Published on March 4, 2023

Gunn Charoenkul gave himself a chance of winning the New Zealand Open presented by SKY SPORT when he carded a four-under-par 67 in today’s third round to sit five shots behind the leader, Shae Wools-Cobb from Australia.

In-form Gunn, second in the previous Asian Tour event, the International Series Qatar, flirted with the lead early on when he birdied his first three holes, slipped back with a couple of bogeys around the turn but then finished strongly with birdies on 12, 14 and 15 birdies before a disappointing three-putt bogey on the par-three 18th on the Coronet Course.

Wools-Cobb fired a 65, and is on 17 under, while Australian Christopher Wood is in second, two behind after a 68.

Gunn had looked set to finish closer to the leader, but an excellent tee shot on the last trickled over the back from where he took three to get up and down.

He said: “Pity to drop a shot on 18. I should have chipped it from off the green as opposed to putting. I was actually more embarrassed after when I tried to throw my ball to the crowd, but it landed a yard short!”

Despite a fine week’s work so far in the fourth Asian Tour event of the season the 30 year old is still battling the gremlins.

“Again, I wasn’t at my best. Still blocking my driver right, which I have been doing since Qatar. Couldn’t find my rhythm as there was a lot of stopping and starting,” he said.

“But, yes, it’s great to be in contention, although I have not looked at how far behind I am.

“I just need to stick to my process. I will know over the first few holes tomorrow how it will go. If I get my driver under control, then there is a chance.”

At the start of this week Gunn revealed he had considered quitting last year because of an injury beset three years but following his fine showing in Qatar, his best finish on the Asian Tour in three years, he is a player reborn.

No Asian player has won the New Zealand Open in its 102-year history, so he will try and correct that on Sunday, as will Japan’s Terumichi Kakazu after he carded a 66 to move into solo third, three behind Wools-Cobb.

And 10-time Asian Tour winner Scott Hend from Australia will also fancy his chances after shooting a 68 to tie for fourth a further stroke back.

Wools-Cobb, 27, has a best of three top-five finishes in the past two seasons on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, who are joint-sanctioning this week’s event, and will be looking to significantly improve on that record tomorrow.

“I’m in a pretty good head-space at the moment,” said Wools-Cobb.

“I’ve really been working on pre-shot routine, trying to stick to that. That got me through today. When I wasn’t feeling too good over a few shots it really got me through.”

Kiwi amateur and crowd favourite Kazuma Kobori came in with a 68 and is tied with Gunn on 12 under, along with Japan’s Tomoyo Ikemura, in with a 66.

Asian Tour Qualifying School graduate Jaewoong Eom from Korea is joint 10th on 11-under.

 

Published on March 3, 2023

Kiradech Aphibarnrat will add a splash of star quality to next week’s International Series Thailand.

The 33-year-old Thai favourite is a late entry for the US$2 million event at Hua Hin’s Black Mountain Golf Club from March 9-12.

The three-time Asian Tour winner is hoping a return to a familiar venue will enable him to continue his rehabilitation and prove a catalyst to regaining past glories.

Plagued by injury problems for much of the past four years, Kiradech has struggled to reproduce the form that saw him earn his PGA Tour card.

It was five years ago that he rose to 29th in the Official World Golf Ranking. He remained in the top-100 through to the end of 2019, since when his fortunes have waned.

Currently in 325th position, Kiradech is relishing being back in his home continent.

“I love coming back and playing on the Asian Tour whenever possible. I’ve decided that I will play as many tournaments in Asia as possible. It’s good for my confidence, and it is good for my mental well-being,” said Kiradech, who tied for 28th in season-opening PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Advisers.

Ahead of the second edition of the International Series Thailand, he has two particularly causes for optimism.

The first is that he played especially well on his International Series debut, finishing in a share of fifth place at the International Series Morocco last November.

He’ll also be encouraged by the fact that he’s got a good track record at Black Mountain, where he’s played on dozens of occasions.

In 2010, two years after he’d turned professional, Kiradech tied for third place in the Black Mountain Masters. Five years later he was joint fourth in the True Thailand Classic Presented by Black Mountain.

The International Series Thailand is the fifth leg of the 2023 Asian Tour season and the third stop for the International Series, following Oman and Qatar.

