Adrian Meronk – photo Australian Golf Media
The hot northerly wind which welcomed players to the Victoria Golf Club on Sunday at the men’s and women’s Australian Opens promised to add a different dynamic to proceedings and a sense of pending drama to the final round and almost immediately that would be the case.
Overnight leaders of their respective fields, Adam Scott (men) and Jiyai Shin (women) both dropped shots at the very reachable par 4 first and it was very much a case of game on, not only for their nearest chasers but those perhaps further down the leaderboard who would now feel if they could negotiate their way around an increasingly difficult Victoria Golf Club layout they might find themselves in the hunt for the title later in the day.
Not only did Scott drop a shot, but the man who started the day one behind Scott, Adrian Meronk, birdied to take the lead courtesy of the two shot swing, while the third player in their final group of the day, Min Woo Lee, knocked his tee shot 20 feet from the hole and when he converted for an eagle he was two off Meronk’s lead and one behind Scott.
Shin’s dropped shot at the first allowed the South African Ashleigh Buhai to take the lead by one with Australia’s Hannah Green another three shots back in 3rd place.
Ahead on the golf course, Minwoo Lee’s other half of world golf’s most famed brother and sister combination, Minjee Lee, had birdied her opening two holes to open the possibility of a family double of Australian Open victories.
By the turn however it would be Meronk who appeared to have taken control of the men’s event. He led by three after a birdie at the 9th gave him an outward nine of 32 and following Scott’s bogeys at the 7th and 8th. Min Woo Lee was another shot back.
But the Victoria Golf Club is very much a layout which gives with one hand and takes with the other. A 14-foot birdie by Scott at the 12th was followed soon after by a bogey by Meronk at the 13th and the difference was just one.
The closing few holes at Victoria are full of both danger and opportunity and so the closing stages of the event promised much.
The women’s event was also building to a tense finish. Buhai had led by four at the turn and while Shin remained in the mix it would be Australian rookie and now LPGA Tour player Grace Kim who appeared Buhai’s biggest threat.
By the time the final group reached the 17th tee Buhai and Kim were tied at 11 under par with Shin just one behind. Kim was playing ahead of the final group and parred the 17th. Shin soon after so nearly made an eagle which would have given her the outright lead at that point but the birdie had her in a tie before Buhai, too, would birdie and she headed to the 18th with a one shot lead over Shin with and by three over Kim who agonisingly double bogeyed the last to lose her chance at such a significant win.
With the last playing longer due to a winds change on Sunday, both players were unable to reach the green and when Buhai missed a twenty foot birdie opportunity to seal the win the door was open for Shin to hole an 8 foot birdie putt to force the playoff. She appeared to misread the attempt and the title went to Buhai who became the first woman to win the AIG Open Championship and the Women’s Australian Open in the same year since Yani Tseng performed the same feat in 2011.
Back on the golf course Meronk birdied the short par 4 15th to draw two clear of Scott and when both had parred the 16th there was still two between the pair with two holes to go. Scott had eagled the 18th in each of rounds two and three so the prospect of that was no doubt in his mind provided he safely negotiated the dangerous 17th.
There was a three-shot gap back to Lee and so the outcome appeared to lay between Meronk who owns just two professional career wins and Scott with 31 to his name.
In the end, however, it would be Scott who blinked first. Taking an iron from the tee for safety and position at the 17th, his tee shot finished in the bushes to the right and he was forced to play a provisional. He would eventually take 6 and when Meronk safely made his par the difference between the pair was 3 shots as the pair headed to the 18th tee.
It was about to become five as Meronk would eagle the last to win by five shots, claiming his third title as a professional and his second DP World Tour title after winning the Irish Open earlier this year.
Scott finished runner-up with Min Woo Lee another shot back in solo third place.
In a share of 4th place with a relatively new recruit to the professional ranks, Haydn Barron from West Australia, who not only received a financial boost of A$78,500 so early in his career, he became one of three players along with Min Woo Lee and Spain’s Alejandro Canizares to qualify for next year’s Open Championship.
The leading three players in this event and not otherwise exempt for next year’s edition of the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool clicked their ticket to Hoylake.
Meronk is clearly a player with a bright future. He finished 8th in the DP World Tour rankings in 2022, not only because of his win in Ireland but as a result of several other top tens. The manner in which he overcame Adam Scott and a demanding Victoria Golf Club on day four speaks volumes for a significant future for the 29 year old.
