Englishman John Gough added to his burgeoning reputation by claiming a dominant victory in the Australian Master of the Amateurs Championship at Southern Golf Club in Melbourne last week.
The 24-year-old joined Jason Day, Aaron Wise and Sahith Theegala in slipping his arms into the green jacket awarded to the champion and bettered Tommy Fleetwood, who tied for 11th in 2010, by becoming the first English winner of the tournament.
Gough opened his account for the week with a course-record 64 and closed with a 68, one of only three sub-70 scores in the final round, to compile a 72-hole total of 15-under 273 that left him four shots clear of Scotland’s Gregor Tait and five ahead of China’s Chi Chun Chen.
It is the sixth significant win in the last three years for the England squad member. He landed a collegiate victory with the Charlotte 49ers, plus a triumph in the Palmetto Amateur and English Men’s Amateur in 2021 before claiming the Spanish Amateur and Lytham Trophy last year.
The latest success further strengthens his chances of being selected for GB&I in this year’s Walker Cup on The Old Course and, in so doing, emulating his brother, Conor, who played in the 2019 match at Royal Liverpool.
It was, however, his father rather than his sibling whom he had to thank for being prepared for the changeable weather conditions.
“It was a challenge,” Gough said after being presented the jacket. “Not only to travel as far as I did but to play in the conditions I did. Before coming over here, my dad said that you see all four seasons in Melbourne, and I can completely agree with that now. I managed to get sunburnt, windburnt; we’ve seen some rain as well, and the wind was absolutely brutal. I managed to battle the elements, and it turned out good.
“This is a long way from home, so I can tick the box that I’ve come out here and played well. I’m most proud that I’ve battled the golf course and some outstanding players in tough conditions. The only things we didn’t see were snow and kangaroos.”
RESULTS
Ben Warian of Stillwater, Minnesota, shot 10-under 206 and then had to make three consecutive birdies in sudden death to extinguish fellow Minnesotan Nate Stevens to capture the Saguaro Amateur on Sunday afternoon at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club in Maricopa, Arizona.
A junior at the University of Minnesota, Warian opened with a 6-under 66 and then added a 1-under 71 to find himself on a jammed leaderboard come Sunday. After making par on his first nine holes, Warian found forward momentum and threatened the lead by making eagle on the par-5 16th.
He received some help to get into a playoff. Nathan Cogswell made double bogey on the final hole to fall to 9-under, and two other players also made late bogeys to miss out on a playoff or outright victory.
In the playoff, Warian and Stevens exchanged birdies on the first two holes until Warian won with a birdie on the third extra hole.
Warian came into the week ranked outside the top 1,000 in the WAGR, so it was a helpful victory against good competition.
University of Mississippi junior C.J. Easley shot 8-under 208 to capture the New Year’s Invitational on Sunday at St. Petersburg (Florida) Country Club.
Easley, who recently transferred from Auburn to Ole Miss so he could be closer to his home in Oxford, finished two strokes clear of Ty Gingerich, Bryce Reed, Max Johnson, Cooper Smith and Troy Vannucci. After opening with 67-69, Easley grinded through an even-par 72 to finish the victory.
Easley is No. 386 in the WAGR. His most recent victory came at the 2021 Monroe Invitational.
Matt Cooper and Sean Fairholm