 

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Australia’s Scott Hend, a 10-time winner on the Asian Tour, moved into a strong position in the New Zealand Open presented by SKY SPORT today after shooting a seven-under-par 64 on day two to sit in third place, two behind the leader Christopher Wood.

First-round leader Wood from Australia fired a 69 and is 12 under at Millbrook Resort, while his compatriot Shae Wools-Cobb is one back following a 64.

Jaewoong Eom, a fresh graduate from this year’s Asian Tour Qualifying School, is in a share of fourth, three off top spot after returning a 66 with three other players, that includes Australian John Lyras, another player to make it through the school, who fired a brilliant 62.

Thailand’s Gunn Charoenkul, in second place at the start of the day, came in with a 69 and is just four off the lead.

Two courses are being used this week in an event that also has a Pro-Am component with Hend, the 2016 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, on the Remarkables Course, unlike the two players ahead of him who played the Coronet Course.

Hend and Lyras played together in an incredibly low scoring group that saw them both eagle their opening hole the par-five 10^th.

Hend then birdied his next three holes, and made the turn in four under, as did Lyras before the latter edged ahead on the second nine, helped by another eagle on five, narrowly failing to match Wood’s opening day course record 61.

“We just enjoyed each other’s company,” said Hend.

“It wasn’t a hassle playing with each other so that leads to, usually, better scoring. And when you’re both scoring at the rate we were, hopefully you can jump on the back of someone else.”

Korea’s Eom played on the Coronet Course and made six birdies and dropped just one shot.

He finished joint 14^th at the Qualifying School in January, having won one of the pre-qualifiers, and is making his first start of the year on the Asian Tour.

“My heart is at peace today. I played very well,” said Eom, who added the Pro-Am part has contributed to his great start.

“I was helped by being able to play in a group with my Korean friends,” he said.

“I heard the weather might not be so good tomorrow. I may need to change to a jumper or jacket. It is important for me to rest well tonight. My expectations are not so high, but I will try.”

The Korean is looking for a season that matches his best year so far, which was in 2018 when he won what is to date his only victory on the Korean Tour, the Huons Celebrity Pro-Am, finished fifth in the Australian PGA Championship, and fifth in the Korea Open – his best finish on the Asian Tour.

Gunn, second in the International Series Qatar two weeks ago, was not able to match his bogey free 66 yesterday but birdied 15 and 18 to give him a chance of a first Asian Tour victory at the weekend.

Another Asian Tour player who enjoyed a fine Friday is Chinese teenager Chen Guxin.

The 19 year old, playing on the Asian Tour this season thanks to finishing in the top-10 on last year’s Asian Development (ADT) Tour Order of Merit, carded a 68 and is seven under, in a tie for 12^th.

Chen won twice on the ADT and finished fifth on the Merit.

He became the maiden player from his country to win an ADT event when he tasted victory in the Blue Canyon Classic, before winning the BRG Open Golf Championship – the first time an ADT event had been played in Vietnam.

This week’s event is joint sanctioned with the PGA Tour of Australasia, in partnership with the Japan Golf Tour.

The final two rounds will both be played on the Coronet Course.

Published on March 2, 2023

Gunn Charoenkul’s revival continued unabated today in the New Zealand Open presented by SKY SPORT when he shot a six-under-par 65 in the first round to sit in a tie for second, four behind the leader, Australian Christopher Wood.

Despite a misbehaving driver, Gunn put together a flawless bogey-free round on the Remarkables Course at Millbrook Resort making three birdies on each nine.

New Zealand veteran Steve Alker and his compatriot Kit Bittle, Australian Thomas Power Horan, and Japan’s Yosuke Asaji and Tomoyo Ikemura also came in with 65s – in a Pro-Am format event that sees each professional paired with an amateur partner.

Gunn finished second in the International Series Qatar two weeks ago for his best result in three years on the Asian Tour, having been hampered by a persistent degenerative thumb injury for most of that period.

And that form continued today on a beautiful sun-drenched summer’s day at Millbrook in Queenstown, where stunning mountainous scenery encircles the course.

“Great result but I didn’t really drive it great today,” said Gunn.

