achievers in Australian golf.
Kennedy works closely with performance coach, David Alred, who recently also started working with last week’s runner-up in Abu Dhabi, Jason Scrivener of Perth. Alred is perhaps best known for his role in taking the likes of Luke Donald and Francesco Molinari to the elite of world golf but he is working and achieving success with several Australian players.
Kennedy had been plagued by a hip injury for much of the final round but managed to play through the pain as he adjusted accordingly.
The highlights of his round were a pitch in for eagle at the 2nd hole and an eagle at the par 5 16th which came on top of an albatross during round three.
Elvis Smylie – photo PGA of Australia
Smylie, the 2019 and still current Australian Junior Champion, began the final round six shots behind Kennedy but an opening nine of 30 including a run of five consecutive birdies in the middle of his round had him knocking on the door.
LPGA Tour player, Su Oh, finished 3rd, two shots behind Smylie and tied with NSW rookie Nathan Barbieri in an event where Men, Ladies and Juniors played against and with each other.
Oh, and the other ladies in the field played from the ladies’ tees but her effort to record two rounds of 65 during the 72 holes augurs well for a return to the LPGA Tour next month.
scores
Scott Survives Roller-Coaster And Remains In Touch
Scott chasing a 15th PGA Tour title – file photo
It was a day of frustration for Adam Scott during round three of the Farmers Insurance Open but, as the dust settled, the 40-year-old Australian was just two from the lead and very much in contention for a 15th PGA Tour title.
To put it mildly, Scott’s round over the demanding South Course was a roller-coaster of the highest order. Five birdies, five bogeys a double bogey and an eagle added up to a round of 72 but although he relinquished the mid-round lead he established when converting a stunning approach from 290 yards at the par 5 9th for eagle, he remains within striking distance of the leaders, Carlos Ortiz and Patrick Reed.
Scott began with a bogey followed by two birdies but at the 4th hole he pulled his tee shot into the native area to the left of the fairway and was unable to find the green with his third. He then failed to get up and down resulting in a double bogey but two birdies and the eagle by the 9th had him in the outright lead.
He remained in the lead until a run of three bogeys in his final four holes and strong finishes from Reed and Ortiz, who birdied four of his last six holes, saw him walk from the 18th two off the lead.
Despite his frustrations Scott knows he is in with a chance in tomorrow’s final round.
“Yeah. I mean, I had 72, it felt like 80 at one point and it felt like it was going to be 67 at one point,” said Scott. “It’s a hard golf course and I got a little out of sorts coming in there, which is disappointing, but I’m a couple back and got a chance tomorrow.
“If I can just kind of find about 16 really good holes and limit the damage out here, I think I’ve got a good shot at it. It can turn around quick, there’s opportunities if you hit good shots and you get penalized if you hit bad ones. So I’ve got to find a bag full of good ones tomorrow. I’m looking forward to having a crack at it.
“If you’re not on top of your game on these tough courses, you know it’s a pretty demanding golf course in that wind today, a lot of holes into the wind on the back nine. You miss the fairway, it’s hard to hit a green you’re so far back.
“So really it was a combination of those two things coming in, leaving yourself work around the greens. It was tough putting the last nine holes today. You didn’t want to leave yourself anything and I didn’t hit any greens on the back nine, so it was hard work for me.”
The problem for Scott might not just be getting past those ahead of him on the leaderboard but keeping an eye on all 16 players within four shots of the 54-hole lead and in particular the man he shares 3rd place with Jon Rahm who has a win and a runner-up finish here in just four starts.
Tomorrow is shaping as a real shootout and Scott is very much one of the key protagonists.
Defending champion, Marc Leishman, is one shot behind Davis and tied for 27th, Cameron Davis improved 9 places with his round of 70 to be tied for 20th and six shots from the lead. It might be that he is not yet out of it as if a player back as far as 4 under (the score he is on) can find a way to record a round in the mid 60’s then they remain outside chances of winning.
Given only four rounds in the 60’s were recorded on day three however suggests that might be considerably easier said than done.
Rhein Gibson has been unable to retain his opening round brilliance and finds himself in 39th place, Cameron Percy is 45th, Matt Jones and Danny Lee are 55th and Tim Wilkinson 78th.
