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Their customary bet is 5-5-10 but Joondalup locals Josh Greer and Connor McKinney now have much more at stake following a blistering first day at the Nexus Advisernet/Bowra & O’Dea WA Open.
Playing together like it was a Thursday club competition in perfect conditions in the second group of the day, McKinney set the early pace to be 5-under through five holes.
Bogey-free for his opening round, Greer (pictured, left) saved his charge until late, holing a 30-foot eagle putt up the ridge on the final green for a round of 8-under 64, just one shy of equalling the Joondalup Country Club course record that dates back to the 2000 WA PGA Championship.
McKinney (pictured, right) is just one stroke further back after signing for a 7-under 65 with Queenslanders Jack Munro (66) and Lawry Flynn (66) the best of the interstate competitors.
With $175,000 in prizemoney and pathways to international tours on offer, Greer admitted that there was an expectation the pair would play well on their home course.
“Obviously everyone expects us to play good but we expect ourselves to play good when you know the course so well,” said Greer.
“Once you get out there, you’re a bit more relaxed but leading up to it you’re probably thinking that I should be doing well this week.”
McKinney’s expectations were even greater following his storming start.
He and Greer have both shot rounds of 11-under 61 in club competitions at Joondalup and when he reached 5-under after holing a wedge from 123 metres for eagle at the par-4 fifth, McKinney thought he might give that number a run for its money.
“When you’re 5-under after five and you’ve played this course a thousand times, you expect at least a 10,” said the 21-year-old rookie.
“I’m pretty used to doing it most weekends so I’d expect more of the same.
“It’s four rounds though, not one round, so it’s fine.”
Led by Munro and Flynn, the chasing pack know the two front-runners will take some catching.
After reaching 7-under through 13 holes, Flynn suffered a “gut punch” with a dropped shot at the par-5 eighth but believes he has seen enough to negate any home-ground advantage.
“For those guys, they’ve got a big advantage,” said Flynn, whose preparation consisted of marrying long-time partner Asha Hargreaves and a honeymoon in Queenstown.
“I was lucky enough to play a full practice round and then the pro-am so I got two good looks at it. I’m glad I did because there’s a lot going on with those greens.
“I’ve got enough of an idea now I think I can give it a crack against those boys.”
One-over through his first six holes in his first tournament at Joondalup, Munro’s round kicked into gear with a birdie at the 203-metre par-3 seventh.
It was the first of four straight birdies to put himself in contention for a maiden win on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, despite having spent the past few months hosting clients of a betting company at Brisbane racecourses.
Further hampering Munro’s preparation was a cancelled flight en route and an unscheduled night in Adelaide that meant he only arrived in Perth late Tuesday night.
“I said to Kade (McBride) a couple of times, someone who knows this course will do well,” Munro said post-round.
“There are sections that you’ve got to hit it in. If you hit it in the wrong spot, you can be miles away.
“They’ve got a good head start but you’ve still got to play well.”
Making his first start since turning professional last month, it was a round to remember too for New South Welshman Harrison Crowe.
Crowe is one of 14 players in a tie for 16th at 3-under par but was the only one to snare a hole-in-one in Round 1, the first of his career courtesy of a 7-iron at the 169-metre par-3 17th.
“I’ve had one or two in practice but nothing in tournaments so that was the first one,” said Crowe, who joins Tiger Woods (1996 Greater Milwaukee Open) in recording a hole-in-one in their first tournament as a professional.
“I saw it the whole way. It was a little bit of an awkward distance so it wasn’t quite enough for a 7 (iron). I had to hit a little trap-draw and chase it up to the pin and it did exactly that.
“It landed probably 12 feet short, skipped up and everyone was going, ‘This has got to go in, this has got to go in’. When it went in I just started laughing.
“There was plenty of good golf out there. I definitely missed out on some opportunities around the greens but first tournament as a professional, I’m not too disheartened.
“It’s a great score, I played well and there’s plenty to build on.”
Kiwi Tyler Wood had two eagles in his round of 5-under 67 to be tied with Simon Hawkes, Aaron Pike and Rockingham Golf Club Professional Joshua Herrero, three strokes off the lead.
The final two rounds of the WA Open will be broadcast live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo. Coverage starts at 4.30pm AEDT Saturday and 2.30pm AEDT Sunday.
Photo: Monica Marchesani/PGA of Australia
Rising star of Australian golf, Cam Davis, has locked in both of his country’s majors – the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane and ISPS HANDA Australian Open in Sydney – to his end-of-year schedule.
