Fully kitted up – image Photosport NZ
I would be the last person to suggest the role of on-course commentator at a televised golf tournament is rocket science, but some aspects of the role make the task a lot more demanding and extensive than many might think.
I have been involved in on-course commentary since first invited to perform the role by the ABC at the 1995 Canon Challenge in Sydney, my latest involvement being at the recent New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport near Queenstown in New Zealand’s Central Otago and thought it might be of interest to outline a day in such a role.
The New Zealand Open has developed into one of the must-play events on the PGA Tour of Australasia schedule, and the same could be said for those involved in covering the event for Sky Sport in New Zealand. It is an event and region we welcome the chance to be involved in the broadcast.
A team of around 90 people are involved, most of those coming from other parts of New Zealand and, in the case of the commentary team, from the Gold Coast of Australia in my case and the newest member of our team Anthony Kang who is a regular on the Asian Tour’s coverage of their events (Singapore). Phil Tataurangi (Auckland), Greg Turner (Arrowtown) and interviewer Storm Purvis (Auckland) are the New Zealand-based members of the commentary team.
The Sky Sport Crew at a recent New Zealand Open
For me, the week typically begins with the Steve Williams caddy clinic and BBQ the tournament managers have adopted to provide information and entertainment for the many caddies the 300 or so amateurs and professionals lining up in the 72-hole event require.
Many caddies are regulars and very experienced but there are those who are caddying for the first time and the caddy clinic and BBQ provides an opportunity for all to meet others, get a few tips, listen to some caddying stories, and settle into the week.
The Caddy Clinic carries the name of Steve Williams, seen by all as the game’s most successful ever caddy with 151 wins worldwide with players such as Greg Norman, Raymond Floyd, Tiger Woods, and Adam Scott, 14 of those wins in majors.
It is my role to MC the event while Steve adds his thoughts and presence. We also include a player to give his thoughts on the role of the caddy and add colourful stories and this year it was Australian Anthony Quayle who provided a humorous take on what he sees as important for a caddy to not only do a good job but to enjoy the experience also.
This year nearly 100 or so caddies turned up to the sausage sizzle and beers put on by the tournament .
Steve Williams and Anthony Quayle – passing on tips at the caddy clinic – image Photosport NZ
On Wednesday my focus switches to the on-course role, a morning meeting with the production and commentary team to determine the direction for the coverage, and any new thoughts the team had.
A rehearsal is scheduled for the afternoon to ensure we are all familiar with the systems and equipment being used and while this seldom throws up any real issues it is an important means of getting those involved to shake off a bit of rust, isolate any issues and prepare for the opening day’s coverage on Thursday.
Each day of the tournament I really enjoy getting out to the golf course early, grabbing a golf cart and heading out ahead of the early play to investigate the hole locations cut for the day, roll balls around the holes to determine any subtle breaks and to get an overall feel for how the course has been set up and how it is likely to play for the day.
For me, in the majestic backdrops that are such a feature of Wakatipu Basin and everywhere you look around the Queenstown / Arrowtown region, getting out onto the golf course early is such a treat and one I love doing for the good of the inner sole never mind the information it provides.
On-course early morning research
The flip-flop nature of the two courses on the opening two days meant that the course and pin positions remained the same on day two so a sleep-in back at the hotel was possible on Friday as there was no need to repeat the due diligence of day one.
By 9.00 I am looking for breakfast and with another 5½ hours before our coverage starts there is plenty of time to catch up with old friends, talk to players and others in trying to gain as much knowledge as possible about little titbits that might be useable in the telecast.
A production meeting is normally scheduled for 11.00am each day of the event to determine final angles for coverage, interviews for inclusion, guests for commentary box appearances, and in my case, just who I would be following later in the day, typically a marquee group of the leading players in the field.
On day one it would involve the recently crowned Australian PGA Champion Elvis Smylie and two-time winner already this season Jack Buchanan of South Australia and their two amateur playing partners.
The inclusion of a composite layout made up of nine holes from each of the Coronet and Remarkable courses at Millbrook Resort for the weekend play would result in a spilt focus for the opening two days due to camera availability and so I would be with Smylie and Buchanan for the holes between the 6th and 9th of the Remarkables layout at which point I would then be driven the higher areas of the Coronet Course to walk with Lucas Herbert and Curtis Luck.
On day two I was with Travis Smyth and Ian Snyman, initially, then Ben Campbell and Steve Alker as they played the final nine of the Coronet layout.
