Lauren Stephenson – photo and article Ladies European Tour
American, Lauren Stephenson, ended with an eagle three on the last hole for an eight-under-par 64 to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the Geoff King Motors Australian Ladies Classic Bonville on Friday.
Stephenson finished just ahead of 19-year-old Ayean Cho. The 2019 KLPGA Tour Rookie of the Year set the clubhouse lead with her own blistering 64 to go to 13-under after 36 holes, but it wasn’t enough to keep Stephenson from leading for a second successive day.
“I haven’t looked at any leader boards or anything. I’m just figuring out my game,” said 22-year-old Stephenson, from South Carolina.
She posted five birdies on the front nine, but her charge stalled with a double bogey on the 13th hole. However, she bounced back with birdies on 14, 15 and 17, followed by a brilliant eagle on the 477-yard par-5 18th.
“I hit a brilliant drive down the middle of the fairway on 18 and then I had 210 yards in, which is the perfect number for my 5-wood. I hit a really good 5-wood and that is my favourite hybrid or wood, because it goes dead straight. I had 15 feet for eagle and I’ve been making those all day, so I kept the same rhythm.
“The birdie on the 17th was important and the par putt on 16. The 16th is honestly a really tough hole, because even though it’s short, the green is really tricky. Where that pin was today was tough and I’m sure there were plenty of three-putts there today. I made a really nice putt for par, which was huge.”
Cho, the world number 35 and Stephenson, the world number 179, will go head to head over the weekend and Stephenson said that she had watched the teenage phenom feature in the television coverage over the last two weeks’ LPGA events in Australia, the ISPS Handa Vic Open and the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, where she tied for 16th and sixth respectively.
“I have never played with her before but I know she’s played really well the last two weeks and I know she’s really young. I watched her a little bit on TV the last two weeks. I think it’s about having fun this weekend and getting confidence here.
I’ve made a lot of swing changes at the end of last season and I finally feel like those are paying off and I’m feeling more comfortable with it. That’s been my goal for this week, so it’s really nice to get my confidence boosted.
“I’ll just take it one shot at a time and focus on what I’m doing. At the end of the day, you can’t control what anyone else does and whoever’s meant to win, will win. It’s just sticking with my game plan and hitting the shots I need to hit and try to make as many birdies as I can.”
New South Wales amateur Stephanie Kyriacou also eagled the last for a nine-under-par 63 late in the day to finish on 12-under-par and alone in third position. Her card included five birdies and two eagles, at the seventh and 18th holes.
Stephanie Kyriacou – LET
Kyriacou’s round was the best of the day and leaves her just two from the lead.
Ladies European Tour rookie member Charlotte Thomas, Linnea Strom and Noora Tamminen are tied for fourth on seven-under, while Gemma Dryburgh, Anne Van Dam, Meghan MacLaren, Lina Boqvist, Peiying Tsai and Hye Ji Lee share seventh on six-under-par.
SCORES
Five Australians Earn Asian Tour Cards
Scott Strange – one of five Aussies to gain Asian Tour status
Five Australians have earned Asian Tour Status for 2020 following the completion of the Qualifying Tour’s Qualifying School in Cha Am in Thailand.
Victorian Will Heffernan has finished runner-up, West Australian and former two time European Tour winner, Scott Strange 9th, Victorian Ben Eccles and Queensland’s Cory Crawford 17th and Sydney’s Kevin Yuan 23rd, all finishing within the leading 35 players who earned the right to play the Asian Tour this year.
“I am from Melbourne and I turned professional last year,” said Heffernan. “I have been to a fair few of Qualifying Schools over the last couple of years and I have gained some good experiences which helped this week. To get my Asian Tour card for this season just means a lot to me.
Will Heffernan – photo Asian Tour
Victorian Andrew Martin, a former Australian Amateur Champion missed by one, West Australian Rick Kulacz, NSW’s Dale Brandt Richards and yet another former Australian Amateur Champion, New Zealander, Tae Koh, by two.
