Lydia Ko begins her round today – photo Stuart Franklin Getty Images
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko made a bold late bid to win her second Amundi Evian Championship in Evian les Bains in France, a final round of 66 and a total of 269 (15 under) falling just two short of the eventual winner, Brooke Henderson.
Ko began the final round seven shots behind Henderson and appeared to be treading water until she reached the 9th hole which she birdied and then followed up with three further birdies before reaching the reachable par 5 last.
A stunning approach there left her 14 feet behind the hole and the putt for eagle would have given her a share of the lead at that point and with Henderson only just recovering from early round struggles back on the golf course, her chance to stake her claim for the title looked good.
The putt never looked like dropping however and eventually Henderson would birdie three holes late in her round including one at the last to win by one over LPGA rookie Sophia Schubert with Ko in a five-way tie for 3rd place.
Ko wins another US$283,000, the missed opportunity at the last costing her not only a potential chance at the title but a lot of money given that a two way share of second place would have yielded close to US$500,000.
“I knew that I needed to hole it,” said Ko referring to the missed opportunity at the last. “I think 18, the tee box is pushed forward, so I’m average to just above average in driving distance and I got driver, kind of chip 5-iron in.
“Obviously, some of the girls coming in are quite long hitters. If they do hit the fairways it’s a shorter one in.
“So, yeah, I knew that I needed to make it. Honestly, I hit a good stroke and the speed was right. Just under-read. It and I feel like it was very marginal today. Like some that were like a little high or a little low.
“You know, it’s like small things, right, that gets you to be the one hoisting the trophy, and then the one that’s finishing a few shots behind.
“So I think that was really it. Other than that, all I can do is be committed and hit good shots and good putts, and if they go in, great. If they don’t, can’t do anything about it.”
Henderson earns US$1 million for her victory, her 13th on the LPGA Tour and her second major.
“Amazing,” said a very relieved Henderson. “Like you said, it was a long day and I put myself in a position I didn’t really want to be in. Started off kind of poorly.
“But to be able to bounce back on the back nine really means a lot. To get that many birdies the last five holes or so was really big.
“Obviously to make that putt on 18 was just a huge relief so I didn’t have to play that hole again. Just super excited to have this trophy and to be a second-time major champion.”
Of the other Australasians Stephanie Kyriacou and Hannah Green tied for 31st, defending champion Minjee Lee was 43rd and Sarah Kemp 54th.
Brooke Henderson – 13th LPGA Tour trophy – photo Stuart Franklin Getty Images
Jeffrey Guan goes down in epic US Junior Quarter Final
Jeffrey Guan during his quarter final match – photo USGA Chris Keane
Sydney’s Jeffrey Guan has gone down in the quarter-finals of the US Junior Championship at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon, but not without an epic battle against Californian Eric Lee, the match finishing at the second extra hole where Lee closed out the match with a birdie 3.
The encounter appeared to be a one-way street through 11 holes with the American racing to a 5 up lead but, somehow, Guan was able to drag himself up off the canvas to fight his way back into the match, winning six holes and losing one in his next seven to draw level at the 18th.
Both players parred the first extra hole but the birdie by Lee sees him into the semi finals and Guan eliminated.
Guan from the Australian and Bexley Golf Clubs in Sydney is a two time Australian Junior Champion.
All four of the quarter final matches were separated by no more than one hole in a fascinating day of close encounters.
SCORES
Lydia Ko takes Trust Golf Scottish Open lead
Lydia Ko tees of at her 10th hole today – photo Getty Mark Runnacles – LPGA
Lydia Ko will take a two-shot lead into the weekend at the Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open Championship at the Dunbarnie Links.
Ko, who has recorded five top three finishes in her last seven LPGA Tour starts and is currently the world number 4, added a second consecutive round of 65 to edge two clear of American Lilia Vu who last year finished as the leading money winner on the secondary Epson Tour to earn her LPGA Tour card.
Korea’s Eun-Hee Ji is another shot back in third place.