Despite being driven to the top of the course the Coronet Nine involves a rather lengthy walk over significant changes in elevation and having recently had a leg operation I was pleased to get through without any consequences.
Let’s fast-forward to Sunday and the final round where I was assigned the final group involving the eventual winner Ryan Peake from Perth and the four-shot 54-hole leader, Guantek Koh of Korea.
While our coverage did not begin until 2.30pm I like to walk with my assigned group from the time they hit off around 1.00pm which allows me to get a feel of how things are progressing and whether there is any chink in the armour of the leader.
Once coverage starts, then there is a greater need for awareness as to what is happening on course and in the commentary box.
In the on-course role, it is not just a case of saying what you want when you want but rather fitting into a rhythm with those in the commentary box.
This year we had three commentators in the booth plus regular guests and so it was important for me to not talk over those already talking, some of whom were not always aware of my presence on air and I had to pick my moments to contribute without embarrassing them or myself. Once or twice I did !
There were plenty of moments when I wanted to make a comment but couldn’t although I did have the luxury this year of being able to put myself to air when I felt appropriate via a switch on my pack which allows me to speak on air or talk to or hear from the broadcast truck rather than wait to be put to air.
The role itself involves getting the information on distances, lie, wind direction, strategies, danger areas to avoid etc and any other information or thoughts I feel relevant before stepping away from an area where I could possibly be overheard by the player.
The thin air in the Wakatipu Basin, given it is around 1000 feet above sea level and areas of water around the course which carry voices, makes being discreet more important than perhaps elsewhere and so putting yourself in a position to talk freely is important.
While many of the shots I comment on are live, some are off-tape due to congestion and clashing of shots at any one time and advertisement breaks and while I have successfully negotiated calling such shots in my years in the role, the preference for the producer and director at Millbrook was for me to comment only when coming live to my group.
A device I now carry and which has proven invaluable is a mobile phone on a clipboard (see picture) which provides instantaneous vision of what is being shown on-screen with no delay. It was devised by the brilliant sound manager we had for the tournament and allows me to comment on what is being shown without second-guessing. If only I had this years ago!
As the final stages of the event developed it became clear that Ryan Peake was on track for a surprise but welcome victory. His well-documented backstory garnered a great deal of support from the spectators and while I carried a certain amount of sympathy for the four-shot overnight leader, Koh, who had been brilliant over the weekend, the victory by Peake and what it meant for his future was heartwarming.
It capped off yet another very enjoyable week in one of the nicest parts of the world.
Millbrook’s tournament course finishing hole – image Photosport NZ
Great week for Australasian golfers worldwide
Karl Vilips – secures his first PGA Tour victory – file image USGA
It has been a sensational weekend for Australasian golfers in several golfing arenas.
On Sunday, Minjee Lee finished runner-up and Cassie Porter 4th in an LPGA Tour event on the island of Hainan off Southern China.
In New Zealand a local, Tyler Hodge, won the New Zealand PGA Championship to record his first PGA Tour of Australasia victory.
In Hong Kong, Lucas Herbert finished 4th behind Sergio Garcia in a LIV Golf event.
Then this morning things got even better.
In Puerto Rico the highly talented US based West Australian, Karl Vilips, won the PGA Tour’s Puerto Rico Open, the alternative event to the Arnold Palmer Championship but a great boost for Vilips who gained access to the PGA Tour via the Korn Ferry Tour last year.
Vilips, a former student at Stanford University, won by three and earned US$720,000 in just his third PGA Tour event as a cardholder, having made the cut in each of his previous two starts in Mexico and Florida.
“Trying to soak it all in at the moment,” said Vilips. “I don’t know, just thinking ahead to next week already, PLAYERS, I’m getting ready for it. It’s been a bit busy, but I’m sure when I’m in my hotel room later I’ll be thinking about something
“Last night that was about the only thing on my mind was everything that comes with a victory here. I had a hard time getting to sleep. But on the course it was just staying in the present, doing what I can do and I think I did a really good job of that because it is tough to not think about everything. Once I hit that wedge close on 18, those thoughts definitely started flowing in my head.
“If you told me less than a year ago when I was at Stanford that I would be a PGA TOUR winner at this point in my career, I think I would be a little surprised. But I think I’ve just been so true to the process and everything that my team has me doing that it shouldn’t be a surprise when I make the putt on the last hole. But we’ve got to keep moving forward and try to win at an even higher level.”