The next Asian Tour event is this coming week’s New Zealand Open
Anthony Quayle Rewarded For Consistency At Queensland Open
Anthony Quayle – photo Golf Australia
It might be well short of his biggest previous cheque in professional golf, but Queensland based Anthony Quayle’s playoff victory at the Queensland Open at Pelican Waters on the Sunshine Coast today provides perhaps more than money can buy, namely a victory in a professional event.
Quayle, who has plied his trade with commercial success in Japan for the past two years, had yet to taste success in the paid ranks until today but by holding off a spirited and impressive challenge from South Australian amateur Jack Thompson he has broken through for what is likely to be the first of many wins.
Quayle has been rewarded for a very consistent few months where he has finished inside the top twenty in his last seven starts in both Japan and Australasia, one of those when finishing 3rd at the Casio World Open late in the 2019 Japan Tour season.
The cheque for the finish at the Casio was the equivalent of $A190,000 and while the monetary rewards today paled in comparison (A$20,600) the value of the breakthrough victory alone is hard to put a figure on.
Quayle had his nose in front for much of the final round in a battle with West Australian Kim Felton and Thompson but it was Thompson who refused to go away. Quayle blundered early in his back nine and actually lost the lead to Thompson at one stage but he recovered to force the playoff.
Quayle won by saving par at the first extra hole.
The winner, Quayle, and runner-up, Jack Thompson, (left) – Golf Australia
“It feels incredible,” said Quayle. “I’ve given myself a few chances recently and haven’t been able to pull it off and the feeling of frustration or regret walking off the 18th green is definitely not present at the moment,” Quayle said.
“I felt for a while that my first win would be a pretty difficult one to get done and maybe it was difficult because I thought it into reality.
“I showed myself today what it takes to win and it doesn’t have to go perfect. You can make quite a few mistakes and still have a chance to win. I think it’s a pretty good lesson for me today.”
“KB (Ken Berndt) my coach helped me out a lot,” Quayle said while also thanking his parents and wife Sofia for their support.
“We got to a few ahead and then went bogey, double and Jack went par, birdie and all of a sudden he was one ahead and was playing really nicely.
“To catch him I was going to have to play really good golf. KB had a chat to me; got me to compose myself and I barely missed a shot coming in the last five holes.
“He was saying to me as we went to the first playoff hole I didn’t sign up for this extra work, but I wouldn’t be here without him. He’s coached me since I was 14, constantly helping, incredibly selfless, just always there to help you out.”
Brad Kennedy tied for 3rd with New South Wales’ Jake Higginbottom.
The PGA Tour of Australasia now heads to Queenstown in New Zealand’s South Island for the 101st New Zealand Open at the host course Millbrook Resort.
Stephanie Kyriacou Blows Bonville Field Apart
Kyriacou with her father Nick
19-year-old Sydney amateur, Stephanie Kyriacou, has not only won a Ladies European Tour event she has done so in the most emphatic fashion with an eight-shot victory at the Geoff King Motors Australian Ladies Classic Bonville in Coffs Harbour today.
Kyriacou may be Australia’s third highest world ranked amateur behind US Amateur Champion, Gabi Ruffels, and Grace Kim, but she has stolen a march on those above her with an emphatic win which provides her immediate access to the Ladies European Tour and a career in professional golf should she wish to take advantage.
She indicated after the win that she would discuss it with her father Nick, who was caddying for her, before making a decision.
“I’m lost for words and still on cloud nine,” said Kyriacou. “I think everything was going my way today. I was pretty confident going into the last round.
“I did get off to a good start. The first hole wasn’t great again, but after that I bounced back and had five birdies in a row. After that, I played a bit more defensive, because I assumed I had a bit of a lead by then.
“On the last hole, I was thinking about what would happen, but I told myself to get a par and then worry about it.”
After taking a two-shot lead into day four, birdies at six of the first eight holes for Kyriacou blew the field apart and through nine holes she led the field by ten after an outward nine of 29. When she birdied the par 5 10th it had been seven birdies in ten holes.
