'Lots of opportunities': Aussie golfers in US Open mix
Minjee Lee and Hannah Green are up for the chase after Japanese sensation Mao Saigo set a cracking pace in pursuit of a second straight major championship at the weather-hit US Women's Open in Wisconsin.
Playing alongside Lee, Saigo produced the low second round, a sizzling six-under-par 66, to vault to a three-stroke lead after storms twice forced the suspension of play at Erin Hills, outside Milwaukee.
The 23-year-old 2024 rookie of the year and winner of last month's Chevron Championship is eight under through 36 holes, with world No.1 Nelly Korda among her closest challengers.
After a frustrating first day on the greens, Korda fired up with seven birdies in a second-round 67 to surge into a six-way tie for second at five under with fellow Americans Sarah Schmelzel (68) and Yealimi Noh (71), Japan's Hinako Shibuno (69), Swede Maja Stark (69) and South Korean A Lim Kim (71).
Lee and fellow WA major champion Green are the leading Australians - and only two to make the halfway cut - and will start the weekend six back of Saigo at two under.
Lee, the 2022 US Open champion and final-round leader last year, was chuffed to climb 40 spots up the leaderboard into a share of 19th and back in red numbers with a three-under 69.
"I just hit it a little bit closer than yesterday. I probably had a lot of outside chances for birdie yesterday, like 25 to 30 feet, but today I had a few more that were like inside 15 feet," Lee said.
"Just started really well, made two birdies on the get-go, so it was nice turning three under and had even on the back, just seeing a few more putts roll in and then just hitting it a little bit better."
After watching Saigo drain seven birdies, Lee knows there will be weekend opportunities to make up the six-shot deficit and capture a third career major.
"Just with maybe a little bit of rain softening the greens a couple of days ago, but I think USGA has a lot of tricks up their sleeve so they can always make it as tough as they can make it or they can make it really challenging and fun to play," Lee said.
"The greens are probably going to get a little bit quicker and it will be a bit more interesting with, I guess, putting the tees in different places.
"I'm looking forward to the weekend. Hopefully I can hit it a little bit closer, just play aggressively when I can and play smart when I have to. That's going to be the key."
Green also hopes to run down the leader after riding her luck in a round of 70.
"This is probably the best placing that I've gone into an actual weekend of the US Open, so I'm hoping I'm not too far back," said the world No.8.
"Six shots back, I'm not sure what the conditions are going to be like this weekend. I think the harder the better.
"So I'm hoping I can just continue with the game plan that my caddy and I have and have a good weekend."
Minjee Lee and Hannah Green are up for the chase after Japanese sensation Mao Saigo set a cracking pace in pursuit of a second straight major championship at the weather-hit US Women's Open in Wisconsin.
Playing alongside Lee, Saigo produced the low second round, a sizzling six-under-par 66, to vault to a three-stroke lead after storms twice forced the suspension of play at Erin Hills, outside Milwaukee.
The 23-year-old 2024 rookie of the year and winner of last month's Chevron Championship is eight under through 36 holes, with world No.1 Nelly Korda among her closest challengers.
After a frustrating first day on the greens, Korda fired up with seven birdies in a second-round 67 to surge into a six-way tie for second at five under with fellow Americans Sarah Schmelzel (68) and Yealimi Noh (71), Japan's Hinako Shibuno (69), Swede Maja Stark (69) and South Korean A Lim Kim (71).
Lee and fellow WA major champion Green are the leading Australians - and only two to make the halfway cut - and will start the weekend six back of Saigo at two under.
Lee, the 2022 US Open champion and final-round leader last year, was chuffed to climb 40 spots up the leaderboard into a share of 19th and back in red numbers with a three-under 69.
"I just hit it a little bit closer than yesterday. I probably had a lot of outside chances for birdie yesterday, like 25 to 30 feet, but today I had a few more that were like inside 15 feet," Lee said.
"Just started really well, made two birdies on the get-go, so it was nice turning three under and had even on the back, just seeing a few more putts roll in and then just hitting it a little bit better."
