Weekend Wrap: Several Book Trips To The Open
Plus, Australia's Davis wins in Detroit and it's a big week for Americans with Melanie Green's historic victory at Portmarnock, Morrison at the European Amateur and Bensel's consecutive Newport aces.
Cameron Davis captured a tightly contested Rocket Mortgage Classic after Akshay Bhatia three-putted Detroit Golf Club’s 18th green. It was Bhatia’s first three-putt and only second bogey of a week.
Davis’ hopes seemed in doubt when he reached the par 5 14th green in two from 281 only to see his ball roll back into a pond. After the win became official as he stayed warm on the driving range, Davis expressed sympathy for Bhatia’s finish.
“I wouldn't wish what happened to Akshay on anyone,” he said through tears to CBS’s Amanda Balionis. “But I've done a lot of grinding to kind of get myself out of a hole and just all of a sudden to do that, it's pretty good.”
Davis, 29, has recorded no top 10’s in 2024 until the win and revealed he’s tried something different in an attempt to return to form: working with a hypnotherapist.
“I honestly haven't been in a very good place mentally at all for the last six months or so,” Davis said. “I felt like all the opportunities have been slipping out of my hands as the year progresses without playing very good golf. I had a great week at the Masters and it feels like since then it all had just left me.
“I felt like a change of direction was definitely needed, something that I was actually going to stick to because I'm definitely someone that will start doing something and if it doesn't feel like it's helping straight away, it's very easy to drop it. Sticking with the work that I'm doing with Grace [the hypnotherapist] has made a very big impact very quickly.”
With his second win coming (again) at the Rocket Mortgage Classic (2021), Davis becomes the first player to win the event multiple times. Earlier this year he finished T12 in the Masters and more recently survived a U.S. Open Final Qualifying playoff over countryman Adam Scott, only to miss the cut at Pinehurst.
Despite his world ranking vaulting from 67th into the top 50—38th according to Nosferatu—Davis is not currently exempt to next month’s Open at Royal Troon.
The cutoff for OWGR top 50 was five weeks ago and the Rocket Mortgage is not part of the Open Qualifying Series. But under current regulations and depending on how the R&A prioritizes alternates, Davis seems likely to head the reserve list.
The 22-year-old Bhatia sought to win his third PGA Tour title and second of 2024 a week after contending at the Travelers.
“It sucks, no other way to put it,” he said after. “I mean, just sucks.”
He blamed cautiousness on his only three-putt in an otherwise excellent week on the greens.
“You've got so much slope there so you don't want to run it five, six feet by,” he said. “Just a little bit of nerves, honestly. I'm human and yeah, the greens get slower throughout the day here.”
Also of note:
Amateur Luke Clanton (a), closed with a 72 to finish T10 and become the second amateur in 2024 to record a top 10 (Dunlap/American Express/1st). Clanton recently completed his sophomore year at Florida State. He entered the final round T7, and was three back of the lead. His proud parents gave a touching interview to CBS on Sunday.
Besides Bhatia, those tying for second place included Min Woo Lee, Aaron Rai and Davis Thompson.
Playing with eventual winner Davis, Cameron Young lost his cool and broke his driver in another attempt at winning his first PGA Tour title. The seven-time runner-up, including at the 2023 Open Championship, was criticized by the CBS announce team for his negative energy down the stretch. Young started the final round one back of Bhatia. But at least the shaft bend almost matched the tracer. So he’s got that going for him!
Siem Wins; McKibbin, Crocker Are Open-Bound
Marcel Siem completed a remarkable comeback from injury as he beat Tom McKibbin in a play-off to win his sixth DP World Tour title at the Italian Open presented by Regione Emilia-Romagna.
Making only his fourth start since returning from hip surgery, Siem holed a 22-footer for birdie to force a playoff and went on to birdie the same hole in a playoff to beat McKibbin.
“The two celebrations on 18, they took the rest out of me,” joked the 43-year-old. “But it’s just amazing. I love this sport and these moments, I work really hard for them. When you get rewarded like this, it’s a very special moment. I think it’s the second-oldest trophy on mainland Europe. So I’ve got the French Open and this one now, I’m so proud of that. My journey is just beginning, it feels like.”
