Jason Day at Royal Queensland today – image Australian Golf Media
Jason Day’s first appearance in an Australasian Tour event since 2017 was met with a warm reception by the media in his media appearance at Royal Queensland today.
To some extent, it was like the return of a long-lost son and the media present appeared to enjoy the interaction with one of Australia’s finest ever and most successful PGA Tour players.
Day left Queensland in 2006 to pursue his dream of becoming the world’s number one golfer and not only did he achieve that lofty goal, but in the 18 years since he has won a major title (2015 PGA Championship), won a total of 13 PGA Tour titles, including the PGA, the Players Championship and the Arnold Palmer Invitational, been inside the top 5 on 11 occasions in major championships and accumulated more than US60 million in earnings.
Days’ is a phenomenal record and when considering so much of his career has been impacted by back injuries and other health issues, goodness only knows what he might have achieved as a fully fit golfer over those years.
All that does however seem to be in the past. The swing adjustments he has made with coach Chris Como to accommodate the back issues he has suffered are all in place according to Day when asked in today’s media appearance if he feels his fitness and health is as good as it has been for a long time.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely. I think so. Just to give you a little bit of background, when my back would go out, it would take me at the height of how my injuries – it would probably take about three weeks for my back to fully recover.
“And now if I have an episode, it takes half a day. It just goes to show that the stuff that I’m working on in the gym with my trainer, if I can back that up with not only having the mobility but also add the strength component into it, it’ll only help that.
“But I’ve also got to tread lightly too because I don’t want to bite off too much and then be a little bit too overconfident in some of the workouts or some of the swing changes that I’m doing because that potentially could flare things back up too. But overall, I feel I felt this is the healthiest I’ve felt in probably 12 years. So it’s been a long time.”
Day’s only win on Australian soil as a professional was when he won the 2013 World Cup of Golf Individual title but he is now keen to enjoy the prospect of being home amongst family and many of the friends he accumulated while living in southeast Queensland.
“I mean it’s interesting because it’s going to be a very short week for me here. Obviously I’ve got this week and then I’ll have a week off and play Tiger’s event in The Bahamas and then got Grant Thornton (Invitational) with Lydia (Ko).
“So it’s going to be very quick and I’ve been trying to catch up with as many people as I possibly can, and its a little bit emotional to see some of the faces. My sisters, I haven’t seen them since my mum passed away, so it’s been nice to be able to catch up with my sisters. Obviously I’ve got some friends, a lot of the friends that will be here this week, so really I’m looking forward to tomorrow and obviously the four days, we haven’t had many of the fans out yet, but I think once the fans come out it’s going to feel really special.
“I’ve taken just over three months off I think since my last tournament. So yeah, I’m very fresh coming into this week. I might be a little tournament-rusty, but I’ve done a lot of work leading into this event and then obviously I’ve tried to put in as much as possible over the last three days here.”
Day indicated that his player-coach relationship with Chris Como is on hold at present while acknowledging the great help Como provided in overcoming the impact his injury issues were having on his swing.
Personally this writer feels it is a tremendous decision for Day to make, as the opportunity for Day to not get too bogged down in technique as he has had a tendency to do and revert instead to his beautifully natural game might assist him to even greater heights. Time will tell if he can continue for long without feeling the need for swing guidance but it is an interesting decision.
“I mean I’m just kind of focused on playing. Yeah, I’m focusing on just trying to play a little bit more. I feel like the swing is kind of where I need to be. Health-wise, the body’s great. The swing needs some improvement in certain areas technically, but, for the most part, I want to try and just find some sort of consistency in all flights and spin controls.”
Day’s record in major championships is phenomenal and today he talked about his desire for an even greater record at that elite level.
“The goal for me has always been trying to win all four. I’ve finished second in all four and won a PGA championship. I know I definitely have the game to win majors. It’s just being able to be healthy first and foremost and then have the swing and the technique back up, the good hitting.
“I know that on my day I’m the best putter in the world and my short game is right there with it. I’ve just got to be able to match that with good hitting. And I think if I can do that, then I definitely have a shot at winning more majors than just my sole one.
“But yeah, I think it is interesting. I feel like I should have accomplished a little bit more just with my game and the way that it has, but the injuries kind of pushed that a little bit back, but I’ve got the experience and I feel like I’m right there. The game is really there. It’s close.”
Day plays with Cam Smith and Min Woo Lee in tomorrow’s opening round and just as Lee had sung the praises of Day on Tuesday, it was Day’s turn today to outline his thoughts on Lee.
“I haven’t played competitively with Camie for a long time and I’ve known Camie for a while now, actually a long time. And Min is, I just see so much potential in Min Woo. Obviously, the length definitely helps these days.
