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The low scoring continued on Friday at the Gippsland Super 6, as the course record at Warragul Country Club was updated on multiple occasions and the first sub-60 score in Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia history was recorded.
Even after a 9-under 61 and 17-under total, leader Ben Henkel was overshadowed today in Warragul, with young West Australian Connor McKinney recording the first 59 in Australia in close to 20 years.
At 12-under after his heroics, McKinney sits in fourth at the halfway mark, with Tim Hart and Corey Lamb Henkel’s closest challengers tied second at 14-under.
Sydneysider Jason Hong is fifth at 10-under, before a trio of players, including Anthony Quayle, are tied sixth at 9-under.
First it was Hart, who after firing a 62 in the early morning at Warragul, put his name right alongside Henkel, who achieved the same course record score yesterday. Then, McKinney stormed home to blow both men out of the water, or off the top of the honour board.
What makes McKinney’s score all the more remarkable, is that after 27 holes, he was sitting right around the cutline at 3-under par, before playing his final nine holes in 9-under, or 26 shots.
Finishing his day on the short par-4 ninth, McKinney required an eagle to break 60, and after a perfect drive to 12-feet, the Scottish-born West Australian coolly poured it in.
“I made a good putt on one, a good sort of tricky putt. Parred two. A nice 10-footer on three, two putts and four, another one on five,” he recalled.
“My bunker shot on six nearly went in. It was pretty unlucky not to. That’s all right, I won’t complain.
“Seven hit it close. Eight, I actually holed a bunker shot, it looked like it was never missing.
“To match it altogether today and finish like I did, yeah, I’m pretty stoked with that.”
Playing just a few groups behind McKinney, Henkel quietly went about the business of consolidating his overnight lead, again sporting his now famous new glove.
Making the turn in 4-under on Friday, Henkel got to work early in catching up to Hart who had set the pace early, but the Bellarine Peninsula local was eager to regain the outright lead it seemed as he began a back nine charge.
Three consecutive birdies from holes ten through 12 achieved just that, but one shot wasn’t enough, as the 24-year-old kept his foot on the gas.
Two final birdies on 16, and then the tough closing par-3 18th, had Henkel sign for a 61, incredibly bettering his blistering opening round 62.
“Just fairways and greens today, probably a bit better obviously than yesterday, but just solid golf.,” he said.
“Went for the greens on some of the short holes and again, just right side and had the fat part of the green to chip up and putt up to, and then just struck it really well with my irons. “
After going low two days in a row, Henkel wasn’t surprised to see someone come in with a 59, and says he expects the remarkable scoring to continue through the weekend.
“It’s playing mint, the course is in great nick. You can bounce it up, spin them, you can do what you want. The course is set up for it and it’s playing awesome.”
After a frustrating start to his Tour season, Hart is happy to be back up the top of the leaderboard, the burly Queenslander’s aggressive style of play seeming to be favourable in Gippsland.
“After a big stretch of tournaments that we’ve had and not getting results, it’s very easy to get down and negative, so I’ve been trying really hard just trying to stay positive,” he said.
“Everyone’s good out here so you have to just keep making birdies and for me it’s always been just keeping the mistakes off the card.
“I always make enough birdies, I just make those mistakes. I’ve managed to just keep that to a minimum the last two days and hopefully I’ll do that again tomorrow and get into the match play and see how we go.”
Making today’s halfway cut was just the first milestone for players this week, with only the top-24 players after round three making it through to Sunday’s medal match play finals, tomorrow is truly moving day in Warragul.
For the first time since 2005, a scorecard of 59 has been signed in an Australian Tour event, with West Australian Connor McKinney responsible for the magical round today at the Gippsland Super 6.
Brad McIntosh was the man close to 20 years ago at the Von Nida Tour’s Queensland PGA at Emerald Lakes. McKinney’s score marking the first sub-60 score on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia in its current form.
What makes the score all the more remarkable is that McKinney made the turn in a modest 2-under on the par-70 Warragul Country Club layout, before playing his final nine holes in 9-under, or 26 shots.
This nine-hole score is almost certainly the lowest in Australia, and has a place as one of the lowest tournament nine holes globally too.
Many have come close to the elusive 59 on PGA Tour of Australasia, including Paul Gow (2001 Canon Challenge), Ernie Els (2004 Heineken Classic), Alistair Presnell (2010 Victorian PGA) and Lawry Flynn (Webex Players Series Sydney 2022), but none have been able to wipe that final shot off the card.