“I hit a lot of drives right into the rough, but I managed to get away with good lies. So, I was able to get on the green and give myself some chances. I didn’t play the par fives great as well, only made birdie on one of them today.

“My iron game was on point though, I put myself within 15 feet on a lot of occasions. I pretty much holed all the putts, so overall I am pretty pleased with my round.”

Christopher Wood. (Picture by photosport.nz)

A 45-foot birdie putt on hole two was his shot of the day, for which he was able thank his amateur partner, Aris Agung Budiman.

He said: “My partner Aris had the same putt, I said I would be a good student and sure enough I holed it!”

In Qatar, the 30 year old heaped praised on his coach Sam Cyr who caddied for him there and there is no doubt he is missing his presence this week.

“My confidence is not as high as Qatar because I don’t have my coach Sam on the bag, like I did there,” said Gunn.

“I did have a lot of doubts out there as I really wasn’t driving it great. I kept telling myself to trust it, because I have just been missing one way, straight right. But I love being here in Queenstown, it’s stunning and you might as well enjoy it whatever happens.”

After a brilliant 2019 when he was playing the best golf of his life, regularly challenging on both the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour, he has been battling to recapture his form, and the signs are clearly there that he is starting to turn the corner.

Currently in fourth place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, he is yet to win on the Tour, where he has finished second three times.

Wood, playing in the final pairing on the Remarkables layout, was in inspired form making an eagle and eight birdies for a sensational course-record 61.

“It’s only round one,” said Wood.

“It’s obviously great to get off to a good start so hopefully get out there early in the morning and keep going.

“I’ve been playing average but the last tournament back in Australia I played pretty decent the last three rounds. I knew the game was coming around nicely.”

Alker, who hit the big-time on the Champions Tour last year winning four times including a Senior’s Major the Senior PGA Championship, carded seven birdies and a solitary bogey, also on the Remarkables layout.

He was most happy with his putting, apart from one three putt.

“I got a nice solid start, birdied the first couple of holes, so kind of settled down and got into a bit of a groove. I kind of felt like I just left a little bit out there because there wasn’t much wind today and I didn’t get the par fives on my back nine, the front nine,” he said.

Steve Alker. (Picture by Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz)

“Overall the score was good, I just kept my nose clean, I think I had a three putt in there but apart from that it was pretty good.”

New Zealand amateurs Sam Jones, Jayden Ford, and Kazuma Kobori, and Australians Lawry Flynn and Dimitrios Papadatos all came in with 66s.

On day two those who played on the Remarkables today will switch to the Coronet Course, and vice versa.

Published on March 1, 2023

It is fair to say Gunn Charoenkul tees-off in the New Zealand Open presented by SKY SPORT tomorrow revitalised and relieved thanks to his fine second place finish in the International Series Qatar two weeks ago – which was his best result on the Asian Tour in three years – and also because he says last year he was close to giving up the game.

“I was really stressed-out last year, and was thinking I should quit,” said the Thai star this week at Millbrook Resort, venue for the 102^nd staging of New Zealand’s national Open.

An injury to his left thumb has derailed his career over the past three years, which was in stark contrast to a brilliant 2019 when he was playing the best golf of his life, regularly challenging on both the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour.

He added: “This was my third time getting injured. First time was a cyst in my left wrist, then the joint in my right hand, and now the left thumb. As it goes on, it wears you down.

“I told my wife if I don’t really secure my card then I will probably play on a local tour for a couple of years, and then just call it a day. That’s golf though, you are on the verge of quitting but then you suddenly play well again and that kept the fire going.”

A stunning eagle on the par five closing hole at Doha Golf Club, venue for the International Series Qatar, saw him secure solo second at the crunch and earned him a cheque for US$275,000, the biggest of his career.

The much-welcomed winnings meant he was able to regain his Asian Tour, as he was playing on a medical exemption.

Gunn has a degenerated thumb injury which he picked up three years ago while trying to swing the club hard and fast like American Bryson Dechambeau.

“It’s also because my swing is very narrow on the downswing which puts pressure on the thumb,” said Gunn.

“I take shots three times a year to fix it, just joint fluid not cortisone. And I have to do a lot of physio work on it. I felt the pain early 2020, I pushed it to October but then I was out for four months. Played again in Singapore in 2021, but then I was out until August again, and then I was out again last year for the first five months.”