Ko powered home over her closing nine in 30 to sweep to the lead and after her round described the day’s play.
“I felt like I played more solid yesterday. Today — well, maybe it was the same. I mean, technically I shot the same score anyways. I think I had a few more birdie opportunities today that I missed.
“I think sometimes when you’re giving yourself a lot of looks, I think you can get easily frustrated because not all of them are going to drop. And I think a lot of the times when I was putting for birdie, it was in pretty good range and not that tricky, where I think I was putting pressure on myself, then I would hit a misshot on the next one.
“So I tried to make sure that what happened behind me wasn’t going to affect what was happening in front. I got off to a good rhythm, birdieing the third, and then hit it nearly on the 1 (her 10th hole), on the 4th, and then a great shot into 5.
“So, yeah, I think especially in conditions like this, where the wind is pretty calm and the sun is out, you have to take advantage of it because we all know that over on this side of the world, it can change pretty quick.”
Ko had the better of the conditions on the opening two days but knows that over the weekend, when the field congests in terms of tee times, conditions tend to even out a little.
“Especially over the weekend. Everyone is playing in pretty much similar conditions. I don’t think it changes that much. It can a little bit over the first couple of days just because the amount of players is a lot larger, but on the weekend, everyone is playing in the same conditions. If it’s going to rain and be windy, it’s going to be the same for all.
“So you just have to play with what you get, and those are the aspects that you expect over here. If you do end up surviving four days without rain, you say, wow, what a beautiful week we had, even though it is summer. So it’s almost more surprising when you have four sunny days.
“You just have to embrace it and know the wind and the rain and fescue, all that comes to factor when you’re playing links golf. So you just have to be patient and try and hit good quality shots and see what happens.”
Hannah Green and Minjee Lee are the best of the Australians at 5 under par and a massive nine shots from Ko’s lead.
The West Australian pair were the only two Australians to make it to the weekend with Stephanie Kyriacou, Su Oh and Whitney Hillier missing the cut.
SCORES
Jeffrey Guan reaches Quarter Finals at US Junior Championships
A happy Jeffrey Guan following his comfortable win in the Round of 16 – photo Chris Keane USGA
Sydney’s Jeffrey Guan has reached the quarter finals of the US Junior Amateur Championship in Bandon in Oregon following his victories in today’s Round of 32 and Round of 16 matches.
Guan was up against Pennsylvania’s Nicholas Gross in the morning Round of 32 match-up and survived a tight encounter after being 2 down with just six holes to play.
Guan applied the after burner with three birdies in his next four holes and eventually won the match with a birdie to halve the 18th and win the match 1 up.
His afternoon encounter against Charlie Palmer for Arizona was a much easier encounter, Guan taking control of the match early to be 4 up through 8 holes. He reached 6 up through 12 and although he lost the 13th, the match was all over at the 14th with Guan the winner, 5&4.
“I am really excited,” said Guan. “The target for me this week was to make the top 64 and then focus on every match if I did make it. I did just that today.”
Tomorrow Guan faces Californian Eric Lee in an attempt to reach the Semi Finals. Lee, a Sunny Hills rising senior who plans to play for the University of California-Berkeley in 2023, knocked out incoming Long Beach State freshman and Servite High grad Jack Cantlay, of Los Alamitos, Calif., 2 and 1.
The winner of the 2021 American Junior Golf Association’s Tournament of Champions and runner-up in the 2021 Junior PGA Championship, Lee never trailed in beating the younger brother of reigning PGA Tour Player of the Year Patrick Cantlay.
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Jeffrey Guan only Aussie survivor at US Junior
Jeffrey Guan in action earlier this week – photo Chris Keane USGA
Sydney’s Jeffrey Guan has progressed through the opening round of the match play phase of the US Junior Championships in Bandon in Oregon.
Guan, a two time Australian Junior Champion, easily accounted for his American opponent Tiger Christensen 7&5, finishing his match at the 13th hole and being 5 under for the holes played.
