Two time champion Adam Scott and tournament host and now participant Tiger Woods – photo Getty Images
The Genesis Invitational, or its equivalent, has always held a lot of interest with golf fans worldwide, to a large degree because of the quality of the Riviera Country Club’s traditional layout in Los Angeles and the field it has regularly attracted.
In 2023 the event takes on even greater interest for several reasons. Firstly, the reappearance of Tiger Woods to play a regular PGA Tour event for the first time in more than two years, and as one of the now 17 designated events on the PGA Tour, the event carries a total purse of US$20 million with US$3.6 million to the winner.
Woods will play his first actual PGA Tour event since the 2022 Open Championship but this will be his first non-major PGA Tour event in over two years. It was just after this week’s event two years ago that Woods, who had been acting as host only that year, was involved in a car crash which nearly took his life.
Woods’ ongoing schedule in the weeks ahead, including the Masters, will depend on just how he manages the rigours of 72 hole tournament golf once again but that he is back playing in a tournament he will also host, has the golfing world abuzz.
In twelve previous attempts at the Riviera Country Club Woods has yet to win but he has been runner-up on two occasions albeit many years ago. Just to have him back playing is a treat for the game and how he performs will be a bonus.
Australians have performed well in this event over the years. Adam Scott has been a two-time winner, although one of those was over 36 holes in a rain shortened event on his debut in 2005.
Scott’s second win came in 2020 but Robert Allenby and Aaron Baddeley have also won the event when known under a different name.
Scott has also been twice runner-up and finished 4th in 2022.
“I love coming back to Riviera,” said Scott. “It’s my favorite stop on tour every year and good feelings for me around this place, especially out on the golf course. It was nice to play this morning even though it was an incredibly challenging morning, it was nice to be back on the track in a place I’m very familiar with and looking to kind of get my season going here this week.”
The Riviera Country Club has also experienced other Australian success as it was here in 1995 when Steve Elkington won his major title at the PGA Championship.
With so many of the PGA Tour’s leading players obligated to participate in these events, where prizemoney has been raised so significantly, then this week promises yet another battle between the leading players including Scott Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Max Homa, Collin Morikawa and the like.
An indication of just how this elevated prizemoney has impacted on the purse breakdowns was when Jason Day earned US$800,000 for finishing 5th last week in another designated event in Phoenix.
Scott will be joined by fellow Australians Jason Day, Lucas Herbert and Cameron Davis with New Zealander Danny Lee also in the field.
Grace Kim continues women’s form in TPS events
Grace Kim – photo Australian Golf Media
The two TPS Series mixed gender events events on the PGA Tour of Australasia to date in 2023 have been won by women and today, Sydney’s Grace Kim set up the possibility of a 3rd when she added a second consecutive round of 64 to lead the TPS Series Sydney event at Bonnie Doon by two heading into the weekend.
With Min Yoon and Sarah Jane Smith winning the first two TPS events in Victoria earlier in the year, Kim has opened the door for the prospect of a clean sweep for the ladies in the four TPS events on the schedule. Another such event will be played in the Hunter Valley next week.
22 year old Kim leads over Canberra’s Brendan Jones who last year finished runner-up in this event, and NSW golfer’s Daniel Gale and amateur Jeffrey Guan.
Fifteen birdies and one bogey over the opening 36 holes have the 2021 Australian Women’s Amateur Champion and recent LPGA Tour graduate, Kim, chasing a first prize of A$45,000 in the low scoring event where it needed 3 under par to make the weekend field.
Gale finished 8th at last week’s Vic Open and last November was runner-up at the Queensland PGA Championship, Jones has been one of the most successful foreigners in Japan over the last twenty years and Guan is generally considered one of Australian golf’s most exciting young amateurs.
Robyn Choi adds another prong to the women’s chances in the event, the Queenslander at 9 under, three from the lead and tied for 5th with the improving Tom Power Horan and recent Queensland PGA Champion, Aaron Wilkin.
SCORES
Adam Scott chasing third Riviera title as Tiger Woods returns
Two time champion Adam Scott and tournament host and now participant Tiger Woods – photo Getty Images
The Genesis Invitational, or its equivalent, has always held a lot of interest with golf fans worldwide, to a large degree because of the quality of the Riviera Country Club’s traditional layout in Los Angeles and the field it has regularly attracted.
