Weekend results from smokey Sydney, Mauritius and Bahamas

If ever Global Warming wasn't an issue in your world, this weekend in pro golf may make you a believer.

While weather fluctuates wildly here in Canada with winter temperatures ranging from -40*c to 15*c, with more snow falling earlier and deeper than in recent years, players across the world in South Africa played an entire week in their shorts in 100+*F at the Alfred Dunhill Championship. Days later, now in Sydney Australia, it is so hot and dry, forest fires have been raging out of control in New South Wales doing irreparable damage, with a NE wind choking players and spectators at the Australian Open.

Meanwhile Tiger Woods and 17 invited pros, gathered in Albany, to raise money ($12m targeted) for the One Bahamas Fund, to help those islands that were flattened recently by the violence from hurricane Dorian, part of a particularly violent hurricane season, (which also played havoc with the World Rugby tournament in the battered island of Japan.)

The Presidents Cup gets underway this upcoming week in Melbourne, meanwhile here are the results from today's final rounds.

Emirates Australian Open final scoreboard https://www.ausopengolf.com/scores

In the end it came down to Matt Jones (69) and Louis Oosthuizen (66) to see who would lift the fabled Stonehaven Cup, and after Louis made a brilliant eagle 3 at the 72nd hole to post -14, it was Jones who made the required par 5 at the last to edge the in form South African by a shot at -15, to join an elite group of Aussies to win two Australian Opens.

Considered by Australians as a local boy who has done good in America, Jones was surrounded by his family, wife Melissa and their 3 girls, Savannah, Saber and Simone with the coveted trophy and had this to say afterwards.

" “Something like this has been coming and it’s very special when it’s your national Open and to do it two times in a row is something that’s pretty unbelievable right now,” he said. “But I’m going to build on this. If I can play as calm on the US Tour as I did these four days, I think I’ll have a very good year.”


Afrasia Bank Mauritius Open final leaderboard https://www.europeantour.com/european-tour/afrasia-bank-mauritius-open-2020/results?round=4

Another young gun,18 year old Dane, Rasmas Hojgaard is the 3rd youngest winner in European Tour history with his victory today at the Afrasia Bank Mauritius Open on the 3rd playoff hole.

He made an eagle 3 the 3rd time that he and Italian Renato Paratore and Frenchman Antoine Rozner played it for the win.Only Italian Matteo Manassero and Aussie Danny Lee were younger.


Hero World Challenge scoreboard https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html

This is not an official PGA Tour event but does award world ranking points. Henrik Stenson has won it. 10 players from the 18 man field will now head to Melbourne Australia for the Presidents Cup.

Tiger Woods hosts the event and was hoping to raise $12m for the One Bahamas Fund to held rebuild the Bahamas that were flattened by hurricane Dorian.


Bryan Angus

Matt Jones leads Emirates Australian Open heading into Sunday.. live scoring..

Emirates Australian Open leaderboard https://www.ausopengolf.com/scores

With a round to go Aussie Matt Jones added a -3 68 to reach -13 and a three shot lead over jorneyman American Cameron Tringale (69) -10 and Louis Oosthuizen, Paul Casey and Japanese amateur Takuma Kanaya all at -9.

Jones whose trophy wife former Miss Idaho, Melissa Weber Jones garners as much media attention as he does, lives in Scottsdale, and hails from Sydney won here in 2015, and has all of Australia rooting him on.

With swirling winds, choked with the smoke from the fires raging in New South Wales, and tough pin placements, par 71 swelled to just over 72, low scoring obviously at a premium.  

" I was very calm out there today, my caddie said to me on the first tee, are you not nervous?, I was very comfortable and excited to go out and play"

International Team members scoring: Louis Oosthuizen 68 66 70 -9, Marc Leishman 69 67 70 -7, Cameron Smith 68 72 70 -3, Abraham Ancer 72 66 773 -2, Adam Scott 75 67 MC. 

Bryan Angus

Tiger's Hero World Challenge hopes to raise $12 million for the One Bahamas Fund.

Hero World Challenge leaderboard https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2020/hero-world-challenge/leaderboard.html

I will not be reporting on the scores at the Hero World Challenge, although the PGA Tour has given it tournament status, it is in fact an 18 man exhibition match/ holiday by a few guys who have accepted Tigers invitation to help him raise funding for his Tiger Foundation which of course is admirable for all the great work it does.

Just click on the leaderboard link above if you are interested. 

What is very much more news worthy is that Tiger is contributing half of the money raised to the One Bahamas Fund, the players are contributing money for their birdies and eagles which totalled $43,000 in round 1. 

One Bahamas Foundation was founded by Tiger, the Nexus Luxury Collection, and wealthy members of the Albany community after the devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian on September 9th they are matching money raised dollar for dollar hoping for a total of $12,000,000.

