All attention this week will be focused on The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. The tournament is wide open this year with no definite favourite to win around the most difficult course on the Open roster. Kiwi hopes will rest with Ryan Fox and Michael Hendry who are both in great form.
Australasians at The Open
The ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia will be well represented at the 146th Open Championship with 11 Australians and two New Zealanders teeing it up.
Among them is 2016 ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner Matthew Griffin, current New Zealand Open champion Michael Hendry and our trio of qualifiers from the 2016 Emirates Australian Open; Cameron Smith, Aaron Baddeley and Ashley Hall.
The 146th Open will tee off at Royal Birkdale at 3.35pm AEST on Thursday 20 July.
Australasian tee times:
11.47am 8.47pm John Daly (USA), Adam Bland (AUS), Connor Syme (am)(SCO)
12.09pm 9.09pm Matt Griffin (AUS), Austin Connelly (CAN), Matthew Southgate (ENG)
12.20pm 9.20pm Cameron Smith (AUS), Bill Haas (USA), Callum Shinkwin (ENG)
12.31pm 9.31pm Michael Hendry (NZ), Brian Harman (USA), Martin Laird (SCO)
12.53pm 9.53pm Tyrell Hatton (ENG), Martin Kaymer (GER), Aaron Baddeley (AUS)
1.04pm 10.04pm Zach Johnson (USA), Jason Day (AUS), Sergio Garcia (ESP)
1.26pm 10.26pm Rickie Fowler (USA), Adam Scott (AUS), Paul Casey (ENG)
1.37pm 10.37pm Matt Kuchar (USA), Richard Ramsay (SCO), Ryan Fox (NZ)
3.10pm 12.10am Phil Mickelson (USA), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Marc Leishman (AUS)
3.21pm 12.21am Scott Hend (AUS), Rafa Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Bubba Watson (USA)
3.43pm 12.43am Giwhan Kim (KOR), Xander Schauffele (USA), Andrew Dodt (AUS)
4.05pm 1.05am Jbe Kruger (RSA), Nick McCarthy (ENG), Ash Hall (AUS)
4.16pm 1.16am Ryan McCarthy (AUS), Canter Laurie (ENG), Sebastian Munoz (COL)
Ryan Fox
World ranking: 95
PGA Pro Coach: Marcus Wheelhouse
Number of tournaments played this year 2 – ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia
15 – European Tour
Best finish this year: T4 – Irish Open and Scottish Open
Last victory: 31 July 2016 – Northern Ireland Open
How he got in the field: Open Qualifying Series Ireland – Dubai Duty Free Irish Open 2017. Three places to the leading three players (not otherwise exempt) who finish in the top 10 and ties.
Record at The Open
2015 T49
Michael Hendry
World ranking: 110
PGA Pro Coach: Marcus Wheelhouse
Number of tournaments played this year: 3 – ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia
8 – Japan Golf Tour
Best finish this year: 1st - ISPS HANDA New Zealand Open
Last victory: 12 March 2017 – ISPS HANDA New Zealand Open – ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia
How he got in the field: Open Qualifying Series Japan – Mizuno Open 2017. Four Places to the leading four players (not otherwise exempt who finish in the top 12 and ties
Record at The Open: Debut
OTHER KIWIS THIS WEEKLydia Ko is the defending champion this week in the Marathon Classic on the LPGA TOUR
PGA TOUR
Not everyone gets to play in the Open Championship and tournament life still goes on. The PGA TOUR stages the Barbasol Championship this week and the sole Kiwi in the field will be Steven Alker