Talor Gooch and his Australian caddie Mal Baker embrace on the 18th green- photo LIV Golf
Liv Golf’s first venture to Australian shores has resulted in one of the most heavily attended events ever seen in Australian golf and a three shot victory to American Talor Gooch with India’s Anirban Lahiri alone in second place ahead of a four way tie involving Patrick Reed, Cameron Tringale, Pat Perez and Cam Smith in third position.
Gooch took a ten shot lead into today’s final round after his amazing opening rounds of 62 and 62 but leads, however big in tournament golf, often come under attack from others and the leader himself and such was the case today.
Gooch appeared to be well in control when he birdied his 5th hole but his troubles began when he dropped four shots in four holes from the 7th and his lead was reduced to just two as Lahiri reached the 10th tee at 5 under for the day.
Gooch steadied the ship with a birdie at the 11th and when he added a birdie at the 13th the outcome was all but assured.
He would par his last five holes and had the luxury of negotiating the huge crowds who surged onto the 18th hole to welcome the winner with a comfortable lead which he converted to victory and the US$4 million first prize.
“I think golf is just really hard,’ said the champion. “It’s hard to put back-to-back days together like I did and even harder to do it three times in a row. I actually played fine out there today. The golf gods I think said, we don’t want this first win to be easy on you.
“Had a couple bad breaks here and there, so it made things interesting, but it was cool to kind of overcome the adversity and dig deep after I made a double on No. 10. It was kind of a point of we’re either going to dig deep and do this or you’re going to stumble coming in. It was cool to dig deep and get the job done.
“It’s incredible, and even more special with my caddie being from Australia. We’ve been looking forward to this tournament for so long, and I couldn’t have picked a more fun, more meaningful tournament to win on LIV than here in Australia in front of the greatest crowds we’ve had, the greatest environment we’ve had. The course was phenomenal. Everything about it was just first class.”
Gooch made a special tribute to his caddie and outlined just how his role assisted his win this week.
“Yeah, like I’ve said the last few days, his green reading ability out here is incredible. I leaned on him more this week than I have in a long time. He was so spot on early on, and it just gave me confidence in him, and I think it gave confidence in himself.
“I made a bunch of putts the last couple days, a bunch of 8-, 10-, 12-footers, and without him, I don’t make as many putts, plain and simple. Having the confidence in his green-reading ability was a huge difference maker, and then today, when things were shaky, he was a constant.
“He does a great job of not wavering, not getting too high, not getting too low, and he knows that I don’t need a cheerleader that’s going to kind of pump me up when I’m down. He knows that, you know what, we’re just going to keep doing the same things, and we know if we do what we’re supposed to do, good things will happen.
“His constant mentality and emotions, just how he conducts himself in those moments are huge for me for keeping me calm and making things easier than what they feel like they are in the moment.”
Patrick Reed came from the clouds on the final day with a round of 65 to finish in a share of third while Smith added a second consecutive 66 to finish in that 4 way tie for 3rd in what was an impressive effort given the expectations on him throughout the week.
“Yeah, pretty exhausted,” said Smith when asked how he was feeling after the event was over. “It was a big week to get through with lots of commitments and the fans. It’s so cool to have those people behind you, but it’s also really draining, as well, having the ovations on every green and tee. Yeah, it was an epic week but a very tiring week.
“I think we do more stuff, get more people in here. There’s obviously a want in Australia, I think, for really high-quality golf, and I think the fans here really enjoyed what LIV offers. Yeah, there’s no reason why we can’t make it bigger.
“I think I did a really good job of actually just playing golf with all the outside noise. There was a lot of good on the golf course. There was a lot of putts that could have gone in. To finish up the week wherever I did, I think fourth or fifth, I think it was a really good effort.”
Smith’s share of 3rd earns him US$1081,000.
For those who are interested, the teams event was won by The 4 Aces, Patrick Reid, Peter Uilhein, Dustin Johnson and Pat Perez who pocket US$750,000 each for their win.
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Cam Smith during his impressive final round – photo LIV Golf Jason O’Brien
Hannah Green takes third LPGA Tour title in a playoff
Hannah Green – image Harry How Getty / LPGA
A two putt par on the second hole of a playoff at the JM Eagle LA Championship in Los Angeles has earned Perth’s Hannah Green a third LPGA Tour victory, the 26-year-old holing a 22 foot putt at the 72nd hole in regulation play to force her way into the playoff against India’s Aditi Ashok and China’s Xiyu Lin.