Meronk had contended early before struggling over the weekend at last week’s Australian PGA Championship but this week was a very different story, this time overcoming a slow start on Thursday when three over through four holes and double bogeying his final hole that day for a round of 73 to eventually win in a canter.
“I’m so happy and excited,” said Meronk. “I also had family here, so we spent quality time. It was a great week for me and I’m just very honoured to be here.
Currently 56th in the world ranking the victory will take him close to the top 50 and potentially a place in the Masters in 2023 although the lack of world ranking points in this event might see him just short of that mark.
“Yeah, that was definitely on my mind coming these two weeks to Australia, to improve my ranking and I think that should be enough going forward. I’ll just wait till tomorrow when the ranking comes out, but I think it gives me a good chance to be inside the top 50 and play Masters. So that’s unreal sitting here.”
Meronk has played in Australia previously but on the Gold Coast, Perth and last week in Brisbane so this was his first exposure to Melbourne’s famed sandbelt.
“I obviously enjoy Links. My coach is from Wales, so he kind of prepared me quite well by growing up. Since I came here I love the culture straight away and the turf and the greens are just so pure, and if you hit a good shot you get rewarded for that. So, I really enjoyed it.”
Meronk was asked about the thrill of playing with and beating Adam Scott.
“To be honest, I really wanted to play with him this week. He was always my role model growing up, so it was super cool to play with him. Obviously I didn’t really want to focus on him, just focused on my game, hitting good shots. But to beat him in the final group in front of the big crowds in Australia is just quite unbelievable experience and I’m super proud, that’s for sure.”
Scott also spoke well of the man who stood so tall in their last day encounter.
“Adrian played great.” said Scott when asked. “He played really great. “It’s hard to know off one round but he was very solid today. He looked good. He’s a big guy with a lot of speed in today’s game which seems to be the recipe. We can never put a cap on anyone these days I don’t think.”
“I mean, I was happy with how I played really the last three days, so that felt nice,” added the Queenslander. “It would have been nice to win, but to be honest, I’m looking forward to a couple weeks of not playing golf. I feel like I’ve played a lot.”
Buhai has taken quite some time to realise the huge potential she showed when winning the Women’s South African Open as a 14 year old but this year has certainly done that. Her win in a major at the AIG Open Championship and now this in a last round battle against several major champions will further elevate her standing in the game.
Buhai was full of praise for the Sandbelt experience.
“In terms of Sandbelt golf, I love to be able to flight the ball, windy conditions, so it suits my game really well,” said the now 33 year old. “These courses are just so pure, the best condition we get to play, but unfortunately for us women it is not in a good spot on the schedule.
“Where it was in February when it was co-sanctioned with LPGA is much better because LPGA season has just finished, Q-School hasn’t happened yet, same for the LET, so they can’t really co-sanction with any tours. But it didn’t stop girls from wanting to come down and play this tournament because obviously it has such a great history and being able to play on these courses is just really cool.”
The All Abilities title was won by Englishman Kipp Popert by sevens shots over Canadian Kurtis Barkley.
“It’s been an absolute honour to be here in Melbourne,” said Popert. “I’ve got good family and friends here, so it was nice to play in front of them and the crowds were good, so it was good fun.”
The event brought three tournaments into one and while there were logistical issues and will be no doubt tweaking of the concept in the future, especially in terms of numbers making the cut, there was a good base on which to move forward.
There were four winners this week however. Meronk, Buhai and Popert who were joined by the outstanding Victoria and Kingston Heath Golf Clubs which once again showed why this region of Australia contains some of the game’s greatest layouts.
The huge crowds who turned out to see initially Cameron Smith, Adam Scott and other leading players amongst the men and an even stronger women’s field in terms of depth, were probably also there to witness some very high class golf on a couple of golf’s finest examinations.
SCORES
Ashleigh Buhai – photo Australian Golf Media
Popert, Meronk and Buhai – photo Australian Golf Media
Eligible LIV Golfers to play Masters
Cameron Smith – one of several golfers no doubt relieved by the overnight news
The news overnight that Augusta National Golf Club has agreed to their existing qualifying criteria for the 2023 Masters applying to all golfers irrespective of their allegiance to LIV Golf or otherwise will be a great Xmas present to Cameron Smith and the others who have aligned themselves with the Saudi backed series provided of course they fit within the qualifying guidelines.