Bryan Angus

Amateurs lead smokey Emirates Australian Open.. live scoreboard

Emirates Australian Open leaderboard https://www.ausopengolf.com/scores 

Keeping with the international theme that will pervade at next week'd Presidents Cup, Takumi Kanaya from Japan  and China's Chun-An Yu shot -6 65's to lead this smoke ridden Emirates Australian Open at the Australian Club in Sydney by 2 shots heading into round 2.  (remember Sydney is 16 hours ahead of EST). 

Kanaya recently won the Taiheiyo Masters on the Japan Tour and Yu was a stand-out at the University of Arizona.

Dozen's of forest fires are still burning in New South Wales and the swirling winds from the NE blew choking smoke over Sydney as the afternoon and evening approached, leading to veteran Aussie Matt Jones saying " I've never seen anything like it, it's tough to see your golf ball, you're eyes are burning and I have this cough"

As for International team members, Cameron Smith and Louis Oosthuizen both shot -3 68's, Marc Leishman -2 69, Abraham Ancer 71, Adam Scott 75.

For full scoring click on my link above.

Bryan Angus

Mike Weir part of an International Team contingent at this week's Australian Open.... tee times.

Emirates Australian Open tee times https://www.ausopengolf.com/tee-times

With the Presidents Cup looming from Dec. 9-15 at Royal Melbourne, there is a strong contingent from the International Team in the field for the Emirates Australian Open, at the Australian GC in Sydney this week.

Led by Abraham Ancer from Mexico who won here by 5 shots last year, Marc Leishman, Cameron Smith, Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen, are all playing as is Ernie and his assistant coaches, Mike Weir, KJ Choi, and Geoff Ogilvy.

It's the 104th edition of this Aussie Open,and between  it, then the Presidents Cup then the Australian PGA it's quite a December for golf in Australia.

Captain Ernie Els realizes his squad this year with 7 rookies are heavy underdogs to another star studded American team led by playing captain Tiger Woods no less.

 In a recent blog, Ernie says he is leaning heavily on veteran Adam Scott who has returned to some of his former glory this 2019 season. Scott is in his 9th Presidents Cup and has been asked to take a leadership role.

Always the ambassador for the game he points out that with 6 different nationalities on his team there will be a potential for a billion viewers with markets from Mexico, China, Taiwan, Canada, Japan and Korea all adding to the Australian and American TV audiences.

" This is monumental in helping to grow this game world wide, and is another motivation for our team to perform well, and with the help of our Australian crowds cheering us on, hopefully winning the Cup".

First it's the Australian Open, follow the live scoreboard on the link above, starting overnight EST in the early hours of the morning.


Bryan Angus

Aaron Cockerill, Richard T Lee, Canadians in the Afrasia Bank Mauritius Open.. Tee times

European Tour Afrasia Mauritius Bank Open tee times https://www.europeantour.com/european-tour/afrasia-bank-mauritius-open-2020/tee-times?round=1

Playing in the island paradise of Mauritius, on the Heritage GC for the final week of this 2020 wrap around season on the European Tour, the AFRASIA Mauritius Open which is part holiday, and part serious business begins on Thursday.

Last year Kurt Kitiyama kicked off what would be a race with Scotland's lefty, Robert McDonald for the Rookie of the Year with his maiden win here. The Scot edged him out at the Race to Dubai.

Six of the International Team for the Presidents Cup are joining captain Ernie Els in Sydney for the Australian Open this week before the Presidents Cup in Melbourne, Dec. 9-15.

There are 2 Canadians in the field this week. Aaron Cockerill missed the cut by a shot last week in South Africa and Richard T Lee who plays most of his golf in Japan, Korea and Australia is making his first start on this tour in a while. 

Bryan Angus

Larrazabal limps to 75 to win the Alfred Dunhill Championship... final scoreboard

European Tour Alfred Dunhill Championship final scoreboard https://www.europeantour.com/european-tour/alfred-dunhill-championship

Pablo Larrazabal started the day three shots clear but struggled with blisters and swing problems throughout the final round at Leopard Creek, carding six bogeys and a double bogey to fall three shots behind at one stage.

However, the 36-year-old regrouped to make three birdies in his last four holes to seal victory with a 75 and eight under par total. That was one better than Sweden’s Joel Sjöholm, who completed a remarkable weekend effort with a 69.

Dutchman Wil Besseling held at least a share of the lead for most of the final round but bogeyed the last after his second shot finished on rocks behind the green and a 74 left him tied for third with home favourites Branden Grace (73) and Charl Schwartzel (70). Only 5 players managed to break 70 in the extreme heat and swirling winds.

“I woke up this morning and I didn’t think I was going to play,” said Larrazábal. “I couldn’t put my shoe on, I couldn’t walk to the buggy. I really struggled on the back nine, I have a big blister on my right toe and I said to myself ‘If Tiger can win a US Open with a broken leg…’ and I just fought hard

Larrazábal had gone four-and-a-half years without a European Tour victory and added: “It’s been a long road the last few years and this is where I want to be. I want to thank all my family and my wife. This is a place that I really love and I will come back until I cannot play anymore.

Being a winner again means so much. I’ve been working hard, I put as many hours in as I’ve put in in my golfing career and this is what for" 

Bryan Angus 
(europeantour.com)