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Ten Aussies will endeavour to end more than two decades of missed opportunities in senior major championships at the first over-50s major of 2025 this week in Alabama.
The influx of Australian talent onto the PGA TOUR Champions has been on an upward trajectory for the past three years yet tournament wins – including in the five biggest events each year – have proved elusive.
While Kiwi Steven Alker has amassed nine Champions Tour wins – including the 2022 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship – only Mark Hensby (pictured, right), Rod Pampling and Steve Allan have won on the senior circuit in the US the past two years.
The drought in senior majors stretches back to 2002 when Stewart Ginn won the Senior Players Championship, one of only four Aussies along with Ian Stanley, Graham Marsh and Peter Thomson to claim one of the showpiece events on the senior circuit.
That drought could end this week at the Regions Tradition with a contingent of Aussies who have come close in recent years.
Victorian Richard Green was twice a runner-up in senior majors last year, Greg Chalmers (pictured, left) had a share of the lead going into last year’s KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship while Hensby, Pampling and Stuart Appleby all boast top-three finishes since 2022.
It is a rare double week of major championship action with seven Australians and New Zealand’s Ryan Fox to contest the US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club.
While our three most recent major champions in Cameron Smith, Jason Day and Adam Scott are present again, it also marks the emergence of the next wave of Aussie superstars.
A breakthrough PGA TOUR win at last month’s Houston Open was the next step in Min Woo Lee’s progression and both Karl Vilips and Elvis Smylie will play the PGA Championship for the first time.
Vilips only graduated from Stanford University 12 months ago but has already earned his first PGA TOUR win while Smylie received a special exemption as Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner.
It is the second major championship for both and an opportunity for Smylie to take what he learned at last year’s Open Championship and apply it in a major setting.
“I feel like I’ll do a really good job at just not burning myself out too much,” said Smylie, who played a practice round with Day and Lee on Tuesday.
“My tendency last year at The Open was wanting to play a lot, just because it’s a major, it’s just really exciting.
“I’m doing my best at being able to prepare like any other tournament, so that’s where the experience of having Ritchie (Smith, Smylie’s coach) around will be really beneficial.”
Photos: Getty Images
Round 1 tee times AEST
US PGA Championship
Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, North Carolina
9:05pm* Ryan Fox (NZ)
9:49pm* Jason Day
10:11pm* Min Woo Lee
10:17pm Karl Vilips
2:36am* Cam Davis
3:03am Adam Scott
4:09am Cameron Smith
4:26am* Elvis Smylie
Past champion: Xander Schauffele
Past Aussie winners: Jim Ferrier (1947), David Graham (1979), Wayne Grady (1990), Steve Elkington (1995), Jason Day (2015)
TV times: Live 3am-9am Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
PGA TOUR Champions
Regions Tradition
Greystone G&CC, Birmingham, Alabama
1:15am David Bransdon
1:48am Stuart Appleby
1:59am Cameron Percy
2:10am Mark Hensby
2:10am* Steven Alker (NZ)
2:21am John Senden
2:54am Richard Green
3:16am Steve Allan
3:27am Greg Chalmers, Rod Pampling
3:27am* Michael Wright
Past champion: Doug Barron
Past Aussie winners: Graham Marsh (1999)
Prize money: $US2.6m
TV times: Live 5am-8am Friday, Saturday; Live 4am-7am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.
Ladies European Tour
Dutch Ladies Open
Goyer Golf and Country Club, Eemnes, Netherlands
Australasians in the field: Kirsten Rudgeley, Momoka Kobori (NZ), Kelsey Bennett, Amelia Garvey (NZ), Wenyung Keh (NZ), Maddison Hinson-Tolchard
Past champion: Jana Melichova
Past Aussie winners: Corinne Dibnah (1993), Stephanie Kyriacou (2021)
Prize money: €330,000
Korn Ferry Tour
AdventHealth Championship
Blue Hills Country Club, Kansas City, Missouri
11:46pm Harry Hillier (NZ)
3:43am* Rhein Gibson
Past champion: Harry Higgs
Past Aussie winners: Michael Sim (2009), James Nitties (2011)
Prize money: $US1m
Korea PGA Tour
SK Telecom Open
Pinks GC, Korea
8:12am* Changgi Lee (NZ)
8:23am Sungjin Yeo (NZ)
8:45am* Junseok Lee
1:02pm Wonjoon Lee
Past champion: KJ Choi
Past Aussie winners: Kurt Barnes (2011), Matthew Griffin (2013)
Prize money: KRW1.3b
Epson Tour
Copper Rock Championship
Copper Rock Golf Course, Hurricane, Utah
5:59am* Su Oh
Past champion: Fiona Xu
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US250,000
Legends Tour
OFX Irish Legends
Mount Juliet Estate, Co Kilkenny, Ireland
Australasians in the field: Michael Campbell (NZ), Scott Hend, Michael Long (NZ)
Past champion: Adilson da Silva
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Sunshine Tour
Kit Kat Cash & Carry Pro-Am
Irene Country Club, Centurion, South Africa
Aussies in the field: Austin Bautista
Past champion: Kieran Vincent
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: R2m
Long-time coach and mentor Col Swatton has taken Jason Day back in time to unlock a future he is convinced will feature further major championship success.
Reunited at the start of this year, it is 10 years since Swatton and Day celebrated one of the seminal moments in Australian golf when they fulfilled major championship destiny at the 2015 US PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.
Not only did it mark the summit of a shared journey that began when Day came under Swatton’s watch as a troubled teen attending the Hills International School west of the Gold Coast, it was the centrepiece in a stretch of golf that made Day the best player in the game.
In the decade since, Day’s family with wife Ellie has expanded to five children, he has endured a debilitating back injury and, after parting ways with Swatton in 2020, sought swing changes with a range of coaches and a period where he chose to go solo.
The past decade has also seen Day record runner-up finishes at the PGA Championship (2016) and The Open Championship (2023) and win a further six times on the PGA TOUR, spending 51 weeks as the world No.1.
Now 37 years of age, Day spent the majority of 2022 outside the top 100 but has enjoyed a resurgence, a resurgence Swatton believes can continue by looking back at what made him great in the first place.
“Jase just needs to, in his own words, quiet the noise that he’s been going through for the last three or four years,” said Swatton, who has both Day and rookie Karl Vilips in the field this week at Quail Hollow Club.
“He also needs to get back to the things that have made him great, and I think he’s gotten away from those a little bit in the last three or four years.