After a 1-under 69 in round one, McKinney was 3-under after 27 holes and sitting right on the cutline at the halfway mark of the Gippsland Super 6, something he needn’t worry about now.
“Ten shots better today, slight improvement,” the Scottish-born Perth local joked.
“To match it altogether today and finish like I did, yeah, I’m pretty stoked with that.”
His second nine consisted of seven birdies and an eagle, which came on his final hole, McKinney admitting it took him a little while to realise he had a chance at breaking 60.
“The ninth I hit driver just all over the pin and I saw it finish 12 feet away and I was like, ‘Oh wait, this is for 59’. So, I tried to just calm myself a bit and just rolled it straight in,” he said.
Prior to the ninth, McKinney was finding the cup from anywhere, except on the second where he left a birdie putt short. Incredible to think it could have been even lower.
“I made a good putt on one, a good sort of tricky putt. Parred two. A nice 10-footer on three, two putts and four, another one on five,” he recalled.
“My bunker shot on six nearly went in. It was pretty unlucky not to. That’s all right, I won’t complain.
“Seven hit it close. Eight, I actually holed a bunker shot, it looked like it was never missing”.
McKinney’s unbelievable second round rockets him up to fourth on the leaderboard at 12-under, five back of leader Ben Henkel, who is having a week to remember himself with scores of 62-61 to start his week in Warragul.
Sustainability and a more actively engaged membership are the key tenets that Robert Blain is using to elevate one of Sydney’s busiest golf courses.
Nestled amongst a collection of courses that includes Bonnie Doon Golf Club and sharing a lake with The Lakes Golf Club, Eastlake Golf Club not only offers affordable membership options in Australia’s most populous city but also access to public play.
Blain joined Eastlake as General Manager in July 2023 after a stint as Director of Golf at New South Wales Golf Club.
Sensing the opportunity to maximise the potential Eastlake Golf Club presented, Blain went straight to work on key projects, including the installation of a 100kW solar panel system, consultation with Greater Sydney Landcare on a commitment to plant 4,000 native trees and a streamlining of membership categories that included new models aimed at encouraging cadet, junior and colt participation.
The nett result was an almost 10 per cent growth in membership and a nett profit of $250,000 despite $400,000 in capital expenditure, Blain paying tribute to the position the club was in when he became General Manager.
“It is one of the busiest courses in Sydney, so it’s a matter of capitalising on that popularity,” said Blain, who was named the PGA National Management Professional of the Year at the PGA Awards in November.
“The club has been going from strength to strength before my time and I’ve seen it myself in the time I’ve been there.
“For myself and the management team, it’s a case of improving it where we can, listening to members’ feedback and taking them along on the journey.”
Part of that journey will be further course and infrastructure upgrades that will include construction changes to five of the club’s 18 holes.
These will be aligned with Eastlake’s course safety development applications which also includes the planting of more than 4,000 native trees in accordance with the club’s Environmental Management Plan.
Eastlake has also engaged an architect to revamp the clubhouse amenities, further enhancing the member and guest experience.
“We’ve made a fair push in the sustainability area,” said Blain.
“We installed a large solar panel system on the roof of the clubhouse and we have engaged in a detailed native tree planting program with Greater Sydney Landcare.
“It’s all part of the course safety plans that we’ve got coming in the next 12 months or so.”
After completing the Membership Pathway Program under Colin Hunt at Twin Creeks Golf and Country Club, Blain was the Head Professional at Hamilton Island Golf Club, became Golf Operations Manager at Royal Sydney Golf Club and then Director of Golf at New South Wales Golf Club.
He says that grounding, and the fellow PGA Professionals he has worked under, put him in a strong position to take on the General Manager role at Eastlake.
“I started with Colin Hunt at Twin Creeks and then worked with him again at Royal Sydney when I was there,” said Blain.
“I had David Burton at New South Wales, Rob Elliott at a couple of the courses that I worked at and Paul Hinton at Royal Sydney.
“I’d like to think that I have taken bits from each of them and tried to build them into my own management philosophy.
“Everyone says the door is always open but I do just to chat to the staff and make sure things are going smoothly and address any issues that might arise before they become bigger issues.”
On a day where there was no shortage of low scoring at Warragul Country Club, it is Victorian Ben Henkel who stands tall above the rest atop the Gippsland Super 6 leaderboard after day one.
After playing the last six years without a glove, Henkel decided to give it a go in a practice round earlier this week and has kept it on today, helping him on his way to an opening course record 8-under 62.
The Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia rookie holds a one shot lead over fellow youngsters Jason Hong and Corey Lamb tied second, before a large group of players sit tied fourth at 6-under.
Among the group is Sydneysider Jye Pickin, who has been lingering around the top of the leaderboard in several Tour events this season but has been unable to breakthrough for a win as yet in his debut year.
Beginning his day on the tenth at Warragul, Henkel got into his work early with a birdie at 11 followed by an eagle at the par-5 12th. Two further birdies had him turn in 5-under, with the course record already in his sights.
A bogey at the fairly straight-away first halted the scoring, but only momentarily, as Henkel resumed his charge immediately storming home with four more birdies at three, four, six and nine.
“Been playing really solid lately, hitting a lot of greens, a lot of fairways, just waiting from them to drop and today they started to,” he said.
“Every time I went for a shot I was on the good side of the green and I think that’s pretty important around here. You can be pretty shortsighted on some of those slopes.
“Had a good caddie, good local caddie Max who helped me with a few things.”
Courtesy of the junior pro-am on Tuesday afternoon, Henkel found a last-minute caddie in Warragul junior Max, who provided some insightful advice on the interesting layout.
Rising through the amateur ranks with professional golf always on the horizon, Henkel’s ascension was dramatically altered following a car accident in 2019.
Suffering a fractured vertebrae, Henkel was sidelined from golf for 12-months, the sport becoming a distant priority throughout recovery. He is certainly making up for lost time now.
Having missed the cut at the Vic PGA at Moonah Link last week, the same venue he was successful at during Qualifying school earlier in the year, Henkel was quick to shift his focus to this week.
“It’s my first time here, so I came down and played Monday and Tuesday, just get two 18s in and see the place. Felt pretty comfortable standing on the 10th tee to start the day.”
It has been an interesting first year on Tour for Henkel. He played well in his debut at the PNG Open for a top-10 finish, but since then it has been a lot of middle of the road results.
“It’s been really great, really challenging,” Henkel said of his first year on Tour. “The kicking in the bum that I needed has been playing around that cut line for most of the events.
“Being around the bubble has been hard but it’s been good too, it’s made me a bit hungrier to play well and be up the top of the leaderboard.”
With Lamb and Hong just one back, and Pickin and co. within touch too, there are plenty of players all vying for the same glory at Warragul, a first Tour win.
Lamb is perhaps the man who desires it the most. After finishing runner-up three times, and twice this year, he knows it’s not far away.
“Just got to keep playing solid and then in the match play anything can happen,” said Lamb.
For Hong, while hungry for that first win all the same, the trophy would come with the added bonus of playing rights, which is gold for the Sydneysider who has just returned from college golf in the States.
“The dream is to get a win this week and then set myself up for January and the rest of the season through to the next,” said Hong.
“If not, I’m just going to have to keep Monday-ing in and yeah, just kind of go from there. But Q School in April, that’s the biggest thing.”
Victorian John Wade has brought a more than year-long winless drought to an end in emphatic fashion with a three-stroke victory at the Living Choice Australia Legends Pro-Am at Headland Golf Club.
As the 2024 PGA Legends Tour draws to a close with its final Sunshine Coast swing, Wade went bogey-free in a round of 6-under 66, three clear of Roland Baglin (69) with six players sharing third at 2-under.
Wade’s most recent Legends Tour win dates back all the way to September 2023 at Magenta Shores Golf and Country Club, a cooperative putter finally bringing Wade some joy.
“The form’s been pretty ordinary,” confessed Wade, who also received the Glenn Joyner Memorial Jug for his win.
“The putter helped me out a lot today. I haven’t been holing any putts, let alone hitting the ball badly, but today I managed to keep the round going with some good par saves. Made a few birdies and kept a nice clean card for a change.”
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
Signs were good early for Wade that a change of fortune may have been imminent.
After a regulation par at the first, the 56-year-old peeled off three straight birdies from the par-5 second.
A birdie at the par-5 eighth saw Wade turn in 4-under, further birdies at 11 and 17 – and none of the big numbers that have plagued him in recent weeks – saw him post a number in the morning that proved unassailable for the afternoon wave.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I hadn’t been here for a few years and last time I was here it was firm and fast. I thought the greens were amazingly firm today, even after all the rain last night,” said Wade.
“They’ve done some good work with the bunkering off the tee around that 230, 240 mark, so you need to keep it out of those, hit a lot of greens and just keep the damage to a minimum, which I haven’t been doing lately.