She would eventually win by eight over Korean Ayean Cho who claimed the first prize cheque of $A59,000 when she finished in outright second place, one ahead of Sweden’s Linnea Storm.
Breanna Gill was the next best of the Australians when she finished in a share of 10th place.
Scores
Fox and Murray Lead Australasians in Mexico
Zach Murray – photo Asian Tour
Ryan Fox and Zach Murray, who finished one and two on the 2019 PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit, and earned starts at the WGC Championship Mexico as a result, have made solid starts to the event at the Club De Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City.
Both players lead the Australasian contingent and are tie for 19th at 2 under and although nine shots from the tournament leader, Bryson De Chambeau, they currently have many of the game’s leading players trailing in their wake.
Both players have shown improvement in recent starts, Murray having struggled since his win at the New Zealand Open last year before good tournaments in Abu Dhabi and at the Vic Open. Given his still relative lack of experience at this level it is an impressive start for the 22-year-old Victorian.
Fox was runner-up in his last start at the Vic Open and today put together seven birdies in round two before a bogey at the last. He had also dropped three shots in two holes late in his front nine.
Fox and Murray will rush back to Queenstown in New Zealand at the completion of the event to play next week’s New Zealand Open.
Adam Scott recovered from his slow start to the event on Thursday with a second round 68 today to be at even par and tied for 28th while Marc Leishman is the next best in 42nd place.
There is no cut in the event so Lucas Herbert, Cameron Smith and Scott Hend will also get their chance to improve their standing from further back in the field over the final 36 holes.
Scores
Rhein Gibson Finds Form in Puerto Rico
Rhein Gibson – file photo – Henry Peters
US Based Lismore golfer, Rhein Gibson, is back on the PGA Tour in 2020 and at the halfway mark of the Puerto Rico Open he finds himself just two shots from the lead and in a share of 6th place in what is the alternative PGA Tour event to the WGC Championship Mexico.
Gibson has played the Korn Ferry Tour in each of the last two years and although he has not recorded a top 30 in his last 17 starts in either Korn Ferry or PGA Tour appearances he had done enough early in 2019, including a win at the BMW Charity Pro-Am, to regain full PGA Tour status for the new season.
Gibson was actually tied for the lead on day two at the Grand Reserve Country Club before a double bogey at his 17th hole saw slip from the top of the leaderboard but still finish within striking distance of the leaders, Kyle Stanley, Josh Teater, Emiliano Grillo and Victor Hovland.
Gibson is scheduled to play next week’s New Zealand Open in Queenstown, an event he has supported for several years despite is US base, and if he is able to finish the week off well he will take confidence with him on the flight to New Zealand
Cameron Davis and John Senden are the next best of the Australians at 4 under and in a share of 33rd place.
Cameron Percy is another shot back in 47th place.
Lauren Stephenson Leads Australian Ladies Classic
Lauren Stephenson – photo and article Ladies European Tour
American, Lauren Stephenson, ended with an eagle three on the last hole for an eight-under-par 64 to take a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the Geoff King Motors Australian Ladies Classic Bonville on Friday.
Stephenson finished just ahead of 19-year-old Ayean Cho. The 2019 KLPGA Tour Rookie of the Year set the clubhouse lead with her own blistering 64 to go to 13-under after 36 holes, but it wasn’t enough to keep Stephenson from leading for a second successive day.
“I haven’t looked at any leader boards or anything. I’m just figuring out my game,” said 22-year-old Stephenson, from South Carolina.
She posted five birdies on the front nine, but her charge stalled with a double bogey on the 13th hole. However, she bounced back with birdies on 14, 15 and 17, followed by a brilliant eagle on the 477-yard par-5 18th.
“I hit a brilliant drive down the middle of the fairway on 18 and then I had 210 yards in, which is the perfect number for my 5-wood. I hit a really good 5-wood and that is my favourite hybrid or wood, because it goes dead straight. I had 15 feet for eagle and I’ve been making those all day, so I kept the same rhythm.