“The way that we play golf these days, it’s very offence-driven. When I first started professionally, there was still some type of defence in regards to how you tactically manage yourself around a golf course.
“It just feels like these days it’s just driver everywhere you can. And he definitely has the firepower for that. Obviously, Strokes Gained Off The Tee is off the charts. I think once he kind of manages certain shots within his iron play, like off-speed shots, being able to change your flight controls, trajectories and spin, that will open up another element to his game.”
As to who will be the crowd favourite amongst their group in the opening two rounds Day responded;
“I mean obviously I think Cammie’s a very big favourite being here. And he’s got a lot of fans here. Even though I’m from here, it’s kind of hard to get the fan base when I haven’t been here as much. So I’m looking forward to playing with Min, looking forward to playing with Cam.
“I’m really interested to see the crowds out there, seeing how many people will come out. Fingers crossed we have good weather. I know that rain is not ideal, but like I said early in the interview, we’re going to have really good weather on the weekend and that should be fun. That should bring out a lot of people.”
Day arrived on an early flight from the US early in the week and one of his immediate thoughts was for an Aussie meat pie.
“I had two meat pies. I got off the plane and got through customs. They lost my clubs, which ended up working out great because then I could just take my suitcase with me.
“But the first stop was at a bakery eating two meat pies and it was phenomenal. It was really good. It was early. It would’ve been like six, six in the morning. I got out of customs pretty quick and then I was straight to Forest Lake ( a former home), one of the bakeries there and I was just, yeah, it was good.”
While that and a self-confessed craving for Australian Kentucky Fried Chicken occupied his mind today, tomorrow it will be all on as he chases his first major Australian flagship title.
So what would it mean for him to do just that?
“Oh, it would mean a lot. I know that I’ve always wanted to win in Australia. Haven’t won as a professional and to be able to, and I’ve seen Jordan Spieth come down here, Rory come down here and obviously they’re playing the Australian Open and winning the Australian Open.
“They’ve accomplished that and it’d be nice for me to be able to do that, especially here in Brisbane where part of my life I grew up, and especially at a place like Royal Queensland, very iconic. I grew up playing some tournaments here, but it’s always nice to be able to win a tournament regardless of where you go, but to be able to win one on home soil and to know that you can come back and win one, that would be special.”
Jason Day has unfairly been on the receiving end of criticism for being unable, through health or family reasons, to support Australian golf to the extent he would have liked over the years but the reception he received from the media pack at Royal Queensland today suggests he has put that to bed.
A win this week would be welcomed by not only Day but by those who have, until now, been able to admire the exploits of one of Australia’s finest from afar only.
Elvis Smylie takes early lead at BMW Australian PGA Championship
Elvis Smylie in action during round one – image Australian Golf Media
The early morning players on day one of the BMW Australian PGA Championship were blessed with near-perfect scoring conditions and, if the leaderboard at the halfway point of the day was any indication, they took advantage.
Despite a deluge of rain over the first three days of the week, the Royal Queensland layout stood up reasonably well given the circumstances and, with little wind, soft conditions and preferred lies in effect, the Royal Queensland layout was soon under siege.
Most of the focus for the fans who were at the course early for play beginning at 6.00 am, was on the marquee pairing of three-time Australian PGA Champion, Cameron Smith, defending champion Min Woo Lee and former world number one Jason Day.
It would be Lee who took charge early when, beginning his round from the 10th, birdied 5 of his first 11 holes to take a two-shot lead at that point.
Lee, though, would bogey his next two holes after being left at the par 3 13th (4th of the layout) and long at the 14th but, like Smith and Day, he would birdie the very reachable par 5 16th and all three were at 4 under.
Behind them on the golf course, however, was exciting young Australian Elvis Smylie, who just a few weeks ago broke through for his first and perhaps much-awaited win on the PGA Tour of Australasia after numerous top-three finishes over the last three years.
Smylie, an elegant and extremely gifted golfer and a former Australian Boys Champion, also began at the 10th and after making the turn in 33 he added five more birdies and a bogey over his closing nine for a round of 65.
When the morning field had finished the 22-year-old was ahead by one over Swiss golfer, Joel Girrbach, who after a good start to his season on the DP World Tour has missed eight of his last ten cuts.
For Smylie though it is a continuation of the good form he has shown in the early stages of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia’s current season having won the WA Open and finished 3rd at the WAPGA in October.
“It’s a home game for me this week,” said Smylie. “I mean, I’m from the Gold Coast, it’s only an hour’s drive. I’ve played a lot of golf here. I’m quite familiar with the course and every part of my game’s really good at the moment. I’m really comfortable with what I’m doing.
“The greens are amazing considering after all the rain, so kudos to the greenkeepers and everything and Duane, my caddie, we’re working really well together and really excited for the next few days.