“Part of my job and part of my role is to come back in and say, ‘Hey, this is what you did when you were the best player in the world.’ Remind him of that, but also to hold him somewhat accountable to that. To be able to say, ‘This is what you did. We need to get back to that winning formula and allow everything else to fall into place.’”
When the pair combined for major championship glory, Day was a tenacious 27-year-old in the midst of four wins in the space of six events with world golf at his mercy.
The motivating forces may have changed in the decade since, yet Swatton sees the game and a new cause driving him to the best in the sport again.
“Jason’s in a different place now. He’s got five kids; Dash (Day’s eldest) is a very fine golfer in his own right,” said Swatton.
“When you reach the highest of highs and you become the best player in the world, you get to the top of the mountain and you go, OK, that’s great, it smells and looks a little different up here.
“I think Jase wants to set examples and sort of say, ‘This is what your dad did, but also, too, this is who your dad is.’ Set examples, lifetime lessons for his kids.
“I think he wants to prove not only to himself, but to his family, that this is who Jason Day is.
“I’ve definitely seen the signs that I need to see to feel encouraged and I think Jason’s seen the signs that he needs to also feel encouraged.
“Whether it’s this year or not, I definitely think he’s got another (major) in him, if not more.”
Day was at the peak of his powers when he held off world No.1 Jordan Spieth at the 2015 PGA Championship with Swatton on the bag.
With legacy on his shoulders and Lake Michigan sitting ominously to his left, Day delivered a superb tee shot to the heart of the green at the par-3 17th to protect his three-shot advantage.
When Day marked his ball after his birdie putt from 40 feet came to rest a foot from the cup on the 72nd hole, tears began to flow.
Reflecting on that moment, Swatton admitted that he started to become overcome by emotion back in the 18th fairway.
“It is a tough hole to get it done, to be fair. It’s a difficult shot,” Swatton recalled of the par-4 finisher.
“It’s a semi-blind tee shot and the second shot you are hitting to this amphitheatre green with the whole clubhouse in the background and the crowd lining the right side of the fairway.
“I remember Jason turning to me and I’m trying to have this conversation with him. I’m trying to give him the yardage, give him the wind direction, give him everything else and he just said, ‘Tell me where to hit it.’
“It was probably that moment, for the first time all day, that I kind of got a little nervous and I allowed the moment to get a little bit… not out of control, but just envelop us both.
“It was like, you knock it on the green here and you manage the two putt and you’re going to become a major championship winner and win the PGA Championship.
“That’s probably the moment that I kind of allowed it to get maybe a little too much for the both of us.
“That embrace after he knocked that putt in and watching Jase just do the belly cry and sob, there’s nothing better than that.”
Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Four birdies in his final six holes has propelled Darcy Brereton to a second win of the year at the GMW & Radlink Wembley Pro-Am.
Victorious on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series last month at Yenda, Brereton held off a field laden with Tour talent with a superb round of 8-under 64 at Wembley’s Old Course.
The 30-year-old finished two strokes clear of a seven-player logjam that included Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia winners Andrew Martin, Cameron John and Daniel Fox along with DP World Tour winner Marcus Fraser, Andrew Kelly, Lachlan Aylen and Alex Edge.
Turning point
Starting from the par-4 ninth hole, Brereton was 1-under through his first six holes but headed to the front nine 3-under after birdies at 15 and 17.
He moved to 4-under with birdie at the par-5 first but it was his late charge of four birdies in five holes from the par-4 third that separated Brereton from the pack.
Leading scores
1 Darcy Brereton 64
T2 Andrew Martin 66
T2 Alex Edge 66
T2 Cameron John 66
T2 Andrew Kelly 66
T2 Daniel Fox 66
T2 Marcus Fraser 66
T2 Lachlan Aylen 66
Next up
There are tournaments across three states on Friday highlighted by Round 1 of the $50,000 Mitchell and Brown Spalding Park Open. The single-round pro-ams being played Friday are the Hahn Shelly Beach GC Pro-Am and the inaugural Pacific Harbour Pro-Am at Pacific Harbour Golf Course on Bribie Island.
May 12
Double success for in-form Sanchez
Riding an improved putting game, Matias Sanchez has become a back-to-back champion in the adidas PGA Pro-Am series after claiming the Toro Australia – TQUIP Pro Am at The Western Australian Golf Club.
The winner of the Sanwell Cottesloe Open at the weekend, Sanchez shot a round of 6-under-par 64 to earn a one-shot margin over Daniel Fox (WA) and Tim Hart (Qld).
The Victorian’s hot streak in WA has included breaking the Cottesloe Golf Club’s course record with a 63 on Saturday.
Turning point
After starting his round on the ninth hole, Sanchez set up his latest victory with a run of four birdies in five holes on the back nine. Back-to-back birdies on the sixth and seventh completed the job.
Quick quotes
Sanchez said: “I just came out here and just tried to play my best golf and fortunately enough it was good enough.
“I’m just trying to be as free as possible out there and not try to think too much out there about what can go wrong or what might happen. I guess all you can do is just hit the shot that’s required so that’s what I was really trying to do.
“I’ve always been thought my putting was the best part of my game and it’s probably let me down the last two or so months, three months. It’s nice to see that it’s sort of coming back because the first half of last season it was really, really strong.”
Leading scores
1 Matias Sanchez 64
T2 Daniel Fox 65
T2 Tim Hart 65
T4 Jordan Doull 66
T4 Connor McKinney 66
T4 Samuel Slater 66
T4 Cameron John 66
9 Cory Crawford 67
Next up
The WA swing continues with the GMW & Radlink Wembley Pro-Am on the Old Course at Wembley on Tuesday.
May 12
Sanchez’s 63 sets up Cottesloe success
Matias Sanchez produced the third course record of the week in the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series on the way to winning the Sanwell Cottesloe Open at the weekend.
The Victorian professional’s record round on the Perth layout came on Saturday, a 9-under-par 63, highlighted by two eagles, which set up a three-stroke lead to take into the final day of the 36-hole event.
Sanchez lost the outright lead early on Sunday when Queenslander Louis Dobbelaar started with four straight birdies, but he managed to post a 3-under-69 to finish with a two-shot margin over Dobbelaar and Curtis Luck (WA), the duo shooting matching rounds of 67-67.
The 26-year-old’s course record was the third so far in the West Australian swing, following on from 63s by Hayden Hopewell at the South West Open at Bunbury and Braden Becker at the Kwinana Pro-Am.
Turning point
Searching for his first adidas PGA Pro-Am Series victory since 2023, Sanchez looked like he was losing his grip on the title on Sunday when he made a double-bogey on the par-5 14th and followed up with a bogey on the par-4 15th.
