Aussie Of The Month: Steve Allan
Steve Allan is on a remarkable late-season surge on the PGA Tour Champions, which included his third win of the year at the Boeing Classic in August – his second title in three starts.
The 51-year-old quickly established himself as one of the form players on the American over-50s circuit, having also claimed the Galleri Classic in March and the Dick’s Open in July. In just a matter of months, Allan transformed a strong campaign into a breakout season.
“I know myself a little bit better when it comes to my swing and my game,” Allan said. “It means a lot to me, too. Financially, it’s good to make some money. I’ve been off the main tour since 2009, so things get a little bit tight there when you’re not making any money. I also think I’ve matured a bit, not getting ahead of myself, not stressing about things and just playing and seeing what happens.”
Allan’s latest win added further to Australia’s record on the US senior tour, taking our tally to 39 titles: Bruce Crampton (20), Graham Marsh (six), David Graham (five), Allan (three), Rod Pampling (two), Rodger Davis (one), Bruce Devlin (one), Mark Hensby (one).
Golfers in the news
O’Donovan goes international: Sydney’s Declan O’Donovan enjoyed a huge win on Canadian soil to underline his standing as one of the best young golfers in Australia.
The 22-year-old won the Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship at Royal Ottawa Golf Club, becoming just the second Australian to lift the storied Earl Grey Cup. The win came with two significant prizes: a start in next year’s RBC Canadian Open on the PGA Tour, while it also sent O’Donovan into the field at the recent US Amateur at The Olympic Club in San Francisco.
Already a dual NSW Amateur champion and a driving force in his state’s Interstate Series triumph earlier this year, O’Donovan added an international title to a trophy cabinet that continues to grow.
“I think rolling that putt in on the last really let the feeling sink in that I’m going to be playing in a PGA Tour event,” O’Donovan said.
Another New South Welshman kicking goals: Daley Loumanis, a 21-year-old amateur from St Michael’s Golf Club, upstaged the professionals when he claimed a one-shot win at the recent Ford NSW Open Regional Qualifying Tournament at South West Rocks Country Club. Loumanis booked his spot in the NSW Open in November at The Vintage in the Hunter Valley alongside Queensland pro Louis Dobbelaar and Sydney’s Jayden Cripps. Loumanis is currently in his final year at the University of Technology Sydney, studying Business with a major in marketing and minors in sports management and finance.
Studying will have to wait, as Loumanis has a state open to prepare for.
Birdie of the Month: Ella’s magical run
Ella Scaysbrook’s remarkable, giant-slaying run through the recent US Women’s Amateur at Bandon Dunes came to an end in the semi-finals, but it’s instilled a self-belief into one of Australian golf’s brightest talents.
The 19-year-old from The Australian Golf Club had spent the week dismantling higher-ranked opponents, building a reputation as the championship’s surprise packet. Seeded 63rd, she had upset some of the event’s biggest names, such as highly rated American prodigy Asterisk Talley, 6&4, in the round of 64, Avery Weed, 4&3, in the round of 32 and Jasmine Koo, 4&3, in the round of 16, before dispatching Canada’s Taylor Kehoe, the 23rd seed, 5&4 in the quarter-final.
Scaysbrook, with her easy-to-watch, compact, efficient swing and sublime ball-striking, then had world No.7 amateur Megha Ganne on the ropes in their semi-final. Ganne, a Stanford University star who already has an airline for a sponsor on her sleeve, was 4 down to Scaysbrook after nine holes and rattled. But Ganne, an American hailing from New Jersey, showed her starpower on the back nine to force extra holes before winning on the 19th.
Despite the loss, Scaysbrook left Oregon with immense pride and a confidence to compete against the world’s best. “I’m just really proud of myself now that I am one the best, I guess. I can compete with the best. After the strokeplay I didn’t have a spot, so proud I made it this far,” Scaysbrook said. “It means a lot because I was 63 seed, so I didn’t actually have a spot. To make it to the semi-finals especially means a lot.”
The experience has also solidified Scaysbrook’s plans, which include one more US Women’s Amateur next year before a likely transition to the professional ranks.
“I’ll do this trip again next year, and after that trip I don’t know if I’m going to turn pro or not, but at this rate I probably will turn pro at the end of next year,” Scaysbrook said. “I’ll take out of it that I am capable of competing with the best. At home it’s – Australia is quite small – so we have to come over here and get that experience. [This] just proves that I am one of the good ones as well.”
Bogey of the month: Fading away
The Australian contingent on the PGA Tour had a lacklustre campaign at the FedEx Cup playoffs when Cameron Davis and Min Woo Lee were sent packing after just the first event of the three that comprise the postseason. After Adam Scott had earlier missed out on making the top 70 who qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs, Jason Day was left as the lone Australian to advance to the second leg, the BMW Championship. It’s the first time in the FedEx Cup era (since 2007) that just one Australian has contested the second playoff event.
Lee’s fall was huge, having started inside the top 50 on the FedEx Cup standings before an opening six-over-par round at the FedEx St Jude Championship left too much ground to recover. Lee fell seven spots to 57th on the ranking, with only the top 50 players progressing.
The weather did what?
Pity the golfers at Armidale Golf Club in northern NSW, who lost several days’ play in early August when their course was blanketed in snow. Up to 40 centimetres descended on areas near the Northern Tablelands town – the most snow to fall on the region in the past 20 years.
Photographs by Stephen Brashear, Tom Hauck, Andy Lyons/Getty images
