Jordan Spieth – holds the trophy for his 12th PGA Tour title – photo Getty Images Steve Dykes
It took 27-year- old Jordan Spieth four years to win his first 11 titles on the PGA Tour and nearly as long again to win his 12th.
Today Spieth broke a four-year drought when he won his first PGA Tour title since his 2017 Open Championship title and confirmed his recent resurgence with a two-shot victory over Charley Hoffman at the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio.
Spieth began the final day tied in the lead with England’s Matt Wallace but he gained control with two early birdies and by the turn he was three ahead of both Wallace and Hoffman.
Hoffman threatened to make Spieth battle for his return to the winners’ circle but the Texas native, Spieth, was up to the task and matched him with every stride. It was perhaps fitting that his return to winning ways happened with his own state title.
Clearly moved by the turnaround in fortunes, Spieth was quick to thank those who had helped and stuck by him during his downturn.
“Yeah, I feel grateful. I feel — I feel really — you know, it kind of bounces off and on right now when it hits me that I’m back in the winner’s circle,” said the champion.
“It’s been a road that’s had a lot of tough days. I’ve had people in my corner that have always believed in me even when I’ve kind of believed less in myself. I just feel a lot of gratitude to those who have helped me kind of get back here.
“My wife has been just a rock to me. This is my first win since we’ve been married, so it’s been progressing this way since maybe December. Before that, there was a lot of tough times. When you’re struggling at work, you try not to bring it home and that kind of stuff.
“I’m very grateful for the people that I have around me. I’m blessed with a great family who’s always just looking out for my best interests. I’ve got an amazing team and I get put in position and I’ve got full trust in everyone that’s on my side that they’re going to be the best at what they do and I’ve just got to go out and feel the freedom to go enjoy playing golf.”
Spieth paid special tribute to his caddie Michael Greller for some important advice he offered during the day.
“Michael did a great job today of telling me — he was like, look, Matt and Charley, these guys are playing for a lot more than you’re playing for. Whatever you’re feeling, they’re feeling more. Charley’s trying to get in next week, Matt’s trying to get a job, you know, Tour card.
“These guys have a lot more to play for than you and we’re trying to make progress for next week. It’s kind of his way — we clearly were very focused on winning this golf tournament and it being important, but I think that was his way of freeing me up and I thought that was really good advice today.”
Earlier this year the former world number one and two time Australian Open champion was only just inside the top 100 in the world but thanks to his recent efforts he is now # 38 with a lot more to come it would seem.
Hoffman who has a very good record at Augusta National won’t be there next week as this was the last chance for a golfer otherwise not qualified to gain access to the Masters. It wasn’t to be but Hoffman did all he could in his last minute bid.
“I’ve lost golf tournaments, I’ve won golf tournaments, but today Jordan won the golf tournament. Obviously I put some pressure on,” said Hoffman. “Obviously I would have liked to have hit some better shots coming down the stretch, but gave myself an opportunity coming down the 18th fairway and that’s all you can ask for. Hats off to Jordan.
“Obviously you come to each event trying to win, but second place isn’t that bad. Obviously I want to get back to the Masters, I want to get back to Kapalua. I play to win, not finish second. But obviously had a chance, gave my best and just fell slightly short”
Cameron Davis was the only Australian to make the weekend but struggled over the final 36 holes and finished 69th.
Scores
Spieth’s back with Home State Victory
Jordan Spieth – holds the trophy for his 12th PGA Tour title – photo Getty Images Steve Dykes
It took 27-year- old Jordan Spieth four years to win his first 11 titles on the PGA Tour and nearly as long again to win his 12th.
Today Spieth broke a four-year drought when he won his first PGA Tour title since his 2017 Open Championship title and confirmed his recent resurgence with a two-shot victory over Charley Hoffman at the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio.
Spieth began the final day tied in the lead with England’s Matt Wallace but he gained control with two early birdies and by the turn he was three ahead of both Wallace and Hoffman.
Hoffman threatened to make Spieth battle for his return to the winners’ circle but the Texas native, Spieth, was up to the task and matched him with every stride. It was perhaps fitting that his return to winning ways happened with his own state title.