Scores
Adam Scott in action today – Getty Images Donald Miralle
Adam Scott One Off The lead At Torrey Pines
Adam Scott in action today – photo Getty Images Donald Miralle – click photo
Despite his lengthy PGA Tour career, Adam Scott is playing the Farmers Insurance Open for just the second occasion, but it is clear he has an affinity with the Torrey Pines venue.
Scott played the venue during the World Junior event at Torrey Pines back in the mid 1990’s and other than that has played the 2008 US Open and this event in 2019 so he is nicely placed to add to his growing familiarity with the La Jolla near San Diego over the next 36 holes at the venue for this year’s US Open.
In his first start in the event in 2019, he finished runner-up to Justin Rose and, today, he finds himself just one off the lead through 36 holes and appearing as if his game is in the short of shape it needs to be to challenge for a 15th PGA Tour title.
Scott today played the more difficult of the two layouts used early in this event, the South Course, and was able to put together a round of 3 under 69 which included five birdies and an eagle to go with four bogeys and he trails only Viktor Hovland as the tournament enters the weekend.
Scott shares second place with Jon Rahm, Tony Finau, Lanto Griffin, Ryan Palmer and Patrick Reed
The highlight of the day for Scott came at his 15th hole when his approach from just under 200 yards finished 18 feet behind the hole and was converted for the eagle to take the lead at that point.
Unfortunately, two bogeys would follow but he would birdie his final hole to take a share of the lead before a weather break impacted those still on the course.
“Things are not all still as normal and I’m probably slightly under-prepared for where I want to be, but I’m working on that,” said Scott referring to where he is at with his game and preparation at present.
“Hopefully I can get to spend enough time practicing and playing and seeing the coach and doing the training and stuff, but it’s a little tricky at the moment to get it all done. But I’m trying not to force it. I feel like things are in a good spot.
“Obviously I’m playing okay. I play fairly solid every week I play, it’s just those small margins I think that have been missing and they take some consistency to accumulate and push you up to that top level.
“I really like where my game is heading, and I have in Hawaii as well. I just feel like getting it in the clubhouse has been the hardest thing. The swing, although there’s been lots of good ones, there’s just a couple loose ones coming in. Almost every round I’ve played this year it’s been like that. I think I’m nearly getting there. I’d like to finish it off nicely on the weekend. If I do that, I think I’ll be in with a shot.”
Of the other Australians and New Zealanders, Marc Leishman recovered from a triple bogey in his opening round to be at 3 under and tied for 29th along with Cameron Davis and Danny Lee, Rhein Gibson is 40th, while Tim Wilkinson, Cameron Percy and Matt Jones are 54th and will play the weekend.
Lucas Herbert Rebounds In Dubai
Defending champion, Lucas Herbert, has rebounded from an opening 74 at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, his second round of 66 seeing him still six shots from the leader, Thomas Detry, but the Victorian has kept the door open for a second successive title at the Emirates Golf club.
After a horror opening nine of 39 on day one, Herbert has played the last 27 holes in 6 under and while it is still some five weeks away, a successful defence here could well see him inside the top 50 in the world (he is currently ranked 68th) and on track for a start at the Masters.
Earlier in the week, and as the defending champion, Herbert was asked his thoughts on the event and Dubai.
“For sure, the fact that I’m defending champion, it’s just good vibes at this place. I played well here in years gone by and yeah, I feel like it’s just a golf course that sets up really well for me and it’s just a really cool skyline there with Dubai right here and there’s just so much to enjoy about this place.”
The shaky start on day one now appears well behind him and he might yet push his way into contention over the weekend.
The leader, Detry, has yet to win on the European Tour although he has been inside the top three on seven occasions and the breakthrough win may be close at hand.
“I’ve been playing some really good golf, keeping it on the fairway and hitting every single green and getting up-and-down a couple good times so I’m very pleased.” Said the Belgian.
A win (this week) would be extra special. I’m moving here in a couple weeks, as well, so this is my new residence. So, winning at home would be amazing.”
Detry leads by one over Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre with Tommy Fleetwood amongst a group of three another shot back.
