DATES: February 09-11 | ||
SITE: Royal Canberra Golf Club, New South Wales, Australia | ||
PRIZE MONEY: AUS $150,000 |
Round 3 - Shin wins 50th career title in Canberra
February 11, 2018
Jiyai Shin’s love affair with Australia continued as she came from three strokes behind Minjee Lee to claim the ActewAGL Canberra Classic by six strokes for her 50th career win and her second at Royal Canberra Golf Club.
The 29-year-old from South Korea, who was known as the ‘final-round Queen’ when she held the world number one spot from 2010-2011, opened with rounds of 65 and 68, followed by an eight-under-par 64 when it most mattered, highlighted by an eagle at the 15th, seven birdies and one bogey, to end on a three-round total of 19-under-par.
She had previously won the 2013 Women’s Australian Open at Royal Canberra and said: “I’m so excited I can’t tell you. Royal Canberra is my favourite golf course in the world.
“I have great memories from that final round battle with Lydia Ko and now this time with Minjee Lee: two great young ladies. I also learned from them. Royal Canberra is very nice to play. People came out to watch and the last few days we had beautiful weather, so I really enjoyed it.”
In her prize giving speech, Shin delighted the galleries by telling them that she was hitting the ball longer than ever because of the protein in the local Aussie meat pies.
Western Australian Lee, who had won the previous week’s Oates Vic Open, had been highly favoured to win after carding a nine-under-par 63 in the second round, but she ended with a disappointing one-over-par 73. Although she birdied the opening hole, her challenge faltered when she bogeyed the fourth and the fifth holes.
Although Lee birdied the seventh, she then dropped shots at the eighth and ninth to give Shin the advantage. She recovered from another bogey on the 10th with a birdie on the 12th, but Shin moved five ahead when she holed a nerveless putt for eagle on the 15th from 25 feet.
An untidy bogey from Lee on the par-5 18th gave Shin the opportunity to move further ahead with a chip and putt from the front of the green for birdie.
“From the start, I wasn’t hitting it that solid, so I don’t think I hit it that well or putted that well and I had one-over, but it is what it is,” Lee said. “Jiyai played well and I guess you can’t win everything. I was never going to win with those last couple of holes. After Jiyai’s eagle I think it was pretty set, so I just played my game.”
With three successive rounds of 68, the long-hitting Dutchwoman Anne Van Dam moved up into third position on 12-under-par, which booked her place in next week’s Women’s Australian Open at Kooyonga Golf Club in Adelaide, as the leading player on the Money List across the Oates Vic Open and ActewAGL Canberra Classic, not already exempt to the championship. The other players who qualified were Olivia Cowan and Jenny Haglund, as well as Amy Boulden, Marianne Skarpnord, Cathryn Bristow, Leticia Ras Anderica and Christine Wolf via the ALPG.
Van Dam started her final round in Canberra with two eagles in her first six holes, rolling in putts from four feet on the first and sixth respectively and went to the turn in 32, before coming home in 36.
The longest hitter on tour said: “I was hitting my driver so well and I just hit a lot of drivers everywhere and I was hitting it solid. I don’t know what’s going on but some weeks it just feels like I’m hitting it further and further. It must be over 300 yards, like 315, 320, something like that. If it goes straight, I have a lot of short clubs in and that’s nice on this course.
“I worked really hard on my putting this off season. I changed putter in Dubai and I’ve stuck with it. I’ve changed a few things and I’m just glad that in only a few weeks it’s starting to pay off.”
Pernilla Lindberg kept close to the leaders all day but bogeyed the last two holes to end in fourth position, with Holly Clyburn in fifth and Beth Allen in sixth. Aditi Ashok and Kylie Henry tied for seventh place, followed by Leticia Ras-Anderica, Georgia Hall and Caroline Hedwall in a share of ninth.
This was Shin’s third win in Australia, following her most recent at the 2016 RACV Ladies Masters and she will be gunning for a fourth title down under in Adelaide next week.
Pos.
|
Player Name |
Par
|
To Par
|
R1
|
R2
|
R3
|
Prize Money
|
1
|
Jiyai SHIN (KOR) |
-19
|
197
|
65
|
68
|
64
|
14,328.63
|
2
|
Minjee LEE (AUS) |
-13
|
203
|
67
|
63
|
73
|
8,597.18
|
3
|
Anne VAN DAM (NED) |
-12
|
204
|
68
|
68
|
68
|
5,731.45
|
Click here for full scores & prize money.