At the Arnold Palmer Championship, Jason Day, a former winner of the event, finished in 8th place after a stuttering finish but after returning to his coach of earlier years, Colin Swatton, earlier this year he will no doubt be pleased with his progress ahead of next week’s Players Championship, yet another event he has won previously.
“We (Day and Swatton) stopped working together and then it was just trading texts on and off,” said Day over the weekend. “He was going on with his own life, and obviously I was trying to play competitive golf. We’ve got a lot of history together, so it’s nice to be able to pull the old-school team back.
“I’ve got Jason Goldsmith who is my performance coach, we got to No. 1 together. Cole, we got to No. 1 together. I got a new trainer, an old trainer from my injury days. Luke is doing a good job on the bag. So I feel like I got a really solid team, everyone’s kind of pulling in the right direction, which is great.
“That’s kind of the hardest thing is you, when you’re the leader of the team, you got to kind of nudge everyone where you want ’em to go. Everyone has to kind of pull their equal weight, and then if it doesn’t work out then you got to look elsewhere. So it’s nice to be able to have a team that really cares about what I’m trying to achieve out on the golf course.”
And then to top it all off, New Zealand’s Steve Alker produced a final round of 66 and eventually won a playoff over Jason Caron at the Colourguard Classic in Tucson in Arizona to win his 9th PGA Tour Champions title and move to #2 on the Charl Schwab Cup list for the season.
Despite winning the Charl Schwab Cup last season, this week’s win was the first for Alker since January last year, highlighting his amazing consistency in the period since. In fact, there had been six runner-up finishes since his last win.
“Yeah, I mean, just got to keep knocking on the door, Cookie,” said Alker when asked about the frustration of not winning. “You know how it is, you just grind away. I’ve been top-10s, top-5s, just been in the hunt, so it’s just being patient, just working hard on the body this pre-season.”
Australian Greg Chalmers led into the final round and eventually finished tied for 3rd with fellow Australian Rod Pampling.
Minjee Lee runner-up – Rookie Cassie Porter 4th in China
Minjee Lee has finished runner-up and her fellow Australian and LPGA Tour rookie, Cassie Porter 4th at the LPGA Tour event on Hainan Island off the coast of southern China.
Lee, a former winner of the event, finished a massive six shots behind Japan’s Rio Takeda but alone in second position and earned $US230,000 for her best finish on the LPGA Tour since her win at the BMW Ladies Championship in nearly eighteen months.
Porter is in her first season on the LPGA Tour after qualifying via the Futures Tour in 2024 and after missing the cut in her opening event in the Founders Championship last month, the impressive finish and the cheque for US$129,000 will be a great boost.
“Yeah, there is a lot of emotions right now,” said Porter. “Yeah, from Bradenton obviously having a rough week and then coming out here and doing well, just shows how crazy this game is; also like how awesome it can be as well.
“Big week for myself and my coach, caddie, Dan on the bag. Just really proud of us this week.”
Results
Tyler Hodge claims New Zealand PGA Championship
Tyler Hodge – with the spoils of victory – image Australian Golf Media
The New Zealand PGA Championship has been won by 30-year-old New Zealander, Tyler Hodge, who won his first Australasian Tour event with a one-shot victory over fellow New Zealander Kerry Mountcastle and Queenslander Tim Hart at the Bridge Pa Golf Club in Hastings today.
With four missed cuts in his last five starts before arriving in Hastings, Hodge was struggling with his game and perhaps his future but an opening nine of 32 in today’s final round after beginning the day just one off the pace of Cameron Harlock had him clear in the lead and although he faltered with two bogeys over the closing nine he had done enough to hold off the strong finishes of Mountcastle and Hart.
Queenslander Anthony Quayle improved his standing on the Order of Merit to 6th place with his share of 4th place this week with former PGA Tour New Zealander Tim Wilkinson and Queenslander Shae Wools Cobb.
Quayle has kept alive his chances of securing one of the three DP World Tour cards for next season, a win and a top ten placing in the two remaining events likely good enough to earn his way to the DP World Tour for the first occasion.
For Hodge, who turned professional at the relatively late age of 28 and actually gave the idea of playing professionally away for a year or two, he led by four after a birdie at the 10th before dropping shots but hanging on to win.
Results
On course at the New Zealand Open
Fully kitted up – image Photosport NZ
I would be the last person to suggest the role of on-course commentator at a televised golf tournament is rocket science, but some aspects of the role make the task a lot more demanding and extensive than many might think.
