Australian Open golf 2023: Mixed emotions for Minjee Lee, Joaquin Niemann wins on second playoff hole
South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai has held her nerve to win the women’s Australian Open in Sydney, denying Minjee Lee’s brave late charge. While the men’s Open went to a sudden-death playoff between Chile and Japan.
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The huge galleries in Sydney for the final round of the Australian Open have witnessed a slice of history with South African Asheligh Buhai backing up her win in Melbourne last year with her second Australian Open at The Australian. But had to work for her it holding out an Australian major winner, Minjee Lee, to do it, who was unsure how to feel after coming so close. Meanwhile, Joaquin Niemann was forced to wait to see whether 14 under would be enough and as it turned out, not quite, as the men’s Open went to extra holes.
BUHAI GOES BACK-TO-BACK, LEE HAS MIXED EMOTIONS
– Julian Linden
Too polite to ever curse her rotten luck or look for excuses, Minjee Lee took her agonising near-miss at the Australian Open the same way she does whenever she wins – with a big smile on her dial and a celebratory wave to the heavens.
Beaten by a solitary stroke after one of the bravest comebacks seen at the national championship, on any other day Lee might have won her first Australian Open women’s title. But golf is such a fickle game and while Lee got hot, she still came up just short, finishing one stroke behind South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai.
Leading South Korea’s former Australian Open champion Jiyai Shin by three and Lee by seven shots at the start of the day, Buhai got the wobbles late, seeing her advantage slashed to one stroke with one hole to play after she found the water on the penultimate hole. But the defending champion safely made par at the last for a round of 75 to finish at nine-under and retain her title as Lee had to settle for second place at eight-under after closing with a three-under 69.
“I’m happy but I’m a little unhappy at the same time,” Lee said. “My second day, I kind of let myself down a little bit, but other than that, I had a pretty good tournament.
“I just try to do my best. I try to stay in the present most of the time.
“I was seven shots behind starting the day, so I just tried to do the very best that I could and stay in the moment really and try and focus on every single shot as it was thrown at me. I feel like I still had a solid tournament.”
Lee closed the gap to three shots after she made three birdies in a row around the turn but her charge was halted on the 11th when her approach to the green shot got plugged in a bunker, forcing her to hack it out from her knees. Then she made a double bogey on the 13th when her putter momentarily deserted her.
But Lee, already a double major winner, said she had no regrets after recording her best finish at the tournament and was already looking ahead to 2024.
“I want to reflect, I want to reset my goals. I’ve had a successful year, but I feel like the beginning was not as good as I wanted,” she said.
“There are a few things I want to reflect back on and I’m really proud of how I came back. I felt like I really deserved the wins I had at the end of the LPGA season.
“So I feel like this year has been really well deserved, I just want to reward myself with a bit of R & R.”
Lee’s career was on the ropes a year ago when she suddenly developed the putting yips – every golfer’s worst nightmare.
But she went to basics and finally found a way through the darkness to reignite her game and status as a crowd favourite – winning as many admirers in defeat as she ever has in victory. “It was hard, I’m not going to say it was the easiest thing, but you need the time to actually get over things if something happens,” she said.
“It was hard but I’m not going to say it was the death of me. I was always going to try and fight back to where I knew I can be. I don’t know what my potential is yet, so I’m going to try and keep plotting that. “There was absolutely no magic formula. It took a long time, to me it felt like it, and I think it did. There are times when you still go back to that kind of mindset, it’s hard, golf is very mental.”
THOSE GOLFING GODS
– Julian Linden
The golfing gods have always had a wicked sense of humour.
How else can you explain the crazy finish to this year’s Australian Open championship. Sure, there was plenty of heartbreak for all the local players who were left shaking their heads in disbelief at how they had let the chance of winning the Stonehaven Cup slip through their fingers.
But then there was that epic finish between two visitors from faraway lands that made everything forget their patriotic allegiances.
It’s possible that plenty of people in the massive galleries that lined the fairways and greens knew who they were when they arrived at The Australian course on Sunday morning. But no-one who was there will ever forget them after one of the wildest and wackiest finishes to an Australian Open ever. In the end, it was Chile’s Joaquin Niemann whose name was engraved on Australian golf’s most important trophy after he won a thrilling two hole playoff against Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino.