“I’ve just been having way too many big numbers, so I’m really, really pleased.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 John Wade 66
2 Roland Baglin 69
T3 Matthew King 70
T3 David Hill 70
T3 Guy Wall 70
T3 Russell Swanson 70
T3 Mark Boulton 70
T3 Michael Craig 70
NEXT UP
The penultimate event of the season is the ever popular Sunshine Coast Masters at Twin Waters Golf Club starting Thursday with the season finale, the Queensland Senior PGA Championship, to follow at Maroochy River Golf Club from Monday.
Emerging cult hero Corey Lamb knows that a first professional win is not a matter of if, but when, and there’s no time like the present.
Those that have been following Lamb’s journey, first through the amateur ranks and now on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, have a growing sense of expectation that a breakthrough is imminent.
With two runner-up finishes already this season at Webex Players Series South Australia and alongside Cameron Smith at the Ford NSW Open, it is a view the Hunter Valley product shares.
His consistent season continued last week with a top-10 finish at the Victorian PGA Championship, solidifying his place inside the top 10 of the Order of Merit.
Currently sitting in seventh position, Lamb is the highest-placed player in this week’s Gippsland Super 6 field and likes his chances at Warragul Country Club.
“I know I can do it, it’s just a matter of it happening,” said the 23-year-old.
“Warragul really suits me. I like the greens and it’s pretty short. I mean, I chip and putt really good, so I think if I can get it around the greens, I should go well.”
Admittedly a little tired coming into his fifth event on the trot, Lamb says the confidence he has found in his game this season has allowed him to conserve energy when required.
“I did a lot of good practice before the season started and I was pretty confident in my game,” he said.
“I’m playing really well, so it’s been good to not have to play as much. If you’re struggling, you need to do a more practice, but I’m sort of getting away with not doing as much.
“I know my game well enough, so it’s all about just recovering and being ready come Thursday.”
Despite playing well in Warragul last year, Lamb missed out on advancing to the Sunday medal match play, an opportunity he is eager not to miss out on again this time around.
“I’ve always loved match play and I’ve actually played really good when I have played match play back in my amateur days,” he said.
In 2019, Lamb took out the Queensland Boys Amateur and the NSW Junior Championship in consecutive weeks, but a maiden professional win has eluded him.
His consistency is carrying him forward though, and Lamb knows that if he keeps banging the door down, eventually it will give way.
“The process is just keep doing what I’m doing and everything will come when it wants to.”
Jason Day will seek to bring 2024 to a close with a successful title defence as a host of fellow Aussies look to secure status on a variety of tours for 2025.
Day will team up again with Kiwi Lydia Ko at the Grant Thornton Invitational in Florida, the duo paired with women’s world No.1 Nelly Korda and American Tony Finau for the opening round at the Tiburon Golf Club.
Not only do Day and Ko have positive memories to call upon from their victory of 12 months ago but both had previously won at the venue.
Ko is a two-time winner of the CME Group Tour Championship, an official stop on the LPGA, while Day was on the winning team in the 2014 edition of what was then the QBE Shootout consisting only of PGA TOUR golfers.
The pair are among four teams that have carried over from 2023 with the format remaining the same. A traditional fourball takes place on day one, day two sees teams play foursomes and then on the final day a modified fourball is played where each player tees off and then plays their partner’s ball for the remainder of the hole.
While it is fun and games in Naples, elsewhere in Florida Rhein Gibson and Kiwi pair Harry Hillier and Tim Wilkinson are seeking to play their way onto the PGA TOUR in 2025.
After finishing 88th on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List, Gibson had to come through Second Stage to earn a spot at PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry while Hillier was exempt by virtue of finishing top 10 on the PGA TOUR Americas Fortinet Cup Points List. Wilkinson is exempt by virtue of a medical category.
The top five finishers and ties at Q-School’s Final Stage will earn 2025 PGA TOUR membership while the next 40 finishers and ties will earn guaranteed starts on the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour.
In Saudi Arabia, 12 Aussies are among the 93 competitors vying for the single spot on offer at LIV Golf Promotions.
Winners on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia this season, Jack Buchanan and Phoenix Campbell are among the Aussie contingent that also includes Wade Ormsby, Jed Morgan and Daniel Gale.
Pre-qualifying is currently underway for Final Stage of Ladies European Tour Qualifying School next week in Morocco, Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, Justice Bosio, Kristalle Blum and amateurs Abbie Teasdale and Belinda Ji all hoping to join Kelsey Bennett in the final field.