I have been involved in on-course commentary since first invited to perform the role by the ABC at the 1995 Canon Challenge in Sydney, my latest involvement being at the recent New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport near Queenstown in New Zealand’s Central Otago and thought it might be of interest to outline a day in such a role.
The New Zealand Open has developed into one of the must-play events on the PGA Tour of Australasia schedule, and the same could be said for those involved in covering the event for Sky Sport in New Zealand. It is an event and region we welcome the chance to be involved in the broadcast.
A team of around 90 people are involved, most of those coming from other parts of New Zealand and, in the case of the commentary team, from the Gold Coast of Australia in my case and the newest member of our team Anthony Kang who is a regular on the Asian Tour’s coverage of their events (Singapore). Phil Tataurangi (Auckland), Greg Turner (Arrowtown) and interviewer Storm Purvis (Auckland) are the New Zealand-based members of the commentary team.
The Sky Sport Crew at a recent New Zealand Open
For me, the week typically begins with the Steve Williams caddy clinic and BBQ the tournament managers have adopted to provide information and entertainment for the many caddies the 300 or so amateurs and professionals lining up in the 72-hole event require.
Many caddies are regulars and very experienced but there are those who are caddying for the first time and the caddy clinic and BBQ provides an opportunity for all to meet others, get a few tips, listen to some caddying stories, and settle into the week.
The Caddy Clinic carries the name of Steve Williams, seen by all as the game’s most successful ever caddy with 151 wins worldwide with players such as Greg Norman, Raymond Floyd, Tiger Woods, and Adam Scott, 14 of those wins in majors.
It is my role to MC the event while Steve adds his thoughts and presence. We also include a player to give his thoughts on the role of the caddy and add colourful stories and this year it was Australian Anthony Quayle who provided a humorous take on what he sees as important for a caddy to not only do a good job but to enjoy the experience also.
This year nearly 100 or so caddies turned up to the sausage sizzle and beers put on by the tournament .
Steve Williams and Anthony Quayle – passing on tips at the caddy clinic – image Photosport NZ
On Wednesday my focus switches to the on-course role, a morning meeting with the production and commentary team to determine the direction for the coverage, and any new thoughts the team had.
A rehearsal is scheduled for the afternoon to ensure we are all familiar with the systems and equipment being used and while this seldom throws up any real issues it is an important means of getting those involved to shake off a bit of rust, isolate any issues and prepare for the opening day’s coverage on Thursday.
Each day of the tournament I really enjoy getting out to the golf course early, grabbing a golf cart and heading out ahead of the early play to investigate the hole locations cut for the day, roll balls around the holes to determine any subtle breaks and to get an overall feel for how the course has been set up and how it is likely to play for the day.
For me, in the majestic backdrops that are such a feature of Wakatipu Basin and everywhere you look around the Queenstown / Arrowtown region, getting out onto the golf course early is such a treat and one I love doing for the good of the inner sole never mind the information it provides.
On-course early morning research
The flip-flop nature of the two courses on the opening two days meant that the course and pin positions remained the same on day two so a sleep-in back at the hotel was possible on Friday as there was no need to repeat the due diligence of day one.
By 9.00 I am looking for breakfast and with another 5½ hours before our coverage starts there is plenty of time to catch up with old friends, talk to players and others in trying to gain as much knowledge as possible about little titbits that might be useable in the telecast.
A production meeting is normally scheduled for 11.00am each day of the event to determine final angles for coverage, interviews for inclusion, guests for commentary box appearances, and in my case, just who I would be following later in the day, typically a marquee group of the leading players in the field.
On day one it would involve the recently crowned Australian PGA Champion Elvis Smylie and two-time winner already this season Jack Buchanan of South Australia and their two amateur playing partners.
The inclusion of a composite layout made up of nine holes from each of the Coronet and Remarkable courses at Millbrook Resort for the weekend play would result in a spilt focus for the opening two days due to camera availability and so I would be with Smylie and Buchanan for the holes between the 6th and 9th of the Remarkables layout at which point I would then be driven the higher areas of the Coronet Course to walk with Lucas Herbert and Curtis Luck.
On day two I was with Travis Smyth and Ian Snyman, initially, then Ben Campbell and Steve Alker as they played the final nine of the Coronet layout.
Despite being driven to the top of the course the Coronet Nine involves a rather lengthy walk over significant changes in elevation and having recently had a leg operation I was pleased to get through without any consequences.
Let’s fast-forward to Sunday and the final round where I was assigned the final group involving the eventual winner Ryan Peake from Perth and the four-shot 54-hole leader, Guantek Koh of Korea.