After watching Saigo drain seven birdies, Lee knows there will be weekend opportunities to make up the six-shot deficit and capture a third career major.
"Just with maybe a little bit of rain softening the greens a couple of days ago, but I think USGA has a lot of tricks up their sleeve so they can always make it as tough as they can make it or they can make it really challenging and fun to play," Lee said.
"The greens are probably going to get a little bit quicker and it will be a bit more interesting with, I guess, putting the tees in different places.
"I'm looking forward to the weekend. Hopefully I can hit it a little bit closer, just play aggressively when I can and play smart when I have to. That's going to be the key."
Green also hopes to run down the leader after riding her luck in a round of 70.
"This is probably the best placing that I've gone into an actual weekend of the US Open, so I'm hoping I'm not too far back," said the world No.8.
"Six shots back, I'm not sure what the conditions are going to be like this weekend. I think the harder the better.
"So I'm hoping I can just continue with the game plan that my caddy and I have and have a good weekend."
Minjee Lee and Hannah Green are up for the chase after Japanese sensation Mao Saigo set a cracking pace in pursuit of a second straight major championship at the weather-hit US Women's Open in Wisconsin.
Playing alongside Lee, Saigo produced the low second round, a sizzling six-under-par 66, to vault to a three-stroke lead after storms twice forced the suspension of play at Erin Hills, outside Milwaukee.
The 23-year-old 2024 rookie of the year and winner of last month's Chevron Championship is eight under through 36 holes, with world No.1 Nelly Korda among her closest challengers.
After a frustrating first day on the greens, Korda fired up with seven birdies in a second-round 67 to surge into a six-way tie for second at five under with fellow Americans Sarah Schmelzel (68) and Yealimi Noh (71), Japan's Hinako Shibuno (69), Swede Maja Stark (69) and South Korean A Lim Kim (71).
Lee and fellow WA major champion Green are the leading Australians - and only two to make the halfway cut - and will start the weekend six back of Saigo at two under.
Lee, the 2022 US Open champion and final-round leader last year, was chuffed to climb 40 spots up the leaderboard into a share of 19th and back in red numbers with a three-under 69.
"I just hit it a little bit closer than yesterday. I probably had a lot of outside chances for birdie yesterday, like 25 to 30 feet, but today I had a few more that were like inside 15 feet," Lee said.
"Just started really well, made two birdies on the get-go, so it was nice turning three under and had even on the back, just seeing a few more putts roll in and then just hitting it a little bit better."
After watching Saigo drain seven birdies, Lee knows there will be weekend opportunities to make up the six-shot deficit and capture a third career major.
"Just with maybe a little bit of rain softening the greens a couple of days ago, but I think USGA has a lot of tricks up their sleeve so they can always make it as tough as they can make it or they can make it really challenging and fun to play," Lee said.
"The greens are probably going to get a little bit quicker and it will be a bit more interesting with, I guess, putting the tees in different places.
"I'm looking forward to the weekend. Hopefully I can hit it a little bit closer, just play aggressively when I can and play smart when I have to. That's going to be the key."
Green also hopes to run down the leader after riding her luck in a round of 70.
"This is probably the best placing that I've gone into an actual weekend of the US Open, so I'm hoping I'm not too far back," said the world No.8.
"Six shots back, I'm not sure what the conditions are going to be like this weekend. I think the harder the better.
"So I'm hoping I can just continue with the game plan that my caddy and I have and have a good weekend."
Minjee Lee and Hannah Green are up for the chase after Japanese sensation Mao Saigo set a cracking pace in pursuit of a second straight major championship at the weather-hit US Women's Open in Wisconsin.
Playing alongside Lee, Saigo produced the low second round, a sizzling six-under-par 66, to vault to a three-stroke lead after storms twice forced the suspension of play at Erin Hills, outside Milwaukee.
The 23-year-old 2024 rookie of the year and winner of last month's Chevron Championship is eight under through 36 holes, with world No.1 Nelly Korda among her closest challengers.