Round 2 - Minjee Lee takes lead with career-low round
February 10, 2018
Last week’s Oates Vic Open winner Minjee Lee produced the lowest round of her career to earn a three-stroke lead heading into the final day of the ActewAGL Canberra Classic in Australia.
The 21-year-old from Perth fired a stunning nine-under-par 63 on a hot, humid and overcast day at Royal Canberra Golf Club.
The world number 17, who climbed three places with her win last week at 13th Beach in Victoria, began the second round with an eagle on the long first hole and her round could have been even better had she made her eagle putt from eight feet on the 15th hole.
However, despite a bogey on the fourth hole, eight further birdies contributed to a 36-hole total of 14-under, three clear of Jiyai Shin (68), the overnight leader. Sweden’s Pernilla Lindberg (66) is a stroke further behind in third and Anne Van Dam from the Netherlands (68), the longest hitter on tour (below), is fourth on eight-under-par.
Lee said: “If you start off with an eagle, you feel pretty good. I felt good after that and took advantage of the birdie opportunities on the par fives, which you can reach in two. I felt pretty calm out there and hit it pretty solid.”
When asked what it would mean to win back-to-back titles on home soil heading into next week’s Australian Open at Kooyonga Golf Club in Adelaide, she said: “It would be a big confidence booster at the start of the season and going into next week as well; it would be really special.”
While Lee claimed her fourth professional title last week, Shin has 49 wins around the world and a first victory for Lindberg (below) would perhaps be even more special.
Now in her ninth year on the Ladies European Tour, she has racked up 23 top 10 finishes including two runner-up spots and she started the year strongly with a tie for 29th in the LPGA event in the Bahamas followed by a share of fifth place in last week’s Vic Open.
Lindberg said: “I feel like my career is maybe a little different to others and even though it’s my ninth year on tour I’m slowly getting better each year. I’m quite a patient person so I’m still waiting for it, but it’s absolutely one of my goals that I have written down for this year: to get that first win out here. This year, I’m mostly looking at moving up the world ranking, moving up the money list on the LPGA and getting my first win on the LET. That’s what’s driving me every day.”
The 2016 order of merit winner Beth Allen from the United States and Holly Clyburn of England are tied for fifth place on seven-under, followed by Swede Caroline Hedwall and Kylie Henry at six-under. Fellow Scot Michele Thomson and Thailand’s Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras are tied for tenth spot, with eight different countries represented in the top 10 places.
Pos.
|
Player |
To Par
|
R1
|
R2
|
Total
|
1
|
Minjee LEE (AUS) |
-14
|
67
|
63
|
130
|
2
|
Jiyai SHIN (KOR) |
-11
|
65
|
68
|
133
|
3
|
Pernilla LINDBERG (SWE) |
-10
|
68
|
66
|
134
|
4
|
Anne VAN DAM (NED) |
-8
|
68
|
68
|
136
|
5
|
Beth ALLEN (USA) |
-7
|
71
|
66
|
137
|
5
|
Holly CLYBURN (ENG) |
-7
|
71
|
66
|
137
|
7
|
Caroline HEDWALL (SWE) |
-6
|
71
|
67
|
138
|
7
|
Kylie HENRY (SCO) |
-6
|
68
|
70
|
138
|
9
|
Michele THOMSON (SCO) |
-5
|
72
|
67
|
139
|
9
|
Pannarat THANAPOLBOONYARAS (THA) |
-5
|
69
|
70
|
139
|
Round 1 - Jiyai Shin fires 65 to take 2-shot lead in Canberra
February 09, 2018
Former world number one Jiyai Shin of South Korea produced eight birdies in an opening round of seven-under-par 65 to claim a two-shot lead in the ActewAGL Canberra Classic at Royal Canberra Golf Club in the Australian capital on Friday.
Although she started the round in slight drizzle, Shin shone from her first hole, sinking a birdie putt from eight feet on the par-4 10th just after a trio of kangaroos had bounded across the fairway.
Then, after making a masterful up and down from the back of the 11th green, she birdied the par-4 12th, followed by two-putt birdies on the long 15th and 18th for a back-nine total of four-under-par.
As the temperatures warmed up to 33C, so did Shin’s golf. She birdied the first, second, fifth and sixth holes to reach eight-under-par, before dropping a shot at the par-3 seventh, after she uncharacteristically thinned her chip shot.