In 2023 the event takes on even greater interest for several reasons. Firstly, the reappearance of Tiger Woods to play a regular PGA Tour event for the first time in more than two years, and as one of the now 17 designated events on the PGA Tour, the event carries a total purse of US$20 million with US$3.6 million to the winner.
Woods will play his first actual PGA Tour event since the 2022 Open Championship but this will be his first non-major PGA Tour event in over two years. It was just after this week’s event two years ago that Woods, who had been acting as host only that year, was involved in a car crash which nearly took his life.
Woods’ ongoing schedule in the weeks ahead, including the Masters, will depend on just how he manages the rigours of 72 hole tournament golf once again but that he is back playing in a tournament he will also host, has the golfing world abuzz.
In twelve previous attempts at the Riviera Country Club Woods has yet to win but he has been runner-up on two occasions albeit many years ago. Just to have him back playing is a treat for the game and how he performs will be a bonus.
Australians have performed well in this event over the years. Adam Scott has been a two-time winner, although one of those was over 36 holes in a rain shortened event on his debut in 2005.
Scott’s second win came in 2020 but Robert Allenby and Aaron Baddeley have also won the event when known under a different name.
Scott has also been twice runner-up and finished 4th in 2022.
“I love coming back to Riviera,” said Scott. “It’s my favorite stop on tour every year and good feelings for me around this place, especially out on the golf course. It was nice to play this morning even though it was an incredibly challenging morning, it was nice to be back on the track in a place I’m very familiar with and looking to kind of get my season going here this week.”
The Riviera Country Club has also experienced other Australian success as it was here in 1995 when Steve Elkington won his major title at the PGA Championship.
With so many of the PGA Tour’s leading players obligated to participate in these events, where prizemoney has been raised so significantly, then this week promises yet another battle between the leading players including Scott Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Max Homa, Collin Morikawa and the like.
An indication of just how this elevated prizemoney has impacted on the purse breakdowns was when Jason Day earned US$800,000 for finishing 5th last week in another designated event in Phoenix.
Scott will be joined by fellow Australians Jason Day, Lucas Herbert and Cameron Davis with New Zealander Danny Lee also in the field.
Will the New Zealand Open uncover another rising star?
Tom Kim finished 4th in the last New Zealand Open – now number 15 in the world – photo Asian Tour – article NZ Open
The New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport is back-in-play early next month and Tournament Director Michael Glading is hedging his bets on the young guns who are set to tee it up at Queenstown’s Millbrook Resort between March 2 – 5.
“In 2020 I predicted big things for Tom Kim who led the field for the first three rounds as a 17-year-old, and this year I suggest that spectators make sure they watch Riki Kawamoto. I believe that he too will go on to play at a much higher level in the near future. Riki is one of the most exciting young players in the field this year. He is only 21 years old and last year was statistically the longest hitting player on the Japan Tour, so he’s clearly one to watch in 2023.
“With other young players like Australians Jack Thompson (who won the Asian Tour Qualifying School earlier this year), John Lyras, David Micheluzzi and Elvis Smylie, joined by our own Daniel Hillier (who earned his DP World Tour card after a fantastic 2022), I believe we will once again be watching some of the future superstars in world golf in Queenstown. Young Americans Andy Ogletree (winner of the 2019 US Amateur) and Turk Pettit (2021 NCAA Champion) are also in the mix.”
It’s not all about the up-and-coming players in attendance, as there will be a strong contingent of experienced professionals in the field. They include 2022 Senior PGA Champion Steven Alker, defending champion Brad Kennedy, Scott Hend, Brendan Jones, Wade Ormsby and our own former champion and recent Vic Open winner, Michael Hendry.
“It’s great to have Brad Kennedy back in Queenstown, as he’s been waiting since 2020 to have the chance to win his third New Zealand Open title, a feat only eight players have managed in the 101 previous championships,” says Glading.
“Jason Scrivener is another excellent Australian player who has had so many excellent performances on the DP World Tour, including a runner-up finish at the recent Australian PGA Championship. Scrivener is currently ranked 11th on the DP World Tour.
“Bio Kim will be amongst the favourites come tournament week. He is the number 2 player on the Asian Tour and has previously competed on the PGA Tour.
