John Senden produced two magnificent iron shots on the par 3 206m 17th and the par 4 18th to secure the Australian Open Championship at The Royal Sydney Golf Club today. You will not see two better long iron shots to win a championship. The golf payed on the final day was nothing short of spectacular with the leader board at one stage showing six equal leaders at 6 under before Senden broke away at 17 &18. US Open Champion Geoff Ogilvy was second and had a costly three putt late in his round.
This win follows his first PGA Tour victory, the 2006 John Deere Classic. That win helped finish 45th on the 2006 PGA Tour Money List.
Senden is currently 103rd in the World Rankings, and the Australian Open featured some reasonably high profile names in its field. So he should move up a bit in the standings.
With the exception of the Australians the Australian open went unnoticed, probably because of the low purse (AUS$270k for the winner I think)
The Australian open is one of the oldest in the world and once was regarded as the 5th major. The list of winners include guys like Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Greg Norman etc
The Royal Sidney looked fantastic. What a shame.
The Australian Open is another of the once prestigious,"must play," tournaments that have fallen by the wayside due to the increased number of world class tournament options available to today's top professionals.
Is it a question of world class tournaments being available or the purses and the sponsors wishes that count?
With the exception of the Australians the Australian open went unnoticed, probably because of the low purse (AUS$270k for the winner I think)
The Australian open is one of the oldest in the world and once was regarded as the 5th major. The list of winners include guys like Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Greg Norman etc
The Royal Sidney looked fantastic. What a shame.
To true Putton. This event lost it's real appeal once the authorities started moving it around to obscure venues. If they had simply left it at Royal Melbourne and Royal Sydney on an alternative basis, I have no doubt it would right up there with the best. There's an old saying - "Don't try and fix something that isn't broken"
To true Putton. This event lost it's real appeal once the authorities started moving it around to obscure venues. If they had simply left it at Royal Melbourne and Royal Sydney on an alternative basis, I have no doubt it would right up there with the best. There's an old saying - "Don't try and fix something that isn't broken"
I don't think the venue had anything to do with it. It's the money that is on offer that counts. AUD270k is not enough to lure the worlds best.
The Open championship was heading the same direction until Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus kept coming back and revitalised the whole tournament, but in the 40s and 50s a lot of the Americans didn't bother. Their expenses would have been more than the winners cheque. Walter Hagen (I Think) when asked if you would be coming back to defend his title, he said "No sir, the £500 winners cheque is tipping money.
It was the best golf ive seen all year,i was glued to it.Great to see the shark again,regardless of the quality of golf.The ozzie open will be reborn,people just have to support it enough to want it to be back up there with the majors.Pretty simple really imo.They can start by convincing the media that it IS STILL a great tournament ! All i heard in the build up was negativity...sad.
It was the best golf ive seen all year,i was glued to it.Great to see the shark again,regardless of the quality of golf.The ozzie open will be reborn,people just have to support it enough to want it to be back up there with the majors.Pretty simple really imo.They can start by convincing the media that it IS STILL a great tournament ! All i heard in the build up was negativity...sad.
I don't think there is any doubt about being a great tournament but can an Aussie sponsor be persuated to delve deep in their pockets to make it attractive for the international stars?
However I must point out that despite the success that Australians are having on the pga and european tours, and the fact that all of the top Australians were there, the galleries were relative small. The biggest galleries were following the shark.
November 19th, 2006, 06:31 AM
Senden Birdie Birdie Finish
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