“I played in the morning and the conditions were beautiful. I really enjoyed it. Tomorrow I’m playing in the afternoon, so I’m looking forward to more birdies,” said the world number 26, who is looking for her 50th professional title in Canberra. “We had a lot of people watching in the galleries for the whole 18 holes. I really enjoyed that.”
Shin won the 2013 Women’s Australian Open at Royal Canberra and she added: “I have great memories at this golf course and I think that Canberra has been very nice to me. I want to stay here! It changed a lot since I last came here five years ago. It’s quite a narrow course and a few holes are quite tight, but it makes you more focused and I like the challenge.”
A late surge kept last week’s Oates Vic Open champion Minjee Lee of Australia (above) in touch and she lies in joint second alongside Leticia Ras-Anderica of Germany and Norwegian rookie Karoline Lund on five-under-par 67.
After a slow start, Lee said: “I probably didn’t hit it as solid as I wanted to but made some up and downs on the par fives and obviously holed the last putt to have a bit of a surge on the back nine.”
Ras-Anderica, whose grandparents live in Canberra, said: “I’m very pleased with my round. It started off a little bit shaky and I made a three-putt on my first hole but then I made an eagle on my first par five, the 15th, which got me back into the game.”
Dame Laura Davies had been two ahead after playing the back nine in six-under-par 30 and she made a seventh birdie on the second hole, but then bogeyed the fifth and double-bogeyed the par-3 eighth to slip back into an eight-way share of fifth on four-under-par.
Davies said: “I putted great and the hole looked like a bucket for the front nine. It couldn’t have been any less really, I holed all my birdie putts, so it was really good, but the front nine just cost me a bit and I don’t really know why. It was just one poor shot.
“If it had pitched in the bunker, it would have been okay, but it pitched on the back of the bunker and shot down the hill and I had an impossible shot and then the third shot was a little bit unlucky. I tried to putt it and it hit a bit of grass and shot up in the air.
“Jiyai’s been playing great, so you could see her shooting a couple of 67s and what’s that, let’s say 17-under, that wouldn’t surprise me. So, if I shot three 68s, I wouldn’t win, so I’ve got to get better.”
European number one Georgia Hall opened with a three-under-par 69 and watched Jiyai’s putting masterclass at close quarters. Hall said: “She simply did nothing wrong the whole time. It has made me think I need to practise my putting, as I thought I was a good putter.”
First round play was suspended for approximately 40 minutes from 3.40pm local time due to the threat of thunder storms in the area and play continued in overcast and humid conditions.
The second round is scheduled to begin at 7.30am local time on Saturday and the leader, Shin, will tee off at 13:03.
Pos.
|
Player |
To Par
|
R1
|
1
|
Jiyai SHIN (KOR) |
-7
|
65
|
2
|
Minjee LEE (AUS) |
-5
|
67
|
2
|