“Japan’s Mikumu Horikawa returns for his fifth visit and is one of the real stars in Japan, having won four times on tour with career earnings of over $4.6 million NZD. Watch out also for Yuto Katsuragawa, who sits well inside the world’s top 150 players following an incredible year in 2022.”
The 102nd New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport will take place between March 2 – 5, 2023 at Millbrook Resort near Queenstown.
Rhein Gibson wins second Korn Ferry Tour title
Rhein Gibson – photo Getty Images
Australian Rhein Gibson has today won his second career Korn Ferry Tour event with a four shot win over American Kevin Dougherty at the Astara Golf Championship in Bogota, Colombia.
Gibson’s final round of 64, was highlighted by two eagles over the closing nine including one at the last to come from one off the 54 hole pace and edge clear of Dougherty over the closing stages after being locked in a battle with him over the front nine.
Having missed two of his first three cuts this season, Gibson’s win will now move him to 3rd on the Korn Ferry Tour’s points table and have him in the running for a potential return to the PGA Tour later in the year, the top 30 now earning PGA Tour cards for 2024.
The win will also improve the former Lismore golfer from outside the top 1600 in the world ranking to just inside the top 500.
“Pretty surreal really,” said Gibson. “Last year was a tough year, not gonna lie. I knew I was playing well and played well last week in Panama, kind of continued that into this week.
“I love coming here, I love the place. Just kind of things went my way and I played well and made some putts. Yeah, to think I come away champion is kind of crazy.”
Gibson had made the decision not to go back to Korn Ferry Tour School late last year and instead rely on past champion status to gain starts and it has paid off almost immediately.
“Yeah, it was definitely a conversation I had to have with my wife. I wasn’t sure how much more golf I was going to do. Decided not to go to Q-School, thought I’d take a chance on past champion status. Worked my butt off this fall and this wintertime, kind of got my game in shape.
“I’ve got Scott Couch to thank for that, out of Canada, he’s been helping me a lot. Yeah, the game felt good coming here. I love the place. I knew I could contend and a good round yesterday kind of put me in contention. To go out and do what I did today was just insane.”
Not only was it a good week for Gibson, his fellow NSW golfer, Brett Drewitt, another former PGA Tour player, finished 3rd this week and just one shot out of second place.
For Drewitt, it follows a 4th and 8th place in earlier events this season and will see him in 8th place in the rankings.
West Australian Curtis Luck also had a solid week when he finished 19th which follows a 14th place last week heralding a slow but steady return to form for the former US Amateur Champion.
SCORES
Hendry and Shin Claim Vic Open titles
Ji Yai Shin and Mike Hendry – enjoying their Vic Open spoils
New Zealander Mike Hendry and Korean Ji Yai Shin are the respective winners of the Men’s and Women’s Vic Opens played at the 13th Beach golf facility on the Bellarine Peninsula over the last few days.
Hendry, whose last win was at the 2017 New Zealand Open, controlled the event throughout the final 54 holes, his second round of 62 taking him to a two shot lead heading into the weekend before extending that lead to four over the final 36 holes and winning by that margin over Victorian David Micheluzzi.
“It’s been a while. The last time I won on the Aussie Tour was the 2017 New Zealand Open so it was nice to get across the line again,” Hendry said.
“It’s just nice to be feeling fit and proving to myself that I’ve still got it.”
Hendry has played the Japan Tour over the last ten years or so but has lost full status there and this win has proven timely given that it will move him to 8th on the PGA Tour of Australasia’s points table. With the leading three at the end of the season in late March earning DP World Tour status he has the chance with the lucrative New Zealand Open coming up in three weeks to jump into that group.
Micheluzzi has taken the lead on the Order of Merit following a series of top tens in recent months in addition to his win at the WAPGA Championship.
Shin, a two time winner of the Women’s British Open and a former winner of the Australian Women’s Open, overcame a two shot deficit behind Queensland’s Cassie Porter heading into the final round but by the turn Shin was five ahead and although the margin close to just one when Shin bogeyed the 10th and 11th holes, and Porter birdied both, Porter dropped four shots on the way in from that point.