Liv Golf members such as Smith, Dustin Johnson, Louis Oosthuizen, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Sergio Garcia, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson, Bryson De Chambeau, Charl Schwartzel and several others have all qualified through various means and the much awaited announcement today means all will tee it up at Augusta National in April.
Smith gains access through many different qualifying criteria including his world ranking (3), that he is the Open Champion and that he finished 3rd in the event last year and so gets the chance to go one better then his runner-up finish to Dustin Johnson in 2020 and add a second major to his rapidly growing CV.
Chairman Fed Ridley’s announcement released overnight reads as follows
December 20, 2022
STATEMENT REGARDING THE 2023 MASTERS TOURNAMENT
“From its inception in 1934, the purpose of the Masters Tournament has been to benefit the game
of golf. Each April, the Masters assembles the world’s leading golfers to compete for the Green
Jacket and a place in history. It provides a stage for fans to experience dramatic moments of
competition at the highest level and promotes the sport domestically and abroad.
Through the years, legends of the game have competed and won at Augusta National Golf Club.
Champions like Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Gary
Player, Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have become heroes to golfers of all ages.
They have inspired some to follow in their footsteps and so many others to play and enjoy the
game. They have supported the sport and, thus, all who benefit from it. They have shown respect
for those who came before them and blazed a trail for future generations. Golf is better because
of them.
Regrettably, recent actions have divided men’s professional golf by diminishing the virtues of the
game and the meaningful legacies of those who built it. Although we are disappointed in these
developments, our focus is to honor the tradition of bringing together a preeminent field of golfers
this coming April.
Therefore, as invitations are sent this week, we will invite those eligible under our current criteria
to compete in the 2023 Masters Tournament. As we have said in the past, we look at every aspect
of the Tournament each year, and any modifications or changes to invitation criteria for future
Tournaments will be announced in April.
We have reached a seminal point in the history of our sport. At Augusta National, we have faith
that golf, which has overcome many challenges through the years, will endure again.”
One last 2022 task for Australasians at LET Tour School
Gabi Ruffels – former US Amateur Champion chasing status in Europe – photo USGA
While most other golfers will be thinking of Xmas and the Festive Season ahead, several Australasians face an important last task in 2022 when they vie for the right to play the Ladies European Tour in 2023.
The Final Stage of Qualifying for the LET begins in La Manga in Spain on Saturday where two course are being used in the 90-hole qualifier.
A cut will be made at the completion of the first 72 holes over two courses (the North and South Courses) at La Manga Club) following which the leading 60 players and ties will play the final round at the South Course.
146 golfers representing 31 countries are entered as they chase, ideally, one of the leading 50 cards with the leading twenty earning Category 12 status and the next 30 earning Category 16 status. Others earn very limited Category 18 status.
Amongst the 146 players entered are Australians Gabriela Ruffels, Amy Walsh, Stefanie Hall, Jordan O’Brien, Kelsey Bennett, Kirsten Rudgeley and Kristalle Blum, along with New Zealanders, Munchin Keh, Wenyung Keh and Hanee Song.
Ruffels a former winner and runner-up in the US Women’s Amateur Championship has been unable to earn full playing rights on the LPGA Tour and changes direction in an attempt to establish herself on a recognised tour and realise her significant talent.
Davidson and Oh regain LPGA Tour status
Karis Davidson – file photo
Queensland’s Karis Davidson and Victorian Su Oh have both regained the right to play the LPGA Tour in 2023 following the completion of Q Series qualifying in Alabama this morning.
144 holes were used to decide the 45 players who gained status of varying degrees with Davidson finishing in a share of 28th place and Oh 38th.
Davidson was a rookie on the LPGA Tour this season, after playing in Japan pre-Covid but her limited status allowed only 11 starts this year and after finishing in 106th place on the CME Race to the Globe Points table she was required to regain her playing rights.
Davidson played her final nine holes in 3 under 33 to finish three shots inside the cutline, that coming after a 4 under 32 and a round of 67 on Saturday
Oh has played the LPGA Tour since 2016 with varying degrees of success, winning close to $US2.5 million in that time but after finishing the 2022 season in 103rd position she was back at the Q School for the first time since first gaining her card in 2015.
Oh, too, staged a late rally to force her way into the top 45 with birdies at two of her last three holes, to make the mark by two.
Unfortunately Queenslander Robyn Choi and New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey both missed out on a place in the top 45 but will have Epson (Secondary) Tour status in 2023.
Choi appeared to be in control and inside the required number before a final nine of 41 saw her finish three from making it through.
