Herbert tied by American atop leaderboard at Australian Open..rd3 results

 DP World Tour : ISPS Handa Australian Open  Leaderboard

A run of five birdies in six holes helped Ryggs Johnston claim a share of the lead heading into the final round of just his second DP World Tour event at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open.

The Qualifying School graduate, who finished tied for 43rd on his debut at the BMW Australian PGA Championship last week, carded a -4 68 at a rain-soaked Kingston Heath to catch Lucas Herbert on -14.

Home favourite Herbert had cruised into a four-shot halfway lead by following a stunning 63 at Victoria with a 66 over Kingston Heath on Friday, but produced only one birdie in a level-par 72 to leave the door ajar for the chasing pack.

It was American Johnston – named after the Lethal Weapon character made famous by Mel Gibson – who took advantage with four straight birdies from the fourth, a run completed with a stunning approach to the seventh.

Further gains followed at the ninth and 12th, putting the Montana native on course to claim the outright lead heading into Sunday.

However, Johnston ran up a double-bogey seven at the 14th after a wayward drive down the right and firing a bunker shot over the back of the green.

Three-time DP World Tour winner Herbert endured a cold putter on the back nine, while Johnston saw a lengthy birdie effort on the last catch the lip as the two were forced to settle for a share of the lead.

“For a while now I've been in pretty high pressure situations trying to get my card through Q-School,” said Johnston.

“That final round is one of the most pressured. I mean, it's a different type of pressure there and I did pretty well.

“So I just try to take that with me and use it as something we'll look back on to kind of tell myself that, ‘hey there, a lot of people watch it and a lot of pressure, but you can still do this’.

“I think I've gotten a little lucky this week. It's been raining so much and kind of playing softer that it plays to more of the golf that we're used to back in the States, which is nice. Especially, I've never been to Australia and played golf here. So definitely it's probably working in my favour a little bit for that because it kind of makes it a new course for everyone."

Five players are tied for third, with China's Wenyi Ding, Finland's Oliver Lindell, Chile's Joaquin Niemann and Australian pair Elvis Smylie and Jasper Stubbs all on -12

Herbert added: "A little bit frustrating, but sort of no ground lost really.

"I'm still in the lead, might just let a few more people back in the tournament, but still leading, still where I want to be. So yeah, good result from a frustrating day, I guess.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

Herbert masters the wind in Melbourne... round 2 results

 DP World Tour : ISPS Handa Australian Open  Leaderboard

Local favourite Lucas Herbert extended his lead at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open to four shots at the halfway stage after producing two brilliant bursts of scoring in tricky conditions at Kingston Heath Golf Club on Friday afternoon.

 Three-time DP World Tour winner Herbert began the day with a slender one-shot overnight lead following Thursday's 63 over at Victoria Golf Club.

And he continued to entertain his home crowds on day two, flying out of the blocks with an eagle and two birdies in the first three holes of his second round.

But as the wind got stronger, six successive pars followed before Herbert surrendered his first bogey of the week on the tenth, where a clutch 12-foot putt prevented further damage.

That cut his advantage to a single shot and although Herbert got into yet more trouble at the 12th, he managed to save par from six feet to remain out in front.

A hat-trick of birdies on the 13th, 14th and 15th then handed him a healthy lead as Herbert signed for a stunning 66 to reach -14 at the midway mark.

Herbert said: "I'm very happy. It's funny, I played pretty good yesterday, I just didn't really putt that well.

"And then I felt like I putted really well today, scrambled really well and the rest of the game was sort of off.

"It was kind of funny, it was like two days of polar opposites to have good scores. So it was nice for my putting to turn up when I needed it."