Gunn praised his coach and ex-player Sam Cyr for his success in Qatar, where Cyr also caddied for him.

“I met Sam six months ago, on Instagram. I got COVID in Korea, so had the week off in the room the whole week and made contact. He was working with Tom Kim,” said Gunn.

“After two months of working with him I didn’t really see the results, but we started working really hard from there. Qatar week was the first time he came on Tour, and we worked really hard. He was a huge help on the greens. He was doing all the work. And we stuck to our process throughout the week, concentrate on that and the results will come.

“Everyday is like a practice round for me but I try to get better after each round. Made some small swing changes, just a little bit of everything. Sam introduced me to a fitness coach as well, who is based in Dallas, we have been doing face time. We work on flexibility and better pivoting, working on areas of my body I have not used before.”

Since turning professional in 2011, Gunn has been a prolific winner of titles on some of the region’s small tours. He has claimed 12 titles in total, including six in Thailand and three on the China Tour.

And that outstanding 2019 saw him register 10 top-10 finishes in Japan, while he also had three top five finishes at the end of the year on the Asian Tour in the space of a month.

He was rewarded for that impressive run of form with a place on the Thailand Olympic team with Jazz Janewattananond.

After his storming finish in Qatar, after which he said about his coach and himself, “we’re looking up, and it’s not just here, and he wants me to look forward to like, up there, top 10, maybe number one in the world”, perhaps Gunn’s renaissance has begun and the region can look forward to seeing one of Thailand’s most gifted young golfers finally fulfil his potential.

Young Korean superstar Tom Kim was the joint third-round leader here in New Zealand when the event was last played in 2020, and eventually finished fourth, so he has set the bar for Gunn, currently fourth on the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM), with ambitions to finish first on that Merit list and the International Series OOM.

 

 

Published on February 28, 2023

Two of the game’s most decorated golfers Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson will compete in the inaugural World City Championship presented by Hong Kong Golf Club next month, organisers confirmed today, helping to celebrate the first international golf event to be staged in Hong Kong for over three years.

The US$1 million tournament will be played at the Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling, from March 23-26 and be the seventh stop of the season on the Asian Tour.

Said England’s Poulter, winner of the 2010 Hong Kong Open at the Hong Kong Golf Club: “Hong Kong is one of my favourite places and I am looking forward to coming back to Asia’s ‘World City” for the first World City Championship presented by Hong Kong Golf Club.”

The exciting news follows on from last week’s announcement by The R&A that the event has become part of the Open Qualifying Series and will see the leading four players not otherwise exempt qualify for this year’s Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in July.

One of the Hong Kong Golf Club’s primary objectives in presenting the World City Championship is to support the government’s “Hello Hong Kong” campaign and attract international visitors to the city.
That mission is already coming to fruition in spectacular fashion with Swedish star Stenson, winner of the 2016 Open Championship, set to make his first ever visit to Hong Kong.

Stenson is thrilled to make his long-awaited debut appearance, saying: “I’m excited to be coming to Hong Kong for the first time and looking forward to seeing all the fans in Fanling.”

Joining Poulter and Stenson will be a stellar line up of Asian Tour players, as well as some of Hong Kong’s top golfers, including newly turned pro Taichi Kho. The 22 year old is eagerly anticipating the chance to play at his home course in his rookie season.

“I am incredibly excited about playing the event. As a Hong Kong golfer, to be playing as a pro on my home course and in front of home galleries is something that I have dreamed about. I hope to see as many fans as possible over the tournament. A lot of Hong Kong players will be playing, so it will be a great chance to fly the Hong Kong golf flag high,” said Kho, whose successful amateur career included a notable runner-up finish at the prestigious Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in 2021.

The 2020 Hong Kong Open, played at Hong Kong Golf Club and won by Australian Wade Ormsby, was the last tournament played in the SAR.

Hong Kong Golf Club Captain Andy Kwok is excited about the return of international golf to the city.

