The magnificent NZ Open set-up surrounding the 18th at Millbrook
The news today that the 2021 New Zealand Open Presented by Sky Sport would be yet another golf event to fall victim of the Covid 19 pandemic was inevitable but disappointing.
The event, scheduled to be held in the last week of February in 2021, has developed into arguably the most popular amongst players on the PGA Tour of Australasia schedule and tournament organisers, John Hart and Michael Glading, along with the event’s underwriter, Millbrook Resort, have held off making the tough decision for as long as possible.
With such a significant commitment both logistically and financially on the line if a decision had been made to push forward with the event, however, the volatility and uncertainty still remaining with the issues surrounding Covid 19 have resulted in it being called off in 2021 and having it back on the schedule in late February of 2022.
Held in the stunning adventure capital region of New Zealand, Queenstown, and played over both the Millbrook Resort and the Hills Golf Clubs near Arrowtown 20 minutes outside of Queenstown, the event has grown from strength to strength since a decision was made in 2014 to adopt a pro-am format and bring it to one of world tournament golf’s most scenic venues.
In the years leading into 2014, the event was under pressure for survival as a Tier One PGA Tour of Australasia event and while the decision to adopt this new format proved controversial at first, it has been the making of one of world golf’s oldest running championships.
Each and every year since its inception in this format, the New Zealand Open has attracted not only a diverse field of Australasian and Asian professionals but has also proven a significant success in attracting a field of amateurs who get to play in a national open championship with those same professionals, some in the heat of the battle in the event’s final round.
The event has established strong ties with both the Asian and Japan Tours, ensuring a growing audience for its televised coverage and increasing the depth in its field.
Tournament Chairman John Hart- photo Photosport
Tournament chairman Hart, along with his colleague and Tournament Director, Glading, have been the driving forces in the tournament’s establishment and growth over the past seven years. Hart was disappointed as any in a decision which eventually became a no-brainer.
“We are extremely disappointed to have had to come to this decision,” said Hart today. “But the effects of the pandemic, borders being closed, and the financial risk associated with a potential later cancellation due to any further Covid-19 outbreaks means we have no other alternative other than to cancel this event now.”
“With up to 300 international participants coming from offshore (including professional players, amateur players, caddies, and officials of our Tour partners (the PGA Tour of Australasia, the Asian Tour and the Japan Golf Tour), we need absolute certainty now in terms of accessibility to New Zealand and this is clearly not possible” said Hart.
“We would like to thank Millbrook Resort (the tournament underwriter), The Hills, Government, the Queenstown Lakes District Council, and our many commercial partners, both domestic and international, led by our presenting sponsor Sky Sport for their support and understanding. Further thanks go to our Tour partners, New Zealand Golf, our professional players, our sold-out amateur field, and our amazing volunteer force.”
“This is not a decision we have made lightly, and we are particularly disappointed for the Queenstown region who have suffered many setbacks during this Covid-19 era.”
“We are very proud of what we have created with the New Zealand Open becoming one of New Zealand’s most recognised and applauded international sporting events.”
“We remain very committed to once again showcasing the very best of Queenstown and New Zealand in February 2022 at a time when hopefully we will all be operating in a more certain and safer environment.”
Australian Brad Kennedy is the current New Zealand Open champion and will now reign for two years having won the 2020 version in March of this year when defeating rising Australian star Lucas Herbert by two shots at the Millbrook Resort.
The news comes on top of recent cancellations of major golf events in Australia including the Australian Men’s and Women’s Opens, The Australian PGA Championship and the Vic Open, leaving a huge gap in professional tournament golf in this region this summer.
The 10th hole at The Hills – spectacular everywhere you look
Minjee Lee Takes Dubai Moonlight Title
Minjee Lee – celebrates her first win in 18 months – photo Tristan Jones – LET
Australia’s leading world ranked female golfer, Minjee Lee, has holed a 20 foot birdie putt at the first extra hole of a playoff against Frenchwoman Celine Boutier to win the Ladies European Tour’s OMEGA Dubai Moonlight Classic and a cheque for (equiv) A$60,000.
