Weekly Wrap - Week 33 OZZIE WINNER ALERT

Sunshine Tour

Tournament: FNB Eswatini Challenge

Dates: 13-15 August

Course: Ezulwini Golf & Country Club

Purse: R500,000

Ozzies in the field: Austin Bautista

OZZIE WINNER ALERT Austin Bautista chalked up his sixth career win and second Sunshine Tour victory taking out this week’s tournament. Bautista won by 2 shots from Herman Loubse, Dylan Mostert and Benjamin Kedochim. The win takes Bautista to second place on the OOM

1st Austin Bautista – 396,000 Eswatini Lilangeni

PGA Tour

Tournament: Fedex St Jude Championship

Dates: 13-16 August

Course: TPC Southwind, Menphis

Purse: USD $20.0M

Ozzies in the field: Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott, Ryan Fox (NZ)

As day follows night Scottie Scheffler is inevitable and so it proved in Memphis where the Texan ran out an eight shot winner over Si Woo Kim in the first FedexCup playoff tournament.

While we hoped for great viewing from a tussle at the top of the leaderboard that place was pretty dull after Scheffler took command of the tournament with a second round nine under par of 61. Weekend rounds of 68 and 66 finished the job and Scheffler heads the pack of 50 who move onto the BMW Championship.

The real stories were those players on the bubble to make it through to next week. Cashmere Keith Mitchell got his feet wet standing in the lake for his second shot trying to make birdie on the final hole but just dunked it back into the water and finished with a bogey to slip to the dreaded 51st position. Others to miss were Jordan Spieth (52nd), Max Homa (53rd), and Harris English (54th).

Making the field for the BMW next week guarantees all those 50 players starts in next years signature events which gives them access to lots of money but importantly points. In 2028 it is going to be crucial to finish in the top 90 when the Championship and Challenger series is introduced.

Best of the Ozzies was Adam Scott at T12 for the tournament. In FedexCup standings the unbelievably consistent Scott earns his spot at the BMW next week qualifying in 27th position with Min Woo Lee the best placed of the Ozzies at 18th. Ryan Fox can also look forward to not only next week but all the signature events as he finishes this week at 25th in the FedexCup standings.

1st Scottie Scheffler – USD $3.6M

T12 Adam Scott - $368,571

T55 Min Woo Lee - $45,600

T58 Ryan Fox - $44,400

LPGA

Tournament: Standard Portland Classic

Dates: 13-16 August

Course: Edgewater Country Club

Purse: USD $2.0M

Ozzies in the field: Grace Kim, Steph Kyriacou, Robyn Choi, Karis Davidson, Gabbi Ruffels, Hira Naveed

World No 2 Jeeno Thitikul will creep a little closer to world no. 1 Nelly Korda with the win in Portland this week. Thitikul finished with a closing round of 64 to beat fellow Thai players Arpichaya Yubol and Chanettee Wannasaen who tied for second on shot behind their countrywoman.

Best of the Ozzies was Robyn Choi at T32.

1st Jeeno Thitikul – USD $300,000

T32 Robyn Choi - $12,508

61st Grace Kim – $5,062

MC Steph Kyriacou, Hira Naveed, Gabi Ruffels

LET

Tournament: VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open

Dates: 13-15 August

Course: Migros golfpark Holzhausen, Zug

Purse:€350,000

Ozzies in the field: Madison Hinson-Tolchard, Justice Bosio, Steph Bunque, Sarah Kemp, Amelia Garvey (NZ), Momoka Kobori (NZ), Whitney Hillier, Belinda Ji, Amy Walsh

An emotional first win for veteran Eleanor (Ellie) Givens in her 210th start on the LET. A fifteen year veteran of the Tour, Givens has had thoughts of giving it all away but knew deep down she had a win in her and that she was good enough.

“This is life changing. I was looking last year at whether I still wanted to play or not. I decided, ‘no, come on, you’ve got this!’ You’ve got the ability to play and still compete. I’ve worked really, really hard behind the scenes. To have this trophy means so much.”

What a great tournament for Ozzie Whitney Hillier. The popular West Australian is making her comeback after three years of serious health issues have kept her off the course. In Switzerland this week we saw vintage Hillier as she posted rounds of 66, 67, 68 to finish just one shot behind eventual winner Givens.

Hillier had a standout year in 2022 winning an Aramco Teams event and losing in a playoff at the Jabra Ladies Open. She finished the season 14th on the OOM with her playing future looking secure. Then she was struck down with illness which was eventually traced to Covid-19 vaccine related issues.

Playing on an extended medical exemption, this result puts Hillier in a good spot to try and retain LET status and resume her career. The top 10 finish lands her a start in the KPMG Irish Women's Open in 2 weeks. Hillier needs to stay in the top 70 (currently 64th) or earn an equivalent number of points as 70th position in 2025 to secure full playing rights for next season (we think). The difficulty will be getting starts. The two tournaments after Solheim Cup Hillier is 4th and 3rd reserve respectively and thereafter fields get tight as the big money end of season events are full and some are limited fields. Of course a win would solve all those problems but she will be hoping for another high finish in Ireland and then to sneak into the next two events so she can get that card for 2027.