Clearly moved by the turnaround in fortunes, Spieth was quick to thank those who had helped and stuck by him during his downturn.
“Yeah, I feel grateful. I feel — I feel really — you know, it kind of bounces off and on right now when it hits me that I’m back in the winner’s circle,” said the champion.
“It’s been a road that’s had a lot of tough days. I’ve had people in my corner that have always believed in me even when I’ve kind of believed less in myself. I just feel a lot of gratitude to those who have helped me kind of get back here.
“My wife has been just a rock to me. This is my first win since we’ve been married, so it’s been progressing this way since maybe December. Before that, there was a lot of tough times. When you’re struggling at work, you try not to bring it home and that kind of stuff.
“I’m very grateful for the people that I have around me. I’m blessed with a great family who’s always just looking out for my best interests. I’ve got an amazing team and I get put in position and I’ve got full trust in everyone that’s on my side that they’re going to be the best at what they do and I’ve just got to go out and feel the freedom to go enjoy playing golf.”
Spieth paid special tribute to his caddie Michael Greller for some important advice he offered during the day.
“Michael did a great job today of telling me — he was like, look, Matt and Charley, these guys are playing for a lot more than you’re playing for. Whatever you’re feeling, they’re feeling more. Charley’s trying to get in next week, Matt’s trying to get a job, you know, Tour card.
“These guys have a lot more to play for than you and we’re trying to make progress for next week. It’s kind of his way — we clearly were very focused on winning this golf tournament and it being important, but I think that was his way of freeing me up and I thought that was really good advice today.”
Earlier this year the former world number one and two time Australian Open champion was only just inside the top 100 in the world but thanks to his recent efforts he is now # 38 with a lot more to come it would seem.
Hoffman who has a very good record at Augusta National won’t be there next week as this was the last chance for a golfer otherwise not qualified to gain access to the Masters. It wasn’t to be but Hoffman did all he could in his last minute bid.
“I’ve lost golf tournaments, I’ve won golf tournaments, but today Jordan won the golf tournament. Obviously I put some pressure on,” said Hoffman. “Obviously I would have liked to have hit some better shots coming down the stretch, but gave myself an opportunity coming down the 18th fairway and that’s all you can ask for. Hats off to Jordan.
“Obviously you come to each event trying to win, but second place isn’t that bad. Obviously I want to get back to the Masters, I want to get back to Kapalua. I play to win, not finish second. But obviously had a chance, gave my best and just fell slightly short”
Cameron Davis was the only Australian to make the weekend but struggled over the final 36 holes and finished 69th.
Scores
Lydia Ko heads Australasians at ANA Inspiration
Lydia Ko – File photo Bruce Young
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko heads the seven Australasians through 36 holes of the ANA Inspiration Championship, the first major of the year in world golf.
Ko finds herself four shots from Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit who leads by one over China’s Shanshan Feng.
Ko’s second round of 69 was highlighted by a closing nine of 33 which included an eagle at the 11th and two late birdies to put herself right in the hunt.
Minjee Lee, Gabriela Ruffels and Hannah Green are the best of the Australians at 2 under par, tied for 26th and seven from the lead.
Sarah Kemp, Su Oh and Katherine Kirk will unfortunately have the weekend off.
Ko’s round was a roller coaster of sorts and she would later say she has been on a roller coaster often in recent times.
“I’ve been on this roller coaster since last week. The good thing is I’m making plenty of birdies to make up for the bogeys I’ve been making.
“But I think I been trying to not get too in my head when I been making mistakes. You know, just trying to stay positive and go, Hey, if I have nine holes left I have nine chances for birdie. I’ve been lucky enough to kind of have a good comeback after a mistake which kind of gets rhythm going.
“Yeah, lots of birdie-bogeys or bogey-birdies, but hopefully I’ll be able to reduce a few of those clumsier mistakes and keep having fun out there.
“I think it started last week where I felt like my ball striking wasn’t there and my putting was okay. Then the ball striking kind of improved over the week and then I just had too many putts on the putting green.
“But, no, I think the game is a little bit better in general coming into this week, and I think — I’ve been taking it as a positive where, even if I make a mistake, I’ve been able to get up and make a birdie on the next or within the next few holes.