Lee, currently ranked 9th in the Rolex World Ranking and the leading world ranked player in the field, recovered from a slow start to the event on Wednesday to record finishing rounds of 65 and 69 in the 54 hole event and joined Boutier in extra time before converting her birdie attempt after Boutier had failed to do so from 30 feet.
It was Lee’s second Ladies European Tour victory after winning the Vic Open in 2018 and adds to her five LPGA Tour titles along with one on the ALPGA Tour.
Lee has been below her best in recent starts, but this is seen as a confidence boost ahead of several events to finish the 2020 LPGA Tour season including the US Women’s Open in mid-December.
Australians Start Well In Houston
Cameron Davis tied with Jason Day as the leading Australian – file photo Bruce Young
The five man Australian contingent have all started well at the Vivint Houston Open at the Memorial Park Golf Course in the inner suburbs of Houston, Cameron Davis and Jason Day the best of them after their opening rounds of 3 under par 67 shared 2nd place, two behind the leader Brandt Snedeker.
Adam Scott and Greg Chalmers are at 2 under 68 while former champion, Matt Jones, opened with a round of 69.
A homeward nine of 30 was just the tonic Day was looking for after a being forced to withdraw from the tournament at Shadow Creek two starts ago and a horror start to his round today when he reached the turn in 2 over 37.
Five birdies in his last seven holes saw him get within two of the lead and with just couple of groups remaining on the course after play was suspended due to darkness, he is well placed ahead of an early start on day two.
Day enjoyed the opportunity to have at least some fans back on the golf course today.
“It was actually really nice,” he said after his round referring to the maximum of 2500 fans allowed to spectate at this municipal golf course in the hear of Houston.
“It was something that I think a lot of us have been waiting for and hoping for and it was nice to be able to see. I mean, we only had like 2,500 I think in today, but it felt like a lot.
“Overall, very happy to be out playing in front of fans. Playing with Phil (Mickelson) is always a treat, and Viktor (Hovland) as well, but when you’re playing with Phil you usually get a few fans and seemed like we had a nice grouping today.”
Davis continues to improve in the relatively early stages of his PGA Tour career and after he too had struggled through the front nine he powered home with four birdies for a closing nine of 31 to be tied for 2nd at 3 under.
Davis later described the demands of this newly renovated layout.
“So I think it’s already quite long, but it’s more the firmness of the greens. If you’re not in the fairway, you can’t really hold them, so driving becomes very important. You go drive it down there a long way so you can spin it.
“It’s just the ability to get the ball near the hole, and the penalty for just missing on the wrong side becomes really big because the ball just rolls away.
“It’s been a while since I’ve played a course on Tour that’s really done that and it’s great, it reminds me a lot of back in Australia. So it does have a nice feel to it, but it just means that your ball-striking’s just got to be really on.
Scott an encouraging return after dealing with Covid 19 issues – file photo Getty
Scott, another former winner of the event, performed well following his enforced layoff after being diagnosed with Covid 19 virus three weeks ago.
“Obviously my golf preparations have taken a bit of a setback the last few weeks. Having not played since the U.S. Open, I was trying to get some golf in at ZOZO and here before the Masters, not only not getting ZOZO in, not getting any practice in for those 10 days either is a little setback, but I’ve actually come out swinging good this week and at least feel fresh. Hopefully that works in my favour.
“I was surprised (by the diagnosis). I had no symptoms at the time I tested positive, but I developed some symptoms about 12 hours after I tested positive and I had a slight fever for 24 hours and a headache and then that kind of passed.
“Then I continued to get better. Yeah, I had to isolate. I was in the hotel there in L.A. for six days. Once I was sure I was healthy and not kind of just feeling okay, I investigated finding a house by myself for the next four or five days to isolate just so I could go outside and get some fresh air. So I drove myself to a house. And again, didn’t have any contact with anyone until my 10 days of isolation was up.”
Chalmers recovered from an opening double bogey at the demanding first hole to turn in even par and was home in 33 for a round of 68 while Jones has only 15 players ahead of him after his opening 69.
Covid 19 Claims Further Golfing Casualties
The Bonville Golf Resort in Coffs Harbour venue for the Australian Ladies Classic – Bruce Young
The Covid 19 virus has already decimated the summer of professional golf in Australasia and it has now claimed two further victims.
