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Bright Day for Aussie golfers around the world

Roar Guru
20th June, 2011
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Jason Day’s second consecutive runner-up finish in a major championship capped off a great weekend for Australian golfers who secured three victories around the world.

Only a couple of hours before Day finished second behind runaway winner Rory McIlroy in the US Open, Mathew Goggin claimed his second victory of the season on the Nationwide Tour at the Wichita Open, ensuring a return to the US PGA Tour next season.

That win followed a shock seven-shot win for little-known New South Welshman Matt Zions at the Saint-Omer Open in France, his first on the European Tour.

Also triumphant was Victorian Bryden Macpherson, who became the first Australian winner of the British amateur championship since 1954.

And West Australian Kristie Smith went close on the Ladies European Tour, finishing runner up by a shot to Italy’s Diana Luna at the rain-shortened Ladies Swiss Open.

Goggin, the winner of the season-opening Panama Championship, birdied the final hole in Wichita to finish at 18-under 266 for a one stroke victory.

It took his season’s earnings past $US300,000 ($A284,400), guaranteeing a top 25 money list finish and promotion from the second-tier tour as well as welcoming a return to the sort of form which saw him finish tied fifth at the 2009 British Open.

“I feel like I’m back on the same trajectory I was two years ago,” Goggin said.

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“It was a real nice victory.”

Zions was clearly taken aback after capitalising on the absence of Europe’s big guns to end up at eight-under 276, well ahead of England’s Daniel Denison, Sweden’s Peter Gustafsson and Craig Lee of Scotland.

The 32-year-old’s previous best result on the European Tour was a ninth place finish at the 2007 New Zealand Open.

“It feels like I’m dreaming,” Zions said.

“The last four holes I was wondering when I could start thinking about winning, and when would be too soon that it tempted fate.

“I had a lump in my throat a couple of times.

“This is a huge day, it’s hard to believe.”

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Macpherson, 20, beat Scotland’s Michael Stewart 3 and 2 in Saturday’s 36-hole matchplay final at Hillside near Southport to earn places in next month’s British Open and next year’s Masters.

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