Emirates Australian Open 2014: Daily Leaderboard Analysis, Highlights and More
Jordan Spieth produced a wonderful performance on Day 4 of the Australia Open to take home the top prize at the Australian Golf Club in Rosebery.
The 21-year-old was a dark horse coming into the final day of competition, but Sunday's course-record 63 ensured Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott were left by the wayside, along with a host of other top contenders.
Read on for a breakdown of how Spieth's victory unfolded Down Under as the youngster claimed just the second PGA Tour win of his career to date.
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Here's how the final leaderboard ended in Sydney's suburbs:
| Position | Player | To Par |
| 1 | Jordan Spieth | -13 |
| 2 | Rod Pampling | -7 |
| 3 | Brett Rumford | -6 |
| 4 | Greg Chalmers | -5 |
| 5 | Adam Scott | -4 |
| 6 | Jake Higginbottom | -3 |
| T7 | Robert Allenby | -1 |
| T7 | Ryan Fox | -1 |
| 9 | Daniel Nisbet | Par |
Day 4 Recap
Spieth may not have been considered a favourite to emerge as victor among such a stellar cast of players in Rosebery, but an aggregate score of 13-under-par after four days would have one believe otherwise.
That hammering was helped on by some impressive scores on Day 1 and 3 of 67 and 69, respectively, but Sunday's display was in another class from the rest.
The official PGA website's Twitter account confirmed the victory, going on to detail just how far back favourites McIlroy and Scott finished from the 2014 champion:
Spieth was one of only two non-Australians to finish among the top 10, the other being New Zealand's Ryan Fox who tied for seventh, not to mention becoming the first American to win this event since Brad Faxon in 1993.
However, even after achieving the biggest accomplishment thus far in his budding career, the youngster displayed humility in the wake of triumph, quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald's Michael Chammas as saying:
"There's been a lot of close calls since the last time I won until now. It would be a lie if I didn't say that it was eating at me a little bit. It's tough when you get so close so many times at big events against world class fields and you're not able to pull it off. I didn't know it was a 63 until I signed the card. It was one of those rounds you are in the zone and you don't really care where you're at.
"
It's incredible to hear from one who failed to put a foot wrong in his climax, putting four birdies on each half of the course to register eight-under on the last day of proceedings, a total no other participant could manage.
One who certainly will care about their performance was defending champion McIlroy. The Norther Irishman simply couldn't put together a consistent assault on Days 3 and 4, following up Saturday's disappointing 76 with a score of 72 on Sunday.
He ended up finishing in 15th place and couldn't recover in such a windy setting. McIlroy spoke of the influence the wind had in upsetting his momentum, per BBC Sport:
"With the pin positions and the wind, it was just very hard to get the ball close to the hole," McIlroy said. "It just wasn't meant to be this year."
From here, the emerging Spieth can only hope 2015 follows suit in offering up similar opportunities for success, his name already one of the most promising on the scene.
His first trip to Australia was a highly successful one, but there are to be many more opportunities to impress in the years to come, and the next 12 months hold a special promise for his potential.
Day 3 Recap
Rory McIlroy continued to struggle at the 2014 Emirates Australia Open. He couldn't close the gap on homegrown players Brett Rumford and Greg Chalmers.
The domestic pair ended the third round in a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard. American Jordan Spieth completed the leading trio.
But the main story was how much McIlroy struggled. He finished five behind after running into major trouble on the ninth and 10th holes.
Highlights of McIlroy's struggles, as well as the performances at the top are available via the tournament's official YouTube account:
A Press Association report (h/t the Guardian) detailed some of McIlroy's woes:
"McIlroy’s title hopes suffered a hammer blow with a diabolical triple-bogey seven on the par-4 ninth. After blocking his tee shot into waist-high rough, his gamble to try to muscle it out backfired spectacularly.
The world No.1 looked like a weekend hacker as he chopped the ball less than a metre, submerging it under flaky matting and being forced to take a penalty for an unplayable lie.
"
McIlroy expressed his desire to make amends by making short work of Round 4, per Sky Sports:
"I need a fast start tomorrow to have a chance and it depends too on what the guys ahead of me do.
I need some help but the greens have been firmer every day, so a low score is higher than it was.
