Hyo Joo Kim – Getty Images
West Australian Hannah Green continued her good recent form with a runner-up place finish at the HSBC Women’s World Championship event in Singapore but bogeys at her final two holes would prove costly for the 24-year-old.
Green had a one-shot lead with two holes to play but three putted the 17th then missed the green at the last and was unable to hole a 15 foot par saving putt to force a playoff.
Green had appeared to be treading water in her final round as powerful finishes were coming from the eventual winner, Hyo Joo Kim and recent major champion, Patty Tavatanakit, while Inbee Park was consolidating her position near the top of the leaderboard.
At the short par 4 14th however Green holed a pitch from 65 metres or so for eagle to re-join the lead and when she holed a 15 foot birdie putt at the 16th she had the lead outright ahead of Kim who had finished some 30 minutes earlier after a stunning round of 64.
Then came the dropped shots at 17 and 18, the 17th after leaving a lengthy first putt well short and the 18th after missing the green from a good drive. Her 3rd shot (a putt) from just off the green at the 18th raced past and she was unable to make the return.
For Green, however, the finish follows a 3rd place finish in Los Angeles last week and confirms the progress her game has made since working on adding distance.
Green has improved from 54th in 2020 to 9th this season in the distance stats category on the LPGA Tour.
“I felt like I wasn’t really playing that great even though the score was all right,” said Green. “So yeah, a bit bummed to finish that way. But you know, I guess I put myself in that position but hopefully it’s not the last time. Hopefully I can learn from it and do the opposite and maybe make two birdies coming in.
“I don’t want to sound obnoxious, but it is nice I’m not playing my best and getting these results. I’ve heard it’s a bit warmer in Thailand (next week’s venue) and a hillier course, so my No. 1 goal is to make sure that I make every round and make sure that I’m keeping hydrated. I feel like my driver was a little bit off this week, so if I can get that into gear, I feel like I can be up on top again.”
Referring to her hole out at the 14th Green said; “It’s funny, I was saying to my caddie, I finally hit a good drive on that hole and got it down to where I should be. And I had about 64 meters to the pin and all week I had not had a yardage from that distance and I was like, “Oh, I’d better take a five more practice swings. I haven’t had this yardage for a long time.
“And sure enough. I hole out and we just started giggling and laughing at each other. So I said, “Oh, maybe I should lay into that more often,” blah, blah, blah. So that was definitely a big momentum switch. I know that when I don’t play well, I kind of get in my own shell and stay away from everyone.
“So Nate (caddie) did a good job of trying to pick me back up and just start conversation. So I’m really happy with doing things on the golf course, so not long, not far away.”
It was Green’s 5th eagle of the season to be tied at the top with Nelly Korda in that category on the LPGA, reflecting the work she has been doing in adding distance to her game.
Hannah Green file photo – Bruce Young
For winner, Kim, this was her 4th LPGA Tour title, one of which was a win at the 20914 Evian Championship, one of the majors on the LPGA Tour.
After playing much of 2020 on the Korean LPGA Tour, where she won twice, Kim is pleased to be back on the LPGA Tour
“My goal this year was to get a win, and I’m glad I already achieved that. While I was playing on the KLPGA Tour last year, I honed my skills and wanted to adapt them to this year on the LPGA, and I’m very happy that these results came out.
“It’s not today’s round that I feel confident. I’ve been playing really well for the past couple days and months. I’m just trying to keep it as it is, and I’m feeling good.”
Inbee Park, Patty Tavanakit and China’s Xiyu Lin tied for third at 15 under par and three from the winner.
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko was unable to build any momentum on the final day and finished tied for 7th, Australians Minjee Lee and Su Oh tied for 24th and Katherine Kirk was 28th.
The LPGA Tour now moves to Thailand for the Honda LPGA Thailand event.
