First major title and a US Open at that – photo USGA – Jeff Haynes
Just two weeks after one of his most gut-wrenching moments in golf and perhaps even life, Spaniard Jon Rahm has won his first major title and become the first Spaniard to win the US Open.
At the Memorial Tournament two weeks ago, Rahm was forced to withdraw from that event after taking a six-shot lead through 54 holes, being informed of a positive Covid 19 test as he walked from the 54th green that day.
It would have left many resentful of what appeared to be an unfair decision and the manner in which it was carried out, but Rahm took it on the chin, took an enforced two weeks away from the tour and now, on the southern coast of California and at a venue what has meant so much to him, he has won his greatest title.
“You know, I think I said it yesterday in an interview,” said Rahm in an interview immediately after his win had been confirmed. I’m a big believer in karma, and after what happened a couple weeks ago I stayed really positive knowing good things were coming.
“I didn’t know what it was going to be, but I knew we were coming to a special place, I knew I got breakthrough win here and it’s a very special place for my family, and the fact that my parents were able to come, I got out of COVID protocol early, I just felt like the stars were aligning, and I knew my best golf was to come.
“I have a hard time explaining what just happened because I can’t even believe I made the last two putts, and I’m the first Spaniard ever to win a U.S. Open. This was definitely for Seve. I know he tried a lot, and usually we think a lot about him at the Masters, but I know he wanted to win this one most of all. I just don’t know how to explain it.”
Torrey Pines was the scene of Rahm’s first PGA Tour victory more then four years ago and where he proposed to his now wife and, thus, the venue has significant sentimental value to him.
“I’ve said it once — I’ve said it a million times and I’m going to say it once again. It reminds me a lot of back home. It’s not exactly the same, but the coastline, the weather, the property, this is basically a good summer day where I grew up, and these poa annua greens is something I know and I understand and I grew up on, and I think it’s something that really resonates with me. I’m really confident in it.
“Like we just said, everything that’s happened here, I don’t know why, but every time we come here, we’re just happy. As soon as we land in San Diego, it’s like, we are in our spot. Again, once again, we were in our spot, and I was able to come out on top.”
The victory will take Rahm back to the number one position in world golf, a standing he held, albeit briefly, 12 months ago.
Rahm’s final round of 67 allowed him to come from three shots off the 54 hole pace to win by one over Louis Oosthuizen, but that brief summary alone hardly describes a dramatic final day in which as many as ten players had genuine chances of emerging as the winner.
Through nine holes of today’s final round the defending champion, Bryson DeChambeau, had taken the lead outright before Oosthuizen joined him when he too birdied the 9th. At that point the pair was one ahead of Rahm, Rory McIlory, Collin Morikawa, Brooks Koepka and Mackenzie Hughes.
DeChambeau parred the 10th but at the 11th he started an almost inexplicable run of dropped shots which would eventually see him finish with a back nine of 44, a round of 77 and an eventual share of 26th place.
As the afternoon wore on, it appeared that the chances were narrowing to Rahm, Oosthuizen and Koepka but it would be two sliding left to right putts of 20 feet or so at the 17th and 18th which gave Rahm the outright lead, forty minutes or so before Oosthuizen was due to finish.
Louis Oosthuizen acknowledges a sympathetic crowd after finishing one shot short of a playoff – photo USGA
Oosthuizen kept his hopes alive when he made a fine 8-foot second putt for par at the 16th but then surprisingly hit his tee shot into the penalty area to the left of the fairway at the 17th and took bogey. He was now two behind and needing an eagle at the last to force a playoff.
When his drive had missed the fairway, the unlikely task became almost impossible and although he would make a birdie to finish one behind, the title went to Rahm.
Oosthuizen finished runner-up in a major title for the 6th occasion, his only success coming in 2010 when winning the Open Championship by a massive seven shots.
Oosthuizen, though, did little wrong. His round of even par 71 was hardly an implosion and he said as much after his round.