“After a three-year hiatus, we are delighted to be hosting the World City Championship and to be partnering with the Asian Tour in bringing such an important new event to Hong Kong. It is the first of three top international tournaments we will host at the Club this season, and we look forward to welcoming visitors from around the world and around Hong Kong to Fanling throughout 2023,” said Kwok.

“Staging world-class tournaments and providing a great spectator experience is something the Club has a long and proud tradition of doing. I am pleased to say that this will continue at the WCC as we join hands with the community and celebrate the return of major sporting events to Hong Kong.”

In keeping with the Club’s mission to share the excitement of the event with all of Hong Kong, the tournament is free for entry across the tournament week. Tickets are available by prior registration via www.ticketflap.com.

The Hong Kong Golf Club will also host schools and community organizations at the event, offering new fans an opportunity to learn more about the fundamentals of golf and to experience the excitement of tournament play.

In addition to hosting the World City Championship , the Club will also stage the Aramco Team Series, a premier Ladies European Tour event, in October, whilst the 62nd edition of the Hong Kong Open, Hong Kong’s oldest professional sporting event, will make a welcome return in November.

Ends.

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New Zealander and Asian Tour regular Ben Campbell should definitely be on everyone’s radar at this week’s 102^nd New Zealand Open presented by SKY SPORT – which tees off at Millbrook Resort in Queenstown on Thursday.

He nearly won the event here in 2017, before losing in a sudden-death play-off, and as well as living in Queenstown, his home course is Millbrook – where the Remarkables and Coronet Courses will be used for this week’s Pro Am-style event.

The 31 year old also recently returned from a five-month lay-off caused by back ailment and showed promising signs of a quick return to form this month when he tied for the 13^th in the International Series Qatar.

Five years ago, he came agonizingly close to winning his national Open. In a thrilling finish on the par-three 18th his compatriot Michael Hendry triumphed in a play-off that also included Australian Brad Kennedy. Campbell and Kennedy both found water off the tee, while Hendry made par and lifted the Brodie Breeze Trophy to become the first Kiwi to win the event in 14 years.

Campbell credits his local knowledge of the course as a big help to his success in 2017, that will also serve him well when the event gets underway.

“Yeah, it’s one of those courses that, the more you play it you just learn a few little things,” said Campbell.

“I think definitely, having it as my home course, it’s just makes you feel a lot more comfortable out there. You know where you can miss it and where you can’t, and also leading up to it, I don’t really have to play too much. I can play nine holes on Monday, nine holes on Tuesday and that’ll probably be about it for me [for practice rounds]. I think having that comfort going into the week, it’s quite nice.”

The convenience of being able to stay at home during tournament week is a huge benefit.

“It’s always nice being able to sleep in your own bed and play at your home course, the course is looking great,” said Campbell, who was ranked as high as sixth on the World Amateur Golf Ranking before he turned professional in 2012.

“It’s been very dry down here, but yeah, looking forward to it, the course should be great.”

After successful campaigns on the Asian Tour in 2018 and 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Campbell came back in 2022 to a hot start, finishing eighth at the SMBC Singapore Open and followed it up a few weeks later with a runner-up finish at the Vic Open on the PGA Tour of Australasia, which earned him a first ever start in a Major, at the 150^th Open at St. Andrews, in July.

In May, he was also the joint third-round leader in the Asia Pacific Open Golf Championship Diamond Cup – an event jointly sanctioned by Asia and Japan – before tying eighth.

However, the back issue meant his season came to a premature end in September and he only returned to the Asian Tour this month at the International Series events in Oman and Qatar.

“Yeah, it’s good, I hadn’t played much for six months,” he said.

“I was obviously on a medical so pretty much missed a lot last year. Oman and Qatar were the first events back, but yeah, hitting the ball really well. In Qatar I didn’t putt overly great, but I think it’s great to have a week off after. I came home to tidy a few things up and yeah, I’m really looking forward to this week.”

While his injury kicked in in Q4 it actually reared its ugly head months before that.

“About five weeks before the British Open I was in the gym and I picked up a weight, and I just felt a ping in my back. I played the International Series England on the Asian Tour and then played the British Open, and yeah, got some scans and didn’t really realize it was quite as bad as it was.

“I had a bulged disc at L3 and L4, and after that healed, I still had a lot of nerve damage. Just the nerve pain wouldn’t go away. I ended up getting a nerve ablation done on my side joint, and it seems to be doing the trick so far,” says Campbell.