Guan will play the American Nicholas Gross, who finished 4th during the stroke-play phase in tomorrow’s Round of 32 match.
Victoria’s Harvey Young was not quite as fortunate however as he fell victim to the 53rd qualifier Mason Snyder 3&2 and although Young finished his match at even par, Snyder was 4 under for the 16 holes played.
New Zealand’s Jayden Ford finished in a share of second place in the 36 hole qualifying but was unable to maintain that form in today’s opening match play encounter and went down to Norway’s Oscar Bach.
SCORES
Four Australians play third Liv Golf event
Travis Smyth – practicing this week in New Jersey
Despite the growing strength of the field for this week’s Liv Golf event in Bedminster in New Jersey, four Australians have retained their place in this week’s third of the eight-tournament series.
Matt Jones, Wade Ormsby, Travis Smyth and Jed Morgan will tee it up in the US$25 million event headed by the likes of Dustin Johnson, Bryson De Chambeau, Brooks Koepka and the two men successful in the opening two events, Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace.
Fellow Australian Kevin Yuan played in the first event in London while Blake Windred played both in London and Portland but both have lost their places in series as players such as Charles Howell 111, Jason Kokrak, Henrik Stenson and Paul Casey bolster the 48 man field.
Yuan earned US$150,000 for his 33rd place in London while Windred earned a combined US$265,000 for his efforts in London and Portland so the series provided the young golfers an invaluable cushion for what lies ahead elsewhere.
Smyth has been the big earner amongst the Australians in the opening two events having won close to US$650,000 to date, most of that coming from the runner-up finish his team recorded in London.
Bedminster Purse
New Zealand golf’s bodies form working alliance
A scene from the New Zealand PGA Championship – photo NZPGA
Golf New Zealand and the Professional Golfers’ Association of New Zealand (PGA of New Zealand) have entered a landmark agreement marking a historic day for golf in Aotearoa.
The agreement between the national body and the PGA of New Zealand will see an enhanced and cohesive approach to the delivery of services throughout the country.
Together, the PGA of New Zealand and Golf New Zealand are focused on inspiring increased participation in golf through a range of initiatives, programmes, education, and support services. To enhance outcomes, the two organisations have agreed to unite under a one workforce model that will create greater efficiency and increased positive impacts for golf.
From 1 August, Golf New Zealand will assume the operational delivery functions of the PGA of New Zealand, reporting to their Board under a wide-ranging services agreement. The PGA of New Zealand workforce will become embedded into the wider Golf New Zealand team collectively focused on operating in the best interests of the game. The Golf New Zealand team will also provide a wide range of additional services such as financial management, marketing, communications, golf operations and general administration support for the PGA membership.
Importantly, the PGA of New Zealand Board remains in place to ensure the enduring enhancement of the PGA brand, history, equity, and legal structures. The PGA of New Zealand Board will set and approve PGA of New Zealand specific strategies and programmes and importantly ensure strategy delivery for its members.
Golf New Zealand Chief Executive Dean Murphy says:
“This is a significant moment for golf in New Zealand. We recognise the special role that PGA Professionals play across all parts of the golf sector in New Zealand, and we want to see this role enhanced as we move into the future.”
“This new initiative will see our organisations join forces to drive enhanced outcomes for golf. The sport has such great opportunities in front of it, and I know by joining forces with the PGA of New Zealand, we will be able to deliver better results for our members and drive the sport to continue to thrive.”
PGA of New Zealand Chair Phil Ellison mirrors Murphy’s thoughts:
“The PGA of New Zealand recognised the opportunity to enhance the game of golf and delivery to our members by utilising the skills and resources of Golf NZ. The PGA of New Zealand Board believe that by focusing the PGA’s limited resources into strategy delivery and drawing on Golf NZ’s vast golf experience and resources that a better service and cohesiveness will be delivered to all golfers in NZ.”
“Our goal is to focus on the enhanced delivery of our three strategic pillars being Education, Vocational Golf, and Tournaments for our members. We are confident under this new structure we together will achieve far more through the whole than the sum of the parts.”
