JOHANNESBURG – Canadian Aaron Cockerill has posted a career-best finish on the European Tour with a share a fourth place.

Cockerill, from Stone Mountain, Man., ended with a 68 for 13-under at the Joburg Open on Sunday, tied with South African Brandon Stone and Steve Surry of England.

The trio were six strokes back of winner Joachim B. Hansen.

“Personal best T-4 finish on the European Tour this week,” Cockerill said in a post to his Twitter and Instagram accounts. “Getting closer and closer.”

Currently ranked 118th, the 28-year-old is the only Canadian on the tour.

 

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Hansen of Denmark overturned a three-shot deficit with nine holes remaining to win his first European Tour title Sunday.

Hansen closed with a composed, bogey-free 67 to win on 19 under par, two shots clear of 20-year-old Wilco Nienaber of South Africa. Nienaber carded a final-round 70 and saw his chance at a first tour title slip away with bogeys on his last two holes.

Nienaber took a one-stroke lead into the final round at Randpark Golf Club and extended his advantage to three with three birdies from No. 4.

Hansen birdied Nos. 10, 12 and 14 to get into a tie for the lead before Nienaber bogeyed No. 17 after almost finding the water to the left of the green.

Nienaber then dropped another shot on the last as Hansen saved par from a greenside bunker to seal his victory.

“It was a fun battle out there with Wilco,” Hansen said. “I kept the head calm out there and we stuck to the plan in terms of where we wanted to hit our drives and approaches. I kept pushing. It started slowly but suddenly the birdies came on the back nine.”

Shaun Norris of South Africa was third on 16 under after finishing with a 66.

The Joburg Open returned to the European Tour schedule this year for the first time since 2017. It’s the first of three straight tournaments in South Africa before the season-ending World Tour Championship in Dubai from Dec. 10-13.

JOHANNESBURG — South Africans Wilco Nienaber and Shaun Norris both shot an 8-under 63 Thursday to share the first-round lead at the Joburg Open, which made its return to the European Tour schedule for the first time since 2017.

Aaron Cockerill of Stony Mountain, Man., who played his first round bogey-free and made two birdies on his last three. Cockerill ended the day one back of the lead at 7-under 64.

American Johannes Veerman joined Cockerill in a tie for 3rd — both players completed late-afternoon runs at Randpark Golf Club in Johannesburg.

Rhys Enoch, Adilson da Silva, Richard McEvoy, Benjamin Follett-Smith and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano all carded 65s and were another shot back.

On a morning of low scores, Nienaber and Norris both made eagles at the par-5 No. 12. Nienaber also had nine birdies but was held back by three bogeys. Norris made six birdies to go with his eagle and didn’t drop a shot all round.

The 20-year-old Nienaber turned pro last year and his best finish in a tour event is fourth. His power was on show at Randpark as he unleashed a 439-yard drive off the tee on the par-5 No. 4. He nearly picked up a second eagle there as his putt hit the cup but didn’t drop.

Norris is also seeking a first European Tour title, although he’s won twice on the Asian Tour. He put together a strong finish by making five birdies on his last seven holes.

The Joburg Open is the first of three straight European Tour tournaments in South Africa before the season-ending World Tour Championship in Dubai on Dec. 10-13.

PAPHOS, Cyprus — Callum Shinkwin beat Kalle Samooja in a playoff to win his first European Tour title after a dramatic final day at the Cyprus Open on Sunday.

Shinkwin birdied the first extra hole to secure victory after the pair had finished tied on 20 under par.

“Winning on the European Tour is something I’ve always wanted to do and now I have,” said the 27-year-old Englishman, who lost his Tour card at the end of 2018. “It’s been a bit of a shock, but it feels great.”

Shinkwin, who lost a playoff for the Scottish Open in 2017, had earlier produced a spectacular finish to set the clubhouse target following a closing 63.

Shinkwin was two shots behind with two holes to play but birdied the 17th and then holed from 50 feet for an eagle on the 18th to complete a back nine of 29.

“I could see the scoreboard and Kalle was on 19 (under) and I was on 18,” Shinkwin said. “There was no chance really to hole that putt normally, it was one in a million you’re going to hole it from that distance and my aim was to try and two putt.”

Samooja needed to match Shinkwin’s eagle to win in regulation and saw his long-range attempt run five feet past the hole. He held his nerve to hole the birdie putt to finish with a 64 and force extra holes.