“I think that’s just helped me mentally. I think sometimes you’re not going to have your A game. I would say most people, like it’s really hard to have your A game every single day. You have to play with what you have. You have to play with that kind of shot that you have been hitting.
“I think you just play with what’s in front of you and not try to find it, and I think that is such a big key. Hopefully I’ll just be able to keep continuing the aspects that I’ve been doing well and polish up on a few things and see where I finish at the end of this weekend.”
Lee’s round of 70 included four birdies and a big weekend could yet see her vying for a first major championship title.
Ruffels finished 15th in this event as an amateur last year and in just her second appearance in the event she has done well with a round of 70 which included an eagle, four birdies and four bogeys.
Ruffels, who attended the University of Southern California during an amateur career which included a win and runner-up finish at consecutive US Women’s Amateur Championships, is considered destined for a successful professional career although at this stage she does not enjoy LPGA Tour status.
Hannah Green is one of only three Australian women to win a major championship title and she is well enough placed at the halfway mark although two bogeys late in her round are no doubt disappointing.
The leader Tavatanakit led after round one but an early bogey gave little sign of what was to come.
She eagled her 6th hole and birdied the 7th and went further ahead with birdies at her 11th and 13th holes before a late bogey saw her finish one ahead of Feng.
Tavatanakit has a New Zealand connection in so much as she is coached by New Zealand born and raised Grant Waite a winner on the PGA Tour.
Scores
Hopes still alive for Cameron Davis in Texas
Cameron Davis- in action this week. Photo Getty Images Steve Dykes
Sydney’s Cameron Davis produced a solid back nine in round two of the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio and although seven shots from the leader, Cameron Tringale, he is just five shots out of second place, in a share of 19th place and not yet out of contending for the title.
Davis recovered from two early bogeys and played the home nine on the demanding Greg Norman designed layout at the TPC San Antonio in 2 under and not only is a potential first PGA Tour title up for grabs this week, so too is what would be his first start at the Masters.
The winner of this event, not otherwise exempt, is the last player into next week’s field at Augusta National and with Davis narrowly missing Masters’ opportunities on two occasions previously at the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship in 2015 and 2016, it is an enticing prospect for him.
After a good start to the year, Davis has not played quite as well in recent starts, but he is a genuine talent, destined for success on the PGA Tour and another good finish this weekend is not beyond him.
Rhein Gibson, Cameron Percy and Danny Lee missed the cut, Percy disqualified following his horror second round of 80 and Lee withdrawing after an outward nine of 41.
The leader, Tringale, has yet to win on the PGA Tour but he has been playing well of late and has been three times runner-up in PGA Tour events so this represents a good opportunity for that breakthrough.
Tringale leads by two over Jordan Spieth and Englishman Matt Wallace. Spieth’s resurgence continues as he chases his first PGA Tour title since his Open Championship victory in 2017.
Scores
Millbrook Resort to Host All 72 Holes of NZ Open
The recently completed 11th hole of the Coronet Course – photo Millbrook Resort
Commencing with the 102nd edition of the New Zealand Open, New Zealand’s premier golfing event will now be played over the two courses at Millbrook Resort between February 24th – 27th, 2022.
On the back of the development of another world-class nine holes at Millbrook Resort, which is due to open for member play in late 2021, these new holes, combined with the existing nine, will complete the new championship “Coronet” course.
A field of around 152 professionals and 152 amateurs will tee it up over the new championship “Coronet” course and the ‘Remarkables’ course (previously known as the Arrows 9 and the Remarkables 9) on days one and two of the event, with the Coronet course being used for the final two days. Tournament organisers will however incorporate the Remarkables closing par-3 hole into the final day, to ensure that this exciting hole continues to be the climatic final hole.
The event’s now traditional par 3 18th hole and popular “Champions” lounge will been retained – photo Bruce Young
Millbrook Resort’s Owner and Managing Director Gota Ishii, is delighted to have Millbrook host all four competitive rounds for the first time. “Since our investment in the new nine holes, it has been a dream to host the entire New Zealand Open tournament at Millbrook. This only enhances Millbrook as one of the premiere golf resorts in the South Pacific, now delivering not one, but two championship courses” said Ishii.