“Now it’s feeling really good, so it’s going to be nice going forward. I’ve had a week at home to see the physio so the body should be nice and raring to go for the Open.”

The New Zealand Open was last played in 2020 and was won by another Asian Tour regular Australian Brad Kennedy – who this week will attempt to win the prestigious event for a third time.

Total prizemoney is NZ$1,650,000 (approx. US$1,017,300) and the event is co-sanctioned by the ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia and the Asian Tour, and held in partnership with the Japan Golf Tour.

The field will be split across the two courses for the first round of competition with all players alternating to the other course for the second round.

After the second round the top 60 and ties among the professionals will continue to the final two rounds at Millbrook Resort.

For the Pro-Am teams, the top 40 pairings will progress to compete in round three, before a third-round cut will see the top 10 Pro-Am teams progress to the final round.

Published on February 27, 2023

In-form Andy Ogletree will be aiming to continue his rich vein of form when he spearheads a strong entry for the second edition of the International Series Thailand.

Six of the top-seven from the current Asian Tour Order of Merit have confirmed their participation in the event at Hua Hin’s Black Mountain Golf Club which will carry a purse of US$2 million, a 25% increase on last year’s prize money.

To be held from March 9-12, the tournament is the fifth leg of the 2023 Asian Tour season and the third stop for the International Series, following Oman and Qatar.

Riding high after winning the International Series Qatar a fortnight ago, American Ogletree is looking to further press his claims to top this year’s Merit standings.

He will also be hoping to win the International Series Order of Merit, which brings with it automatic qualification onto the ultra-lucrative LIV Golf League.

“Trying to win the Order of Merit out here is my number one goal this year. That’s all I’m really focused on,” said the 24-year-old.

In the first three Asian Tour events of 2023, Ogletree placed ninth in the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, tied for seventh in the International Series Oman and triumphed at Qatar’s Doha Golf Club.

“Confidence-wise, I don’t know how I could get a lot higher,” added Ogletree, whose last five starts have yielded four top-10s and two wins.

His success in Qatar meant he became the first player to capture two International Series titles, having also won the International Series Egypt last November.

At Black Mountain, Ogletree will be seeking his third title in just his 10th Asian Tour tournament. But he can expect plenty of tough opposition from an array of proven champions in Asia and Europe.

Leading a concerted Thai bid will be world number 75 Sadom Kaewkanjana, Ntithorn Thippong, Jazz Janewattananond and Phachara Khongwatmai, who posted a 24-under-par total in last year’s International Series Thailand but had to settle for second place, two shots behind American Sihwan Kim.

Thailand’s Gunn Charoenkul, who recorded a brilliant second place finish in Qatar, is also competing.

Two Swedes with strong connections to Black Mountain will also be intent on stamping their mark.

Johan Edfors and Rikard Karlberg have both been supported by Black Mountain for many years and have a close affinity with the club. Indeed, after his victory in the inaugural Black Mountain Masters in 2009, Edfors bought a villa on the site and has been a regular visitor.

Like many other European professionals, Edfors and 2015 Italian Open champion Karlberg make use of Black Mountain’s outstanding practice facilities whenever they’re in the country.

They are part of a strong continent of players affiliated with Black Mountain, the others being Jazz, Swede’s Bjorn Hellgren and Sebastion Soderberg, and American Berry Henson, who was runner-up at the International Series Oman.

Next week’s field will also be buoyed by the appearance of a sprinkling of Asian Tour greats including Thai superstars Thaworn Wiratchant, Prayad Marksaeng and Chapchai Nirat, Indians Jyoti Randhawa and Jeev Milkha Singh, China’s Liang Wenchong, Singaporean Mardan Mardan, Angelo Que of the Philippines and Australian Marcus Fraser.

At the other end of the spectrum, the tournament will also welcome back amateur prodigy Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat.

Last year, ‘TK’ contended throughout, eventually finishing in a share of 11th place. A matter of weeks later, he won the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup, becoming the youngest golfer to win on a Tour recognised by the Official World Golf Ranking at the age of 15 years and 37 days.

Ends.