The two joint leaders finished tied at 14-under after contrasting finishes to their regular rounds.
Niemann shot a final round of 66 after he birdied the last, despite making an impromptu visit into the hospitality suites to the surprise and applause of the VIP guests to figure out the best shot to the green after he missed the fairway with his driver.
Hoshino, playing in the last group, birdied the 17th hole but missed a long putt on the 18th so had to go play it twice more.
The runner-up was as brave as they come, after missing a long birdie putt in regulation that would have won him the title without a playoff.
Second to Min Woo Lee at last week’s Australian PGA in Queensland, Hoshino birdied each of the two playoff holes despite being under suffocating pressure. The chocolates remained up for grabs when Niemann missed a four-foot eagle putt first time around, but then drained a seven-footer at the second extra hole.
“Made myself a little more stressful, “:said Niemann, who only came to Australia to try and get some ranking points to play in next year’s majors. Once ranked 15th in the world, he has tumbled down the rankings because he now plays on the rebel LIV circuit. But his mission is accomplished.
“This last two playoff holes – what it shows is how I have been playing the last two weeks in Australia,” he said. “My putting hasn’t been the best but I’m working hard on it and it is nice to make the last putt.”
Speaking through a translator, Hoshino was humble in defeat. But by finishing second he has qualified for next year’s British open at Troon, along with Niemann and Adam Scott, who finished tied for fourth. “It’s my first playoff on the DP World Tour today and it’s just a great experience,” Hoshino said.
“It was a tough day out there, windy, rainy. I really wanted to get the birdie on 18 in the regulation, but I couldn’; t do it. But congratulations to Niemann.”
The best placed Australian was Lee, who closed with a 72 to finish third on 12-under. Lee and Hoshino started the final round as co-leaders at 13-under but it was a day when nothing went according to the script. In all, six different players had a share of the lead at some stage – Niemann, Hoshino, Lee, Scott, Lucas Herbert and England’s Alex Fitzpatrick.
Everyone had a hard luck story to tell, but especially Lee, ’who has become a new crowd favourite but just couldn’t get any putts to drop when he needed them. “The putts didn’t go my way and I didn’t hit it good enough but I thought I scrambled really well,” he said. “I think the positives out of that, I made up and down from literally everywhere. It’s not good enough to win a tournament, but it’s been a really good year. I’m pretty proud of the way I’ve finished and celebrations begin.”
“A few of my putts that I’ve missed were all kind of low and I thought they weren’t as much break, but they were on little hills. I underestimated and that’s something I can learn from.
“It’s amazing. I can’t thank everyone enough. It was a beautiful scene coming down 18 and all week I had so many people come out and watch. I’m really proud that I’m Australian. It was unbelievable.”
The men’s and women’s Australian Opens as it happened.
6:46PM NIEMANN CREATES HISTORY
Chile’s Joaquin Niemann has won the Australian Open men’s golf championship in a thrilling playoff after making an eagle on the second extra hole. Niemann beat Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino when he made an eagle-three on the par-five 18th hole and his opponent made a birdie after they had both made birdies at the first extra hole.
The pair had finished the tournament tied for the lead at 14-under. Niemann shot a final round of 66 to set the pace then waited for almost an hour and a half before finding out his fate. Hoshino, playing in the last group, missed a long putt on the last regular hole that would have won him the Stonehaven Cup.
Niemann then missed a four-foot eagle putt on the first playoff hole but regained his composure and drained a seven-footer at the second attempt to clinch the title.
He becomes the first South American to raise the Stonehaven Cup.
6:09PM AUS OPEN INTO EXTRA TIME
The Australian Open golf championship will be decided by a playoff after Chile’s Joaquin Niemann and Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino both finished tied for the lead at 14-under.
Niemann shot a final round of 66 to set the pace then waited almost an hour before finding out his fate.
Hoshino, playing in the last group, drew level at 14-under when he birdied the 17th hole but missed a long putt on the 18th that would have won him the Stonehaven Cup.
He signed for a one-under 70 to get into the playoff.
The best placed Australian was Min Woo Lee, who closed with a 72 to finish third on 12-under.
A playoff will decide the Men’s @ISPSHanda#AusOpenGolf between Rikuya Hoshino and @joaconiemann 🆠pic.twitter.com/ekr9MYjI1R
— Australian Open (@AusOpenGolf) December 3, 2023
5:31PM LEE’S LATE CHARGE FALLS SHORT
South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai has held her nerve to win the women’s Australian Open in Sydney, denying Minjee Lee’s brave late charge.