It was announced today by the CEO of NSW Golf, Stuart Fraser, that the 2021 editions of the Geoff King Motors Australian Ladies Classic – Bonville and the Worrells Women’s NSW Open will be carried over to 2022 due to the travel restrictions surrounding COVID-19.
With Australia’s borders effectively closed until at least mid-2021, Golf NSW in conjunction with the Australian Ladies Professional Golf (ALPG) and the Ladies European Tour (LET) made the difficult decision to cancel the twin championships for next year.
Fraser said with international participation impossible the decision to cancel was inevitable.
“It is disappointing for all involved. We rely on international players for the success of both these tournaments, and with travel to our shores out of the question, we had no alternative.
“Regional NSW has played host to these two significant events in past years, and we will sorely miss the excitement they generate.
“When border restrictions ease, we will be working with the LET and ALPG to ensure the tournaments return in 2022,” Mr Fraser said.
ALPG CEO Karen Lunn echoed Mr Fraser’s comments.
“It’s extremely disappointing when we have worked so hard to build these events to the point that they have both found a regular slot on the ALPG and LET’s annual tournament schedules,” Ms Lunn said.
Having marked the beginning of the LET schedule for the past three years, the Geoff King Motors Australian Ladies Classic and the Worrells Women’s NSW Open were significant events for both local athletes and the visiting contingent of European stars.
Earlier this year, teen sensation Stephanie Kyriacou romped to an eight-shot victory in the Geoff King Motors Australian Ladies Classic at Bonville. She immediately turned professional then embarked on a whirlwind run on Tour, making the cut in her first Major Championship at the AIG Women’s Open followed by top-five finishes in the Czech Republic, Switzerland, and France.
With only four events left to play in the 2020 LET season, Kyriacou currently sits in seventh place on the Race to Costa del Sol, and just one spot behind England’s Alice Hewson in the race for ‘Rookie of the Year’ spoils.
Another popular destination amongst the LET membership, the Worrells Women’s NSW Open has been a fixture on the LET for the past three years, with the 2020 edition at Dubbo Golf Club also yielding a teenage winner, Sweden’s Julia Engstrom.
The Swedish star has since gone on to snare even more silverware at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France, where she recorded a hole-in-one in the process.
Despite the loss of the two events for 2021, CEO of the Ladies European Tour, Alexandra Armas said the organisations remained hopeful of seeing the tournaments back on the calendar in 2022.
The postponement follows on from the cancellation of this summer’s Australian Men’s and Women’s Opens, the Australian PGA Championship, the Vic Open and the New Zealand Open.
Scott and Day’s final preparations for Augusta National
Adam Scott – returns from Covid 19 – photo Henry Peters
With just one week before the golfing world focuses its attention on the 2020 Masters, two of the five Australians who have earned their right to play at Augusta National next week will put the finishing touches on their preparations by playing this week’s Vivint Houston Open at the Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston.
Adam Scott and Jason Day will tee it up, Scott returning from an enforced layoff after contracting Covid 19 two weeks ago while for Day his recent schedule has also been disrupted by health issues after a back injury forced him to withdraw from the C.J. Cup in Las Vegas two weeks ago before playing his most recent event at the Zozo Championship in California two weeks ago.
Scott was forced to withdraw from that same Zozo Championship and has therefore not played since his midfield finish at the US Open six weeks ago in just his 4th start of 2020 after remaining in Australia for much of the year as he sat out the suspended USPGA Tour.
Both players will, therefore, need to take advantage of these last minute preparations ahead of the final major of the year but it is a race against time to have their games in the sort of shape needed to continue their impressive records at Augusta National , Scott having won in 2013 and finished runner-up in 2011 with Day joint runner-up in 2011 and 3rd in 2013.
The event moves to a new venue in 2020, the Memorial Park Golf Course a municipal facility which had previously hosted the event on 14 occasions during the 1940’s 50’s and 60’s.
The course, originally opened in 1936, has, though, undergone a major renovation under the eye of two-time US Open champion, Brooks Koepka.