While our coverage did not begin until 2.30pm I like to walk with my assigned group from the time they hit off around 1.00pm which allows me to get a feel of how things are progressing and whether there is any chink in the armour of the leader.
Once coverage starts, then there is a greater need for awareness as to what is happening on course and in the commentary box.
In the on-course role, it is not just a case of saying what you want when you want but rather fitting into a rhythm with those in the commentary box.
This year we had three commentators in the booth plus regular guests and so it was important for me to not talk over those already talking, some of whom were not always aware of my presence on air and I had to pick my moments to contribute without embarrassing them or myself. Once or twice I did !
There were plenty of moments when I wanted to make a comment but couldn’t although I did have the luxury this year of being able to put myself to air when I felt appropriate via a switch on my pack which allows me to speak on air or talk to or hear from the broadcast truck rather than wait to be put to air.
The role itself involves getting the information on distances, lie, wind direction, strategies, danger areas to avoid etc and any other information or thoughts I feel relevant before stepping away from an area where I could possibly be overheard by the player.
The thin air in the Wakatipu Basin, given it is around 1000 feet above sea level and areas of water around the course which carry voices, makes being discreet more important than perhaps elsewhere and so putting yourself in a position to talk freely is important.
While many of the shots I comment on are live, some are off-tape due to congestion and clashing of shots at any one time and advertisement breaks and while I have successfully negotiated calling such shots in my years in the role, the preference for the producer and director at Millbrook was for me to comment only when coming live to my group.
A device I now carry and which has proven invaluable is a mobile phone on a clipboard (see picture) which provides instantaneous vision of what is being shown on-screen with no delay. It was devised by the brilliant sound manager we had for the tournament and allows me to comment on what is being shown without second-guessing. If only I had this years ago!
As the final stages of the event developed it became clear that Ryan Peake was on track for a surprise but welcome victory. His well-documented backstory garnered a great deal of support from the spectators and while I carried a certain amount of sympathy for the four-shot overnight leader, Koh, who had been brilliant over the weekend, the victory by Peake and what it meant for his future was heartwarming.
It capped off yet another very enjoyable week in one of the nicest parts of the world.
Millbrook’s tournament course finishing hole – image Photosport NZ
Teenager Cooper Moore amongst NZPGA leaders
Cooper Moore in action today – image Australian Golf Media
From Queenstown in New Zealand’s south to the east coast of the north island, the PGA Tour of Australasia is playing its third to last event on its schedule at the Bridge Pa Golf Club in Hastings where the Wallace Developments New Zealand PGA Championship has reached the halfway stage.
Four golfers are tied in the lead through 36 holes, including 16-year-old Cantabrian Cooper Moore, fellow New Zealanders Chang Gi Lee and Tyler Hodge and Queenslander Anthony Quayle.
That group is one shot ahead of Sydney’s Austin Bautista but with 15 players within four shots of the lead, the weekend promises to be yet another shootout following on from last Sunday’s final-round rush for contention at the New Zealand Open.
Moore is threatening to repeat the brilliant performance of then 17-year-old Kazuma Kobori at the 2019 New Zealand PGA Championship in Christchurch, the teenager having finished runner-up just two weeks ago behind Mike Hendry at a domestic event near Hamilton.
Moore, not 17 until mid-June, is the current New Zealand Amateur Champion and last October finished as the leading Australasian at the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship just a few months after finishing runner-up at the R&A’s Junior Open Championship.
After missing the cut at last week’s New Zealand Open when under a deal of expectation, Moore has bounced back with a second round of 66 today, setting the scene for an intriguing battle over the final two rounds.
Anthony Quayle is currently in 7th place on the Order of Merit and if he was able to find a way to win the closing three events of the year he could well earn one of the DP World Tour cards available to the leading three players at season’s end in late March. Much will also be dependant on who takes up a card.
Last week’s New Zealand Open winner, Ryan Peake, missed the cut by two.
Leaderboard
Brendan Jones makes PGA Tour Champions debut
Jones celebrates his most recent at the 2023 New Zealand Open – image Photosport
Canberra golfer Brendan Jones will add to the ranks of Australians competing on the PGA Tour Champions in 2025 when he tees it up in this week’s Cologuard Classic in Tucson in Arizona.
In December, Jones produced a barnstorming finish to secure one of the five cards available at the Final Stage of Qualifying for the 2025 PGA Tour Champions. Jones birdied six of his last ten holes and now has full playing privileges for the tour for the over-50s.
