Victorian amateur Brett Coletta was
expected by many to turn professional after his win in the Isuzu Queensland
Open a couple of weeks ago, given the lucrative opportunities available over
the next few weeks on the PGA Tour of Australasia. Instead he maintained
his amateur status, thus passing up the $A 40,800 cheque he would have received
as a professional for tying 2nd, three shots behind winner Adam
Blyth who finished -23 for the tournament.
Hot scoring from the outset meant the
cut was made at -5, which left only 5 New Zealanders playing the weekend (or 6
if you count Peter Fowler). Tae Koh recorded the best result of his
professional career so far, finishing T8 on -16, to bank a handy $A
10,300. Peter Fowler looked like missing the cut after Round 1, but well
and truly fixed that with a 63 in Round 2, eventually signing for a T28 result
on -13. Further back were amateurs Ryan Chisnall
and Luke Toomey, plus Tyler Hodge and Gareth Paddison.
Matsuyama too good in Japan
Hideki Matsuyama has strong claims to
be the hottest golfer on the planet at present, recording another massive
victory by 7 shots in the Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters. His
final score (-23) and winning margin echoed
exactly his recent win in the WGC HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai.
Prior to that, he took out the Japan Open Championship in his only other start
this year on the Japan Tour, giving him a 100% record for 2016 on home turf.
Meanwhile Michael Hendry concluded his
tournament in the best way possible with a birdie/eagle finish for a T20
result, and a cheque of around $NZ 30,000. He sits 10th on the
OOM with earnings of $720,000 so far in 2016.
Danny pulls out in Mayakoba
Danny Lee was a surprise withdrawal
during the 3rd round of the OHL Classic at Mayakoba. After
looking to be back towards his best with a 2nd round 66, he withdrew
after 10 holes of Round 3, at which stage he was five over for the round.
Let’s hope that whatever caused the withdrawal is not a factor in the World Cup
in a fortnight’s time.
It’s been a long time between haircuts
for the eventual winner Pat Perez, who last won on the PGA Tour in 2009, and
has also had to contend with shoulder surgery earlier this year. Perez
set up his victory with a 3rd round 62, eventually finishing on -21
for the tournament.
Steven Alker and Tim Wilkinson both
missed the cut.
European Tour
After an ordinary 3rd round
of 75, Alexander Noren of Sweden turned around a six shot deficit to shoot 63
in the final round and take out the Nedbank Challenge at Sun City in South
Africa. Runner-up Jeunghun Wang of Korea went the other way, with a 64,
75 finish.
The Race to Dubai now looks to be down
to four players: Henrik Stenson, Danny Willett, Noren and Rory McIlroy.
Champions Tour
Paul Goydos took out the final 2016
event on the Champions Tour, but it was 59 year old Bernhard Langer who hoisted
the Charles Schwab Cup for the 3rd year in a row, along with the $US
1.0 million bonus. The older Langer gets, the better he seems to play,
despite having to pull out of one of the playoff events three weeks ago with a
knee injury, which clearly wasn’t a factor today as he closed with a 64 to take
2nd place in the tournament, just ahead of Colin Montgomerie, who
finished 2nd overall in the Charles Schwab Cup.
Both will no doubt be keen to be back
in 2017, as they continue to boost their respective retirement funds.
PGA Tour of China
Josh Geary made a return to this Tour
last week, only to strike a course playing so tough that the cut was made at
+16. Winner Tae Woo Kim of Korea, who finished on even par, was the only
player to come to grips with the conditions.
Josh will reflect on a T41 finish on
+23, in the knowledge that surely the conditions he will strike in the
Australian Open at Royal Sydney this week will be easier to handle.
European Q School
Mathew Perry has a massive mountain to climb after the first two rounds of final stage European Q School at PGA Catalunya in Spain. He sits T148 after rounds of 76 and 71, and will need a monumental effort to make the four round cut, let alone the top 25 who will secure cards at the end of this marathon process.