Players finishing in positions 1-20 and ties earn LPGA Tour status in category 14.
Players finishing in positions 21-45 and ties earn LPGA Tour status in category 15 and Epson Tour status in category C.
Players finishing outside the top-45 and ties, who complete all rounds before the cut, will earn Epson Tour status for 2023.
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Australasian numbers in Japan reduced for 2023
Andrew Evans – regains Japan Tour status
The numbers of Australasian golfers plying their trade on the Japan Golf Tour will be reduced in 2023 following the completion of that tour’s Final Stage of Qualifying completed in Miyazaki in southern Japan this week.
93 golfers competed for a position inside the top 25 to secure status for next season and while the Japan Tour’s qualifying school does not distribute cards as such, those players finishing inside the top 25 will be assured of sufficient starts before a re-rank mid-season to allow them to potentially secure their ongoing involvement later in the season.
Amongst the Australasians doing well were New South Welshman, Andrew Evans, and Queensland based New South Welshman, Dylan Perry.
Evans who led the qualifiers at last year’s Japan Tour School finished ranked 18th this year while Perry finished 19th.
Evans played 19 events on the Japan Tour in 2022 but after a solid start to his campaign when producing top twenties in two early events, he eventually finished 94th on the money ranking and was forced to return to the Tour School.
Perry, a former runner-up at the British Amateur Championship, made only one cut in the seven events he played in Japan this year but has regained good status for this year.
Perry first joined the Japan Tour in 2019 and has a best finish in his time there of 3rd at the Heiwa Championship in that rookie season.
South Australian Adam Bland finished 33rd this week and will likely get the occasional start early in the new season but the issue with that is knowing when those starts come. Bland first joined the Japan Tour in 2014 and did win an event in 2015 but in 2022, despite recording two top tens in 17 starts, he had not done enough to retain status with out a return to Tour School.
New Zealand’s Michael Hendry finished 49th this week and will be unlikely to gain sufficient starts to build a campaign while Victorian Matt Griffin’s seven year campaign in Japan appears over after he finished 68th this week.
Currently, Brad Kennedy, Anthony Quayle and Brendan Jones are the only Australasians to have avoided Tour School and will be back in Japan next year.
Others to have played in Japan in recent years, Todd Sinnott and David Bransdon have also missed out on status for next year.
QUALIFYING SCORES
Green and McKenzie earn 2023 PGA Tour Champions playing rights
Victorians Richard Green and David McKenzie have successfully negotiated one of the most demanding tests in professional golf after finishing inside the top five at Final Stage of PGA Tour Champions Qualifying in Arizona this week.
For Green it marks a debut season on the PGA Tour Champions in 2023 while for McKenzie he regains playing rights having first joined the Tour in 2018.
Green’s four shot victory over 78 players to claim the top spot this morning comes a few weeks after winning at his First Stage qualifying venue in Nevada by a massive 12 shots and augurs well for a successful post-50 career in golf.
“It means everything,” said Green of earning PGA TOUR Champions membership. “I’ve had a long career playing overseas in Europe and I’ve wanted to always play in America. I tried my best to get a card on the PGA TOUR in the 2000s and just fell short all the time. It’s like a goal achieved, so that’s a big deal.”
The top five finishers at Final Stage of Q-School will be fully exempt into all open, full-field events on the 2023 PGA TOUR Champions.
Left-hander, Green, was a three-time winner on the DP World Tour and among other victories was a win at the 2004 Australian Masters at Huntingdale and in 2022 he won twice on the European Senior (Legends) Tour.
Interestingly, Green’s win at the Australian Masters came after a playoff against McKenzie.
McKenzie, a veteran of 102 PGA Tour Champions starts already, finished in a share of 3rd this week, holding on to one of the top five spots by just one shot.
SCORES
David McKenzie – file photo
Does Cathedral Lodge victory earn Nick Flanagan another reprieve?
Nick Flanagan with Cathedral Golf Club’s owner David Evans – photo Gary Lisbon.
The win by Newcastle’s Nick Flanagan in this week’s Cathedral Invitational at the Cathedral Lodge and Golf Club about two hours north of Melbourne, might have been achieved in a two day near end of season hit-out for many of those who played in last week’s Australian Open, but, for Flanagan, the victory and the accompanying A$100,000 might just once again open the door to extending his professional golfing career.
One of the hottest amateurs in the world when becoming Australia’s first ever winner of the US Amateur Championship (2003), the now 38 year old US based golfer has ridden a roller coaster of success and otherwise since turning professional in 2004.