Jones turned 50 on Monday just a day after competing at the New Zealand Open in Queenstown, an event he won two years ago although he finished only midfield last week.
Jones, a former Australian Amateur Champion and runner-up in the 2012 Australian Open, has been a prolific winner of money and titles in Japan since first joining that tour in 2001, winning 15 events there including flagship tournaments such as the Crowns and Visa Taiheiyo Masters.
Importantly for Jones is that he has continued to play, admittedly without a lot of success, over the last two years ahead of his departure for the US and given his performance just to get his playing rights for the PGA Tour Champions it would appear he has a good future there.
Jones spent the two years during COVID’s impact on world professional golf, working for a landscaping company in Canberra but returned with renewed enthusiasm for the game in 2023.
Jones played the PGA Tour for a year in 2006, finishing runner-up at the BC Open and winning on the then Nationwide Tour in the process of gaining his playing rights for the PGA Tour.
Amongst fellow Australians Jones will join on the PGA Tour Champions are Richard Green, Mark Hensby, Rod Pampling, Greg Chalmers, Cameron Percy, Michael Wright, David Bransdon and Steven Allan.
Ryan Peake – composure beyond his golfing experience
Checking out some pretty impressive names on an iconic trophy – image Photo Sport / NZ Open
The final round of the 2025 New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport resulted in one of the truly great stories of redemption in modern sport.
The backstory of winner Ryan Peake has been documented many times since his narrow but impressive one-shot victory over a group of three players at Millbrook Resort near Arrowtown in Central Otago but I thought I might share some thoughts, in my role as the on-course commentator, about that final day and such a special victory.
Peake had been a promising junior golfer many years earlier, representing Australia in junior teams events before turning professional in 2012.
The road in professional golf has never been plain sailing however and soon after he made the decision to head to the mines in Western Australia to provide income although turning to the dark side and forming connections to the Rebels bike gang before eventually falling foul of the law.
Jailed for assault, he would spend five years behind bars but under the guidance of West Australian coaching guru Ritchie Smith his passion for the game he loved returned and he returned to professional golf in 2023.
He gained his playing privileges for the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia in 2023 and slowly started putting together a series of reasonable finishes before finishing 80th in the 2003/2004 Order of Merit.
It was not enough, however, to retain his playing privileges but he would regain those rights at the Qualifying School in April of 2024 where he finished 10th.
In the current 2024/2025 season there had been four top tens before heading to the New Zealand Open in Queenstown but although getting into the event was guaranteed, getting to New Zealand was not.
Initially turned away from the airport in Australia on Monday of tournament week when his previous trouble with the law reared its ugly head, he was advised by immigration authorities that the visa he had been advised was bonafide was not and so Peake, tournament officials, and connections in New Zealand’s immigration department went into overdrive.
Despite the agonising uncertainty of not knowing his fate for 24 hours, he was eventually legally approved to fly out on Tuesday afternoon resulting in a late arrival into an event which he had not played previously or even seen either of the two courses in use at Millbrook.
Peake and caddy Matthew Fitzsimons – image Photosport / NZ Open
Things continued to go right for Peake when he was assigned a caddy from the available caddy ranks who would prove to be a godsend. Matthew Fitzsimons was from Northern Ireland and has spent time in New Zealand caddying at the exclusive and very high-end Tara Iti north of Auckland but, importantly, he was a very good player and the pair seemed to gel very quickly.
Fitzsimons had attended a golf college in Scotland and as the week progressed it was clear Peake was leaning heavily on the input from his new bagman.
In my role as on course commentator, I was advised by the director for Sky’s televised coverage of the event that the final pairing of Guantek Kho and Peake would be my assigned group for the final day but, while that was not unusual, there was the possibility that should a run come from one of the more recognised players starting ahead of the final group, then I might well be asked to move ahead to cover that challenge.
Even though our coverage did not start until 2.30, I joined Kho and Peake at the first hole when they teed off at 1.00pm to get a feel for how things would progress over the opening few holes before we went to air.
Peake began the final round four shots behind Kho, but, by the turn, he had reduced the gap to just two courtesy of birdies at the 2nd, 5th and 9th, superb iron shots leading to those birdies and although unable to capitalise on the driveable 7th and a shortish birdie opportunity the 8th, a stunning approach to the 9th to 4 feet behind the hole set the tone for the remainder of the round.
