A shock member of Australia’s quintet has been dubbed because the one most suited to proceed the nation’s outstanding legacy at this week’s The Gamers Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
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Previous winners Adam Scott and Jason Day together with Min Woo Lee, Cam Davis and Puerto Rico Open winner Karl Vilips can be flying the Australian flag on the match commonly dubbed the fifth main as a consequence of its high-class subject and the US$25 million in prize cash up for grabs.
Whereas Scott and Day are the best ranked Australians at current, Lee donned the inexperienced and gold on the Paris Olympics final yr, and Vilips has burst onto the scene in his rookie season, Fox Sports activities’ Paul Gow believes that Davis is finest positioned to spoil world primary Scottie Scheffler’s try at a three-peat.
Gow instructed foxsports.com.au that “if this golf course is suited to somebody’s recreation, it’s Cam Davis’” forward of The Gamers beginning on Friday morning Australian time.
Smith’s wild 18th gap fairytale end | 03:06
No extra Mr. Good Man
World rating: 53
Finest Gamers end: T6 (2023)
Final 5 outcomes: MC, MC, T5, T18, MC
Cam Davis’ type line makes it really feel like an enormous result’s proper across the nook regardless of latest struggles.
The Sydneysider has disappointingly missed the lower in his previous two occasions together with a weird ten-shot swing on the Arnold Palmer Invitational final week.
Davis fired a gap spherical two-under par 70 to start out the match properly however adopted it up with a horrific 80 that included a quadruple bogey 9 on a par 5 as a consequence of two water balls.
When Davis has been good thus far this yr nevertheless, he has been actually good.
The 30-year-old completed tied fifth on the Pebble Seashore Professional-Am, tied thirteenth on the Sentry – which may have been fifth had he not unintentionally hit Will Zalatoris’ ball in the course of the ultimate spherical and acquired a two-shot penalty – and tied 18th at The American Categorical.
And Gow is anticipating extra outcomes like that at TPC Sawgrass – the place he completed tied sixth two years in the past.
“One factor I do like about Cam Davis is he’s received the facility. He’s received each little bit of energy that’s vital on the world stage however one factor I like about his recreation is he performs inside himself,” Gow mentioned.
“He doesn’t attempt to overpower a golf course. When he wants it, he brings it out. When he doesn’t want it, he places it in his hip pocket and performs the pictures which might be required.
“He’s received off to a extremely good begin this yr. He was in competition at Pebble and hit a few actually good pictures. There’s nothing like that feeling of being in competition. You begin to really feel like this might actually be my yr and I may win two or 3 times.
“His placing seems to be lots higher. We noticed that in the course of the Australian summer time of golf.
“It’s his versatility. The completely different pictures he can hit. He’s a excessive ball hitter.
“He’s received all of the pictures and he’s beginning to fill these pictures out.”
Gow additionally looks like mentally Davis could have added extra of the Aussie grit that’s required for achievement at TPC Sawgrass to his recreation.
Davis is thought to be one of many nicest guys on the PGA Tour and after his second win on the Rocket Mortgage Basic, he spoke of utilizing hypnotherapy to resolve the psychological points that had plagued him on track.
Gow in the meantime believes it was an introduction to one of many greatest competitions on this planet three years in the past that will have unleashed a larger competitiveness.
“He’s such a pleasant particular person and so gentle mannered however we’ve seen just a little little bit of a unique facet him to a few years in the past within the Presidents Cup,” he mentioned.
“He’s received a little bit of grit and dedication in there. Perhaps he’s not that Mr. Good Man everybody thinks he’s when he will get on the golf course.
“I feel he desires it as a lot as anyone else.”
Muddy ball derails Day’s hopes | 00:47
Day’s probability to rebound from mud ball catastrophe
World rating: 33
Finest Gamers end: Winner (2016)
Final 5 outcomes: T8, T50, T13, T32, T3
Jason Day was firmly within the hunt on the Arnold Palmer Invitational till the sixteenth gap within the ultimate spherical when a mud ball and a hooked iron into the water resulted in double bogey and ended his probabilities.
Day’s recreation was clearly in good order as he fired the bottom spherical at Bay Hill in 4 years with an eight-under par 64 within the second spherical, however his slip ups proved pricey as a primary PGA Tour victory since 2023 has remained elusive thus far.
The 37-year-old is but to overlook a lower this yr together with his finest outcome coming within the type of a tied third end at The American Categorical, the place he frustratingly burned the sting of the cup repeatedly in the course of the ultimate spherical.
A reunion with former coach Colin Swatton has helped Day to launch the burden of getting “too technical” in his personal phrases, and Gow believes the previous world primary’s swing is in nice form because the flat stick holds the important thing.
“He’s peppering the stick. I like the way in which that he’s going about his golf in the mean time. He doesn’t go flat out on each shot. He’s manoeuvring his irons lots higher and actually staying in management,” Gow mentioned.
“Placing hasn’t been that nice this yr. He hasn’t putted the lights simply but. He doesn’t get the prospect to apply his placing as a lot as he used to due to his again. That’s type of mirrored just a little bit however he’s solely performed a few occasions so I feel we will let him off there.
“If you play a golf course that you simply’ve gained at, it’s at all times good emotions. You at all times appear to get all of the inexperienced lights, the locker room attendant appears to be a bit nicer to you, all these varieties of issues appear to go your method.
“He’s received such an excellent scrambling recreation that when he hits one or two false pictures, he can get up-and-down and get transferring once more.”
Touching scenes as Day wins The Gamers | 00:32
Classes of previous slip as much as information fan favorite
World rating: 56
Finest Gamers end: T6 (2023)
Final 5 outcomes: MC, T11, 48, T12, T17
Two years in the past, Australian golf followers knew of Min Woo Lee’s prodigious abilities, however the PGA Tour didn’t be taught of his mind-blowing expertise till this very occasion.