The 32-year-old Finn then left himself with an almost identical birdie putt to extend the playoff, but pushed it agonizingly wide of the hole.

Overnight leader Jamie Donaldson, who needed on-course treatment for a back problem, carded a closing 67 to finish in a tie for third on 18 under with Robert MacIntyre (65) and Garrick Higgo (65).

Canadian Aaron Cockerill finished the tournament in a tie for 14th. The player from Teulon, Man., scored a 66 in the final round and climbed 13 spots from his Saturday position.

Aaron Cockerill is really getting to know his caddie Stuart Beck this season on the European Tour. It’s the deep kind of familiarity that can only come from a long road trip.

Cockerill, from Stony Mountain, Man., is the lone Canadian on the European Tour and will be start play in the U.K. Championship just outside of Birmingham, England, on Thursday. It’s the sixth consecutive event he’s played in Britain, essentially giving him a six-week trip around England and Wales, driving from tournament to tournament with Beck.

“Lots of time together. He’s probably getting sick of me,” said Cockerill with a laugh. “They’ve created a pod system within (the Euro Tour’s) bubble so you can only eat dinner with your caddie and one other player and their caddie, so you can only hang out with a couple of people all week.”

Cockerill noted that even within his small dining pod – he and Beck have been eating with American Johannes Veerman recently – the tables are “hilariously” far apart.

The life on the road is a product of the Euro Tour’s approach to COVID-19 safety protocols. Instead of playing in a different country each week, the tour has created multi-week swings through one country at a time. There are several benefits to the new system, including the tour booking all the accommodations for the golfers to ensure they remain within their bubble. It also means the golfers have fewer travel documents to sort out.

“Last year you’d finish a tournament and then fly what seemed like halfway around the world and a few time zones over,” said Cockerill. “Honestly, it’s been great because it’s just been so much easier. … It’s really simple. You just show up and play golf.”

Cockerill tied for 53rd at the British Masters on July 25, missed the cut at the English Open on Aug. 2, tied for 26th at the English Championship on Aug. 9, and tied for 14th at the Celtic Classic on Aug. 16.

A tie for 53rd at the Wales Open on Sunday moved him up four spots in the Race to Dubai rankings, placing him in 152nd heading into play on Thursday. The top 110 cards keep their cards next season.

“It’s been fun but it’s also been five weeks in a row and I’m starting to get tired,” said Cockerill, who plans to skip the European Tour’s swing through the Iberian peninsula. “I’m looking forward to getting home.”

After a few weeks back home – Cockerill and his fiancee just purchased a new home in Winnipeg – he plans on returning to Great Britain for the Euro Tour’s second circuit, this time with stops in Northern Ireland, Scotland and England.

The PGA of America, Ryder Cup Europe and the PGA TOUR jointly announced today that both the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup have been rescheduled and will now be played one year later than originally planned.

The 43rd Ryder Cup, scheduled for September 22-27, at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin, has been rescheduled for September 21-26, 2021.

Likewise, the Presidents Cup, initially slated for September 30-October 3, 2021, at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, will now be played September 19-25, 2022.

The decision to reschedule the Ryder Cup was based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and in conjunction with the state of Wisconsin and Sheboygan County, with the health and well-being of all involved as the top priority.

“Unlike other major sporting events that are played in existing stadiums, we had to make a decision now about building facilities to host the 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits,” said PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh. “It became clear that as of today, our medical experts and the public authorities in Wisconsin could not give us certainty that conducting an event responsibly with thousands of spectators in September would be possible. Given that uncertainty, we knew rescheduling was the right call. We are grateful to PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan and our partners at the TOUR for their flexibility and generosity in the complex task of shifting the global golf calendar.

“As disappointing as this is, our mandate to do all we can to safeguard public health is what matters most. The spectators who support both the U.S. and European sides are what make the Ryder Cup such a unique and compelling event and playing without them was not a realistic option. We stand united with our partners from Ryder Cup Europe, the NBC Sports Group, Sky and our other broadcast partners around the world. We look forward to delivering the Ryder Cup’s renowned pageantry, emotion and competitive drama to a global audience in 2021.”

Guy Kinnings, Europe’s Ryder Cup Director, said: “The Ryder Cup is rightly celebrated as one of the world’s greatest sporting occasions, made special and totally unique in our sport by the fervent atmosphere created by the passionate spectators of both sides.

“While that point is significant, it is not as important as the health of the spectators which, in these difficult times, is always the main consideration. We considered all options including playing with a limited attendance but all our stakeholders agreed this would dilute the magic of this great occasion.

