MELBOURNE, Australia — American golfer Ryggs Johnston has clinched his first professional title by winning the Australian Open with a three-stroke victory. Concurrently, South Korea’s Jiyai Shin secured her second Women’s Australian Open at two separate courses located in the celebrated Melbourne sand belt.
Johnston completed the tournament with a final round score of 68, bringing his total to 18-under 269, allowing him to finish three strokes ahead of home player Curtis Luck, who also shot a 68 and briefly held the lead during the final round at Kingston Heath. The 24-year-old, who hails from Montana and is ranked 953rd in the world, became the first American to take home the Stonehaven Cup since Jordan Spieth achieved the feat in 2016.
Marc Leishman, competing on the LIV Tour, shot a 69 to tie for third place at 14-under 273 alongside fellow Australian Jasper Stubbs, who finished with a score of 70. Australian golfer Lucas Herbert, who was among the leaders after the first three rounds, faced difficulties putting and finished the day with a 74, bringing his total to 12-under and finishing tied for fifth.
The tournament began favorably for Johnston, who made an eagle on the first hole. However, he experienced fluctuations in his performance, trading birdies with three bogeys, leading to a 35 at the turn. In a strong finish, he regained composure, making three birdies without any bogeys, ultimately closing out the biggest win of his burgeoning career with a par on the last hole at Kingston Heath, which is set to host the Presidents Cup in 2028.
Defending champion Joaquin Niemann was unable to replicate his impressive Saturday score of 64, finishing the final day with an even-par 72 and a total of 12-under 275, resulting in a tie for sixth place. Meanwhile, Cameron Smith, the 2022 British Open champion, shot a 71 on Sunday, finishing at 3-under 285 and tying for 39th in his four-tournament stint back home without a victory.
In the Women’s Australian Open, Jiyai Shin faced a late push from Ashleigh Buhai but managed to secure her second title at the prestigious event. Shin recorded a 70 on Sunday, finishing the tournament with a total of 17-under-par 274, two shots ahead of Buhai, who shot 68. Shin had maintained a commanding lead of up to seven shots, but Buhai’s five birdies against one bogey during the final stretch made the outcome uncertain.
Shin, a former world No. 1, sealed her victory with a critical seven-foot putt on the final hole, marking her 65th professional title and her second Australian Open since her initial win in 2013. “Now I can breathe,” Shin expressed her joy, adding, “I only had one Australian Open trophy so I am really excited for this next one, especially at this golf course at Kingston Heath. I lost in 2008 to Karrie Webb, so now I feel much better.”
Buhai aimed to become the first golfer to win three consecutive Australian Open titles. She attempted a 12-foot birdie putt on the last hole to close the gap to one shot but unfortunately missed the cup. The 17-year-old amateur, Hyojin Yang, finished in third place with a score of 7-under, wrapping up her day’s play with a 72.
Hannah Green started her final round poorly, incurring three bogeys and a double bogey, ultimately finishing with a score of 79 and dropping out of contention. She tied for fourth with fellow Australian Grace Kim, who shot a 70, both finishing the tournament at 6-under 285. LPGA Tour professional Minjee Lee finished tied for seventh with a score of 71, totaling 3-under 288, while her brother, Min Woo Lee, recorded a 70, ending the tournament at 5-under 282 to tie for 27th.
This year, the tournaments featured alternating tee times and equal prize money for the second year in a row. The courses included the par-72 Kingston Heath, which hosted the final two rounds, and par-71 Victoria Golf Club, which hosted the initial rounds.
