This week the golfing world turns its attention to the 101st USPGA Championship. Historically the final major of the year is played in August, however the event has found a new home to become golf’s second major, now held in May.
The Bethpage Black Course in Long Island, New York plays host to the event for the first time, however it was home for the 2002 and 2009 US Opens and it is the venue for the 2024 Ryder Cup. Former PGA Champion Jason Day (2015) will headline Australia’s assault.
Meanwhile, last week’s AT&T Byron Nelson Classic was a good one for Aussie Matt Jones who finished T5. It has been 87 starts since Jones last finished inside the Top 10, so it really was a welcome return to form. Cameron Davis (T35) and Curtis Luck (T43) both made the Cut, while Todd Balkin, Stuart Deane and Rod Pampling missed.
Our top PGA hopes Jason Day, Marc Leishman, Adam Scott and Cameron Smith had the week off but return for this week’s PGA, joined by Stuart Deane, Lucas Herbert, Craig Hocknull and Brendan Jones.
On the Champions Tour, David McKenzie finished T39 after a final round 70 on the Monday of the weather delayed event.
Jamie Arnold continued his solid form on the web.com Tour, finishing T14 and moved to 36th on the OOM. Brett Coletta (T30) made his fifth cut of the season while Brett Drewitt and Rhein Gibson both missed weekend action.
The PGA Mackenzie (Canada) and Latinoamerica Tours both had weekend off but in Beijing, Australia was well represented on the PGA China Tour at the Beijing Championship. Leading the Aussie charge was Kevin Yuan who led the tournament at the half way point. He eventually finished 5th, ahead of compatriots Max McCardle (T19), Tim Stewart (T31) and Christopher Wood (T45).
The LPGA enjoys a few weeks off and returns May 23 at the Pure Silk Championship, Williamsburg, VA. World #2 Minjee Lee won here in 2015 so fingers crossed she continues her climb to the World #1 ranking with a win at a familiar course.So get ready for some late nights and early mornings the weekend as Tigermania returns to Bethpage Black. Let’s hope he plays well but is just tipped out of first place by an Aussie!
PGA TOUR-Affiliated Tours, Australian Player Results, Week of May 6, 2019
The PGA TOUR and its affiliated Tours boasts a large roster of Australians as members. Here is the recap from this past week’s action and the Australians’ performances.
PGA Tour
AT&T Byron Nelson
Trinity Forest Golf Club, Dallas, Texas
Purse: $7,900,000 ($1,422,000 to each winner)
Next Tournament: PGA Championship
Bethpage State Park-Black Course, Farmingdale, New York, May 16-19
|
Player |
Result |
Earnings |
FedExCup Standing |
Notes |
|
Aaron Baddeley |
DNP |
-- |
74 |
|
|
Todd Balkin |
CUT (+7) |
-- |
-- |
|
|
Greg Chalmers |
DNP |
-- |
-- |
|
|
Cameron Davis |
T35 (-10) |
$36,488 |
153 |
Snapped a streak of five consecutive missed cuts with a T35 finish at Trinity Forest GC. |
|
Jason Day |
DNP |
-- |
34 |
|
|
Stuart Deane |
CUT (+5) |
-- |
-- |
|
|
Matt Jones |
T5 (-17) |
$267,810 |
89 |
Marked the 87th start since Jones had his last top-10 finish on TOUR (2015 Dell Technologies Championship). |
|
Marc Leishman |
DNP |
-- |
13 |
|
|
Curtis Luck |
T43 (-9) |
$23,083 |
143 |
Made the cut for the ninth time in his 16th start of the 2018-19 season. Made his tournament debut at AT&T Byron Nelson. |
|
Geoff Ogilvy |
DNP |
-- |
-- |
|
|
Rod Pampling |
CUT (E) |
-- |
223 |