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Improvement continues for Harrison Endycott
Harrison Endycott file photo Golf NSW
Sydney golfer, Harrison Endycott, continued his progress in the professional ranks with a share of 4th place at the Korn Ferry Tour’s, Visit Knoxville Open, in Knoxville in Tennessee.
Endycott, who represented Australia as a member of the Eisenhower Trophy winning team in 2016, has essentially played on the South American and Korn Ferry Tours since.
It was the second top five in eight starts in 2021 for the 24-year-old and his best finish on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Endycott produced an excellent 3 under par final nine at the Holston Hills Country Club in Knoxville and would eventually finish four shots behind the winner of the event, Greyson Sigg.
Endycott is now 61st on the Korn Ferry Tour points list but with 11 more regular season events to play in the 2020 / 2021 season there is plenty of time for his improving form to move him inside the all important top 25 who will earn PGA Tour cards for 2022.
New Zealanders Nick Voke and Steve Alker along with Australians Curtis Luck and Brett Drewiit also made the cut but finished well back.
Drewitt remains the only Australasian currently inside the top 25 on the points table.
Age no barrier to Richard Bland’s first European Tour title
Bland a winner at last – photo Getty Images / European Tour
In one of the really feel-good stories of the European Tour, 48 year old Englishman, Richard Bland, has won his first European Tour title after more than 450 attempts spanning a period of nearly 22 years.
Bland’s only other European win came nearly twenty years ago when he won a Challenge Tour event but today he edged out Guido Migliozzi of Italy to win the Betfred British Masters at the Belfry to break the drought and earn a cheque for €340,000 or $A530,000.
Bland’s first European Tour event was back in 1999 at the Open Championship when Paul Lawrie was successful and in between then and now has been a series of frustrations, having been forced back to the Challenge Tour and Qualifying School on several occasions.
His highest world ranking came in 2016 when he reached 102 in the world but as a result of this win Bland will move inside the top 135
Bland’s bogey free final round of 66 saw him into a playoff against Italy’s Migliozzi before a par at the first extra hole saw him secure the title.
“It’s probably going to take a few days to sink in,” said Bland. “It’s what I’ve worked for for 20 years.
“That’s what we all work for, to win out here and try and prove yourself. I’ve had a few close calls and I assume someone up there was looking down on me quite favourably today. It was just my day.”
Sky Television interviewer, Tim Barter, was on hand to see his close friend and coaching client achieve the milestone, a factor that made the win even more special for Bland.
“To have Tim here. We’ve been together for 20 years. He’s a really close friend of mine, regardless of him being my coach. To have him here on the 18th green with me makes it extra special.
“This is as much his as it is mine, with the work we’ve put in. He’s always believed in me more than I’ve believed in myself, he’s always been telling me that. It’s paid off.”
There has been several low points in the career of Bland but he highlighted one today.
“Losing your card (was a low point). Losing it a couple of years ago. There was a few things going on at home, my brother was ill, so my mind wasn’t on golf for the first four or five months of the year.
“This is one for him as well. It took a lot of guts to go back to the Challenge Tour at 46 years old. You’re probably old enough to be most of the guys’ father. I got my head down, I’m pretty good at that. When I put my mind to something I can just get my head down and go and do it.”
Min Woo Lee finished as the best of the Australasians in the field, the Perth golfer sharing 21st place after an excellent recovery from an opening round of 75.
New Zealand’s Josh Geary also made the cut but finished well back after a final round of 77.
Marc Leishman’s solid warm up ahead of PGA Championship
Leader Sam Burns chasing second successive PGA Tour title.
Marc Leishman has done best of the Australians playing this week’s AT&T Byron Nelson event at the TPC Craig Ranch in Dallas, the Victorian tied for 22nd place and 8 shots from the leader and last start winner, Sam Burns at the halfway mark.
Like so many others in this week’s field, Leishman is using this event as his final warm up for next week’s PGA Championship and although his round of 69 today has him well off the pace he is playing well enough to be confident of a good week at Kiawah Island.