“We therefore stand beside our partners at the PGA of America in the decision to postpone the Ryder Cup for a year and join with them in extending our thanks to the PGA TOUR for their willingness to move the dates of the Presidents Cup.

“We also thank NBC, Sky and our many broadcast partners around the globe, in addition to the worldwide partners of this great event, whose support and commitment are second to none.”

With the decision to play the 2020 Ryder Cup in September 2021, all subsequent Ryder Cups after Whistling Straits will also shift to odd years: 2023/Marco Simone Golf and Country Club (Rome, Italy); 2025/Bethpage Black (Farmingdale, New York); 2027/Adare Manor (County Limerick, Ireland); 2029/Hazeltine National Golf Club (Chaska, Minnesota); 2031/Europe (to be determined); 2033/The Olympic Club (San Francisco); 2035/Europe (to be determined); 2037/Congressional Country Club (Bethesda, Maryland).

With the momentum of the successful 2019 Presidents Cup played in Melbourne, Australia, the 14th playing of the Presidents Cup will now be hosted for the first time in the Southeast United States at Quail Hollow Club in 2022.

“These two premier international team events are lifted by the spirit of the fans,” said Monahan. “With the uncertainty of the current climate, we fully support the Ryder Cup’s decision to delay a year in order to ensure fans could be a part of the incredible atmosphere in Wisconsin, and the delay of this year’s Presidents Cup was the right decision in order to allow for that option. We are thankful that our global partners, our friends at Quail Hollow Club, our long-time annual title sponsor in Charlotte and all associated with the Presidents Cup and the Junior Presidents Cup have approached this change with a unified, positive spirit. We are confident the move will give us even more runway as we bring the Presidents Cup to Charlotte in 2022.”

Additionally, as a result of the Presidents Cup date change, the Wells Fargo Championship will be played at its traditional venue at Quail Hollow Club in 2021, at TPC Potomac in 2022 during the Presidents Cup year and will return to Quail Hollow in 2023. Presidents Cup 2022 qualifying will be determined at a later date.

The Ryder Cup, which began in 1927, brings together the finest tour professionals from the United States and Europe.

“While it is disappointing that the Ryder Cup won’t be played this year, the decision to reschedule is the right thing to do under the circumstances,” said U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Steve Stricker. “At the end of the day, we want to stage a Ryder Cup that will rival all other Ryder Cups in my home state of Wisconsin, and now we have the opportunity to showcase the event as it was meant to be seen.”

Pádraig Harrington, Captain of the European Ryder Cup Team, said: “Rescheduling the Ryder Cup was never going to be an easy decision given the many factors to take into consideration. But I believe it is the right assessment given the unprecedented circumstances we are facing at this time.

“When you think of the Ryder Cup you think of the distinctive atmosphere generated by the spectators, such as around the first tee at Le Golf National two years ago. If that cannot be responsibly recreated at Whistling Straits in September, then it is correct that we all wait until it can be.

“I know, right now, that September 2021 feels like a long time away. But it will come around quickly and I guarantee that the European players and I will be ready when it does.”

For Ryder Cup qualifying, both the United States and European teams will revisit their respective selection processes in the near future.

In a corresponding decision, the PGA of America and Ryder Cup Europe also announced that the Junior Ryder Cup will be rescheduled for September 20-21, 2021 at Blue Mound Golf & Country Club in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. It was originally scheduled for September 21-22, 2020.

MEXICO CITY – Rory McIlroy switched back to his old putter for the Mexico Championship and it made a world of difference. It helps that he’s still hitting the ball like the No. 1 player in the world.

McIlroy ripped a 4-iron from 275 yards into the thin air at Chapultepec to 15 feet for eagle on his second hole Thursday, made five more birdies and opened the Mexico Championship with a 6-under 65 for a two-shot lead.

This is the only World Golf Championship that McIlroy hasn’t won as he tries to join Dustin Johnson as the only players to win all four of them.

Justin Thomas and Bubba Watson were at 67 while Canadian Corey Conners shot a 68.

Abraham Ancer of Mexico got some of the biggest cheers, especially when he ran off three straight birdies to overcome a rough start. He opened with a 70.

The course, at about 7,800 feet above sea level, is ideal for McIlroy the way he launched the ball.