Missed his 12th consecutive cut this season in 14 starts. In 18 AT&T Byron Nelson appearances, he owns three top-10s—T8s in 2006 and 2011 and a T10 in 2007. |
|
Adam Scott |
DNP |
-- |
39 |
|
|
John Senden |
CUT (-1) |
-- |
219 |
Missed the cut for the seventh time in his 16th AT&T Byron Nelson start. |
|
Cameron Smith |
DNP |
-- |
69 |
|
PGA Champions
Regions Tradition
Greystone Golf and Country Club, Birmingham, Alabama
Purse: $2,4000,000 ($360,000 to the winner)
Next Tournament: KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship
Oak Hill Country Club, Rochester, New York, May 23-26
|
Player |
Result |
Earnings |
Charles Schwab Cup Standing |
Notes |
|
David McKenzie |
T39 |
$12,000 |
52 |
Shot a final-round 70 in Birmingham to move up 12 spots on Monday at the weather-delayed tournament. |
PGA web.com Tour
KC Golf Classic
Nashville Golf & Athletic Club, Nashville, Tennessee
Purse: $550,000 ($99,000 to the winner)
Next Tournament: Knoxville Open
Fox Den Country Club, Knoxville, Tennessee, May 16-19
|
Player |
Result |
Earnings |
Regular Season Standing |
Notes |
|
Jamie Arnold |
T14 (-6) |
$10,462 |
36 |
Recorded his second consecutive top-15 finish, following a T10 at the Nashville Golf Open. Recorded his best finish at the KC Golf Classic in four starts. |
|
Brett Coletta |
T30 (-3) |
$4,037 |
33 |
Picked up his fifth made cut in nine starts this season. Made his tournament debut at the KC Golf Classic. |
|
Brett Drewitt |
CUT (+3) |
-- |
86 |
Missed the cut for the second consecutive time this season. Struggled with a 3-over 75 in the first round, prior to finishing the week with an even-par 72. |
|
Rhein Gibson |
CUT (+3) |
-- |
41 |
Missed the cut for the fifth time this season in 11 starts. In four starts at this event, advanced to the weekend only once, finishing T23 in 2016. |
PGA Latinoamerica Tour
No Tournament this Week
Next Tournament: BMW Jamaica Classic
Cinnamon Hill Golf Club, Montego Bay, Jamaica, May 16-19
No Tournament this Week
PGA Mackenzie Tour (Canada)
Next Tournament: Canada Life Open
Point Grey Golf and Country Club, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
May 23-26
PGA China Tour
Beijing Championship
Topwin Golf and Country Club, Beijing, China
Purse: ¥1,600,000 (¥288,000 to the winner)
Next Tournament: Qinhuangdao Championship
Qinhuangdao Poly Golf Club, Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China, May 13-19
|
Player |
Result |
Earnings |
Order of Merit Standing |
Notes |
|
Corey Hale |
CUT (-1) |
-- |
56 |
|
|
Max McCardle |
T19 (-8) |
¥18,720 |
37 |
Has finished T19 in three of his four starts this season—Chongqing Championship, Haikou Championship, Beijing Championship. Missed the cut in his other start (Sanya Championship). |
|
Aaron Pike |
CUT (-1) |
-- |
-- |
|
|
Tim Stewart |
T31 (-6) |
¥9,760 |
96 |
Made the cut for the first time this season, after failing to advance to the weekend at the Chongqing Championship and Haikou Championship. |
|
Hayden Webb |
CUT (+2) |
-- |
-- |
|
|
Aaron Wilkin |
WD |
-- |
113 |
|
|
Christopher Wood |
T45 (-3) |
¥5,880 |
41 |
Made the cut for the second time this season in four starts. After opening the weekend with consecutive rounds of 71s, struggled in the third round with a 2-over 74 before closing with a 3-under 69. |
|
Kevin Yuan |
5 (-15) |
¥64,000 |
20 |
Recorded all four rounds under par for the first time this season. Carded his first top-10 finish of the year and jumped 39 spots, to No. 20, in the Order of Merit. |