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McIlroy rules out Premier Golf League move

Rory McIlroy has delivered a potentially fatal blow to the proposed Premier Golf League by ruling himself out of joining a breakaway circuit.

By Australian Associated Press
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World No.1 Rory McIlroy has distanced himself from the prospect of taking part in the Premier Golf League (PGL) as he prefers to have autonomy over his career choices.

The British-based World Golf Group last month unveiled plans for a new global tour it hopes to launch in 2022 that would consist of 18 yearly tournaments - each with prize money of $US10 million ($A15 million) - and feature 48 of the game's top players.

Former No.1 Tiger Woods said last week he had also been approached by the PGL and was gathering further information about something which could be a more lucrative alternative to the PGA Tour.

"The more I've thought about it the more I don't like it. For me, I'm out," McIlroy said on Wednesday before this week's WGC Mexico Championship.

"I read a thing the other day that said if you take the money they can tell you what to do, so if you don't take the money they can't tell you what to do.

"I think that's my thing. I've never been one for being told what to do and I like to have that autonomy and freedom over my career and I feel I would give that up by going to play this other league."

McIlroy acknowledges that he may have to change his stance if he is the only player against the league, but feels opinion is currently "very split" between the game's star names.

"My position is I'm against it until there may come a day when I can't be against it," the four-time major winner added.

"If everyone else goes I might not have a choice but at this point I don't like what they're proposing."

The concept of a "World Golf Tour" has been around for more than 20 years, with Australian legend Greg Norman unveiling his plans in 1994 but failing to gain any traction.

"I would like to be on the right side of history with this one, just sort of as Arnold (Palmer) was with the whole Greg Norman thing in the 90s," McIlroy added.

"Money's cheap, money's the easy part. It shouldn't be the driving factor. For some people it is and we're professional golfers and we're out here playing golf to make a living, but at the end of the day I value my freedom and my autonomy over everything else.

"I value a lot of other things over money and that's my stance on it at this point."


Wilson eyes golfing history at Qld Open

Teenager Sarah Wilson has qualified to compete against the men at the Queensland Open on her home Pelican Waters course, but says she isn't done yet.

By Murray Wenzel, Australian Associated Press
   

Not content with simply qualifying, teenager Sarah Wilson wants to create more history by making the cut on her home course at this week's Queensland Open.

Wilson, 19, will be just the second female in the tournament's 95-year history to compete against the men after a two-under 70 in pre-qualifying earlier this week earned her a start at Pelican Waters on the Sunshine Coast.

The previous to do so was Becky Kay when the tournament was last held in 2018.

But Kay, a mentor for Cairns-raised Wilson, didn't make the cut as Jordan Zunich went on to lift the trophy at Brisbane Golf Club.

Wilson has called Pelican Waters home for the last four years and is confident that knowledge will help when she tees off alongside Jarryd Felton and Brady Watt on Thursday.

"It's a good mindset to be in, knowing that I earned my spot and I'm happy to be grouped with them because I know they're great advocates for female golfers," Wilson told AAP.

"The goal now is to make the cut, because no female's done that before.

"But mainly I just want to enjoy it, absorb it and do my best to keep within my own game even though I know that's going to be tough."

Zunich will return to defend his title after the tournament was moved from last November into 2020.

But the likes of Richard Green, Jason Norris, Brad Kennedy, Anthony Quayle, Michael Sim and Dimitrios Papadatos will keep him honest.


Scott ready to pounce again at WGC Mexico

Gearing up for the WGC event in Mexico, Adam Scott says confidence levels are high following his drought-breaking PGA Tour win in Los Angeles.

By Evin Priest, Australian Associated Press
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Adam Scott feels finally learning to balance family duties with world-class golf has him poised for another great career stretch as he prepares to seek a second Masters green jacket in April.

Coming off his drought-breaking win in Los Angeles, where he took down nine of the world's top 10, Scott is in Mexico this week.

Now back in the top 10 himself, he's returning to the World Golf Championship event there for the first time in three years.

Scott, a father of two, admits he struggled to achieve a work-life balance during a lean 2018 season.

His world ranking plummeted to 76th and he was humbled by having to enter sectional qualifying for the 2018 US Open.

"A lot changed in my life from when I won the Masters (in 2013) until the middle of 2018," Scott said on Tuesday.

"I was trying to balance being a high-level golfer with a lot of other responsibilities I found challenging.

"A second (child) really got my head spinning, but I've had incredible support from my wife and family.

"It took me a little while to find the right balance (and) some peace in my whole world."

Scott feels ready for a run at another major title to go with his 2013 win at Augusta National.

It is why he is at this week's WGC event for the first time since 2017.

Before the Masters, Scott will also contest the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Players Championship and the WGC-Match Play.

"You're really right into Masters preparation after the Players," he said.

