Aussie preview: Women’s PGA Championship preview, plus PGA Tour and LIV Golf – Australian Golf Digest

by Admin
June 20, 2024

[PHOTO: Getty Images]

Major winners Minjee Lee and Hannah Green will spearhead an eight-strong Australian contingent at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, but Sydney’s Grace Kim arrives as the most in-form having tied for second after a crushing playoff loss on the LPGA Tour last week.

The third women’s major of the year, the PGA Championship, heads to former men’s major and PGA Tour host course, Sahalee Country Club, near Seattle in Washington state. Driving will be paramount given Sahalee’s narrow, treelined fairways.

Two-time major winner Lee and 2019 PGA champion Hannah Green, Australia’s top-ranked golfer at world No.5, will be pumped up knowing they are both guaranteed to be the Australian women’s team for the Paris Olympics when the women’s world rankings are finalised for the games on Monday (June 24). Green won her second LPGA Tour title of 2024 in April at the LA Championship in April – the only player other than world No.1 Nelly Korda to claim multiple wins in 2024. Lee is coming off a devastating back nine at the US Women’s Open earlier this month when she squandered a three-shot lead to finish tied ninth.

Joining Australia’s two major winners at Sahalee are Kim, Sarah Kemp, LPGA Tour rookie-of-the-year points leader Gabi Ruffels, Steph Kyriacou, Hira Naveed and Robyn Choi.

Kim took a five-shot lead into the final round of the Meijer event but coughed it up within the first four holes. The 23-year-old fought hard just to make a playoff that she lost to Lilia Vu. Afterwards, Kim was inspirational in vowing to bounce back.

Find out all you need to know at the bottom of this story about the eight Australians teeing it up (courtesy Australian Golf Media).

Meanwhile, on the PGA Tour, the $US20 million Travelers Championship will have three Australians tee up in Jason Day, Cam Davis and Adam Scott. Min Woo Lee missed out on qualifying for the event, even though a T-21 at the US Open was among the top-25s Lee has earned in 50 percent of his PGA Tour events this year. Despite being a colourful character, social media star and sponsor’s dream, Lee did not receive a sponsor’s invitation to the 71-man Travelers field.

LIV Golf heads to Nashville for a brand new event a week after its biggest star, Bryson DeChambeau, won his second major at the US Open. Cam Smith, Lucas Herbert, Marc Leishman and Matt Jones line up for the all-Australian Ripper GC.

GUIDE TO THE WOMEN’S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP INCLUDING AUSTRALIAN PLAYERS (courtesy Australian Golf Media):

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Ruoning Yin (CHN)

PRIZEMONEY: US$10 million

LIVE SCORES: www.kpmgwomenspgachampionship.com

TV COVERAGE: The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.

*All times AEST.

Round One: Friday 6am–8am (Fox Sports 505/Kayo) & 8am–12pm (Fox Sports 503/Kayo)

Round Two: Saturday 6am–8am (Fox Sports 505/Kayo) & 8am–12pm (Fox Sports 503/Kayo)

Round Three: Sunday 3am–8am (Fox Sports 505/Kayo) & 8am–10am (Fox Sports 503/Kayo)

Final Round: Monday 2am–9am (Fox Sports 505/Kayo)

AUSTRALASIAN PLAYER PROFILES

ROBYN CHOI

World ranking: 304

Age: 26

Professional wins: None

Best finish at the KPMG Women’s PGA: Debut

The lowdown: For the second time this year, Choi will make her debut at a women’s major, with the Gold Coast product hoping to again play the weekend as she did when sharing 54th at The Chevron Championship.

After starting her first year on the LPGA Tour with a top-20 back in January, it has been a difficult run for Choi with more missed cuts than made on her results page, however, the course fit here is a positive.

Very straight off the tee, Choi will put herself in play and likely need less pitch outs than others around the extremely tight and densely tree-lined Sahalee.

HANNAH GREEN

World ranking: 5

Age: 27

Professional wins: 12

Best finish at the KPMG Women’s PGA: Won (2019)

The lowdown: The champion of this event back in 2019, Green enters this week as one of the favourites after a magnificent first half to her year.

Twice a winner in 2024, the world No.5 also has three top-20s to her name, including a runner-up three starts back.

The West Australian’s form has been driven by ball striking and putting, with Green hitting 72 percent of greens in regulation for the year and ranking first in ‘Putts per GIR’ on the LPGA Tour this year.

