Rosebud Country Club’s North Course, which has staged the Australian PGA, will host Stage A of the 2020 European Tour Qualifying School schedule in September. Picture courtesy of RCC

THE European Tour Qualifying School will make its first appearance outside of Europe when Rosebud Country Club hosts a first stage event in Australia, for 2020.

European Tour hopefuls will tee it up on the outskirts of Melbourne from September 1-4.

The move marks the first time in the European Tour Qualifying School’s 45-year history that an event will be staged in the country – and outside of Europe.

Rosebud Country Club, which boasts two 18-hole golf courses, opened in 1964 and will be the first event of the 2020 Qualifying School journey when it hosts the Section A First Stage tournament.

Competitors will play four rounds, with the leading players earning a place at the Second Stage.

European Tour Qualifying School director Mike Stewart said: “We are thrilled to have a European Tour Qualifying School event in Australia for the first time.

“It is an historic moment for Qualifying School as we move to new venues across the globe, with the desire to play European Tour golf continuing to grow.

“Australia has a famed history of producing world-class golfers and we have seen that already this season with Adam Scott, Lucas Herbert and Min Woo Lee already winners on the 2020 Race to Dubai.

“With a Qualifying School event in Australia, it provides golfers in the Asia-Pacific region the opportunity to earn their place on the European Tour.

“We are looking forward to working with Nick Dastey, at the PGA of Australia, as well as Danny McGrath and his team at Rosebud Country Club, ahead of this exciting occasion for golf in this region.”

General manager Danny McGrath added: “Rosebud Country Club is extremely honoured to be partnering with the European Tour to host the First Stage Qualifying School event, held outside of Europe.

“Our club has a proud member base and a strong history of supporting the PGA of Australia and its members.

“We are very excited to have the opportunity to showcase the first-class North course to the entrants and contribute to fulfilling a dream of qualifying to play on the European Tour in 2021.”

Nick Dastey, the PGA Tour of Australasia’s tournaments director, said hosting a qualifying event in Melbourne will give more Aussie golfers the opportunity to advance their careers on the European Tour.

“We are really excited to work with our partners at the European Tour to bring the very first European Tour Qualifying School First Stage to Australia,” Dastey said.

“This is a great opportunity for our members along with the elite amateurs in this country looking to turn professional.

“The Rosebud Country Club is a fantastic facility and one that will be a fitting host for this ground-breaking event.

“The PGA of Australia has had a terrific and long-lasting relationship with Rosebud, which previously hosted the Australian PGA Championship and many pro-am events.”

First stage of ETQS can open doors

THE importance of First Stage was shown in 2019 by Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Gonnet, as he progressed through all three stages to clinch the 28^th and final European Tour card at Final Stage in November.

American Kurt Kitayama won Section D First Stage in 2018 ahead of claiming his European Tour playing rights en route to his successes in Mauritius and Oman, early in his rookie season.

Jake McLeod (2019), Deyen Lawson and Nick Cullen (2018) are some of the Australians to earn their European Tour cards via Qualifying School recently.

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Min Woo Lee, who claimed his first European Tour victory in just his 19th start in the ISPS Handa Vic Open, joined sister Minjee Lee, who has won the women’s title at 13th Beach Golf Links twice in the last six years. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

MIN Woo Lee made history as he stormed to his first European Tour victory at the ISPS Handa Vic Open, on the same golf course where his sister won her first professional title six years ago.

Lee joined his older sister Minjee on the roll of honour at 13th Beach Golf Links with a final round of 68 to become the first brother and sister to claim the same title.

The 2016 US Junior Amateur Champion finished two strokes ahead of New Zealander Ryan Fox on 19-under par thanks to his final round of four-under.

Min Woo Lee said: “My sister and I winning the same tournament, it’s pretty special. I’ve got bragging rights now so it’s even better.”

Sister Minjee who finished two shots off a play-off in the women’s event, added: “I was super, super proud of him.

“It was really cool to just even be here with him, and even watch him the last two holes.

“Just to see him play, I haven’t really seen him play that much, so to be able to have a win here is really cool.”

And Min Woo Lee was equally happy. “I’m pretty proud of the way I played,” he said clutching the trophy.

“I thought coming in I had a really good chance because I was hitting it really good.

“But I think I impressed myself with the game this whole week. Hopefully I’ll have more of these over my whole career.

“I felt really comfortable just because if I did exactly the same as I did yesterday, I felt pretty hard to stop.

“I started off really hot out the gate and was pretty comfortable those last few holes. I got a bit nervy, but I’m pretty proud of the way I finished.

“I hit one shot at a time. It’s a cliché, but it’s just that,” added Lee “You can’t really worry about anything else.