New Zealand Open Chairman, John Hart, expressed his pleasure at having the ongoing support of all three of Queenstown’s major courses, adding his excitement in seeing top professionals tackling the new course at Millbrook, in particular.
Hart added, “Millbrook has in recent years become the home of the New Zealand Open, and to have them host all four tournament rounds is testament to the backing they have given the event.”
“The new nine holes that will now make up the Coronet course are outstanding, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the professionals battle it out on this challenging new course. This signals a new era for the tournament and is very exciting all-round” said Hart.
The Hills will continue to be closely involved, with the Saturday pro-am event (featuring professionals and amateurs who miss the day two cut) to be played at The Hills.
The Hills are delighted at maintaining a role in hosting the New Zealand Open, an event that was first brought to The Hills in 2007.
Sir Michael Hill commended Millbrook on effectively adding another full course to the region with the development of their new nine holes, adding that “It’s been wonderful to be part of the tournament’s evolution over the last 13 years. It makes sense for Millbrook to now take over the full hosting of competition play adding a new dimension to the New Zealand Open. We are pleased to continue our involvement by hosting a number of amateurs and professional players on the Saturday of Open week, I’m sure they will thoroughly enjoy The Hills experience.”
Jack’s Point continue their ten-year support of the tournament by hosting some of the other golfing events that now make up what has become a weekly ‘festival of golf’.
The TV broadcast will cover all four days of live play, and will include highlight packages from both Jack’s Point and The Hills, presenting the very best of golf in the Central Otago region.
The tournament will be broadcast to over thirty countries round the globe and will continue to showcase all three of New Zealand’s great courses to a global audience with a potential audience of over 320 million households.
Golf’s First Major of the Year Features Seven From Down Under
Lydia Ko with her 2016 ANA Trophy
World golf’s first major championship of 2021 is played this week when the ANA Inspiration is staged at its long-time venue at the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at the Mission Hills Country Club at Rancho Mirage in California.
Six Australians and one New Zealander will tackle the 3.1 million event, looking to add to the 3 previous titles won by players from either Australia or New Zealand.
Karrie Webb won in 2000 and 2006 and Lydia Ko won in 2016 and in 2021 it would appear either Lydia Ko or Minjee Lee have some prospect of adding to that list.
That pair will be joined by Hannah Green, Katherine Kirk, Sarah Kemp, Su Oh and Gabi Ruffels, all seven having played the event previously.
Ko finished 6th last year, her best finish in the event other than her win in 2016 and with two top tens in three starts in 2021 her chances of another top ten seem, at least, good. Her runner-up finish at the Gainbridge event five weeks ago tells the story of her game returning to somewhere close to her best and if that was to be the case then she might just contend for the title.
Lee impressed with a solid 5th place in her first start of the season at last week’s Kia Classic in Carlsbad and has a best of 3rd here behind Ko in 2016. She was also 7th last year so the course would appear to fit her eye.
Hannah Green, Australasia’s most recent major winner, is playing the event for the 4th occasion but, with a 16th place finish on debut in 2018 her best and only top 60 in those starts, she has yet to come to terms with the layout.
Katherine Kirk was 7th last year, her best finish in 13 appearances at Mission Hills. Kirk’s form in 2021 however is not at the same level it was twelve months ago.
Sarah Kemp is playing a lot better now than she has perhaps at any stage in her LPGA Tour career but for her to contend in an event such as this appears to be unlikely. A 5th place finish a few weeks ago was her second-best ever finish on the LPGA Tour however and she has made all three cuts in 2021.
Gabi Ruffels has played one LPGA Tour event in 2021 for a 36th place finish but did finish 4th in a Futures Tour event last week, a performance that will provide confidence ahead of this week.
Ruffels did finish 15th on debut in this event last year and if she was to improve on that it would be of little surprise.
Su Oh rounds out the contingent from down under but although she played well in combined PGA Tour of Australasia and WAPGA events in Australia she missed the cut by some margin last week in her first start of the season on the LPGA Tour.
It could be expected for Oh to improve sharply on that effort but it is hard to see her contending especially given a horror record in this event, having missed her last three cuts and recorded a best of 51st in her other two starts.