“I played good,” he said. “Just fell a little short again. It was Jon played a great round of golf, 4-under today on that golf course is a really good score. I could see early on what was happening with the leaderboard at the end and knew that I need to push at the end to do something.
“Right now I didn’t win it. I’m second again. No, look, it’s frustrating. It’s disappointing. I’m playing good golf, but it’s not — winning a major championship is not just going to happen. You need to go out and play good golf. I played good today, but I didn’t play good enough.
“I definitely left a few birdies out — not birdies, but a few putts or shots out there. I’m not going to — I took the tee shot on at 17, and I knew it was a crucial hole for me to take it on and give myself a birdie opportunity. I didn’t pull it off, but standing on that tee again (17th), I’ll probably do the same thing, taking a driver and taking the shot on.
“I feel like I had my shots, I went for it, and that’s what you have to do to win majors. Sometimes it goes your way, and other times it doesn’t.”
Harris English’s round of 68 would see him eventually finish 3rd alone, birdies at his final two holes elevating him to his best finish in a major championship, one place ahead of his previous best of 4th in this event last year.
Adam Scott finished as the leading Australian in 35th place one shot ahead of Wade Ormsby, with Marc Leishman 64th and Matt Jones 65th.
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Deyen Lawson and Daniel Hillier added to Open field
Deyen Lawson – file photo PGA of Australia
The already sizeable group of Australasians eligible to play this year’s Open Championship at Royal St Georges in Kent was added to overnight when Gold Coast based Victorian, Deyen Lawson, and New Zealand’s, Daniel Hillier, graduated through Final Qualifying at venues across England.
Both Lawson and Hillier led the qualifiers at their respective venues where a total of twelve players earned their way into the Open Championship, all but one of them to make their debuts in the event beginning on July 15th.
For Lawson it was a great bounce back after missing the cut in Germany last week, the two extra days he had for preparation perhaps a blessing in disguise.
Hillier finished 23rd at last week’s European Challenge Tour event and is generally considered one of the most exciting young talents to come out of New Zealand for several years.
“I’ve got goosebumps hearing that [I’ve qualified], which pretty much sums it up,” said Hillier. “It’s been a pretty crazy day. I got pretty hot on the back nine in the morning and held on through the front nine in the afternoon, then picked up a few birdies coming home which was really nice.
“My dad [in New Zealand] was up to see the end of my first round, which was pretty cool. He sent me a message saying keep going, keep your head down and I’m sure the majority of my friends and family are just waking up now – I’m looking forward to talking to them about it. It’s a shame they can’t come over for The Open but I’m sure they’ll be following closely.
“It’s a dream come true. I’ve always wanted to play in Major Championships and this will be my second one, so I’m really excited to get into it.”
That pair will join Cameron Smith, Adam Scott, Marc Leishman, Jason Day, Matt Jones, Brad Kennedy, Aaron Pike and Hillier’s fellow New Zealanders, Ryan Fox and Danny Lee as players qualified to tee it up.
Smith, Scott and Leishman are in the field as a result of their recent performances and their current world ranking, Day gets a start due to his 2015 PGA Championship win, Jones and Pike due to their top three finishes at the 2019 Australian Open (carried over from last year) and Kennedy and Fox because of their top two finishes on the Australasian Order of Merit in 2019.
Opportunities still exists for late inclusion at this week’s Dubai Duty Free Irish Open, next week’s Scottish Open, the 2021 Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge and the John Deere Classic in the US.
Royal St Georges was last used for the Open Championship in 2011 when Darren Clarke was successful and earlier in 2003 when Ben Curtis was a surprise winner. In 1894 the venue became the first outside of Scotland to host the event. This will be the 15th time the Open Championship has been played at the course on the English Channel.
For Hillier, this will be his second major championship after playing the 2019 US Open at Pebble Beach while for Lawson, who has struggled with limited category on the European Tour in 2021, this will be his first.
Marc Leishman’s narrow miss at Travelers Championship
Marc Leishman – so close to a second Travelers title – photo Getty Images
Marc Leishman has fallen one short of a potential second Travelers Championship victory after a brilliant final round of 64 at the TPC River Highlands in Connecticut left him alone in third place and just one behind a playoff between eventual winner, Harris English, and runner-up Kramer Hickok, that pair requiring eight extra holes before a winner was decided.
