Tiger Woods – a decision to make photo Presidents Cup
With just one more event in which Presidents Cup captain pick’s hopefuls can make an impression on either Tiger Woods or Ernie Els, this week’s WGC HSBS Champions event in Shanghai takes on even greater importance for many than just its role as one of the World Golf Championship events.
With the four captain’s picks from each side finalised at the completion of the event, several appear to be still in the mix and performances this week might assist in swaying a captain’s mind one way or the other.
For the Americans, much will depend on Tiger Woods’ decision to play or not as to just how many of those four places are up for grabs but given the assistance Fred Couples, Steve Stricker and Zach Johnson will offer to Woods throughout the week on Melbourne then there appears no real reason why he should not select himself.
As a winner of a major this year and now, as the latest winner on the PGA Tour, then should he decide to include himself nobody could deny Woods his right to play from a credential viewpoint.
Gary Woodland would appear to have done enough to come under serious scrutiny for the same reasons. He of course is the current US Open Champion and with two top fives in his last two starts he has found form at the right time after a relatively lean time since his US Open win.
That Woodland played in front of Woods for much of last week and appears to have a very friendly relationship with him will not hurt either. Nobody could deny his right to be in the team on current form and given the reason for the delay in finalising teams was for just that – to have the most in form players in the side – then it makes sense.
Other players in the mix for consideration and playing in Shanghai are Patrick Reed, Tony Finau and Kevin Na and if there are just two places remaining then the performances of those three this week might well determine the final make-up of the US side for Royal Melbourne.
Surely, Rickie Fowler and Phil Mickelson could only now be considered outsiders to make the team. Only Mickelson is playing this week and he would likely need to win to force his way into consideration and Fowler has not competed since the Tour Championship.
Of course, the additional problem for Woods and the US camp is whether Brooks Koepka will be fit enough, given his recent knee injury and withdrawal from the event in Korea. If that was to be the case, then it opens up another spot for the Americans.
For the International side it would appear the battle for the three places given Jason Day is likely a lock, is between Koreans Sungjae Im and Byeong Hun An, Canadians Adam Hadwin and Corey Conners and Chile’s Joaquin Niemann.
Im was rookie of the year on the PGA Tour this season after leading the Web.com Tour the previous season. Given his outstanding recent from which has included a runner-up and 3rd place in PGA Tour events and a win in Korea then he appears a lock.
An has recorded top ten finishes in three of his last four events on the PGA Tour and, given that form, it is hard to see him being left out, especially if he plays well this week.
Niemann won recently on the PGA Tour and has played solidly for much of the season. Given his status as one of the PGA Tour’s rising stars he must be a strong chance and if that is to be the case then the final spot might be a toss up between the Canadians Conners and Hadwin.
Both have played well in recent weeks, Conners also winning the Texas Open earlier in the year.
Hadwin was runner-up at the Safeway Open in California just a few weeks ago and 4th in Las Vegas and brings solid form to this week.
The Canadians might well be playing to knock each other out this week and that battle alone should be intriguing.
The finalisation of the respective sides on Monday 4th of November will further highlight the disparity in the sides in terms of world ranking with all eight of the automatically qualified American side inside the current top 13 in the world.
The leading ranked international player in 15th place is Adam Scott, the Australian the only one of his side in the world top twenty. Hideki Matsuyama is the next highest ranked player in 22nd position.
McIlroy passes US$50 million with WGC HSBC victory
Rory McIlroy has defeated Xander Schauffele in a playoff to secure his 18th PGA Tour title and his third World Golf Championship event, the WGC HSBC Champions in Shanghai, taking his PGA Tour earnings beyond US$50 million in the process.
Schauffele needed to birdie the 72nd hole to force the playoff before McIlroy was able to birdie the first hole of extra time to take the title and the US$1,745,000 first prize.
McIlroy was unable to birdie the 72nd hole but a stunning approach to the same hole in extra time set up a two-putt birdie and the win.
Louis Oosthuizen had a piece of the lead at various stages throughout the final day but he was unable to hold off the playoff pair although finished on his own in third place and two shots from the playoff.
Adam Scott finished as the leading Australian when he tied for 11th, producing yet another strong finishing round of 67.
With final Presidents Cup selections named in the next few days, Sungjae Im, Byeong Hun An and Patrick Reed have done their respective chances no harm with solid weeks.
Near miss for Minjee Lee in Taiwan
Defending champion, Nelly Korda, did exactly that when she successfully held on to win the LPGA Tour’s Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA event in Taipei City, surviving a playoff to defeat Australia’s Minjee Lee and Germany’s Caroline Masson.
Not only did Korda win, but Lee had also finished runner-up last year so there was a little bit of déjà vu about the result which saw Korda win her third LPGA Tour title having also won the Women’s Australian Open earlier this year.
Korda appeared to have control of the event with five holes to play but three bogeys in four holes late in her round saw the American and Lee needing to birdie the par 5 last to draw level with Masson who, playing with the pair, had moved ahead with consecutive birdies at the 15th and 16th and the demise by Korda.