Leading by seven shots at the start of the start Buhai suddenly got the wobbles late, seeing her advantage slashed to one stroke with one hole to play.
But the defending champion safely made par at the last for a round of 75 to finish at nine-under.
Lee had to settle for second place at eight-under after closing with a three-under 69.
Back-to-back ðŸ‘@ash_simon is your 2023 @ISPSHanda#AusOpenGolf Champion 🆠pic.twitter.com/wAxtHB3oxl
— Australian Open (@AusOpenGolf) December 3, 2023
5:11PM LEE WITHIN ONE SHOT
Minjee Lee has closed to within one shot of the lead at the Australian Open after her biggest rival made a catastrophic error on the penultimate hole.
After starting the final round seven shots behind the defending champion, South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai, Lee cut the gap to one stroke with two holes to play.
But Lee halved the deficit when she parred the 17th hole and Buhai hit her approach into the water and made a bogey.
PSA: @minjeegolf is two back with two to play!@minjeegolf | #AusOpenGolf
— Australian Open (@AusOpenGolf) December 3, 2023
pic.twitter.com/RxLV1utbOv
4:54PM DOWN TO THE WIRE
Things are really hotting up at the Australian Open, with both the men’s and women’s events going right down to the wire.
Chile’s Joaquin Niemann is currently the clubhouse leader in the men’s tournament after shooting a final round 66 to finish at 14-under.
But Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino is at 13-under with four holes still to play, including the par-five 18th, which is a big birdie opportunity hole.
Min Woo Lee hasn’t had his best day but is not out of it yet, sitting at 12-under with four holes to play.
Lee’s older sister Minjee is also making a late charge in the women’s event.
After starting the final round seven shots behind the defending champion, South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai, Lee has closed the gap to two strokes with two holes to play.
4:11PM LEE’S HOPES FADING FAST
Minjee Lee’s hopes of a last-day recovery to win the Australian Open are fading fast.
Starting the final round seven shots behind the defending champion, South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai Lee closed the margin to three shots after reeling off three birdies in a row around the turn.
But Buhai kept her composure, making par on each of her first 12 holes before finally dropping a shot at the tricky 13th.
However Lee took a double bogey on the same, so dropped four strokes behind with five to play.
3:30PM LEE CLOSING IN ON LEADERS
Minjee Lee is keeping the leaders honest at the women’s Australian Open as she puts together a quality final round at The Australian Golf Club,
Lee started the final round seven shots behind leader Ashleigh Buhar but closed within three shots with eight holes remaining on the final day.
Lee made six birdies through her opening 10 holes as she moved into outright second at nine under. Buhar is 12 under.
MINJEE watch 👀@minjeegolf | #AusOpenGolfpic.twitter.com/C5Ogrwsvac
— Australian Open (@AusOpenGolf) December 3, 2023
3:22PM DISASTER STRIKES AS SCOTT SURRENDERS LEAD
Disaster has struck Adam Scott and Lucas Herbert at the Australian Open, sending the pair tumbling down the leaderboard.
Scott had only just hit the front when he pulled his drive at the par four 7th out of bounds, forcing him back to the tee to hit a second ball.
He found the rough with his second ball, came up short of the green and ended up walking away from the 7th with a triple bogey as he dropped to 11 under, leaving Chilean Joaquin Niemann in the outright lead at 13 under.
As Scott was hacking his way around the 7th, Herbert was suffering disaster on the 9th as he missed a short putt and dropped three shots, slumping to 10 under.
3:03PM SCOTT ON FIRE
Adam Scott sunk a monster putt for his eighth birdie on the final day as he moved into the outright lead with three holes to play in his final round at the Australian Open.
Scott screamed “come on” and “let’s go” as he drained a 40-foot monster to move to 14 under, one shot clear of compatriot Lucas Herbert.
Scott started the final round five shots off the lead but swamped the frontrunners as he set about piecing together one of the greatest final rounds in Open history.
Remarkably, Scott also had two bogeys through his opening 16 holes as he moved to 14 under. Overnight joint Min Woo Lee struggled as he dropped two shots early to fall back to 11 under.