Leticia RAS-ANDERICA (GER) |
-5
|
67
|
2
|
Karoline LUND (NOR) |
-5
|
67
|
5
|
Luiza ALTMANN (BRA) |
-4
|
68
|
5
|
Anne VAN DAM (NED) |
-4
|
68
|
5
|
Laura DAVIES (ENG) |
-4
|
68
|
5
|
Ploychompoo WIRAIRUNGRUENG (THA) |
-4
|
68
|
5
|
Luna SOBRON (ESP) |
-4
|
68
|
5
|
Pernilla LINDBERG (SWE) |
-4
|
68
|
5
|
Kylie HENRY (SCO) |
-4
|
68
|
Scores
Pos. | Player Name | Par | To Par | R1 | R2 | R3 | Prize Money | |
1 | Jiyai SHIN (KOR) | -19 | 197 | 65 | 68 | 64 | 14,328.63 | |
2 | Minjee LEE (AUS) | -13 | 203 | 67 | 63 | 73 | 8,597.18 | |
3 | Anne VAN DAM (NED) | -12 | 204 | 68 | 68 | 68 | 5,731.45 | |
4 | Pernilla LINDBERG (SWE) | -11 | 205 | 68 | 66 | 71 | 4,298.59 | |
5 | Holly CLYBURN (ENG) | -9 | 207 | 71 | 66 | 70 | 3,438.87 | |
6 | Beth ALLEN (USA) | -8 | 208 | 71 | 66 | 71 | 2,961.25 | |
7 | Aditi ASHOK (IND) | -6 | 210 | 71 | 70 | 69 | 2,531.40 | |
7 | Kylie HENRY (SCO) | -6 | 210 | 68 | 70 | 72 | 2,531.40 | |
9 | Leticia RAS-ANDERICA (GER) | -5 | 211 | 67 | 74 | 70 | 2,216.16 | |
9 | Georgia HALL (ENG) | -5 | 211 | 69 | 71 | 71 | 2,216.16 | |
9 | Caroline HEDWALL (SWE) | -5 | 211 | 71 | 67 | 73 | 2,216.16 | |
12 | Rebecca ARTIS (AUS) | -4 | 212 | 74 | 70 | 68 | 1,929.59 | |
12 | Klara SPILKOVA (CZE) | -4 | 212 | 72 | 72 | 68 | 1,929.59 | |
12 | Sarah KEMP (AUS) | -4 | 212 | 75 | 68 | 69 | 1,929.59 | |
15 | Lydia HALL (WAL) | -3 | 213 | 74 | 70 | 69 | 1,445.89 | |
15 | Catriona MATTHEW (SCO) | -3 | 213 | 70 | 73 | 70 | 1,445.89 | |
15 | Caroline MARTENS (NOR) | -3 | 213 | 71 | 70 | 72 | 1,445.89 | |
15 | Nuria ITURRIOS (ESP) | -3 | 213 | 73 | 68 | 72 | 1,445.89 | |
15 | Xi Yu LIN (CHN) | -3 | 213 | 72 | 69 | 72 | 1,445.89 | |
15 | Manon MOLLE (FRA) | -3 | 213 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 1,445.89 | |
15 | Silvia BANON (ESP) | -3 | 213 | 72 | 69 | 72 | 1,445.89 | |
15 | Hannah BURKE (ENG) | -3 | 213 | 72 | 69 | 72 | 1,445.89 | |
15 | Casey DANIELSON (USA) | -3 | 213 | 71 | 70 | 72 | 1,445.89 | |
15 | Pannarat THANAPOLBOONYARAS (THA) | -3 | 213 | 69 | 70 | 74 | 1,445.89 | |
15 | Michele THOMSON (SCO) | -3 | 213 | 72 | 67 | 74 | 1,445.89 | |
26 | Sarah-Jane SMITH (AUS) | -2 | 214 | 72 | 71 | 71 | 1,066.05 | |
26 | Patricia SANZ BARRIO (ESP) | -2 | 214 | 70 | 72 | 72 | 1,066.05 | |
26 | Felicity JOHNSON (ENG) | -2 | 214 | 72 | 70 | 72 | 1,066.05 | |
26 | Marianne SKARPNORD (NOR) | -2 | 214 | 74 | 67 | 73 | 1,066.05 | |
26 | Katherine KIRK (AUS) | -2 | 214 | 70 | 70 | 74 | 1,066.05 | |
31 | Emma NILSSON (SWE) | -1 | 215 | 70 | 74 | 71 | 891.56 | |
31 | Ploychompoo WIRAIRUNGRUENG (THA) | -1 | 215 | 68 | 74 | 73 | 891.56 | |
31 | Amy BOULDEN (WAL) | -1 | 215 | 70 | 71 | 74 | 891.56 | |
34 | Whitney HILLIER (AUS) | Par | 216 | 71 | 73 | 72 | 730.76 | |
34 | Laura DAVIES (ENG) | Par | 216 | 68 | 76 | 72 | 730.76 | |
34 | Celine BORGE (NOR) | Par | 216 | 74 | 70 | 72 | 730.76 | |
34 | Charlotte THOMPSON (ENG) | Par | 216 | 74 | 69 | 73 | 730.76 | |
34 | Chantelle CASSIDY (NZL) | Par | 216 | 72 | 70 | 74 | 730.76 | |
34 | Luna SOBRON (ESP) | Par | 216 | 68 | 73 | 75 | 730.76 | |