In the end it was recent LPGA Tour graduate Grace Kim and Thailand’s Pavarisa Yoktuan who would eventually finish in a share of second place, albeit five shots from Shin.
MEN’S SCORES
WOMEN’S SCORES
Impressive PGA Tour Champions debut for Richard Green
Richard Green – file photo
Australia’s Richard Green, on debut as a card holder on the PGA Tour Champions, has finished an impressive 3rd behind Canadian Stephen Ames at the Trophy Hassan 11 event at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam course in Rabat in Morocco.
Green’s final round of 70 was the second best of the final day and will secure a cheque for US$110,000 to get his PGA Tour Champions career underway.
Interestingly he finished behind Ames and Green’s fellow Australian Mark Hensby who is playing without full status on the PGA Tour Champions but who has earned US$176,000 for his runner-up finish, albeit five shots behind Ames, although at one stage today the margin was just one.
Green led the qualifiers at the most recent PGA Tour Champions Tour School after winning the First Stage of qualifying so it appears he is on course for a very successful career at this level.
“It feels awesome,” said Green. “It feels like a long career and maybe some deserved results around this course. I came here for a long time with the European Tour and played. Never really played that well, but had some tough days and I feel like this week has been a bit of a reward for patience.
“It’s confidence building. I tend to build confidence in my game through results, not necessarily hitting balls on the range. Get a certain amount of confidence out of that, but the results are what really elevate my belief in myself. Just keep rolling it, like hopefully riding the crest of the wave, that’s the plan.”
Hensby was also delighted with his best finish on the PGA Tour Champions in eleven starts. He did finish 3rd at the US Senior Open last year and earned a bigger cheque but this is a very satisfying way to start the year as he builds his way to full status and many more starts.
Courtesy of his finish Hensby is guaranteed a start in next week’s Chubb Classic in Florida.
“Yeah, good. I mean, not being in contention in a long, long time, so obviously I felt like I handled myself pretty well. But no, next week should be hopefully getting to the same boat and have a chance to win again.
Hensby, a former Presidents Cup player and winner on both the PGA and European Tours, took the punt on a costly trip to Morocco and it has paid off.
“Yeah. I mean, this was a very personal decision and it’s just, it’s one of those things that no doubt. I mean, you know, to make whatever I made today, I’d have to work two years to make what I made today. I love golf, I enjoy it and I enjoyed today a lot even though I didn’t win. Being under the pressure that’s what you practice for. That was fun, that was fun.”
Ames has now been a winner of three events on the Champions Tour since joining it six years ago. The former winner of and runner-up in the Players Championship and three other PGA Tour titles during his lengthy career is now 58 but the manner in which he led from go to whoa in this event and won by five suggests more is in store.
SCORES
Dimi Papadatos two from lead in Singapore Classic
Papadatos, who gets a start in the DP World Tour event courtesy of performances on the PGA Tour of Australasia, is just two from the lead of Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin and Chinese amateur Wenyi Ding.
Several players are yet to finish round two after weather then darkness delays on Friday but Papadatos’ position is not expected to be impacted greatly when those players return top the course on Saturday morning.
Papadatos’ second round of 65 saw him soar up the leaderboard from his overnight 31st place and with this event being a DP World Tour event, the opportunity exists for the 31 year old to gain status in Europe should he go on to win.
Papdatos might otherwise have been defending his Vic Open title this week but the lure of the bigger purse (US$2 million) and the opportunities this and two similar events in Thailand and India over the next two weeks was too big a chance to turn down.
Then follows the New Zealand Open in early March, an event Papadatos won in 2014 so the next few weeks offer an important stretch for the Central Coast golfer.
Several other Australians and New Zealanders are in the field, headed by Anthony Quayle who is currently tied for 23rd and three shots behind Papadatos.
SCORES
Zach Murray finds form in Oman
Zach Murray – an encouraging start in Oman – photo Asian Tour
Australian Zach Murray is just two from the lead at the Asian Tour’s International Series Oman event, the former New Zealand Open Champion rebounding after missing nine of his last 12 cuts to be in the firing line heading into the weekend of the US$2 million event.
On a day dominated by strong winds at Al Mouj Golf in Oman, Murray’s 2 under total through 36 holes has him sharing 3rd place and two behind the lead of Japan’s Takumi Kanaya.