“I hit it so well, I’d give myself nine-out-of-10 for ball-striking this week,” said the new champion, who admitted his sister’s two Vic Open victories had driven him on all week in a show of sibling rivalry.

“Coming into today I knew I could just stay calm and just hit every shot the same as the last three days.

“I was pretty calm until, you know, the last hole. I wasn’t nervous, just on my toes a little bit.

“I thought it’s a par five, straight downwind, the ball’s not going to curve much off the tee – stripe one down and I thought I had it in the bag from there.”

Minjee won the women’s ISPS Handa Vic Open – which has been played concurrently at Barwons Head for the last eight years – as an amateur in 2014.

She claimed the USGA Girls title in 2012, and they were the first brother and sister to claim the USGA junior championships.

It was two years ago this week that Lee gave the world notice of his talent by reaching the quarter-finals of the ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth as an amateur.

He only just missed out on keeping his tour card at the end of 2019 having made back-to-back top fives early in the season after his debut in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Lee picked up a cheque for €162,915 as the winner and moved to 41st on the Race to Duba.

•For full results in the Vic Open click here.

Order of Merit winner Ryan Fox believes his final round 64 was the best so far of his career

Fox run for 2nd title – ‘best golf yet’

RYAN Fox made his charge for a second European Tour victory on the back nine in the ISPS Handa Vic Open.

The Kiwi birdied the 16^th hole and carded his second eagle of the day on the 18^th for an eight-under par 64, setting the clubhouse target at 17-under.

Min Woo Lee – making just his 19th European Tour appearance since turning pro at the start of 2019 – started the day three strokes clear of playing partners Marcus Fraser and Travis Smyth.

Twenty-one-year-old Lee, who won seven amateur titles in Australia between 2013 and 2018, showed no sign of nerves as he birded three of his first four holes, including a chip-in on the first.

The Australian maintained his composure as winds gusted up to 30mph on the Bellarine Peninsula, with 10 consecutive pars before his fourth birdie of the day on the 15th hole.

Lee dropped to 18-under with a bogey on the 17th, but finished with aplomb as he birdied the 18th^h for a tournament-record score of 19-under par – and a special victory on home soil.

Fox, who won the ISPS Handa World Super 6 in Perth last year – and claimed the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit in 2019 – said: “That was probably the best round I’ve played in a tournament.

“I would not have thought 64 was out there at the start of the day. I think the only saving grace with this wind direction is you either play a hole straight down or straight into.

“I made a couple of eagles, which was nice. I hit a lot of shots inside of 15‑feet and made a couple of those, which is not really what you expect to do.

“I never really felt like I was under any pressure out there which, in conditions like this, that’s always nice.

Frenchman Robin Sciot-Siegrist matched Lee’s final round of 68 to finish in a share of third place with Australians Fraser and Smyth on 14 under, while Jake McLeod took sixth place on 12-under.

Challenge Tour graduate Sciot-Siegrist said: “I think I learned from yesterday. I thought I got angry quite quick.

“The conditions were tough and I think today I tried to keep it cooler and things went my way. It was a great day, I’m happy to finish on that.

“Two top 10 in four tournaments, I’m really happy. I’m happy to put points really quickly on the board, because I need them.”

Manchester’s Florida-based pro Sam Horsfield, who was in the first group of the day with Geoff Ogilvy, and women’s competitor Peiyun Chen, moved to seventh on 11-under, alongside fellow European Tour member Sami Valimaki, from Finland.

•Minjee Lee, who won her second women’s ISPS Handa Vic Open title in 2018, finished two strokes behind Hee Young Park, who overcame Hye-Jin Choi and So Yeun Ryu in a four-hole play-off to win her first LPGA title in more than six years.

The post Min Woo Lee matches Minjee with ISPS Handa Vic Open title at 13th Beach Golf Links appeared first on Golf North.

Stacy Lewis returns to Australia for the ISPS Handa Women’s Vic Open – her first trip Down Under since 2014, and two years after her maternity leave. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

TWO-time major champion Stacy Lewis last teed it up Down Under in 2014, when she tied for sixth at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open.

It was the start of a season-of-a-lifetime for Lewis, who captured three victories and became the first American to take home all three season-ending awards since Betsy King in 1993.

Much has changed for Lewis since 2014, two years before her marriage to Gerrod Chadwell and four years before the birth of her daughter Chesnee.

It was never easy to make the 16-hour flight from the United States to Australia and leaving her family at home for two weeks made getting on that plane even more bittersweet.

Ever the competitor, Lewis knows that by doing her job on the golf course, she’s setting an example for Chesnee and the next generation of female golfers.