After the completion of the final round was delayed a day due to rain, the LPGA Q-Series wrapped on Wednesday with Australia’s Robyn Choi missing out on retaining her card by a single stroke.
Tied for 19th entering the final round, Choi dropped three shots prior to the suspension of play on Monday but returned to post 1-over 73 and finish tied for 27th, the top 25 and ties earning full status for 2025.
Round 1 tee times AEDT
PGA TOUR
PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry
Dye’s Valley Course and Sawgrass Country Club, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
1:10am Rhein Gibson
1:10am* Tim Wilkinson (NZ)
2:10am* Harry Hillier (NZ)
2023 champion: Harrison Endycott
Past Aussie winners: Harrison Endycott (2023)
TV times: Live 5am-9am Sunday; Live 4am-8am Monday on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo.
Grant Thornton Invitational
Tiburón Golf Club, Naples, Florida
2:45am Jason Day/Lydia Ko (NZ)
2023 champions: Jason Day and Lydia Ko (NZ)
Past Aussie winners: Jason Day and Lydia Ko (2023)
TV times: Live 5am-8am Saturday; Live 6am-9am Sunday; Live 5am-8am Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
LIV Golf
LIV Golf Promotions
Riyadh Golf Club, Saudi Arabia
Australasians in the field: Maverick Antcliff, Travis Smyth, Jak Carter, Brett Rankin, Jed Morgan, Nick Voke (NZ), Ben Campbell (NZ), Wade Ormsby, Daniel Gale, Jack Buchanan, Phoenix Campbell, Will Bruyerers, Brett Coletta, Matthew Griffin.
2023 champion: Kalle Samooja
Past Aussie winners: Nil
TV times: Live on 7 Plus
Scott Barr bounced back from the heartbreak of a near miss at PGA TOUR Champions Q School to share victory with Brad Kennedy at the Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club Legends Pro-Am hosted by Adam Scott and Peter Senior.
Both Barr and Kennedy made the mad dash from Arizona to tee it up at Sanctuary Cove, Barr having fallen just one stroke short of securing full PGA TOUR Champions status for 2025.
He and Kennedy both shot rounds of 5-under 67 on The Pines Course at Sanctuary Cove to edge Lucien Tinkler (68) by a shot, Barr thankful for a good night’s sleep for his fourth win of the PGA Legends Tour season.
“I felt like I’d probably go OK today if I could get some sleep last night, which I did,” said Barr.
“My game’s really good and hopefully I get some opportunities next year.
“I’m going to have to make them happen but I’m confident where I’m at.”
Kennedy finished tied for 26th at Q School and was grateful for a win at the golf club that he calls home.
“Being a local boy at Sanctuary Cove, I was very familiar with the pins, and there were some really tough, tricky pins out there today,” said Kennedy. “It was nice to see them tuck a couple.
“Actually hitting into the water on 17 and making bogey got me motivated to get myself started and I made four in a row after that.
“It was nice to come and play out here and support Pete and Adam and also the members of Sanctuary Cove and tie for the win.”
HOW THE WINNING ROUNDS UNFOLDED
With the Sanctuary Cove greens holding their firmness despite the quantity of rain in south-east Queensland in recent weeks, both Barr and Kennedy took time to adjust.
Barr began his round with a bogey at the par-4 second while Kennedy took seven holes before registering his opening birdie at the par-3 16th.
A bogey followed at the par-5 17th but he responded with a superb birdie at the par-4 18th.
It would be the first of four in succession that would position Kennedy toward the top of the leaderboard.
Barr had no problems finding early birdies, making four in seven holes after his dropped shot on two.
He moved to 4-under with a birdie at the par-4 15th and then closed with a birdie at the first to tie Kennedy’s 5-under total.
WHAT THE WINNERS SAID
“It actually played beautifully. The course was fantastic,” said Kennedy.
“It’s been in this good a shape for the last two or three months, so I’m pretty spoilt out here to be able to practise and use the facility.”
“We had some nice sunshine here and there, but the course was stunning,” added Barr.
“The greens were firm today, which I was surprised when we started out. You got the big bounce off the green, so just had to make an adjustment.
“The pace was good though and even though we had rain, the course was magnificent.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
T1 Brad Kennedy 67
T1 Scott Barr 67
3 Lucien Tinkler 68
4 Adam Henwood 69
T5 Peter Lonard 70
T5 Terry Pilkadaris 70
T5 David Bransdon 70
NEXT UP
The PGA Legends Tour now moves north for the three-event Sunshine Coast swing to close out the season, starting with the Living Choice Australia Legends Pro-Am at Headland Golf Club.
