Fiji International. Maiden Tour Win For Jason Norris.

It was a maiden European Tour win for Jason Norris, from Australia, at the Fiji International at Natadola Bay Golf Club. 

Jason Norris / getty

Jason carded a final round -5 under par 67 to win his maiden European Tour title, the Fiji International, with a -14 under par total, a four shot winning margin.

Jason said the putts dropped this week;

“I think it was just our week, everything aligned and putts dropped and some good shots came, it was amazing.”

“I just stuck to one shot at a time but I putted really well on the front nine and that is what gave it to us.”

“I said a couple of years ago when I was about to quit that I didn’t want to give it away until I had won a big tournament because I know I can.”

Tied in second place at -10 under par were; David McKenzie, –5 under 67 today, James Marchesani, -2 under 70, and the only non Australian in the top seven slots, Jazz Janewattananond, from Thailand, with an amazing bogey free final round -8 under par 64.

Jazz putted well, and was happy with his overall performance;

“I am just really happy to put up a good score. It’s always good to shoot a bogey-free round.”

“I couldn’t make any putts in the first two days but I had been hitting the ball good all week. I managed to sink some putts today and yesterday and I guess that was the key.”

“I putted well to make my move up the leaderboard yesterday so I was feeling confident coming to the final round. I holed almost every putt that I have today.”

“I am really pleased with how I played today.” 

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Fiji International. Wade Ormsby 54 hole Leader.

Wade Ormsby, from Australia is the 54 hole leader of the Fiji International at Natadola Bay Golf Club.

Wade Ormsby / getty

Wade shot a third round -6 under par 66 to lead the Fiji International by one shot, at -10 under par going into the final round Sunday.

Wade was surprised to be leading, but thanked a hot putter;

 “It was a bit of a surprise coming up the last, I hadn’t seen too many leaderboards for the day but obviously I’m very happy with it.”

“I didn’t think I would be in that position after seven holes, I was getting a bit frustrated.”

“The putter started to get a bit hot so I started to move in the right direction.”

“I think everyone who has played golf knows that when the putts start dropping you get happier out there.”

” I got my putter going I really started moving forward.” 

Jason Norris, Australia,  is in second place, one shot back at -9 under, he carded -2 under 70 today to claim second place on his own. He is the only survivor from yesterdays four-way tie at the top.

James Marchesani, also from Australia, is the sole occupant of third position, at -8 under par, he returned a -5 under 67 score today;

James described his good bogey;

“I made a really good bogey on five that I think sort of kept the momentum going.”

“I could have easily made a double but got away with a five and then just sort of stayed patient, which is pretty easy to do just looking at that water out there.”

“I then managed to make six birdies on the back. A good finish.”

In fact it was Australia day in Fiji today the top five places on the leaderboard were all Aussie players.

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Fiji International. Four Way Tie at the Top.

 

There is a four-way tie at the top of the Fiji International leaderboard at  Natadola Bay Golf Club. Scott Hend, and Jason Norris from Australia, Gavin Green, Malaysia, and first round leader Daniel Pearce, New Zealand.

Scott Hend / getty

Scott, -6 under 66 today, Jason, -4 under 68, Gavin, -3 under 69, and Daniel, who carded a second round -1 under 71, are all tied at the top of the Fiji International leaderboard at -7 under par.

Scott was unhappy at missing a lot of putts;

“We just tried to play stress-free golf in the wind.”

“I missed a lot of putts but I still walk off the golf course with six under and in a good position at the halfway mark.”

Daniel was happy to still be at the top;

 “It’s always nice to be at the top. I can’t complain about how things went today.”

Jason had a nice chip in birdie;

“I said to my caddie ‘this is the toughest shot of the day’.

“If I leave it a fraction short it rolls back to my feet so I was pretty happy to see it go in.”

“I would have been happy to make a four.”

Gavin did not make as many putts as he would have liked

“I played pretty solid today. It was like yesterday but I didn’t make as many putts as yesterday. It was solid overall. 

“I stayed really patient out there in the windy conditions. I had to grind on a couple of holes.”

Adam Bland, Peter Wilson and David McKenzie were another two shots back in a tie for fifth place at -5 under par.

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Wyndham Championship. Matt Every Leads.

Matt Every leads the Wyndham Championship after the first round at Sedgefield Country Club.

Matt Every / Getty

Matt equaled the tournament record low round of -9 under par bogey free 61 to lead the Wyndham Championship by just one point, in a low scoring first round at Sedgefield Country Club;

“I played good, and have been playing good for a while, so it’s just nice to see it come together.”

“I have a high regard for my talent. Like, I know I’m as talented as anyone out here,  maybe like five guys are more talented than me, so I couldn’t let myself quit,”

“There were a lot of low points, though. That’s life. Just everything that I’ve been through, I’ve brought on myself.”

“So I don’t need any sympathy or anything. It’s just the way my path has gone so far in the last couple years.”

Henrik Stenson, from Sweden, was also bogey free, he holds second place with his opening round of -8 under 62;

“I hit a lot of good shots out there.”

“There were plenty of birdies, so it was a good day.”

Webb Simpson, Cameron Smith, Vaughn Taylor, Tim Wilkinson, Harold Varner III, Brian Campbell and Sam Saunders all share third place at -7 under par.

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Fiji International. Daniel Pearce Leads.

