Scot Richie Ramsay has arrived in Melbourne buoyed ahead of his first ISPS Handa Australian Open.
Ramsay, 41 jetted-in from Brisbane after posting a third and final round 71 for a share of 34th place in the rain-shortened and co-sanctioned Australian PGA Championship at the Royal Queensland course.
Richie Ramsay looking forward to contenting this weeks ISPS Handa Australian Open
Local Brisbane golfer Elvis Smylie, and the 22-year-old son of 1985 Wimbledon Doubles champ Liz Smylie upstaged three-time former event winner and 2022 Open champ Cam Smith by two shots to win a second ‘Down Under’ title in a month.
Smylie played the final round in Smith’s company and has honed his game after winning in 2019 a Cameron Smith scholarship.
Smylie said: “I won’t forget this day, you know, playing with Cam. I looked up to guys like Cam since I was a kid and just being in his presence and competing alongside him for the title, I’ve learnt so much and am just so grateful and so honoured right now”.
The win takes the Aussie lefty to the top of the new season Race to Dubai and earned him a virtual three-year DP World Tour exemption three-year exemption given he has all of 2025 season and then two-years official exemption to the end of 2027.
Ramsay capped the last round at the start of his 17th straight season with three birdies in 12 holes but then bogeyed 13, 14 and the last.
He said: “I hit some great putts down the stretch but holed nothing. That’s the difference between the middle of the pack and a really good finish.
“It was a huge week where old equipment would have made such a difference for the better. Also, it was a well-supported event, close to the city, good facilities, party hole and good vibes.
“Also looking forward to being back to Melbourne as I spent the week proir the Australian PGA playing some of the great ‘Sand Belt’ courses including Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath, and one of the two venues this week.
“I’ve been to Australia a few times in my career including when I was an amateur and also competed in Perth and Melbourne in the earlier co-sanctioned venues but this will be a first Australian Open”.
Joining Ramsay in Melbourne will be David Law who missed the halfway cut in the Brisbane event.
MEANTIME ….
Past Masters champ and now LIV Golf star Patrick Reed captured the first non-PGA Tour victory of his career with a three-shot victory at the Asian Tour’s Hong Kong Open.
Reed, 34 set-up victory thanks to Saturday’s stunning 59 and though played under a ‘preferred lies’ it was a second 59 this season and in this 30-year history of the Asian Tour.
The Texan joined LIV Golf in 2022 and still awaits a first win on the breakaway Tour after last winning at the 2021 Farmers Insurance Open on the PGA Tour.
Reed went close to a first ‘international’ victory in losingt out by a shot to Rory McIlroy in the 2023 Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