But he turned the event back in his favour by making a two at the short par-4 16th, his tee shot ending up just five feet from the hole.
Quick quotes
Sanchez said: “A three-shot lead can get mowed down pretty quickly so I just had to stay focussed on making birdies and hitting the best possible shots.
“It was pretty up and down most of the day. I didn’t hit the ball as good as yesterday but yesterday was pretty amazing. It’s hard to beat what happened yesterday.
“It’s nice to get a win. I haven’t really won in a while and it’s nice to see the game’s coming together.”
Leading scores
1 Matias Sanchez 63-69 – 132
T2 Louis Dobbelaar 67-67 – 134
T2 Curtis Luck 67-67 – 134
T4 Andrew Kelly 69-67 – 136
T4 Jason Scrivener 69-67 – 136
T4 Cory Crawford 68-68 – 136
T4 Cameron John 66-70 – 136
T8 Joseph Owen 69-68 – 137
T8 Jarryd Felton 69-68 – 137
Next up
The WA swing continues with the Toro Australia – TQUIP Pro Am at Western Australian Golf Club on Monday followed by the GMW & Radlink Wembley Pro-Am on the Old Course at Wembley on Tuesday.
May 9
Becker sets new course record at Kwinana
Braden Becker has played at Kwinana Golf Club a countless number of times but he’s never produced a competition round like he did at the Dunning’s Kwinana Pro-Am on Friday.
Capitalising on an “absolute hot start”, the West Australian set a new course record of 9-under-par 63 to capture the club’s adidas PGA Pro-Am Series title by three shots over Deyen Lawson.
How the record unfolded
Becker made a tap-in eagle on the 459m par-5 first before following up with a birdie from eight-feet at the second.
He then almost aced the par-3 third and picked up another birdie at the fourth to be 5-under-par through four and with thoughts of a sub-60 round in his mind. He turned in 30 after a birdie at the ninth and added in another three birdies on the back nine.
All up, Becker was -5 on the par-5s for the day.
Quick quotes
“I reckon I’ve played the pro-am here every year since 2013 and apart from that I’ve played here a bunch of times because I only live 20-25 minutes away,” Becker said.
“I enjoy playing with the members here. They’re a great group of members.
“After that hot start, I was thinking ‘the course record is definitely on and hopefully we can get to that magical break 60 number’.
“The greens were just so perfect out there. It’s always a pleasure to play here for that reason.”
Leading scores
1 Braden Becker 63
2 Deyen Lawson 66
T3 Lachlan Aylen 67
T3 Daniel Fox 67
5 Max Ford 68
T6 Jordan Doull 69
T6 Andrew Kelly 69
T6 Dale Howie 69
T6 Adam Hatch 69
T6 Louis Dobbelaar 69
T6 Sam Slater 69
T6 Cory Crawford 69
T6 Jason Norris 69
Next up
The Sanwell Cottesloe Open will be played over two rounds at Cottesloe Golf Club this weekend.
May 7
Zach’s max reward at Secret Harbour
Brisbane’s Zachary Maxwell is eyeing a fast start to the upcoming Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season after a one-stroke win at the TenGolf Group Pro-Am south of Perth.
Played over two days at The Cut Golf Course and Secret Harbour Golf Links, Maxwell compiled consecutive rounds of 3-under 69 to finish one shot clear of Sydney’s Nathan Barbieri (71-68) with Lachlan Aylen (70-70) and Deyen Lawson (71-69) sharing third.
Maxwell’s only previous adidas PGA Pro-Am Series win was a lucrative one last July, pocketing close to $15,000 after taking out the Optilease Redcliffe Pro-Am.
The 25-year-old had two top-20 finishes during the 2024-2025 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season and will seek to build on that at the 2025 PNG Open in August.
“It’s really good just to top the funds up and go home and focus on training,” said Maxwell.
“Not work as much and just get ready for Papua New Guinea and start the Australian season off.”
Turning point
The only player to break 70 in Round 1 at The Cut on Tuesday, Maxwell began day two ahead by a single stroke from a group of five players.
That advantage soon disappeared with a bogey at his opening hole before Maxwell responded with birdies at 16 and 17.
One-under on his round when he reached the par-5 11th, Maxwell gave himself a look at eagle before tapping in for the first of two closing birdies.
“It was a very pivotal moment of the round,” said Maxwell.
“We checked the live scores and I had to really show up and hit a good golf shot.
“I hit a really, really good 3-wood in there tight for eagle. Unfortunately lipped out the putt, but it was a very comfortable birdie and helped me finish the round off.”
Quick quotes
“It was quite beautiful being able to play those two courses,” Maxwell said of playing The Cut and Secret Harbour in consecutive days.
“Being a Queenslander, but it’s very good to come over here to Perth and appreciate some of these beautiful courses.
“I’m very grateful to not only be able to play them, but get a win while doing so.
“This is going to be my last pro-am before the season starts.
“I’ll go home and play the close ones and Rockhampton but my main focus will be going to Papua New Guinea and being very ready for that one.”
Leading scores
1 Zachary Maxwell 69-69—138
2 Nathan Barbieri 71-68—139
T3 Lachlan Aylen 70-70—140
T3 Deyen Lawson 71-69—140
5 Tim Hart 70-71—141
T6 Scott Barr 71-71—142
T6 Caleb Bovalina 70-72—142
Next up
Dunning’s Kwinana Pro-Am at Kwinana Golf Club, Friday, May 9
May 4
Hopewell equals course record to triumph in Bunbury
Back home from competing on the European Challenge Tour, West Australian Hayden Hopewell tied the Bunbury Golf Club’s course record to win the South West Isuzu South West Open on Sunday.
A brilliant 9-under-par 63 in the final round, the best score of the day by four strokes, gave Hopewell a two-shot margin over NSW’s Nathan Barbieri to earn the second win of his career on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series.
Fresh off his victory at the Axedale Pro-Am in Victoria, Andrew Martin led at Bunbury Golf Club after an opening 65 on Saturday but the Victorian had to settle for third place after closing with a 71.
Hopewell is currently on a break from the Challenge Tour where he is ranked 47th on the Order of Merit as he strives for a DP World Tour card for 2025/26,
Turning point
Starting his round from the 10th tee, the former Bunbury junior made his run early, making five consecutive birdies from the 11th hole. An eagle at the par-5 second propelled him to 8-under for the day through 11 holes.
His only dropped shots for the day came with a double-bogey at the par-3 seventh, but he then birdied the eighth and ninth to see off Barbieri’s challenge.