Golf New Zealand is committing significant investment into this delivery model, including up-weighting the PGA of New Zealand staffing structure with two new roles: a PGA Member Services Manager and a PGA Tournaments Coordinator. These two new roles will join two existing PGA Education roles under the one workforce model will deliver enhanced outcomes for the PGA members and the greater golf community.
New Zealand Golf’s flagship event – the NZ Open – Sir Bob Charles with 2020 winner Brad Kennedy photo Photosport
New Zealand’s Jayden Ford leads Australasians at US Junior
Jayden Ford – photo USGA Chris Keane
New Zealander Jayden Ford has recorded a second consecutive round of 68 to finish in a share of second place in the 36 hole qualifying phase of the US Junior Championship at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon in Oregon.
With 264 players playing the two venue, 36 hole qualifying event, to have finished runner-up against some of the world’s best juniors is an outstanding achievement.
The event now turns to the match play for the next few days and Ford will be joined by Australians Harvey Young and Jeffrey Guan in the field of 64 to tackle the knockout matches of the event.
Ford, from the Judgeford Golf Club north of Wellington, earlier this year won the Avondale Amateur Championship in Sydney, and in 2016, at the age of just 12, finished as the 3rd qualifier at the New Zealand Amateur Championship.
His round of 3 under today was spoiled only by a double bogey at the 14th hole but there were also six birdies in his impressive round.
“I thought it would be good to get over here through the summer, said Ford. “Obviously, it is winter back home so there is not much going on. I wanted to come here and get some exposure and get more experience playing international golf.”
Yesterday’s co leader, Harvey Young is the next best of the three Australasians to make it into the field of 64 for the match play stage. Young, after sharing the lead on day one, slipped to a round of 73 today but did recover from an early double bogey and is in a share of 11th at the completion of the 36 holes.
Sydney’s Jeffrey Guan is through and tied for 34th as the event heads into match play.
Guan is a dual Australian Junior Champion, the Australian Golf Club Champion at age 14 and runner-up at the Australian Amateur Championship to name just a few of his impressive list of results.
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Australia’s Harvey Young shares US Junior lead
Harvey Young plays to the 17th today – photo Chris Keane USGA
Australasians are faring well after the opening round of the US Junior Championship at Bandon Dunes Golf Club in Bandon in Oregon.
Melbourne’s Harvey Young leads along with Paraguay’s Erich Fortlage, the pair recording opening rounds of 66 to leads the way by one.
Young and Fortlage played the Bandon Trails Course, one of two layouts being used in the 36 hole strokeplay phase of the championship to establish the leading 64 qualifiers to advance to match play.
The day began with bright sunshine and temperatures reaching the low 60s on the Oregon coast. The winds, which are so much a part of the story here, gusted as high as 20 miles per hour before they were replaced by late-afternoon fog that made visibility challenging for the final groups.
“On [hole] 13, the par 5, it started to get bad and then it got worse and worse,” said Young of the fog. “I said to [my caddie] Daniel [Kitayama], it was one of the most enjoyable rounds I’ve had just because I’ve never played in anything like this before.”
This is Young’s first trip to the United States to play golf. He arrived on May 31 and competed in the Dogwood Invitational in Atlanta, Ga.; the International Junior Masters in East Aurora, N.Y.; and the Porter Cup in Lewiston, N.Y.; as well as a U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier on June 23 at Huntsville Golf Club in Dallas, Pa., where he posted a bogey-free 71 to garner one of the two available spots.
“If I woke up and said, ‘You’d shoot even,’ I’d go back to sleep,” said Young of surpassing his expectations. “So having six [strokes] better than that is pretty good.”
New Zealander Jayden Ford from Wellington was round in 67 to be tied for 5th and two off the lead.
Gold Coast golfer Kai Kumulainen also did well with an opening round of 70 to be tied for 18th.