Stacy Lewis said: “My last concern at night is thinking about my golf score that day.

“Just helps put things in perspective of what’s important and kind of motivated me with my things off the golf course, kind of what I’m doing of trying to give more opportunities to women and to little girls.”

The young mum’s last win came at the 2017 Cambia Portland Classic before sitting out much of 2018 on maternity leave.

Lewis added “I want things to be better for my daughter and I don’t want her to have to answer the same questions that we’re talking about today.

In 2018, Stacy Lewis made headlines beyond the sports world when she announced KPMG – the professional services company that Lewis has represented since 2012 – was honoring her full contract through her maternity leave.

That moment sparked other companies to fulfill contracts through the recent LPGA Tour Baby Boom.

There are some 15 active Moms on Tour, with two players expecting in 2020 – and further heightened the value that Smucker’s brings to the Tour’s Child Development Center.

So it makes perfect sense that Lewis feels that this week’s ISPS Handa Vic Open – which has men and women competing together on the same courses for the same prize money – is a boon for sports equality.

“I hope this tournament sends a message across the world to let’s do more events like this,” said Lewis.

“I’ve had a lot of fun this week so far. I played a practice round with three guys yesterday and just doing it a little different than I normally do it.

“But I think we need more events like this. Obviously, we’ve got some of the top females here, but we need more of the top guys here to step up and say, you know, this is important.

“It just sends such a great message for supporting men’s and women’s golf.

“One of the guys I played with yesterday talked about how us coming on board has elevated their purse as well. So I think it’s a win-win for both tours.”

Ogilvy supports Stacy Lewis stance

Australian Geoff Ogilvy has long met Stacy Lewis’ challenge to step up, having been an ambassador for gender equality in sports for years.

The 2006 US Open champion pointed to the 2014 US Opens, played back to back at Pinehurst No. 2, as a prime example of how men’s and women’s sports can co-exist.

Just talking about the consistency of players like Inbee Park and So Yeon Ryu brought a slightly jealous smile to the face of the 42-year-old with 12 wins around the world to his name.

“It’s more than just guys in the world who play golf or play sport. I’m a golf tragic, so when I come to a golf tournament, I’m watching other people play just as much as I’m playing myself,” said Ogilvy.

“This week I found last year all I wanted to do was watch the women and how they went about it.

“Some of them are just machines, they just don’t hit bad shots and they hit hybrids on to the green 10 feet all day.

“When I hit a hybrid, I’m happy to hit it within 30 yards of the green. It’s just a different style, said the three-time World Golf Championship winner.

“There’s something to be learned from both sides and there’s enjoyment in watching both styles of play,” added Ogilvy, who played in Europe for two years before progressing to the PGA Tour in 2001.

The 2019 ISPS Handa Vic Open winners Celine Boutier and David Law

Vic Open creating a different mixed

MORE events like the ISPS Handa Vic Open – which was won last year by Scotland’s David Law and France’s Celine Boutier – are indeed on the horizon.

In June, the European Tour and Ladies European Tour will host the inaugural Scandinavian Mixed hosted by Henrik Stenson and Annika Sorenstam.

It will feature 78 men and 78 women competing for one purse.

The Jordan Mixed Open and the ISPS Handa World Invitational also inaugurated mixed competition in 2019, and Australia’s golf hero Karrie Webb pointed to the business upside such events make for potential title sponsors.

“I think going forward it could be a great model for companies that want to make sure that their money’s spent equally in sport,” said Webb.

“You can say that automatically if you have a men’s and women’s event for the same purse.

“You don’t have to justify that to your board or to your investors, you’re equally helping out men’s and women’s sport in one event.”

Why Karrie Webb is shifting her golf focus

Karrie Webb is cutting back on her playing schedule to enjoy life more.
Picture by TRISTAN JONES

SEVEN-time major winner Karrie Webb admits that she’s slowing down as she moves into her mid-40s.

The 45-year-old Australian made just nine LPGA Tour starts in 2019, choosing instead to focus on family and friends back home in her native Queensland.

“I just didn’t have the heart to put in the full commitment that was needed,” said Webb, who has 41 LPGA victories to her name – more than any other current player.

“I felt like I was missing out on life by playing a full schedule. So it’s been a good mix of the both,” Webb added.

Webb has moved her golf focus to her burgeoning golf-course architecture firm with business partner Ross Perrett.

She has also invigorated her work on grassroots development programs with Golf Australia.

Since 2008, Webb has sponsored a scholarship program that brings Australia’s two leading female amateurs to the United States for a week to experience a major championship.