I still feel like I can shoot a good one, I just don't know if that will be enough. I'll be trying my best.
It's the last round of the season, so it would be nice to make it a good one.
"
But while McIlroy was making his slog over the course look anything but simple, Rumford hit birdies at four different holes. He was under par at the first, third, fifth and 16th. Rumford also struck par on 12 different holes.
Rumford's countryman Chalmers was equally as steady. He hit par at 14 holes to finish on 71, within touching distance of the 69 set by Rumford.
Here's what the leaderboard looks like after Round 3, with McIlroy conspicuous by his absence:
| Position | Player | RND | Round 3 | Score |
| T1 | Brett Rumford | -5 | 69 | 208 |
| T1 | Jordan Spieth | -5 | 69 | 208 |
| T1 | Greg Chalmers | -5 | 71 | 208 |
| T4 | Adam Scott | -4 | 69 | 209 |
| T4 | Rod Pampling | -4 | 69 | 209 |
| 6 | Todd Sinnott (A) | -2 | 73 | 211 |
| T7 | Aron Price | -1 | 69 | 212 |
| T7 | Jake Higginbottom | -1 | 72 | 212 |
| T9 | Daniel Nisbett | Par | 67 | 213 |
| T9 | Ryan Fox | Par | 69 | 213 |
One more homegrown player who enjoyed a fine day was Adam Scott. He stayed in touch with the leading trio on a day when he hit birdies at the first, ninth and 17th.
Afterwards, Scott said he felt good about his efforts, per the tournament's YouTube channel:
However, as well as he battled the course today, Scott will need an even better effort to beat one of Chalmers, Rumford or Spieth to the top of the leaderboard. But that's nothing compared to the type of performance McIlroy will need to produce.
He's certainly capable, but this is one deficit even McIlroy might find too much to overhaul.
All scorecard information courtesy of PGA.Org.AU.
Day 2 Recap
Greg Chalmers fired a terrific five-under 66 to take the second day lead at the Australian Open, lifting him to five-under for the tournament.
Jordan Spieth, who set the opening day pace on four-under, posted a one-over 72 to drop back, while Rory McIlory endured another mixed run. His two-under 69 keeps him one behind the overall leader.
Here's a rundown of the leaderboard after the second round:
| 1 | Greg Chalmers | -5 | -5 |
| T2 | Adam Crawford | -4 | -2 |
| T2 | Rory McIlroy | -4 | -2 |
| T2 | Conrad Shindler | -4 | -3 |
| T2 | Todd Sinnott | -4 | -4 |
| T6 | Geoff Drakeford | -3 | -1 |
| T6 | Brett Rumford | -3 | -2 |
| T6 | Jordan Spieth | -3 | 1 |
You can check the full leaderboard on the tournament's website. Be sure to also view highlights from the day below, per Golf Australia:
Chalmers posted an excellent run of five birdies across the front nine, claiming further shots on 15 and 18, but was also forced to contend with two bogeys. He struck the ball calmly after the pressure set in and will be confident of replicating his halfway success when Saturday's play begins.
Adam Scott, who started the day tied 82nd after a three-over 74, joined Chalmers in posting the second best score of Friday's play. An eagle on 14 underlined the Australian's sudden improvement, moving him within three shots of Chalmers' lead in tied ninth.
"Yesterday I got off to a bad start, and I didn't scramble well when I had to and it started to get away from me," Scott said, having posted three birdies, per Sky Sports. "Today a couple of good shots coming up 14 and I made an eagle and momentum is on your side."
American Jamie Lovemark was the only man to surpass the aforementioned duo's five-under with 65 for the day, but he remains even after dropping six on Thursday.
McIlroy's fluctuating form was once again a feature of the round. Always susceptible to streaky play over the first 48 hours, the world No.1 found little consistency in worsening conditions. He posted an eagle, six birdies and six bogeys to card his second consecutive 69, keeping him within grasp of the lead without excelling himself.
The Northern Irishman did well to overcome three bogeys in his opening seven holes. McIlroy gained four shots along the last five to give himself a late boost, despite failing to meet his own personal expectations throughout the day.
"I felt like I had an opportunity today to maybe shoot a good one and put a little bit of space between myself and the rest of the field, but it didn't really pan out that way," said McIlroy, per Sky Sports.