After a frustrating first day on the greens, Korda fired up with seven birdies in a second-round 67 to surge into a six-way tie for second at five under with fellow Americans Sarah Schmelzel (68) and Yealimi Noh (71), Japan's Hinako Shibuno (69), Swede Maja Stark (69) and South Korean A Lim Kim (71).
Lee and fellow WA major champion Green are the leading Australians - and only two to make the halfway cut - and will start the weekend six back of Saigo at two under.
Lee, the 2022 US Open champion and final-round leader last year, was chuffed to climb 40 spots up the leaderboard into a share of 19th and back in red numbers with a three-under 69.
"I just hit it a little bit closer than yesterday. I probably had a lot of outside chances for birdie yesterday, like 25 to 30 feet, but today I had a few more that were like inside 15 feet," Lee said.
"Just started really well, made two birdies on the get-go, so it was nice turning three under and had even on the back, just seeing a few more putts roll in and then just hitting it a little bit better."
After watching Saigo drain seven birdies, Lee knows there will be weekend opportunities to make up the six-shot deficit and capture a third career major.
"Just with maybe a little bit of rain softening the greens a couple of days ago, but I think USGA has a lot of tricks up their sleeve so they can always make it as tough as they can make it or they can make it really challenging and fun to play," Lee said.
"The greens are probably going to get a little bit quicker and it will be a bit more interesting with, I guess, putting the tees in different places.
"I'm looking forward to the weekend. Hopefully I can hit it a little bit closer, just play aggressively when I can and play smart when I have to. That's going to be the key."
Green also hopes to run down the leader after riding her luck in a round of 70.
"This is probably the best placing that I've gone into an actual weekend of the US Open, so I'm hoping I'm not too far back," said the world No.8.
"Six shots back, I'm not sure what the conditions are going to be like this weekend. I think the harder the better.
"So I'm hoping I can just continue with the game plan that my caddy and I have and have a good weekend."
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The Advertiser
4 hours ago
- The Advertiser
How Swede it is: Stark wins US Women's Open
Swede Maja Stark is savouring an unimaginable maiden major championship after the Australian final-round charge failed to materialise at the US Women's Open in Wisconsin. Barely challenged down the stretch, Stark closed with a even-par 72 at Erin Hills golf club to cruise to a two-shot victory over world No.1 Nelly Korda and Japan's Rio Takeda. The 25-year-old finished with a seven-under 281 total to pocket a cheque for $US2.4 million ($A3.7 million), the richest prize in women's golf. Stark is the sixth Swede to win a women's major, and the first since Anna Nordqvist at the 2021 British Open. The former Oklahoma State player is the also first Swede to win a US Women's Open since the great three-time victor Annika Sorenstam in 2006 and only the third ever along with Liselotte Neumann in 1988. "It feels so surreal, and it felt like it was so far away just a couple of weeks ago," Stark said. "Just last week, my confidence was so low, and then I had a special friend tell me that you need to be confident. You need to trust yourself, and that's what I try to do. I try to make myself and everyone on my team proud." Korda posted a final-round 71 to share second with Takeda (72) at five under. Despite her disappointment, Korda's joint runner-up showing is still as close as the 26-year-old has come to winning a US Women's Open. Her best previous finish was a tie for eighth behind Lee in 2022 at Pine Needles. South Korean Hye-Jin Choi (68), China's Ruoning Yin (70) and Japanese Mao Saigo (73) tied for fourth at four under. Hannah Green wound up as the leading Australian, in a tie for 13th at one under following a final-round 72. The world No.8 climbed to three under and into the top 10 before dropping two shots in her last three holes on Sunday (Monday AEST). Despite never seriously threatening, Green was encouraged by her best-ever US Open result and hopes to carry the form into next month's PGA Championship, the third women's major of 2025. "I felt like I hit the ball really well," Green said. "Hit a couple of loose shots coming into the back nine. The bogeys on 16 and 17 hurt, but