Perhaps the most fulfilling moment of that program came in 2019, when past scholarship recipient Hannah Green captured her first major title at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.

And it certainly seems that of all Webb’s major wins, she might treasure Green’s victory even more.

“My give-back to golf, this is greater than what I actually personally achieved because I think when I’m doing that, that isn’t about giving back to golf, that’s taking from golf and doing something that I personally set out to do,” said Webb.

“But my give-back for what golf has given me has been as rewarding, if not more rewarding.”

The 13th Beach Golf Links at Barwon Heads on the Bellarine Peninsula, is made up of the Beach and Creek Courses, which will stage this week’s ISPS Handa Vic Open

HANDA VIC OPEN FORMAT AT 13TH BEACH GOLF LINKS

STAGED at 13th Beach Golf Links on Australia’s Bellarine Peninsula, men and women play on the same courses, at the same time, for equal prize money of $1.1 million.

For the second consecutive year, the ISPS Handa Vic Open is jointly sanctioned by the LPGA Tour, the ALPG, the European Tour and the ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia.

A field of 144 men and 144 women – including Stacy Lewis – will play one round on each of the first two days across the Beach and Creek Courses.

After the second round, the field will be cut to the leading 60 players plus ties for both men and women.

A second cut will be made after the third round to the leading 35 players plus ties for both men and women.

The third and fourth rounds will be conducted on the Beach Course.

•For live scoring in the first round which gets under way on Wednesday night, on February 5, UK time click here.

The post Stacy Lewis in first return to Australia in four years – and with a mum’s perspective appeared first on Golf North.

Geoff Nicholas the 1990 British Amputee Open Champion who came through a play-off at Fairhaven to qualify for The Senior Open at Royal Lytham & St Anne’s this week.
Picture by GETTY IMAGES

AMPUTEE golfer Geoff Nicholas will make his Senior Open debut at Royal Lytham & St Annes today after earning his place in Monday Qualifying.

The Australian – who participated in the European Tour’s ground-breaking EDGA Scottish Open for Golfers with Disability earlier this month – was one of more than 500 golfers who competed at four qualifying sites for the 49 remaining places in The Senior Open field, securing his spot after a play-off at Fairhaven Golf Club.

Nicholas was born with deformities in both his legs – a side-effect of the drug named Thalidomide which was used to combat the effects of morning sickness in expectant mothers. At the age of 11 his right leg was amputated, but that did not stop him from playing golf – which he took up after seeing it on television.

He carded a level par round of 73 at Fairhaven and then earned his place at Royal Lytham & St Annes after a five-man play-off with a birdie on the fourth extra hole.

“In regulation I think I sunk a 25-footer for birdie which got me into the play-off,” Nicholas said. “There were two spots and two alternate places. We all birdied the first and parred the second, one guy dropped out on the third.

“On the 18^th, one guy knocked it on for two and I hit an eight iron to about 15 feet with my third shot – I bent in the putt and we both went through.

“To qualify for The Senior Open, a Senior Major Championship, is terrific. It’s been one of my dreams; and to get through Qualifying was brilliant. It’s just great to be here.

“I like to feel as though I’m inspiring people – and there’s a lot of people out there. Golf is such a great game in which to do that.

“There’s so many avenues to succeed in this sport – there’s no other sport like it.”

Currently ranked No. 8 on the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD), the 58-year-old admitted he had enjoyed the EDGA Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club to the east of Edinburgh, which took place alongside the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, a Rolex Series event on the European Tour.

Nicholas said: “I came over to the UK 10 days ago to play in the EDGA Scottish Open, which was great, and I thought, ‘well, I’m over here, I might as well try and qualify for The Senior Open’ and here I am.”

In 1990 he won the inaugural British Amputee Open and won the U.S. Amputee Open later that year.

Nicholas would dominate the amputee golf scene in the 1990s – winning both championships every year until 2002.

He earned his card on the PGA Tour of Australasia in 1992, which he held for a number of years, and also teed it up in the same event as Tiger Woods in the 1996 Australian Open.

“That was really special,” said Nicholas. “I actually beat him in the first round – so I’ve always got that to remember. This week is something else, it’s great to be around so many legends of the game.

“A lot of people don’t know what to expect from me – a lot of them don’t realise because when you wear long trousers and walk reasonably well, they don’t know.

After The Senior Open, Nicholas will be hoping to maintain his position in the top eight of the WR4GD and earn a spot at the EDGA Dubai Finale at the end of the season, the second disability championship scheduled alongside Rolex Series events on the 2019 Race to Dubai.

The EDGA Dubai Finale will take place alongside the European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai at Jumeirah Golf Estates in November.

For live scores from The Senior Open click here.

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