"The Match Play has (not typically) been on my schedule, but it's another opportunity to see what I need to work on and stay competitively pretty fresh before the Masters."

Scott is among five Australians contesting the no-cut WGC event at Mexico City's Club de Golf Chapultepec.

He's joined by fellow 2020 PGA Tour winners Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith, while Dubai Classic winner Lucas Herbert qualified through the European Tour's current money list and Scott Hend from the Asian Tour.

The golf course is perched 7,500 feet above sea level, which allows a golf ball to fly up to 20 per cent further due to decreased air density.

"The challenge for everyone coming here is dealing with the altitude," Scott said.

"It's very difficult with just a couple days of playing the golf course to really dial that in.

"You're going to have to accept a few mystery balls this week."

Because of a condensed PGA Tour schedule, several top players are skipping the Mexico event including Australia's Jason Day, world No.2 Brooks Koepka, Patrick Cantlay and Tiger Woods.


Pitt quits as Golf Australia CEO

Stephen Pitt has quit as chief executive of Golf Australia.

By Steve Larkin, Australian Associated Press
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Golf Australia's chief executive Stephen Pitt has resigned after 11 years at the helm.

Pitt will depart later this year, having overseen a transitional period in the sport's administration.

The peak organisation recorded a $1.4 million loss last financial year as state and territory bodies moved under the umbrella of Golf Australia.

"'The last 12 months have been difficult at times, particularly in terms of our financial performance and I take responsibility for last year's result," Pitt said in a statement on Tuesday.

"However, I believe we have a strong board, great staff and a range of excellent national programs and I know the organisation and the game generally will flourish in the years ahead.

"I am of the firm view the new One Golf structure is the right one for our game and will deliver significant dividends in the future."

Golf Australia chairman Andrew Newbold said Pitt had been a driving force behind the changes.

"Stephen has achieved a great deal, including to bring five Australian states and territories into Golf Australia's One Golf ... model," Newbold said in a statement.

"This has not been an easy process. We remain hopeful of completing the transition to One Golf as soon as possible in the near future."

Newbold said the organisation would engage a recruitment agency for a global search to replace Pitt.


Golfing great Mickey Wright dies

Thirteen-time LPGA winner Mickey Wright has died age 85.

By Terry Spencer, Australian Associated Press
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Mickey Wright, the golf great who won 13 majors among her 82 victories and gave the fledgling LPGA a crucial lift, died Monday of a heart attack. She was 85.

She had been hospitalised in Florida the last few weeks after a fall, said her lawyer Sonia Pawluc.

Wright joined the LPGA in 1955 and the Hall of Famer's 82 wins place her second on the all-time list behind Kathy Whitworth, who won 88. The Associated Press in 1999 named Wright the Female Golfer of the Century and Female Athlete of the Year in 1963 and 1964.

A Golf Magazine poll of experts in 2009 called her the best female golfer ever, and men's champions Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson said Wright had the best swing they ever saw.

Mary Kathryn Wright was born in San Diego on February 14, 1935. She started playing golf seriously at age 11 and in 1952 at 17 won the USGA Girls' Junior Championship. In 1954, she won the World Amateur.

She studied psychology for a year at Stanford before dropping out in 1955 to pursue a professional golf career.

"I've earned my own version of a master's degree in psychology in study and experience, trial and error, on golf courses throughout the United States. For psychology ... is as integral a part of good golf as an efficient swing," she said, according to the World Golf Hall of Fame. She was inducted in 1976.

Her first tournament win came in 1956 in Jacksonville, Florida, and by 1961 she was dominating the tour, winning at least 10 tournaments annually from 1961 to 1964. Among her major wins were four US Opens and four LPGA Championships.

Wright retired from the tour in 1969 because of foot issues and burnout: she was the biggest draw on the LPGA Tour and played constantly to help it thrive.

"The pressure was so great," Whitworth said about her friend and rival, according to the Hall of Fame. "Sponsors threatened to cancel their tournaments if she didn't play. And, knowing that if they cancelled, the rest of us wouldn't be able to play, Mickey would always play."

Her last tournament and major victory came four years after leaving the tour, the 1973 Colgate-Dinah Shore Winner's Circle.

Wright moved to Stuart, Florida, in 1974, where she lived the rest of her life. She survived breast cancer in 2007.

The Stuart News in 2012 said Wright spent most days gardening, fishing and playing the stock market and crossword puzzles. For golf, she hit wedges off a practice mat on her patio onto the 14th fairway of an adjoining club.

When she donated 200 items to the United States Golf Association in 2012, she said she hated giving up that mat. The course ranger gave her a new one.


Cup is why Aussies are winning: Adam Scott

Adam Scott became the third Australian to win on the US Tour in 2020 and he says the recent home Presidents Cup is a reason why.