As Kho began to drop away through the middle of the back nine, Peake converted a birdie opportunity from a tricky spot just short of the near driveable par 4 12th, but perhaps one of the most important shots came when somehow saving par from a dangerous position just right of the par 5 14th green.
His second shot approach downwind from 260 metres finished on the hill to the right of the green, leaving a near impossible shot just to find the green and it was all he could do to make par and keep himself ahead of Kho by two and a chasing pack who were closing in.
Peake parred the 15th and 16th, executing a delicate up and down from just off the back of the green at the 15th and then missing very makeable putt for birdie at the 16th.
The par 5 17th has often proved crucial over the closing stages at Millbrook and, knowing a good drive would ensure the green was very reachable, his tee shot measured over 340 metres and left just 175 metres downhill to a front flag.
Perhaps pumped up with adrenalin and emotion, his 8 iron second found the back right of the green but again he was up to the task with a beautifully measured 45-foot putt down the slope which came to rest just two feet from the hole.
When converted Peake was one ahead of South Australian Jack Thompson who was in the process of putting together a final round 63 and who needed a 12-foot birdie putt at the last to draw level but, when he had missed, the leader strode to the potentially dangerous par 3 last, knowing a par would seal a life-changing victory.
The hole was playing 155 metres which given the helping wind told both Peake and his Fitzsimons that a 9 iron would do the trick. They spent some time deciding on which line to take as, given the one-shot lead, there was no need to get too aggressive to a back left flag.
Peake would miss the green right but not so far right to find the penalty area and was left with 45 foot pitch and run across the green. It was made all the more difficult by the gentle undulation between him and the hole and when he finished 9 feet short he was left with a nerve-racking but crucial putt to win.
That he made it is now history and the emotion he showed after holing the putt told the story of full redemption for a roller coaster past and potentially an outstanding future.
Not only did Peake pocket the $$NZ335,000 for the victory but the win ensures full status on the Australasian and Asian Tours over the next two years, a start at the Open Championship, and with his standing in the top three of the Order of Merit now all but assured, he will have DP World Tour playing rights beginning later this year.
In a week that began with the uncertainty of not knowing whether he could even get to Queenstown, Ryan Peake opened up a range of options for his playing future with a beautifully composed final round which will change not only his playing career but his life.
Being up close and personal to a large degree on that final day is one I will never forget and the growing support of a crowd who got behind a young man who overcame a chequered background made an emotional and spine-tingling final day even more so.
Hopefully, Matthew Fitzsimons will be justly rewarded for the very significant role in keeping his man focused and calm on a day when challenges were coming from everywhere.
Peake handled the pressure like a far more experienced golfer than his relatively young professional career would suggest.
I guess the pressure involved in coming from four shots off the pace and holing a 9 foot putt at the last to win pales in comparison to the horror of five years behind bars with no real direction.
As his mother reportedly said earlier ‘at least I knew where he was when he was in jail’. She will also know where he is in the years ahead but for sure it is a much better place.
Hard to imagine what is going through his mind at this point – image Photosport NZ / NZ Open
Nick Voke adds to home chances of NZ Open success
Nick Voke – all smiles after a tight finish – image Brett Costello PGA of Australia
New Zealand golf has seldom been on such a high as it is at present and just a few days away from its flagship event, the New Zealand Open, its chances of just a third victory in the event in the last 22 years have increased as a result of Josh Geary’s win in Victoria two weeks ago and today’s win by Aucklander Nick Voke in the TPS Sydney event at Castle Hill.
Geary’s win was emphatic, taking the title at 13th Beach by four shots in the most demanding conditions and, today, Voke held on for a one-shot victory over Queensland’s Jake McLeod after leading by four into the final round and by five shots with just five holes to play.
With just two holes to play the difference was just one after consecutive birdies by McLeod at the 15th and 16th and bogeys by Voke at the 14th and 16th.
The seemingly inevitable victory by Voke soon developed into a grim battle for his first PGA Tour of Australasia victory but he managed to hold on to win and in doing so earns A$45,000 and moves to 17th on the Challenger Tour Order of Merit.
Importantly for Voke however is the form he has found ahead of the $NZ 2 million New Zealand Open at Millbrook Resort next week and with he, Geary, Daniel Hillier, Mike Hendry, Steve Alker, Ben Campbell and Danny Lee in the field, the chances of a rare homegrown victory have improved significantly.
McLeod had his chances at the 17th and 18th but was unable to convert as Voke, a former star while attending Iowa State University, held on for a fourth professional win to go with three in China.
