Weekly Wrap - Week 24
The Curtis Cup
Dates: 12-14 June
Course: Bel-Air Country Club, Los Angeles, CA
The Curtis Cup delivers again. What a fantastic event showcasing the best female amateurs across USA and Great Britain & Ireland.
The USA led 7-5 heading into the final day of singles competition. They needed 3 ½ points to take the Cup and GB&I needed 5 points to retain (being the holders from 2024).
GB&I won the first two matches tying the scores at 7-7. Then the world no. 1 amateur Kiara Romero birdied the 18th to win 1up and put USA up 8-7. That seemed to take the wind out of the sails of team GB&I as the US went on to win the remaining matches with the final score of 13-7.
This is where we see the star of the future. Many of these amazing players will turn pro very shortly and it will be fascinating to see how they fare on the professional tours.
LPGA
Tournament: Dow Championship
Dates: 11 – 14 June
Course: Midland Country Club, Midland, MI
Purse: USD $3.3M
Ozzies in the field: Steph Kyriacou (Jennifer Chang), Robyn Choi (Jenny Bai), Gabbi Ruffels (Lucy Li), Hira Naveed (Gurleen Kaur), Sarah Kemp (Maude-Aimee Leblanc), Lydia Ko (NZ),
The highlight of the week was the interplay (emphasis on play) between Nelly Korda and her partner Olivia Cowan. This is the sort of content and outward personality that is fantastic for the LPGA. Their biggest star is undoubtedly an amazing golfer but as we know that is often not enough to sell the product. Whilst they didn’t win the tournament they certainly won plenty of minds and followers.
The winners of the tournament were Americans Gina Kim and Yana Wilson won by two shots over Hye-Jin Choi and Ho Joo Kim. Best of the Ozzies was Robyn Choi with Jenny Bae who finished T17.
1st Gina Kim & Yana Wilson – USD $402,691 (each)
T17 Robyn Choi & Jenny Bae - $19,004
T23 Hira Naveed & Gurleen Kaur - $12,724
MC Sarah Kemp & M Leblanc
MC Gabbi Ruffels & L Li
MC Lydia Ko & Daniel Kang
MC Steph Kyriacou & J Chang
EPSON TOUR
Tournament: FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship
Dates: 12-14 June
Course: The Medalist Golf Club, Marshall, MI
Purse: USD $200,000
Ozzies in the field: Jennifer Elliot, Caitlin Peirce, Su Oh, Jess Whitting, Fiona Xu (NZ)
Lauryn Nguyen recorded her first professional win with a three shot victory over Jenny Coleman. Best of the Ozzies was Caitlin Peirce at T16.
1st Lauryn Nguyen – USD $30,000
T16 Caitlin Peirce - $2,606
T61 Jessica Whitting - $697
MC Su Oh
MC Jennifer Elliott
WDC Fiona Xu (NZ)
LETAS
Tournament: Raiffeisenbank Czech Ladies Challenge
Dates: 12 – 14 June
Course: Panorama Golf Resort, Kacov
Purse: €50,000
Ozzies in the field: Kristalle Blum, Amy Walsh, Hannah Reeves, Munchin Keh (NZ), Wenyung Keh (NZ)
Not to be for Kristalle Blum who was joint leader after round one. Blum was the victim of horrendous conditions on day two and failed to make the cut. That shouldn’t deter her as she was not alone in racking up big numbers.
The eventual winner was Hulda Gestsdottir from Finland who won with a score of even par. That is a testament to the conditions that prevailed on days two and three.
Best of the Ozzies was Hannah Reeves who made her first cut on this Tour and finished T11.
1st Hulda Gestsdottir - €8,000
T11 Hannah Reeve - €1,050
T21 Munchin Keh (NZ) - €702
MC Wenyung Keh (NZ)
MC Kristalle Blum
PGA Tour
Tournament: RBC Canadian Open
Dates: 12- 14 June
Course: TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley – North Course
Purse: USD $9.8M
Ozzies in the field: Cam Davis, Karl Vilips, Declan O’Donovan, Ryan Fox (NZ)
If at first you don’t succeed try and try again – in Bud Cauley’s case 239 times. Eight years after his golf career was seemingly ended by a car accident the 39 year old Cauley claimed his first PGA Tour victory at the RBC Canadian Open.
Best of the Australasians was Kiwi Ryan Fox at T8. None of the Ozzies made the cut.
1st Bud Cauley – USD $1,764,000
T8 Ryan Fox (NZ) - $286,650
MC Declan O’Donovan
MC Karl Vilips
MC Cam Davis
Korn Ferry Tour
Tournament: OccuNet Classic presented by Amarillo National bank
Dates: 11-14 June
Course: Tascosa Golf Club – La Paloma Course
Purse: USD $1.0M
Ozzies in the field: Rhein Gibson
Zack Fischer caught the biggest prize of his career with a win in Amarillo on the Korn Ferry Tour. Fischer won by a shot over fellow American Ben Carr.