Wade Ormsby is 27th, New Zealander Ryan Fox 33rd, while last week’s runner-up in Abu Dhabi, Jason Scrivener, just made the cut at even par and ten shots from the lead.
NSW Amateur Titles Decided
Grace Kim and Andrew Richards – article and photo Golf NSW
For one, it was a display for the ages, for the other, a win as unlikely as it was epic.
Grace Kim from Avondale has done what most expected, and made it back-to-back women’s NSW Amateur Championships, becoming the first repeat champion since Sarah Oh in 2005/2006.
For Andrew Richards, the win is the biggest of his career and one he least expected.
“I was just happy to make the match play this week,” Richards confided after his semi-final win against Thomas Heaton.
The finals were different affairs, but with one constant; the rain and wind didn’t let up all day.
In the women’s final, Kim was out of the blocks early, immediately vaulting to a three-hole lead. By the 7th it was five, and by the 12th it was six. Ji managed a birdie on the 18th to bring it back to five, but realistically, by then the battle was probably lost.
Kim stepped on the gas to begin the second 18, getting to seven up before Ji grabbed a much needed hole on the 21st. The pair then swapped a few holes, however, when Kim took the 27th and 28th to get back to seven up, the match was as good as over. Two holes later Kim was champion, 7-6.
Kim described her play as some of her best in recent times, particularly in the conditions.
“I mean the past two days have been quite brutal. It took some getting used to,” Kim said
Due to COVID, the NSW amateur has effectively been Grace’s only hit out in almost 12 months, something which has frustrated the talented star.
“You know through this time; it was tough not doing anything. Preparation for what? Nothing, so to claim this title again feels huge for me.”
With borders now opening across the country, Kim is looking forward to now competing at the Australian Amateur. After that, she will be making the trek to the United States to compete at the Augusta Women’s Invitational, an opportunity taken from her last year due to the pandemic.
“I’ve got to get a move on with that, figure it all out,” she smiled.
For the hardy souls who braved the conditions at Magenta, the men’s final was a classic. Despite the rain, the golf on display was sublime.
Like Kim, Richards was first to make a move, getting out to an early lead. By the 11th he had marched it out to four holes and looked like a man in complete control.
However, Guan bounced back. Before the opening round ended, he had clawed his way back to just a one-hole deficit.
The pair traded the lead a couple of times as the second 18 began, before Richards went on a run, winning five holes in the next eight to grab a four-hole lead.
The pair traded holes on the 31st and 32nd before Richards made par on the 33rd hole to claim the biggest win of his golf career with a 4-3 victory.
“I was quietly confident,” said Richards
“I’ve been playing well, and match play is a huge strength of mine.
“I played great the first 14 holes; I was three-under in this rain.
“I knew when I got the lead back (the second time) I couldn’t lose it again,” Richards said after the win.
Richard admitted reading his quote about simply being happy to make the match play spurred him on in today’s final.
“When I saw yesterday’s quote, I was almost motivated by it; I wasn’t just happy to be there. I’m going to go out and win.
”I knew I had the experience to win.
The win is a massive boost for Richards, who intends to turn his attention to the professional ranks shortly.
“I plan to turn pro this year,” he said. “Obviously I’m now in the NSW Open, so I do need to think about it.”
Richards said the plans for his victory celebration were already well underway.
“We are going back to ‘Penno’ (Pennant Hills) with everyone here, and there’s a lot of people already there, so it’s going to be a big night,” Richards grinned.
Marc Leishman Ready For Title Defence at Torrey Pines
Marc Leishman – file photo
Marc Leishman’s recent form improvement augurs well for a successful defence of his Famers Insurance title at the famed Torrey Pines this week.
Two weeks ago Leishman finished in 4th place at the Sony Open in Honolulu and yesterday he discussed just why he has developed such an impressive record at Torrey Pines which includes not only his narrow win over Jon Rahm last year but two other runner-up finishes in his twelve starts in the event.
“It reminds me a lot of home, the grasses that are at Torrey Pines here I grew up on at Warrnambool,” said Leishman.
“It was my first trip to America coming to this golf course for the Junior World in 2001. And you’ve got to be pretty precise around here, but there’s places you can miss it. If you know where those places are and those places where you can’t hit it, I think you can get it around if you don’t have your best stuff, which I probably showed on Sunday last year.