Leishman began the final round four shots behind the lead held by three-time winner of the event Bubba Watson and a man yet to win on the PGA Tour, Hickok.
Just as he had nine years ago when winning this event to claim his first title on the PGA Tour, Leishman put together a final round that would sweep him into the lead and although English and Hickok would birdie their final hole to move ahead, it was another great week for the 37-year old Victorian.
Leishman knew he might well be one short when he failed to birdie the 17th and 18th to get to 13 under and so it would transpire with English holing from 30 feet at the last and Hickok from eight feet to edge clear of Leishman and head into a playoff.
Leishman produced a final round of 62 in 2012 to come from six shots back and talked after his round today of the benefit coming from behind provides on a course like the TPC River Highlands.
“Yeah, I think you can have the lead after 54 holes, but generally by the time you tee off you’re not leading,“ said Leishman. “So that’s kind of an interesting thing about this course. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 are all birdie holes, so if you get out two, three hours before the leaders you can get ahead of them early and put a little bit pressure on them, make them have to push.
“I mean, I’ve been close to the lead here and have done exactly what nearly everyone else has and struggled, and every time I’ve seemed to have played well here I’ve come from behind. I guess you play a lot freer when you’re behind. It’s just, yeah, it’s nice to be able to do that and have a little less pressure.”
Leishman knew he likely needed a birdie at the last to force the issue and although he found the front bunker he was not unhappy about his strategy in attacking a flag tucked just over the bunker.
“Yeah, I’m not the kind of guy that’s going to hit a sand wedge to the middle of the green and try and two-putt. Trying to make a 30-footer. I wanted to hit that close, possibly make it. Needed three more yards.
“I can live with myself a lot easier if I go for it than if I maybe play a shot — a more conservative shot and not make birdie that way. I would rather do what I did. I would rather make birdie obviously.”
Jason Day was the next best of the Australians after a second consecutive round of 70 left him in a share of 10th place.
Day again struggled with the back issue that has plagued him for so much of his career and although he seemed a little freer today than was the case yesterday it is clearly still restricting him, both mentally and physically.
Adam Scott only just made the cut on Friday after holing a birdie putt at his 36th hole to secure a place in the weekend field. He made the most of that by producing rounds of 67 and 67 over the weekend to climb to 13th, his equal best finish in his last nine starts on the PGA Tour.
Lucas Herbert continues to play events on the PGA Tour despite not being a member. He was forced to Monday qualify for this event and did so by claiming one of the five available places in the field then took advantage by finishing in a share of 19th.
Cameron Smith struggled from his opening bogey today and eventually finished with a round of 74 on a golf course where low scores were the norm. He finished 30th after beginning the day tied for 3rd and just one behind the lead.
Matt Jones was 36th and Cameron Percy 56th.
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Nelly Korda claims first major and top world ranking
Nelly Korda – photo PGA of America Montana Pritchard
Nelly Korda has been one of the most dominant players on the LPGA Tour over the past three years but despite winning five LPGA Tour titles and reaching 3rd in the Rolex World Rankings she had failed to secure a major title – until today that is.
The 22-year-old Korda won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship outside of Atlanta by three shots over her fellow American, Lizette Salas, and in doing so not only claims that first major, she has also reached the number one standing in women’s golf, becoming the first American to do so since Stacy Lewis in 2014.
The victory comes on top of her win at the Meijer Classic last week and two weeks after missing the cut at the US Women’s Open.
Korda and Salas had the event to themselves for much of the final 36 holes, the third placed golfers, Hyo Joo Kim and Giulia Molinaro finishing six shots behind the second placed Salas.
Korda earned a massive US$675,000 for her win and takes her earnings for the year to date to nearly US$1.8 million.
“It’s been amazing, honestly,” said Korda. “The past few days, the battle with Lizette, it’s been a lot of fun. It’s been stressful. I think it’s had everything. But I just can’t believe it. I’m still in shock.