Both Green and Lin then birdied the first extra hole, the par 3 18th, before Lin found the bunker at the second and then failed to get up and down. Green’s tee shot finished 25 feet from the hole and when she two putted for par the title was hers.
Green was emotional after the win suggesting the struggle she had had in winning over the almost four years since her breakthrough wins at the KPMG PGA Championship and the Cambia Portland Classic in 2019.
Green graduated to the 2018 LPGA Tour following three victories on the then Epson Tour and although winning only twice since, she has on two occasions won more then US$1 million in a season and has career earnings close to US$4 million. The victory today was worth US$450,000.
“It’s been a long few years, I know I played well last year but getting across the line has been really difficult,” said and emotional Green immediately after her win. “I am really proud of myself for hanging in there because I really didn’t think I would be in it. I am seriously happy but other emotions are also coming out right now.”
“I knew you didn’t need a low score today to win as this weekend played a lot different to the first two days so my caddie said to just stay patient but that is always a lot easier said than done.”
When asked if she would respond to the fans calling for an increasingly popular shoey (player drinking out of a shoe) Green responded. “I guess I have to given the fans what they want eh but I just wish I had new shoes (laughing)”
Lin and Ashok tied for the runner-up position.
Sarah Kemp was the next best of the Australians when she finished 13th, her best LPGA Tour Championship since the Kroger event in September of last year.
Minjee Lee was 44th and Stephanie Kyriacou 53rd.
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Alker wins 6th PGA Tour Champions title
New Zealand’s Steve Alker today converted his three-shot 36 hole lead into a 6th PGA Tour Champions victory with a final round of 66 and a four shot victory over Steve Stricker at the Insperity Invitational at The Woodlands north of Houston in Texas.
It was Alker’s third finish inside the top 2 in five starts this season and adds another US$405,000 to his 2023 earnings, taking them to US$827,000 for the year and into 3rd place in the Schwab Cup behind Stricker and David Toms who tied for 3rd this week.
Alker’s bogey free round included a final nine of 31 but he was never in any real threat of being caught although Stricker did close within one through nine holes before Alker’s five birdies in his final seven holes well and truly sealed the deal.
Understandably, Alker was delighted with the way the day worked out. “You couldn’t write it up any better,” said the 51-year-old. “Really pleased the way I played, and just coming down the stretch, I know Strick — Matt Gogel was chasing, as well, so I had to be careful of what he was doing. I just kind of had to keep the pedal down. To shoot what I did last year, kind of finish the way I did last year, that was really pleasing.
“I think the conditions today, slightly different wind and still soft greens, you knew someone was going to come out pretty strong. I knew I had to keep the pedal down and keep trying to make birdies.”
With his son Ben on the bag, Alker would win for the first time without his long time caddy Sam Workman who passed away from cancer earlier this year.
“Yeah, well, I got pretty emotional about it. I had to work really hard to stay focused and not get too emotional. I didn’t actually know how much lead I had coming down 18. I thought, well, Steve can’t be probably more than 12, so I had three up my sleeve maybe, and I wasn’t going in that water. That was my plan all along, just to hit it out here and hopefully get up-and-down.
“It’s huge. Obviously you see the emotion at 18 there. But I just saw a sea of orange today, and just reminded me of Sam. I had my son on the bag. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
Mark Hensby finished 52nd this week and drops a place to 4th on the Charl Schwab Cup list.
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Charles Schwab Cup
Steve Alker atop the leaderboard again in Texas
Steve Alker – file photo PGA of America
New Zealand’s Steve Alker might not have won on the PGA Tour Champions in his four starts to date this season but with a three-shot lead heading into the final round of an event he won twelve months ago, he has a great chance to add a 6th PGA Tour Champions title to his name.
51 year old Alker won the Insperity Invitational by four shots last year and despite finding the water and taking bogey at the last in today’s second round of the event in Woodlands near Houston In Texas, he enjoys a three shot break over Ernie Els, Mat Gogel and David Toms.
Alker took time out of his schedule to play the New Zealand Open in his homeland in early March, missing two PGA Tour Champions events in the process but since his return he has been runner-up and 11th in his two starts and appears on track to win this event for the second occasion.
Today, with his son Ben on the bag, Alker handled the difficult windy conditions well, his round of 69 the only one in the 60’s.