Australia’s three other entrants at the Masters, Marc Leishman, Cameron Smith and amateur Lukas Michel are not in this week’s field, Smith finishing 4th in his last event at the Zozo Championship before the decision to take a two week break after feeling exhausted by his most recent schedule.
Leishman has been struggling of late and is clearly reserving his energy for The Masters where he has performed with distinction in the past while Michel earned his right for Augusta through winning the US Mid-Amateur Championship last year.
2014 Houston Open Champion, Matt Jones, Cameron Davis and Greg Chalmers are the three other Australians to take their place in this week’s field.
Jones and Scrivener record good finishes in Bermuda and Cyprus
Matt Jones – file photo
Two of Australia’s ‘on the fringe’ players, Matt Jones and Jason Scrivener, recorded their best seasons of 2020 at their respective events on the PGA and European Tours this morning.
Jones finished 4th at the PGA Tour’s Bermuda Championship, while just a few hours earlier Scrivener produced a final round of 64 to share 6th place at the Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Open on the European Tour.
Despite the impact of the Covid 19 crisis, both players have played relatively busy schedules in 2020, Jones playing his 21st event of the year this week while for Scrivener it was his 17th.
Scrivener recovered from a comparatively slow start to the week with a strong finishing burst, birdies at his final two holes further assisting his cause as he closed out the event just three from the playoff between eventual winner, England’s Callum Shinkwin, and Finland golfer, Kalle Samooja.
It was the third top ten of the season for Scrivener but with inconsistency being the keynote of much of the season including missed cuts in his previous three events, he is currently in 107th position in the Race to Dubai.
Scrivener is likely to play the final three events of the season in his birth country of South Africa but will need something special if he is to gain a place in the field of 60 to play the season ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
Jason Scrivener – file photo
Jones, too, has recorded a roller coaster season to date after winning his second Australian Open late last year. This was just his second top ten on the PGA Tour after a 5th place at Pebble Beach much earlier in the year.
Jones will play this week’s Houston Open, an event he won in 2014, earning a start at the Masters the following week. He will need a similar effort if he is again to grace the fairways of Augusta National next week.
The finish however does move him inside the top 100 in the world, the former Sydneysider now 98th in the world ranking after starting the year in 99th place.
The other notable performance by an Australian this week was the 10th place finish of Scrivener’s fellow West Australian, Stephen Leaney, at the TimberTech Championship on the PGA Tour Champions in Florida.
For Leaney, it was his first top ten on the PGA Tour Champions since three consecutive top tens in February and moves him to 34th in the Charles Schwab money list.
Leaney will need a solid week in the closing two events of the season if he is to retain the full PGA Tour Champions playing privileges he regained late last year.
Covid 19 Claims 2021 New Zealand Open
The magnificent NZ Open set-up surrounding the 18th at Millbrook
The news today that the 2021 New Zealand Open Presented by Sky Sport would be yet another golf event to fall victim of the Covid 19 pandemic was inevitable but disappointing.
The event, scheduled to be held in the last week of February in 2021, has developed into arguably the most popular amongst players on the PGA Tour of Australasia schedule and tournament organisers, John Hart and Michael Glading, along with the event’s underwriter, Millbrook Resort, have held off making the tough decision for as long as possible.
With such a significant commitment both logistically and financially on the line if a decision had been made to push forward with the event, however, the volatility and uncertainty still remaining with the issues surrounding Covid 19 have resulted in it being called off in 2021 and having it back on the schedule in late February of 2022.
Held in the stunning adventure capital region of New Zealand, Queenstown, and played over both the Millbrook Resort and the Hills Golf Clubs near Arrowtown 20 minutes outside of Queenstown, the event has grown from strength to strength since a decision was made in 2014 to adopt a pro-am format and bring it to one of world tournament golf’s most scenic venues.
In the years leading into 2014, the event was under pressure for survival as a Tier One PGA Tour of Australasia event and while the decision to adopt this new format proved controversial at first, it has been the making of one of world golf’s oldest running championships.
Each and every year since its inception in this format, the New Zealand Open has attracted not only a diverse field of Australasian and Asian professionals but has also proven a significant success in attracting a field of amateurs who get to play in a national open championship with those same professionals, some in the heat of the battle in the event’s final round.