1st Eleanor Givens - €52,500

T2 Whitney Hillier - €22,750

T11 Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, Justice Bosio - €7,175

T27 Steph Bunque - €3,517

T38 Momoka Kobori (NZ) - €2,226

MC Belinda Ji, Sarah Kemp, Amy Walsh

LETAS

Tournament: Ladies Slovak Golf Open

Dates: 12-14 August

Course: TALE Ski Golf & Hotel Resort

Purse: €50,000

Ozzies in the field: Munchin Keh (NZ), Wenyung Keh (NZ), Hanee Song (NZ), Elmay Viking (Cook Islands)

Nothing beats a home win as Slovakian player Michaela Vavrova discovered this week as she celebrated her wire to wire victory. It was not plain sailing in the end as she need to two extra holes to beat OOM leader Lauren Holmey in a playoff after they both finished the tournament one over par. The win moves Vavrova within reach of the coveted top 7 places on the OOM who earn promotion to the main LET at seasons end.

1st Michaela Vavrova - €8,000

T26 Wenyung Keh (NZ)g - €675

MC Elmay Viking (Cook Islands), Munchin Keh (NZ)

Korn Ferry Tour

Tournament: Albertsons Boise Open presented by Chevron

Dates: 13-16 August

Course: Hillcrest Country Club, Boise Idaho

Purse: USD $1.0M

Ozzies in the field: Rhein Gibson

Ross Steelman not only won the tournament but also punched his ticket to the PGA Tour. The win put Steelman at the top of the OOM and he is mathematically assured of one of the 20 PGA Tour cards for KF Tour graduates. Steelman becomes the second player to be TOURBound following Doc Redman earlier in the season.

1st Ross Steelman – USD $180,000

MC Rhein Gibson

PGA Champions Tour

Tournament: Boeing Classic

Dates: 14-16 August

Course: The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge, Snoqualmie, WA

Purse: USD $2.3M

Ozzies in the field: Steve Allan, Steve Alker (NZ), Stuart Appleby, Greg Chalmers, Richard Green, Rod Pampling, John Senden, Michael Wright, David Bransdon (1st alternate)

A couple of seasons ago it was kiwi Steve Alker dominating and now it is Stewart Cink. The American won his fifth title of the season by beating Miguel Angel Jimenez at the first playoff hole.

Best of the Ozzies was Richard Green at T13 with Kiwi Alker finishing T4.

1st Stewart Cink – USD $345,000

T4 Steve Alker - $88,714

T13 Richard Green - $46,000

T14 Steve Allan - $39,100

T25 Rod Pampling - $21,926

T28 Stuart Appleby, Greg Chalmers - $17,077

T60 Michael Wright - $3,910

76th John Senden – 1,334

DP World Tour

Tournament: Danish Golf Championship

Dates: 13-16 August

Course: Great Northern, Kerteminde, Funen

Purse: USD $3,0M

Ozzies in the field: Jason Scrivener, David Micheluzzie, Ryan Peake, Anthony Quayle, Connor McKinney, Jack Buchanan

Another home winner with Dane Jeff Winther taking out the Danish Golf Championship. The win was Winther’s second DP World Tour victory following his 2021 Mallorca Open win.

Best of the Ozzies was Jason Scrivener at T21 and it was good to see him back in the top half of the leaderboard. He is sitting at 102nd on the OOM so needs to continue this form to get back into the top 100 and secure his card for next season.

1st Jeff Winther - €441,880

T21 Jason Scrivener - €28,592

T46 Ryan Peake, Connor McKinney - €11,696

T70 Anthony Quayle - €4,103

T76 Jack Buchanan - €3,879

MC David Micheluzzi

Hotel Planner Tour

Tournament: Irish Challenge

Dates: 13-16 August

Course: Killeen Castle, Co. Meath

Purse: €300,000

Ozzies in the field: Haydn Barron, Quinnton Croker, Sam Jones (NZ)

South African Justin Harding secured his second win and first in five years as he took out the Irish Challenger. Harding beat countryman Louis Albertse and Frenchman Mathieu Decottignies-Lafon by one shot.

Best of the Ozzies was Haydn Barron who continues his good form with a third top ten in his last nine tournaments since the end of May.

1st Justin Harding - €48,000

T10 Haydn Barron – 5,925

T15 Sam Jones - €4,500

MC Quinnton Croker

Amateur Tournaments

US Amateur Championship at Merion Golf Club

Englishman Jack Whaley beat American Jay Leng Jr 4&3 to win the US amateur. Whaley becomes the 3rd English player following Harold Hilton (1910) and Matt Fitzpatrick (2013) to win the prestigious title.

For his win Whaley earns exemption to the 2027 US Open at Pebble Beach, The Open at St Andrews and usually an invitation to the Masters. He is also automatically selected for the Walker Cup to be played on September 5-6 at Lahinch in the Republic of Ireland.

Whaley had a miraculous run into the final surviving a 16 for 11 playoff just to reach the matchplay section of the tournament. He then needed 22 holes to win his first match.

In the final Whaley was 2 down at the 18 hole halfway, but said that he just needed to reset, recoup and get ready for the afternoon. He finished the final with a nice birdie putt on the 15th green.