What's on this Week - Week 16

LET

Tournament: Joburg Ladies Open

Dates: 16 – 19 April

Course: Randpark Golf Club

Purse:€330,000

Ozzies in the field: Kelsey Bennett, Kirsten Rudgeley, Madison Hinson-Tolchard, Justice Bosio.

The start of the three event African swing for the LET. All our Ozzie women, except Steph Bunque have made the trip to South Africa.

Kelsey Bennett will be looking to solidify her position on the OOM. She goes into this event 3rd following her win in the Australian Women’s Classic earlier in the year. Her goal is top ten which gets her straight into the final stage of LPGA Q School. Of course she is not the only one with that objective and local Cass Alexander who sits at no. 1 on the OOM will be hugely motivated for a win in her hometown of Johannesburg which would almost guarantee that top ten finish.

Whilst Steph Bunque would get into this field and the event in Mauritius, she would probably not get into the SA Open (would be reserve 4 at time of publication) so may have decided that the cost was not worth it for this swing. This is the huge difficulty of players like Bunque who have all the talent to compete but need to be able to get into tournaments and not expend all their earnings trying to get valuable OOM points.

However, we have great representation and it is time for another Ozzie win on this tour.

PGA Champions Tour

Tournament: Senior PGA Championship

Dates: 16-19 April

Course: The Concession Golf Club Bradenton Florida

Purse: USD $3.0M

Ozzies in the field: Steve Alker (NZ), Steve Allan, Stuart Appleby, Greg Chalmers, Matthew Goggin, Richard Green, Scott Hend, Mark Hensby, Brendan Jones, Cameron Percy, Michael Wright, Rohan Allwood, Brad Burns, Michael Campbell (NZ), Craig Hocknell, Mick Smith

The first Major for the old guys and lots of Ozzies teeing it up this week. Alker, Cink or Harrington are hard to go past although the rehabilitated Argentinian, Angel Cabrera has been in good form.

From the bunch of Australasians Alker heads the most likely list followed by probably Steve Allen who had a win last season and also Scott Hend who has strong form from the European Legends Tour where he won the OOM last season.

LPGA

Tournament: JM Eagle LA Championship

Dates: 16 – 19 April

Course: El Caballero Country Club

Purse: USD $3.75M

Ozzies in the field: Minjee Lee, Hannah Green, Grace Kim, Steph Kyriacou, Cassie Porter, Robyn Choi, Karis Davidson, Gabbi Ruffels, Hira Naveed

Just about all the Ozzie LPGA players are teeing it up this week in LA but the worlds no. 1 & 2, Jeeno Thitikul and Nelly Korda are absent. The highest ranked player in the filed is world no. 5, Miyu Yamashita.

Ingrid Lingblad won this tournament last year in just her third start on the LPGA and she returns to defend her title. The winner of the two previous years 2023 & 2024) was Ozzie Hannah Green so expect her to have a strong showing this week and to bounce back from her out of character poor play last outing at the Aramco.

PGA Tour

Tournament: RBC Heritage Hilton Head

Dates:

Course: Harbour Town Golf Links

Purse: USD $20.0M

Ozzies in the field: Jason Day, Min Woo Lee, Karl Vilips, Ryan Fox (NZ)

The PGA jumps straight from The Masters to a signature event at Hilton Head. Adam Scott has turned down an invite to play so must be tired or just comfortable with his FedexCup position for now.

This signature event has no cut so yet another opportunity for those at the top to stay at the top.

Rory McIlroy is having the week off following his Masters victory as is Justin Rose. World no. 1 Scottie Scheffler is back on the grind as are Matt Fitzpatrick, Sam Burns and Tommy Fleetwood. Scheffler won here in 2024 following his Masters Victory and Justin Thomas is back to defend the title he won last year, defeating Andrew Novak in a play-off.

Korn Ferry Tour

Tournament: Tulum Championship at PGA Riviera Maya

Dates: 16 – 19 April

Course: PGA Riveria Maya, Tulum Mexico

Purse: USD $1.0M

Ozzies in the field: Rhein Gibson,

The Korn Ferry Tour returns to Tulum which was the most difficult course on Tour last year. Ozzie Rhein Gibson is 3/8 for cuts made this season and sits at 108 on the points list. He needs a few good weeks to get himself back into a comfort zone.

JLPGA

Tournament: KKTcup VANTELIN Ladies Open

Dates: 17 – 19 April

Course: Kumamoto Kuko CC

Purse: ¥100,000,000

Ozzies in the field: Lion Higo

LIV Golf

Tournament: LIV Golf Mexico

Dates: 16-19 April

Course: Club de Golf Chapultepec

Purse: $$$$$$$$$$

Ozzies in the field: The Ripper Team of Cam Smith, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert, and Elvis Smylie