Those strengths bode well for another major run, with accuracy off the tee likely the key factor for Green’s chances this week.

SARAH KEMP

World ranking: 139

Age: 38

Professional wins: 12

Best finish at the KPMG Women’s PGA: T37 (2014)

The lowdown: Kemp will play the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship for the 14th time this week, with the 38-year-old making the cut and sharing 64th the last time Sahalee hosted this event back in 2016.

A missed cut two weeks ago ended a consistent run of form where Kemp regularly finished mid-field, with a best result of sharing 29th at the US Women’s Open, her second made cut from two major starts this year.

Hitting more than 72 percent of fairways this year, Kemp’s accuracy and short game will hold her in good stead this week.

GRACE KIM

World ranking: 69

Age: 23

Professional wins: Four

Best finish at the KPMG Women’s PGA: 14th (2023)

The lowdown: Arriving in the best form of the Australian contingent after missing out in a play-off last week, Kim’s confidence will be high after leading into the final round in Michigan.

Speaking openly after her close call last week, Kim is clearly becoming more and more comfortable on the LPGA Tour, where she already has a win to her name.

Finishing in the top-15 on debut at this event last year, the tournament setup clearly suits Kim, whose extremely straight driving and ball flight are the perfect match for the narrow corridors of Sahalee.

LYDIA KO

World ranking: 15

Age: 27

Professional wins: 28

Best finish at the KPMG Women’s PGA: 2nd (2016)

The lowdown: One of the most decorated players in women’s golf, Ko’s form has been hot and cold in 2024 after starting the year with a win and runner-up, the Kiwi arrives on the back of two missed cuts.

The return to Sahalee will be a welcome one for Ko, who finished runner-up to Brooke Henderson there in 2016 after a magnificent battle with the Canadian.

Not as straight a driver as she was then, Ko’s short game remains elite in every facet and will need to fire this week if she is to win a third major title.

STEPH KYRIACOU

World ranking: 90

Age: 23

Professional wins: Two

Best finish at the KPMG Women’s PGA: T10 (2022)

The lowdown: Finishing in a share of 10th on debut at the this event two years ago, Kyriacou made the cut last year again and heads to Washington on the back of her best finish of the year to date on the LPGA.

Tied for 12th at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, Kyriacou has shown promising signs all year and should find Sahalee exactly to her liking and strengths.

A straight driver of the ball, quality ball striker and good putter, Kyriacou can go low even on the toughest of courses, and if the putter is working well could be right in the thick of things.

MINJEE LEE

World ranking: 10

Age: 28

Professional wins: 13

Best finish at the KPMG Women’s PGA: T2 (2022)

The lowdown: Surprisingly missing the cut last week after her close call at the US Women’s Open, Minjee will be right up for this one after again thriving in a major two starts ago.

Making nine cuts from nine starts at this event, it is safe to assume Lee will be in the mix over the weekend at Sahalee where she finished in a share of 12th back in 2016.

Another of the Aussies who will need to find for more fairways than usual this week, Lee’s ball striking, which is among the best in golf, will offer up plenty of birdie opportunities, while her presence on the leaderboard is an intangible advantage against the field.

HIRA NAVEED

World ranking: 103

Age: 26

Professional wins: One

Best finish at the KPMG Women’s PGA: Debut

The lowdown: Experiencing another first in 2024 with her tournament debut, Naveed will be better for the experience of her first major at The Chevron, while she arrives in some good form.

Having missed a hat-trick of cuts, Naveed finished tied for 60th at the ShopRite LPGA Classic before sharing 17th last week at the Meijer LPGA Classic, where she closed with a 68.

On the greens is where the West Australian has been most impressive so far this year, with a hot putter a handy attribute at every major championship.

GABI RUFFELS

World ranking: 41

Age: 24

Professional wins: Three

Best finish at the KPMG Women’s PGA: T24 (2023)

The lowdown: This is another major where Ruffels has an impressive record from a small sample size, with the Victorian finishing tied for 33rd in 2021 and sharing 24th last year.

Finishing third three times in 2024 after her three win season on the Epson Tour last year, Ruffels appears close to a first LPGA win, and it coming at a major wouldn’t surprise given her record on the biggest stage.

Making an impressive up-and-down to make the cut at the US Women’s Open, Ruffels was tied for 17th last week following a strong weekend and she continues to perform impressively across every statistical category.