His nearest challenger was American Ryggs Johnston after the rookie recovered from a slow start at Victoria Golf Club to sign for a 68 and reach -10

Last week's winner Elvis Smylie was among the large group another shot back at -9 in a tie for third after carding nine birdies and a single bogey in his 64 at Kingston Heath.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

Aussie Lucas Herbert leads Australian Open... full results

 DP World Tour : ISPS Handa Australian Open : Leaderboard

Lucas Herbert saved his best until last as he fired a flawless 63 to lead by a single shot after the first round of the ISPS HANDA Australian Open.

Starting from the tenth tee at Victoria Golf Club on Thursday, home favourite Herbert turned in 32 courtesy of birdies on the 13th, 15th, 17th and 18th.

The 28-year-old made further gains on the first and sixth before finishing with a flourish, holing his eagle putt on the last to reach -8

American Ryggs Johnston and Japanese amateur Rintaro Nakano were in a tie for second on --7after each carding 65s at Kingston Heath Golf Club, the other host course this week.

Cameron Smith, Jordan Gumberg, Oliver Lindell and Kazuma Kobori sat another shot further back -6 following their exploits at Victoria Golf Club.

He said: "I felt like there were a lot of shots left out there. I feel like that with every round of golf, to be fair, but didn't really think I holed that many putts.

"Just hit it quite nicely, got it into the right spots. Probably got a couple of lucky breaks here and there where shots that maybe weren't the best didn't get punished the way they could have.

"So look, if that's the worst round of the week, I'd be pretty happy, but I would suggest that's probably not going to be the worst round of the week.

"You've just got to take your luck when you get it. There's days where you can play really well and just nothing goes for you. So yeah, I'm going to be happy with that."

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

Thai Jeena Thitikul hits the CME Group jackpot, final LPGA Tour wrap

 LPGA Tour : CME Group Tour Championship LEADERBOARD

After 72 holes at the Tiburon GC in Naples, Florida the CME Group Tour Championship was decided as were all the other award winners.

Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

Thailand's Jeena Thitikul made eagle birdie on her final 2 holes to edge Angel Yin at -22 to win the Tour Championship worth $4,000,000 and the season long Aon Risk Reward Challenge worth $1,000,000. 

She is also the 2024 Race to CME Group Globe Champion as well, winning the money title $6,059,309

Vare Trophy winner Ayaka Furue (Japan)

Rolex Rookie of the Year (Louise Suggs Trophy) Mao Saigo

Player of the Year  Nelly Korda

Canada's Brooke Henderson finished T8 69 71 69 66 -13

Bryan Angus

Mac Hughes T5, Maverick McNealy wins, 7 Canadians for 2025 .. final results

 PGA Tour : The RSM Classic :  Leaderboard Results

Mac Hughes has added a T5 68 67 65 68 -14 to his brilliant record at this version of the 2024 RSM Classic which he won in 2016 and has been runner up twice before this week. ($319,833)

Lefty rookie Maverick McNealy 62 70 66 68 -16 birdied the last to save a 4 way playoff for  his 1st PGA Tour win worth $ 1,368,000, a 2 year exemption, a spot in the Masters and 3 signature events.

Canadians Adam Hadwin T53  69 69 71 70 -3 ($17,925) and Adam Svensson also T53 70 71 70 68 -3 ($17,925)

For all the results click on my link above.

This wraps up the season, and the top 60 who will play  the 2025 signature events,, and the top 125 who will have full status on the PGA Tour.

There will be 7 Canadians with full 2025 status.

Taylor Pendrith 14, Corey Conners 39, Adam Hadwin 47, Mac Hughes 52, Nick Taylor 60, Adam Svensson 87,  Ben Silverman 115

Bryan Angus

Henderson begins Sunday T14 at CME Group Tour Championship.... live scoring

 LPGA : CME Group Tour Championship .LEADERBOARD

With scores of 69 71 69 -7 Brooke Henderson will begin her final round of 2024 T14, eight shots off the lead shared by Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul 71 67 63 -15 and American Angel Yin 65 69 67 -15 and they are 3 shots clear of the chasing pack which includes Nelly Korda at -10 and England's Charley Hull at -11.