McKibbin’s runner-up finish secured one of two spots on offer for The 152nd Open and will be joined at Royal Troon by American Sean Crocker. McKibbon is the rising Northern Irishman who made his major debut last month at Pinehurst and ranks 8th in the Race to Dubai. Crocker, a former collegiate star at USC, finished in a tie for third Jannick de Bruyn and claimed the second Open qualifying place thanks to his higher spot on the Official World Golf Ranking.
Morrison Wins European Am And Open Exemption
Tommy Morrison became the first American to win the European Amateur Championship despite three-putting his final hole of regulation. A four-footer would have given the 19-year-old a new course record at The Scandinavian Golf Club and a solid cushion ahead of several chasers. Instead, a 67 ultimately placed the American in a playoff with Ireland’s Max Kennedy and fellow American Preston Summerhays.
The junior-to-be from the University of Texas impressively rebounded after final hole three-jack. The six-foot-nine Dallas native birdied the third playoff hole and secure the prestigious title as well as a spot in the 2024 Open at Royal Troon.
“I’m over the moon right now, couldn’t be happier,” said Morrison. “I was just happy to have another chance; I’ve been playing great golf the last couple of months and took it as a moment to show people how I’ve been playing and what I can do. I did a great job so I’m super excited”.
His start at Royal Troon will be Morrison’s first against pros.
“To have The Open be my first professional event, it’s pretty amazing, I couldn’t be happier.”
With a fourth-place finish, Scotland’s Calum Scott earned an exemption to Royal Troon courtesy of the Open Amateur Series. The spot goes to a player earning the most World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points in the St Andrews Links Trophy, The Amateur, and European Amateur Championship. Scott is a native of Nairn and will be a senior this fall at Texas Tech.
America’s Green Wins The Women’s Amateur
American Melanie Green rallied to defeat Scotland’s Lorna McClymont 2 up in The Women’s Amateur at Portmarnock.
Playing her first pure links golf in what could conservatively be described as utterly miserable conditions, the 22-year-old became the first American to win the title since Kelli Kuehne in 1996.
McClymont, 23, was one-up with three to play but Green bounced back to win the final the final three holes.
She capped off the win with a 22-footer for birdie at the last.
“It was an incredible match in the weather and Lorna is an incredible player,” Green said. “There is so much history to this Championship and it’s amazing to win it. I seem to find a way to do better in harder conditions sometimes.”
Despite the glorious Irish summertime conditions, Green played all of the matches without a caddie. According to the Irish Golf Desk’s Brian Keogh in his on-site report. Green was understandably on a tight budget.
“To be honest with you, the reason I didn't have a caddie was just because I didn't have that much money to spend,” Green confessed. “But yeah, it just worked out.”
Green becomes the first American to win the prestigious title since Kelli Kuehne in 1996 at Royal Liverpool. A recent graduate of the University of South Florida, Green is part of this week’s USA squad playing the Arnold Palmer Cup at Lahinch and likely locked up a spot on the U.S.A. Curtis Cup team competing at Sunningdale.
She also secured exemptions to the Amundi Evian Championship, AIG Women’s Open and the 2025 Chevron Championship and U.S. Women’s Open. Should she remain an amateur, Green will also receive an invitation to next year’s Augusta National Women's Amateur.
Regarding her first visit to Ireland and Portmarnock, Green raved about links golf despite the ghastly summer weather.
“I like the fact you have to aim 30 yards either way for the ball to go straight on the wind,” she said. “It’s kind of cool. It’s interesting golf and it’s been an awesome experience. Ireland has been very good to me.”
This was the first Women’s Amateur Championship at Portmarnock since 1931 and first R&A event there after the club hosted the 2019 Amateur Championship won by Ireland’s James Sugrue. With changes to its membership policies and efforts underway to solve potential hurdles, the Irish links remains a candidate to host more R&A events in the near future, including The Open as soon as the early 2030’s.
An AIG Women’s Open may be the first step if the logistical issues can be resolved, writes Keogh.
For now, Green joins an illustrious list of past winners at Portmarnock in various championships, including Arnold Palmer, Ben Crenshaw, Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, José María Olazábal and, one of the greatest names in sports history, Arabella Jeanette Charlotte Violet Mowbray "Janet" Jackson.
Bensel’s Back-To-Back Aces