Quick quotes
“Today was a special round,” the 23-year-old said.
“I hit it solid and the hole just felt like a bucket. I was seeing every putt and they were just dropping. It was quite uncanny at times.
“I was stoked to finish off the round by holing a nice putt on the last to tie the course record. It was on my mind. Being a junior here for a bit, it holds a special place in my heart.”
Leading scores
1 Hayden Hopewell 70-63
2 Nathan Barbieri 67-68
3 Andrew Martin 65-71
4 Jason Scrivener 69-68
T5 Braden Becker 69-69
T5 Cameron Kelly 67-71
T5 Daniel Fox 70-68
T5 John Boulton 69-69
9 Scott Strange 70-69
Next up
The TenGolf Group Pro-Am will be played The Cut Golf Club and Secret Harbour Golf Links on Tuesday and Wednesday (May 6-7)
May 1
Perkins, Dobbelaar share the title at Bunbury
Queenslanders Louis Dobbelaar and Blaike Perkins kicked off the Western Australia swing of the 2025 adidas PGA Pro-Am Series by sharing the title at the Urban Quarter Dunsborough Lakes Pro-Am on Thursday.
Rounds of 6-under-par 66 gave the duo a one-shot margin over PGA Legends Tour member Scott Barr (WA) in a field full of Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia talent.
For Perkins, it was his first pro-am series title, while the joint win continued a resurgence of form for Dobbelaar, who regained his Tour card at the recently completed Qualifying School at Moonah Links.
Turning point
Perkins rattled off five birdies in six holes on the back nine but was brought undone by going out of bounds which led to a double-bogey on the par-4 18th, his 12th hole of the day.
However a three on his final hole, the par-4 sixth, ensured he kept a share of top spot.
Meanwhile, Dobbelaar, who started on his round on the 14th, had seven birdies and a sole bogey in his round. He birdied the back-to-back par-fives on the back nine, 12 and 13, to get to 6-under.
Quick quotes
Perkins said: “I was flying at 6-under through 10 and then hole 18 hit me. I knew I had to get a few more birdies then to catch Louis and made a really nice short putt on the last there to tie him. It’s my first pro win so I’m pretty stoked about it.”
Dobbelaar said: “I got off to a good start and played the tough holes well. Hit the ball really nice and had a lot of opportunities during the day. It’s great to play a course in really nice conditions like here at Dunsborough Lakes. It was a bit of a treat.”
Leading scores
T1 Louis Dobbelaar 66
T1 Blaike Perkins 66
3 Scott Barr 67
4 Braden Becker 68
T5 Jordan Doull 69
T5 Cameron Kelly 69
T7 Cameron John 70
T7 Tim Hart 70
T7 Aaron Pike 70
Next up
The WA swing reaches Bunbury Golf Club for the South West Isuzu South West Open over 36 holes this weekend.
City Golf Club Associate Minami Inoue has continued to thrive in the biggest events on the Membership Pathway Program calendar, taking out the Norris Motor Group Associate Pro-Am at Royal Queensland Golf Club.
The third year of a tournament reserved exclusively for Queensland Associates, the Norris Motor Group sponsorship of $25,000 and support of Royal Queensland Golf Club made it the richest one-day prize purse ever for an Associate tournament.
As such, it drew a field of 59 Associates from across the state, Inoue needing to make birdie at the 180-metre par-3 eighth for a round of 3-under 69 and a one-stroke win from Pacific Golf Club’s Campbell Jones (70) and Zane Lowe (70) of Yamba Golf and Country Club.
Winner of the $3,000 PGA Associate & Employer Challenge at Keperra Country Golf Club in January, Inoue admitted that the larger prize purses seem to bring out his best.
“I can show off for money I suppose, don’t I?” Inoue joked.
“When I play Open matches, for some reason, maybe the ease or something like that, maybe I’m not focused enough, but then as soon as there’s a bit of money…
“That’s why it’s so good to have major sponsors like Norris Motor Group and Liberty One so we can play for this sort of money and we can start focusing more a bit.
“Putting was off the chart today. I sunk two or three 25-30-fotters for birdies, the highlight boxing a 25-footer to win it.
“I drove it really well too, probably the best I’ve done in probably about two months, so that really worked out too.”
Inoue moved from Japan to Australia with his family when he was six years old, the family settling down in the unlikely surrounds of a cattle farm in Tenterfield in the New England region of New South Wales.
It was his grandfather who first introduced Inoue to golf, shooting 51 the first time he played nine holes an indicator that he possessed natural talent for the sport.
But it was a knee injury suffered playing rugby league when he was 14 that convinced Inoue to pursue a career in golf instead.
“Not a lot of Japanese or Asian people would have the experience like I did. Mine was a pretty interesting one, let’s just say that,” said the 20-year-old Third Year Associate.
“First nine holes, I shot 51 and I was like, Yeah, righto, this is really fun, I want to do it.
“Back then I was playing league and I did my knee when I was 14 years old. Then I’m like, golf it is, I’ll just play golf.
“Just started to hit it a bit better and better and better and now I’m here.”
While Inoue took the bulk of the prize money, Jones and Lowe did not go home empty handed.
Sponsors Liberty One contributed 10 nights’ accommodation at their Liberty One Apartments in Melbourne for Inoue, five nights for runner-up Jones on a countback, and four nights for third-placed Lowe.
Five-time major champion, and career grand slam winner, Rory McIlroy will headline the men’s Australian Open for the next two years, including when it returns to The Royal Melbourne Golf Club on the Melbourne Sandbelt in 2025.
McIlroy’s return to Australia comes off the back of his historic win at the 2025 Masters Tournament to complete the career grand slam, with the world No.2 reaffirming his love for the Australian Open by committing to the next two years.
Thanks to the renewed partnership with the Victorian Government and Visit Victoria, the Melbourne Sandbelt will be the home of the men’s Australian Open until at least 2026, with the next year’s event confirmed to be staged at Kingston Heath Golf Club.
McIlroy’s first attempt to claim a second Stonehaven Cup will be across the world-renowned Composite Course of Royal Melbourne from December 4-7, which comprises holes from both the West and East courses and is rated among the top golf courses in the world.
The last time the 35-year-old appeared at the Australian Open was in 2014 when McIlroy defended the Stonehaven Cup the year after he went head-to-head with Adam Scott in 2013 to eventually be crowned champion.
“I’m proud to be committing to the Australian Open for the next two years, especially with it being played on the world-class Melbourne Sandbelt, somewhere I’ve always wanted to play professionally” McIlroy said.