The Duane he refers to is a relatively new caddy for him, Duane Smith, who just so happens to be the husband of Australian LPGA Tour player Sarah Jane Smith.
Smylie is aware that this week’s event is at a different level to that he has been performing so well in of late, but he is delighted to have the chance to compete against some of the game’s best players such as Day and Smith and Lee.
I know Cam better than Jason, but I actually met Jason at the Greg Norman Medal on Tuesday night, and that was really nice. It’s just great to have him back here and supporting Australian golf. I want to be where he is, so it’s definitely motivating to play against those guys for sure.
“I think you try to just keep the levels the same compared to what every other tournament is, but it’s a little bit tricky when you know that it’s a bigger tournament.
“It’s great having all the Aussies back home and supporting the Australian tournaments. And it’s great to compete against them because, ultimately, I want to be in their shoes and what they’re doing in their career. It’s great for me to be able to compare my game against theirs and see what areas I need to improve on.”
Smylie has been working with renowned West Australia coach Ritchie Smith over the past 12 months or so, much of that work managing some of the injury issues Smylie has experienced with his lithe physique.
“I mean this time last year I changed my whole team. Ritchie Smith is my coach, Luke Mackey is my S and C coach, Marty McInnes is my physio and then Michael Lloyd’s my mental coach. Everyone that was in my team before, pretty much left and that was my decision. I needed a clean slate and I feel like I’m really happy with what we’re doing all together.
“They’re all here this week, so it’s great for everyone to be at the same tournament and we’re all working together really well. And yeah, my game’s gone from strength to strength ever since.
Smith also has Min Woo Lee, Minjee Lee and Hannah Green amongst those he guides, and so he was on course today to keep a watchful eye on Smylie, Lee and others.
Day and Smith finished at 4 under 67 and two from the early day one lead while Lee who had been so impressive early dropped three shots in four holes late in his round to finish with 3 under 68.
Day was playing his first tournament in Australia since 2017 and if there was any suggestion that the crowd would not be as warm given his absence, Day was quick to put that to bed.
“No, I’m not too concerned about it. I mean, usually the Australian crowds are great. There’s never a problem. It’s been a while since I’ve been here, so I’m just not too sure how things would unfold. But it’s been great. The crowds have been fantastic and seeing a lot of junior golfers out there.
“It’s fun. It’s only going to get bigger and better as the week progresses, but also as this tournament gets better with BMW. I mean, I played with Wolfgang (BMW) yesterday and he says that we’re going to slowly improve this tournament, which is fantastic. I think that’s what Australian golf needs, a big backer like BMW, and Rolex always brings just that little bit extra to a tournament and a good feel of that. So yeah, no, it’s been great.
So how was his day out with his playing partners Smith and Lee?
“It was good. Yeah, no, it was great. I mean, obviously Cammy’s a big draw here. It’s nice to get out there and watch Min. It’s unbelievable how far that guy hits it. He seems like he’s got a lot of control. He just had just a couple of bad breaks and obviously some swings out there, but overall, he’s playing pretty solid. It’s always nervous to come back and try and defend.
“That’s always hard. And then when you’re in the marquee group, there’s a lot of people watching and it’s always a little bit more nerve-wracking coming back as a defending champ. So I would assume that he will settle in nicely over the next three days.
“And then also Cam, Cammy’s under the weather sick, poor fellow, which is not surprising. He was in the
hunt last week and it was pretty hot last week, but he’s a little bit under the weather but I think he’ll be fine come Sunday.”
Smith confirmed Day’s comments on his health but was not about to make too much of an issue with it.
Yeah, just I think Tuesday out here in the rain and then Wednesday in the rain, a couple of big weeks and stuff. I think it just got to me a little bit. I had a good rest yesterday afternoon, but yeah, just a little bit of a head cold thing.
“Nothing too bad. Just a little bit achy. Yeah, I’ll be right. I’ll live.”
LEADERBOARD
Jason Day gets his round underway today – image Australian Golf Media
Jason Day excited to be playing on home soil
Jason Day at Royal Queensland today – image Australian Golf Media
Jason Day’s first appearance in an Australasian Tour event since 2017 was met with a warm reception by the media in his media appearance at Royal Queensland today.
To some extent, it was like the return of a long-lost son and the media present appeared to enjoy the interaction with one of Australia’s finest ever and most successful PGA Tour players.
Day left Queensland in 2006 to pursue his dream of becoming the world’s number one golfer and not only did he achieve that lofty goal, but in the 18 years since he has won a major title (2015 PGA Championship), won a total of 13 PGA Tour titles, including the PGA, the Players Championship and the Arnold Palmer Invitational, been inside the top 5 on 11 occasions in major championships and accumulated more than US60 million in earnings.