“He’s doing great,” said Alker referring to his son’s work on the bag. “He was even better today. He was on the
ball — we talked about clubs. We actually joked a little bit more today because I tried to loosen him up. He was a little bit nervous yesterday, and I got him to loosen up and we were having a good laugh out there at times, especially on the front nine we were having fun.”
“Actually, it was fun,” added Alker referring to the breezy conditions.. “I’m from New Zealand, so we get the wind, and it was a little softer out there today. You just kind of had to work your golf ball. Just had to play it and hit the spots, and I feel like I did that pretty well most of the day.”
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Hannah Green one from lead in Los Angeles
Hannah Green – image Michael Owens Getty / LPGA
Perth’s Hannah Green has bounced back from a missed cut at last week’s opening major of the year, recording a second round of 69 to move within one of the halfway lead held by India’s Aditi Ashok at the JM Eagle LA Championship at the Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles.
In her five starts to date this season Green has finished no better than 20th and missed the cut by some margin last week in Houston but this week she began well on Thursday before two late bogeys and today added four birdies and two bogeys for her round of 69 to be very much in the picture heading into the weekend.
Now into her 6th LPGA Tour season, Green still has only two victories to her name but she has proven herself at the highest level and now she has found form she might well go on with it this weekend.
Sarah Kemp added a strong second round of 68 to improve 27 positions from her opening round of 70 to be in a share of 6th place and just two from the lead.
Minjee Lee was unable to reproduce anywhere near her opening round of 65 and her 5 over 76 now has her in a share of 22nd place while Stephanie Kyriacou just made the cut in 44th position.
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David Micheluzzi well placed in Korea
David Micheluzzi – file photo Australian Golf Media
In just a few months, David Micheluzzi will begin his career as a DP World Tour player but this week the Melbourne professional is taking advantage of an invitation to play the DP World / Korean Tour event at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Clb in Incheon near Seoul and has made an encouraging start.
26 year old Micheluzzi is three shots out of the lead and in a share of 11th place at the halfway mark, adding a second round of 70 to his opening 69 in the US $2 million event.
Micheluzzi who finished on top of the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit thus claiming a DP World Tour card for next season and a start at the Open Championship as a result, produced eight birdies in his round of 70, five of those coming on a closing nine of 32.
New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier, now a DP World Tour member, missed the cut by one while Australians Won Joon Lee and Jun Seok Lee missed the cut by six.
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Cam Smith starts well in Singapore
Cam Smith – photo LIV Golf
Cam Smith’s form improvement from Adelaide has flowed over to the opening round of the Liv Golf event in Singapore and at the end of a rain delayed opening round at the Sentosa Golf Club he trails last week’s winner, Talor Gooch, by just one shot heading into day two after his round of 65.
“Yeah, it was really solid today,” said Smith who played with Gooch today. “I think Sam (caddy) mentioned to me on the 18th green there that he can’t remember and I definitely can’t remember the last time I hit 14 fairways.
Talor said everyone played well in the group, and I felt like we kept ourselves going there after the rain delay. Everyone was getting a little bit tired, I think. Yeah, it was a good day all in all.”
Smith was asked what had caused the form to improve so sharply in Adelaide and now here and he responded; “I think just playing more golf, to be honest. We’ve played a lot of golf recently, and I think it’s a good thing for the golf game but probably a bad thing for the body and the mind sometimes, as well.
“Yeah, I think just playing a little bit more competitive golf, hitting some proper golf shots, and yeah, just being back out here and trying to win.
“I think there’s definitely been a few less media requirements this week, so that was kind of nice. We obviously travelled on Monday and had a really easy day on Tuesday, and I think not only myself but the rest of the boys on the team, as well, were pretty tired.
“We needed those couple of days, I think, just to kind of chill out and make up on some sleep. Seems like all the other boys played really well again today.”
Smith is in a four way share of second place with Cameron Tringale, Brooks Koepka and Sergio Garcia.
Marc Leishman is tied for 16th at 2 under and five off the lead. While Matt Jones and Jed Morgan are tied for 22nd at 1 under 70.
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Minjee Lee bounces back in Los Angeles
Minjee Lee – photo Getty Images / LPGA
Minjee Lee has bounced back from the disappointment of an ordinary week at last week’s Chevron Championship to be just one off the pace after day one of the JM Eagle LA Championship at the Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles.
Lee, who began last week’s event as one of the favourites in the opening major of the year, eventually finished tied for 41st but it was a different story today as she reeled of a round of 65 to be one behind Sweden’s Linea Johansson.