overall a solid week. It's nice to build on this form. "KPMG coming up soon as well so hopefully I can take that into those events. "I haven't really played a whole lot this year and played many events in a row so I'm trying to use this momentum." Minjee Lee finished joint 22nd after starting the day in equal sixth and just four shots behind the frontrunning Stark. Three straight bogeys on the front nine cruelled Lee's chances of adding a second US Open title to her collection after winning three years ago. The dual major champion ultimately signed for a round of 77 to slump to two over for the tournament. No other Australians even made the halfway cut. Swede Maja Stark is savouring an unimaginable maiden major championship after the Australian final-round charge failed to materialise at the US Women's Open in Wisconsin. Barely challenged down the stretch, Stark closed with a even-par 72 at Erin Hills golf club to cruise to a two-shot victory over world No.1 Nelly Korda and Japan's Rio Takeda. The 25-year-old finished with a seven-under 281 total to pocket a cheque for $US2.4 million ($A3.7 million), the richest prize in women's golf. Stark is the sixth Swede to win a women's major, and the first since Anna Nordqvist at the 2021 British Open. The former Oklahoma State player is the also first Swede to win a US Women's Open since the great three-time victor Annika Sorenstam in 2006 and only the third ever along with Liselotte Neumann in 1988. "It feels so surreal, and it felt like it was so far away just a couple of weeks ago," Stark said. "Just last week, my confidence was so low, and then I had a special friend tell me that you need to be confident. You need to trust yourself, and that's what I try to do. I try to make myself and everyone on my team proud." Korda posted a final-round 71 to share second with Takeda (72) at five under. Despite her disappointment, Korda's joint runner-up showing is still as close as the 26-year-old has come to winning a US Women's Open. Her best previous finish was a tie for eighth behind Lee in 2022 at Pine Needles. South Korean Hye-Jin Choi (68), China's Ruoning Yin (70) and Japanese Mao Saigo (73) tied for fourth at four under. Hannah Green wound up as the leading Australian, in a tie for 13th at one under following a final-round 72. The world No.8 climbed to three under and into the top 10 before dropping two shots in her last three holes on Sunday (Monday AEST). Despite never seriously threatening, Green was encouraged by her best-ever US Open result and hopes to carry the form into next month's PGA Championship, the third women's major of 2025. "I felt like I hit the ball really well," Green said. "Hit a couple of loose shots coming into the back nine. The bogeys on 16 and 17 hurt, but overall a solid week. It's nice to build on this form. "KPMG coming up soon as well so hopefully I can take that into those events. "I haven't really played a whole lot this year and played many events in a row so I'm trying to use this momentum." Minjee Lee finished joint 22nd after starting the day in equal sixth and just four shots behind the frontrunning Stark. Three straight bogeys on the front nine cruelled Lee's chances of adding a second US Open title to her collection after winning three years ago. The dual major champion ultimately signed for a round of 77 to slump to two over for the tournament. No other Australians even made the halfway cut. Swede Maja Stark is savouring an unimaginable maiden major championship after the Australian final-round charge failed to materialise at the US Women's Open in Wisconsin. Barely challenged down the stretch, Stark closed with a even-par 72 at Erin Hills golf club to cruise to a two-shot victory over world No.1 Nelly Korda and Japan's Rio Takeda. The 25-year-old finished with a seven-under 281 total to pocket a cheque for $US2.4 million ($A3.7 million), the richest prize in women's golf. Stark is the sixth Swede to win a women's major, and the first since Anna Nordqvist at the 2021 British Open. The former Oklahoma State player is the also first Swede to win a US Women's Open since the great three-time victor Annika Sorenstam in 2006 and only the third ever along with Liselotte Neumann in 1988. "It feels so surreal, and it felt like it was so far away just a couple of weeks ago," Stark said. "Just last week, my confidence was so low, and then I had a special friend tell me that you need to be confident. You need to trust yourself, and that's