The pre-tournament favourites appear to be two of the most consistent performers in the event and previous winners, Inbee Park and Lexi Thompson.
That the pair finished first and second respectively at last week’s Kia Classic adds to their claims.
Minjee Lee’s impressive warm up for ANA
Minjee Lee – File photo LET
Minjee Lee might have finished seven shots from the winner, Inbee Park, at this week’s Kia Classic in Carlsbad in California but she will be delighted to have begun her 2021 season as well as she has, finishing in a share of 5th place.
While her final round of even par 72 was disappointing in some respects it was perhaps expected given her lack of tournament play in the last few months and she heads into next week’s ANZ Inspiration with her game in good shape ahead of the first major of the year.
Lee recovered from a slow start to her final round and two late birdies in her round allowed her to move into 5th place and secure a cheque for nearly US$70,000.
The winner, Park, secured her 21st title on the LPGA Tour, seven of those major titles, and she now holds the second highest number of LPGA titles behind only Se Ri Pak who set the tone for those of her fellow countrywoman to follow when she was such a dominant force in the late 1990’s and 2000’s.
Park won by five over Amy Olson despite a bogey at her final hole and given, like, Lee, it was her first LPGA Tour event of the season, it was an ominous sign for her rivals at next week’s ANA, an event she has won and finished runner-up in previous attempts.
Park might not have played this week but for the upcoming Olympics in Tokyo where she will defend her 2016 Gold Medal.
At this stage she would not qualify for South Korea as both Jin Young Ko and Sei Young Kim are ahead of her in the world ranking. This week’s win will assist in that cause.
Scores
Brett Coletta finishes 3rd in Georgia
Brett Coletta – file photo
Victorian, Brett Coletta, has continued his solid start to the 2021 Korn Ferry Tour by finishing in a share of 3rd place at the Club Car Championship at The Landings in Savannah, Georgia and just one from the playoff for the event.
Coletta who finished 11th in his opening event of the season in Louisiana a month ago, began the final round one behind the lead and produced a six birdie, three bogey round of 69 to fall just one shot of the playoff which was won by Canada’s Adam Svensson.
Coletta was one of Australia’s leading amateurs before turning professional, finishing runner-up at the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship behind Curtis Luck in 2016 before winning the Queensland Open as an amateur two weeks later and then finishing runner-up at the NSW Open soon after on his professional debut.
His early professional career was plagued somewhat by illness and injury but there is little doubting the significant talent of the still only 24 year old and his encouraging start to 2021 might well be a signal of even better things to come.
This week’s result is Coletta’s third 3rd place finish on the Korn Ferry Tour, just missing out on a top 25 finish on the money list in 2019 which would have earned him a PGA Tour card.
Further efforts such as this week’s by Coletta will, however, have him on track to gain one of the 25 cards via the regular season handed out later this year and eventually the right to play on the PGA Tour.
He moves from 78th to 58th on the newly introduced points race.
Brett Drewitt currently leads the Australians on the carry over season money list for 2020 / 2021 in 22nd place.
Ryan Ruffels was 55th this week, Harrison Endycott 61st and Brett Drewitt 67th.
The Korn Ferry Tour now moves to Florida for this week’s Emerald Coast Classic where Coletta will once again tee it up.
Coletta (left) plays the final round of the 2016 Asia Pacific Amateur with Cameron Davis – photo APAC.
Macpherson wins second title of 2021
Bryden Macpherson: photo Golf NSW
Six weeks ago, Victorian, Bryden Macpherson, was outside the top 700 in the world ranking.
Today, as a result of his three-shot victory at the Golf Challenge NSW Open in Sydney, Macpherson will move to around 280th. This victory comes on top of his win at the Moonah Links PGA Championship five weeks ago but importantly this was a Tier One event on the PGA Tour of Australasia and carried a significantly larger first prize ($72,000).
Macpherson will also move to 8th on the 2020 /2021 PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit completed today. To say the least the last two months have turned around the career of the 30-year old who, ten years after qualifying to play the Masters in 2012, has struggled to fully realise the significant potential he displayed as an amateur
Macpherson, who led by one through 54 holes, was engaged in a final round battle with recent recruits to the pro ranks, Elvis Smylie and Jack Thompson who would eventually share second place.