All class, champ ???? pic.twitter.com/ul0yWdfLTE

— RBC Canadian Open (@RBCCanadianOpen) February 21, 2020

But this was about his putting. He took only 26 putts and ranked No. 4 in the key putting statistic for the round.

He attributes that to his regular 34-inch putter. A week ago at Riviera, he tried a 35-inch putter to help get his shoulder and elbow in a better position. But he said it hurt with lining up the putts, and it cost him. McIlroy was tied for the 54-hole lead and shot 73 in the final round – including a triple bogey on the fifth hole – and tied for fifth

“It didn’t quite work out the way I want it to, so I went back to the 34-inch,” he said. “I just felt a little bit more comfortable today and was seeing my lines a little bit better. And yeah, it was a good day.”

As for swing? Efficient as ever.

The best example of his advantage was the par-5 15th hole early in his round. U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland, who hits low-trajectory bullets, caught it a little high on the face of the club and it came out low with little spin. McIlroy launched a rocket and was 55 yards past him.

McIlroy, the reigning hit 9-iron from 192 yards that set up a two-putt birdie. It was like that all day.

“I think with the fairways being so soft, as well, on a coule of the par 5s I teed it up high and sort of launched it,” he said. “And then even the drive on the eighth hole, getting it up and over the trees, I hit a 9-iron in there, where Gary and Tommy (Fleetwood) were hitting 6’s in. So that’s a pretty big difference.”

Woodland was even with him until a few mistakes on the front nine sent him to a 70. He’s not about to change his game for one week in high altitude.

“Rory likes to hit it up in the air,” Woodland said. “This golf course … I’m surprised he hasn’t won here because it suits up perfectly for him.”

McIlroy played nicely last year, finishing at 16-under 268, and lost by five shots to Dustin Johnson, another guy whom the course suits well – just not this year.

Johnson, who has gone a year without winning, opened with a 76, his highest opening round since the British Open at Carnoustie in 2018. His only birdie was on No. 1 after making the turn. He hit 3-wood on 303-yard hole to 8 feet and missed the eagle putt.

Chapultepec has plenty of scoring holes, but it’s easy to get out of position and the poa greens are every bit as difficult to putt as Riviera last week.

Not making it any easier was a wind with gusts up to 15 mph, unusual in the four years this World Golf Championship has come to Mexico City.

“You can go so low, but man, if you’re not playing well, you can shoot over par in a heart beat,” Thomas said. “It’s pretty tough to manage your score.”

Louis Oosthuizen, Billy Horschel, Bryson DeChambeau and Corey Conners were at 67. Conners was in position to keep pace with McIlroy until missing a 10-foot birdie on the 15th hole, and then missing the 18-inch par putt.

Watson arrived in Mexico in a good frame of mind after missing the cut in Los Angeles, where he said he hit the ball great but could make a putt. He stuck around for the weekend, called Justin Bieber and had a foursome of fun at Lakeside.

“Freed it up and just had some fun and realized I was in a good frame of mind,” he said. “Who cares about missing a cut, really? We’ve got other things to worry about.”

His only worry Thursday was wind and elevation, a tough combination.

Jon Rahm, who has a mathematical chance to reach No. 1 with a victory, didn’t make a birdie until the 15th hole and still salvaged a 72. Adam Scott, who won last week at Riviera, opened with a 74, along with Jordan Spieth.

Only 18 players from the 72-man field broke par.

Aaron Cockerill only needed to glance at his phone to find proof that he’d qualified for the European Tour.

Cockerill finished seventh overall at the Q-school event in Tarragona, Spain, on Wednesday, finishing 16-under overall at the six round event to earn a partial exemption on the Euro Tour this season. His cell has been ringing constantly since.

“Oh god. My phone hasn’t stopped buzzing for a couple of days,” said Cockerill during a layover on his way home to Stony Mountain, Man., 35 minutes north of Winnipeg. “It was cool to see a lot of people that I’ve run across in the past reach out, message me and all the kind words that everyone’s had to say.

“I just had a seven-hour flight and I’m pretty cheap so I don’t normally buy the Wi-Fi but I bought the Wi-Fi and I was basically going through my phone for seven hours responding to people and going through social media.”

The 27-year-old Cockerill struggled in the first round, firing a 2-over 73 but recovered with a 66-69-67-68-69 line at Lumine Golf Club to finish nine strokes behind winner Benjamin Poke of Denmark in front of a crowd that included his parents.

“My parents had never been over to Europe before and they decided to come over, so that was pretty special to have them there,” said Cockerill. “It’s a hard game, so it was pretty emotional. When I was done it was exciting and a relief.”

