Aussies Abroad Weekly Wrap: Bondad just short

Star of the show: Frances Bondad, 23, impressed at the women&aposs Scottish Open in East Lothian over the weekend. She ended up just one shot behind tournament winner Carly Booth, with the New South Wales native finishing in a tie for second. Bondad fired a five-under final round at the three-day event to go close to winning for the second time on the Ladies European Tour. Jason Day was also consistent at the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina. Day was the best-placed Aussie, finishing in a tie for ninth after scores of 70, 70, 69 and 70 over the four days. Breakout of the week: Also in Scotland, Stacey Keating caught the eye as the Ballarat-born golfer finished in a three-way tie for third, just two shots behind the winner. Keating was in the top 10 at the end of five tournaments in 2011, which was her first year on the Ladies European Tour. As a result she finished third in the rookie of the year standings and she appears to have carried that form into 2012 with an impressive outing at the Scottish Open. Shot of the week: A final-day 74 cost John Senden a spot in the top 10 at the Wells Fargo Championship but he did produce this special effort on day three, making a 22-foot putt for birdie on the first hole. Tweet of the week: @aronpricePGA “Thanks for the b-day wishes. 30 is getting up there.” Aussie golfer Aron Price thanks his more than 4500 Twitter followers for their kind words as he enters his 30s. What lies ahead: Almost $US10 million is up for grabs at the THE PLAYERS Championship event in Florida this week. In what is unofficially known as the fifth major of men&aposs golf, Australia will have the most competitors of any country other than the host nation – 10 – competing in the PGA Tour event, including 2004 winner Adam Scott. The Queenslander will be joined by the likes of Day, Geoff Ogilvy and Aaron Baddeley. On the men&aposs European Tour, Scott Strange heads the list of Aussies in action at the Madeira Islands Open event in Portugal while with no LPGA Tour event, attention on the ladies circuit turns to the Turkish Airlines Ladies Open in Antalya. Bondad, Keating and eight of their compatriots will feature in Turkey. From the Couch: Golf fans in Australia can enjoy extensive coverage of THE PLAYERS Championship with at least five live hours each day being screened on Fox Sports. A massive seven hours – from 2am to 9am – on the final day will be broadcast as the likes of Scott, Day and Ogilvy hopefully make a late charge.