“The success of the Australian Open is important for the global game, and I’m incredibly confident it will thrive again this year, especially with it being staged in one of the world’s great sporting cities and on two of the finest golf courses in the world over the next two years: The Royal Melbourne Golf Club and Kingston Heath Golf Club.”
“Melbourne is known for being one of the world’s great sporting cities and I can’t wait to be part of that atmosphere and soak in everything it has to offer, both on and off the course.”
Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said the commitment from the Victorian Government and McIlroy will help elevate the men’s Australian Open to new heights.
“The Victorian Government truly understands the value that golf brings to the local economy. We appreciate their ongoing support and we look forward to partnering with them again as we host this year’s men’s Australian Open,” Sutherland said.
”Rory McIlroy, one of the best to ever play our game, playing on the world-renowned Melbourne Sandbelt, is a mouth-watering proposition for golf fans. We are committed to elevating the status of our national championship, and this announcement is a significant step in that direction.”
As the Australian Open moves away from its previous combined event, the dates and venue of the women’s Australian Open and Australian All Abilities Championship will be confirmed at a later date.
“We are confident that the revised format, with individual men’s, women’s and all-abilities events will give each event their own platform to showcase the incredible talent in golf,” Sutherland said.
A host to multiple Presidents Cups and countless other important events, The Royal Melbourne Golf Club will play host to the men’s Australian Open for the seventeenth time when the tournament returns in late 2025. It will mark the first men’s Australian Open at the venue since 1991.
“We are looking forward to hosting the 2025 men’s Australian Open Championship at our world-class venue,” Captain of The Royal Melbourne Golf Club Tony Rule said.
“Royal Melbourne has a long history of providing a supreme test of golf to the world’s best players. We eagerly await the opportunity to watch Rory McIlroy take on the challenge of mastering the Composite Course at Royal Melbourne.”
The men’s Australian Open will follow the BMW Australian PGA Championship, with both events again co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and creating a not to be missed two-weeks of world class golf.
Gavin Kirkman, CEO of the PGA of Australia which owns and operates the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, said the move to a standalone men’s event on the Melbourne Sandbelt and the confirmation of McIlroy will help elevate the men’s Australian Open to one of the most anticipated events on the global golf calendar in 2025.
“At a course where so many historic tournaments have been played, The Royal Melbourne Golf Club is the perfect stage to showcase the wonderful home-grown talent and the best international golfers like Rory, who we are so proud to welcome back to Australia for the first time since 2014,” Kirkman said.
“With two weeks of DP World Tour co-sanctioned events, the best players from the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia can also put their game to the ultimate test against the world’s best and etch their name into the history books.”
A renowned host of some of the biggest events in sport and culture, the state of Victoria will be the focus of the golf world during both the 2025 and 2026 events with McIlroy front and centre.
“These tournaments will be fantastic for our visitor economy, filling hotel rooms, restaurants and cafes and showcasing our state to millions more following on from overseas.” Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said.
“Rory is one of the greatest golfers in history and his desire to play in the Australian Open is a major coup, highlighting just how brilliant our Sandbelt courses are and why Melbourne is one of the great golfing cities of the world.”
Now a well-established presence as part of the Australian summer of golf, and the home Tour of McIlroy, the DP World Tour expects a quality field to join The Masters Champion in Melbourne during the early stages of its 2026 season.
“Starting our Race to Dubai in recent years with back-to-back events in Australia has been popular with our members and we are excited to return to the world class Royal Melbourne Golf Club for the first time on the DP World Tour since 2005,” DP World Tour Chief Tournament & Operations Officer Ben Cowen said.
“Our thanks go to the Victorian Government and Visit Victoria for their continued support of this great national open.
“We are equally looking forward to seeing Rory McIlroy tee it up in Australia once again, giving fans in the southern hemisphere the opportunity to see our most recent Major Champion up close. As a six-time Race to Dubai winner and golf’s latest Grand Slam champion, Rory is a prominent ambassador of global golf, and we are sure he will enjoy his experiences on the Melbourne Sandbelt this year and next.”
Tickets for the men’s Australian Open are on sale now at www.ticketek.com.au
Seventeen Australians and two of our Kiwi brethren will contest two major championships separated by just 630 kilometres in the US this week.
The 107th US PGA Championship will be played for the second time at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina as the senior circuit readies for its first major of 2025 with the Regions Tradition in Birmingham, Alabama.
Marking 10 years since Jason Day became the fifth Australian to lift the Wanamaker Trophy, Aussies Day, Cam Davis, Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott, Cameron Smith, Elvis Smylie and Karl Vilips will be joined by New Zealand’s Ryan Fox.
The Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner in 2019, Fox was the last man admitted to the field on the back of his PGA TOUR breakthrough win at the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic.
Smylie, the reigning PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner, was granted a special exemption to play his second major just last week while Vilips secured his first major as a professional by virtue of his Puerto Rico Open win in March.
Coach of both Day and Vilips, Col Swatton believes the depth of Aussie talent is testament to the coaching quality built through the PGA of Australia.
“We keep on producing great talent and I think that’s a tribute to the system,” said Swatton.
“The PGA of Australia – of which I’m a proud member – has done a great job and I think that just stands the test of time.
“It’s just saying you guys are doing a great job of what you’re doing to help us do a great job of what we need to do with these athletes. We’re proving that we’re competitive on the world stage.
“That’s a tribute to what we’re doing from a holistic approach to making better golfers.”
Twenty-six years after Graham Marsh won a Regions Tradition reduced to 36 holes by spring snow in Arizona, 10 Aussies and Kiwi Steven Alker will tee it up at Greystone Golf and Country Club.
The influx of Aussies on the PGA TOUR Champions has been significant in recent years, this year’s Regions Tradition the first for Greg Chalmers, David Bransdon, Cameron Percy and Michael Wright.
Both major championships will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo, Round 1 coverage of the US PGA Championship to begin at 3am Friday morning on Fox Sports 503 and coverage of the Regions Tradition to begin at 5am Friday morning on Fox Sports 505.