In 2007 he won three events on the then Nationwide Tour in the US, graduated to the PGA Tour through the Battlefield Promotion and was named Nationwide Tour Player of the Year.
Despite a good start to his rookie season on the PGA Tour he failed to retain his status and was back on the secondary tour in 2009. His only other win would come three years later when winning the 2012 BMW Charity Pro Am on the Nationwide Tour defeating fellow countryman Cameron Percy in a playoff for that title.
Flanagan head to head against Adam Scott at the 2019 Australian PGA before finishing 3rd. – another key moment
Three years ago, Flanagan finished in 3rd place behind Adam Scott at the final Australian PGA Championship at RACV Royal Pines and it was a very emotional Flanagan at the time who essentially had given himself a reprieve from the professional golfing graveyard and the possibility of having to look elsewhere to support his wife and family.
“I mean, if somebody told me I was going to finish third at the start of the day, I probably would have taken it, to be honest with you,” said Flanagan that day. “To put myself in a good spot there with a few holes to come, you know, I’m pretty gutted.
“But, at the same time, it was one of those weeks where I haven’t done something like this in a while, probably since this event last year, really. So I’m pretty pumped, but at the same time definitely a little disappointed I couldn’t ‑‑ just that one shot really kind of cost me.
“It’s been a tough few months. I thought I was going to do well there in Europe, at European Q‑School. That was tough not to get through there. Yeah, it’s huge. I haven’t felt ‑‑ like I haven’t been able to play a stress‑free round of golf – kind of wanting to make money.
“And obviously with the baby on the way, this is huge for us. Over Christmas I’ll actually feel like I can sit down on the couch for a couple weeks and actually relax and not think about where the next check’s coming from, at least for the next two or three weeks. That’s kind of why I was getting a little emotional there for a second.”
Three months later he finished 3rd behind Brad Kennedy at the 2020 New Zealand Open, yet another important moment in extending his finances and passion to play the game for a living.
It was a lovely moment then and yesterday’s win prompted similar emotions as he held the winner’s cheque and considered what this might mean to him.
“I wanted to come back and I pretty much just said we’ll see what happens and if it goes great, great, and if it doesn’t then we’ll sit down over Christmas and decide what’s next,” Flanagan told the PGA Tour of Australasia.
“It’s not the first time I’ve done that – the last time I did it I finished third two weeks in a row. Maybe there’s something to that attitude of kind of knowing it’s not that big a deal if I’m not going to play golf as a career. It really just lets you go out and free-wheel it.
“With two kids now every cent counts. For me to keep chasing these tournaments and spending the money to come over, if you don’t perform it goes really quick and your priorities change.
“This will definitely give me a little bit of breathing room to be able to come back and play a little bit next year, the events at the beginning of the year, and hopefully bring the family with me which we haven’t been able to do with how expensive it can be.”
Flanagan defeated another former outstanding amateur but another who has been battling in the paid ranks, Scott Arnold in a playoff for the title, the difference between first and second place a much needed A$50,000 for both of them.
Grace Kim and Karrie Webb tied for 3rd in the mixed gender event and secured cheques for A$18,000 each.
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All four Australasians remain alive at LPGA Q School
Su Oh – file photo Australian Golf Media
All four Australasians have made it into the second week of the LPGA Tour Q Series qualifying, the opening 72 holes in Mobile in Alabama leaving all four inside the required mark to advance to week two being played nearby.
The leading 70 of the original 100 players earn the right to move on to the second week.
Another 72 holes will be played this week, the goal of all to finish inside the top 45 at worst and gain or regain playing privileges for the 2023 LPGA Tour.
Su Oh leads the way as she chases a return to the LPGA Tour, the Victorian golfer in a share of 41st place, Queensland’s Robyn Choi 47th, while Queensland’s Karis Davidson and New Zealander Amelia Garvey are tied for 60th
The final 72 holes are played in Dothan in Alabama beginning this Thursday.
SCORES
Meronk, Buhai, Popert and the sandbelt winners at Australian Open
Adrian Meronk – photo Australian Golf Media
The hot northerly wind which welcomed players to the Victoria Golf Club on Sunday at the men’s and women’s Australian Opens promised to add a different dynamic to proceedings and a sense of pending drama to the final round and almost immediately that would be the case.