34 | Doey CHOI (AUS) (a) | Par | 216 | 72 | 69 | 75 | Amateur | |
34 | Cheyenne WOODS (USA) | Par | 216 | 72 | 69 | 75 | 730.76 | |
34 | Karoline LUND (NOR) | Par | 216 | 67 | 74 | 75 | 730.76 | |
43 | Stephanie NA (AUS) | 1 | 217 | 69 | 75 | 73 | 611.35 | |
43 | Ana MENENDEZ (MEX) | 1 | 217 | 73 | 70 | 74 | 611.35 | |
43 | Florentyna PARKER (ENG) | 1 | 217 | 76 | 66 | 75 | 611.35 | |
46 | Ines LESCUDIER (FRA) | 2 | 218 | 73 | 72 | 73 | 582.7 | |
46 | Amy WALSH (AUS) | 2 | 218 | 74 | 71 | 73 | 582.7 | |
46 | Mel REID (ENG) | 2 | 218 | 74 | 71 | 73 | 582.7 | |
49 | Justine DREHER (FRA) | 3 | 219 | 73 | 72 | 74 | 554.04 | |
49 | Ainil BAKAR (MAS) | 3 | 219 | 70 | 74 | 75 | 554.04 | |
49 | Nina MUEHL (AUT) | 3 | 219 | 73 | 70 | 76 | 554.04 | |
52 | Wanasa ZHOU (AUS) | 4 | 220 | 73 | 72 | 75 | 496.73 | |
52 | Camilla LENNARTH (SWE) | 4 | 220 | 70 | 75 | 75 | 496.73 | |
52 | Andrea WONG (USA) | 4 | 220 | 70 | 74 | 76 | 496.73 | |
52 | Victoria FRICOT (AUS) | 4 | 220 | 71 | 73 | 76 | 496.73 | |
56 | Noora KOMULAINEN (FIN) | 5 | 221 | 70 | 71 | 80 | 448.96 | |
57 | Annabel DIMMOCK (ENG) | 6 | 222 | 74 | 71 | 77 | 420.31 | |
57 | Laura SEDDA (ITA) | 6 | 222 | 69 | 76 | 77 | 420.31 | |
59 | Mireia PRAT (ESP) | 10 | 226 | 75 | 70 | 81 | 391.65 | |
CUT
|
||||||||
60 | Samantha TROYANOVICH (AUS) | 2 | 146 | 71 | 75 | |||
60 | Stacey PETERS (AUS) | 2 | 146 | 73 | 73 | |||
60 | Luiza ALTMANN (BRA) | 2 | 146 | 68 | 78 | |||
60 | Valdis Thora JONSDOTTIR (ISL) | 2 | 146 | 75 | 71 | |||
60 | Sarah SCHOBER (AUT) | 2 | 146 | 73 | 73 | |||
60 | Olivia COWAN (GER) | 2 | 146 | 73 | 73 | |||
60 | Liv CHENG (NZL) | 2 | 146 | 71 | 75 | |||
60 | Jenny HAGLUND (SWE) | 2 | 146 | 73 | 73 | |||
68 | Gemma DRYBURGH (SCO) | 3 | 147 | 76 | 71 | |||
68 | Maria HERNANDEZ (ESP) | 3 | 147 | 75 | 72 | |||
68 | Marta SANZ BARRIO (ESP) | 3 | 147 | 74 | 73 | |||
68 | Isabela RONG JI (CHN) | 3 | 147 | 75 | 72 | |||
68 | Charlotte THOMAS (NZL) | 3 | 147 | 72 | 75 | |||
68 | Titiya PLUCKSATAPORN (THA) | 3 | 147 | 75 | 72 | |||
68 | Chloe LEURQUIN (BEL) | 3 | 147 | 76 | 71 | |||
68 | Carly BOOTH (SCO) | 3 | 147 | 77 | 70 | |||
68 | Stephanie BUNQUE (AUS) (a) | 3 | 147 | 73 | 74 | Amateur | ||
68 | Kerri BONG (AUS) | 3 | 147 | 75 | 72 | |||
68 | Lina BOQVIST (SWE) | 3 | 147 | 74 | 73 | |||
79 | Ursula WIKSTROM (FIN) | 4 | 148 | 77 | 71 | |||
79 | Sock Hwee KOH (SIN) | 4 | 148 | 76 | 72 | |||
79 | Ayaka NAKAYAMA (JPN) | 4 | 148 | 75 | 73 | |||
79 | Emma TALLEY (USA) | 4 | 148 | 73 | 75 | |||
79 | Isabelle BOINEAU (FRA) | 4 | 148 | 74 | 74 | |||
79 | Linda WESSBERG (SWE) | 4 | 148 | 74 | 74 | |||
79 | Tonje DAFFINRUD (NOR) | 4 | 148 | 74 | 74 | |||
79 | Emily MCLENNAN (AUS) | 4 | 148 | 76 | 72 | |||
79 | Lorie KANE (CAN) | 4 | 148 | 71 | 77 | |||
79 | Cassie PORTER (AUS) (a) | 4 | 148 | 74 | 74 | Amateur | ||
89 | Celine BOUTIER (FRA) | 5 | 149 | 73 | 76 | |||
89 | Meghan MACLAREN (ENG) | 5 | 149 | 74 | 75 | |||
89 | Jaydon VAENUKU (AUS) | 5 | 149 | 76 | 73 | |||
89 | Jessica NOH (AUS) | 5 | 149 | 78 | 71 | |||
93 | Inci MEHMET (ENG) | 6 | 150 | 74 | 76 | |||
93 | Gaurika BISHNOI (IND) | 6 | 150 | 75 | 75 | |||