Photos: Gary Kellner/PGA of America via Getty Images (PGA); Alex Slitz/Getty Images (Regions Tradition)
Details
US PGA Championship
Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, North Carolina
2024 champion: Xander Schauffele
Past Aussie winners: Jim Ferrier (1947), David Graham (1979), Wayne Grady (1990), Steve Elkington (1995), Jason Day (2015)
TV times: Live 3am-9am Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Australasians in the field
Cameron Davis
World ranking: 68 (Highest: 38)
Previous appearances: 4 (2021-2024)
Best finish: T4 (2023)
Last start: MC in 2024
Best finish in a major: T4, 2023 US PGA
Jason Day
World ranking: 32 (1)
Previous appearances: 15 (2010-2024)
Best finish: 1st (2015)
Last start: T43 in 2024
Best finish in a major: Won, 2015 US PGA
Ryan Fox (NZ)
World ranking: 71 (23)
Previous appearances: 6 (2017-2019, 2022-2024)
Best finish: T23 (2023)
Last start: 75th in 2024
Best finish in a major: T16, 2019 Open Championship
Min Woo Lee
World ranking: 27 (22)
Previous appearances: 3 (2022-2024)
Best finish: T18 (2023)
Last start: T26 in 2024
Best finish in a major: T5, 2023 US Open
Adam Scott
World ranking: 40 (1)
Previous appearances: 24 (2001-2024)
Best finish: 3rd (2018)
Last start: MC in 2024
Best finish in a major: Won, 2013 Masters
Cameron Smith
World ranking: 148 (2)
Previous appearances: 9 (2015, 2017-2024)
Best finish: T9 (2023)
Last start: T63 in 2024
Best finish in a major: Won, 2022 Open Championship
Elvis Smylie
World ranking: 206 (197)
Previous appearances: Nil
Best finish: N/A
Last start: N/A
Best finish in a major: MC, 2024 Open Championship
Karl Vilips
World ranking: 117 (106)
Previous appearances: Nil
Best finish: N/A
Last start: N/A
Best finish in a major: MC, 2024 US Open
Regions Tradition
Greystone G&CC, Birmingham, Alabama
2024 champion: Doug Barron
Past Aussie winners: Graham Marsh (1999)
TV times: Live 5am-8am Friday, Saturday; Live 4am-7am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.
Australasians in the field
Steven Alker (NZ)
Previous appearances: 3 (2022-2024)
Best finish: 2nd (2024)
Last start: 2nd in 2024
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 9
Best finish in a senior major: Won, 2022 Senior PGA
Steve Allan
Previous appearances: 1 (2024)
Best finish: T67 (2024)
Last start: T67 in 2024
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 1
Best finish in a senior major: T33, 2024 Kaulig Companies Championship
Stuart Appleby
Previous appearances: 3 (2022-2024)
Best finish: 3rd (2022)
Last start: T11 in 2024
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 0
Best finish in a senior major: 3rd, 2022 Regions Tradition
David Bransdon
Previous appearances: Nil
Best finish: N/A
Last start: N/A
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 0
Best finish in a senior major: MC, 2024 Senior PGA
Greg Chalmers
Previous appearances: Nil
Best finish: N/A
Last start: N/A
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 0
Best finish in a senior major: 3rd, 2024 Senior PGA
Richard Green
Previous appearances: 2 (2023-2024)
Best finish: T11 (2023)
Last start: T14 in 2024
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 0
Best finish in a senior major: 2nd, 2024 Senior PGA and 2024 Senior Open
Mark Hensby
Previous appearances: 2 (2023-2024)
Best finish: T18 (2024)
Last start: T18 in 2024
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 1
Best finish in a senior major: 3rd, 2022 US Senior Open
Rod Pampling
Previous appearances: 4 (2021-2024)
Best finish: T3 (2022)
Last start: T37 in 2024
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 2
Best finish in a senior major: T3, 2022 Regions Tradition
Cameron Percy
Previous appearances: Nil
Best finish: N/A
Last start: N/A
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 0
Best finish in a senior major: T11, 2024 Kaulig Companies Championship
John Senden
Previous appearances: 4 (2021-2024)
Best finish: T29 (2021)
Last start: T52 in 2024
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 0
Best finish in a senior major: T29, 2021 Regions Tradition
Michael Wright
Previous appearances: Nil
Best finish: N/A
Last start: N/A
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 0
Best finish in a senior major: T7, 2024 Kaulig Companies Championship
Any debate regarding Australia’s in-form golfer was erased when Lucas Herbert completed a five-stroke wire-to-wire win at the International Series Japan.
Two years since his last win on foreign soil – also in Japan – Herbert opened by matching the course record of 9-under 62 and conjured two eagles in his final four holes on Saturday to enter the final round with a share of the lead.
The Ford NSW Open winner last November, Herbert lost the lead early Sunday but only briefly, making eagle on the 72nd hole for a commanding margin of victory.
But Herbert was not the only player in the Power Rankings to enjoy a good week.
Stephanie Kyriacou’s tie for fifth at the Mizuho Americas Open was her second straight top-six finish while Kelsey Bennett returns after a third consecutive top-10 finish on the Ladies European Tour.
This week the focus turns to the second men’s major of the year where there are seven Aussies and Kiwi Ryan Fox in the field for the US PGA Championship.
10. Cameron Smith (Last week: 10)
A tie for seventh in his last start at LIV Golf Korea was the Ripper GC captain’s third top 10 in LIV Golf events in succession. After an uncharacteristic missed cut at The Masters is back on the major stage at this week’s PGA Championship.
9. Kelsey Bennett (New)
Sitting at a career high of 225th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking courtesy of her third consecutive top-10 finish on the Ladies European Tour. Now sits 15th on the Order of Merit in her rookie season courtesy of her tie for eighth at the Aramco Korea Championship.
8. Marc Leishman (8)
A win at LIV Golf Miami is the high point of Leishman’s season that also includes a tie for sixth at the first event of the year at Riyadh. Currently 10th in the LIV Golf individual standings.
7. Minjee Lee (7)
Bounced back from her withdrawal from the Black Desert Championship with a tie for 15th at the Mizuho Americas Open. That result was Lee’s sixth top-15 finish from nine starts this season.
6. Jason Day (6)
A decade on from his US PGA Championship triumph, Day returns to Quail Hollow this week where he was victorious at the 2018 Wells Fargo Championship. Was a late withdrawal from last week’s Truist Championship but held his spot at No.32 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
5. Hannah Green (5)
Now ranked No.8 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking after finishing tied for 33rd at the Mizuho Americas Open. Won’t play again until the US Women’s Open at Erin Hills starting May 29.
4. Stephanie Kyriacou (4)
Moved inside the top 40 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking for the first time on the back of a tie for fifth at the Mizuho Americas Open. Has not finished outside the top 30 in her past six starts and boasts three top-six finishes in that time.
3. Karl Vilips (3)
Spent time working with coach Col Swatton after missing out on a call-up as an alternate for the Truist Championship. The Puerto Rico Open winner is making his US PGA Championship debut this week at Quail Hollow.