Korda talked of her mindset that has been so important to her and that the burden of becoming America’s first number one in so long was not an issue today.
“I didn’t really think about it too much. I mean, when you have a good team around you, they try to implement a mindset of just go out and play golf, have fun. I’ve told my caddie Jason from day one, I was like, I’m the type of player that likes to take it shot by shot.
“Sometimes you get away from it, and he actually told me today, he’s like, you’re thinking 40 minutes ahead. He’s like, you told me when you hired me we’re taking it shot by shot. It’s very simple and people are like, oh, that’s boring, but it’s really important when you’re out there.”
Korda’s sister Jessica has also been a highly successful professional, both players former Australian Women’s Open champions and today, in a nice moment, Nelly talked of the importance of having Jessica in her life.
“She has a heart of gold. She’s the most selfless person out there. I mean, she’s five years older, so she has showed me the ropes of the LPGA, the ropes of professional golf, and I’ve been super lucky to have been showed that because a lot of people don’t get that opportunity.
“If I’m struggling, she’s right there for me. I can’t thank her enough for everything she has done and for how selfless of a person she is.”
Rookie professional Gabi Ruffels led the Australasians when she finished 33rd, Minjee Lee 40th, Lydia Ko 52nd and Su Oh 63rd.
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Smith and Day just one behind lead at Travelers Championship
Australians Cameron Smith and Jason Day begin tomorrow’s final round of the Travelers Championship near Hartford just one shot behind the joint 54 hole leaders, Bubba Watson and Kramer Hickok.
Another two shots back is yet another Australian, Matt Jones, and so tomorrow’s final round might well produce yet another PGA Tour title for Australia.
Day began today’s third round one ahead of the field but once again he struggled with his ongoing back issue, gingerly walking and reaching for the ball when holing out or replacing it to line up putts. That he remains so much in contention is a credit to a man who has suffered so much with injury and illness throughout his career.
Day and his wife, Ellie, have recently welcomed the birth of their fourth child, one of the reasons, along with an enforced withdrawal from the Memorial with his back issue, for him missing the recent US Open at Torrey Pines.
“I think obviously I wanted to be at the U.S. Open,” said Day. “I mean, it was nice to be at home with the birth of my son, you know, just spending quality time. Obviously I wanted to be there.
“It was killing me to watch the U.S. Open sitting at home. I said that to my wife. I’m just trying to slowly work my way back to where I need to be. Right now I feel where I’m at world ranking-wise, I just needed to go and take some time off and just try and get my game back to where it should be.
“Before this hiccup that I had at Memorial, I felt bulletproof, 100%, like I never had a back pain in my life. I was just doing exercise and unfortunately tweaked it, and hadn’t had time — in the middle of the season you don’t have time to kind of get it ready.
“I’m not 21 anymore, so it doesn’t recover like it used to. I’m really high on the FedEx, so got to try and do something to get myself into the Playoffs. Definitely got to try and do something to get myself inside the top 50 so I can get back into the majors.
“It’s a pretty critical time for me. It’s just hard to have an injury like this or not even an injury, but have a stiff back knowing that I have to go out and play. So I just got to suck it up and just do it.”
Smith, too, is reversing some recent disappointment having missed the cut at both the Memorial Tournament and the US Open last week.
Despite that, Smith expressed confidence in his game, his third round of 66 today reflecting a game that is in better shape than his recent missed cuts suggest.
“I’m pretty confident. I’m confident, probably the most confident I’ve been over the driver for a long time, which is a big thing for me.
“I feel if I can get it in the fairway the rest of the game kind of takes care of itself. So that’s really nice, to stand over the ball with driver and think you’re going to hit a good one.”
Joint leader Bubba Watson has won twelve times on the PGA Tour, three of those victories at this venue which was also the scene of his first PGA Tour title. He has also been runner-up in this event in addition to the three victories so he is clearly the man to beat tomorrow.