“The birdie on the 17th was important and the par putt on 16. The 16th is honestly a really tough hole, because even though it’s short, the green is really tricky. Where that pin was today was tough and I’m sure there were plenty of three-putts there today. I made a really nice putt for par, which was huge.”
Cho, the world number 35 and Stephenson, the world number 179, will go head to head over the weekend and Stephenson said that she had watched the teenage phenom feature in the television coverage over the last two weeks’ LPGA events in Australia, the ISPS Handa Vic Open and the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, where she tied for 16th and sixth respectively.
“I have never played with her before but I know she’s played really well the last two weeks and I know she’s really young. I watched her a little bit on TV the last two weeks. I think it’s about having fun this weekend and getting confidence here.
I’ve made a lot of swing changes at the end of last season and I finally feel like those are paying off and I’m feeling more comfortable with it. That’s been my goal for this week, so it’s really nice to get my confidence boosted.
“I’ll just take it one shot at a time and focus on what I’m doing. At the end of the day, you can’t control what anyone else does and whoever’s meant to win, will win. It’s just sticking with my game plan and hitting the shots I need to hit and try to make as many birdies as I can.”
New South Wales amateur Stephanie Kyriacou also eagled the last for a nine-under-par 63 late in the day to finish on 12-under-par and alone in third position. Her card included five birdies and two eagles, at the seventh and 18th holes.
Stephanie Kyriacou – LET
Kyriacou’s round was the best of the day and leaves her just two from the lead.
Ladies European Tour rookie member Charlotte Thomas, Linnea Strom and Noora Tamminen are tied for fourth on seven-under, while Gemma Dryburgh, Anne Van Dam, Meghan MacLaren, Lina Boqvist, Peiying Tsai and Hye Ji Lee share seventh on six-under-par.
SCORES
David Bransdon Retains Queensland Open Lead
Former Isuzu Queensland Open Champion, David Bransdon, has retained his lead at the Pelican Waters Golf Club in Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland and leads the event by one over the leading world ranked player in the field, Brad Kennedy, at the halfway stage with another shot back to Canberra amateur, Josh Armstrong.
Brandson played late on day two and although he was unable to match the brilliance of his opening round of 63, a fast start to his second round suggested he might establish a substantial break through 36 holes but the more demanding afternoon conditions saw him treading water for much of the round thereafter.
A birdie at his final hole, however, allowed him to carry a narrow advantage into the weekend as he chases his second Queensland Open title 4½ years after his first.
Bransdon, who plays the Japan Tour, was also well placed heading into the weekend at last week’s Queensland PGA Championship but was unable to finish the event of as he had hoped, eventually finishing in a share of 19th but he is looking forward to playing tomorrow’s third round with his Japan Tour colleague
“I played with Brad last Saturday (in the Queensland PGA Championship) and we’ve played a lot in Japan since I’ve been up there,” Bransdon said.
“The young guys they’ll do what they do … hit it 400 (metres), go wedge it and have a few putts, and we’ll play a different game our way,” he said with a broad smile.
Kennedy was very much the likely winner last week in Toowoomba before almost inexplicably dropping four shots over the last three holes.
He was frustrated early in today’s round despite the warm but calm conditions early, but he would birdie five of six holes through the middle of his round.
Armstrong has done well to be in 3rd place just two from the lead as has South Australian Jack Thompson who is just one-shot further back.
Veteran Victorian golfer, Richard Green, a European Tour player for the past 24 years and a former Australian Masters Champion, is another shot back in a share of 5th place with New South Welshman, Jake Higginbottom and Queensland’s Anthony Quayle, yet another regular on the Japan Tour.
Special mention must be made of female amateur, Sarah Wilson, who impressively earned her place in the field through Monday qualifying and then only just missed the cut by one shot.
Rounds of 74 and 72 on the Greg Norman layout will provide the impressive swinging 19 year old plenty of confidence for amateur events ahead.