93 | Saraporn CHAMCHOI (THA) | 6 | 150 | 74 | 76 | |||
93 | Cathryn BRISTOW (NZL) | 6 | 150 | 78 | 72 | |||
93 | Agathe SAUZON (FRA) | 6 | 150 | 76 | 74 | |||
93 | Eun-Jung JI KIM (ESP) | 6 | 150 | 73 | 77 | |||
93 | Gabriella COWLEY (ENG) | 6 | 150 | 76 | 74 | |||
93 | Anais MAGGETTI (SUI) | 6 | 150 | 73 | 77 | |||
93 | Christine WOLF (AUT) | 6 | 150 | 73 | 77 | |||
102 | Amandeep DRALL (IND) | 7 | 151 | 74 | 77 | |||
102 | Cloe FRANKISH (ENG) | 7 | 151 | 74 | 77 | |||
102 | Chizuru UEDA (AUS) | 7 | 151 | 76 | 75 | |||
102 | Noemi JIMENEZ MARTIN (ESP) | 7 | 151 | 76 | 75 | |||
102 | Sheridan GORTON (AUS) | 7 | 151 | 77 | 74 | |||
102 | Kyla INABA (CAN) | 7 | 151 | 78 | 73 | |||
108 | Bree ARTHUR (AUS) | 8 | 152 | 75 | 77 | |||
108 | Madelene STAVNAR (NOR) | 8 | 152 | 75 | 77 | |||
108 | Carmen ALONSO (ESP) | 8 | 152 | 77 | 75 | |||
108 | Grace LENNON (AUS) | 8 | 152 | 75 | 77 | |||
108 | Phillis METI (NZL) | 8 | 152 | 71 | 81 | |||
108 | Manon DE ROEY (BEL) | 8 | 152 | 75 | 77 | |||
114 | Paige STUBBS (AUS) | 9 | 153 | 78 | 75 | |||
114 | Rebecca KAY (AUS) (a) | 9 | 153 | 81 | 72 | Amateur | ||
114 | Julia ENGSTROM (SWE) | 9 | 153 | 76 | 77 | |||
114 | Adele DOUGLAS (AUS) | 9 | 153 | 74 | 79 | |||
118 | Jordana KEATON (AUS) | 10 | 154 | 77 | 77 | |||
118 | Lucrezia COLOMBOTTO ROSSO (ITA) | 10 | 154 | 81 | 73 | |||
118 | Alexis BELTON (USA) | 10 | 154 | 75 | 79 | |||
121 | Alexandra ORCHARD (AUS) | 11 | 155 | 76 | 79 | |||
121 | Lili CAMMISA (ARG) | 11 | 155 | 79 | 76 | |||
121 | Krista BAKKER (FIN) | 11 | 155 | 76 | 79 | |||
121 | Vani KAPOOR (IND) | 11 | 155 | 81 | 74 | |||
121 | Camille CHEVALIER (FRA) | 11 | 155 | 79 | 76 | |||
121 | Jenny LEE (AUS) | 11 | 155 | 74 | 81 | |||
121 | Sarah-Jane BOYD (ENG) | 11 | 155 | 76 | 79 | |||
128 | Brooke BAKER (USA) | 12 | 156 | 77 | 79 | |||
128 | Kristalle BLUM (AUS) | 12 | 156 | 79 | 77 | |||
128 | Kristen FARMER (AUS) | 12 | 156 | 79 | 77 | |||
128 | Lauren HIBBERT (AUS) | 12 | 156 | 74 | 82 | |||
132 | Georgia CLARKE (AUS) | 13 | 157 | 75 | 82 | |||
132 | Jenna HUNTER (NZL) | 13 | 157 | 80 | 77 | |||
134 | Nadine WHITE (AUS) | 14 | 158 | 80 | 78 | |||
134 | Brittany BOMAR (USA) | 14 | 158 | 80 | 78 | |||
136 | Hayley BETTENCOURT (AUS) | 17 | 161 | 77 | 84 | |||
137 | Kylie CLOSE (AUS) | 19 | 163 | 82 | 81 | |||
138 | Isabelle HAWES (AUS) | 20 | 164 | 83 | 81 | |||
139 | Molly LAVERCOMBE (AUS) | 22 | 166 | 82 | 84 | |||
139 | Robyn DOIG (CAN) | 22 | 166 | 87 | 79 | |||
139 | Samantha WHITTLE (AUS) | 22 | 166 | 86 | 80 | |||
142 | Keely PURDEY (AUS) | 27 | 171 | 88 | 83 | |||
143 | Joanne MILLS (AUS) | RTD | * | * | ||||
143 | Adriana BRENT (AUS) | RTD | * | * |
Preview
The second Ladies European Tour event of 2018 is taking place in the Australian capital of Canberra this week, where 144 competitors from the LET and ALPG Tours have gathered at the highly acclaimed Royal Canberra Golf Club for the inaugural ActewAGL Canberra Classic, starting on Friday.