Two birdies late in his second round have kept the 37-year-old only two shots away from a top 6 placing so a good weekend could seem him advance significantly from his current standing.
Leishman’s two previous starts include a 5th place at the Masters and a win with Cameron Smith in New Orleans
Cameron Percy was the only other Australian to make the cut, the 47-year-old Victorian in a share of 53rd place heading into the weekend.
Jason Day was unable to survive the low cut despite a second round of 69, a 36 hole score of 6 under required to advance to the final 36 holes.
Day has now missed his last three cuts, perhaps distracted by the fact that his wife Ellie is expecting the couple’s fourth child in the next few weeks.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed spending a lot of time with my kids and this is our last one, so we’re done after this,” said Day earlier in the week. “Like I said, priorities do change a little bit, but obviously having a child is the greatest thing that I feel like you can ever do.
“Fortunately for us we were able to have four, which is such a blessing. I could get a call in the next four weeks or whenever, this week, next week, and I could be on a plane going home. If it happens to be on Sunday at a major championship where I’m in contention, it happens. You got to do it.
“I’m not going to miss it because I’m in contention. I would much rather — a golf tournament is — it would be nice to win, but family is a forever. You got to be very careful of that.
“Yeah, right now I don’t have anything distracting me other than the potential of a child coming in the next four weeks. Other than that, I’m just all golf. That’s all I am. Very motivated right now.”
Day now carries his worst world ranking (62nd) since August of 2010.
Rhein Gibson was unable to repeat his opening day effort of 66 and a second round 73 had him outside the required mark by one in the low scoring event.
Dallas based Australians John Senden and Greg Chalmers along with Aaron Baddeley also missed the cut as did New Zealanders Tim Wilkinson and Danny Lee.
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Rory McIlroy wins again at Quail Hollow
Rory McIlroy – with a much awaited 19th PGA Tour trophy – image Getty Images Jared Tilton
32-year-old Rory McIlroy has won his third Wells Fargo Championship eleven years after his first, with a narrow one shot victory over Abraham Ancer at the Quail Hollow Golf Club in Charlotte in North Carolina.
McIlroy managed to secure the title despite a possible disaster at the final hole, being forced to take a drop from the penalty area to the left of the fairway before hitting a magnificent recovery shot from an awkward lie to 40 feet and two putting for bogey and his 19th PGA Tour title.
It was McIlroy’s first PGA Tour victory and his first anywhere in eighteen months and the relief he displayed was palpable.
“I mean, yeah, relief that I’ve won again,” said McIlroy. “Relief that my season I feel is sort of back on track, and more just satisfaction at the journey that I’m on and the process that I’ve been going through to try to get back to this point.
“There’s been a lot of hard work. I’ve put my head down, I haven’t really looked too much in either direction, I’ve just tried to do what I need to do. You know, for a couple of months there, all that hard work seemed like it was not really getting anywhere, wasn’t providing me with much.
“I didn’t even think I was going to tee off in this tournament Wednesday night,” said McIlroy referring to an injury he incurred on Wednesday.
“Then even if I had had a morning tee time on Thursday, I probably would have pulled out because I hurt my neck on Wednesday afternoon and couldn’t make a backswing. It just sort of, everything aligned.
“I was off on Thursday afternoon, so I got enough treatment so that I could play and then progressively got a little bit better as the week went on. Yeah, it’s just amazing how these little things, they all add up. Yeah, it’s so cool to be able to win here again, see some of the hard work that I’ve put in over the past couple of months finally start to pay off.
“This place has been good to me. Ever since I first set eyes on this golf course, I loved it from the first time I played it, and that love has sort of been reciprocated back. I’ve played so well here over the years.
“I think this is the first time I’ve ever won an event for the third time, so that’s pretty cool to do it here.”
McIlroy looks ahead to the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island in two weeks’ time, a title and at a venue where he just so happened to win by a massive eight shots in 2012.