“Yeah, I enjoy being here, I love San Diego. I’ve got some friends that I’ve known for a long time here in town. Just love coming to Torrey Pines.
“I’m feeling good. The Sony Open was great, I played well at Maui as well, just putted a little better at Sony. It’s been well documented I didn’t have my best stuff towards the middle and end of last year after we had the break.
“I’ve got that under control and that’s in the past, so I’m ready to go for this week. Yeah, I feel like my game’s in a pretty good spot. Obviously it starts at zero Thursday morning, so you’ve got to earn whatever you get. Yeah, feeling good about this week.”
Leishman struggled for much of 2020 after his great start to the year but like so many others found the issues surrounding COVID very disruptive.
“It (2020) was very frustrating,” added the 37 year old. “I played really good at the start of last year and then once COVID hit, sort of got — lost all momentum, sort of took me a long time to get used to playing with nobody around.
“I don’t normally play on weeks off, so most of the time that I play it’s at a tournament, so it was weird. But when you go through something like that, I think you’ve got to try and take the positives out of it.
“One, I didn’t get COVID, no one in my family got COVID, but two, you can’t always be on top of your game as much as you would love to be and that just makes you appreciate when you are playing well a lot more. That’s why you celebrate your wins, and I celebrated this one pretty well last year.”
Leishman is one of nine Australians in this week’s field the others being two-time winner and once runner-up in the event, Jason Day, Adam Scott, Cameron Smith, Cameron Davis, Aaron Baddeley, Matt Jones, Cameron Percy and Rhein Gibson.
Interestingly, Scott has played this event just once, that coming in 2019 when he finished runner-up to Justin Rose.
They will be joined by two New Zealanders, Danny Lee and Tim Wilkinson.
The favourite for the event is likely to be Jon Rahm who in just four starts at Torrey Pines has recorded a win, a runner-up finish and a 5th place. Rahm began the year well with a 7th place finish at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and appears likely to contend to the death.
Rory McIlroy has played this event just twice and has been 3rd and 5th. While he has played sparingly of late, Rahm did produce some fine golf when 3rd in Abu Dhabi last week and must be considered one of Rahm’s main threats.
One who might be worth consideration at slightly longer odds is Tony Finau who has gone close to winning in recent weeks and who enjoys a good record at Torrey Pines. Finau has been placed inside the top six in three of his last four starts in this event and was 4th last week in La Quinta.
Finau struggles to win events, in fact he has won only once on the PGA Tour and that came in 2016, but as the old saying goes if you put yourself into contention often enough it will happen at some stage.
The US$7,500 event is played over the North and South courses at Torrey Pines on the opening two days before focusing on the South Course over the weekend.
Cameron Davis Records Best PGA Tour Finish
Cameron Davis and caddie Andrew Tschudin – file photo
Sydney’s Cameron Davis has recorded his best-ever result on the PGA Tour when finishing 3rd behind the winner, Si Woo Kim and the runner-up Patrick Cantlay at the American Express Championship in La Quinta in California.
Davis, who joined the PGA Tour in 2019 after success on the then Web.Com Tour in 2018, has a previous best of 6th at the Sanderson Farms event 9 months ago but today not only was he on track for his best finish he challenged for the title over the closing stages.
Davis began the day in a share of 8th place and three shots behind the leader, Kim, but an opening nine of 30 had him on the heels of the leaders and he actually joined the lead at one stage during the final round.
He was unable to hold off the powerful finishes of Kim (64) and Cantlay (61) but he will be delighted with the manner in which he handled the scenario he created for himself and as he continues to build platforms at this level his breakthrough win must surely come soon.
The former Australian Amateur, World Amateur, Eisenhower Trophy and Australian Open Champion has all the skills to perform at the highest level and this week gave further evidence of just that.
Davis will improve from 217th to 142nd in the world ranking as a result of his finish and secured a cheque for US$462,000.
“I’ve been playing really well – it was just a day where actually all parts of the game kind of worked at the same time,” said Davis.
“So I’ve had some good putting this week I’ve had some good ball striking, today I put them together. So it was nice to see a low score on the board but it’s the sort of day where I guess everyone’s up near the top of the leaderboard’s going low as well. So would have been cool to get a couple more, but I did a pretty good job.