2. Min Woo Lee (2)
After a bright start, shot 2-over across the weekend to finish tied for 51st at the Truist Championship. Dropped two spots to 27th on the world ranking as a result.
1. Lucas Herbert (1)
Solidified his place as Australia’s most in-form golfer with a five-stroke win at the International Series Japan. Herbert’s first Asian Tour title was his sixth career win and comes on the back of three top-five LIV Golf finishes this season.
Poring over Rory McIlroy’s past success at Quail Hollow and standing alongside the Masters champion on the range has convinced Elvis Smylie he is ready to take his place among the game’s best at this week’s US PGA Championship in Charlotte.
As the 2024-2025 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner, Smylie was last week granted a special exemption to play the year’s second major championship and the second major of his career.
While hopeful he might receive the same exemption granted to the previous two Order of Merit winners David Micheluzzi and Kazuma Kobori, Smylie’s late call-up necessitated a mad dash to North Carolina.
The Queenslander took to Quail Hollow on Sunday to begin his tournament preparation but is somewhat familiar having watched highlights of McIlroy’s four wins at the venue along with Justin Thomas’s 2017 PGA Championship victory.
That, combined with exposure to the game’s stars since joining the DP World Tour, has the 23-year-old in a positive frame of mind ahead of his first start as a professional in the US.
“I remember watching the 2017 PGA Championship when Justin Thomas won there so I’ve gone back and watched the extended highlights of that year and then also the Wells Fargo Championship (now Truist Championship) the past few years when Rory’s won and Max Homa,” said Smylie.
“I’ve gone back and had a bit of a look and seen the course and it looks amazing.
“I’m really excited to play in America for the first time as a professional. That’s something that I haven’t done yet so to be able to get right into the deep end is going to be really exciting because I feel like that my game has gone to that next level after playing in Europe.”
Smylie’s transition to the DP World Tour was fast-tracked by his victory at the BMW Australian PGA Championship in November.
That win in the co-sanctioned tournament secured a playing category effective immediately, status he used to tee it up in elite company.
Tied for fifth at the Australian Open, Smylie was in South Africa the next week for the Nedbank Golf Challenge alongside the likes of Max Homa, Corey Conners, Will Zalatoris and Masters champion Danny Willett.
Next up was the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, a tournament headlined by McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood and Patrick Reed.
“When I look around and see the names … Rory McIlroy was in the field at the start of the year in Dubai along with Jon Rahm and Adam Scott, world-class players that I’ve grown up watching on TV,” added Smylie, who narrowly missed the cut at The Open last year.
“To be competing against them in the same tournament, I feel like I really do belong.
“I don’t really get overwhelmed too much. I more so think of it as an opportunity to see how good my game is against these guys.”
And while he fully intends to link up with fellow Aussies such as Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott, Cameron Smith and Jason Day for a practice round, Smylie is conscious of not over-doing it before Round 1 tees off.
“My tendency last year playing The Open was wanting to play a lot, just because it’s a major, it’s just really exciting,” Smylie conceded.
“But I’m doing my best at being able to prepare like any other tournament.
“That’s where the experience of having Ritchie (Smith, Smylie’s coach) around will be really beneficial.
“I’d love to play all four rounds of the major. I think that’s a realistic goal for me.
“Once we can get through those first two rounds, then it’s just about really embracing what you’re feeling and just going after it.”
Smylie is one of seven Australians in the field this week alongside Cam Davis, Jason Day, Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott, Cameron Smith and Karl Vilips.
They are joined by Kiwi Ryan Fox following his debut PGA TOUR at the weekend.
Photo: Jason Butler/Getty Images
All four rounds of the US PGA Championship will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo. Round 1 coverage begins Friday morning at 3am AEST.
An impulse buy on his way to dinner in Korea has proved to be the catalyst to Lucas Herbert’s sixth career win at the Asian Tour’s International Series Japan.
Less than two weeks after a final-round course record 61 at LIV Golf Mexico City, Herbert opened with a 9-under 62 at Caledonian Golf Club using a Yes! C-Groove putter purchased from a second-hand golf shop while in Korea last week.
It is reminiscent of the putter that was lost en route to the 2018 Open Championship and which was never able to be replaced, Herbert finding comfort and confidence in its reunion on his way to a five-stroke win.
Tied for the lead through 54 holes after making two eagles in his final three holes of Round 3, Herbert fell behind early in the final round when Round 3 co-leader Younghan Song made eagle at the second.
The Victorian would soon rein him in with birdies at two, four and five and was never headed from there, making seven birdies and an eagle at the 72nd hole for a round of 7-under 64 and a five-stroke win.
“I was thinking about it down on the 18th green, that finish yesterday really set it up,” Herbert said of his finishing flourish to Round 3.
“It would have been much tougher, I think, to play the group in front, or maybe two groups in front, had I parred in and to try and come back from behind today.
“Being able to tie the lead last night, and sleep thinking that I didn’t have to chase anything down today, was a big factor.
“Very happy with the way I played today, I think it was the low round of the day, so that’s always going to make it hard to beat when you start the day tied for the lead.
“The way I’ve been playing this year, it’s been building to get a win at some point.
“It’s nice to get it done here, especially in Japan, which is one of my favourite places.
“It’s nice to feel like some of the hard work that I put in has paid off. Holding that trophy is a pretty good feeling.”
Herbert’s win highlighted a strong week for Aussies around the world as New Zealander Ryan Fox claimed a breakthrough PGA TOUR title at the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic.
A three-time winner on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and Order of Merit champion in 2019, Fox chipped in from 50 feet at the first playoff hole to edge Mackenzie Hughes and Harry Higgs.
“I had a really similar line in regulation and missed the putt right,” said Fox, who now earns a spot in this week’s US PGA Championship in Charlotte.
“My caddie, Dean (Smith), said to me, ‘Remember, this doesn’t break that much.’ So I just kind of aimed straight at it, and I hit the spot I wanted to hit.
“To be honest, it never looked like it was going anywhere else, and the rest of it is a bit of a blur from there.”
For the second straight week Stephanie Kyriacou finished strongly to play her way inside the top 10 at the LPGA Tour’s Mizuho Americas Open in New Jersey.
Kyriacou had three birdies in her opening four holes in a final round of 5-under 67 to climb into a tie for fifth, her third top-six finish in her past five starts.
Kelsey Bennett made it three top-10s in succession on the Ladies European Tour with a tie for eighth at the Aramco Korea Championship and New South Welshman Austin Bautista was second at the FBC ZIM Open on the Sunshine Tour.