Lee has made a slow start to her L:PGA Tour season with a best of 41st in three events to date but with 13 out of 14 fairways in regulation today and 16 of 18 greens she appears back on track.
Hannah Green also improved sharply on her missed cut last week to move within two of the lead through 15 holes but two late bogeys have her four from the lead and in a share of 12th place.
Sarah Kemp is 33rd and Grace Kim and Stephanie Kyriacou 52nd as the event enters its second day.
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Mark Hensby’s breakthrough victory on PGA Tour Champions
Mark Hensby has today won his first title on the PGA Tour Champions with a playoff victory over the Korean Charlie Wi at the Invited Celebrity Classic in Dallas, the pair locked in battle over four extra holes with both finding water at various stages before Hensby’s par to seal victory at the 4th playoff hole.
For the Melbourne born, Tamworth raised but now US domiciled, Hensby, it was his first win anywhere since victory at the Scandinavian Masters in 2005, a season which also saw him as a member of the Presidents Cup side.
“I didn’t look at the board until 16 and then I saw I was tired for the lead, and to be honest I didn’t think I was anywhere near it.
“Then when I got on 18 and I probably hit the best shot of the day when I had to because I saw Charlie made birdie, it was an up-and-down day, and obviously six hours to play today, so it was pretty slow out there. But just tried to stay patient, and then once I knew I still had a chance, obviously the grind went back into place.”
Hensby earns US$300,000 for his win and moves to 3rd on the Charles Schwab money list behind David Toms and Steve Stricker.
“You know, obviously after last year I wasn’t going to play anymore, and then coming out and having a good start this year, it’s nice to obviously win on this Tour,” added the 51 year old. “I think when you win anywhere these days, it’s an accomplishment. Yeah, I’m happy. I mean, I’m tired today but happy. I didn’t have my best today, but overall it was exciting.
“Obviously now I can set a schedule. I know what I’m going to get in now. That’s obviously the best part of it.
“I think the harsh reality of this Tour in general is it’s hard for guys like me to get out here. You write to tournament directors and it’s pretty much an instant no or a no response, which is kind of a little sad, so to speak. Now at least I don’t have to worry about that and I can just go on with my business and make my schedule how I want and play where I want.”
Hensby was playing his 15th PGA Tour Champions but it has only been this season where he has enjoyed sufficient status to gain regular starts. This season he has been runner-up and third in two of his four previous starts so the win while not totally unexpected was reward for some very good play.
Hensby’s career and life story was beautifully captured in this recent article by PGA Tour contributor Doug Milne
A 3rd place at the US Senior Open last year was the catalyst for the status he now enjoys.
Richard Green finished in a share of 4th place and will pocket a cheque for US$106,000 and move him inside the top 20 on the Schwab points table. Green has made an encouraging start to his PGA Tour Champions career after leading the field at the Tour School last year. The Lefthander finished 3rd in his very first start as a cardholder in Morocco in January.
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Lucas Herbert adds another international win to his name
Photo Japan Golf Tour
Australian Lucas Herbert has birdied the second extra hole of a playoff against Canadian Aaron Cockerill to win the $A2.9 million ISPS Handa Championship in Ibaraki Prefecture in Japan.
Both players finished 72 holes at 15 under and one ahead of Scotland’s Calum Hill but Herbert would hole a 12 foot birdie putt at the second playoff hole to win his third DP World Tour event but his first Japan Tour event, the tournament being the first to be jointly sanctioned by the DP World and Japan Tour.
Herbert now enjoys membership of the PGA, the DP World and now the Japan Tour with an embarrassment of choices in terms of his playing options.
“It’s great. Obviously coming on board as an ambassador for ISPS Handa this year, it’s great to win an event with them as the title sponsor,” said Herbert.
“It’s a real honour. And just to be back in Japan and win as well. I’ve come here so many times and loved it so to get back here and win, it means a lot.
“I think it’s cool to be able to win everywhere and have a lot of good memories from all the spots in the world where you have played.”
As a JGTO event winner, Herbert earned himself a two-year exemption to compete in Japan’s flagship circuit.
Herbert has also won on the PGA Tour where his best finish this year has been when 9th at the Dell Technologies Match Play Championship after losing narrowly to Rory McIlroy in the Round of 16.
Herbert who is an ambassador for this week’s tournament host, the ISPS Handa Organisation, set up the win with a second round of 63 after experiencing travel troubles early in the week which meant he played the opening round without any first-hand knowledge of the layout at the PGM Ishioka Golf Club other than that supplied by his caddie.