“Obviously I played really well there last time. I’m honestly not sure whether they’ve made any changes to the golf course since, but I’ll go up there and try to do my homework and re-familiarize myself with the layout a little bit.
“But yeah, it’s certainly great timing. This is obviously a huge confidence boost going in there knowing that my game is closer than it has been. So it’s still — I mean, I’ll be able to poke holes in everything that I did today, it’s certainly far from perfect, but this one is validation that I’m on the right track.”
As one of the more charismatic and exciting golfers to watch in world golf, having Rory McIlroy back winning events is a great boost for the game as he looks to add to his total of four majors, all of which were achieved by the age of 25.
Mexico’s Ancer recorded his 4th runner-up finish on the PGA Tour and while yet to win, the former Australian Open Champion keeps knocking on the door.
He too is looking forward to the PGA Championship. “It gets me pumped up knowing I’m performing well on golf courses that are big venues,” said Ancer. “You’ve got to hit it out there. Tournament or sorry major kind of venues, Kiawah’s just a couple weeks from now and that’s a big golf course as well. I’m pretty pumped to see how my game stacks up out there. This gives me a lot of confidence, for sure.”
Cameron Davis did best of the Australians when he tied for 26th but four dropped shots in his last three holes cost him a lot of money having been in line for a potential top ten finish prior to that.
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Maverick Antcliff finishes runner-up in Tenerife
Maverick Antcliff – file photo
Queenslander Maverick Antcliff has finished runner-up at the European Tour’s Canary Island Championship in Tenerife in Spain, providing the 28-year-old his best finish on the European Tour and easily his biggest cheque (€152,000) in professional golf.
Antcliff, who hails from just south of Brisbane and attended the Hills International College in Jimboomba before a collegiate career in the US, recorded a final round of 65 to finish in outright second place and six shots behind South African Garrick Higgo who won his second title in his last three European Tour starts.
Antcliff is playing in Europe courtesy of an outstanding year on the China Golf Tour in 2019 when he won three events and easily headed the China Tour Order of Merit that season, earning the right to play in Europe because of that tour’s association with the European Tour.
In his rookie European Tour season in 2020, Antcliff managed a 3rd place finish at the Irish Open but this week’s performance further consolidates his standing in Europe and improves his world ranking to just outside the top 200.
Antcliff played for Augusta State in the US and as a result escaped the attention of Australian golf during his amateur days but his performances in China and those in his early European Tour career suggest a bright future.
Amongst his wins in amateur golf in the US was the prestigious Rice Planters event.
For 21-year-old South African Higgo, his victory continues his rapid rise in the game. This was his third European Tour title and he now sits close to the top 50 in the world golf rankings and will play next week’s USPGA Championship at Kiawah Island.
Ariya Jutanugarn’s home win first in three years
Ariya Jutanugarn- file photo LET
Eight years after a gut-wrenching loss in the event, when not at that stage an LPGA Tour player, 25 year old Ariya Jutanugarn has become the first Thai golfer to win the Honda LPGA Thailand in Chonburi, Thailand, a final round of 63 allowing her to climb from 9th place overnight to a one shot victory.
Jutanugarn had teed off some 24 minutes ahead of the final group but after a final hole birdie had completed her 9 under par round, she was forced to wait a further one hour due to a weather delay as the final two groups were playing the last.
Only 18-year-old, Atthaya Thitikul, who was playing in the final group of the day could alter the outcome by producing a birdie at the last but despite a stunning drive and a second which flew over the top of the flag she was unable to get up and down for birdie at the par 5 and Jutanugarn had won her 11th LPGA Tour title.
In 2013 Jutanugarn, as a 17-year-old, had tripled bogeyed the 18th hole on this same course to cost her a first LPGA Tour title and a card to play the LPGA Tour.
She would go on however to become the world number one, win two majors and in a three-year space between 2016 and 2018 she would dominate women’s golf with a power game that left so many others in her wake.