Overnight leaders of their respective fields, Adam Scott (men) and Jiyai Shin (women) both dropped shots at the very reachable par 4 first and it was very much a case of game on, not only for their nearest chasers but those perhaps further down the leaderboard who would now feel if they could negotiate their way around an increasingly difficult Victoria Golf Club layout they might find themselves in the hunt for the title later in the day.
Not only did Scott drop a shot, but the man who started the day one behind Scott, Adrian Meronk, birdied to take the lead courtesy of the two shot swing, while the third player in their final group of the day, Min Woo Lee, knocked his tee shot 20 feet from the hole and when he converted for an eagle he was two off Meronk’s lead and one behind Scott.
Shin’s dropped shot at the first allowed the South African Ashleigh Buhai to take the lead by one with Australia’s Hannah Green another three shots back in 3rd place.
Ahead on the golf course, Minwoo Lee’s other half of world golf’s most famed brother and sister combination, Minjee Lee, had birdied her opening two holes to open the possibility of a family double of Australian Open victories.
By the turn however it would be Meronk who appeared to have taken control of the men’s event. He led by three after a birdie at the 9th gave him an outward nine of 32 and following Scott’s bogeys at the 7th and 8th. Min Woo Lee was another shot back.
But the Victoria Golf Club is very much a layout which gives with one hand and takes with the other. A 14-foot birdie by Scott at the 12th was followed soon after by a bogey by Meronk at the 13th and the difference was just one.
The closing few holes at Victoria are full of both danger and opportunity and so the closing stages of the event promised much.
The women’s event was also building to a tense finish. Buhai had led by four at the turn and while Shin remained in the mix it would be Australian rookie and now LPGA Tour player Grace Kim who appeared Buhai’s biggest threat.
By the time the final group reached the 17th tee Buhai and Kim were tied at 11 under par with Shin just one behind. Kim was playing ahead of the final group and parred the 17th. Shin soon after so nearly made an eagle which would have given her the outright lead at that point but the birdie had her in a tie before Buhai, too, would birdie and she headed to the 18th with a one shot lead over Shin with and by three over Kim who agonisingly double bogeyed the last to lose her chance at such a significant win.
With the last playing longer due to a winds change on Sunday, both players were unable to reach the green and when Buhai missed a twenty foot birdie opportunity to seal the win the door was open for Shin to hole an 8 foot birdie putt to force the playoff. She appeared to misread the attempt and the title went to Buhai who became the first woman to win the AIG Open Championship and the Women’s Australian Open in the same year since Yani Tseng performed the same feat in 2011.
Back on the golf course Meronk birdied the short par 4 15th to draw two clear of Scott and when both had parred the 16th there was still two between the pair with two holes to go. Scott had eagled the 18th in each of rounds two and three so the prospect of that was no doubt in his mind provided he safely negotiated the dangerous 17th.
There was a three-shot gap back to Lee and so the outcome appeared to lay between Meronk who owns just two professional career wins and Scott with 31 to his name.
In the end, however, it would be Scott who blinked first. Taking an iron from the tee for safety and position at the 17th, his tee shot finished in the bushes to the right and he was forced to play a provisional. He would eventually take 6 and when Meronk safely made his par the difference between the pair was 3 shots as the pair headed to the 18th tee.
It was about to become five as Meronk would eagle the last to win by five shots, claiming his third title as a professional and his second DP World Tour title after winning the Irish Open earlier this year.
Scott finished runner-up with Min Woo Lee another shot back in solo third place.
In a share of 4th place with a relatively new recruit to the professional ranks, Haydn Barron from West Australia, who not only received a financial boost of A$78,500 so early in his career, he became one of three players along with Min Woo Lee and Spain’s Alejandro Canizares to qualify for next year’s Open Championship.
The leading three players in this event and not otherwise exempt for next year’s edition of the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool clicked their ticket to Hoylake.
Meronk is clearly a player with a bright future. He finished 8th in the DP World Tour rankings in 2022, not only because of his win in Ireland but as a result of several other top tens. The manner in which he overcame Adam Scott and a demanding Victoria Golf Club on day four speaks volumes for a significant future for the 29 year old.
Meronk had contended early before struggling over the weekend at last week’s Australian PGA Championship but this week was a very different story, this time overcoming a slow start on Thursday when three over through four holes and double bogeying his final hole that day for a round of 73 to eventually win in a canter.
“I’m so happy and excited,” said Meronk. “I also had family here, so we spent quality time. It was a great week for me and I’m just very honoured to be here.