Their task will be to ensure they are inside the top 64 at the completion of tomorrow’s second round in order to advance to the match play phase of the event.
SCORES
Karrie Webb turns back the clock to win Senior LPGA
Karrie Webb – photo Legends Tour
Karrie Webb’s rivalry with her long-time adversary in regular LPGA golf, Annika Sorenstam, continued this week with the Australian emerging as the winner by four shots over Sorenstam to claim the Senior LPGA Championship at the Salina Country Club in Salina in Kansas.
Webb’s final round of 67 saw her edge clear, an eagle by her at the 14th hole important in the final analysis as at that point the pair were separated by just one shot.
The pair have accumulated a total of seventeen major titles in regular LPGA golf (Sorenstam 10 and Webb 7) so this week’s event continued the rivalry of two of the female game’s greatest players.
Webb has played two events on the LPGA Tour in 2022 after entering semi-retirement a couple of seasons ago but she again displayed the great game which saw her as one of the dominant female golfers through the 1990’s and 2000’s.
Her last major title in regular golf came when winning her 7th and final event at that level at the then Kraft Nabisco event in California in 2006.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had to make putts down the stretch to win a golf tournament,” laughed Webb. “So the mouth was getting dry and the little putts were seeming a little bit longer.
“I’m not used to playing golf with adrenaline. It was hard to know how far I was hitting it, so it was a bit of a guessing game, but I think I did pretty good overall with it.”
SCORES
Lydia Ko’s late charge falls just short at Evian Championship
Lydia Ko begins her round today – photo Stuart Franklin Getty Images
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko made a bold late bid to win her second Amundi Evian Championship in Evian les Bains in France, a final round of 66 and a total of 269 (15 under) falling just two short of the eventual winner, Brooke Henderson.
Ko began the final round seven shots behind Henderson and appeared to be treading water until she reached the 9th hole which she birdied and then followed up with three further birdies before reaching the reachable par 5 last.
A stunning approach there left her 14 feet behind the hole and the putt for eagle would have given her a share of the lead at that point and with Henderson only just recovering from early round struggles back on the golf course, her chance to stake her claim for the title looked good.
The putt never looked like dropping however and eventually Henderson would birdie three holes late in her round including one at the last to win by one over LPGA rookie Sophia Schubert with Ko in a five-way tie for 3rd place.
Ko wins another US$283,000, the missed opportunity at the last costing her not only a potential chance at the title but a lot of money given that a two way share of second place would have yielded close to US$500,000.
“I knew that I needed to hole it,” said Ko referring to the missed opportunity at the last. “I think 18, the tee box is pushed forward, so I’m average to just above average in driving distance and I got driver, kind of chip 5-iron in.
“Obviously, some of the girls coming in are quite long hitters. If they do hit the fairways it’s a shorter one in.
“So, yeah, I knew that I needed to make it. Honestly, I hit a good stroke and the speed was right. Just under-read. It and I feel like it was very marginal today. Like some that were like a little high or a little low.
“You know, it’s like small things, right, that gets you to be the one hoisting the trophy, and then the one that’s finishing a few shots behind.
“So I think that was really it. Other than that, all I can do is be committed and hit good shots and good putts, and if they go in, great. If they don’t, can’t do anything about it.”
Henderson earns US$1 million for her victory, her 13th on the LPGA Tour and her second major.
“Amazing,” said a very relieved Henderson. “Like you said, it was a long day and I put myself in a position I didn’t really want to be in. Started off kind of poorly.
“But to be able to bounce back on the back nine really means a lot. To get that many birdies the last five holes or so was really big.
“Obviously to make that putt on 18 was just a huge relief so I didn’t have to play that hole again. Just super excited to have this trophy and to be a second-time major champion.”
Of the other Australasians Stephanie Kyriacou and Hannah Green tied for 31st, defending champion Minjee Lee was 43rd and Sarah Kemp 54th.
Brooke Henderson – 13th LPGA Tour trophy – photo Stuart Franklin Getty Images