By Evin Priest, Australian Associated Press
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Adam Scott credits the recent thrilling home Presidents Cup contest for a record-setting start to 2020 by Australians on the US PGA Tour.

Scott's two-stroke victory in the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles was the third win for an Aussie in seven tournaments played this year, following Cameron Smith's Sony Open win in Hawaii and Marc Leishman's triumph at Torrey Pines in California.

It is the fastest Australians have accumulated three wins in a calendar year, overtaking the 2005 season when Stuart Appleby, Scott and Geoff Ogilvy had each won a US tour title by February 27.

A big reason, Scott says, is that he, Leishman and Smith were all involved in the white-hot competition of the biennial Presidents Cup clash with the United States at Royal Melbourne in early December.

Although their International team came up just short of a drought-breaking win, losing 6-14 to Tiger Woods-led Team USA, Scott believes the global competition can elevate a golfer to another level.

"I think it's something that came about from that Presidents Cup and it's not surprising," Scott said.

"I've seen it before with some guys off the back of an incredible Presidents Cup experience.

"When there's pressure out on the golf course and guys really learn and elevate their games, they can put that into practice the next time they're in a pressure situation."

Scott credits winning three points for Gary Player's Internationals at the 2003 Presidents Cup in South Africa for kick-starting his career.

He won the elite Players Championship in March 2004 and never looked back.

"I know I did that back in 2003, when we played in December in South Africa and I remember leading the Players Championship going into Sunday but using that pressure situation playing with Ernie (Els) as a way to know that I can handle it," Scott said.

Scott predicted countryman Jason Day, who withdrew from the Presidents Cup injured, may win soon for his first US Tour title in 20 months.

Former world No.1 Day finished fourth at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am two weeks ago.

"It was certainly motivation for me seeing Cam and Marc win (in January) so I wanted to come out and make sure I'm not the one lagging behind, so over to you, Jason," he joked.

Adding to a wonderful start to 2020, Australian victories on major tours this year also include Lucas Herbert winning the European Tour's elite Dubai Desert Classic and Wade Ormsby winning the Asian Tour's Hong Kong Open.


Adam Scott's PGA win by the numbers

Adam Scott's winner's cheque, world ranking and everything else that changed after his victory at the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles.

By Evin Priest, Australian Associated Press
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WHAT ADAM SCOTT'S GENESIS INVITATIONAL TITLE VICTORY MEANS

* Scott's two-shot triumph at Riviera Country Club on Sunday gave him a 14th official US PGA Tour title.

* Scott is now equal with Bruce Crampton for the third most wins by an Australian in PGA Tour history behind Greg Norman (20) and Jim Ferrier (18).

* Scott jumps seven places to world No.7, his first stint inside the top 10 since June 2017.

* He ends a winless drought of almost four years on the American circuit stretching back to the World Golf Championships event in Florida in March 2016.

* Scott won in back-to-back starts for the first time since 2016, when he won the Honda Classic and WGC-Cadillac.

* Scott wins $US1.674 million ($A2.49m), taking his career earnings to $US55.2m ($A82.1m) and sixth on the PGA Tour's all-time money list.

* He secures a three-year exemption on the PGA Tour, which is one more than regular events because the event at Riviera was made an invitational.

* Scott secures the third win by an Australian on the PGA Tour in 2020, the quickest the country has recorded three victories in a calendar year.


Scott eyes Norman's record after LA win

Adam Scott has won the Genesis Invitational to edge closer to Greg Norman's 20 victories, the most by an Australian on the US PGA Tour.

By Evin Priest, Australian Associated Press
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Adam Scott is daring to dream of overtaking childhood idol Greg Norman as Australia's most prolific US PGA Tour winner after his victory at the Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles.

Scott's two-shot triumph at Riviera Country Club, in a field that included nine of the world's top 10 players, gave him his 14th official US Tour title.

As well as a three-year tour exemption and $US1.674 million($A2.49m) in prize money, the win earned Scott a new world ranking of No.7 - his first time inside the top 10 since June 2017.

Approaching his 40th birthday in July, Scott is now equal with Bruce Crampton for third-most wins by an Australian on the PGA Tour behind Norman (20) and Jim Ferrier (18).

The win in his first event of 2020 ended a US tour title drought of almost four years but the former world No.1 feels he has ushered in a new chapter and his best may lie ahead.

"It'd be great to be up there in that discussion; Greg (Norman) was my idol growing up and his list of accomplishments was so long that if you get close to any of them, it's fantastic," Scott told AAP.

"Hopefully, this is the first step in a multiple-win year. There's a lot of golf ahead of me with some great opportunities.

"I need to make the most of that moving forward and if, one day, I get up to (Norman's) level it'd be incredibly satisfying."

Scott's title tally does not include his play-off victory at Riviera in 2005 because the event was shortened to 36-holes due to rain.

