Date: December 20, 2012
Author: Golf Australia

Our Top 12 of 2012

What was your top moment of 2012? Was it Adam Scott&aposs near miss at The Open Championship or Stacey Keating&aposs twin victories on the Ladies European Tour or Jake Higginbottom&aposs NZ Open win? Post a comment below and give us your thoughts! Moment 1: Scott&aposs Narrow Near-Miss at Open Championship Who: Adam Scott What: Led through 63 holes until back nine trouble cost him Australia&aposs biggest chance at major since Geoff Ogilvy&aposs US Open win in 2006. Full Story Click Here Moment 2: Korda triumphs at Royal Melbourne Who: Jessica Korda What: Rookie pro Jessica Korda clinched her first LPGA victory on the composite course at Royal Melbourne in the inaugural staging of the ISPS Handa Women&aposs Australian Open as a US LPGA Tour event. Full Story Click Here Moment 3: Teen Lee clinches win at US Girls&apos Junior Who: Minjee Lee What: Perth teen Minjee Lee becomes the first Australian to win the US Girls&apos Junior Championship. Full Story Click Here Moment 4: Leishman travels well in Conneticut Who: Marc Leishman What: A final round 62 was enough to earn Marc Leishman his first win on the PGA Tour at the Travellers Championship in June. It would be Australia&aposs sole victory on the PGA Tour in 2012. Full Story Click Here Moment 5: Senior shows the age of experience in Sydney Who: Peter Senior What: In torrid conditions at The Lakes Golf Club, Peter Senior&aposs accuracy and experience in brutal winds outlasted his younger counterparts including Adam Scott and Justin Rose to win his second Stonehaven Cup. Full Story Click Here Moment 6: Cullen breaks through in Indonesia Who: Nick Cullen What: Nick Cullen had been knocking on the door in a number of events when he arrived at the Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia Open. His one stroke victory was his first significant win as a pro. It also had the added benefits of being sanctioned by both OneAsia and the Japanese Tour. Full Story Click Here Moment 7: Higginbottom upstages pros in NZ Who: Jake Higginbottom What: National Squad member Oliver Goss started the trend in Perth with his WA Open win and fellow amateur Jake Higginbottom took it one step further with victory at the BMW NZ Open. He turned pro the following week. Full Story Click Here Moment 8: Boland earns LPGA stripes Who: Julia Boland What: A regular on the National Amateur circuit, Boland moved to Texas A&M College before turning professional. 2012 was her rookie year on the second tier Symetra Tour where she finished 8th on the Money List and earned an LPGA Tour card for 2013. She will join the likes of Karrie Webb and Katherine Hull on Tour next year. Full Story Click Here Moment 9: McIlroy completes world domination Who: Rory McIlroy What: 4 wins in 2012. Another Major. An MBE. World Number 1. The leading Money winner on both sides of the Atlantic. And that&aposs to start. Full Story Click Here Moment 10: Super Stacey goes back-to-back Who: Stacey Keating What: Stacey Keating endured heartbreak at the RICOH Women&aposs British Open when she was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard. It would prove to be the start of an extraordinary month in her career. She bounced back to win the Spanish Open before making it two from two in winning the French Open a fortnight later. She was presented with the trophy by childhood idol Lorena Ochoa. Full Story Click Here Moment 11: International pair take Australian Amateurs offshore Who: Marcel Schneider and Lydia Ko What: German Marcel Schneider took on highly fancied Queensland amateur Daniel Nisbet in the final of the Australian Amateur at Woodlands while Lydia Ko took on Breanna Elliott for the women&aposs title. The two internationals went on to clinch the trophies – with Ko going on to post a breakout year as the World Number 1 amateur with victory as an amateur at the CN Canadian Women&aposs Open on the LPGA Tour. Full Story Click Here Moment 12: Griffin makes his mark in Korea Who: Matt Griffin What: Victorian rookie pro Matt Griffin had been plying his trade on the PGA Tour Australasia and OneAsia for a couple of years, edging close to victories without finishing the week off. Enter the 2012 Charity High1 Resort Open in Korea and a cheque for nearly $180,000 and Griffin&aposs hard work had begun to pay off. Full Story Click Here