“I’ve been trending in a good direction for awhile now, yeah, it’s just a week where everything kind of clicks. I had a couple of — well I had a bad ball striking day and a good putting day and a couple of good ball striking days and didn’t make any putts.
“I think for me to get over the line it’s just having four solid days in a row where I keep up every part of my game. I’m getting closer to it, it’s obviously great to keep seeing personal bests keep rolling through, so hopefully this leads to a little higher on the leaderboard in the near future. But it’s been great to see improvement because that keeps you excited and keeps you working hard as well.”
For the winner, Kim it was his third PGA Tour victory, one of the earlier two, the Players Championship in 2017.
Birdies at his 16th and 17th holes saw him edge clear of Cantlay who had reeled off a round of 61 to take the lead when he finished his round.
Then came Kim’s powerful finish including a 25-foot putt for birdie at the 17th to take the lead.
Kim was relieved to finally win again after many opportunities.
“So I had many chances since PLAYERS,” said the winner. “I had many chances to win, but I couldn’t make it, but finally I made it. So I tried to keep composure and I made it. I’m so happy with that.
“My coach talked to me about it a lot and even this week we talked about it and he told me just, you know, There will be chance anytime, so you just have to keep waiting and be patient, keep composure, and just believe in yourself. So that’s what I tried to do and then I tried not to be emotional and that helps me to the win.
“I have great memories with this course. So for Q-School, I passed the Q-School on this course, and then I have great memories and then that’s why I feel confidence whenever I come to this course. So that helps a lot for me this week, especially I try to focus on the memories that gave me good scores, so that’s why it drove me to the win.”
Si Woo Kim – photo Harry How Getty Images
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Huge Week For Perth’s Jason Scrivener in Abu Dhabi
Jason Scrivener – file photo
Jason Scrivener has recorded his best European Tour finish and earned, by some margin, his biggest cheque in golf with a runner-up finish at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Scrivener finished four shots behind the winner, Tyrell Hatton but one ahead of the third placed Rory McIlroy and in the process has earned $US750,000 which surpasses his previous best by some $US400,000
The South African born but Perth raised 31-year-old produced the equal best final round of 66 (matched only by the winner) but it was his finishing burst of 29 over the closing nine which was the standout.
1 over through 9 holes after a rollercoaster opening nine, Scrivener began his onslaught with an eagle at the 10th and added five more birdies to all but secure second position 30 minutes ahead of the final group.
Currently ranked 219 in the world the result, the strength of this week’s field will see Scrivener make a massive jump in the rankings and may even challenge his previous best of 125. Update now has him at 114th.
Scrivener suggested after his round that Englishman David Alred had played a key role in the improvement in mindset on the golf course and in his preparation and paid credit to the work he has been doing with him.
Alred has been a performance coach for a number of leading players including Luke Donald and Francesco Molinari and has worked with several Australians including Brad Kennedy who swears by his effectiveness
“Yeah, he’s been a game changer for me.” said Scrivener. “We sat down probably two months before Christmas at the end of my season last year, and he’s really helped me a lot and pushed me that bit extra to work harder.”
Scrivener was delighted with the manner he overcame a very ordinary front nine.
“Yeah, I don’t know, I was in my own little world. My caddie and I just kind of kept plodding away. Wasn’t a good start, made a few soft bogeys, and then just kind of stuck with it and yeah, 29 on the back, which was pretty nice.”
For Hatton, the victory was his 4th in the last 18 months, one of those the Arnold Palmer Invitational on the PGA Tour. He is currently ranked 9th in the world but this win will improve that further.
Australian Wade Ormsby also enjoyed a good week when he finished 12th.
First PGA Tour of Australasia Win for Marcus Fraser
Photo and part article courtesy of PGA of Australia
Veteran Marcus Fraser has survived a major scare in the second round of match / medal play to claim the 2021 Gippsland Super 6 crown at Yallourn Golf Club.
Today’s proceedings bought together the leading 24 qualifiers in the opening 54 holes of strokeplay to face off in a series of six hole match-ups culiminating in the final between Fraser and Swiss rookie, Alessandro Noseda.