Currently 56th in the world ranking the victory will take him close to the top 50 and potentially a place in the Masters in 2023 although the lack of world ranking points in this event might see him just short of that mark.
“Yeah, that was definitely on my mind coming these two weeks to Australia, to improve my ranking and I think that should be enough going forward. I’ll just wait till tomorrow when the ranking comes out, but I think it gives me a good chance to be inside the top 50 and play Masters. So that’s unreal sitting here.”
Meronk has played in Australia previously but on the Gold Coast, Perth and last week in Brisbane so this was his first exposure to Melbourne’s famed sandbelt.
“I obviously enjoy Links. My coach is from Wales, so he kind of prepared me quite well by growing up. Since I came here I love the culture straight away and the turf and the greens are just so pure, and if you hit a good shot you get rewarded for that. So, I really enjoyed it.”
Meronk was asked about the thrill of playing with and beating Adam Scott.
“To be honest, I really wanted to play with him this week. He was always my role model growing up, so it was super cool to play with him. Obviously I didn’t really want to focus on him, just focused on my game, hitting good shots. But to beat him in the final group in front of the big crowds in Australia is just quite unbelievable experience and I’m super proud, that’s for sure.”
Scott also spoke well of the man who stood so tall in their last day encounter.
“Adrian played great.” said Scott when asked. “He played really great. “It’s hard to know off one round but he was very solid today. He looked good. He’s a big guy with a lot of speed in today’s game which seems to be the recipe. We can never put a cap on anyone these days I don’t think.”
“I mean, I was happy with how I played really the last three days, so that felt nice,” added the Queenslander. “It would have been nice to win, but to be honest, I’m looking forward to a couple weeks of not playing golf. I feel like I’ve played a lot.”
Buhai has taken quite some time to realise the huge potential she showed when winning the Women’s South African Open as a 14 year old but this year has certainly done that. Her win in a major at the AIG Open Championship and now this in a last round battle against several major champions will further elevate her standing in the game.
Buhai was full of praise for the Sandbelt experience.
“In terms of Sandbelt golf, I love to be able to flight the ball, windy conditions, so it suits my game really well,” said the now 33 year old. “These courses are just so pure, the best condition we get to play, but unfortunately for us women it is not in a good spot on the schedule.
“Where it was in February when it was co-sanctioned with LPGA is much better because LPGA season has just finished, Q-School hasn’t happened yet, same for the LET, so they can’t really co-sanction with any tours. But it didn’t stop girls from wanting to come down and play this tournament because obviously it has such a great history and being able to play on these courses is just really cool.”
The All Abilities title was won by Englishman Kipp Popert by sevens shots over Canadian Kurtis Barkley.
“It’s been an absolute honour to be here in Melbourne,” said Popert. “I’ve got good family and friends here, so it was nice to play in front of them and the crowds were good, so it was good fun.”
The event brought three tournaments into one and while there were logistical issues and will be no doubt tweaking of the concept in the future, especially in terms of numbers making the cut, there was a good base on which to move forward.
There were four winners this week however. Meronk, Buhai and Popert who were joined by the outstanding Victoria and Kingston Heath Golf Clubs which once again showed why this region of Australia contains some of the game’s greatest layouts.
The huge crowds who turned out to see initially Cameron Smith, Adam Scott and other leading players amongst the men and an even stronger women’s field in terms of depth, were probably also there to witness some very high class golf on a couple of golf’s finest examinations.
SCORES
Ashleigh Buhai – photo Australian Golf Media
Popert, Meronk and Buhai – photo Australian Golf Media
Brad Kennedy leading Australian for 2022 in Japan
Brad Kennedy – photo Japan Tour
Australian Brad Kennedy has finished 8th in the Japan Tour’s season ending Golf Nippon Series event in Tokyo and has finished the season in 16th place on the Japan Tour money list and as the leading Australian ahead of Anthony Quayle who finished 19th.
Kennedy earned the equivalent of A$560,000 in his 19 starts this season, recording seven top tens during that time.
Kennedy shot his worst score of the week yesterday, a 71, to slip six rungs to tied eighth on 272.
Another two internationals in the 30-man field this week, Anthony Quayle and American Todd Baek shot 66 and 71 to be tied for 18th and 27th respectively.
American Chan Kim narrowly missed out on a final-hole birdie to force a playoff as Hideto Tanihara surprised himself by overturning a four-shot deficit to end his 12-month winless run on JGTO with a successful defence of his Golf Nippon Series JT Cup on Sunday.