Lee’s fellow Australian, Su Oh, tied for 8th, Katherine Kirk 55th and a struggling Hannah Green 74th.
The LPGA now moves to Japan for the final event of their Asian swing, the TOTO Classic.
Another top ten for Brendan Jones in Japan
Canberra’s Brendan Jones has finished 7th the Mynavi ABC Championship in Hyogo Prefecture, an eagle at the last hole by the 44-year old improving him from 19th overnight to finish six shots behind the winner, Jung Gon Hwang or Korea.
Jones is in 12th place on the 2019 Japan Tour money list with A$650,000, much of that coming when winning the opening domestic event on the Japan Tour season, the Token Homemate Cup.
Jones’ fellow Australian, David Bransdon, recorded one of his better finishes of the season when he, too, eagled his final hole for a round of 68 to finish tied for 13th.
Sydney raised, Won Joon Lee, finished 22nd, Japan Tour rookie, Dylan Perry, was 42nd while New Zealander Mike Hendry was 32nd.
For the winner, Hwang, it was his 4th Japan Tour title although his first for nearly four years.
David Bransdon contends in Japan
Victorian David Bransdon is just two shots from the lead at the halfway stage of the Japan Golf Tour’s Mynavi ABC Championship near Kobe.
The 46-year old, who is currently 48th on the 2019 Japan Tour money list, is in his third year on the Japan Tour but to date he has a best of only 4th place, that coming at the Kansai Open early in his first season in 2017.
His rounds of 68 and 69 this week, however, have him in a share of third place behind Korean Min Gyu Cho and Japan’s Hiroshi Iwata.
Bransdon has won twice in lesser events on the PGA Tour of Australasia but perhaps even more meritorious performances came when 5th at this year’s Vic Open in Australia which was a European Tour event and when runner-up at the 2015 NZ Open.
This weekend therefore offers an opportunity to improve his standing on the Japan Tour and perhaps contend for the title in the $A2 million (equiv) event.
Brendan Jones and Won Joon Lee are the next best of the Australians, that pair tied for 19th at 5 under and three shots behind Bransdon.
Adam Scott two from lead in Shanghai
Matthew Fitzpatrick – Getty Images
Adam Scott is just two shots from the halfway lead at the WGC HSBC Championship in Shanghai, a second round of 69 leaving him sharing third place behind only leader Matthew Fitzpatrick and second placed Rory McIlroy.
Scott was out in even par but three birdies on the way home took him within striking distance of the lead.
Matthew Millar, who earned his place in this prestigious and lucrative event through his runner-up finish on the Australasian Tour money list last year, is, along with Cameron Smith, the next best placed Australian in 32nd place.
Jake McLeod was 42nd, Scott Hend 50th and Daniel Nisbet 77th.
Fitzpatrick leads by one over McIlroy, McIlroy’s eagle at the last today reminding all of his presence and prospects of a first win in this event.
Fitzpatrick enjoys a good record at the Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai with three top twenties in five starts.
Lee and Oh close enough if good enough in Taiwan
Minjee Lee – file photo
Australians Minjee Lee and Su Oh are two and three shots respectively behind the halfway lead at the Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA event in Taipei City, both players adding second rounds of 67 to be trailing the leader, Mi Jung Hur, who leads by one over the defending champion Nelly Korda.
Lee finished runner-up in this event behind Korda last year and with consecutive rounds of 67 appears to have a found a real comfort zone at the Miramar Golf Country Club layout.
Oh began he round with a bogey but recovered quickly to turn in 34 and added three more birdies on the way home to get within three and appears a growing threat for the weekend.
Hur has consecutive rounds of 66 to her name and after sharing the first round lead she birdied five of her first six holes to establish a break.
The defending champion Korda clawed back some of the ground late win the day with consecutive birdies to finish and her chances of a successful defence appear very good.
Other Australians in the field are Katherine Kirk in 40th place and Hannah Green in 63rd position.
New Zealander Lydia Ko’s woes continue finishing the opening 36 holes in 58th place.
Haotong Li leads but Adam Scott poised in Shanghai
Haotong Li – Getty Images
Chinese golf’s number one male player, Li Haotong, has the lead at the WGC HSBC Championship in Shanghai, the 24 year old producing seven birdies and an eagle in his round of 64 to lead by one over France’s Victor Perez with Adam Scott, Sungjae Im, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Xander Schauffele another shot back and tied for 3rd.
Scott got within one of the lead before a bogey at the last but he has made an excellent start, just one short of his previous best opening round in the event when eventually finishing 8th in 2012.
Canberra’s, Matthew Millar, has taken advantage of the start he earned in the lucrative event via his position on the Australasian Tour’s money list last year by opening with a round of 69 to be tied for 14th, he too dropping a shot at the last but a fine start nonetheless.
Jake McLeod and Cameron Smith had rounds of 2 under 70, Scott Hend 75 and Daniel Nisbet 77.
With final Presidents Cup selections to be made early next week, several International Presidents Cup contenders have put up their hand for the consideration of Ernie Els.
Korean Sungjae Im at 6 under, Canadian Corey Conners at 5 under and Korean Byeong Hun An at 3 under have all staked a claim for final consideration.