Days’ is a phenomenal record and when considering so much of his career has been impacted by back injuries and other health issues, goodness only knows what he might have achieved as a fully fit golfer over those years.
All that does however seem to be in the past. The swing adjustments he has made with coach Chris Como to accommodate the back issues he has suffered are all in place according to Day when asked in today’s media appearance if he feels his fitness and health is as good as it has been for a long time.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely. I think so. Just to give you a little bit of background, when my back would go out, it would take me at the height of how my injuries – it would probably take about three weeks for my back to fully recover.
“And now if I have an episode, it takes half a day. It just goes to show that the stuff that I’m working on in the gym with my trainer, if I can back that up with not only having the mobility but also add the strength component into it, it’ll only help that.
“But I’ve also got to tread lightly too because I don’t want to bite off too much and then be a little bit too overconfident in some of the workouts or some of the swing changes that I’m doing because that potentially could flare things back up too. But overall, I feel I felt this is the healthiest I’ve felt in probably 12 years. So it’s been a long time.”
Day’s only win on Australian soil as a professional was when he won the 2013 World Cup of Golf Individual title but he is now keen to enjoy the prospect of being home amongst family and many of the friends he accumulated while living in southeast Queensland.
“I mean it’s interesting because it’s going to be a very short week for me here. Obviously I’ve got this week and then I’ll have a week off and play Tiger’s event in The Bahamas and then got Grant Thornton (Invitational) with Lydia (Ko).
“So it’s going to be very quick and I’ve been trying to catch up with as many people as I possibly can, and its a little bit emotional to see some of the faces. My sisters, I haven’t seen them since my mum passed away, so it’s been nice to be able to catch up with my sisters. Obviously I’ve got some friends, a lot of the friends that will be here this week, so really I’m looking forward to tomorrow and obviously the four days, we haven’t had many of the fans out yet, but I think once the fans come out it’s going to feel really special.
“I’ve taken just over three months off I think since my last tournament. So yeah, I’m very fresh coming into this week. I might be a little tournament-rusty, but I’ve done a lot of work leading into this event and then obviously I’ve tried to put in as much as possible over the last three days here.”
Day indicated that his player-coach relationship with Chris Como is on hold at present while acknowledging the great help Como provided in overcoming the impact his injury issues were having on his swing.
Personally this writer feels it is a tremendous decision for Day to make, as the opportunity for Day to not get too bogged down in technique as he has had a tendency to do and revert instead to his beautifully natural game might assist him to even greater heights. Time will tell if he can continue for long without feeling the need for swing guidance but it is an interesting decision.
“I mean I’m just kind of focused on playing. Yeah, I’m focusing on just trying to play a little bit more. I feel like the swing is kind of where I need to be. Health-wise, the body’s great. The swing needs some improvement in certain areas technically, but, for the most part, I want to try and just find some sort of consistency in all flights and spin controls.”
Day’s record in major championships is phenomenal and today he talked about his desire for an even greater record at that elite level.
“The goal for me has always been trying to win all four. I’ve finished second in all four and won a PGA championship. I know I definitely have the game to win majors. It’s just being able to be healthy first and foremost and then have the swing and the technique back up, the good hitting.
“I know that on my day I’m the best putter in the world and my short game is right there with it. I’ve just got to be able to match that with good hitting. And I think if I can do that, then I definitely have a shot at winning more majors than just my sole one.
“But yeah, I think it is interesting. I feel like I should have accomplished a little bit more just with my game and the way that it has, but the injuries kind of pushed that a little bit back, but I’ve got the experience and I feel like I’m right there. The game is really there. It’s close.”
Day plays with Cam Smith and Min Woo Lee in tomorrow’s opening round and just as Lee had sung the praises of Day on Tuesday, it was Day’s turn today to outline his thoughts on Lee.
“I haven’t played competitively with Camie for a long time and I’ve known Camie for a while now, actually a long time. And Min is, I just see so much potential in Min Woo. Obviously, the length definitely helps these days.
“The way that we play golf these days, it’s very offence-driven. When I first started professionally, there was still some type of defence in regards to how you tactically manage yourself around a golf course.
“It just feels like these days it’s just driver everywhere you can. And he definitely has the firepower for that. Obviously, Strokes Gained Off The Tee is off the charts. I think once he kind of manages certain shots within his iron play, like off-speed shots, being able to change your flight controls, trajectories and spin, that will open up another element to his game.”
As to who will be the crowd favourite amongst their group in the opening two rounds Day responded;
“I mean obviously I think Cammie’s a very big favourite being here. And he’s got a lot of fans here. Even though I’m from here, it’s kind of hard to get the fan base when I haven’t been here as much. So I’m looking forward to playing with Min, looking forward to playing with Cam.
“I’m really interested to see the crowds out there, seeing how many people will come out. Fingers crossed we have good weather. I know that rain is not ideal, but like I said early in the interview, we’re going to have really good weather on the weekend and that should be fun. That should bring out a lot of people.”
Day arrived on an early flight from the US early in the week and one of his immediate thoughts was for an Aussie meat pie.
“I had two meat pies. I got off the plane and got through customs. They lost my clubs, which ended up working out great because then I could just take my suitcase with me.
“But the first stop was at a bakery eating two meat pies and it was phenomenal. It was really good. It was early. It would’ve been like six, six in the morning. I got out of customs pretty quick and then I was straight to Forest Lake ( a former home), one of the bakeries there and I was just, yeah, it was good.”
While that and a self-confessed craving for Australian Kentucky Fried Chicken occupied his mind today, tomorrow it will be all on as he chases his first major Australian flagship title.
So what would it mean for him to do just that?
“Oh, it would mean a lot. I know that I’ve always wanted to win in Australia. Haven’t won as a professional and to be able to, and I’ve seen Jordan Spieth come down here, Rory come down here and obviously they’re playing the Australian Open and winning the Australian Open.
“They’ve accomplished that and it’d be nice for me to be able to do that, especially here in Brisbane where part of my life I grew up, and especially at a place like Royal Queensland, very iconic. I grew up playing some tournaments here, but it’s always nice to be able to win a tournament regardless of where you go, but to be able to win one on home soil and to know that you can come back and win one, that would be special.”
Jason Day has unfairly been on the receiving end of criticism for being unable, through health or family reasons, to support Australian golf to the extent he would have liked over the years but the reception he received from the media pack at Royal Queensland today suggests he has put that to bed.
A win this week would be welcomed by not only Day but by those who have, until now, been able to admire the exploits of one of Australia’s finest from afar only.
Cam Davis under the radar but very much a PGA Championship contender
Cam Davis on course this week – image Australian Golf Media
Former Australian Amateur and Open champion, Cam Davis, plays this week’s BMW Australian PGA Championship under the radar to some extent, but given his standing amongst Australian golfers he deserves to be one of the favourites to win his third Australian flagship event.
The winner of the 2015 Australian Amateur Championship, the Eisenhower Trophy Team’s event and World Amateur Championship in 2016 and the Australian Open in the very early stages of his professional career in 2017, Davis is now a successful PGA Tour player having not only won two events there but having made the elite Tour Championship field in 2024 and finished inside the top 50 in the FedEx Cup standings.
By nearly every measure he deserves to be one of the favourites ahead of this week’s Australian PGA Championship but with the higher profiled Jason Day, Cam Smith and Min Woo Lee taking much of the limelight, he has again escaped the attention he deserves. Perhaps by week’s end it will be a case of him having let his clubs do the talking.
The former Sydneysider, who these days lives in Seattle in the USA where he is married to an American wife, now has an embarrassment of riches in terms of lucrative playing options, having access to all the signature events on the PGA Tour in 2025 and all majors.
Given the platforms he continues to build for himself in his, still, relatively young career, then there is every reason to believe he could well find himself amongst the favourites in any event he contends, not just the Australian PGA Championship.
Earlier in the week Davis addressed the media and expressed his desire to do well at home.
“I want to play my best. I feel like every tournament I tee it up in, I want to play my best, but there’s just a little extra desire to play well at home.
“I mean I don’t try and put any extra pressure on myself, but I’m definitely trying to bring my best golf to each week that I play, whether it’s this week or next week. So yeah, it doesn’t really change as the years go on, just want to keep trying to win tournaments over here.
“I mean even if I don’t have two great weeks on the golf course, it’s still so nice to finish the year here. It would mean a lot to finish the year with a bang because the next season’s so close by now that it’d be great to kind of roll into 2025 with some really good form.
“But yeah, regardless it’s just so nice to finish it up at home. So yeah, I’m really looking forward to two weeks with familiar accents around me and familiar golf courses. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Davis has played this event and the course in recent years and was asked his thoughts on how he might perform this week.
“I feel like last few years I’ve actually hit the ball pretty well, but you just have a couple of days where the putts don’t go in. I mean the greens are grainy. Some pin positions can get really tricky out here and it’s just a matter of making putts because about 20-under par usually wins.
“When it gets like that, it’s usually a bit of a putting contest. Fingers crossed a few more drop in this year and that’ll get me higher up the leaderboard.”
There is something to like about the understated manner and career of Cam Davis to this point. If he was to add yet another Australian flagship event to his already impressive list this week then this writer, for one, would not be surprised.
Min Woo Lee talks PGA defence, Jason Day and 2024 year
Min Woo Lee – image Australian Golf Media
As rain poured, defending champion Min Woo Lee cut short his practice for this week’s BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland and faced the media ahead of his return to the scene of his magnificent victory twelve months ago.
Fresh from a midfield finish at last week’s DP World Tour Championship, Lee reflected on his rushed trip from Dubai and his anticipation of the week ahead.
“A quick 14-hour flight down, slept for half of it and then slept a little bit this morning, so I’ll probably be pretty tired tonight,” said the 26 year old rising star of Australian golf. “Looking forward to this week and yeah, hopefully have a good two weeks down in Australia.”
Lee has completed a year which has seen him drop back in world ranking but consolidate his place on the PGA Tour and today reflected on the year and how he has measured it thus far.
“Yeah, again, a win would’ve been amazing, but I’ve had a very consistent year, which is I think where I would have wanted to be.
“When I first turned pro there were a lot of fiery finishes, but also a lot of missed cuts when I first turned pro. So the last couple of years I’ve played a lot of weekends but not got myself too much, not as much as I wanted to into contention.
“So again, I think we’re just trying to find my feet to play better golf and it’s heading into that direction, so hopefully it can translate soon. But the game’s getting close and I think my team and I are pretty proud of where it’s going. Just need to put four good rounds together and hopefully I’ll be there.”
Lee spent much of the year in the USA and was full of praise for the assistance and mentoring provided by Jason Day who he looks up to as a role model of sorts and expressed delight Day is back playing in Australia for the first time for several years.
“Jason’s been a very good friend and a good role model over the last few months since Olympics and President’s Cup. I’ve learned a lot from him and I owe a lot. He’s been a, again great friend, a great role model, but just things that you would kind of learn down the road.”
When quizzed on the sort of help Day has provided Lee added;
“What I tell to kids and my friends is kind of like what he’s been telling me. You don’t really listen to many people because I guess I’ve been successful, I can play golf, but he’s obviously been at another level,
“No.1 player in the world and he’s a major winner, so he’s already been there. So it’s kind of those things that he tells me about. Nothing crazy, but just someone that kind of puts me in my place a little bit, that type of stuff.
“Him and obviously Adam Scott have been amazing in Australian golf and yeah, I look up to them a lot. I mean, I hung out with Adam a couple times last week and it’s cool to just text him and call him and yeah, it’s a pretty cool moment. I still feel like I’m a little kid and I look up to him still.”
“Jason’s telling me what he’s done over the last, how many years he’s played and a lot of wisdom I guess. And he’s kind of a kid too. People don’t really know behind the scenes, but we are pretty… I mean, I would say I’m younger in mental age, but he’s pretty young too, so we like to have fun and enjoy our time and the times that we’ve had have been amazing and yeah, he’s great in that part in the sense that I want to learn golf and try to get my game to another level, he’s there for me.
“And then also when we’re out having dinners, we can talk about anything. So yeah, he’s been a very good friend to me and it’s great to have him in Australia. It’s been a while and yeah, hopefully we get to play together and show off.
“I’m sure he is very excited to play here. His game’s at a level where he wanted to be after injury, and it’s very cool to see and good to see.
“Pretty proud of the way he’s gone about it and hopefully he plays well and I play better, but we are going to have fun. I really love and appreciate that he is down in Australia playing.”
Lee asked how he reflected on last year’s victory and what a win at this point of the season would mean to him.
“Last year was amazing. Obviously towards the end of the year, I mean I guess you would like a win at the beginning of the year, but at the end of the year you can kind of reflect and feel like you’ve done a really, really good job and having one win for a year is good.
“I had two last year, but I haven’t won this year and hopefully one of the next two weeks is nice to me. But it’s going to be very cool to go back-to-back. I haven’t done that before and just being in a tournament that you are coming back to defend is a special feeling and especially being here on the grounds now, it’s cool.
“I think just a lot of confidence for the next few tournaments. I feel like my game’s very close to being in contention. Again, I haven’t really just converted when I needed to, but one aspect of the game I needed to get better at was my approach play and the last few months have kind of proven that the work that my team has done has got there, but because I’m hitting it better.
“Converting doesn’t seem as often because I used to miss a lot of greens and then make a lot of up and downs, but now I’m hitting greens. Obviously you can’t hole every putt that you hit greens on.
“But yeah, hopefully I can hit it closer and hole some putts, but just to not get too down on myself, especially when that happens because it felt like that the last couple of tournaments. Hopefully, I can keep a good attitude. It’s kind of where I want my game to be. So hopefully the putts fall in.”
Lee is currently ranked as Australia’s third highest-ranked player behind Adam Scott and Jason Day in terms of official world ranking but of course, Cameron Smith’s absence from world ranking events means that Lee is unofficially ranked number four in Australian golf at present.
But many think that the young man from Perth is destined for great things in the game and he might well add further strength to that argument this week.
Royal Queensland’s 17th – the calm before the storm
The par 3 17th at Royal Queensland – looking from and to the tee – images Bruce Young
The BMW Australian PGA Championship gets underway this Thursday, but on Tuesday, when so many of the field were making their final preparations, Royal Queensland’s layout and surroundings were serene.
By Sunday however that peace and calm will almost certainly be replaced by rowdy and engaged crowds, most of whom will be centred around the par 3 17th ‘party hole’ which has rapidly become a magnet for those looking for fun and excitement.
The event’s already successful staging since its move from RACV Royal Pines on the Gold Coast in 2021 has, to a large extent, been the result of increasing interaction between the players and their fans, and there is no better example of such than the amphitheatre surrounding the 17th.
In 2024 that amphitheatre or cauldron becomes even more so with the introduction of almost wall to wall seating or corporate boxes surrounding the hole.
Many traditional golf fans are split with their thoughts on the idea of the razzamatazz involved in such an initiative to widen the appeal of tournament golf.
There is little doubt, however, the attraction and talking point the stadium effect creates and on Sunday at Royal Queensland it may well be the noise from the overhead planes landing at nearby Brisbane airport that will be forced to take second fiddle to the boisterous crowd surrounding the ‘party hole’.
Nelly Korda makes it seven wins for the season
Nelly Korda – wins her 7th title of the season
The LPGA Tour heads to Naples in Florida this week for the season-ending event on that tour, the CME Tour Championship.
The leading 60 players in the Race to the CME Globe rankings at the completion of this past week’s event, The ANNIKA in Florida, assemble at the Tiburon Golf Club to chase part of the US$11 million purse and one New Zealander and four Australians have made the field.
Lydia Ko in 3rd position, Hannah Green (6th), Gabi Ruffels (30th), Grace Kim (46th) and Minjee Lee (54th) all get their chance for one final payday in this LPGA Tour season.
Stephanie Kyriacou (62nd) and Hira Naveed (72nd) will miss out on a start but they can rest easy in the knowledge that by finishing inside the top 100 in the rankings they have secured their LPGA Tour status for 2025.
Ko has been the standout amongst that group, winning the season opener in Orlando and later winning the Gold Medal at the Olympics in Paris, the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews and the Kroger Queen City event in Ohio and is in 4th place in the Rolex World rankings after beginning the year in 31st place.
The winner this week was Nelly Korda who recorded an amazing 7th win for the season taking her earnings beyond US$4 million with one lucrative event to come..
Korda made a blistering start to the season, winning six of her first eight events before a relative slump through the middle of the year.
Korda regained her lost form late in the season, finishing 5th and runner-up in her last two starts before her win today.
“Just makes me really, really grateful for my team,” said the winner when asked to compare this win with those earlier in the year.
“The middle of the year was very, very tough part of the year, but I’m so grateful to have people that I can lean on. That will be with me through the hard times. I feel like in the world of sports when someone is going through a hard time, aka the player, people tend to search for something better.
“My people stuck with me and grinded out the hard times and for that I’m super grateful.”
The Annika Leaderboard
Adam Scott completes great season with 3rd place in Dubai
Adam Scott finishes his season in style – file photo Australian Golf Media
Adam Scott has finished in an impressive share of 3rd place at the season-ending event on the DP World Tour, the DP World Tour Championship.
Scott adds another €525,000 to his already significant earnings for the season and while without a victory in 2024 he has shown with four top 5 finishes worldwide, that, at the age of 44, he remains competitive at the highest level.
Scott’s final round of 68 was one of the best of the day and saw him jump 6 positions from his overnight 9th place, a two-putt birdie from 15 feet at the last completing a bogey-free round.
Scott will finish the season in 8th position in the Race to Dubai rankings, an improvement of 8 places from his place heading into the event and will finish his competitive year in around 20th position in the world ranking and as the leading Australian.
Scott has made the decision to not compete in Australia’s two flagship events over the next two weeks, the Australian PGA and Open Championships, and instead take a well-deserved break.
Min Woo Lee was the only other Australian to make it into the field in Dubai and finished in a share of 24th place and earned €74,000.
Min Woo Lee now boards a plane to Brisbane where he will be one of the start attractions at this coming week’s PGA Championship where he will defend the title he won so impressively twelve months ago and where the new DP World Tour season begins.
The winner however was the brilliant Rory McIlroy who after a mid-round struggle with Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard drew clear with two late birdies to win by two over Hojgaard with another three shots back to Scott, Antoine Rozner and Shane Lowry.
