GOLF EVENTS FROM WEEKEND 12TH DECEMBER

Peter Senior (Australia) Australian PGA Champion

with the Joe Kirkwood Cup

Well it was another exciting weekend on the Professional Golf tours from around the world. I will start with the Australasian Tour that Staged the Australian PGA Championship presented by Coca – Cola at the Hyatt Regency, Coolum, Queensland. The Amazing and ever green Peter Senior (Australia) prevailed after the tournament was forced into a Monday finished, because heavy Rains forced play to be suspended midway through the final round on Sunday afternoon.

When the players resumed played at 6am on Monday morning Peter Senior (Australia) was leading by one shot. He still had the back nine holes left to play. He got away with a bogey 5 on the par4 10th after his way wood tee shot. But then he made all pars from the 11th hole to the 17th holes. Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) on the other hand resumed his final round on the 14th hole already -4 after 13holes. He made a birdie 2 on the 14th and also birdied the 16th hole as well. He scored 66-6 in the final round to post a 72 hole total of 276-12 after rounds of 70-2, 69-3, 71-1 and 66-6.

So Peter Senior (Australia) knew what he had to do, and that was birdie the 72nd hole. And that is just what he did. After hitting his approach shot into 15 feet he rolled in the birdie putt to tie Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) at 276 -12 after rounds of 70-2, 67-5, 68-4 and 71-1. The player though that must be feeling the most disappointed is Andre Stolz (Australia), After making a birdie at the 71st hole and drawing level with Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) in the Club house. He teed off on the 72nd hole knowing a birdie would more than likely win him the Australian PGA Championship. But his tee shot went in the Water and his putt to salvage par and make it a 3way play off missed. But he can take pride in how he has played this summer with finishing 8th on the 2010 Australasian Tour Order of Merit with AU$147,863.46.

Well so to the play off that decided who would win the Joe Kirkwood Cup for 2010. They played the 18th Hole again as the first playoff hole and both Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) and Peter Senior (Australia) made solid pars. So it was back to the 18th hole for a 2nd time. This time they both hit the green in regulation same as the first time. But Geoff Ogilvy(Australia) was above the Cup and putted first, his putt rolled past 8feet and he was unable to make the return putt for par. That meant it left Peter Senior (Australia) with Two Putts for par and the Championship which he did easy. So Peter Senior (Australia) won the Joe Kirkwood Cup for a third time and the AU$270,000 first prize cheque that goes with it, having won it previously in 1989 and 2003. It was also his 28th Career Title in Professional Golf on any tour. He became the oldest winner of the Australia PGA Championship at age 51, and the second oldest winner on the Australasian Tour behind Kel Nagle (Australia) who won the 1975 New Zealand PGA Championship at age 55. And just thought I would mention it was Kel Nagle’s (Australia) 90th Birthday yesterday as well.

Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) took out the 2010 Australasian Tour Order of Merit with AU$459,900.00 and 2nd was Peter Senior (Australia) with AU$308,011.25. Best of the New Zealanders was Gareth Paddison (NZL) with $83,019.25 that put him in 15th position on the final Order of Merit for 2011.

The best placed New Zealander that made the cut was Richard Lee (NZL) who shot the equal best final round of 66-6. He finished 72 holes at 284-4, his rounds were 71-1, 71-1, 76+4 and 66-6 that left him a tie for 22nd. Other New Zealanders to make the cut were Gareth Paddison (NZL) who finished tied 52nd on 290+2 with rounds of 68-4, 75+3, 74+2 and 73+1 and also Michael Hendry (NZL) tied 52nd as well on 290+2, he scored rounds of 69-3, 71-1, 77+5 and 73+1. And the last New Zealander to make the cut also finished tied 52nd on 290+2, his rounds were 72even, 68-4, 75+3 and 75+3. Michael Campbell after scoring a good first round of 70-2, had a shocking second round of 79+7 and missed the cut to put a dent in his confidence after two good tournaments previously.

This week the Australasian Tour along with the One Asia Tour stages its first stage of Tour School at the Sandhurst Golf Club (North Course) & Peninsula Golf Club (South Course) in Victoria, Australia. It is on from the 14th to the 17th of December. The players that make it through to the final Stage will then play at the Peninsula Golf Club (North Course), Victoria, Australia from the 20th to the 23rd of December, with the Top 35 and ties gaining their 2011 Australasian PGA Tour Cards.

