Niemann – clearly happy with his week’s work – image Golf Australia
Whoever came up with the ridiculously overused and absurd golfing term ‘moving day’ to describe a third day of play in a golf tournament should have been at the Australian Golf Club for today’s final round as he or she might now have a rethink, given that every day in a golf tournament is a day where a potential winner can stake a claim or otherwise.
At the beginning of the day, eleven players were within four shots of the lead and as the day wore on as many as eight had moved themselves into a position where victory was not a remote prospect.
Eventually, it would be the 25-year-old Chilean golfer, Joaquin Niemann, who edged out Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino with a stunning eagle at the second extra hole of a playoff but not before five players either shared or held the lead outright through the final round and several others loomed as possible contenders.
It was a brilliant final day in front of some of the biggest crowds I have seen at an Australian Open for many years, perfect golfing conditions early in the day, giving way to the demands of an increasingly strong southerly wind which began to take its toll after is strengthened when the final group was playing the third hole
By the time the final group of Min Woo Lee, Riyuka Hoshino and Alex Fitzpatrick had reached the 5th tee, Lee, Hoshino and Lucas Herbert were tied at the top at 12 under, but at 11 under were Fitzpatrick, Adam Scott and Ryo Hisatsune, and another shot back were Jason Scrivener, another Japanese star in Yuto Katsugawara, the eventual winner, Niemann and the faltering Patrick Rodgers.
One of the more bizarre stories would have been if Adam Scott had held on to a lead he created for himself when, after starting the day at 8 under par and in the first group out from the 10th tee, he moved to 5 under for the day and into the outright lead when he birdied his 15th hole (the 6th).
Given Scott was to finish at the 9th hole and more than an hour and a half ahead of those in the final group, his ongoing success might have proved embarrassing for tournament organisers.
But Scott would falter at the 7th hole of the Australian layout and his 16th overall when he found the trees and eventually took a triple bogey and while his chances were not over completely, two pars to finish saw him finish at 11 under and seemingly, despite the increasingly demanding conditions, a couple back of where he needed to be.
Niemann was on the correct side of the draw although more than 90 minutes ahead of the final group and he served notice of his intentions with an outward nine of 1 under and then scorching home in 32 for his round of 66 to lead before an agonising wait for the leading group to finish.
Niemann, a former Latin American Amateur Champion and a two-time winner on the PGA Tour before joining LiV Golf in 2022, spent the time exercising, hitting balls and anxiously watching the progress of those still in contention.
Until today’s victory Niemann’s playoff record in professional golf including Liv Golf was not good, having lost three until today but after he and Hoshino had both birdied the first extra hole, Niemann hit a superb second with a short iron to the par five the second time around and converted from 15 feet for eagle and the title of Australian Open Champion.
Hoshino had drawn level with a 35-foot birdie putt of his own at the 17th but after a poor drive at the last in regulation he was unable to produce that one extra birdie to claim the title.
For Hoshino it was his second runner-up finish in succession having finished just behind Min Woo Lee in Brisbane last week.
Herbert’s climb to the top of the leaderboard came to a grinding halt when he triple-bogeyed the 9th after missing the fairway then four putting. He would eventually finish 7th.
Min Woo Lee recovered from an out-of-character slow start to the day and was still in with an opportunity playing the last before a poor drive cost him the chance of the eagle he needed to join the playoff and he finished alone in third place.
Niemann was understandably delighted with the decision he made to come to Australia and having the Australian Open title.
“It means a lot. I wanted to win so bad for a long time. The last one I have is in Riviera, and yeah, I mean this season wasn’t the best season that I play on LIV. I haven’t had a great finish and after the season I kind of start working a lot harder with my coach and all my team and started seeing a bit of results.
“I mean, I wanted to play more golf because I felt like I was kind of like finding my game. It was getting better. I was hitting better, putting better and I was like ‘I want to go out and play and see if it’s true, you know?’
“Yeah, then I had these two weeks in Australia and actually was a really easy decision, I was in Chile, flight from Chile to Sydney which is really good and obviously there are world ranking points, which I think I need a few now and the open spots here this week, so he was you should come out here and play some golf and I was really happy to see some golf.
“Obviously it’s big. I didn’t have a great season on LIV. I found there’s too much going on and I wasn’t hitting it as good as I am right now, I’m used to it. I was not putting as good. I had a few changes on my team as well. So, it was kind of like things were pretty new. I felt like we’re working harder too. I think that also brings some results and I am proud to see all the results coming up.
“So it’s nice to be here with the trophy and obviously I want to play well next season on LIV, I want to win tournaments and I think this is a good test to get ready for next season.”
Ashleigh Buhai – image Golf Australia
In the women’s Australian Open it would be defending champion Ashleigh Buhai who held off a determined final round charge by Minjee Lee whose final round of 69 was the only one under 70 on a very demanding and windy afternoon.
Beginning the final day three ahead of Jiyai Shin, Buhai a former childhood star in South Africa and now a two-time Australian Open Champion along with her AIG Womens’ Open title, played her way through to first twelve holes in even par but when she dropped shots at the 13th, 14th and 17th, she had opened the door for Lee who will rue a costly double bogey at the 13th.
Buhai would hold on but she was forced to make a four-foot out at the last to hold out Lee who was chasing her first Australian Open title.
Jenny Shin and Jiyai Shin tied for 3rd but they were some five shots from Buhai and four from Lee.
“Yeah, I’m very proud to obviously come here and defend my title from last year,” said Buhai. “I’ve never defended professional tournaments back to back although I have as an amateur, very proud. Webbie sent me a message wishing me luck, which was really nice of her.
“Yeah, to do it on this golf course obviously Minjee made a run at me, to do it against her, she played fantastic today. Obviously, I know that everybody was kind of cheering for her, but it was great, there were a lot of South Africans out there too that were supporting me.”
When asked about the crowds and the format of the two events together Buhai would add;
“I played last year and this year the crowds were unbelievable. I think the format having the males and the-all abilities just brings it altogether. They get to see the best of both as well. I think the next best for me was the crowd-wise was the AIG Women’s Open, but walking down 18 yesterday and today, seeing that bank at the course was great.”
And so the second version of the multiple Australian Open being played at the same venue and in the same week is over.
There are still many detractors from the concept suggesting the respective Australian Opens should be stand alone events. Being a traditionalist this writer perhaps has similar views but the numbers at the Australian Golf Club this week don’t lie and the support of an event where Australian golf fans can witness their country’s best players of either gender at the one venue on the same week is, clearly, an attractive proposition.