Cockerill has spent portions of his professional career on Canada’s Mackenzie Tour and the Challenger Tour. He’s also played in events in China and Australia. He’s excited for the new challenge the European Tour represents.

“The world ranking points, the purses, the schedule, it’s a massive difference. It’s probably the second biggest tour in the world behind the PGA Tour, right?” said Cockerill. “I’m super excited to play. Other than the PGA Tour it’s probably the best tour you can play.”

Cockerill doesn’t yet know what tournaments he’ll play on for the entire season since he has a limited exemption as a Q-school qualifier.

However, he does know that he’ll be playing in the Alfred Dunhill Championship in Malelane, South Africa next Thursday, then compete in the AFRASIA BANK Mauritius Open on Dec. 5 before heading Down Under for the Australian PGA Championship in Gold Coast on Dec. 19 before returning to Manitoba for Christmas.

Just days into the new chapter of his career, Cockerill’s still processing what it means to be on the European Tour.

“I’ve thought about it a little bit, but I’m also trying to figure out so many things right now in terms of schedule and flights for the next one that I haven’t had too much time to think about it,” said Cockerill. “It’s exciting to be playing in these bigger events. Some of the guys I know who got through last year turned it into a lot more, like full cards for the next year and better schedules. It’s just really exciting.”

TARRAGONA, Spain – Canadian golfer Aaron Cockerill has earned a European Tour playing card for the 2019-20 season.

The native of Stony Mountain, Man., finished Wednesday’s sixth and final round tied for fifth at the tour’s final qualifying tournament, putting him well inside the top-25 cutoff for a full card.

Cockerill, 27, was 16 under for the tournament, nine strokes behind winner Benjamin Poke of Denmark.

Cockerill played on the Challenge Tour, the top feeder to the European Tour, this year. He finished 49th in the standings.

Cockerill made the trek overseas after spending the past three years on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada following a four-year NCAA run at the University of Idaho.

The European Tour often is called the second best tour in the world, behind the PGA Tour.

The 2019-20 season begins Nov. 28-Dec. 1 with the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa.

Presidents Cup International Team Captain Ernie Els announced Korea’s K.J. Choi, South Africa’s Trevor Immelman and Canada’s Mike Weir as his final three captain’s assistants for the 2019 Presidents Cup, which will return to The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia for a third time Dec. 9-15, 2019. Els previously named Australia’s Geoff Ogilvy as captain’s assistant in late November.

Weir will return for his second stint as a captain’s assistant after serving for Nick Price at the 2017 Presidents Cup. He has competed in five Presidents Cups (2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009) and was a teammate of Els four times. The eight-time PGA TOUR winner is 13-9-2 all-time at the Presidents Cup and one of five International Team members with 10 or more match wins in the competition. In 2007, the Presidents Cup was staged in Canada for the first time, and Weir put on a show for his Canadians fans with a 3-1-1 record that was capped by a thrilling 1-up victory over Tiger Woods in Singles.

“The Presidents Cup has been a big part of my career. I grew up playing a lot of team sports and when I made my first Presidents Cup team in 2000 it was really one of the highlights,” Weir said. “So it’s been special to still be part of the team as an assistant to Nick and now Ernie. We have a long history. We’re basically the same age, we’ve played a lot of golf together so it’s going to be really fun to try to get the Internationals over the line this time.”

Of his eight PGA TOUR victories, Weir’s most triumphant moment came with his breakthrough playoff win at the 2003 Masters – one of three titles he collected that season.

“I’ve played on the same International Team with Mike on four occasions and he’s one of the most passionate guys I know when it comes to the Presidents Cup,” Els said. “I also worked alongside Mike as a captain’s assistant in 2017 and he brought a considerable amount of experience and input into our team room and provided a positive influence on our players. His presence will be invaluable as we seek to regain the Presidents Cup.”

.@MikeWeir is back as one of 4 @PresidentsCup Assistant Captains for the #IntlTeam, working with @TheBig_Easy pic.twitter.com/eTfYC6zvad

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) March 19, 2019

Choi will return as an assistant for the second time after serving as vice captain to Nick Price when the Presidents Cup made its debut in Korea in 2015. A three-time Presidents Cup competitor (2003, 2007, 2011), Choi owns a 6-8 overall record and posted a 3-2 mark in 2011 at Royal Melbourne, where he partnered with fellow captain’s assistant Ogilvy to win two Four-ball matches.