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Fueled by one of Charles Howell III’s most impressive rounds in his 23 years as a professional golfer, Crushers GC captured both the individual and team trophies in resounding fashion Sunday at LIV Golf Mayakoba, the season opener of the new LIV Golf League.

Howell’s bogey-free 8-under 63 was the lowest score of any player this week, and his first eight holes were even more impressive, as he produced six birdies to overtake 36-hole co-leaders Peter Uihlein (Smash GC) and Talor Gooch (RangeGoats GC). He eventually finished at 16 under, four strokes better than Uihlein, who shot a 68. Stinger GC’s Branden Grace was third at 10 under after shooting 67.

It’s Howell’s fourth worldwide victory of his career, and his first at El Camaleon, a course he first competed on in 2007 and was playing for the 14th time this week.

“Obviously, I don’t think you ever see a win coming,” said the 43-year-old Howell. “I’ve played in a lot of golf tournaments in my life, and I haven’t won a lot of them, and you have the doubts and the feelings, will you ever win again?

“To do it against this competition with these guys standing up here is more than I could ever dream of. I’m extremely thankful.”

Certainly his fellow Crushers teammates were thankful to have Howell going so low. Last season during the beta-test LIV Golf Invitational Series, the Crushers finished second twice and also had a third-place finish in the five regular-season events after Bryson DeChambeau became captain and stabilized his roster with veterans Howell, Paul Casey and Anirban Lahiri.

That consistency led to a No. 2 seed at the Miami Team Championship, but the Crushers did not make it to the final day. Now they’ve started the new season with a huge breakthrough victory, nine shots ahead of last year’s dominant team and defending champs 4Aces GC (17 under). Torque GC finished third at 13 under.

“I knew it would happen,” DeChambeau said of his team winning. “I just didn’t know when it would happen. To start off the year with a crushing victory … How much more can you ask for a statement piece? The 4Aces, OK, yeah, great, they won a lot last year. But it’s a different year. It’s 2023.”

To support Howell’s low round, DeChambeau contributed a 3-under 68 while Casey – the first-round co-leader – added a 70. For the captain, it was the first round this week that counted. Lahiri had contributed in the first two rounds.

“Not counting the first few days for me, it was pretty rough last night, so I gave myself a kick in the butt and played a little better today,” DeChambeau said.

In the end, Howell’s 16 under score was almost enough to beat the 4Aces by himself. Casey, who didn’t look at a leaderboard until he reached the final green, was shocked to see the wide margin in which his team was leading. He then asked his caddie about Howell. The response: “He’s crushing it.”

Added Lahiri: “There will be days like this where you kind of ride the hot round, and Charles pulled it through for us.”

Howell had started the final round one stroke off the lead, but while he was producing birdies, the co-leaders kept finding trouble. Uihlein’s errant approach shot at the third hole led to bogey, although he bounced back with a birdie and eagle. Gooch had two bogeys on the front, and then struggled down the stretch. When Uihlein triple-bogeyed the 12th, the tournament was essentially in Howell’s hands.

“He won it on the front,” Uihlein said. “He did a heck of a job. … There wasn’t any pressure on him, and he did exactly what he needed to do, and he executed. He’s a worthy champion.”

Howell knows how El Camaleon can offer plenty of birdies and plenty of trouble. His experience paid off this week.

“I’ve seen a lot of crazy things happen on every hole out here,” Howell said. “… On the 12th tee today, we had our group of three hit seven tee balls off that tee. Talor hit three drives and Peter hit three drives. I mean, that shows you how crazy it is.”

There was nothing crazy for Howell and the Crushers, though, except for their jubilant champagne celebration on the podium. They now lead the team standings going into the LIV Golf League’s next event, LIV Golf Tucson on March 17-19.

TEAM SCORES

Here are the standings and counting scores for Rd. 3 of the team competition at LIV Golf Mayakoba. The three best scores from each team count in every round for their total team score. The top three teams receive prize earnings from the $5 million team purse.