It was an emotional Jutanugarn who faced the media after her win.
“It just feels so good, not only for Thai player to win, but I would say I have really tough time last two years,” said Jutanugarn. “I’m thinking about like, you know, I don’t know how many time I told my psychology, like, you know, what I want to rest, no more. I want to stop for a while.
“I would say this (win) mean the world to me, because after 2013, one of my biggest dream is to be able to win in Thailand, and I did.
“So thank you for all the fans who really give me like full support. It’s mean so much to me. I will say this win is for you guys. Thank you.
“Every time when I look at all the kids and I want them to — give them inspiration. So I feel like you know what, don’t give up. Do your best. Try harder. Keep trying. One day you will get it.”
Thitikul, added further to Thailand’s historic week when she fell one short and alone in 2nd place. She will rue a three-putt bogey at the 71st hole but she is clearly a soon to be star. She was one of three Thais to finish in the top three, the other being last weeks’ winner in Singapore, Patty Tatavanakit.
Amy Yang produced another of the week’s great performances when she finished in a share 3rd place when trying to win the title for the 4th time. Yang began the week with a horror opening nine of 39 but played her next 63 holes in 23 under par to go close to adding yet another Thailand title to her name.
Hannah Green eventually finished 7th after a final round of 68 although a bogey at her 17th hole and a failure to get up and down from just off the back of the 18th would prove costly in the final outcome.
“Yeah, no, I’m super happy to see how things are coming along,” said Green referring to her runner-up finish last week and now this further top ten. “Nate and I feel like we’re not far off, so pretty exciting. Hopefully I can keep peaking at the right events and hopefully have a trophy one day.
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko tied for 11th after she failed to build any momentum on the final day.
The LPGA Tour will now have a one week break before the Pure Silk Championship in Virginia.
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Hannah Green’s chance to atone in Thailand
Hannah Green – file photo
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko and West Australian, Hannah Green, are once again poised to challenge for an LPGA Tour title, the pair two and three shots respectively off the 54 hole pace at the Honda LPGA Thailand event in Chonburi in Thailand.
Ko’s 5 under par round of 67 and Green’s 8 under 64 continues some excellent form from the pair, Green having finished runner-up in Singapore last week after bogeys at her final two holes and Ko finishing inside the top ten in three of her last four starts including a win in Hawaii three weeks ago.
Green was at one stage tied for the lead during round three but strong finishes from those behind her on the golf course saw her now tied for 6th.
The lead is held by Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit who recovered from a mid-round struggle to birdie three of her last five holes to lead by one over Germany’s Caroline Masson and yet another Thai the 18-year-old Atthaya Thitikul.
Katherine Kirk is the next best Australians at 11 under par and seven shots from the lead.
Following her near miss last week Green suggested she needs to focus on her own game tomorrow rather than perhaps watching what is going on a around her.
“I think I’ve always been one to look at leaderboards, so I got to make sure I’m focusing on my own game and not getting too caught up,” said Green.
“It’s a birdie-fest again this week, so making sure I’m giving myself the best opportunities to make birdies and pars, that’s probably what I learned from last week and hopefully, yeah, capitalize on all the opportunities I give myself.”
It is Green’s first appearance in the event and once again she has opened up a chance two win a third LPGA Tour title.
Following her runner-up finish last year Green has moved to 13th in the Rolex World Ranking – her highest standing in the game.
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Near miss for Hannah Green in Singapore
Hyo Joo Kim – Getty Images
West Australian Hannah Green continued her good recent form with a runner-up place finish at the HSBC Women’s World Championship event in Singapore but bogeys at her final two holes would prove costly for the 24-year-old.
Green had a one-shot lead with two holes to play but three putted the 17th then missed the green at the last and was unable to hole a 15 foot par saving putt to force a playoff.
Green had appeared to be treading water in her final round as powerful finishes were coming from the eventual winner, Hyo Joo Kim and recent major champion, Patty Tavatanakit, while Inbee Park was consolidating her position near the top of the leaderboard.