Hickok is a progressive player, advancing through the Mackenzie Tour in Canada and the Korn Ferry Tour, having won on both tours ahead of advancing to the PGA Tour in 2020.
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Gabi Ruffels best in slow week for Australasians
Gabi Ruffels – performing well in an overall disappointing week for the Australasians – photo PGA of America
Rookie US based Victorian professional, Gabi Ruffels, heads the Australasian contingent as the 2021 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship north of Atlanta enters tomorrow’s final round, but she is some 12 shots behind the joint 54 leaders, Lizette Salas and Nelly Korda.
Ruffels surged back from an opening round of 76 on Thursday with a second round 65 but today she was unable to build on that improvement, adding a third round of 72 to be tied for 17th.
Lydia Ko is the next best of the down under brigade but, in what has been a disappointing week this far for the group, she is currently tied for 42nd, with Minjee Lee 52nd and Su Oh 56th.
Ruffels turned professional in February of this year and has played on both the Symetra and LPGA Tours since. Her outstanding amateur career included a win and runner-up finish at the US Women’s Amateur Championship and much success while attending college in California.
Ruffel’s second round of 65 was highlighted by a barnstorming finish in which she birdied her final four holes but today it was a two birdie two bogey affair and while not losing any ground she did not make the move she was not doubt hoping for after the heroics of Friday.
Ruffels received an exemption to play the event and was delighted to do so.
“It’s been great,” said Ruffels after round two. “I was so grateful to get the exemption into a major. I didn’t even know that was possible. I found out last Monday, I’m pretty sure, before the Meyer, and I was super pumped to have two events. This is my last exemption on the LPGA. So hopefully, I can finish it on a good one.”
Ruffels previous best in a major championship was when 13th at last year’s US Women’s Open so a good round tomorrow will assist her to her best result at this level.
The leaders, Salas and Korda have burst clear of the field, opening up a gap of five shots over ANA winner, Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit, Italian Giulia Molinaro and Frenchwoman Celine Boutier.
Neither Salas, nor Korda, has won a major title, Korda with five LPGA Tour victories to her name and Salas one.
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Joint leader Nelly Korda chasing a first major title – photo PGA of America
Jason Day puts US Open disappointment behind him
Jason Day – file photo
Jason Day has put behind him the disappointment of last week missing his first US Open since 2011 by producing a second round of 62 at the Travelers Championship near Hartford in Connecticut and he leads by one over course specialist, Bubba Watson, and Kramer Hickock.
Day was forced out of the Memorial Tournament a few weeks ago with a bad back and was unable to attend final qualifying for the US Open after slipping out of the automatic qualifying criteria for the event itself.
“Yeah, body is okay, just stiff,” said Day. “It’s sore to get onto the other side of the golf swing, so any time going left was a little bit sore. It is what it is. I haven’t had time to really rest it since I kind of put it out. I think having a couple weeks off was great, but you just need a little bit more time is what it is.
“Well, I mean, sometimes when you do have sort of an injury or stiffness, even if you’re sick, sometimes you can come out and play some good golf. I was fortunate enough to not really get in my own way today.”
Day also made comment about reverting back to his previous putter which yielded results.
“Well, I tried the SIK putter and just going back to something that felt I guess a little bit more square to me. I was looking down at the putter and just wasn’t lining up correctly. To me felt a little bit closed.
“So that kind of crossed — I crossed myself up and wasn’t trusting my line. So going back to the Spider, which sits a little bit more open for me, I can trust the line that I’m aiming at.”
Day’s last seven starts have resulted in not one top 30 finish so this represents a significant turnaround for the 12 time PGA Tour event winner but in order for him to win on Sunday he will need to get past the man who has won here on three occasions and been runner-up once, Bubba Watson, amongst others.
Watson spoke of his relationship with the course and how he feels about being back here.
“When you come off the U.S. Open everything seems easier. Even though there is thick rough you feel like you can play out of it. You can still move the ball forward.
“Obviously with the new design there is couple bunkers that are tricky, said the left-hander. “As long as you stay out of the bunkers you can still move the ball forward and you feel like you have a chance to hit the green.
