Shane Lowry – enjoys the moment – photo Getty Images
The event might have been reduced to just 54 holes as a result of play being suspended to honour the passing of Queens Elizabeth 11, but the DP World Tour’s flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship, still managed to produce some record scoring and stunning golf as Ireland’s Shane Lowry produced a final round of 65 to win by one over Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm, the latter of who had three hours earlier reeled off a final round of 62 to take the lead.
It was a day when several of those out early began to challenge for the lead, held overnight by Patrick Hovland and Soren Kjeldsen.
Patrick Reed was the first to make a statement when is final round of 62 swept him to the lead before the leaders had even teed off but as the day wore on it would be Rahm, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry who emerged as the players most likely to take the title.
Rahm’s 62 had given him the lead but with so many birdies on offer over the closing nine at Wentworth, Lowry and McIlroy, who were playing in the fourth and third last second to last groups of the day, had many opportunities remaining to move ahead.
Lowry stood on the 18th tee at 16 under and after failing to birdie the first of the two par five finishing holes (the 17th). At that point he was one ahead of McIlroy and Rahm. His approach from 215 yards finished 15 feet from the hole at the par five last and set up a chance to perhaps take the title there and then.
His putt missed and so he would be forced to wait and see if McIlroy could eagle the last and force a playoff. The recently crowned FedEx Cup Champion’s approach finished just over 20 feet from the hole and, after much surveying, his putt looked as if it might just fall before coming to rest on the edge of the hole and he was one behind Lowry.
Only Thomas Detry could possibly affect the outcome but that would require him holing a shot from the fairway bunker at the last and that was never going to happen and so Lowry emerged the winner of the European Tour’s most prized title.
Lowry pockets €1,351,000 (A$2 million) and moves to 5th in the race to Dubai standings, McIlroy still well on target to win the Race to Dubai title, having the lead over Viktor Hovland at this stage.
Jokingly, after the result was confirmed, both Lowry and McIlroy embraced with Lowry perhaps summing things up when he suggested to McIlroy that he had ‘won enough already.’
“It means a lot,” said Lowry later. “It’s been a good year but felt like I’ve been close a few times and felt like I’ve only got a few tournaments left this season and wanted to try and win one, and obviously this one is right up at the top the list.
“I love it here and I’ve contended in the past, and even going down the back nine today, I was like, the bad shots that I’ve hit over the years in contention actually started to creep into my head and it’s amazing what this game does.
“I’m so happy. Honestly words can’t put into how happy I am, how much this means to me and how much I love this tour and how much I love this tournament. I’m the happiest man in the world right now.
“This is a great start (to Ryder Cup qualification). Obviously, I want it make the team and I want to make it easy for Luke. I feel like I can be a good addition to the team and we can go to Rome and challenge and win that Ryder Cup back. I’m very excited that I’ve made some good points this week and I’m hoping in the next few months to make the team automatically and go to Rome in 12 months.”
Scott Hend finished as the leading Australian when he tied for 32nd and earned €56,000. Maverick Antcliff was 42nd and tied with Jason Scrivener, Min Woo Lee and Adam Scott.
Hannah Green eyeing second Portland title
Australian Hannah Green is well placed to add a second AmazingCre Portland Classic and a third LPGA Tour title to her name as she heads into tomorrow’s final round of the event at the Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland in Oregon.
Green won this title or its equivalent in 2019, two months after her breakthrough win at the KPMG PGA Championship and despite a bogey late in her round today costing her the chance to share the 54 hole lead, she begins tomorrow’s final round in a four way share of 4th place and just on behind the trio ahead of her.
Green is having an extremely consistent year having now made all 18 cuts to date while recording six top ten finishes, but the win has proven elusive. Back on a golf course which holds such fond memories, the 25 year old has opened the door for her consistency to be rewarded.
Of the other Australians, Sarah Kemp is 43rd and LPGA rookie, Karis Davidson, 49th.
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Lucas Herbert well placed in Italy
Lucas Herbert – file photo courtesy of PGA of Australia
Australia’s Lucas Herbert has bounced back from two missed cuts in his last three starts with a second round of 67 at the Italian Open in Rome and finds himself in a share of 5th place with just a few players to complete their second rounds tomorrow after a weather disruption.
Herbert, who now plays the PGA Tour on a regular basis, missed the cut at last week’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, but despite a bogey at the last today after pulling his second into the water at the par 5, his seven birdies in round two have set up the possibility of a third DP World Tour title.