“I’m personally very happy and honored,” Choi said. “You need amazing teamwork to win the Presidents Cup. It’s our role as captain’s assistants to bring together players of different nationalities and have them blend well together. It’s our role to have them open up to us and help relieve some of the pressure they might feel.”

Choi’s more than 20 professional victories worldwide included eight career PGA TOUR titles, which were highlighted by his dramatic playoff win at THE PLAYERS Championship in 2011. Considered Asia’s most successful golfer to date, Choi spent 40 weeks inside the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking.

“As the most successful Asian golfer on the PGA TOUR, K.J. certainly commands a lot of respect amongst our players and I believe he will fire up our guys at Royal Melbourne,” Els said. “K.J. has a calm demeanor, which will be a valuable asset in our team room and out on the golf course during the heat of battle. I’ll be counting on K.J. to impart his vast experience of being a three-time International Team member as well as a captain’s assistant when we map out our strategies during the competition.”

Els also tabbed fellow South African Immelman, who will make his debut as a captain’s assistant with two Presidents Cup berths on his resume (2005, 2007); he and Els shared one Presidents Cup appearance together in 2007. In 2017, Immelman served as the first-ever International Team Captain for the Junior Presidents Cup, which debuted at Plainfield Country Club just days prior to the Presidents Cup at Liberty National.

After competing for years in the ⁦@PresidentsCup⁩ excited to be back to help captain ⁦@TheBig_Easy⁩ bring the cup back to the internationals! ?? pic.twitter.com/r89nZyTYeB

— Weirsy (@MikeWeir) March 19, 2019

“I’m very excited. I can’t wait really. I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunities to play in ’05 and ’07, and it was a very enjoyable time in my career,” Immelman said. “For me, I probably know [Ernie] better than any of the other people on TOUR and so hopefully that’s what I can bring to the team is the fact that I really understand the captain. I know his history, I know his record, I obviously hold him in great esteem and so maybe I can be a good conduit from players to the team captain.”

Immelman is a two-time PGA TOUR winner whose career is highlighted by his victory at the 2008 Masters, where he edged Tiger Woods by three strokes. He also teamed with Rory Sabbatini in 2003 to win South Africa’s most recent World Cup of Golf title.

“I have known Trevor for a very long time and trust him fully to know that he will be an integral element in our team,” Els said. “As a fellow competitor, Trevor is as steely as they come and I am sure this attribute will rub off positively onto our players. When I played in the same team as Trevor in 2007, he was one of our most determined players and I know he will contribute to our cause in Australia.”

BARWON HEADS, Australia – Canada’s Alena Sharp of Hamilton, Ont., and A.C. Tanguay of Quebec City are tied for 15th after 54 holes of the LPGA Tour’s ISPS Handa Vic Open.

Fellow countrywomen Brittany Marchand (Orangeville, Ont.) and Jaclyn Lee (Calgary) fell short of the third-round cut line.

In an afternoon of sheer survival, Kim Kaufman survived an up-and-down day to card a third-round 75 and take a two-stroke lead into the final round of the 2019 ISPS Handa Vic Open. Highlighted by a slam-dunk birdie from a greenside bunker at No. 7, the American carded three birdies, four bogeys and one double-bogey through a day that saw a combination of bright sunshine, sideways rain and whipping winds that reached gusts of 30 mph.

“I went to school in west Texas, which is pretty windy, but this was up there,” said Kaufman of the day’s weather conditions. “It really felt like a British Open day, but we all just fight and good things that happen and bad things that happen would happen to everyone.”

France’s Celine Boutier took advantage of playing in the afternoon wave’s first group, before the worst of the winds picked up. The former Duke University player shot a 3-under 69, tied for the day’s low round, and jumped from 12th to a tie for second. She is joined by second by leading Australian Su Oh, who shot a 2-over 74. Japan’s Haru Nomura, who started in the day two strokes behind Kaufman in second, struggled to a 4-over 76 and fell into solo fourth.

In a format unique to world professional golf, the ISPS Handa Vic Open is a leader in sports equality. Staged at 13th Beach Golf Links on Australia’s Bellarine Peninsula, men and women play on the same courses, at the same time, for equal prize money. The ISPS Handa Vic Open is jointly sanctioned by the LPGA Tour, the ALPG, the European Tour and the ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia.

On the men’s side, Canadian Austin Connelly holds a share of 49th place at 4 under par.