WGC Mexico, Puerto Rico and Queensland Betting Thoughts
Pelican Waters – home of this week’s Queensland Open
This week I take a look at the WGC Mexico, the Puerto Rico Open and the Queensland Open events and assess the likelihood of a financial return.
Adam Scott Returns to Top 10 with Genesis Win
Adam Scott’s two shot victory at the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles in his very first event of 2020 has seen the 39-year-old Australian return to the world top 10 for the first time since May of 2017, the victory today his first on the PGA Tour in nearly four years.
Scott took a share of the 54 hole lead into the final day and although he began well with two early birdies, a bogey at the 4th followed by a double at the 5th threatened to ruin his chances of a return to the winner’s circle.
Scott had, of course, won the Australian PGA Championship at RACV Royal Pines on the Gold Coast two months ago but although he has gone close on occasions a win at this level has eluded him in recent times.
The significant amount of world ranking points he earns because of the strength of the field this week will see move to 7th in the world ranking.
Scott fought off challenges from Matt Kuchar, Sung Kang and Scott Brown on a day where the famed Riviera Country Club bared her teeth as the golf course firmed up and the notorious California greens played havoc late in the day.
A bogey from the middle of the fairway on the 15th, however, threatened Scott’s lead but he gave himself one final cushion when he pitched to 10 feet at the par 5 17th and converted for birdie to give himself a two shot advantage playing the last.
The chasers were unable to put any further pressure on the leader and Scott was able to safely par the last to win by two.
It was Scott’s 14th PGA Tour title and takes his earnings to US$56.5 million on the PGA Tour. He is the 7th highest earner of all time on the PGA Tour.
Brown, Kuchar and Kang tied for 2nd two shots from Scott, while Hideki Matsuyama, Rory McIlroy, Max Homa, Bryson De Chambeau and Joel Dahmen were in a group in 5th place another shot back.
Marc Leishman was the only other Australian to make the cut when he finished in 43rd place.
SCORES
Inbee Park Wire to Wire Winner in Adelaide
Inbee Park – photo Golf Australia
South Korean, Inbee Park, staked her claim early in pursuit of her first Women’s Australian Open with an eagle at her very first hole on Thursday and from that point on she was never really headed.
She was, admittedly, caught through 36 holes but she drew clear again through 54 holes and although she battled to a round of 74 on the final day she was not alone in the demanding conditions of Sunday and eventually won by three over American Amy Olson and by four over Frenchwoman Perrine Delacour.
For the 31 year old Park it was her 20th LPGA Tour title but one that means a lot to her for several reasons.
“It’s always great to put my name on a beautiful trophy, especially have such nice winners on that trophy. It’s great to be part of,” said the champion.
“The Australian Open is a national title for Australia and I would love to have the title with me. It’s a great honour to put my name among these legends in golf and hopefully later, 10, 20 years later, everybody look at those names and maybe one of my name, and then everybody think that it is their honour to be on there.”
“I think it’s really the joy that I am feeling and the relief, I guess. Because I just didn’t know when it was going to come. It took almost two years to come. I have been missing them quite a lot. So,yeah, really good to have the trophy again.”
Hannah Green finished as the leading Australian when sharing 13th place after she too battled to a final round of 74.
The West Australian talked afterwards of the added pressure and attention that being a major champion brings.
“It’s definitely something you need to get used to. Even last week at the Victorian Open, having my face everywhere and then this week having my face around, it’s definitely something I haven’t experienced before.
“I don’t know, I think it’s probably sometimes a good thing to have a little bit of pressure, just to make sure that it really means something to you. This is definitely one of my favourite events that we get to play all year round, so I’m really happy when I have a good result, and I think I do have a good result because I’ve got so many people here supporting me.”
Green’s fellow West Australian, Minjee Lee, was the next best in 34th place.
The LPGA Tour now has several week’s off as a result of the Corona Viras forcing the postponement of events in Asia, their next event being the Founders Cup in Arizona in a month’s time.