With just one event to be played before the Christmas break, this week’s Gippsland Super 6, there has been plenty of recent movement on the all-important Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.
The top-three players at season’s end will receive DP World Tour cards for the following season, an opportunity that can quickly transform one’s career as David Micheluzzi – 2022/23 Order of Merit winner – has shown this year.
The clear frontrunner is Elvis Smylie at 1247.56 points, courtesy of wins at the Bowra & O’Dea Nexus Advisernet WA Open and the BMW Australian PGA Championship, he is well clear of Cameron Smith in second at 735.68.
Smith will more than likely not be returning to the Tour this season, and so while he has a solid base, others below him should be able to chip away and chase him down in the new year.
Ford NSW Open winner Lucas Herbert, who sits in third at 717.06, however will be returning for the Webex Players Series Murray River in late January to add to his tally.
Two-time Tour winner this season, Jack Buchanan sits in fourth 620.11, and while he is not in Gippsland this week, the South Australian will be back post-Christmas eager to make a push for one of the DP World Tour cards on offer early in his professional career.
Curtis Luck and Marc Leishman, who both play most of their golf internationally are in fifth and sixth position respectively, largely due to solid performances in the Aussie majors. Corey Lamb is sitting in seventh at 374.14, and with no one else above him on the standings in the field this week, has a clear run to move up before Christmas.
Finishing tied-second at both the Webex Players Series South Australia and Ford NSW Open, Lamb returned to the pointy end of the leaderboard last week at the Vic PGA finishing seventh.
A breakthrough win feels just around the corner for Lamb, and if it comes this week in Warragul, the man from the Hunter Valley would make some serious inroads towards finishing amongst the top-three.
New South Wales young gun Harrison Crowe is eighth at 323.58, and having only played four events, will be a favourite to keep climbing in 2025 having returned to his home circuit after spending the year playing primarily on the Asian Tour.
Just below Lamb and Crowe in ninth is Anthony Quayle, who came back from a seven-shot penalty at last week’s Vic PGA to finish in third.
Having only played five events this season, Quayle has quickly amassed his 322.17 points, plenty coming from his stunning week at the BMW Australian PGA Championship where a closing 63 had him finish in a tie for third.
In his first season as a professional, Jasper Stubbs has made a great start, currently sneaking inside the top-10 at 307.03. The Victorian’s share of third at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open helping him along nicely.
A large group of players sit just outside the top-10, and with Lamb and Quayle the only players from the top bunch in the field at Warragul, some notable movement could have occurred when the Order of Merit is updated on Monday morning.
For Jake Newbery, the key to engaging kids in golf is to show them just how fun the sport is, something that comes naturally to him.
Announced at the PGA Awards during BMW Australian PGA Championship week as the 2024 MyGolf Deliverer of the Year, Newbery credits his grandfather for introducing him to the game and fostering his love of the sport from a young age.
“My inspiration comes from being amongst golf,” he said.
“My grandfather was my sole inspiration into me being a part of the golf industry.
“I just fell in love with the sport and I love everything about it. I love showing kids just how much fun golf and our sport can be.”
Working out of KDV Sport on the Gold Coast, Newbery completed his PGA Membership Pathway Program at Keperra Country Golf Club.
KDV is a multisport facility, and the ethos of the MyGolf program fits in perfectly. MyGolf takes a fun above all approach, and incorporates a number of different games and sports.
“To get kids engaged, you’ve got to have energy,” said Newbery.
“You’ve got to have multiple different stations that they can go through and learn. You’ve got to ensure they understand it because if they can understand it, they’ll be able to do it.
“Show them how to have fun, and show the love of the sport.”
In his pursuit to unearth the next stars of the sport, and help pass on his love of golf to the next generation, Newbery says the MyGolf program has been transformative.
“The MyGolf platform is absolutely incredible,” he said. “Not only does it create links between parents and coaches, it gives parents the ability to see what’s going on in their local area and then get their child involved in the game.
“It’s so easy to use on the Golf Australia website. Honestly, I can’t recommend it enough. If you haven’t got it, get it.”
Newbery receives countless messages (see below) from parents praising him for helping their kids, but it is the instant feedback from his students that he cherishes the most.
“Their smiles are the most special. Seeing them hit a shot that they can’t hit. Seeing them make their first putt, making their first birdie, then they just go, ‘Wow! Did I just do that?’.”
Messages from parents included in Newbery’s nomination below:
