Brendan Steele – image LIV Golf
American 41-year-old Brendan Steele won the second edition of LIV Golf Adelaide, holding off challenges from as many as eight other golfers in today’s final round in front of 35,000 at the Grange Golf Club.
In eighteen previous starts since joining Liv Golf in early 2023 Steele had yet to win and, in fact, his form in five starts this season had resulted in a best of 19th but a chat with Phil Mickelson over breakfast on Saturday morning gave Steele the confidence and self-belief to produce weekend rounds of 64 and 68 to win by one over a fast finishing Louis Oosthuizen with another shot back to Charl Schwartzel, Jon Rahm, Dean Burmester, Andy Ogletree and Joaquin Niemann.
“Yeah, I lean on Phil pretty hard with everything, with how to hit shots around the green, how to approach things,” said Steele.
“He’s one of the best players ever, and he can give me advice. If he’s going to give me advice, I’m going to take it. I definitely want to listen to him, and he’s helped me a ton with everything from wedge play, short game, mental game. Just instilling confidence in myself, and he’s a big reason I’m sitting up here.
“Just for him to have that belief in me is really great. He’s the reason that I’m here and the reason that I’m improving. To be honest, I’m 41 years old and I’m getting better, and it’s mostly because of him. It’s really great.”
Steele began the final round one ahead of Danny Lee and after an early bogey, he almost immediately responded with five consecutive birdies to take a lead which he would hold all day.
Matt Jones was the leading Australian in a share of 9th place at 14 under and one shot clear of Lucas Herbert, Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman.
Although the dream result for the huge crowds that flocked to Adelaide and the Grange Golf Club would have seen an Australian win the individual title, the battle for the team event provided them with plenty of excitement as the Ripper Team of Smith, Leishman, Jones and Herbert took out that title, each member earning US$750,000 of the total US$5 million purse for that particular contest.
With both the Ripper and Stinger (South African) teams locked at 53 under for the 54 holes they were forced into a dramatic playoff which resulted in the Rippers (Smith and Leishman as the chosen participants) winning their first team title by both parring the second extra hole after superb par save by both at the first.
“I am flabbergasted actually,” said Smith. “I think we’re all flabbergasted. I think we’re all exhausted. It’s been a very long week, and for it to end the way it did was, like you said, a storybook ending. It was so cool.
“All the boys played really well. I think we all finished in the top 12 or 13 or something, which is something we probably haven’t done as a team before, so that’s pretty cool, as well, for everyone to show up at our home event and play really solid golf.
“I think we’re all ready for a beer and a long sleep.”
As to how the two to tackle the playoff were selected Smith responded; “It wasn’t easy. Not an easy decision. I had just made bogey on 18, and we kind of all talked about it. We had a good chat. Obviously Leish and Herby shot a really good score today, so they were kind of on fire.
“Yeah, I mean, in the end it was the right decision. Do I think it would have mattered? Probably not. I think any one of these guys could have stepped up there and got the job done.
“I think today for myself it was about digging deep. I didn’t really have my best stuff out there, but we did it in that first playoff hole. We both made pretty good pars and kept us in the golf tournament.
“Yeah, I think it could have gone either way. I think either one of us could have done it.”
The Adelaide version of the event has once again proven to be the most supported of the LIV events. Crowds of 35,000 were on-course each day, providing not only evidence of its popularity with Australian golf fans but given the percentage of the crowds that were from interstate then a windfall for the city of Adelaide.
This writer is not a great fan of the division LIV Golf’s introduction has created in world golf but it is hard to argue with the success of the Adelaide event.
Liv Golf now heads to Singapore for the LIV Golf Singapore event starting on Friday.
SCORES
The successful Ripper Team
Steve Alker’s strong major Sunday just fails
Steve Alker – image PGA of America
New Zealand’s Steve Alker extended his lead at the top of the Charl Schwab Cup points table with a runner-up finish in the opening major of the PGA Tour Champions, the Regions Traditions in Birmingham, Alabama this morning.
Alker’s brilliant final round of 63 was by three shots the best of the day and swept him from 13th place through 54 holes to finish two shots behind the winner, Doug Barron.
Alker moved past the likes of Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington and Steve Stricker during the course of the final round with seven birdies and an eagle, the only hiccup coming when he bogeyed the 16th hole challenging for the lead.
Alker earned US$228,000 and lifts his season’s earnings to US$1.2 million, some US$243,000 ahead of the second-placed Stephen Ames.
It was Alker’s third runner-up finish of the season to go with his win at the opening event of the year.
Alker’s next event is the Senior PGA Championship a title he won in 2022.
Stuart Appleby was the best of the Australians when he finished 11th and moved to 18th on the Charl Schwab table.
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Six Australians and two New Zealanders in PGA Championship
Jason Day – the last Australian and the first in 30 years to win the PGA Championship – image PGA of America
The second major of the year for men’s golf will see six Australians and two New Zealanders in the field for the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky beginning on May 16th.
Jason Day, Cam Smith, Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott, Cam Davis, Lucas Herbert and New Zealanders Ryan Fox and Kazuma Kobori get their opportunity with Kobori to make his first appearance in a major championship.
Day is the only Australian in the last 30 years to have won the title, his victory in 2015 coming on top of four other PGA Tour titles in what was a stellar year for him. He was also runner-up the following year.
Adam Scott is the next best performed at the PGA Championship amongst those above, finishing 3rd on two occasions, the last of those in 2018.
Cam Smith’s best was when 9th last year and given his recent form at both the Masters and in Liv Golf events he is well placed to contend for a second major title.
Min Woo Lee plays the PGA Championship for the second occasion, his best being when 18th last year.
Cam Davis produced his best major championship finish when 4th behind Brooks Koepka last year and although his season to date has been unspectacular, his effort twelve months ago was impressive.
Lucas Herbert Lucas will play his 6th PGA Championship with a best of 13th in 2022. His play on the LIV Tour has been solid in his debut season there.
Ryan Fox will play his 6th PGA Championship with a best of 23rd last year. Fox has struggled in his debut season on the PGA Tour but a solid week at the Masters and an encouraging effort when 4th in the team event at the Zurich Classic will lift his confidence.
Kazuma Kobori took the Australasian PGA Tour storm last season, heading the Order of Merit and gaining access to the DP World Tour for 2025.
The New Zealander continues to clear the bar whenever it is lifted in front of him and, while this is another level again, his performance against the strongest field in golf and on a golf course where many of the par 4’s measure close to 500 yards will be watched with interest.
Adam Scott during last year’s PGA Championship – image PGA of America
Jason Day confirms Olympic availablity ahead of Byron Nelson defence
Jason Day with his winning trophy last year – image Getty Images / PGA Tour
In a press conference ahead of his defence of this week’s CJ Cup Byron Nelson Classic at the TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney in Texas, Jason Day has confirmed his availability to play for the Australian Olympic Team in Paris in July / August.
It will be the first occasion Day has played the Olympics as, in 2016 when golf made its return to the Olympic fold, he and wife Ellie were expecting a third child and the threat of the Zika virus was enough to discourage his involvement.
Marcus Fraser and Scott Hend represented Australia that year.
Then, in 2021 Day was not eligible due to a form slump and Australia was represented by Cam Smith and Marc Leishman.
“I think I — probably looking back on it, I wish I would’ve gone to Rio,” said Day today. “Had one of those spots and at the time we were having kids, and then obviously there was that scare, so I was kind of like a little bit freaked out about that.
“I wish I would’ve gone, but if I get the opportunity to go and represent the country, my country, Australia and get to go to Paris, that would be an absolute blast, an honor to do that.
“To be able to call yourself an Olympian would be even better. If I get the opportunity I’m 100% going.”
Day is clearly on track to gain one of the two male spots on the Australian team as he now stands in 22nd place in the world rankings and with Adam Scott recently declaring himself unavailable, it appears that Day and Min Woo Lee are the current Australians most likely. Lee is currently 32nd.
Cameron Smith ( 55th) will get opportunities in both the PGA Championship later this month and the US Open ahead of the final selection on June 17th, the day after the US Open, to advance his hopes of improving his world ranking ahead of Lee but he faces a big task if he is to do so.
Day won the CJ Cup last year by one shot over Si Woo Kim recording his first victory in five years and his form in 2024 suggests he could well contend again.
This week’s event or its former equivalent has been good to Day as it was this title that saw him win his first PGA Tour event in 2010.
Day lived in the Dallas Forth Worth area earlier in his time in the US and clearly enjoys playing in this region.
“I lived in the DFW area for a couple years,” said the 36 year old. “I’ve always enjoyed the people here. I grew up on, not like grass like this, but on bermudagrass, so you kind of get that a lot here.
“I didn’t grow up in too much wind, but what I’ve noticed I’ve had a lot of success here in Texas. From the Los Colinas Golf Course we play to this one as well. I always find it funny to think there is 13 years between my first and last win, which is like I always wonder where the time went.
“But it’s nice to be able to come back to a place that I’ve had success that I know and whether that’s here or Los Colinas or around Texas. I’ve always enjoyed playing in Texas.”
Day recalled just what his win last year did for his confidence after such a long winning drought.
“Golf is a funny game. Not only physically, but mentally as well. Especially where I’ve been, like I’ve been to the top of the mountain before and then to be where I was during that five-year span of like do I really want to push enough, kind of push through this and get through the pain of it all.
“But it was great to finally see all the work that I’ve been working on pay off. I remember talking to someone about this and I said like I keep projecting myself forward saying that I’m going to be talking about finally after so and so many years I finally got that win.
“It’s amazing how mentally tough this game can be. And I would always say to myself that if I can talk myself into a bad shot I can talk myself into a good shot. It’s human nature to feel down and guilty for yourself. I just kept on saying to myself, it’s only a short period of time. Even though five years is a long time in a career. It’s going to happen. Just keep working through it. Ultimately it happened here last year, which was fantastic.”
Day will be joined by fellow Australians, Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott, Aaron Baddeley and Harrison Endycott in this week’s field along with New Zealander Ryan Fox.
Hannah Green wins 5th LPGA Tour title
Hannah Green – file photo courtesy of LPGA / Getty
Perth’s Hannah Green has today won her 5th LPGA Tour title and her second of 2024 with a three-shot victory over Sweden’s Maja Stark at the JM Eagle LA Championship in Los Angeles.
Green, who was the defending champion after her playoff win in the event last year, shared the 54-hole lead with her fellow countrywoman Grace Kim but a birdie at her first hole of today gave her the lead which she retained throughout the final round.
A strong stretch of five under through five holes of her final nine allowed her to break clear of Stark and win with ease, adding a cheque for US$562,500 to her already substantial career earnings.
Green moves into third place on the 2024 LPGA Tour money list behind Nelly Korda who did not play this week and the woman she beat into second place Stark.
Green’s career earnings on the LPGA Tour are now close to US$6 million.
“It’s really kind to me,” Green said about the Wilshire Country Club in the inner suburbs of Los Angeles. “I felt like a couple times today almost got like a member bounce. I, obviously, really am fond of the golf club and joked that they didn’t approve it with me that they were making alterations. I love it here.”
“When I chipped in on 12 I kind of felt like I really snagged one there,” Green said. “I really like the 13th hole and also played the 15th really well. When I made eagle on 15 that kind of sealed the deal. I did see Maja got it to 9 under so I know what I needed to do. Usually, I make it really tricky on myself and only win by a shot.”
Green adds this event to her three other LPGA Tour events in addition to her breakthrough win in the KPMG LPGA Championship in 2019.
Sydney’s Grace Kim who led by four at the halfway mark and shared the lead through 54 holes struggled over the weekend to eventually finish in a share of 25th place.
RESULTS
Steele wins in Adelaide Australians take team title
Brendan Steele – image LIV Golf
American 41-year-old Brendan Steele won the second edition of LIV Golf Adelaide, holding off challenges from as many as eight other golfers in today’s final round in front of 35,000 at the Grange Golf Club.
In eighteen previous starts since joining Liv Golf in early 2023 Steele had yet to win and, in fact, his form in five starts this season had resulted in a best of 19th but a chat with Phil Mickelson over breakfast on Saturday morning gave Steele the confidence and self-belief to produce weekend rounds of 64 and 68 to win by one over a fast finishing Louis Oosthuizen with another shot back to Charl Schwartzel, Jon Rahm, Dean Burmester, Andy Ogletree and Joaquin Niemann.
“Yeah, I lean on Phil pretty hard with everything, with how to hit shots around the green, how to approach things,” said Steele.
“He’s one of the best players ever, and he can give me advice. If he’s going to give me advice, I’m going to take it. I definitely want to listen to him, and he’s helped me a ton with everything from wedge play, short game, mental game. Just instilling confidence in myself, and he’s a big reason I’m sitting up here.
“Just for him to have that belief in me is really great. He’s the reason that I’m here and the reason that I’m improving. To be honest, I’m 41 years old and I’m getting better, and it’s mostly because of him. It’s really great.”
Steele began the final round one ahead of Danny Lee and after an early bogey, he almost immediately responded with five consecutive birdies to take a lead which he would hold all day.
Matt Jones was the leading Australian in a share of 9th place at 14 under and one shot clear of Lucas Herbert, Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman.
Although the dream result for the huge crowds that flocked to Adelaide and the Grange Golf Club would have seen an Australian win the individual title, the battle for the team event provided them with plenty of excitement as the Ripper Team of Smith, Leishman, Jones and Herbert took out that title, each member earning US$750,000 of the total US$5 million purse for that particular contest.
With both the Ripper and Stinger (South African) teams locked at 53 under for the 54 holes they were forced into a dramatic playoff which resulted in the Rippers (Smith and Leishman as the chosen participants) winning their first team title by both parring the second extra hole after superb par save by both at the first.
“I am flabbergasted actually,” said Smith. “I think we’re all flabbergasted. I think we’re all exhausted. It’s been a very long week, and for it to end the way it did was, like you said, a storybook ending. It was so cool.
“All the boys played really well. I think we all finished in the top 12 or 13 or something, which is something we probably haven’t done as a team before, so that’s pretty cool, as well, for everyone to show up at our home event and play really solid golf.
“I think we’re all ready for a beer and a long sleep.”
As to how the two to tackle the playoff were selected Smith responded; “It wasn’t easy. Not an easy decision. I had just made bogey on 18, and we kind of all talked about it. We had a good chat. Obviously Leish and Herby shot a really good score today, so they were kind of on fire.
“Yeah, I mean, in the end it was the right decision. Do I think it would have mattered? Probably not. I think any one of these guys could have stepped up there and got the job done.
“I think today for myself it was about digging deep. I didn’t really have my best stuff out there, but we did it in that first playoff hole. We both made pretty good pars and kept us in the golf tournament.
“Yeah, I think it could have gone either way. I think either one of us could have done it.”
The Adelaide version of the event has once again proven to be the most supported of the LIV events. Crowds of 35,000 were on-course each day, providing not only evidence of its popularity with Australian golf fans but given the percentage of the crowds that were from interstate then a windfall for the city of Adelaide.
This writer is not a great fan of the division LIV Golf’s introduction has created in world golf but it is hard to argue with the success of the Adelaide event.
Liv Golf now heads to Singapore for the LIV Golf Singapore event starting on Friday.
SCORES
The successful Ripper Team
Grace Kim takes four shot lead in Los Angeles
Grace Kim – file photo AWPGA
23-year-old Grace Kim has opened up a four-shot lead at the halfway mark of the LPGA Tour event in Los Angeles, the Sydney golfer chasing a second LPGA Tour title nearly twelve months after her breakthrough win in her rookie season last year.
Kim who opened with a round of 64 at the Wilshire Country Club on day one added a second round of 66 today to break clear of Sweden’s Maja Stark with another two shots back to Kim’s fellow Australian and defending champion, Hannah Green, and Germany’s Esther Henseleit.
Kim arrived at this week’s event with few expectations having missed two of her last three cuts and in seven LPGA Tour starts this season has not recorded a top 20, although she suggested after her round that her game was perhaps better than results would indicate.
The next best of the Australians are Sarah Kemp and Karis Davidson who share 14th place at 2 under and ten shots from Kim’s lead.
The surprise again amongst the Australians was the second missed cut in three starts by Minjee Lee who appeared to be recovering from an opening 74 with a good start to round two before dropping five shots in six holes in the middle of her round.
Lee finished two shots outside the cutline after missing the cut last week at the Chevron Championship.
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Japan’s Kozuma holds early Liv Golf Adelaide lead
Kunichiro Kazuma – walks to the 12th tee today – image courtesy of LIV Golf
Liv Golf returned to Australian shores this week with the second staging of LIV Golf Adelaide at the Grange Golf Club and if the first day was anything to go by then the event promises to exceed the heights of its debut in Adelaide twelve months ago.
Crowds were estimated to be at 35,000 on day one and with the weekend still ahead, then a record crowd in Australian golf could well be recorded over the weekend.
At the completion of the first 18 of 54 holes, Japan’s Jinichiro Kozuma has a one shot lead over New Zealand’s Danny Lee.
Kozuma has previously won events such as the Visa Taiheiyo Masters and the Token Homemate Cup on the Japan Tour so is already a credentialed player, but to date in his Liv Golf career since gaining his full playing rights via a promotions event in 2023 he has shown little indication that his great start today was on the cards.
“It was their first time here to the event, and I wanted to play really well in front of my family and impress all the family,” said Kozuma. “I guess I got to do that, and I’m really happy about that.
“I haven’t been playing well the last couple tournaments, and I wanted to play really well. Coming to Adelaide, I wanted to try to do my best and try and get up there.”
Kozuma leads by one over Danny Lee and Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz, Ortiz a winner on the PGA Tour when successful at the Houston Open in 2020 and earlier this year won the International Series event in Oman.
Ortiz’s best finished to date in Liv Golf was when runner-up in the Portland event in 2022.
Matt Jones is the leading Australian after day one, his round of 6 under 66 leaving him one ahead of Marc Leishman, while Cam Smith has made a solid start to be in a share of 16th place at 4 under.
Jones believes that a different perspective on the event this year compared to the expectations of last year has helped in his great start.
“I think we came in a little more relaxed this year. I know last year we all wanted to play well and we didn’t, and I think this year we’re a little more relaxed and just let the golf course come to us and not try and push anything and just play our game.”
Leaderboard
Wade Ormsby runner-up in Saudi Open
Wade Ormsby – file photo
South Australian Wade Ormsby has finished runner-up at the Asian Tour’s Saudi Open in Riyadh and although finishing seven shots behind the winner, John Catlin of the USA, the 44-year-old earns US$110,000 and improves to 8th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit for 2024.
Ormsby acknowledged the emphatic win of Catlin and is looking forward to next week’s Liv Tour event in his hometown of Adelaide.
“John had a big lead, it was difficult, you just want to go out and play as well as you can,” he said.
“I played great, probably one little blemish on number five. There were a couple of potential tiny openings there, but he closed the door straight away.
“I am really happy with the way I played. First week after 10 years with a new caddie, Mike, so it’s nice to get off on the right foot.
“I am really happy to be playing well again. I hit a lot of good shots out there today. Next week is going to be amazing at LIV Adelaide, that’s where I am from, it’s a golf course I grew up around, so I am looking forward to that.”
Ormsby will attend the LIV Golf event as a reserve player having played several events Liv Golf events in 2022.
Scott Hend was unable to capitalise on a promising position through 36 holes when just one off the lead, but finished in a share of 8th place while Queenslander Maverick Antcliff was the next best of the Australians in a share of 14th place.
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Asian Tour Order of Merit
Scott Hend contends again at Saudi Open
Hend, who three-putted the last hole at Millbrook Resort in early March to finish second to winner Takahiro Hitaji, added a second round of 68 to his opening 68 to be just one back of American John Catlin in the US$1 million event.
The winner of ten Asian Tour titles, Hend appears to be finding a rich vein of form at the age of 50.
“No wind this morning and the greens were rolling, so it was all good, much easier to manage the process,” said the 2016 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner.
“I missed a few but will save them for the next two days. I have been playing a lot of golf at my home course in Australia and really enjoying it and that’s been helping.”
South Australian Wade Ormsby has also started well and finds himself in a share of 6th place and three from the lead.
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Large Australasian representation at women’s first major
Lydia Ko – currently second on Race to the Globe – image LPGA
Just a few days after the first major of the year for men’s golf was completed at Augusta National, women’s golf gets its major season underway with the staging of the Chevron Championship at the Woodlands just outside of Houston in Texas.
The event moved to Texas in 2023 after being held at Mission Hills in California since its inception in 1972 but moved east after the introduction of a new naming rights sponsor Chevron Corporation who are headquartered in the Houston area.
Australia has won the event on two occasions with Karrie Webb succeeding in 2000 and 2006 and, in 2016, New Zealand’s Lydia Ko won the second of her two majors to date.
In 2024 nine Australians and one New Zealander will tee it up on Thursday, one of the strongest representations for our region in the history of the event.
Minjee Lee, Lydia Ko, Hannah Green, Grace Kim, Gabi Ruffels, Stephanie Kyriacou, Sarah Kemp, Hira Naveed, Karis Davidson and Robyn Choi are those players, taking on a red hot Nelly Korda and she attempts to win her 5th straight LPGA event.
Korda trails only Nancy Lopex and Annika Sorenstam who have each won five consecutive events on the LPGA Tour but given that Korda finished 3rd in this event at this venue last year, and is clearly playing even better now, then the chance of her adding a 5th title seems high.
It wasn’t a great year for the Australasians in the event and this venue last year with Minjee the best in 41st place, although, with both Lydia Ko and Hannah Green winning already this season, chances seem high of a significant improvement.
Prizemoney for the event has reached an all-time high with a purse of US$7.9 million up for grabs of which the winner will receive US$ 1.185 million.
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