Round 4 is underway as I post with a record $11,000,000 to be divvied up amongst these top 60 LPGA players, the lucky winner get a whopping $4,000,000

The CEO of CME Group Terrance Duffy, is on record about his displeasure of this event being put on tape delay to televise the RSM Classic men's event instead. 

Playing in America this time of year is a hard enough sell with the mighty NFL dominating the airwaves. As a result tournament officials have sent the women out off split tees to beat the 1pm EST kickoffs. This has raised the ire of Lexi Thomson and others who won't be finishing up on the 18th where  the biggest crowd will be. It will be Lexi's last round before retiring.

To follow all the live scoring just click on my link above.

Bryan Angus

Aussie rookie wins BMW Australian PGA Championship... final results

 DP World Tour : BMW Australian PGA Championship Results

Elvis Smylie showed nerves of steel to fend off the challenge of his golfing idol Cam Smith to claim his maiden DP World Tour title with a wire-to-wire victory at the BMW Australian PGA Championship.

The 22-year-old only secured his first professional success at the Bowra & O'Dea Nexus Advisernet WA Open last month on the PGA Tour of Australasia and continued his rich vein of form with a two-shot triumph at Royal Queensland Golf Club.

Smylie was one of two players to receive the Cameron Smith Scholarship in 2019 and he began Sunday's round alongside the three-time winner of this event in an all-Australian final group including Marc Leishman.

The Gold Coast native and Smith shared the lead after the second round, but the 150th Open Champion endured a roller coaster front nine which consisted of three birdies and four bogeys as Smylie reached the turn with a three-shot lead thanks to a blemish-free 32.

The son of four-time grand slam doubles champion Liz Smylie displayed calmness with a number clutch par putts down the stretch for a flawless 67 in his total of -14 finishing two clear of Smith.

"It's a dream come true," Smylie said. "I just said to Matt (Clayton, caddie) that I won't forget this day, you know, playing with Cam and Leish there.

"I looked up to these guys since I was a kid and just being in their presence and to compete against them for the title, I've learnt so much and just so grateful and so honoured right now.

"My short game was great, I definitely saved myself in that department. I was pretty average off the tee, but golf is a game of imperfection and today that was a sign of that.

"I just told myself to find a way of getting it around and doing my best, executing every shot as well as I can and my short game was great, so I gave that the full credit that it deserves.

"My mum and dad have been with me every step of the way. I saw my mum in the corner there, tearing up before I holed that last putt so everyone who has been on this journey with me they know how hard I've worked to be here and hopefully this is just the start of good things to come."

Anthony Quayle rolled in a 110 foot putt for his eighth birdie of the day to finish in third alongside Leishman, who mixed three birdies and a bogey, at -11 under.

David Micheluzzi was one shot further back -10 in solo fifth, while Cam Davis and Spaniard Angel Ayora were at -9

Former World Number One Jason Day led a group of seven players at-8 alongside fellow Australian Harrison Crowe, Dane Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, South Africa's Aldrich Potgieter, Austria's Lukas Nemecz, Englishman John Parry and New Zealand's Nick Voke.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

Hughes T3 after 54 holes at The RSM Classic full scoreboard..

 PGA TOUR : The RSM Classic. Leaderboard

Mac Hughes won the RSM Classic in 2016 and has finished runner up twice in 2021-22 and 2022-23

He obviously loves this Seaside Course and after rounds of 68 67 65 -12 he is in a group T3 just 2 shots behind the rookie leaders Maverick McNealy  62 70 66 -14 and Vince Whaley 67 68 63 -14.

There are 8 players within 4 shot of the leaders.

Adam Svensson who won it in 2022 will start Sunday T61 70 71 70 -1 and Adam Hadwin is T46 69 69 71 -3

At the bottom end of the field it's nervous nellie time for the guys around the 125 mark who will get their 2025 cards. Under the new rules this will be the last time for the 125 which is reduced to 100 in 2026.