The event has established strong ties with both the Asian and Japan Tours, ensuring a growing audience for its televised coverage and increasing the depth in its field.
Tournament Chairman John Hart- photo Photosport
Tournament chairman Hart, along with his colleague and Tournament Director, Glading, have been the driving forces in the tournament’s establishment and growth over the past seven years. Hart was disappointed as any in a decision which eventually became a no-brainer.
“We are extremely disappointed to have had to come to this decision,” said Hart today. “But the effects of the pandemic, borders being closed, and the financial risk associated with a potential later cancellation due to any further Covid-19 outbreaks means we have no other alternative other than to cancel this event now.”
“With up to 300 international participants coming from offshore (including professional players, amateur players, caddies, and officials of our Tour partners (the PGA Tour of Australasia, the Asian Tour and the Japan Golf Tour), we need absolute certainty now in terms of accessibility to New Zealand and this is clearly not possible” said Hart.
“We would like to thank Millbrook Resort (the tournament underwriter), The Hills, Government, the Queenstown Lakes District Council, and our many commercial partners, both domestic and international, led by our presenting sponsor Sky Sport for their support and understanding. Further thanks go to our Tour partners, New Zealand Golf, our professional players, our sold-out amateur field, and our amazing volunteer force.”
“This is not a decision we have made lightly, and we are particularly disappointed for the Queenstown region who have suffered many setbacks during this Covid-19 era.”
“We are very proud of what we have created with the New Zealand Open becoming one of New Zealand’s most recognised and applauded international sporting events.”
“We remain very committed to once again showcasing the very best of Queenstown and New Zealand in February 2022 at a time when hopefully we will all be operating in a more certain and safer environment.”
Australian Brad Kennedy is the current New Zealand Open champion and will now reign for two years having won the 2020 version in March of this year when defeating rising Australian star Lucas Herbert by two shots at the Millbrook Resort.
The news comes on top of recent cancellations of major golf events in Australia including the Australian Men’s and Women’s Opens, The Australian PGA Championship and the Vic Open, leaving a huge gap in professional tournament golf in this region this summer.
The 10th hole at The Hills – spectacular everywhere you look
Impressive weeks for Australians in the US
Cameron Smith – file photo Bruce Young
Queenslanders, Cameron Smith and Katherine Kirk, have recorded impressive finishes in their respective PGA and LPGA Tour events in the US this weekend.
Other Australians have also performed with their own share of distinction in the same events.
For Smith, his share of 4th place at the Zozo Championship behind Patrick Cantlay at the Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks in California, was his best finish in sixteen starts since his win in Hawaii earlier in the year.
With the Masters now just three weeks away the finish has Smith finding his best form at the right time ahead of the Masters where he finished 5th two years ago.
Smith will not play competitively ahead of Augusta National and explained the reason why soon after his final round of 67 today.
“I’ve got two weeks off to freshen up. I feel like I’ve played a lot of golf the last probably two or three months, so it will be nice to have a couple weeks off and get ready for the Masters and maybe one more after that. I’m pretty spent, to be honest.”
“It (this week) was pretty good all week. Over the weekend, just played probably a little bit smarter and hitting the right shots rather than trying to go at everything, which is hard to do when the course is playing pretty easy. It was really solid and the putts went in over the weekend, which is nice.
Smith was without his regular caddie, Sam Pinfold and instead utilised the services of a good friend this week. Pinfold will return for the last couple events of the season.
“One of my mates is just filling in caddying these last three weeks. My main caddie, I guess you could say, went home to New Zealand to have a little bit of R&R. Yeah, he’ll come back for those towards the end of the year.”
Brad Kennedy – photo courtesy of NZ Open
Another Queenslander to perform with distinction in the same event was Gold Coaster, Brad Kennedy. In many respects the effort of Kennedy was the equal of that of Smith.
Kennedy has not played a competitive event since winning the New Zealand Open in early March but put together some impressive golf to finish 41st including rounds of 66 and 67 in the middle of the event.
Kennedy earned a start in the event as a result of his efforts on the Japan Tour. Japanese company Zozo are tournament sponsors this week and allow several places in the field to some of the better performers in Japan.