Minjee Lee again in contention in Taiwan
Australians, Minjee Lee and Su Oh, have both made impressive starts at the Taiwan Swinging Skirts LPGA event in New Taipei City, Lee just one off the first round lead held by Korean Mi Jung Hur and defending champion Nelly Korda.
The round was played in at times wet and windy conditions but the scoring remained good with 28 players breaking par.
Lee has a good record in this event including a runner-up finish last year and today she produced a back nine of 4 under 32 to get within one of the overnight lead, her only hiccup coming at the 7th hole which she bogeyed.
“Yeah, definitely. I mean, I played pretty well,” said Lee when asked to assess her round. “I just sort of made a couple soft mistakes here and there. I guess the difference between me having a like really, really good round and just like an average round is that.
“I’m just trying to eliminate those and have a good score.”
Oh is playing the event for the fourth time with a best to date of 20th on debut three years ago. Her round was impacted by a double bogey at her 9th hole but, that aside, it was an encouraging start as she chases her first top ten since a runner-up finish at the Meijer Classic in June.
Lee is on her own in 3rd place while Oh is in a share of 4th place.
Katherine Kirk is in 60th place while Hannah Green continues her indifferent recent form after winning in August to be tied for 69th after her round of 76 which included five dropped shots in two consecutive holes early in her round.
The leader Hur has generally struggled in this event in the past but it was a different matter today with a bogey free round of 66 to lead by one.
Golf Betting for October 31st
This week we assess the chances at the WGC HSBC Championship in Shanghai, the Taiwan Swinging Skirts event on the LPGA Tour and the alternate PGA Tour event, the Bermuda Championship.
Decision Time for Presidents Cup Hopefuls
Tiger Woods – a decision to make photo Presidents Cup
With just one more event in which Presidents Cup captain pick’s hopefuls can make an impression on either Tiger Woods or Ernie Els, this week’s WGC HSBS Champions event in Shanghai takes on even greater importance for many than just its role as one of the World Golf Championship events.
With the four captain’s picks from each side finalised at the completion of the event, several appear to be still in the mix and performances this week might assist in swaying a captain’s mind one way or the other.
For the Americans, much will depend on Tiger Woods’ decision to play or not as to just how many of those four places are up for grabs but given the assistance Fred Couples, Steve Stricker and Zach Johnson will offer to Woods throughout the week on Melbourne then there appears no real reason why he should not select himself.
As a winner of a major this year and now, as the latest winner on the PGA Tour, then should he decide to include himself nobody could deny Woods his right to play from a credential viewpoint.
Gary Woodland would appear to have done enough to come under serious scrutiny for the same reasons. He of course is the current US Open Champion and with two top fives in his last two starts he has found form at the right time after a relatively lean time since his US Open win.
That Woodland played in front of Woods for much of last week and appears to have a very friendly relationship with him will not hurt either. Nobody could deny his right to be in the team on current form and given the reason for the delay in finalising teams was for just that – to have the most in form players in the side – then it makes sense.
Other players in the mix for consideration and playing in Shanghai are Patrick Reed, Tony Finau and Kevin Na and if there are just two places remaining then the performances of those three this week might well determine the final make-up of the US side for Royal Melbourne.
Surely, Rickie Fowler and Phil Mickelson could only now be considered outsiders to make the team. Only Mickelson is playing this week and he would likely need to win to force his way into consideration and Fowler has not competed since the Tour Championship.
Of course, the additional problem for Woods and the US camp is whether Brooks Koepka will be fit enough, given his recent knee injury and withdrawal from the event in Korea. If that was to be the case, then it opens up another spot for the Americans.
For the International side it would appear the battle for the three places given Jason Day is likely a lock, is between Koreans Sungjae Im and Byeong Hun An, Canadians Adam Hadwin and Corey Conners and Chile’s Joaquin Niemann.
Im was rookie of the year on the PGA Tour this season after leading the Web.com Tour the previous season. Given his outstanding recent from which has included a runner-up and 3rd place in PGA Tour events and a win in Korea then he appears a lock.
An has recorded top ten finishes in three of his last four events on the PGA Tour and, given that form, it is hard to see him being left out, especially if he plays well this week.
Niemann won recently on the PGA Tour and has played solidly for much of the season. Given his status as one of the PGA Tour’s rising stars he must be a strong chance and if that is to be the case then the final spot might be a toss up between the Canadians Conners and Hadwin.
Both have played well in recent weeks, Conners also winning the Texas Open earlier in the year.
Hadwin was runner-up at the Safeway Open in California just a few weeks ago and 4th in Las Vegas and brings solid form to this week.
The Canadians might well be playing to knock each other out this week and that battle alone should be intriguing.
The finalisation of the respective sides on Monday 4th of November will further highlight the disparity in the sides in terms of world ranking with all eight of the automatically qualified American side inside the current top 13 in the world.
The leading ranked international player in 15th place is Adam Scott, the Australian the only one of his side in the world top twenty. Hideki Matsuyama is the next highest ranked player in 22nd position.