For all the live scoring click on my link above.

Bryan Angus

Many LPGA stars are no names in America...72 hole leaderboard...

 LPGA : CME Group Tour Championship..54 hole .LEADERBOARD

Much has been made of this CME Group Tour Championship being put on tape delay while Golf Channel covers the Saturday afternoon 1-4pm  play at The RSM Championship where the main thrust is who will win their 2025 PGA Tour cards which involves a hatful of fringe pros around the 125.

Meanwhile the very best the LPGA has to offer is playing its Tour finale worth a record $4.000.000 to the winner, wrapping up their year with their best..

Whomever at what level of involvement put them on tape delay for a few fringe PGA Tour pros was WRONG.. It is a slap in the face of the LPGA...

However why is a very revealing tale...

Nelly Korda is the run away POY with 7 wins in 2025...But Nelly and her Korda family are squeaky clean .....almost boring for the TMZ crowd, and her supporting cast for an American TV audience used to US domination, is almost entirely Asian, some can speak English many can't... many need an interpreter..

Very tough to sell the sponsor who is paying them, and not very sexy which also sells on the LPGA...like it or not....

Players from South Korea, Japan, Thailand, China, France and Japan hardly move the ratings needle to golf fans watching on TV in America.

All these issues face the LPGA  heading into 2025... but for sure as International women from ASIA dominate, they will never make the LPGA a must see in the USA..

Bryan Angus

Hughes leads 3 Canadians into the weekend at the RSM Classic....full scoreboard

 PGA Tour : The RSM Classic Leaderboard

Those of us of Scottish lineage have always thought that the "Yanks" were "soft, pampered" when they came over to play the Open. While we got on with the wind, they came out like they were about to climb Mount Everest, with toques, winter gloves with built in hand warmers, you know the deal.

Zach Johnson of the United States looks on from the 18th hole during the second round of The RSM Classic 2024 on the Seaside course at Sea Island Resort. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Well, on Sea Island, Georgia with the wind NE off the Atlantic and temperatures in the mid 50's all the toques and gloves were on display again as the final 125 to get there 2025 PGA Tour cards were narrowed down with the cut falling at -1

Canada's Roger Sloan was a victim with 71 77 +6 and with a ranking #176 he will not have his card renewed.

Former champion and twice the runner up, Mac Hughes is still in contention, T9 68 67 -9 projected to end the year #52.

Adam Hadwin coming off a solid 2024 is T24 69 69 -4 is now ranked 56th in the world and 47th in the Fed Ex Cup standings, in great shape for 2025.

2022 champion Adam Svensson moved up 31 places T49 70 71 -1 being projected at #86 so he is safe for next year, but would love a big weekend to crack that top 60.

The leader is rookie American Patrick Fishburn 67 64 -11 with Maverick McNealy 62,70 and Lee Hodges 69 63 T2 at -10

All players are on the Seaside course this weekend.

Follow all the scores and projections by clicking on my link above.

Bryan Angus

Henderson T14 at CME Group Tour Championship ...full leaderboard

 LPGA : CME Group Tour Championship LEADERBOARD

Friday was a day of two halves, the morning wave on the Tiburon GC at this CME Group Tour Championship were met by warm, calm conditions with sunny skies, then the wind picked up for the late wave with only a few breaking par. The average score 71.5 was two strokes higher that Thursday.

When the sun set Asian American Angel Yin led 65 69 -10 with two South Koreans Hye-Jin Choi 68 68 and first round leader Narin An 64 72 T2 at -8

Nelly Korda was out early and as she so often does this career year moved right up the field 72 66 -6 T4.

Brooke Henderson 69 71 -4 is six shots back of the lead with 36 holes to play for the record $4,000,000 first place prize. She went out in 37 with 2 bogey's and a birdie, then battled back in 34 with 3 birdies at 11, 16 and 17 with a lone bogey at the par4 13th.