European number one Georgia Hall, Cheyenne Woods, Xi Yu Lin, Lydia Hall, Meghan MacLaren, Sarah Jane Smith and Amy Walsh took time out from their preparations to visit the National Zoo and Aquarium on Tuesday, where they met some of the most dangerous and endangered species on earth and learned how to help their survival.
Woods, who will be chasing her second crown on Australian soil after she emerged victorious at the 2014 RACV Ladies Masters at RACV Royal Pines Resort, has returned to the venue of her very first tournament in Australia, the Women’s Australian Open, back in 2013. Looking relaxed on Tuesday, she said that she loved getting close to the animals, particularly the lions, wallabies and meerkats.
The American star said: “This week it was cool to be able to come to the zoo and see some of the local animals and get to feed and touch them. It’s a nice break from the golf and being able to enjoy where we are. It’s definitely nice to be back at Royal Canberra. The course is awesome and hopefully I can explore the city a bit more. I would like to build on last week and improve on little things that I’m working on in the lead up to the event. I’m just continuing to enjoy my few weeks in Australia.”
England’s Hall, who finished joint third in last week’s Oates Vic Open in Victoria, a tournament she won in 2016, is making her first visit to Canberra. She said: “I love coming back to Australia and it’s such a great place to play golf. The courses are fantastic and in great condition. I played the front nine at Royal Canberra today and the course looks spectacular. The fairways and greens are in amazing condition and the best I’ve seen in a while so I’m looking forward to playing here.”
Another Englishwoman, Meghan MacLaren, who won the LET Access Series merit in 2017, said: “Australia is a country that I’ve always wanted to come to, so to have four events out here is perfect because we get the time to explore and see a bit of the country. Being in Australia you have a few different animals to see, such as the kangaroos on the golf course.”
Welshwoman Hall, the 2012 Ladies British Masters champion was also enjoying Australia. “It’s nice to explore what the local cities have to offer when we’re out on tour and we had some banter and good fun. Being in Australia definitely beats being at home in the poor weather and we’re enjoying the summer here, so I’m looking forward to the four weeks ahead,” she added.
Hall, Woods, Lin, MacLaren, Smith and Walsh will join a star-studded field which includes former world number one, Jiyai Shin from South Korea, the winner of the 2013 Women’s Australian Open at Royal Canberra, Australians Katherine Kirk and Minjee Lee, who won the Oates Vic Open last week, Scandinavians Caroline Hedwall and Marianne Skarpnord and Britons Laura Davies, Mel Reid, Florentyna Parker and Catriona Matthew.
The ActewAGL Canberra Classic will be played over three rounds from February 9-11 and is the first professional women’s event to be played at Royal Canberra Golf Club since the Women’s Australian Open in 2013, the world-class course having undergone a series of improvements and renovations over the intervening period.