At the short par 4 14th however Green holed a pitch from 65 metres or so for eagle to re-join the lead and when she holed a 15 foot birdie putt at the 16th she had the lead outright ahead of Kim who had finished some 30 minutes earlier after a stunning round of 64.
Then came the dropped shots at 17 and 18, the 17th after leaving a lengthy first putt well short and the 18th after missing the green from a good drive. Her 3rd shot (a putt) from just off the green at the 18th raced past and she was unable to make the return.
For Green, however, the finish follows a 3rd place finish in Los Angeles last week and confirms the progress her game has made since working on adding distance.
Green has improved from 54th in 2020 to 9th this season in the distance stats category on the LPGA Tour.
“I felt like I wasn’t really playing that great even though the score was all right,” said Green. “So yeah, a bit bummed to finish that way. But you know, I guess I put myself in that position but hopefully it’s not the last time. Hopefully I can learn from it and do the opposite and maybe make two birdies coming in.
“I don’t want to sound obnoxious, but it is nice I’m not playing my best and getting these results. I’ve heard it’s a bit warmer in Thailand (next week’s venue) and a hillier course, so my No. 1 goal is to make sure that I make every round and make sure that I’m keeping hydrated. I feel like my driver was a little bit off this week, so if I can get that into gear, I feel like I can be up on top again.”
Referring to her hole out at the 14th Green said; “It’s funny, I was saying to my caddie, I finally hit a good drive on that hole and got it down to where I should be. And I had about 64 meters to the pin and all week I had not had a yardage from that distance and I was like, “Oh, I’d better take a five more practice swings. I haven’t had this yardage for a long time.
“And sure enough. I hole out and we just started giggling and laughing at each other. So I said, “Oh, maybe I should lay into that more often,” blah, blah, blah. So that was definitely a big momentum switch. I know that when I don’t play well, I kind of get in my own shell and stay away from everyone.
“So Nate (caddie) did a good job of trying to pick me back up and just start conversation. So I’m really happy with doing things on the golf course, so not long, not far away.”
It was Green’s 5th eagle of the season to be tied at the top with Nelly Korda in that category on the LPGA, reflecting the work she has been doing in adding distance to her game.
Hannah Green file photo – Bruce Young
For winner, Kim, this was her 4th LPGA Tour title, one of which was a win at the 20914 Evian Championship, one of the majors on the LPGA Tour.
After playing much of 2020 on the Korean LPGA Tour, where she won twice, Kim is pleased to be back on the LPGA Tour
“My goal this year was to get a win, and I’m glad I already achieved that. While I was playing on the KLPGA Tour last year, I honed my skills and wanted to adapt them to this year on the LPGA, and I’m very happy that these results came out.
“It’s not today’s round that I feel confident. I’ve been playing really well for the past couple days and months. I’m just trying to keep it as it is, and I’m feeling good.”
Inbee Park, Patty Tavanakit and China’s Xiyu Lin tied for third at 15 under par and three from the winner.
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko was unable to build any momentum on the final day and finished tied for 7th, Australians Minjee Lee and Su Oh tied for 24th and Katherine Kirk was 28th.
The LPGA Tour now moves to Thailand for the Honda LPGA Thailand event.
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Former Australian Amateur Champ, Koh, wins NZPGA title
Tae Koh – an important professional breakthrough for the former Australian Amateur champion
In 2013 New Zealand’s Tae Koh became just the third New Zealander to win the Australian Amateur Championship when defeating Australian Curtis Luck in the final.
Normally, such a victory would be the likely catalyst for a successful professional career but for Koh that milestone victory at The Grange in Adelaide has not resulted in any real success in the professional ranks, until now that is.