Tanihara, 44, carded five birdies to close with a five-under-par 65 at the Tokyo Yomiuri Country Club for a winning total of 12-under-par 268 which was good enough for him to hold off Kim, Hiroshi Iwata and Daijiro Izumida for a one-shot victory.
SCORES
Adam Scott snatches late lead at Australian Open
Adam Scott – photo Australian Golf Media
The very early starters in excellent scoring conditions on day three of the Australian Open at the Victorian Golf Club certainly had their chances to challenge those well ahead on the leaderboard and while one or two put together solid rounds to improve their standing in the event, the predicted strong warm winds did not eventuate and those out later in the day were able to consolidate and improve their positions.
Adam Scott and David Micheluzzi began the day tied in the lead and three ahead of the field but runs would come from Adrian Meronk, Min Woo Lee and Josh Geary and while the overnight leaders weren’t exactly backing off, the ultimate winner of the event tomorrow afternoon became less and less clear.
Although a stiff breeze was in play all afternoon, the carnage that a strong northerly can bring did not occur. That may happen tomorrow and if that does then there is a lot of excitement in store for the large crowds sure to attend to witness what promises to be an exciting final day.
As it stands at the completion of the third round, Adam Scott produced yet another dramatic finish when he eagled the final hole for the second day in a row and leads the event at 11 under and one ahead of Adrian Meronk.
Scott appeared to be just treading water after reaching the turn in 1 over but a birdie at the 12th, where he hit the most magnificent launched iron from an adjacent fairway to less than a foot, got the momentum heading in the right direction. He would then birdie the driveable par 4 15th, then saved pars at the 16th and 17th before holing from 14 feet at the last to snatch the lead away from Meronk.
“Well, I believe I’m going to do it but without using cliches, there’s no point thinking about my winner’s speech right now,” he said. “I’ve got a long way to navigate my round, get around the course tomorrow, but I absolutely believe I’m going to do it.
“If you don’t believe in it, then you won’t do it. So, I’ve got to go out tomorrow and do much of the same stuff I did today and if I get a couple of good numbers and the putts drop, I know when to challenge and when to hold back a little.”
Meronk is a player good enough to have won the Irish Open in 2022 and in doing so became the first ever Polish player to win on the DP World Tour. The win along with several top tens saw the 29 year-old finish 8th in the DP World Tour rankings this year and cement himself as one of the stars of European golf.
Meronk said last week at the PGA Championship that he had played in Australia previously and although he had options in South Africa he stated when asked that he was keen to return to this country. Chances are he is very happy with that decision.
“I felt like my game was pretty good last week, so I just wanted to keep going to start the new season well, to put some points on the board,” said the tall Polish golfer. “So that was the main reason, plus, I like Australia. I really enjoy my time here.”
He is no doubt liking it even more now and just maybe a whole lot more tomorrow evening.
“Yeah, I love it,” said Meronk today referring to his position. You want to be in this position going especially into Sunday. I feel really good about my game. I got familiar with the course so I’m going to enjoy tomorrow.
Meronk is staying with his Polish cousins who live in Melbourne and only a few minutes from the course making an enjoyable time here even more so.
“We’ve had Polish food for dinner every night. We went to the city yesterday, walked around. Yeah, I’m really enjoying the time in Australia, especially in Melbourne.”
Min Woo Lee finished his day with a round of 65 just before Meronk finished his and at 7 under par he is just four from the lead. His sister Minjee might now be a forlorn hope of winning her first Australian Women’s Open but her brother could still fly the flag for the family.
“It’s a good position,” said Lee. “Obviously you would like to be in the lead, but I’m playing good golf and who knows what’s going to happen tomorrow. I would like to be in the lead, but I didn’t really play as good the first couple of days. But I’m happy to be in the position I am now and hopefully I can put on another show tomorrow.”
Lee shares third place with his fellow West Australian Haydn Barron who represented Australia before turning professional less a year ago. For one so inexperienced he is holding up well under such great scrutiny.
The women’s field is led by Jiyai Shin who bounced back with a birdie at the 17th after an agonising double bogey at the 16th. She leads by one over South African Ashleigh Buhai who was round in 66 today and by three over yet another West Australian in Hannah Green.
“Always I love the playing here,” said Shin. “So it feel like a good play and then I have a lot of friends out here, so they make it so confident to playing and how I’m really lucky to play how cool this is. I’m in that element.”
Men’s and Women’s scores