Michael Sim and Dale Williamson tied for 4th, just one behind the joint runners-up.
For Macpherson, who until now had been known for his 2011 British Amateur Championship victory and multiple success on the China Tour, the sensational start to the 2021 golfing year opens the door for options later this year including access to various stages of qualifying for golf tours worldwide.
“I honestly thought my chance was on 12 when I had a 12-footer for a little two-shot swing, but luckily I got another chance on 13 and I took advantage,” Macpherson said.
“I hadn’t really holed any long ones all week and I kept saying to myself that I’m due to hole one soon. It looked good the whole way.
“I didn’t seem to be reading putts very well. The best thing I could do was just stick in there and get lucky and some of the other guys will get nervous.”
Smylie has had a meteoric start to his professional career. The 18-year-old has been runner-up twice in the three events he has played in the paid ranks and in moving to 21st on the Order of Merit he guarantees himself security of tenure on the PGA Tour of Australasia for at least one year. His sights however will be set significantly higher than that now.
Smylie took the lead at various stages during today’s final round but a double bogey at the 17th cost him any chance of a win especially when Macpherson birdied the 16th soon after.
Elvis Smylie in action today – photo Golf NSW
23 year old South Australian, Thompson, like Smylie, has burst out of the blocks in his professional career. His runner-up finish today will move him to 23rd on the money list and, like Smylie, has an important early milestone in his career in terms of gaining status for the next season in Australasia.
The winner of the Order of Merit, Brad Kennedy won both the NZ Open and the Tournament Players Series Victoria event during the 15-month period the extended Order of Merit has been based on.
Kennedy finished 7th this week but by heading the OOM he has earned himself the right to play the European Tour for the next 12 months and creates as many questions answers for the Queenslander who currently plies his trade, in the main, on the Japan Golf Tour, when Covid allows again that is.
SCORES
Minjee Lee’s solid start to 2021 season
Minjee Lee file photo – Bruce Young
Perth’s Minjee Lee is playing her very first event of 2021 at this week’s Kia Classic in Carlsbad in California but she has shown the lack of competitive play thus far has been no real cause for concern.
Lee finds herself in a share of 6th place after a second round of 69 despite a double bogey at the 10th and although six shots behind the leader, Inbee Park, it is an encouraging start to her season.
The round today was highlighted by an eagle at the par 5 8th hole where a 5 iron to 3 feet lead to the score boost.
Then came the double at the 10th but she looked upon the blemish jokingly. “Oh, I just made like blooper after blooper after blooper. I hit it in the bunker sort of on to the face of the bunker but I wasn’t in the bunker, and then I hit it into the back bunker. So, yeah. That’s end of story. It was just not good from there.”
Lydia Ko and Hannah Green are tied for 37th at 1 over and ten from the lead while Sarah Kemp just made the cut on the number at 3 over.
Scores
No Joy For Australians at WGC Dell Match Play
A scene from the Austin Golf Club this week – photo Getty Images Darren Carroll
All three Australians have been eliminated from the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play Champions in Austin in Texas.
Cameron Smith, Jason Day and Marc Leishman all missed out on the chance to advance to the Round of 16 and with none entered for next week’s Texas Open in San Antonio they now focus their attention on The Masters in ten days’ time.
Day was eliminated even before today’s third round of round robin competition having lost his opening two encounters against Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, although he did defeat And Sullivan today.
Both Leishman and Smith maintained mathematical chances of advancing heading into day three having both recorded a win and a loss in rounds one and two.
Today, however, both needed several potential scenarios to fall in their favour and it was not to be.
Leishman could only tie with Russell Henley and Smith lost a two-hole lead through 12 holes against Rory McIlroy, McIlroy holing a 30 foot out from of the green at the last to tie the match, although Ian Poulter, who Smith lost to on day two, would have advanced anyway after he won his match today.
One player from each of the sixteen groups advances to the round of 16 to begin the knockout matches to determine the winner on Sunday.
Noted casualties include world number one and former winner Dustin Johnson, who lost to Kevin Na today in a close match, Na recording a birdie at the last to win 1 up, although it would be Scotland’s Robert McIntyre who advanced from their group.