The win will move Herbert from 59th to around 42nd in the world ranking when the rankings are revised tomorrow and close to his highest ever ranking of 40th.
Herbert narrowly missed out on a start at The Masters being 51st and one spot out of the entry criteria when they were decided in late March.
New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier finished in a share of 23rd and Australian Brad Kennedy 70th.
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Talor Gooch survives final day examination to win in Adelaide
Talor Gooch and his Australian caddie Mal Baker embrace on the 18th green- photo LIV Golf
Liv Golf’s first venture to Australian shores has resulted in one of the most heavily attended events ever seen in Australian golf and a three shot victory to American Talor Gooch with India’s Anirban Lahiri alone in second place ahead of a four way tie involving Patrick Reed, Cameron Tringale, Pat Perez and Cam Smith in third position.
Gooch took a ten shot lead into today’s final round after his amazing opening rounds of 62 and 62 but leads, however big in tournament golf, often come under attack from others and the leader himself and such was the case today.
Gooch appeared to be well in control when he birdied his 5th hole but his troubles began when he dropped four shots in four holes from the 7th and his lead was reduced to just two as Lahiri reached the 10th tee at 5 under for the day.
Gooch steadied the ship with a birdie at the 11th and when he added a birdie at the 13th the outcome was all but assured.
He would par his last five holes and had the luxury of negotiating the huge crowds who surged onto the 18th hole to welcome the winner with a comfortable lead which he converted to victory and the US$4 million first prize.
“I think golf is just really hard,’ said the champion. “It’s hard to put back-to-back days together like I did and even harder to do it three times in a row. I actually played fine out there today. The golf gods I think said, we don’t want this first win to be easy on you.
“Had a couple bad breaks here and there, so it made things interesting, but it was cool to kind of overcome the adversity and dig deep after I made a double on No. 10. It was kind of a point of we’re either going to dig deep and do this or you’re going to stumble coming in. It was cool to dig deep and get the job done.
“It’s incredible, and even more special with my caddie being from Australia. We’ve been looking forward to this tournament for so long, and I couldn’t have picked a more fun, more meaningful tournament to win on LIV than here in Australia in front of the greatest crowds we’ve had, the greatest environment we’ve had. The course was phenomenal. Everything about it was just first class.”
Gooch made a special tribute to his caddie and outlined just how his role assisted his win this week.
“Yeah, like I’ve said the last few days, his green reading ability out here is incredible. I leaned on him more this week than I have in a long time. He was so spot on early on, and it just gave me confidence in him, and I think it gave confidence in himself.
“I made a bunch of putts the last couple days, a bunch of 8-, 10-, 12-footers, and without him, I don’t make as many putts, plain and simple. Having the confidence in his green-reading ability was a huge difference maker, and then today, when things were shaky, he was a constant.
“He does a great job of not wavering, not getting too high, not getting too low, and he knows that I don’t need a cheerleader that’s going to kind of pump me up when I’m down. He knows that, you know what, we’re just going to keep doing the same things, and we know if we do what we’re supposed to do, good things will happen.
“His constant mentality and emotions, just how he conducts himself in those moments are huge for me for keeping me calm and making things easier than what they feel like they are in the moment.”
Patrick Reed came from the clouds on the final day with a round of 65 to finish in a share of third while Smith added a second consecutive 66 to finish in that 4 way tie for 3rd in what was an impressive effort given the expectations on him throughout the week.
“Yeah, pretty exhausted,” said Smith when asked how he was feeling after the event was over. “It was a big week to get through with lots of commitments and the fans. It’s so cool to have those people behind you, but it’s also really draining, as well, having the ovations on every green and tee. Yeah, it was an epic week but a very tiring week.
“I think we do more stuff, get more people in here. There’s obviously a want in Australia, I think, for really high-quality golf, and I think the fans here really enjoyed what LIV offers. Yeah, there’s no reason why we can’t make it bigger.
“I think I did a really good job of actually just playing golf with all the outside noise. There was a lot of good on the golf course. There was a lot of putts that could have gone in. To finish up the week wherever I did, I think fourth or fifth, I think it was a really good effort.”
Smith’s share of 3rd earns him US$1081,000.
For those who are interested, the teams event was won by The 4 Aces, Patrick Reid, Peter Uilhein, Dustin Johnson and Pat Perez who pocket US$750,000 each for their win.
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Cam Smith during his impressive final round – photo LIV Golf Jason O’Brien