“That’s really what I’ve felt over the years, is that I can play no matter where the ball ends up.
“You know, again, first time I ever played here it was a different sponsor and I shot I think a 74, 74 without looking it up, and I was like, man, I’m never coming back here.
“Then Travelers started coming around to everybody and saying, Hey, we’re going change the range. The old range here where you couldn’t hit driver, not supposed to hit driver. So they said they were going to change that and start doing better for the players and caddies, trainers, physios. So there was a lot of things they were going to amp up and then golf was the last thing they were worried about.
“So brought a different atmosphere. The crowd got behind it, the community. And then as you know, finding my way through life you do different things in your life that are so impactful, meaningful, and going in the — to the different places around here, Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, seeing that, feeling that, the energy of these kids, listening to their songs that they sang for me and my wife at lunch, was amazing.”
Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman are the next best of the Australians after Day, the Olympic pairing tied in 20th place at 5 under and four behind the leader.
Cameron Percy and Matt Jones are another shot back in 35th place, Lucas Herbert 48th and Adam Scott just making the cut in 58th place and seven from the lead.
Wade Ormsby heads weather delayed BMW International
Wade Ormsby- photo Getty Images
South Australian, Wade Ormsby, has the clubhouse lead on day one of the BMW International Open in Munich, his opening round of 65 leaving him as the only player amongst the four tied on that score to have finished their rounds when inclement weather forced a postponement of play.
Play will resume at 7.30 on Friday morning with Sam Horsefield, Masahiro Kawamura and Sebastian Garcia Rodriguez also on that score but with still holes to play when they return.
Ormsby, who played well when midfield at last week’s US Open at Torrey Pines, was quickly back into the swing of things after returning from the US although it took him a couple of days to get the jetlag out of his system.
“I was definitely upside down yesterday,” he said referring to his travel fatigue. “I got a few hours sleep last night, so I feel much better today but yesterday I thought I was going to be in trouble for the week but somehow it sorted itself out.
“I had a nice start. Holed a few putts. I have been swinging pretty good the last week and a half but the putter hasn’t been cooperating, but it did today, so that’s how you can shoot those numbers.
“I guess you have to reset a little bit. Every golf course is different in each way but the greens are pure here, and soft, that is the biggest different between this week and last week. Obviously the rough is not as bad, but I knew I was hitting it good, so I just had to be a bit more direct at flags, a bit more aggressive I guess, and hole some putts to make some birdies.”
Ormsby has recorded only one top ten since his second Hong Kong Open win in late 2020 but there has been several recent signs of his game progressing nicely despite his almost veteran status (41) on the European Tour.
West Australian, Min Woo Lee, is just one shot off the pace after his round of 66, reversing a horror run to date in 2021, missing five of eight cuts thus far.
Dimi Papadatos was another Australian to make a good start when he opened with a round of 67 to be tied for 10th although many players are still to finish off round one.
European Tour event debutante, 19 year old Elvis Smylie from the Gold Coast of Australia, playing this event on invite, began slowly with a round of 76 to be well back.
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Seven Australasians tackle KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
2019 champion, Hannah Green – photo Getty Images Yong Teck Lim
Women’s golf plays its third major of 2021 when the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is played this week at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek in Georgia north east of Atlanta.
The venue has a rich history in staging championship golf, having hosted three PGA Championships, one US Open and a Women’s US Open in addition to several other USGA events and a Ryder Cup.
This, though, will be the first occasion the layout has staged an event on the LPGA Tour, the prizemoney in 2021 increasing to its largest ever. US$4.5 million is up for grabs, the winner to take home a first prize of US$675,000.
Seven Australasians are in the field, headed in terms of world ranking by New Zealand’s Lydia Ko who will be joined by Australian and 2019 champion Hannah Green, and her fellow Australians Minjee Lee, Katherine Kirk, Su Oh, Sarah Kemp and Gabi Ruffels.
Sarah Jane Smith is also entered but she is currently 5th on the alternate list and unlikely to get a start.
