Australia’s Sarah Jane Smith has crushed the mixed field to become the second consecutive female winner of the TPS golf tournament series by taking out the Murray River event at Cobram Barooga.
Key points:
- Smith finished the tournament at 20-under-par
- She is the fourth female golfer to win a mixed-gender event on a recognised professional tour
- Andrew Martin and Shae Wools-Cobb tied for second
Following South Korean Min A Yoon’s triumph in Rosebud last week, veteran Smith topped the leaderboard with a five-shot victory on Sunday, finishing at 20-under-par.
Andrew Martin (66) and Shae Wools-Cobb (67) tied for second.
Smith became the fourth female golfer to win a mixed-gender event on a recognised professional tour, with countrywoman Hannah Green making history as the first when she won the same tournament last year.
She said she thrived on the opportunity to play against female and male opponents.
“The last couple of years have been pretty rough so any kind of win is great, but the guys have been so incredible,” Smith told ABC Sport.
“I’ve just been so fortunate to play with the nicest guys in the last few weeks that I’ve played. Australian golf is in good hands with the young guys coming through.”
A regular on the LPGA Tour for a decade, Smith only has limited status this year after a slow return following the birth of her son Theo in 2019.
“I think it was just a lot harder to come back than I thought it was going to be,” Smith said.
“Things have just been a little tougher than I hoped.”
Smith — who finished tied for fifth at the 2018 US Open — set up the win with a sizzling third round when she surged up the leaderboard with an 8-under 63.
The 38-year-old entered the last day tied for the lead at 14-under with Matias Sanchez, who led by three shots at the halfway mark.
But Smith kept the field at bay with a bogey-free round of 6-under, relishing her improvement since linking with Cameron Smith’s coach Grant Field late last year.
“I actually didn’t know where I stood until three holes to go,” she said.
“I was still nervous, but it took a little pressure off those last couple of holes, which was nice.”
Martin threatened early, picking up four straight birdies to open his final round before dropping a shot on the seventh.
He collected another three birdies on the back nine and a dazzling eagle on the 13th hole.
But his momentum stalled with a double bogey on the 15th hole, thanks to a wayward tee shot that required him to hit a provisional ball before a bogey on the 16th further soured his run.
Smith, meanwhile, was consistent, peppering her round with six birdies and 12 pars.
AAP/ABC
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