The New Zealanders competing at the first Stage of qualifying at Sandhurst Golf Club (North Course) are Aaron Leech (Am) and Jonny Dittmer (Am) and New Zealanders competing at the Peninsula Golf Club (South Course) are David Klein (Am), Brad Shilton, James Hamilton (Am), Sven Van Puymbroecok (Am), Thomas Spearman – Burn (Am), Tim Chiang, Jason Mann (Am), Matthew Williams (Am), Josh Carmichael, and Ben Taylor. So I wish them luck in getting through to the final Stage.

Pablo Martin (Spain) with the trophy

Well now to the European Tour and the first event on the 2011 Race to Dubai Schedule was played at Leopard Creek CC,Malelane,South Africa. And it was the Alfred Dunhill Championship with €1,000,000 at stake. Pablo Martin (Spain) defended his title he won last year. He won by 2 strokes, with a 72 hole Total of 277-11 that included rounds of 69-3, 70-2, 68-4 and 70-2. And he won the € 158,500 first prize Cheque and just like last year he leads the Race to Dubai after the first tournament. There was a 3way tied for 2nd at -9 between Anthony Michael (RSA), Throbjorn Olesen (Denmark) and Charl Schwartzel (RSA) and they all earned € 77,767 between them. The best New Zealander was Mark Brown (NZL) who finished on 296+8 after rounds of 69-3, 74+2, 80+8 and 73+1 to tie for 61st and earned € 2,850.

Also the other big tournament on the European Tour last week was the Final Stage of European Tour Qualifying School. It was played at the Calalunya Resort in Spain. Simon WAKEFIELD (England) led the Q-school at the completion of the 108 Holes. He had a 6 round total of 407 -21 with rounds of 70 68 65 70 67 67 and will be a player to look out for on this year’s Race to Dubai as he is a past European Tour player. The cut off mark for a European Tour Card was -9 with 34 players gaining there 2011 European Tour Cards. But unfortunately no New Zealander Golfers even made it to the final stage.

This week the European Tour stays in South Africa for the South African Open Championship that is being played at the Durban Country Club,Durban,South Africa. Pablo Martin (Spain) will be looking to make it two wins in a row. But I’m sure the big name South African players like Ernie Els (RSA), and Retief Goosen (RSA) will also be looking for a win. Mark Brown (NZL) is the only New Zealander in the field. Let’s hope for a good showing from him. The tournament starts on Thursday night New Zealand time.

Duston Johnson (USA)

at the Shark Shootout

And so to the USPGA Tour, it staged its last event of the year which was the fun event which was thought up by Greg Norman (Australia). It is called the Shark Shootout and was played this year at the Tiburon GC, Naples, Florida. It consisted of 12 two man teams chosen by Greg Norman. The format was on Friday they played Foursomes, Saturday they played fourball and Sunday they played Scramble format. Heading into the final round the team of Ian Poulter (England) and Dustin Johnson (USA) were -17 going into the low scoring last day Scramble where both players tee off and they chose the best drive and then they both hit the second shot and so on until the ball is holed out. The Scramble format promotes really low scoring and this year it was no different. Dustin Johnson (USA) and Ian Poulter (England) scored a 59-13 to score a 3 round total of -30 and win by 2 strokes. Their 3 rounds were 63-9, 64-8 and 59-13:186-30 and the win earned them $US375,000 each. In second place was Darren Clarke (NIR) & Graeme McDowell (NIR) on -28, they also scored 59-13 in the final round. And another 59-13 was scored in the final round by David Duval (USA) & Davis Love III (USA), but they finished in tied for 5th place on -24. The Host Greg Norman (Australia) who teamed with Matt Kuchar (USA) finished 9th on -22, but they also achieved that rear number of 59-13 in their final round as well. 

The USPGA Tour is now finished for 2010. The 2011 FedEx Cup starts up again in the first week of January (Thursday 6th) with the Hyundai Tournament of Champions that is played at the Plantation Course at Kapalua, Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii. It is a Tournament for all the winners of Tournaments on the USPGA Tour in 2010 and Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) is the two time defending Champion and will be looking for a 3peat.

And on a final note Wellington won the Interprovincial’s at Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club on the Kapiti Coast on Saturday afternoon. They defeated North Harbour 4-1 in the final. The Interprovincial Teams competition in considered the best team’s competition in NZ Amateur Golf. The last time Wellington won was back in 2000. So well done to Wellington.

So until next week enjoy your Golf and keep cool.

Source: pgatour.com, europeantour.com, pgatour.org.au, www.golf.co.nz