Bryan Angus

LIV's Cam Smith joins Elvis Smylie leading the Australian PGA.. Full scoreboard / TEE TIMES

DP World Tour : BMW Australian PGA Championship Leaderboard

Elvis Smylie and Cam Smith led a strong home contingent to earn a one-shot lead after the delayed second round of the BMW Australian PGA Championship.

Heavy downpours at Royal Queensland Golf Club forced play to be abandoned on Friday, with the second round taking place in glorious sunshine on Saturday in the 54-hole tournament.

Smylie held the first round lead thanks to a hole out birdie on his last hole on Thursday and he followed suit with birdie at the 18th to join Smith at the summit.

The 150th Open Champion carded one of the lowest rounds of the day with a brilliant 65 which yielded seven birdies and one dropped shot to set the clubhouse target at -10 while Smylie mixed six gains and two bogeys in his 67 to top a leaderboard dominated by Australians at -10

Marc Leishman was their closest rival at -9 with only five non-Australian players sitting in the top 16. He carded eight birdies and three dropped shots in his 66, got to within one when he completed a hat-trick of birdies at the 17th to sit in solo third.

"It was nice," Smith said. "It was a bit better day today, which always puts a smile on your face and obviously the golf was pretty good as well.

"Started really solid and kind of kept it going the whole way through. Maybe a few kind of errant shots there at the end, but you kind of expect that throughout round of golf. So yeah, pretty solid, all in all.

Smylie began his round with a bogey before getting in the red numbers thanks to gains at the third, seventh and 12th. A bogey came at the 13th, but he responded with a birdie at the next before picking up shots at the 16th and 18th to join his fellow Australian at -10

"I finished really strong," Smylie said. "Birdie at 16 and then managed a really good two-putt on 17 from a tricky position. And then, had really nice wedge shot into the last and made a nice five footer for birdie.

"I think I saw I’m tied for lead, which is good. So I'm obviously in a good position heading into tomorrow.

South African Aldrich Potgieter made a blistering start with a birdie-birdie start and when he rolled in from five feet at the third for another three, he was leader at -7 then he picked up further shots at the fifth, seventh and ninth to reach the turn in a blemish-free 30 and sit three clear at -10. He made 2 bogey's coming in to finish at -8  alongside David Micheluzzi, while Englishman Matthew Southgate, Switzerland's Joel Girrbach and Ben Eccles were at -7

Spaniard Ivan Cantero and South African Ryan van Velzen sat one shot adrift -6, with six Australians; Jason Day, Cam Davis, Matias Sanchez, Lincoln Tighe, Harrison Crowe and Jack Buchanan.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

Mac Hughes leads the Canadians at the RSM Classic in Georgia. full scoreboard

 PGA Tour : RSM Classic Leaderboard

This is the final event of the year on the PGA Tour. It will settle the top 125 who will retain their cards and also the 51-60 spots who will qualify for the signature events in 2025.

The scoring is so low that even a par round of 70 sees you T80.

American Maverick McNealy leads -8 62, with Michael Thorbjornsen -8 62, the scoring is different because this event plays on 2 courses until the cut is made..

Mac Hughes a past winner (2016) T13 -4 68 leads the Canadians with Adam Hadwin T55 -1 69. Adam Svensson also won here in 2022 is T80 E 70 and Roger Sloan who is ranked 176th T101 +1 71 needs a big week to keep his playing status.

Bryan Angus

BMW Australian PGA Championship reduced to 54 holes.. details, live scoreboard

 DP World Tour : BMW Australian PGA Championship. Leaderboard

The BMW Australian PGA Championship will now be a 54-hole tournament after play was abandoned before the start of round two at 11:30am local time on Friday following almost 250mm of rainfall in the Brisbane area since last Friday.