what I try to do. I try to make myself and everyone on my team proud." Korda posted a final-round 71 to share second with Takeda (72) at five under. Despite her disappointment, Korda's joint runner-up showing is still as close as the 26-year-old has come to winning a US Women's Open. Her best previous finish was a tie for eighth behind Lee in 2022 at Pine Needles. South Korean Hye-Jin Choi (68), China's Ruoning Yin (70) and Japanese Mao Saigo (73) tied for fourth at four under. Hannah Green wound up as the leading Australian, in a tie for 13th at one under following a final-round 72. The world No.8 climbed to three under and into the top 10 before dropping two shots in her last three holes on Sunday (Monday AEST). Despite never seriously threatening, Green was encouraged by her best-ever US Open result and hopes to carry the form into next month's PGA Championship, the third women's major of 2025. "I felt like I hit the ball really well," Green said. "Hit a couple of loose shots coming into the back nine. The bogeys on 16 and 17 hurt, but overall a solid week. It's nice to build on this form. "KPMG coming up soon as well so hopefully I can take that into those events. "I haven't really played a whole lot this year and played many events in a row so I'm trying to use this momentum." Minjee Lee finished joint 22nd after starting the day in equal sixth and just four shots behind the frontrunning Stark. Three straight bogeys on the front nine cruelled Lee's chances of adding a second US Open title to her collection after winning three years ago. The dual major champion ultimately signed for a round of 77 to slump to two over for the tournament. No other Australians even made the halfway cut. Swede Maja Stark is savouring an unimaginable maiden major championship after the Australian final-round charge failed to materialise at the US Women's Open in Wisconsin. Barely challenged down the stretch, Stark closed with a even-par 72 at Erin Hills golf club to cruise to a two-shot victory over world No.1 Nelly Korda and Japan's Rio Takeda. The 25-year-old finished with a seven-under 281 total to pocket a cheque for $US2.4 million ($A3.7 million), the richest prize in women's golf. Stark is the sixth Swede to win a women's major, and the first since Anna Nordqvist at the 2021 British Open. The former Oklahoma State player is the also first Swede to win a US Women's Open since the great three-time victor Annika Sorenstam in 2006 and only the third ever along with Liselotte Neumann in 1988. "It feels so surreal, and it felt like it was so far away just a couple of weeks ago," Stark said. "Just last week, my confidence was so low, and then I had a special friend tell me that you need to be confident. You need to trust yourself, and that's what I try to do. I try to make myself and everyone on my team proud." Korda posted a final-round 71 to share second with Takeda (72) at five under. Despite her disappointment, Korda's joint runner-up showing is still as close as the 26-year-old has come to winning a US Women's Open. Her best previous finish was a tie for eighth behind Lee in 2022 at Pine Needles. South Korean Hye-Jin Choi (68), China's Ruoning Yin (70) and Japanese Mao Saigo (73) tied for fourth at four under. Hannah Green wound up as the leading Australian, in a tie for 13th at one under following a final-round 72. The world No.8 climbed to three under and into the top 10 before dropping two shots in her last three holes on Sunday (Monday AEST). Despite never seriously threatening, Green was encouraged by her best-ever US Open result and hopes to carry the form into next month's PGA Championship, the third women's major of 2025. "I felt like I hit the ball really well," Green said. "Hit a couple of loose shots coming into the back nine. The bogeys on 16 and 17 hurt, but overall a solid week. It's nice to build on this form. "KPMG coming up soon as well so hopefully I can take that into those events. "I haven't really played a whole lot this year and played many events in a row so I'm trying to use this momentum." Minjee Lee finished joint 22nd after starting the day in equal sixth and just four shots behind the frontrunning Stark. Three straight bogeys on the front nine cruelled Lee's chances of adding a second US Open title to her collection after winning three years ago. The dual major champion ultimately signed for a round of 77 to slump to two over for the tournament. No other Australians even made the halfway cut.