The 26 year old is currently ranked 53rd in the world after reaching a high of 40 late in 2021 and is perhaps unlucky not to have caught the attention of International Presidents Cup captain Trevor Immelman.
Herbert trails the in form leader, Rory McIlroy, by four shots and the current US Open Champion Matt Fitzpatrick by three so he has a big task to chase them an others down but he has made an encouraging start.
Jason Scrivener, tied for 27th and Maverick Antcliff 33rd, are the other Australians who will make the weekend while Scott Hend appears likely to miss by one shot, Min Woo Lee by two and Zach Murray further back again.
Sam Jones knocked out of US Mid Amateur
Sam Jones – in trouble at his final hole the 16th in today’s round of 32 – photo Steve Gibbons USGA
New Zealand’s Sam Jones might well have shared the medallist honours at the US Mid-Amateur Championship at Erin Hills in Wisconsin, but the former New Zealand Amateur Champion was unable to advance past the round of 32 in the all important match play phase.
Following an emphatic round of 64 victory over American Christian Raynor Jones took on another American Scott Turner in the round of 32 match-up but although he led 2 up through six holes he lost five of the next eight holes and eventually went down 3&2.
Despite the loss it was an encouraging week for the Taranaki golfer in an event in which many of Americas leading amateurs beyond the age of 25 compete.
Australian Harry Bolt was the only other Australasian to qualify via the 36 hole stroke-play but lost his opening round match.
Fortinet Championship begins PGA Tour’s new season
Just a few weeks ago – Harrison Endycott celebrates earning PGA Tour status with his dad – PGA Tour / Getty
And so it begins again. The PGA Tour’s 2022/2023 season gets underway at this week’s Fortinet Championship in Napa in California where six Australasians either recommence or, in the instance of one, Harrison Endycott, begin their PGA Tour careers.
Cam Davis, Jason Day, Aaron Baddeley, New Zealander Danny Lee, Cameron Percy and Endycott are in the field for the US$8 million event, Baddeley forcing his way into the field following an eagle in a playoff for one of two remaining spots via the qualifying spots on Monday.
Davis, Day and Lee are in the field after finishing inside the top 125 in the FedEx Cup standings while Baddeley lost his full playing rights at the completion of the last PGA Tour season and was unable to get them back via the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, so this event offers an opportunity for the two-time Australian Open Champion.
Percy gets into the field courtesy of a top ten at his last start at the Wyndham Championship and will be keen to take advantage in order to prolong his PGA Tour career.
Endycott earned his PGA Tour playing rights via the Korn Ferry Tour this past season and will get to play the PGA Tour as a card holder for the first time.
Anthony Quayle resumes Japan Tour campaign
Anthony Quayle – photo and article courtesy of Japan Tour
Australia’s Anthony Quayle is finally back in Japan after three months to resume his pursuit of an elusive JGTO title, starting with this week’s ¥100,000,000 ANA Open Golf Tournament at Sapporo Golf Club in Hokkaido.
The 28-year-old, who finished a laudable tied-15th in his debut at The Open in July, played no part in the last six Japan Tour events after the Tour’s restarted in early August.
Quayle was in the United States instead to try his luck at securing a US PGA Tour card through its secondary’s Korn Ferry Tour Finals, where a total of 25 berths were up for grabs.
However, Quayle ended his campaign in the three-legged Finals, which concluded with the Korn Ferry Tour Championship on Sept 4, without making any cut.
Quayle had nevertheless cherished the opportunity and believes these invaluable experiences will stand him in good stead for the challenges ahead.
“It’s nice to be back after some good performances overseas. The course is in amazing condition and it’s good to see some familiar faces again,” said Quayle.
Despite his absence, the 27-year-old remains the highest-placed international member in the season-long JGTO Money Rankings, having cashed in ¥38,933,319 from nine appearances that were greatly boosted by his strong performance at The Open.
But Quayle had also impressed on several occasions, particularly finishing runner-up to Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent at the Gateway to The Open Mizuno Open in May.
Quayle also posted another pair of top-10 results, tying for sixth at the ISPS HANDA Championship and finishing outright fourth at the BMW Japan Golf Tour Championship.
Competing in his fourth full season, Quayle’s best overall finish came during the 2019 season when he ended his campaign in 29th spot.
LIV Golf moves to Illinois for 5th event
Cameron Smith in practice at Rich Harvest Farms this week – photo Jonathan Ferrey LIV Golf Via Getty Images
LIV Golf moves to Illinois this week for the fifth of its eight series in 2022, the ultra-private and appropriately names Rich Harvest Farms, in Sugar Grove an hour west of Chicago, hosting the event.