Daniel Pearce, from New Zealand , leads the Fiji International after the first round at a very windy  Natadola Bay Golf Club.

Daniel Pearce / getty

Daniel carded a first round -6 under par 66, to lead the Fiji International on the first day in Fiji, by one shot.

Daniel was happy with a good round of golf, and a red-hot putter

“I holed a really nice putt on the first hole for birdie, which got the momentum in the right direction.”

“I managed to birdie 11 as well. I made a couple of good up-and-downs through the back nine to save par a couple of times and then I birdied the 17th and had a bit of a run through the front nine; the first four holes.”

“There was a lot of good golf. I didn’t quite finish it off how I’d like to but I’m pretty happy.”

“The putter was pretty hot today so I rolled in a few putts from all over the place, which was nice.”

Ben Campbell, New Zealand, and Daniel Valente, Australia share second place at -5 under following their opening rounds of 67.

Ben had a solid round, saying -5 under was OK;

 “It was a solid round.” 

“I thought anything under par today would be a great score. It wasn’t easy out there, that’s for sure.”

“So I’m really happy to get off to that kind of start. I think at most tournaments you’d take a five under first round anyway.”

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US PGA Championship. Hideki & Kevin Share Lead.

    

Hideki Matsuyama and Kevin Kisner share the US PGA Championship lead after two rounds at Quail Hollow.

Hideki Matsuyama / getty

Hideki, Japan, shot an interrupted second round -7 under par 64 at the US PGA Championship, pausing in the middle for 1 hr 45 mins for a weather delay, to catch Kevin, -4 under 67  at the top of the leaderboard at -8 under par. The second round was unable to be completed due to darkness falling.

Hideki welcomed the delay, saying he was tired, his poor play with his driver was the culprit, but his putter cheered him up,  needing just 23 putts Friday,

“I was grateful for the rain delay because I was getting tired, I was able to lay down in the locker room and get some rest.”

“I think what was making me tired was I wasn’t hitting my driver like I wanted to, I was hitting fairways but I wasn’t getting the crisp contact that I was hoping for with my driver.”

“Twenty-three putts just means I missed a lot of greens.”

“The greens here at Quail Hollow, as you know, are really fast.”

“And there’s a lot of putts that honestly, I’m not trying to make. I’m just trying to get it up near the hole, and a lot of them are going in.”

Kevin, USA, is playing well, and likes his chance to win here;

 “Any time I can get a wedge in my hand or a par five that I can reach, I feel like I have to make birdie.”

“If I can get a six or seven iron in my hand,” I like my chances around here.”

“Those are the holes here that are allowing me to have that opportunity.”  

“I’m just excited about the opportunity, I’m really fired up about the way I’m hitting the golf ball.”

“I haven’t hit it this well this whole summer, a lot of average finishes. When I start hitting it the way I am now, I play well.”

Jason Day, Australia, is in third place,  at -6 under par after his second round -5 under par 66, a bit more like his old self;

 “It felt like the old days, which was only last year. It feels like 10 years ago.”

“I’m improving each and every day now, and actually I’m hungry again and I’m looking forward to trying to beat these guys here in a bit.”

“But I’m very motivated right now. Like I want to win again. So I’m excited about that.”

Tied in fourth position at -4 under are Francesco Molinari, Italy, also carding -7 under 64 today, Louis Oosthuizen, South Africa, -4 under 67, and Chris Stroud, USA, who is at -2 under today through 13 holes.

The next group is back at -3 under, and will need something special on moving day if they want to contend on Sunday.

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W.G.C. Bridgestone Invitational. Two Tied at the Top.

There are two players tied at the top of the Bridgestone Invitational leaderboard, Zach Johnson and Thomas Pieters, at Firestone Country Club.

Rory & Zach were partners today

 

Zach, USA, -5 under 65 and Thomas, Belgium, are tied at the top of the Bridgestone Invitational leaderboard at -9 under par.

Thomas started well, finding fairways and making putts;

“The first eight holes I was in the fairway, hit good shots, made putts and the last 11 was a struggle.”

“I just was out of position every hole. Tomorrow I’ve just got to figure out a way to hit fairways, that’s it.”

“My bad golf is getting better. That’s always good, that’s why you practice.”

“I struck the ball really well with the irons, ball striking’s been really good.”

“Off the tee not so good but I think I’m missing it in the spots I can miss it in. All in all, not too bad.

“You just want to be in contention on Sunday afternoon, that’s it.”

Scott Hend, Australia, had the round of the day, -7 under 63, to get to -8 under for the tournament, and third place on his own.

Scott suddenly started holing putts;

“I holed some putts today. I’ve been scrambling well all week anyway, managed to hit a few more fairways and actually holed some putts, so that was the big difference.”

Hideki Matsuyama, Japan, is in fourth position on his own at -7 under par, with his -3 under 67 today.

Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland, a disappointing -2 under 68 today, Adam Hadwin, Canada, -3 under 67, and Charley Hoffman, USA, -3 under 67, share fifth spot at -6 under par.

Rory felt like he left a few shots out there, wonderful driving, followed by poor approach shots, from 100 to 70 yards out;

” Left a few out there but only three behind going into tomorrow .”

“I felt like I could have got a lot more out of it.”

“I think if I would have walked off today with a 65 or a 66, I would have felt that was a fair reflection of how I played.”

” I can get off to a fast start and try and put a bit of pressure on the guys up ahead of me.”

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