Latest news with #AustralasianTour
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Korean golfer Koh still setting the pace at NZ Open
Ice-cool Ryan Peake and fellow Australian left-hander Elvis Smylie have both declared they are close enough to chase down runaway leader Guntaek Koh in the final round of the $A1.8 million New Zealand Open. The South Korean will take a four-shot lead into the deciding round at Millbrook Resort after carding a five-under 66 on Saturday to move to 22 under. Peake only arrived in Queenstown 36 hours before the tournament began after a hold up with NZ Immigration and a late scramble for an available flight. But he made light of a wayward driver to card a third-round 64 and be in outright second at 18 under. Australasian Tour order of merit (OOM) leader Smylie lit up the back nine to sign for a 65 and be in sixth spot, two strokes further back. The 25-year-old Koh is a proven tournament winner, having saluted four times on the Korean Tour in the last two years. The highlight of his third round came when he holed out from 65 metres for an eagle two on the 12th hole. "It's great that I have a four-shot lead but this course is very scorable," Koh said. "I need to keep focused on what I'm doing and stay consistent." His partner in the final round will be Peake, the former Rebels bikie gang member who needed a special direction order to enter New Zealand due to an assault conviction dating back to 2014. The paperwork was only finalised on Monday. After serving time in prison, Peake has turned his life around on and off the course. The 31-year-old has now gone 39 holes without a bogey at Millbrook Resort, despite hitting only three of 14 fairways on Saturday. "Absolutely (I'm close enough to win)," he said. "I just wanted to set myself up in a good position. "I've gone out there today and capitalised on that. "It's going to be pivotal to get off to a good start tomorrow and try and apply some pressure and go from there." Smylie has already won twice on the Australasian Tour this season, with his victory last December at the Australian PGA earning him a two-year exemption on the DP World Tour. He is the short-priced favourite to win the OOM and he reckons he can also emerge victorious at the NZ Open - either of which scenario would guarantee a start in the 2025 British Open at Royal Portrush. Smylie was level with the card through the opening nine holes on Saturday, but needed only 29 shots on a red-hot back nine which included an eagle and four birdies. The 22-year-old was "100 per cent" confident he could still push for the win from six shots back. "I know my game is there," he said. "It would be special to be able to come back from however many shots I am behind the leader but I know I can do that. "It's definitely motivating." Japan's Kazuki Higa, South African Ian Snyman and China's Bobby Bai were tied for third at 17 under.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Australian Jack Buchanan aiming high at NZ Open
Rising Australian star Jack Buchanan need look no further than his New Zealand Open practice partner David Micheluzzi for inspiration as he stares down the prospect of a full DP World Tour card in 2026. Heading into this week's $A1.8 million Open at Millbrook Resort, Buchanan sits in fourth spot on the Australasian Tour order of merit (OOM). The three players above him - big-name Australians Elvis Smylie, Cameron Smith and Lucas Herbert - already have full cards on either the LIV or DP World Tours. If the 22-year-old Buchanan can hold onto fourth spot or move even higher, he'll gain a full European card - just as Micheluzzi did two years ago. Micheluzzi made the best of the opportunity, finishing 72nd on the money list on debut to easily retain his card and gain access to the biggest events on the European Tour in 2026. "I spoke to David about a few things during the practice round on Tuesday," said Buchanan, who only turned pro 15 months ago after a celebrated amateur career which included playing a key role in Australia's silver-medal finish at the 2023 Eisenhower Cup. "Its good to learn from guys like David, to see how he's progressed in his career and that you can do it too. "Obviously the focus is to play well here this week, but you can afford to think about the big picture as well with the order of merit. "In golf you've got to accept being under pressure. "It's definitely the ultimate goal and it would be great to get out onto the European Tour next year." The Scottish-born Buchanan got off to a flying start on the 2024-25 Australasian Tour with wins at the WA PGA and the Webex Players Series South Australia. He than finished high enough in a LIV qualifier in Saudi Arabia to gain automatic entry into the 10 International Series events on the Asian Tour in 2025. The winner of the Australasian OOM is guaranteed a start in the 2025 British Open at Royal Portrush and will almost certainly get invited to the US PGA as well. There's another British Open spot on offer to the winner of the NZ Open which has helped attract such a strong field including the likes of Smylie, Herbert, Micheluzzi and Australian Open runner-up Curtis Luck, Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa and New Zealanders Daniel Hillier, Ben Campbell and Steve Alker. "I was playing here no matter what, but when I saw that (a guaranteed British Open start for the winner) it was like 'alright, let's get into it'," said Micheluzzi. "That will fit nicely in the schedule when we get to Europe. "But I'm just looking forward to the week. "The course is always immaculate, I've got a few of my mates staying with me this week and I've got my girlfriend here as well." Smylie will effectively lock away the OOM title if he finishes fourth or better this week. But in the unlikely event that the Australian PGA champion misses the cut, any of the top six could overtake him, with LIV Golf star Herbert the main danger. Australasian Tour OOM (with four events remaining) 1. Elvis Smylie, 1247.56 points 2. Cameron Smith, 735.68 3. Lucas Herbert, 717.06 4. Jack Buchanan, 626.21 5. Curtis Luck, 523.44 6. Anthony Quayle, 496.54 * The winner of the NZ Open receives 760 points. The remaining three events offer 190 points each to the victor.