The now 26-year-old had solely made one lower in 9 occasions on the US Tour earlier than making it to the ultimate group alongside world primary Scottie Scheffler at The Gamers in 2023.
Now, the social media sensation has taken America by storm.
He has a legion of followers who like to name the physician each time ‘Dr. Chipinski’ pulls off yet one more miraculous chip-in or adorn chef hats in honour of Lee’s ‘let him cook dinner’ tagline.
They’ve had some good outcomes to cheer on thus far with a tied eleventh on the Cognizant Basic, a tied twelfth on the rowdy Phoenix Open and a tied seventeenth on the Pebble Seashore Professional-Am.
However Lee missed the lower on the Arnold Palmer Invitational, though Gow insists that the West Australian’s trajectory is headed upwards.
“Min Woo’s received off to a reasonably stable begin to 2025. He’s performed nicely. He’s now getting accustomed to taking part in on the PGA Tour towards one of the best gamers,” he mentioned.
“His type is stable with out being one of the best. The factor for Min is that he’s been engaged on completely different pictures together with his coach, Ritchie Smith, during the last 12 months to accommodate these sorts of robust golf programs.
“We all know he’s received the size. One good factor is his strategy to the greens is up, and he’s scrambling. His chipping across the greens has received lots higher within the 4 occasions he’s performed this yr.
“If he can drive the ball within the fairway, he’s sixth in driving distance on the PGA Tour, and with all of the stuff he’s been engaged on together with his irons, I can’t see him not having a extremely good week.”
Gow can also be sure that Lee’s expertise from two years in the past will profit him.
He shot four-over within the ultimate spherical to fall out of competition, however Gow doesn’t imagine that can weigh him down.
“It’s an absolute optimistic. He’s a younger participant who will mirror on that stuff, and it’s a optimistic, not a adverse. Some gamers would take it as an actual adverse, however not him,” he mentioned.
“What did I do? How did I react? Was I nervous? That is the way in which I performed this gap, possibly I can play this gap a bit in a different way. He’ll undergo it and he’ll determine it out.
“When Adam Scott gained this occasion again in 2004, that was the making of Adam Scott. He actually got here to life and it was like ‘woah, I’m on the world stage’.”
‘Like a nice bottle of wine’
World rating: 25
Finest Gamers end: Winner (2004)
Final 5 outcomes: T36, T37, T22, T37, T15
Talking of Adam Scott, the 2004 champion heads to TPC Sawgrass with a constant begin to the season beneath his belt.
The 44-year-old has performed 4 PGA Tour occasions in addition to the DP World Tour’s Dubai Desert Basic thus far in 2025 together with his outcomes ranging between tied fifteenth and tied thirty seventh.
It’s a stable, however not spectacular, stretch that probably signifies an enormous result’s across the nook.
Scott revisits well-known win at The Gamers | 04:47
Scott loved a resurgent yr final yr with a surprising run by the FedEx Cup playoffs, and Gow believes that recapturing a number of the magic he uncorked on the greens would be the key at The Gamers.
“He’s began stable with out profitable an occasion, however he’s made all of the cuts within the occasions that he’s performed,” Gow mentioned.
“He loves this golf course. He shapes the ball in addition to anybody for the final 30 years.
“I really feel he is likely to be just a little underdone, however he’s been taking part in the TGL stuff. He’s nonetheless been hitting pictures however it’s probably not like taking part in a Tour occasion.
“With a swing like that, it actually doesn’t take a lot to gap a couple of putts.
“The factor is with Adam Scott is that final yr was among the best placing years of his life and he would have taken lots from that.
“I simply really feel that he could also be just a little underdone however who is aware of with Adam Scott? He’s like a nice bottle of wine; he simply will get higher with age.”
New child on the block
World rating: 106
Finest Gamers end: debut this yr
Final 5 outcomes: 1, T39, T72, T46, T20
Australia had a late addition to The Gamers Championship subject with Karl Vilips incomes his debut courtesy of his spectacular maiden PGA Tour victory.
Vilips smashed the scoring file by 5 pictures on the Puerto Rico as his tally of -26 granted him a spot within the subject at TPC Sawgrass in addition to on the US PGA Championship and a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour.
It was solely the 23-year-old’s fourth begin on the US Tour, and simply his third in his rookie season as a Tour member, however it confirmed that he’s a star on the rise.
Aussie Vilips claims his first USPGA win | 01:03
He was a extremely gifted junior and beginner, who has by no means shied away from his ambition to turn out to be among the best gamers on this planet.
It’s at all times tough to back-up the week after a victory, particularly a breakthrough one, however Vilips has the benefit of carrying his sizzling hand house.
The West Australian lives close to TPC Sawgrass in Florida and shared that he can’t wait to sleep in his personal mattress throughout a match.
Plus, he’s extremely aware of the enduring course.
“I feel I performed six Junior Gamers there within the AJGA and I don’t suppose I had a outcome outdoors top-10, so I really feel fairly good on the market,” Vilips mentioned after first PGA Tour win.
“I do know it’s not the Junior Gamers, however I feel with the way in which I’m hitting it now, make good choices, prep nicely, I feel I might be in for an additional stable week there.
“I’m simply excited to sleep in my very own mattress, cook dinner my very own meals, be with my roommates. It’s going to be numerous enjoyable. By no means actually had an opportunity to do like a house
match. Clearly simply transferring there in November, I performed a course a bunch.
“It’s been wanting actually good. Final time I performed it was three weeks in the past so I’m positive by now it’s in pristine form and I’m actually excited. That was the massive purpose, I wished to get into The Gamers and I knew I needed to win this week to do it. It’s only a dream come true to have the ability to play in that match.”