Australians Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman, Matt Jones, Wade Ormsby and Jed Morgan are amongst the field of 48 who will battle for the US$20 million individual and US$5 million teams’ prize purse.
Smith and Leishman will play their second LIV event while for Jones, Ormsby and Morgan, they have played all four to date.
Smith has US$1,012,000 following his debut 5th place in Boston earlier this month, Jones has US$746,000, Ormsby US$569,000, Jed Morgan US$554,000 and Leishman US$160,000 for his midfield debut finish in Boston.
Dustin Johnson with US$9,962,000 in individual and team earnings in the four events to date will again be the favourite to add another US$4.75 million to those earnings, $4 million available to the individual winner and another US$750,000 to a member of the winning team.
New Zealand’s Sam Jones shares medallist honours at US Mid-Am
Erin Hills Golf Club Wisconsin – photo Steve Gibbons USGA
New Zealand’s Sam Jones has shared medallist honours at the US Mid-Amateur Championship at Erin Hills in Erin, Wisconsin following the completion of the 36 holes stroke-play phase of the USGA event.
The US Mid-Amateur Championship is for golfers 25 year or over and typically includes post college players who have remained amateur.
Jones, who recently competed as part of the three-man New Zealand team at the Eisenhower Trophy in Paris, produced consecutive rounds of 67 to share the honours with American Jake Shuman.
Australian Harry Bolton also made it into the leading 64 players to face the match play tomorrow finishing 53rd and gaining his place after a birdie at the first extra hole of a playoff between 17 players for seven remaining positions.
Left hander, Jones, from Taranaki in New Zealand’s North Island, attended college at the University of West Georgia in the US until Covid forced him to remain in New Zealand in recent times but as a former New Zealand Amateur Champion and the winner several other events in his homeland, the big hitter is emerging as one of New Zealand’s best amateurs.
A member of the relatively obscure Manaia Golf Club near Hawera in Taranaki, Jones returned to the US earlier this year but still remembers his background in the game.
“We have a pretty little country course down there. Manaia is the name of it. It’s 6,000 yards long and we’ve got one greenkeeper that works up to 40 hours a week. Humble beginnings, I guess, but playing on a track like this (Erin Hills) is amazing.”
Former champion, Lukas Michel of Victoria, Australia missed making it into the match play field of 64 by a large margin.
Shane Lowry holds off Rory McIlroy to win BMW PGA
Shane Lowry – enjoys the moment – photo Getty Images
The event might have been reduced to just 54 holes as a result of play being suspended to honour the passing of Queens Elizabeth 11, but the DP World Tour’s flagship event, the BMW PGA Championship, still managed to produce some record scoring and stunning golf as Ireland’s Shane Lowry produced a final round of 65 to win by one over Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm, the latter of who had three hours earlier reeled off a final round of 62 to take the lead.
It was a day when several of those out early began to challenge for the lead, held overnight by Patrick Hovland and Soren Kjeldsen.
Patrick Reed was the first to make a statement when is final round of 62 swept him to the lead before the leaders had even teed off but as the day wore on it would be Rahm, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry who emerged as the players most likely to take the title.
Rahm’s 62 had given him the lead but with so many birdies on offer over the closing nine at Wentworth, Lowry and McIlroy, who were playing in the fourth and third last second to last groups of the day, had many opportunities remaining to move ahead.
Lowry stood on the 18th tee at 16 under and after failing to birdie the first of the two par five finishing holes (the 17th). At that point he was one ahead of McIlroy and Rahm. His approach from 215 yards finished 15 feet from the hole at the par five last and set up a chance to perhaps take the title there and then.
His putt missed and so he would be forced to wait and see if McIlroy could eagle the last and force a playoff. The recently crowned FedEx Cup Champion’s approach finished just over 20 feet from the hole and, after much surveying, his putt looked as if it might just fall before coming to rest on the edge of the hole and he was one behind Lowry.
Only Thomas Detry could possibly affect the outcome but that would require him holing a shot from the fairway bunker at the last and that was never going to happen and so Lowry emerged the winner of the European Tour’s most prized title.
Lowry pockets €1,351,000 (A$2 million) and moves to 5th in the race to Dubai standings, McIlroy still well on target to win the Race to Dubai title, having the lead over Viktor Hovland at this stage.