Results
PGA TOUR
Truist Championship
The Philadelphia Cricket Club (Wissahickon Course), Philadelphia
1 Sepp Straka 63-67-66-68—264 $US3.6m
T34 Adam Scott 68-70-70-68—276 $95,063
T51 Min Woo Lee 69-68-72-70—279 $47,000
T54 Cam Davis 69-69-70-72—280 $44,750
ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic
Dunes Golf and Beach Club, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
1 Ryan Fox (NZ) 65-70-68-66—269 $US720,000
MC Aaron Baddeley 72-75—147
LPGA Tour
Mizuho Americas Open
Liberty National Golf Club, Jersey City
1 Jeeno Thitikul 64-73-65-69—271 $US450,000
T5 Stephanie Kyriacou 68-69-73-67—277 $106,039
T8 Hira Naveed 69-69-73-68—279 $69,067
T11 Lydia Ko (NZ) 69-70-70-71—280 $54,071
T15 Minjee Lee 68-71-72-72—283 $41,286
T33 Hannah Green 69-72-75-72—288 $19,749
T41 Gabriela Ruffels 68-73-76-74—291 $14,204
T47 Grace Kim 69-72-75-77—293 $11,476
56 Karis Davidson 72-71-81-77—301 $8,934
MC Sarah Kemp 77-74—151
MC Cassie Porter 72-80—152
MC Fiona Xu (NZ) 85-84—169
DP World Tour
Turkish Airlines Open
Regnum Carya, Antalya, Turkey
1 Martin Couvra 65-66-72-64—267 €416,075.94
T52 Kazuma Kobori (NZ) 72-69-70-70—281 €8,872.21
MC Daniel Gale 67-75—142
MC Danny List 69-78—147
Asian Tour
International Series Japan
Caledonian Golf Club, Japan
1 Lucas Herbert 62-69-69-64—264 $US360,000
T12 Nick Voke (NZ) 71-64-70-70—275 $31,400
T14 Jed Morgan 69-70-66-71—276 $27,700
T23 Travis Smyth 68-67-68-75—278 $19,700
T39 Brett Rankin 72-70-72-67—281 $10,908.33
T56 Todd Sinnott 74-68-71-70—283 $6,800
67 Lawry Flynn 68-70-78-70—286 $5,000
T68 Jack Thompson 71-70-74-72—287 $4,600
MC Michael Hendry (NZ) 71-72—143
MC Wade Ormsby 70-73—143
MC Maverick Antcliff 73-70—143
MC Aaron Wilkin 71-74—145
MC Jack Buchanan 72-74—146
MC Kevin Yuan 70-77—147
MC Scott Hend 73-74—147
MC Denzel Ieremia (NZ) 82-78—160
Ladies European Tour
Aramco Korea Championship
New Korea Country Club, Korea
1 Hyo Joo Kim 70-70-69—209 $US199,509.75
T8 Kelsey Bennett 73-70-72—215 $33,251.63
T55 Maddison Hinson-Tolchard 73-78-72—223 $4,947.84
T55 Kirsten Rudgeley 72-77-74—223 $4,947.84
MC Amelia Garvey (NZ) 78-77—155
MC Momoka Kobori (NZ) 79-76—155
LET Access Series
Super Bock Ladies Open
Vidago Palace Golf, Portugal
1 Sara Brentcheneff (a) 68-69-67—204 ——
T50 Kristalle Blum 72-69-81—222 €273.33
Sunshine Tour
FBC ZIM Open
Royal Harare Golf Club, Harare
1 Luis Carrera 67-66-69-68—270
2 Austin Bautista 67-70-66-71—274
PGA TOUR Americas
Bupa Championship
Club de golf Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
1 John Marshall Butler 64-70-69-66—269 $US40,500
MC Charlie Hillier (NZ) 69-73—142
MC Grant Booth 73-71—144
Epson Tour
Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic
TPC Scottsdale (Champions Cse), Scottsdale, Arizona
1 Sophia Popov 64-73-64-69—270
MC Su Oh 72-75—147
Korea PGA Tour
KPGA Classic
Cypress Golf & Resort, Seogwipo
1 Yongjun Bae 8-14-16—38
T15 Changgi Lee (NZ) 2-7-10—19
MC Junseok Lee 4-0—4
MC Wonjoon Lee 1-(-1)—0
MC Sungjin Yeo (-8)-4—(-4)
Ben Campbell earned the biggest prize of his professional golf career so far by winning the 2025 Victorian PGA Associate Championship at Club Tocumwal.
The only player to shoot under-par rounds on the Captains Course on each of the four days, Campbell (71-71-68-71) finished on 7-under-par to beat fellow Victorian Tony Walker by a shot, with Queensland’s Drew Herbert a further stroke behind in third place.
A first year associate professional from The Sands Torquay, Campbell has made the switch to the Membership Pathway Program after experiencing life as a Tour pro and as a college player in the United States.
He was the third-round leader by one, but made a horror start to his final round, stumbling to a double-bogey on the par-4 first hole followed by a bogey at the par-3 second.
However he picked up a birdie at the fourth before holing out for an eagle at the par-4 fifth and gaining another shot at the sixth.
Walker, a former Tasmanian Open champion now based at Yarramat Park Golf Course, challenged with three consecutive birdies on the back nine but had his challenge thwarted by a bogey at the par-4 16th.
It wasn’t the eagle that was at the forefront of Campbell’s mind post-round. He was quick to look back on a hole-out from a bunker for a birdie on the par-3 17th that was pivotal to him securing the win.
“That allowed me to go two ahead of Toby. It was a pretty wild round really,” the 27-year-old said.
“Holing out on the fifth got me settled into the round.
“Playing 72-hole Tour events in the past really helped me to stay patient, knowing it would be a long week and there’d be some ups and downs.”
Campbell says he has always had an interest in golf coaching and decided to head down that career path after trying out Tour life.
“It’s been really seamless. I’m really enjoying it and where I’m at,” he said.
“I’m not sure if I’ll back to the Tour or not. We’ll just see how the rest of the year plays out.”
Leaderboard
-7: Ben Campbell (Vic) 71-71-68-71
-6: Toby Walker (Vic) 69-69-73-71
-5: Drew Herbert (Qld) 73-68-72-70
-4: Joseph Hodgson (SA) 78-67-68-71
-2: Levi Sclater (Vic) 70-73-71-72
-1: Daniel Gill (Vic) 71-72-68-75; Lachlan Chamberlain (ACT) 75-70-72-70; Ryan Thomas (Tas) 74-72-73-68