Australians have won this event on four occasions, twice by Karrie Webb, once by Jan Stephenson and when Green won two years ago.
Hannah Green’s form in 2019 has been outstanding having finished once runner-up and twice third and although she disappointed at the recent US Women’s Open it might be that she is favoured to be the best of the down-under group.
Green’s increased length from the tee in 2021 is working to her advantage and has moved her past Minjee Lee as Australia’s leading ranked female golfer.
Lydia Ko has a good record in this event without winning. She has been runner-up on one occasion and once 3rd, the runner-up finish after losing a playoff to Brooke Henderson.
Ko played very well early in 2021 but her more recent form has been below that level. Her resurgence earlier in the year however gave hope to her legion of fans and it might be that she can continue that this week.
As is the case in many of her major appearances, Minjee Lee has played well but more often than not below the level she displays in regular season events. In six starts in this event she has yet to record a top ten and in her 2021 season to date she has been twice fifth in her only top tens in nine starts.
Katherine Kirk has struggled for much of the season and if she was the beat her previous best of 16th in this week’s event it would be considered a significant improvement on her year to date.
Su Oh’s year has also been well below her capabilities although she did show improvement last week when 15th at the Meijer LPGA event in Michigan after being very much in contention heading into the final round.
Sarah Kemp has missed seven of ten cuts at the KPMG LPGA Championship but two top five finishes in events this year suggest she can expect improvement.
Gabi Ruffels is playing this event for the first occasion and while still relatively new to the professional ranks she appears to have a good future at this level. She has played well on occasions in big events including when 13th at last year’s US Women’s Open when considerably less experienced than is the case now.
John Rahm bounces back to win US Open Championship
First major title and a US Open at that – photo USGA – Jeff Haynes
Just two weeks after one of his most gut-wrenching moments in golf and perhaps even life, Spaniard Jon Rahm has won his first major title and become the first Spaniard to win the US Open.
At the Memorial Tournament two weeks ago, Rahm was forced to withdraw from that event after taking a six-shot lead through 54 holes, being informed of a positive Covid 19 test as he walked from the 54th green that day.
It would have left many resentful of what appeared to be an unfair decision and the manner in which it was carried out, but Rahm took it on the chin, took an enforced two weeks away from the tour and now, on the southern coast of California and at a venue what has meant so much to him, he has won his greatest title.
“You know, I think I said it yesterday in an interview,” said Rahm in an interview immediately after his win had been confirmed. I’m a big believer in karma, and after what happened a couple weeks ago I stayed really positive knowing good things were coming.
“I didn’t know what it was going to be, but I knew we were coming to a special place, I knew I got breakthrough win here and it’s a very special place for my family, and the fact that my parents were able to come, I got out of COVID protocol early, I just felt like the stars were aligning, and I knew my best golf was to come.
“I have a hard time explaining what just happened because I can’t even believe I made the last two putts, and I’m the first Spaniard ever to win a U.S. Open. This was definitely for Seve. I know he tried a lot, and usually we think a lot about him at the Masters, but I know he wanted to win this one most of all. I just don’t know how to explain it.”
Torrey Pines was the scene of Rahm’s first PGA Tour victory more then four years ago and where he proposed to his now wife and, thus, the venue has significant sentimental value to him.
“I’ve said it once — I’ve said it a million times and I’m going to say it once again. It reminds me a lot of back home. It’s not exactly the same, but the coastline, the weather, the property, this is basically a good summer day where I grew up, and these poa annua greens is something I know and I understand and I grew up on, and I think it’s something that really resonates with me. I’m really confident in it.
“Like we just said, everything that’s happened here, I don’t know why, but every time we come here, we’re just happy. As soon as we land in San Diego, it’s like, we are in our spot. Again, once again, we were in our spot, and I was able to come out on top.”
The victory will take Rahm back to the number one position in world golf, a standing he held, albeit briefly, 12 months ago.
Rahm’s final round of 67 allowed him to come from three shots off the 54 hole pace to win by one over Louis Oosthuizen, but that brief summary alone hardly describes a dramatic final day in which as many as ten players had genuine chances of emerging as the winner.
