Aussies on Tour

Queenslander Maverick Antcliff has taken a significant step towards securing his future on the European Tour after recording his best result at the Canary Islands Championship in Spain.

Somewhat slow out of the blocks with an opening round of 1-under 70, Antcliff played the final 54 holes in 20-under par to finish outright second six shots behind in-form South African Garrick Higgo, bettering his tie for third at last year’s Irish Open.

Currently earning starts via his 2019 China Golf Tour Order of Merit triumph and without status for next year, Antcliff’s runner-up result and corresponding cheque for €151,810 saw the 28-year-old rocket up to 28th on the Race to Dubai standings.

His improved position will not only provide greater schedule certainty for this season but has him well placed to finish inside the top-110 on the money list at the end of the year and earn a full European Tour card for 2022.

A brilliant 8-under 64 in the third round once again put Hannah Green in contention for a win she knows is not far off but ultimately she had to settle for a tie for seventh at the LPGA Tour’s Honda LPGA Thailand.

Runner-up the week prior in Singapore to move to a career high of No.13 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, Green closed with six birdies in a round of 4-under 68 to finish three back of Ariya Jutanugarn who roared home with a stunning 9-under 63.

After a busy schedule of late, Green intends to spend the next two weeks at her US base in Orlando but declared post-round that a return home to Western Australia and Olympic campaign is very much part of her planning.

“Going to have to skip some events in order to go back (to Australia) but with the Olympics this year I want to prioritise that,” Green said.

“So I'll be away for five weeks and come back for the end of the year and pretty much play everything.”

The only other Aussie to log a top-10 finish this week was David McKenzie who recorded his third top-10 finish in a Champions Tour Major at the Regions Tradition in Alabama.

Twice a top-10 finisher at the Senior Open Championship, McKenzie began the final round just outside the top five but despite going bogey-free couldn’t get the birdie putts to drop, closing with a 1-under 71 after a brilliant 6-under 66 on the Saturday.

AUSTRALASIAN RESULTS

European Tour: Canary Islands Championship