The Advertiser
4 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Scheffler joins Tiger as repeat winners at Memorial
Scottie Scheffler never lost the lead and never gave anyone much of a chance down the stretch in another relentless performance, closing with a two-under 70 for a four-shot victory to join Tiger Woods as the only repeat winners of the Memorial. Slowed by hand surgery at the start of the year from a freak accident, Scheffler appears to be in full stride with one major already in the bag and another around the corner at the US Open. "It's always a hard week," said Scheffler, who finished at 10-under 278. "We battled really hard on the weekend. Overall it was a great week." On one of the tougher PGA Tour tests of the year, Scheffler made one bogey over the final 40 holes at Muirfield Village. "Well, you did it again," tournament host Jack Nicklaus told him walking off the green. Ben Griffin tried to make it interesting at the end on Sunday with a 12-foot eagle on the par-5 15th and a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-3 16th to close within two shots with two to play. Scheffler, however, doesn't make mistakes. Griffin made double bogey on the 17th. Griffin (73) made a par on the 18th to finish alone in second, worth $US2.2 million ($A3.4 million), more than what he earned when he won at Colonial last week. Austrian Sepp Straka (70) finished another shot back. "You know Scottie's probably going to play a good round of golf. The guy's relentless. He loves competition, and he doesn't like giving up shots," Straka said. "But it's one of those courses where it can always happen, so you got to be prepared for it. I felt like I gave myself a lot of chances to kind of make a push." Scheffler now has won three times in his last four starts — the exception was Colonial, a tie for fourth the week after winning the PGA Championship — and expanded his margin at No.1 in the world to levels not seen since Woods in his peak years. Woods is a five-time winner at Memorial who won three straight from 1999 through 2001. No one had repeated at Muirfield Village since then until Scheffler. It was Scheffler's fifth victory in a $US20 million ($A31 million) signature event in the last two years. This one ended in a handshake with Nicklaus, who had said earlier in the week of Scheffler, "He plays a lot like I did." Australians Adam Scott and Min Woo Lee finished well off the pace. Scott's final-round 72 left him five over while Lee (75) was another five shots adrift. Scottie Scheffler never lost the lead and never gave anyone much of a chance down the stretch in another relentless performance, closing with a two-under 70 for a four-shot victory to join Tiger Woods as the only repeat winners of the Memorial. Slowed by hand surgery at the start of the year from a freak accident, Scheffler appears to be in full stride with one major already in the bag and another around the corner at the US Open. "It's always a hard week," said Scheffler, who finished at 10-under 278. "We battled really hard on the weekend. Overall it was a great week." On one of the tougher PGA Tour tests of the year, Scheffler made one bogey over the final 40 holes at Muirfield Village. "Well, you did it again," tournament host Jack Nicklaus told him walking off the green. Ben Griffin tried to make it interesting at the end on Sunday with a 12-foot eagle on the par-5 15th and a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-3 16th to close within two shots with two to play. Scheffler, however, doesn't make mistakes. Griffin made double bogey on the 17th. Griffin (73) made a par on the 18th to finish alone in second, worth $US2.2 million ($A3.4 million), more than what he earned when he won at Colonial last week. Austrian Sepp Straka (70) finished another shot back. "You know Scottie's probably going to play a good round of golf. The guy's relentless. He loves competition, and he doesn't like giving up shots," Straka said. "But it's one of those courses where it can always happen, so you got to be prepared for it. I felt like I gave myself a lot of chances to kind of make a push." Scheffler now has won three times in his last four starts — the exception was Colonial, a tie for fourth the week after winning the PGA Championship — and expanded his margin at No.1 in the world to levels not seen since Woods in his peak years. Woods is a five-time winner at Memorial who won three straight from 1999 through 2001. No one had repeated at Muirfield Village since then until Scheffler. It was Scheffler's fifth victory in a $US20 million ($A31 million) signature event in the last two years. This one ended in a handshake with Nicklaus, who had said earlier in the week of Scheffler, "He plays a lot like I did." Australians Adam Scott and Min Woo Lee finished well off the pace. Scott's final-round 72 left him five over while Lee (75) was another five shots adrift. Scottie Scheffler