1. CRUSHERS GC (-26): Charles Howell III 63, Bryson DeChambeau 68, Paul Casey 70 (Rd3: 12 under)

2. 4ACES GC (-17): Pat Perez 66, Peter Uihlein 68, Patrick Reed 74 (Rd3: 5 under)

3. TORQUE GC (-13): Joaquin Niemann 68, Sebastian Munoz 68, Mito Pereira 68 (Rd3: 9 under)

4. STINGER GC (-12): Branden Grace 67, Charl Schwartzel 69, Dean Burmester 70 (Rd3: 7 under)

5. RIPPER GC (-12): Cameron Smith 67, Matt Jones 68, Marc Leishman 72 (Rd3: 6 under)

6. FIREBALLS GC (-11): Eugenio Chacarra 70, Abraham Ancer 71, Carlos Ortiz 71 (Rd3: 1 under)

7. HYFLYERS GC (-10): Brendan Steele 65, Phil Mickelson 67, Cameron Tringale (Rd3: 11 under)

8. RANGEGOATS GC (-10): Harold Varner III 68, Bubba Watson 71, Thomas Pieters 71 (Rd3: 3 under)

9. SMASH GC (-6): Brooks Koepka 71, Matthew Wolff 71, Jason Kokrak 71 (Rd3: Even)

10. IRON HEADS GC (-1): Scott Vincent 68, Kevin Na 69, Danny Lee 74 (Rd3: 2 under)

11. MAJESTICKS GC (-1): Henrik Stenson 69, Ian Poulter 70, Lee Westwood 74 (Rd3: Even)

12. CLEEKS GC (+4): Richard Bland 71, Bernd Wiesberger 71, Graeme McDowell 72 (Rd3: 1 over)

Event report courtesy of LIV Golf

Published on February 26, 2023

Americans Talor Gooch and Peter Uihlein share a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the season-opening LIV Golf Mayakoba.

Gooch played for the 4Aces GC last season, helping them win the team competition, but left and now plays for the RangeGoats, while Uihlein, who finished 2022 playing for Smash GC, has replaced Gooch at 4Aces.

Now paired in the final group on Sunday, they’ll battle for the individual trophy and answer the question of whether the RangeGoats or the 4Aces got the better end of the transfers?

“No, not week 1 out of 14 events,” Uihlein laughed.

“I think we need a little bit of a bigger sample size,” Gooch added.

Still, said Uihlein, “it’s funny how sometimes those play out, don’t they?”

Meanwhile, Uihlein’s 4Aces and Gooch’s RangeGoats will both play chaser in the team competition. Crushers GC (14 under) will take a two-stroke over the 4Aces (12 under), with Fireballs GC (10 under) and the RangeGoats (7 under) also lurking.

It’s the first time the Crushers have taken a lead into any LIV Golf round – and they’ve done so through the first two rounds without captain Bryson DeChambeau contributing a counting score.

“It shows the crazy nature of golf, number one,” said Charles Howell III, the leading Crushers player who is in solo third, one shot behind the co-leaders. “Number two, I know Bryson has a low one in him. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him shoot a low one tomorrow.”

As for Uihlein and Gooch, both are former Oklahoma State players (as is Howell) and both are good friends. They’ve chatted about the transfers, how it happened that both were involved. Gooch wanted to play with his good friend Harold Varner III. Uihlein felt like he was joining the Yankees when he got the nod from 4Aces Captain Dustin Johnson, whose team won four regular-season events and the Team Championship last year.

“I’ve told Talor a lot that I think he’s handled this as well as anybody could have since joining (LIV Golf) and being on the Aces and then obviously switching teams,” Uihlein said. “Just the way the team stuff works out, with the finances and stuff, he’s done it incredibly well. I have a lot of respect for him.”

Said Gooch: “Once I knew what was going to happen and I was going to Bubba’s team, Peter was one of the first guys I called. Like, hey, we might be needing a fourth, don’t go signing anywhere, don’t do anything.”

Uihlein finished third in the Individual Champion race last year, with Johnson capturing the title. Gooch finished 11th. Neither lofted an individual trophy. It might change for one of them on Sunday.

“Pete played great last year,” Gooch said. “He beat me last year. … The Aces didn’t falter whenever they got Pete. They’re a great team and they’re going to continue to play well. Hopefully we can start playing like the Aces.

“Come the end of the season, I think they’re going to be some good battles.”

Text courtesy of LIV Golf.