Katherine Kirk – file photo Bruce Young
For Katherine Kirk, her 6th place finish at the LPGA Drive On Championship at the Reynold Lakes Oconee in Georgia was her best finish of the year but continued a fine run of late during which she has now finished inside the top ten in four of her last five starts.
Kirk’s form in recent years has not been a true indication of her capabilities but the 38-year-old explained during the week a change of direction in technique is beginning to pay dividends.
“I’ve got to give my coaches credit. Dana Dahlquist out in California and Josh Cook. I mean, I honestly wouldn’t be here without them. 2015 and ’16 were rough years for me and I almost gave the game up, so full credit to them.
“They got me on the right track. Mechanically I was just going down the wrong path. Thankfully, yeah, got some good instruction and it’s just taken a little while to kind of implement. And I’m still not there. That is the crazy part.
“They’re going, hey, we’re asking for a foot but we’re okay with an inch. Golf is just goofy like that.
“Yeah, always trying to exaggerate and get better. Always learning. So, thankfully, I’ve got a good team of people that are patient with me and supported me through the ups and downs.”
The other notable effort from an Australian in the LPGA Tour event this week was that of Victorian Su Oh. Oh has missed eight of nine cuts on the LPGA Tour in 2020, the last eight of those consecutively, but her share of 13th this week, including a very strong weekend, provides hope for a player who appeared to be losing her way.
Su Oh – file Getty Images – much improved performance.
Race Against Time Ahead of Masters for Scott and Day
Adam Scott and Jason Day have injury and health issues to overcome ahead of the Masters beginning on November 12th, but the pair who enjoy fine records in the event appear on track to extend their love affair with Augusta National.
Scott’s recent diagnosis when testing positive for Covid 19 will mean a disrupted preparation ahead of the Masters while Day has bounced back just a few days after succumbing to one of the many career injuries he has faced to record a solid opening round of 68 at the Zozo Championship in California.
Scott is required to self-isolate and will therefore have only the Houston Open the week before Augusta National to prepare for a tilt at a second Masters title, seven years after his first.
Scott has played only four events since a return from a lengthy break in Australia as world golf sat out a Covid 19 enforced layoff.
He has played solidly since, but has yet to record a top ten and the break in continuity of play comes at an awkward time for the 40 year old.
Day was forced to withdraw with a neck injury when contending for last week’s event at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas but after a 4 birdie, no bogey round of 68 at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks today he appears to have at least partially overcome that disappointment.
Day indicated after his round that that while still not fully recovered he is attempting to manage his injury.
“I mean, it’s fine,” said Day post round. “Just obviously not 100 percent, but I’ve got to just keep pushing through it. It’s a quick turnaround, you know what I mean?
“So, I understand kind of what I need to do, so I’ve got to just keep getting treatment and keep moving on. I think overall I’m glad that I got through today, which was good.”
In eight starts in which he has played at least 18 holes at the Masters (he withdrew after round one in 2012) Day has been three times inside the top five, one of those when runner-up on debut in 2011.
In that same period, Scott has been four times inside the top ten including his playoff victory in 2013.
And so these next three weeks ahead of the delayed Masters Tournament are crucial for both players if they are to be as well prepared as possible ahead of the final major title of 2020.
Scott and Day are two of five Australians in the field for Augusta National. Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman and Victorian amateur Lukas Michel, who won the 2019 US Mid Amateur make up the numbers.
Adam Scott – winning in 2013. Courtesy of Getty Images
Chalk and Cheese for Hannah Green
Hannah Green – file photo
Defending champion Hannah Green improved 13 shots on her opening round of 79 at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at the Aronimink Golf Club in Philadelphia, adding a 4 under 66 to jump a massive 79 places, the West Australian now tied for 46th in the third major championship of the year for women’s golf.
Green produced a closing nine of 31 after being under pressure just to make the cut early in her round and as many as three shots out of the eventual cut-line through nine holes.
Green, whose victory in the event twelve months ago was the first of two victories to date on the LPGA Tour, is now nine shots out of the lead and while the chances of her retaining her title appear slim she has shown that a low score is possible on the demanding Donald Ross designed layout.
A repeat of what she produced today over the final two rounds might see her very close to the lead at the completion of 72 holes but that appears easier said than done.