On Sunday, starting as joint overnight leader, he carded a one-under 70 on a difficult course to win at 11-under from Matt Kuchar (72), Sung Kang (69) and Scott Brown (68) who tied second.

While Norman's tour-wins tally is a fair way off, Scott's biggest and most immediate priority is to join the Australian great as a two-times major winner.

He contended in three of the four big ones last year and the chance to replicate his historic 2013 Masters triumph in April is the main focus.

"Today goes a long way and I'm excited about Augusta; the mission is to keep myself in form for the next eight weeks," Scott said.

"My big goal is to be a multiple major winner and I think the habit of winning is good for that."

Before Sunday, Scott's previous win on the US tour came 1442 days ago at the World Golf Championships event in March 2016.

His first win worldwide since then came at the Australian PGA Championship in December.

"For a couple years (the title drought) weighed on my mind; it was frustrating and I was pushing myself very hard and in the wrong direction," Scott said.

Now, he is inspired to go on another run like when he won five times in a three-year stretch.

"The next five years can be my best years on tour," Scott said.

"However, that's easy to say but very hard to do, because there are so many great players."

Scott's countryman Marc Leishman (74) finished tied 43rd at Riviera, while tournament host Woods shot 77 to finish last among the 68 golfers who made the cut.


Leaney out to break seniors title drought

Stephen Leaney is vying for a maiden US Seniors Tour having taken the 36-hole lead at the event in Naples, Florida.

By Evin Priest, Australian Associated Press
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Stephen Leaney is aiming to become the first Australian winner on the US Champions Tour in almost two decades when he takes a one-shot lead into the final round of the Chubb Classic in Florida.

Before he can achieve that breakthrough, Leaney faces a final-group duel with the most successful player in history of the age 50-plus tour, Bernhard Langer, on Sunday.

Leaney's opening pair of six-under 65s gave him a 12-under total at the Lely Resort in Naples, putting him one stroke clear of two-time Masters champion Langer.

The 62-year-old Langer has 40 victories on the Champions Tour, including 11 senior majors. Fellow golfing great Fred Couples is one of three players a shot further back.

None of that worries well-travelled 50-year-old Leaney as he attempts to become the first Australian to win on the tour since Rodger Davis claimed the 2003 Toshiba Seniors Classic.

"Well, I mean, I have won over 16, 17 times in the world," Leaney said. "I mean, I have won tournaments before. No problem in this position.

"So it's all about controlling yourself. I can't control what anyone else does, regardless of who's behind me I know that someone is going to go out and shoot a low score, so you can't just hold on to what you've got.

"I have got to try and stay patient and go at the flags I can go at. And if it falls my way, so be it."

Leaney won four times on the European Tour and his most recent professional victory was the 2017 Western Australian Open.

He earned fully exempt status on the Champions Tour by finishing tied fourth at qualifying school in December.

Now he is trying for a second triumph over Langer, having beaten him by four shots at the the 2000 Dutch Open on the European Tour.

Leaney's only start in a Sunday final group on the US PGA Tour was at the 2003 US Open, when he started three shots behind eventual champion Jim Furyk and finsihed second.

Fellow 50-year-old Rod Pampling is next-best of the Australians at six under, while countryman David McKenzie is near bottom of the leaderboard.


Green shines in Aussie Open golf spotlight

Hannah Green says she is all the wiser for being the face of the Women's Australian Open golf tournament in Adelaide.

By Steve Larkin, Australian Associated Press
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On one hand, Australian golfer Hannah Green is gladly slipping out of the spotlight.

On the other, she can't wait to be in it again.

Green finished tied 13th at the Women's Australian Open at Royal Adelaide, eight shots behind South Korean winner Inbee Park.

The 23-year-old, as Australia's most-recent major winner, was the local face of the tournament.

Almost everywhere Green looked around Adelaide, she saw her noggin on promotional posters - same as the week before at the Vic Open.

She signed countless autographs, posed for hundreds of selfies and made numerous media appearances.

And thousands watched her play as Green graciously adapted to being centre of attention.

"It's definitely something you need to get used to," Green said.

"Even last week at the Vic Open, having my face everywhere, and this week having my face around, is definitely something I haven't experienced before.

"But I think it's sometimes a good thing to have a little bit of pressure."

Green's scoring increased as the tournament progressed: rounds of 69, 71, 72 and a one-over 74 on Sunday.

Her 16 birdies were mixed with 10 bogeys over the tournament.

But the sheer on-course numbers don't adequately measure the success of Green's week.

"This is definitely one of my favourite events ... so I'm really happy when I have a good result," she said.

"And I think I do have a good result because I got so many people here supporting me.

"I'm really happy that this week is done. It has been a long week and I'm pretty tired.

"But I can't wait for the next one ... I'm very happy to promote golf here in Australia."