never lost the lead and never gave anyone much of a chance down the stretch in another relentless performance, closing with a two-under 70 for a four-shot victory to join Tiger Woods as the only repeat winners of the Memorial. Slowed by hand surgery at the start of the year from a freak accident, Scheffler appears to be in full stride with one major already in the bag and another around the corner at the US Open. "It's always a hard week," said Scheffler, who finished at 10-under 278. "We battled really hard on the weekend. Overall it was a great week." On one of the tougher PGA Tour tests of the year, Scheffler made one bogey over the final 40 holes at Muirfield Village. "Well, you did it again," tournament host Jack Nicklaus told him walking off the green. Ben Griffin tried to make it interesting at the end on Sunday with a 12-foot eagle on the par-5 15th and a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-3 16th to close within two shots with two to play. Scheffler, however, doesn't make mistakes. Griffin made double bogey on the 17th. Griffin (73) made a par on the 18th to finish alone in second, worth $US2.2 million ($A3.4 million), more than what he earned when he won at Colonial last week. Austrian Sepp Straka (70) finished another shot back. "You know Scottie's probably going to play a good round of golf. The guy's relentless. He loves competition, and he doesn't like giving up shots," Straka said. "But it's one of those courses where it can always happen, so you got to be prepared for it. I felt like I gave myself a lot of chances to kind of make a push." Scheffler now has won three times in his last four starts — the exception was Colonial, a tie for fourth the week after winning the PGA Championship — and expanded his margin at No.1 in the world to levels not seen since Woods in his peak years. Woods is a five-time winner at Memorial who won three straight from 1999 through 2001. No one had repeated at Muirfield Village since then until Scheffler. It was Scheffler's fifth victory in a $US20 million ($A31 million) signature event in the last two years. This one ended in a handshake with Nicklaus, who had said earlier in the week of Scheffler, "He plays a lot like I did." Australians Adam Scott and Min Woo Lee finished well off the pace. Scott's final-round 72 left him five over while Lee (75) was another five shots adrift. Scottie Scheffler never lost the lead and never gave anyone much of a chance down the stretch in another relentless performance, closing with a two-under 70 for a four-shot victory to join Tiger Woods as the only repeat winners of the Memorial. Slowed by hand surgery at the start of the year from a freak accident, Scheffler appears to be in full stride with one major already in the bag and another around the corner at the US Open. "It's always a hard week," said Scheffler, who finished at 10-under 278. "We battled really hard on the weekend. Overall it was a great week." On one of the tougher PGA Tour tests of the year, Scheffler made one bogey over the final 40 holes at Muirfield Village. "Well, you did it again," tournament host Jack Nicklaus told him walking off the green. Ben Griffin tried to make it interesting at the end on Sunday with a 12-foot eagle on the par-5 15th and a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-3 16th to close within two shots with two to play. Scheffler, however, doesn't make mistakes. Griffin made double bogey on the 17th. Griffin (73) made a par on the 18th to finish alone in second, worth $US2.2 million ($A3.4 million), more than what he earned when he won at Colonial last week. Austrian Sepp Straka (70) finished another shot back. "You know Scottie's probably going to play a good round of golf. The guy's relentless. He loves competition, and he doesn't like giving up shots," Straka said. "But it's one of those courses where it can always happen, so you got to be prepared for it. I felt like I gave myself a lot of chances to kind of make a push." Scheffler now has won three times in his last four starts — the exception was Colonial, a tie for fourth the week after winning the PGA Championship — and expanded his margin at No.1 in the world to levels not seen since Woods in his peak years. Woods is a five-time winner at Memorial who won three straight from 1999 through 2001. No one had repeated at Muirfield Village since then until Scheffler. It was Scheffler's fifth victory in a $US20 million ($A31 million) signature event in the last two years. This one ended in a handshake with Nicklaus, who had said earlier in the week of Scheffler, "He plays a lot like I did." Australians Adam Scott and Min Woo Lee finished well off the pace. Scott's final-round 72 left him five over while Lee (75) was another five shots adrift.
News.com.au
4 hours ago
- News.com.au
Stark wins US Open
Golf: Maja Stark has won her first Major Title after winning the US Open by two shots in Wisconsin.