A D A M S C O T T 🔥#AusOpenGolfpic.twitter.com/akeKufufqF
— Australian Open (@AusOpenGolf) December 3, 2023
2:33PM SCOTT AND HERBERT JOINT LEADERS AT OPEN
Adam Scott has joined Lucas Herbert at the top of the Australian Open leaderboard after making his seventh birdie of the day at the par three 13th.
Scott started the day five shots off joint leaders Min Woo Lee and Rikuya Hoshino but put together a red-hot back nine – he started on the 10th – as he reeled in the leaders with five holes remaining in his final round.
Herbert got off to a flyer as well, making three birdies through his opening six holes to join Scott at the top of a congested leaderboard.
Lee and Hoshino both dropped shots through their opening six holes as they surrendered top spot on the leaderboard.
.@AdamScott has entered the chat 🤩#AusOpenGolfpic.twitter.com/kDaDWG6FXu
— Australian Open (@AusOpenGolf) December 3, 2023
Rising Aussie star’s final day charge for rare slice of history
The coronation is almost complete.
A week after prevailing in a final day duel with Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino at the Australian PGA, Min Woo Lee will begin the final round of the Australian Open with a familiar face standing between him and the Stonehaven Cup.
Hoshino arrived in Sydney hellbent on retribution after he was relegated to runner-up in Queensland by a flying Lee. He has given himself a shot at just that after firing a six under par 65 at The Australian Golf Club on Saturday, finishing his third round alongside Lee at 13 under.
The duo are one clear of a chasing pack that includes England’s Alex Fitzpatrick and American Patrick Rodgers.
The man they will need to beat is the flying Aussie who has captured the hearts and minds of the Australian sporting public over the past fortnight.
Lee had a day of mixed fortunes at The Australian Golf Club. There were moments of brilliance interspersed with the occasional wayward shot on a day when his round was best summed up at the par five 18th, a hole that can make or break your tournament dreams.
Lee reeled away in disgust after hitting his second from the rough into the greenside bunker. It was the sort of shot Lee has eaten up in recent weeks.
He then made a clutch putt for birdie to the roars of the galleries who have followed him through the opening three days in Sydney. Lee has become a one-man promotion machine for tournament organisers.
Broadcast ratings were through the roof on Thursday and Friday thanks to the Lee effect and he has ensured plenty of eyeballs will be on the sport on Sunday as he heads into the final round hoping to come only the sixth person in history to complete the PGA-Open double.
Don’t bet against him. At times on Saturday he cut a frustrated figure as things didn’t go to plan. In a sign of his growing maturity, he shook it off and signed for a one under par 70, good enough to give him a shot at his maiden Open triumph.
Lee had started the third round with a healthy buffer but he had had his lead cut back to one shot after he found trouble at the third, his ball bouncing into a watery grave after he lost his second shot into the lake protecting the green.
Lee walked off with a double bogey and Scotland’s Connor Syme was hot on his heels at 10 under. Lee responded the same way he has all summer – with shades of brilliance.
He made par at the next and then made consecutive birdies to reassert his dominance, only to concede a shot at the 10th and find himself in a share of the lead with Hoshino.
Three holes later, Lee was in a three-way tie for the lead as Rodgers got hot to grab a share of top spot. Lee was under siege as his bid to make it back-to-back wins began to falter.
When Hoshino made birdie at the 18th, the tournament had a new leader. Lee had the final say though as he had the gallery on their feet with a birdie at the last.
Adam Scott (67) was among those to make an early charge as he opened his third round with four birdies in his first five holes, including three in succession.
He stumbled after that as his round went cold and he looks too far off the pace to make an impact on Sunday. The same goes for Cameron Smith (69), who also got off to a fast start but struggled to make an impact after that.
“Promising for tomorrow – it felt better today,” Scott said.
“It was an ideal start. There is a lot of people and shots between them and me so I just have to shoot a low score. I really just have to play a great round of golf but it is possible out here.
“If I was a couple (of shots) better I would feel really good about tomorrow. I always play alright but I need that final ingredient to bring it out.
“You never know. A few guys shot 65 today. A 65 or 64? The course is hard when you are leading. So those leaders are going to feel pressure.”
The biggest movers among the local contingent were Lucas Herbert (66) and two-time winner Matt Jones (68).
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