Through nine holes of today’s final round the defending champion, Bryson DeChambeau, had taken the lead outright before Oosthuizen joined him when he too birdied the 9th. At that point the pair was one ahead of Rahm, Rory McIlory, Collin Morikawa, Brooks Koepka and Mackenzie Hughes.
DeChambeau parred the 10th but at the 11th he started an almost inexplicable run of dropped shots which would eventually see him finish with a back nine of 44, a round of 77 and an eventual share of 26th place.
As the afternoon wore on, it appeared that the chances were narrowing to Rahm, Oosthuizen and Koepka but it would be two sliding left to right putts of 20 feet or so at the 17th and 18th which gave Rahm the outright lead, forty minutes or so before Oosthuizen was due to finish.
Louis Oosthuizen acknowledges a sympathetic crowd after finishing one shot short of a playoff – photo USGA
Oosthuizen kept his hopes alive when he made a fine 8-foot second putt for par at the 16th but then surprisingly hit his tee shot into the penalty area to the left of the fairway at the 17th and took bogey. He was now two behind and needing an eagle at the last to force a playoff.
When his drive had missed the fairway, the unlikely task became almost impossible and although he would make a birdie to finish one behind, the title went to Rahm.
Oosthuizen finished runner-up in a major title for the 6th occasion, his only success coming in 2010 when winning the Open Championship by a massive seven shots.
Oosthuizen, though, did little wrong. His round of even par 71 was hardly an implosion and he said as much after his round.
“I played good,” he said. “Just fell a little short again. It was Jon played a great round of golf, 4-under today on that golf course is a really good score. I could see early on what was happening with the leaderboard at the end and knew that I need to push at the end to do something.
“Right now I didn’t win it. I’m second again. No, look, it’s frustrating. It’s disappointing. I’m playing good golf, but it’s not — winning a major championship is not just going to happen. You need to go out and play good golf. I played good today, but I didn’t play good enough.
“I definitely left a few birdies out — not birdies, but a few putts or shots out there. I’m not going to — I took the tee shot on at 17, and I knew it was a crucial hole for me to take it on and give myself a birdie opportunity. I didn’t pull it off, but standing on that tee again (17th), I’ll probably do the same thing, taking a driver and taking the shot on.
“I feel like I had my shots, I went for it, and that’s what you have to do to win majors. Sometimes it goes your way, and other times it doesn’t.”
Harris English’s round of 68 would see him eventually finish 3rd alone, birdies at his final two holes elevating him to his best finish in a major championship, one place ahead of his previous best of 4th in this event last year.
Adam Scott finished as the leading Australian in 35th place one shot ahead of Wade Ormsby, with Marc Leishman 64th and Matt Jones 65th.
SCORES
Improved week for Victoria’s Su Oh
Su Oh in action this week – photo Getty Images / LPGA
Victorian, Su Oh, has produced her best finish of the 2021 LPGA Tour season when finishing 15th at the Meijer LPGA Classic in Grand Rapids in Michigan.
Oh, currently ranked 106th in the Rolex World Rankings for female golfers, struggled to a final round of even par 71 on the low scoring Blythefield Golf Club layout and finished a massive nine shots from the winner Nelly Korda but her performance will give a lot of confidence as the LPGA Tour season heads into the second half of the year.
Oh slipped from 4th overnight to her eventual share of 15th but with a best of 24th in her previous nine starts this year it has been a significant improvement.
Oh did start the year well in WPGA events in Australia, winning one and finishing runner-up in the other but she has struggled to regain that form in the US to date.
Katherine Kirk was 29th, Hannah Green and Gabi Ruffels 45th and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko 61st.
Korda, at 25 under par, won by two shots over Ireland’s Leona Maguire who is establishing herself as a force to be reckoned with on the LPGA Tour in just her second season.
The LPGA will now play one of the majors in the world of women’s golf, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Georgia.
The winner Nelly Korda – Gregory Shamus Getty Images