Jose Maria Zamora, the DP World Tour Tournament Director for the BMW Australian PGA Championship, said: “Continued downpours throughout the morning have left a number of fairways at Royal Queensland Golf Club saturated and the course has been deemed unplayable today.

"We plan to start the second round of the BMW Australian PGA Championship at 06:00 on Saturday, with the third and final round on Sunday.

“We want to ensure we are able to bring this incredible tournament to the planned conclusion on Sunday, mindful of the logistics of playing next week’s ISPS HANDA Australian Open over two courses.”

Gold Coast native Elvis Smylie holds a one-shot after Thursday's first round following a brilliant 65 which contained eight birdies and two bogeys.

Three-time DP World Tour winner Victor Perez is one shot behind in a tie for second along Switzerland's Joel Girrbach, Australian Matias Sanchez and Chile's Cristobal Del Solar at five under.

Jason Day leads a group of five Australians at four under alongside Cam Smith, Marc Leishman, Ben Eccles and David Micheluzzi, who had the honour of hitting the opening tee shot of the campaign.

English duo Jordan Smith and Matthew Southgate, South Africa's Aldrich Potgieter and Spaniard Ivan Cantero are also two shots off the lead in the logjam at four under with 36 holes left to play in Brisbane.

edit *** No sooner is the Race to Dubai over, the 2025 Race begins again for the next 2 weeks in Australia. The tour will then swing to South Africa for the Nedbank and Alfred Dunhill and on to Mauritius ending December 22 just before Christmas.

It will reconvene in Abu Dhabi on January 10, 2025 for the Team Cup, then the Hero Dubai Desert Classic January 16 at the Emirates.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)

Henderson T17, five shots behind after 18 holes...rd1 results

 LPGA Tour : CME Globe Tour Championship  LEADERBOARD

As mentioned earlier the wind was up on the Tiburon course in Naples at this CME Group Tour Championship on Thursday making scoring difficult but with its generous fairways, playable when you kept the ball in play.

Korean Narin An looking for her first win,, was the best of the bunch -8 64 with Americans Angel Yin 2nd -7 65, then T3 Marina Alex and Allisen Corpuz at -6 66.

Defending champion Amy Yang also a Korean is in a large group T17 -3 69.

Brooke Henderson is also T17 with 5 birdies and 2 bogey's 35, 34 -3 69.

It's a no cut 72 holes for the LPGA's top 60 with a purse of $11m, and $4m to the winner.

Player of the year Nelly Korda T44 72 E.

WEATHER : The wind is less significant today, with plenty of warm Florida sunshine so I expect scoring to be less difficult.

Follow the live scoring by clicking on my link above.

Bryan Angus 

Brooke Henderson back in action... CME Group Tour Championship, live scoring.

 LPGA : CME Group Tour Championship LEADERBOARD

After nearly 2 months off while she recovered from a minor operation on her eye,, Brooke Henderson is back in action for the 2nd time at this version of the CME Group Tour Championship,, the season finale on the LPGA Tour in Naples Florida on the Tiburon GC.

With water in play on 13 of the 18 holes accuracy is imperative on this testing course. The average score over 10 years is -18. Amy Yang set the all time record at -27 last year

WEATHER : Today the wind is up at 25kph NW, but dies down for the rest of the week in warm sunny conditions.

The top 60 are playing for a record $11,000,000 with the largest winners cheque in women's golf history $4,000,000.

Nelly Korda has won times this year and thus will win Rolex Player of the Year.

Brooke Henderson could salvage an average year with a win, she is off at 11.35 with American Ally Ewing. She has slipped to an owgr of 24 and is ranked 14th in the Race to CME Globe.

She is 27 now, been on tour since 2015, and although she hasn't won this season, she has banked $1.2m adding to her career $13.4. That of course does not include all her sponsorship money.

With 13 career wins, still tops in Canadian pro golf both men and women, she has amassed 81 career top 10's including 8 this year.

Bryan Angus