McIlroy's full comments can be heard below, per Golf Australia:
Australian amateur Todd Sinnott is one of three men to join McIlroy on four-under. Just one bogey marked the world No. 1023's score as he quietly crept into the upper echelons of the leaderboard.
Five birdies allowed him to rub shoulders with McIlroy, as well as Adam Crawford and Conrad Shindler, who posted two and three-under respectively.
Spieth couldn't overturn four bogeys to conserve his lead. While he began the opening day with a birdie, the American youngster failed to establish momentum early on Friday and struggled from thereon. He needs to quickly rediscover his form if the weekend's play is to yield any success.
Chalmers will most likely need to maintain his current pace to challenge for the overall title. Many players have proven largely erratic so far—following excellent shots by dropping one and vice versa—so consistency remains key in windy Australian conditions.
Unlike Spieth, who was unable to take advantage of calmer weather during the early session, Chalmers must ensure he utilises any boost handed his way. McIlroy is likely to improve at some point over the weekend, meaning an exciting battle is sure to ensue.
Day 1 Recap
Jordan Spieth sunk a solid four-under 67 to lead during a competitive opening day in Australia. The American star is currently one shot ahead of Scott Gardiner and Aron Price, with Rory McIlroy among a group of players a further shot back, as highlighted below:
| 1 | Jordan Spieth | -4 | 67 |
| T2 | Scott Gardiner | -3 | 68 |
| T2 | Aron Price | -3 | 68 |
| T4 | Adam Crawford | -2 | 69 |
| T4 | Brendon De Jonge | -2 | 69 |
| T4 | Geoff Drakeford | -2 | 69 |
| T4 | Richard Green | -2 | 69 |
| T4 | Rory McIlroy | -2 | 69 |
| T4 | Achi Sato | -2 | 69 |
| T4 | Andrew Tampion | -2 | 69 |
| T4 | Rohan Blizard | -2 | 69 |
You can check the full leaderboard on the tournament's website.
Spieth was partnered with Adam Scott and Nick Cullen across the opening round, all of whom produced completely different performances. The leader began with a birdie before settling with pars through the next three holes.
He sank another birdie on the fifth, before hitting his first setback on the sixth with a momentum-stifling bogey. Spieth wasn't deterred, however, and brushed himself down to secure another four birdies on his way back to the clubhouse. He dropped a shot at the 17th, but overcame windy conditions to establish a lead.
Local hope Scott suffered a disappointing first day alongside Spieth, carding a three-over 74 to stand tied 82nd. He simply couldn't repair the damage after opening with a double bogey and dropping five shots across the front nine.
Birdies on the 12th and 14th helped save face, but Scott has an awful lot of work to do. Cullen split the trio's quality and is currently tied 46th on two-over.
Despite admitting jet-lag, per Sky Sports, McIlroy remains in contention with his two-under 69. He came up two shots short during Henrik Stenson's victory in Dubai last week and indicated the Australian conditions tested his concentration more thoroughly than he expected.
"It took me a little while to get going. I gave myself a lot of chances early on in the round and didn't really take them. The conditions were pretty tricky. It was tough to get the ball close to the pins with the wind and these greens being quite firm as well.
"
McIlroy also said, "I definitely feel like there's a better score out there," placing pressure on Spieth.
An improved display is needed if the American is to be caught. McIlroy followed his birdie on the 14th with a bogey, before tuning his game up to gain three shots after the turn. A bogey at seven left McIlroy needing to find inspiration in order to escape a clogged chasing pack, something he delivered on his final hole of the day.
Gardiner posted the best individual shot after firing home a hole-in-one at the 11th, highlighted by Golf Australia's video:
Quite amazingly, this shot followed a double bogey start at the 10th, but provided Gardiner with the chance to put himself in contention. He did exactly that and remains alongside Price on three-under.
Spieth heads into Friday's action knowing a thorough examination awaits. McIlroy is expected to improve, while the blustery conditions underline a sense that one misstep could be consequential to anybody's hopes of snatching the prize.
He has provided the most consistency of an inconsistent field so far, but will need to tighten up further if he's to push McIlory aside in the long run.
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