1st Zack Fischer – USD $180,000
MC Rhein Gibson
PGA Champions Tour
Tournament: Principal Charity Classic
Dates: 12-14 June
Course: Wakonda Club, Des Moines, IA
Purse: USD $2.0M
Ozzies in the field: Steve Allan, Steve Alker (NZ), Stuart Appleby, Greg Chalmers, Richard Green, Scott Hend, Mark Hensby, Rod Pampling, Cam Percy, John Senden, Michael Wright
Zach Johnson might not know how to manage some things but he managed most things at Wakonda Club in his home state to claim the victory this week. Best of the Ozzies was Richard Green who had his zillionth runner up on this tour.
Scott Hend went into the final day tied for the lead and had declared that he was going to do a ‘Sevy’ – hit it hard, find it and hit it again. Unfortunately that theory didn’t work out and Hend had a final round five over 77 to finish T22.
1st Zach Johnson – USD $300,000
T2 Richard Green - $160,000
T4 David Bransdon - $108,000
T10 Mark Hensby - $50,000
T22 Stuart Appleby - $17,300
T22 Scott Hend - $17,300
T22 Cameron Percy - $17,300
T22 Steve Allen - $17,300
T22 Greg Chalmers - $17,300
T45 Rod Pampling - $7,000
T55 Michael Wright - $4,00
T62 Steve Alker - $2,800
T69 John Senden - $1,760
Hotel Planner Tour
Tournament: Interwetten Open
Dates: 11-14 June
Course: Schladming-Dachstein Golf Club, Oberhaus
Purse: €300,000
Ozzies in the field: Daniel Gale, Dimi Papadatos, Haydn Barron, Quinnton Croker, Sam Jones (NZ)
Filip Mruzek shot a final round of four under 65 to win by a shot from South African Louis Albertse. Ozzie Haydn Barron withdrew after a good first round three under 66, due to illness.
1st Filip Mruzek - €48,000
MC Daniel Gale
MC Quinnton Croker
MC Dimi Papadatos
MC Sam Jones (NZ)
WD Haydn Barron
Legends Tour
Tournament: Costa Navarino Legends Tour Trophy
Dates: 11-13 June
Course: Costa Navarino
Purse:€??
Ozzies in the field: Peter Fowler, Michael Campbell (NZ)
Simon Griffiths captured his third Legends Tour victory with a three shot win over Scotland’s David Drysdale. Michael Campbell (NZ) finished T16 and Peter Fowler was Tied 54th.
Asian Tour
Tournament: International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco
Dates: 11-14 June
Course: Royal Golf Dar Es Salam (Red Course)
Purse: USD $2.0M
Ozzies in the field: Kevin Yuan, Jed Morgan, Cory Crawford, Justin Warren, Nick Voke (NZ), Harrison Crowe, Wade Ormsby, Will Florimo, Jack Thompson, Brett Rankin, Matt Jones, Chris Wood, Elvis Smylie, Cameron John, James Marchesani, Ryan Peake, Ben Campbell (NZ)Maverick Antcliff, Denzel Ieremia (NZ), Jed Morgan
Taichi Kho held off his boyhood hero Bubba Watson to claim victory at the latest International Series tournament. Kho played superb golf all week registering just three bogeys over the four days. The win puts Kho into second place on the OOM behind Ozzie Travis Smyth.
Best of the Ozzies was Elvis Smylie at T5 and a nice top ten for Kevin Yuan who finished ninth. Cameron Johns good form has deserted him with another missed cut.
1st Taichi Kho – USD $360,000
T5 Elvis Smylie - $63,650
9th Kevin Yuan - $42,800
T14 Brett Rankin – 26,500
T19 Travis Smyth - $22,400
T22 Matt Jones - $19,700
T42 Jed Morgan - $10,900
T42 Will Florimo - $10,900
T48 Jack Thompson - $9,200
T52 Justin Warren - $7,533
T61 Wade Ormsby - $5,400
T70 Chris Wood $4,100
MC Ryan Peake
MC Cameron John
MC James Marchesani
MC Nick Voke
MC Ben Campbell (NZ)
MC Denzel Ieremia (NZ)
MC Maverick Antcliff
MC Cory Crawford
MC Harrison Crowe
JLPGA
Tournament: Ai Miyazato Suntory Ladies Open Golf Tournament
Dates: 11-14 June
Course: Rokko Kokusai GC, Hyogo
Purse: Y150,000,000
Ozzies in the field: Lion Higo, Ella Scaysbrook
1st Shiho Kuwaki Y27,000,000
T59 Lion Higo Y540,000
MC Ella Scaysbrook
KLPGA
Tournament: Mercedes Benz the 40th Korea Women’s Golf Open Championship
Dates: 11-14 June
Course: Lakewood, Mountain Forest
Purse: KRW1,500,000,000
Ozzies in the field: Claire Shin
1st Minsol KIM KRW400,000,000
MC Claire Shin
Sunshine Tour
Tournament: The Mopani Zambia Open
Dates: 11-14 June
Course: Nkana Golf Club
Purse: R150,000
Ozzies in the field: NIL
1st Stuart Krog