Other than two top tens in PGA Tour of Korea events and an 8th place finish at the NSW Open there has not been a lot to get excited about but today he achieved a likely turning point in his career when he stormed home over the final round of the $100,000 New Zealand PGA Championship at the Te Puke Golf Club in the Bay of Plenty in New Zealand’s North Island.
Koh has played well in recent domestic events in New Zealand and today he put it all together to secure his most important win in the paid ranks.
The 26 year old’s final round of 61 saw him catch and pass his significantly more credentialed rivals, Ryan Fox and Josh Geary, in a tight battle and emerge as the winner of one of New Zealand’s historic and iconic events.
“It’s a bit of a blur to be honest,” said Koh, “I hit it awesome and probably the best round of my career and in such a prestigious event I am super stoked.”
Koh won by one over Geary and by two over Fox, an eagle at his final hole allowing him the buffer to hold off strong finishes by Geary who birdied four of his last five holes for a round of 65 and Fox who would also eagle the last although for New Zealand’s leading ranked male player it was a case of too little too late.
Koh began the day three behind the lead of Fox and Geary but by the turn had taken the lead. With such credentialed players chasing him the likely scenario might have been for Koh to fall victim to the situation but instead he raced home in 30 to lead in the clubhouse.
Geary, who is from the Bay of Plenty area and who has been working at the Te Puke Golf Club while traveling restrictions have prevented him playing in Europe, stormed home to all but catch his younger rival. It was Geary’s third runner-up finish in the NZPGA Championship.
Geary led after round one, Fox after round two and Geary and Fox had shared the lead through 54 holes.
The 2021 New Zealand PGA Championship was severely impacted by Covid issues essentially restricting the field to domestic players although several Australians took advantage of the New Zealand / Australia bubble to play the event.
The best of the Australians was promising South Australian rookie, Jack Thompson who tied for 7th although 11 shots from the winner.
The event proved a success on what is a regional golf course in New Zealand and allowed such an important title in New Zealand golf to return to the golfing calendar after being cancelled last year due to Covid issues.
Some of New Zealand and the world’s finest players have won the event including Sir Bob Charles, Kel Nagle, Peter Thomson, Jumbo Ozaki, John Lister, Graham Marsh, Frank Nobilo and Greg Turner and to have joined such an elite list might well be the boost the career of Tae Koh needs.
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Hannah Green and Lydia Ko contend in Singapore
Two time Singapore winner Inbee Park perhaps the one to beat – photo Getty Images
West Australian Hannah Green and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko have continued their recent good form to be tied for 7th and four shots from the lead at the halfway mark of the HSBC Women’s World Championship at the Sentosa Golf Club’s Tanjong Course in Singapore.
The pair trail the leaders Inbee Park and her fellow countrywoman Hee Young Park, who lead by two.
Ko won two weeks ago in Hawaii while Green finished third at last week’s event in Hawaii so they have created an opportunity to build on that impressive from over the weekend.
Green’s round was the equal best of the day in round two her outward nine of 31 setting her up for a six under par 66.
After her round Green admitted that she was getting better in each start this season.
“I feel like ANA and Kia was just a bit rusty, you know, first tournament back after a few months,” said Green. “But yeah, this is my first time in Thailand and Singapore, so I’m super excited to be here. I think that’s really helping me try to beat this heat which I’m not very good with.”
Ko also played well over her opening nine although a late bogey saw her lose a little contact with the pace but given she has never finished outside the top twenty in six starts in the event and he been runner-up once she is poised to continue that run of results at the Sentosa Golf Club.
One of the two leaders, Inbee Park, has been a two-time winner of this event and she too is in good form of late having won her first start of 2021 in California and finished runner-up to Ko in Hawaii.
She will be a tough nut to crack over the weekend while her co leader has struggled in recent weeks, missing three of her five cuts this season.
Other Australians in the field are Katherine Kirk and Su Oh tied for 21st and Minjee Lee 37th who dropped four shots in six holes in the middle of her round after a fast start to round two.
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Co-leader – Hee Young Park – Getty Images