Such was the domination of the pair that there was a gap of six shots between McLeod and the 3rd placed Will Florimo, Travis Smyth and yet another New Zealander Tyler Wood.
Cassie Porter, now qualified to play the LPGA Tour but without starts in their current Asian swing, was the leading female when she shared 13th place.
The Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia now moves to Arrowtown near Queenstown for the 104th New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport.
RESULTS
UPDATED ORDER OF MERIT
Hannah Green finishes 4th at Founders Cup
Hannah Green – file photo USGA
Hannah Green tied for fourth place in the opening full-field event of the LPGA Tour season. The West Australian finished the Founders Cup event in Bradenton, Florida, eight shots from first-time LPGA Tour winner Yealimi Noh of the USA.
Green was unable to reproduce the brilliance of her second and third rounds of 65 and 66 but it has been an encouraging week after a 20th place finish at last week’s Tournament of Champions.
Green earns US$89,000 for her placing and appears on track for yet another good season on the LPGA Tour.
At this stage Green is not entered for the opening event of the Asian swing in Thailand beginning in ten days’ time but is entered for the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore the following week.
It was a week of mixed fortunes for the nine-strong Australasian contingent, two of whom Fiona Xu and Cassie Porter were playing the LPGA Tour as card holders for the first occasion.
Minjee Lee tied for 28th this week, Gabi Ruffels 39th, Lydia Ko, Stephanie Kyriacou and New Zealand’s Fiona Xu 48th and Hira Naveed 56th.
Karis Davidson and LPGA Tour debutante Cassie Porter both missed the cut.
Leaderboard
Geary and Oh last golfers standing at windswept Vic Open
Josh Geary – image Australian Golf Media
On one of the most demanding days for scoring in Australian tournament golf in recent memory, New Zealand’s Josh Geary and Victorian Su Oh have emerged the winners of their respective Vic Open titles.
Both victories were achieved in very contrasting manners, Geary leading virtually throughout after taking the lead during round two to win by four, while Oh came from seven shots off the lead on the final day to win by one.
In blustery winds which swept the Beach Course at 13th Beach over the final two days, Geary’s final round of 78 was still good enough to see him home by four over Scottish raised but now Perth based Connor McKinney with New Zealanders Kerry Mountcastle and Mike Hendry and NSW’s Austin Bautista another shot back in a share of 3rd place.
So difficult was the scoring in the near 50-kilometer winds that McKinney’s final round of 70, one of the three best of the day, moved him from a share of 23rd overnight to his second place as was the case with Mountcastle who was also round in 70 to improve from 27th to his share of 3rd.
For Geary however, it was the 40-year-old’s second Australasian Tour title, coming nearly 12 years after his first.
“It’s the hardest round of golf I’ve had to play,” the new champion told PGA Tour of Australasia.
“It’s hard enough trying to close out a tournament, let alone in those conditions which meant literally you can make any score from anywhere.
“If you’d asked me if I shot 78 tomorrow if I’d still have a four-shot margin, I’d tell you you’re dreaming, but that’s just how hard it was.
“I’m super happy, obviously, and stoked to get it done.”
Geary has been a prolific winner of titles in his homeland and has won on both the Canadian and China Tours but has perhaps not delivered to the extent his undoubted talent suggested he might when turning professional 18 years ago.
He had his moments on day four, dropping eight shots in nine holes in the middle of his round but he was not alone as he tried to negotiate some of the most difficult scoring conditions he and many in this field had faced.
Geary though was always ahead on day four and although the 54-hole margin of four was reduced to three on occasions, those nearest to him were also suffering and it would be McKinney who would get closest in the end, albeit four from the winner.
Geary moves to 13th on the current PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit and finds form ahead of his own national open in New Zealand in three weeks’ time, an event in which he has several top 5 finishes to his name including when sharing 3rd place last year.
The women’s title went to Su Oh, a former LPGA Tour player, who lost her status there in 2022 and who has struggled with her game since.
A decision to move to West Australian coach Ritchie Smith has seen her slowly but surely rebuild confidence in a game that saw her as one of this country’s most exciting prospects several years ago and winning the Australian Women’s PGA Championship and the Australian Ladies Masters.
Oh began the final day with seemingly little hope of catching the leaders when seven shots off the lead and tied for 10th but on a day where anything would become possible her final round of 74 was good enough to get her close to the lead and as those ahead of her compounded over the final nine holes she ran out the winner by one over Japan’s Shina Kanazawa.
Men’s scoring
Women’s scoring