Victorian Todd Sinnott is another shot back in 7th place in an event where several LIV Golf members are participating.
Not one player was able to break 70 in the demanding conditions but Kanaya, the former world number one amateur, took advantage of the slightly easier morning conditions and once his 4 under par total was posted, the increasing winds would mean his lead was unassailable for the remainder of day two.
The 24 year old turned professional two years ago after a sensational amateur career, which saw him ranked the number one amateur in the world for 55 weeks, during which time he won the Mitsui Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo Masters on the Japan Tour. He has since triumphed twice on that Tour as a professional, most noticeably at the prestigious Dunlop Phoenix in 2020.
He leads by one over his fellow countryman Ryo Hisatsune whose recently shared second place at the Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane.
Murray won the New Zealand Open in 2019 and the WA Open a year earlier but although there has been a series of top ten finishes on the PGA Tour of Australasia he has not, as yet, been able to perform well outside of Australasia.
This good start in an Asian Tour event provides an opportunity to change that stat however and with the New Zealand Open now just three weeks away, it might signal a timely form reversal.
Murray gained a start in the event courtesy of his win at the New Zealand Open, that event now jointly sanctioned with the Asian Tour.
SCORES
Mike Hendry turns back to clock to lead the Vic Open
Mike Hendry in the zone today – photo Australian Golf Media
New Zealand’s Michael Hendry has made a brilliant start to the Vic Open at 13th Beach on the Bellarine Peninsula, adding a second round of 62 to his opening 66 and, at 18 under, he begins the weekend two shots clear of Gold Coast based Victorian, Deyen Lawson, with another two back to Queensland’s Gavin Fairfax.
Hendry, who has been a regular on the Japan Tour over the last ten years but now without full status there following a disappointing year in 2022 when returning from Covid restrictions, put together ten birdies over the Creek Course layout today to take control in a quest to win his first event since an emotional win in his own national open in 2017.
Lawson recently won his first PGA Tour of Australasian event when successful at the West Australian Open in November but he is without status on any other tour besides his home tour and the opportunity to improve on his current 8th position on the PGA Tour of Australasian Order of Merit could well yield dividends for the 42 year old.
Another shot back and in a share of 5th place are the former PGA Tour player, Australian Amateur Champion and Australian Tour Champion, Mathew Goggin, who has only recently returned to tournament golf after a lengthy period away from the game while involved in golf course development in his home state of Tasmania.
Goggin has also finished runner-up in numerous events including the Australian Open and PGA Championships, the Australian Masters and, on the PGA Tour, the Memorial and Western Opens. Perhaps however Goggin’s best-ever performance was when 5th at the Open Championship at Turnberry in 2009 behind Stewart Cink.
The Women’s Vic Open is being led by Sunshine Coast golfer, Cassie Porter, who at the halfway stage has opened up a five shot lead over Thailand’s Pavarisa Yoktuan.
Porter’s second round of 64 was the best of the week to date, bettering the previous best set of 66 set by herself on Thursday.
Cassie Porter – photo Australian Golf Media
Men’s Scores
Women’s scores
Richard Green makes PGA Tour Champions debut in Morocco
Richard Green – the leading qualifier at Q School gets his chance
Australia’s Richard Green gets his first opportunity to test his wares on the PGA Tour Champions as a cardholder when he tees it up in this week’s Trophee Hassan 11 Championship over the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam layout in Rabat in Morocco.
Green, who was so impressive in winning the PGA Tour Champions Tour School in December after earlier winning the first stage of qualifying, has been a three time winner on the European Tour, a winner of the Australian Masters and several times runner-up in other events and he now gets his chance to tackle the riches of the PGA Tour Champions.
Green has mainly played events on the Australasian Tour in recent times without a lot of success but the manner in which he handled the demanding qualifying process suggests he may well be yet another star from this part of the world on the PGA Tour Champions following the unbelievable success of New Zealand’s Steve Alker over the past eighteen months.
Alker was originally in this week’s field, but the passing of his caddie Sam Workman from cancer earlier this week has seen Alker withdraw.
Other Australasians in the field include Robert Allenby, Mark Hensby, David McKenzie, Rod Pampling and John Senden.
Steve Alker and caddie Sam Workman who passed away this week