Sei Young Kim emerged as the 36 hole leader late in the day when she added a second round of 65 to move one ahead of a group of four in second place while New Zealander Lydia Ko heads those from down under, just two from the lead.
Minjee Lee heads the Australians at 4 over and one ahead of Green while Katherine Kirk also made the cut on the mark of 6 over.
Hannah Green Defends at Aronimink
Hannah Green – awarded the Greg Norman Medal in 2019 for her major breakthrough
The LPGA Tour will this week play the third of its four 2020 major championships when the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is contested at the Aronimink Golf Club in Newton Square in Philadelphia in Pennsylvania.
Only the US Women’s Open in early December remains in terms of major golf for the LPGA Tour but this week’s event, which carries a purse of US$4,300,000, offers yet another chance for one of seven Australasians to add a major to their list of victories.
For New Zealander Lydia Ko and West Australian Hannah Green that feat has already been accomplished, of course, but for the likes of Minjee Lee, Katherine Kirk, Sarah Jane Smith, Su Oh and Sarah Kemp they get the opportunity, at least, to join the elite of women’s golf with a first victory at this level.
Green arrives at the historic Aronimink Golf Club as the defending champion but with only average form since her return to tournament golf in mid-August her chances or retaining her title appear slim.
In her defence, however, was an encouraging week in Portland two weeks ago when she contended through 36 holes in an event, where she was also defending a title, before a struggle in her final round eventually saw her finish 12th.
“I think because we had such a long time off it was hard to get your competitive drive back,” said Green when asked about her current form. “It was especially hard starting in Scotland where it’s such tough conditions.
“I was in a winter weather when I was back at home, so I at least kind of knew to expect some cold and windy weather, but the British Open this year was really brutal, so that was a bit of a shock to the system. So yeah, just being competitive again, and as much as you try and practice to put pressure on yourself, it’s really hard until you actually get in that moment.
“That’s probably been the biggest thing, but then also not going back to Australia; I won’t be back home until maybe after Christmas, which is probably the longest I’ve ever been away from home, so I’m hoping that I can have a win in the next few events and just book any ticket back.”
Green was asked what she was able to learn about herself as a result of a win in such an event last year.
“I think just the mental toughness. I didn’t really think I was capable to go wire-to-wire in an event, let alone a major championship, just hanging in there, and even though I was kind of crashing a little bit on the back nine, I was trying to give myself as much positive thoughts as possible and worked really well with my caddie to make sure that I knew that I was still in it.”
Hannah Green with her 2019 KPMG PGA Trophy – David Cannon Getty Images
Ko of course has 15 LPGA Tour titles to her name, two of those majors, but this is one that has eluded her considerable talents to date.
There has been glimpses on occasions that the work she is doing with noted coach Sean Foley is beginning to show its benefits having finished 6th at the recent ANA Inspiration and runner-up a few weeks earlier in the Marathon event.
“I had a couple weeks off prior to coming into this week, so hopefully I’m well rested,” said Ko. “I think we’re — obviously this is later than when we normally play this event but I think we’re all super grateful to be able to play and play at this amazing golf course with a lot of golf history. KPMG and PGA of America have taken us to a lot of great golf courses, so I think it’s going to be another great test for us this week.”
West Australian Minjee Lee has displayed some encouraging form since the LPGA returned from their enforced Covid break. She is a proven LPGA Tour event player, but a major title is what she needs to advance to the elite of the game. There is little doubting her consistency and skill will get there at some stage and it may be that on a demanding traditional American golf club layout it could be this week.
Queensland’s Katherine Kirk appears to be playing some of the best golf she has produced in a long while, her last three starts resulting in top tens and there appears little reason that another good week is not beyond her.
Queensland’s Sarah Jane Smith has made only one cut in 2020 and appears unlikely to do much better this week. Smith is attempting a return to a competitive level following the birth of her and husband Dwayne’s first child last year.
Victorian Su Oh is a shadow of her former self at present having missed seven of eight cuts in 2020 and any hopes of contention here appear to be forlorn and New South Wales Sarah Kemp is another who appears to be a long way from where she needs to be to have any chance of performing with distinction.