For McIlroy, it completes a season in which he has won on three occasions and been runner-up on four more. He easily claims the Race to Dubai honours over Hojgaard.
RESULTS
Lucas Herbert wins first Australasian Tour event at Golf NSW
An impressive winner – Lucas Herbert his first Australasian Tour title – image Golf NSW
Lucas Herbert upstaged his LIV Golf captain, Cameron Smith, in today’s final round of the Ford NSW Open Championship at the Murray Downs Golf and Country Club on the NSW / Victorian border, to win his first PGA Tour of Australasia event by three shots over Smith and NSW golfers, Corey Lamb and Alex Simpson, securing a cheque for A$136,500 in the process.
On a day when as many as five players could conceivably have taken the prestigious title, most of the focus was on the battle between the two marquee players, Smith and Herbert, but with Herbert’s almost faultless round of 67 some seven shots better than that of the two shot 54 hole leader, Smith, then it would be Herbert who would break through for a welcome first victory at home.
Another three shots back were New Zealand’s Josh Geary and already two-time PGA Tour of Australasia Tour this season, Jack Buchanan.
Yeah, pretty special.” Herbert grinned when asked how it felt to take the title by Golf NSW. “There’s a very good contingent of Bendigo crew here this week.
“I know it’s a NSW Open, but it feels like a home event really.
“For a lot of guys from Bendigo it’s the closest thing I’ll play to a tour event. So very special to win in front of all my friends and family in here as well.”
Jack Buchanan shared 5th place, Buchanan retaining his place at the top of the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.
RESULTS
Adam Scott five off the pace in Dubai
Adam Scott – file phot0
Adam Scott and Min Woo Lee were the two Australian to be inside the top 50 in the DP World’s Race to Dubai rankings ahead of this week’s DP World Tour Championship and, as a result, earned the right to play the season-ending event.
At the halfway stage at the Earth Course at the Jumeirah Golf Estates Earth Course in Dubai Scott is in a share of 12th place and five off the lead held by Frenchman Antoine Rozner.
Scott added a second round of 71 to his opening 69 recovering from a slow start to his second round with a back nine of 34 to be on the edge of contention heading into the weekend.
Lee is two shots behind Scott in a share of 21st place after a struggling round of 72.
Scott will head for a break after this week’s event, making the decision to miss Australia’s flagship events over the next two weeks for the first time in several years to spend time with family and recover from what has been a hectic schedule of late.
Lee, however, will head to Brisbane after this week’s event to attempt to defend his Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland.
The leader through 36 holes, Rozner, is a two-time winner on the DP World Tour. Although the 31-year-old has not won anywhere in more than two years, he has been in good form in recent starts and recording 14 birdies in his opening 36 holes suggests he has carried that form into this week.
Rozner is ahead of two-time winner of the event, Rory McIlroy,, who shares second place with Tyrell Hatton, a winner and runner-up in his last two DP World Tour starts.
Leaderboard
Herbert and Smith create dream scenario for NSW Open organisers
Lucas Herbert and Cam Smith complete their second round today
Golf NSW could not have scripted it better. The two marquee players in the field for this week’s Ford NSW Open are in first and second position as the event enters the weekend at the Murray Downs Golf and Country Club, with Lucas Herbert ahead by two over Cam Smith.
The Liv Golf pair provided a great boost for the $800,000 tournament leading into the week, allowing a greater amount of publicity for the event than has been the case for some time and they appear likely to offer a lot more over the final 36 holes.
The pair played together in the afternoon group on day two and while Herbert took a while to build momentum, his homeward nine of 31 saw him move past Smith who had taken the lead through nine holes.
A three-shot swing between the pair at the par 5 16th would prove the difference. Herbert’s eagle against a bogey by Smith would see Herbert move two clear and retain that gap to the finish.
Herbert used the frustration of a missed birdie putt on nine to get his mind back into focus. “That was a bit of a wake-up call,” the big Victorian told Golf NSW.
“It was a kick in the arse to get things going on the back nine. I would have liked to have made that one there and extended the lead going into the weekend … but there’s not much you can do. I had a couple of good breaks out there so I’m not going to get too caught up in that.”
Herbert made an important par-save on 15 after hitting a hidden rock in the bunker, then found the green in two on 16 and made a long eagle putt, forcing a three-shot swing against Smith.
“(The putt) on 16 was a bit of a momentum swing,” he said.
“I could have easily two-putted both those (15 and 16) and it’s a different conversation. I’m very grateful they went in.”
New Zealand’s Josh Geary, Victorian Matias Sanchez, Gold Coaster Dillon Hart and NSW’s Corey Lamb are just one behind Smith in a share of 3rd place.
Leaderboard