Jokingly, after the result was confirmed, both Lowry and McIlroy embraced with Lowry perhaps summing things up when he suggested to McIlroy that he had ‘won enough already.’
“It means a lot,” said Lowry later. “It’s been a good year but felt like I’ve been close a few times and felt like I’ve only got a few tournaments left this season and wanted to try and win one, and obviously this one is right up at the top the list.
“I love it here and I’ve contended in the past, and even going down the back nine today, I was like, the bad shots that I’ve hit over the years in contention actually started to creep into my head and it’s amazing what this game does.
“I’m so happy. Honestly words can’t put into how happy I am, how much this means to me and how much I love this tour and how much I love this tournament. I’m the happiest man in the world right now.
“This is a great start (to Ryder Cup qualification). Obviously, I want it make the team and I want to make it easy for Luke. I feel like I can be a good addition to the team and we can go to Rome and challenge and win that Ryder Cup back. I’m very excited that I’ve made some good points this week and I’m hoping in the next few months to make the team automatically and go to Rome in 12 months.”
Scott Hend finished as the leading Australian when he tied for 32nd and earned €56,000. Maverick Antcliff was 42nd and tied with Jason Scrivener, Min Woo Lee and Adam Scott.
Sarah Kemp records best finish of season in Cincinnati
Sarah Kemp – photo LPGA Tour Getty Dylan Buell
Australian Sarah Kemp has finished 8th in the LPGA Tour’s Kroger Queen City Championship in Cincinnati and, in doing so, recorded her best finish of 2022 and very importantly has moved her 12 places to 88th on the Race to The Globe standings.
The top 100 at the end of the season earn top priority status for 2023 so this week’s effort has helped Kemp in the quest to retain full playing privileges for next season.
Kemp was unable to finish off a good start to her final day, a back nine of 37 resulting in her slipping to 8th place but the US$43,500 and the Race to the Globe points will be most welcome.
Seven events remain on the LPGA Tour calendar ahead of the Tour Championship so there is still time for Kemp to consolidate her position inside the top 100, but this week’s performance will be a boost of confidence ahead of the final stretch.
Hannah Green was the only other Australian to make the cut this week and finished 24th.
The tournament was won by American Ally Ewing who won her third LPGA Tour title with a one shot win over Xiyu Lin.
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Hovland and Kjeldsen lead at Wentworth as Min Woo Lee flirts with 59
Viktor Hovland – chasing 3rd European Tour title – photo Getty Images
With the BMW PGA Championship reduced to 54 holes following the decision by the tour’s management to honour the passing of Queens Elizabeth 11, play got underway early on Saturday at Wentworth in Surrey with several players still to complete round one ahead of an early start for those looking to get round two underway.
By the end of the day, and with now just one round to play, it would be veteran Soren Kjeldsen who shared the lead with Viktor Hovland but lurking just one back is a group of three players including the leader of the Race to Dubai Rory McIlroy.
47 year old Dane, Kjeldsen, bogeyed his opening hole in round two but was near faultless from there with seven birdies and an eagle for a round of 64.
The four-time European Tour winner is currently ranked 605th in the world and after a season to date which has yielded just one finish inside the top 40, he has been struggling to reach the levels he had earlier in his career.
Norway’s Hovland, at 24 years of age, is 23 years the junior of Kjeldsen and is currently ranked # 10 in the world with three PGA Tour victories and two DP World Tour victories to his name already in a relatively young career.
It is, however, McIlroy who will start the favourite to win this event tomorrow.
Just two weeks after his success in the USPGA Tour Championship and the Fed Ex Cup, McIlroy is chasing a second victory in this event having won in 2014 and also finishing runner-up in 2018.
Jason Scrivener leads the Australians, the Perth golfer making his first cut in now six attempts in the DP World Tour’s flagship event.
Scrivener is three shots from the lead and in a share of 11th place heading into tomorrow’s final round.
Also making his first cut in the event is Scrivener’s fellow Perth resident, Min Woo Lee, who was on a 59 watch until at 10 under par with two par 5’s to finish at Wentworth, he bogeyed the 17th after finding the trees on the demanding driving hole and finished with an unofficial course record equaling 62. His effort was unofficial due to lift clean and place.
It was, though, a remarkable bounce back for Lee, who after an opening round of 76 and missing out on gaining PGA Tour status last week must have been wondering when things might improve. They did, and in a hurry.
Lee is now six shots from the lead and tied for 34th with amongst others Queensland’s Maverick Antcliff.
Adam Scott 49th and Scott Hend 48th also made the cut.
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