Having earned a first round bye due to finishing in the top eight of the 54-hole stroke play section, Fraser faced fellow Victorian Andrew Martin in the second round and found himself two-down with two holes to play.
When Martin double-bogeyed 17 Fraser capitalised with birdie to take a one stroke advantage to the final hole, following that up with wins over Josh Younger and Bryden Macpherson to earn a place in the final.
“There was a three-shot swing there and then we both parred the last,” Fraser recalled.
“That was a little bit unexpected. I was nearly packing my bags, two shots behind with two holes to go.
“I played great in my second match and then felt really comfortable out there.”
Fraser’s last win of note came at the European Tour’s Maybank Championship in Malaysia in 2016, the chance to share it with his family adding special significance to his latest win.
“I promised the kids they could see the trophy before they go to bed so I’ll do that,” said Fraser on his 90-minute journey back to Melbourne.
“They see all the ups and downs now of what I do so it’s nice to give them a little treat and bring them something home.
“Sometimes you’re crying out for a break but when it’s actually taken away from you and you can’t do it you actually realise how much you love doing what you do.
“COVID has probably taught a lot of us that once again. I genuinely love playing golf and it’s great to be back out on the course competing. That’s what we do. That’s our DNA, what we love doing.”
At one stage ranked close to the top fifty in the world, Fraser currently stands in 586th position but the two time European Tour winner has claimed his first PGA Tour of Australasia win as a result of today’s efforts. He has previously been runner-up at both the Australian PGA and Australian Masters Championships.
A Swiss native who spent a year at Middle Tennessee State University and last year completed a Bachelor of International Business and Finance on the Gold Coast, Noseda had to get past Ben Eccles, Jason Norris, David Bransdon and Peter Cooke before meeting Fraser in the final.
Noseda was disappointed to fall short in the final yet excited about the work he did through 2020 transferring to the golf course.
“Of course, I’m a little bit disappointed to not have been able to win it at the end but ‘Frase’ played very well, very solid,” said Noseda, whose entire family all contracted COVID in Switzerland and have all since recovered.
“I knew I was playing good, I had confidence. I knew I had practiced well and prepared well during the period of COVID. I felt confident and tried to win, that was my thought.”
In the playoff for third and fourth South Australian Peter Cooke fought back from two shots down to birdie the final three holes and pip Victorian Bryden Macpherson.
Currently undertaking his PGA bridging course so that he can teach at his home club of The Vines Golf Club of Reynella, Cooke credited his result to some help from fellow Aussie professionals.
“I was having some trouble with my clubs and I was chatting to Scott Arnold and he sent me his old ones to see if I’d like them,” Cooke said of putting Arnold’s back-up PING Blueprints in the bag.
“I tried them for a couple of days and they felt amazing so I put them straight in the bag. They performed beautifully.
“Then I played the pro-am on Wednesday with Terry Pilkadaris and he was helping me out with some wedge shots. I pitched the ball beautifully this week so I owe a little bit to Terry too for the tips he was giving me.”
A decade since his British Amateur Championship win, Macpherson recently returned to Australia from the United States unsure of what his tournament future looked like.
Without status on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, Macpherson has been working with former Australian Masters champion Brad Hughes since November 2019 and believes he is now on a path that has eluded him for the past 10 years.
“It’s never been more likely that I’m now in a position where I can play at a higher level more often. Of all the times in my golfing career, where I’m at now has the best chance to be that,” Macpherson explained.
“I read Hugo’s e-book a couple of times and then drove up to South Carolina from Florida and started this journey to try and understand my swing a little better and the golf swing a little bit better.
“I played great the first three rounds this morning and was pretty much in total control of what I was doing. I was a little disappointed that my form didn’t continue all the way through today but that’s just how it goes. Next time it will continue a little bit longer and then the time after that a little bit longer again.
“This is good for me. I have never had a golf tournament where I feel like I can control my ball for 72 holes… and stick to the same thing for 72 holes. That’s a huge thing for me because I’ve never had that.
“It’s good signs.”
It was a disappointing day for Deyen Lawson, the 54-hole leader falling in his first match of the day to Daniel Gale at the first extra hole. None of the top four stroke play qualifiers progressed through to the semi-finals.