A sensational against-the-odds winner of the ISPS HANDA Australian Open in 2017 when he was just 22 years old and ranked outside the top 1000 in the world, Davis has produced another strong year on the US PGA TOUR in 2023.
His seven top-10 finishes include a tie for fourth at the US PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club, his best finish in his young major championship career to date.
Continuing on from a strong second half of the PGA TOUR’s 2022/23 season which saw him play in the end-of-season FedEx Cup Playoffs, Davis recently finished equal third at the Fortinet Championship in California to boost his Official World Golf Ranking to a career-high of 44.
Davis confirmed today that he would contest the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland from November 23-26 – where he was tied for seventh in 2022 – before heading home to Sydney for a shot at a second ISPS HANDA Australian Open title at The Australian and The Lakes golf clubs from November 30-December 3.
“It’s always enjoyable to come back home and to be part of the Summer Golf in Australia,” Davis said.
“I have great memories of The Australian and going back there, as well as The Lakes, for the Open is something I’m very much looking forward to.
“Last year’s PGA Championship at Royal Queensland had great crowds, with a huge vibe. I’m sure with the field that’s being assembled, it’ll be a fun event to be part of again in November.”
PGA of Australia CEO, Gavin Kirkman said: “Cam is a rising star in world golf and undoubtedly will be a player to watch in our two Aussie majors. In recent weeks, he’s climbed back inside the top 50 on the Official World Golf Ranking and reached a career-high so he’ll be bringing some good form back home for the Australian PGA and Australian Open.”
Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said: “Cam’s victory at The Australian back in 2017 was one of the best by a young Australian competing in their national open championship. We’re delighted he will be back this year, playing in front of family, friends, and a passionate home crowd in Sydney. He’s had a terrific year and there’s no reason why he can’t top it off by taking out the Stonehaven Cup.”
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said: “The Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane is set to be a massive drawcard for locals and visitors this summer.
“With more than 62,000 fans participating in last year’s event, we expect the impacts off the green to be felt across the city, delivering millions in economic support to local Brisbane restaurants, hotels and tourism experiences.”
As well as being highlight tournaments on the PGA Tour of Australasia, the two Aussie majors will be co-sanctioned with the DP World Tour and form part of the start to the 2023/24 Race to Dubai schedule.
Tickets for both the ISPS HANDA Australian Open and Fortinet Australian PGA Championship are available now at Ticketek.
Joondalup member Josh Greer has eagled the final hole to take a one-stroke lead midway through Round 1 at the Nexus Advisernet/Bowra & O’Dea WA Open.
Out in the second group of the day in idyllic conditions at Joondalup Country Club on Thursday morning, Greer had to first play second fiddle to fellow Joondalup member Connor McKinney.
After a par at the opening hole of the Quarry nine, McKinney made birdie at both the par-4 second and par-3 third to move to 2-under and an early one-stroke lead. He made it three birdies in succession at the fourth before holing out from 123 metres for eagle at the par-4 fifth.
He made the turn in 6-under 30 before suffering a slight setback with a bogey on 10.
Four shots back at the halfway mark of their round, Greer got to 3-under with a birdie on 10 to reduce the deficit to two but leant on all his local knowledge late to post birdies at 13, 14, 17 and then the eagle on 18.
It was a memorable start to the professional career for New South Welshman Harrison Crowe, who made a hole-in-one at the par-3 17th hole in his round of 3-under 69.
The WA Open is the third event of the 2023/2024 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season. The final two rounds will be broadcast like on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo Sport on Saturday and Sunday.
Photo: Monica Marchesani/PGA Tour of Australasia
‘The Chase Is On’ for the professionals on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia with the full schedule of 18 events for 2023/24 released today.
From the start of the WA Open at Joondalup Resort in Perth today through until the Tour finale in mid-March, the Tour’s Summer of Golf will visit five states as well as New Zealand, adding to the tournaments in Papua New Guinea and Northern Territory which have already been completed.
The total Challenger PGA Tour of the Australasia schedule offers more than $9 million in prizemoney as the Tour continues to breed the region’s next generation of champion golfers.
Aligned with today’s schedule announcement at The Australian Golf Club is the release of the Tour’s new promotional campaign, titled ‘The Chase Is On’, which focuses on the intense challenge to improve your position in the professional game, highlighted by the race to be at the top of the season-long Order of Merit and the global rewards that come with earning that achievement.
The Tour’s 2023/24 schedule includes two new events – the Webex Players Series South Australia hosted by Greg Blewett, with its unique mixed format, at Willunga Golf Course in October and the Heritage Classic at The Heritage Golf and Country Club in Melbourne in January.
Webex Players Series Sydney hosted by Braith Anasta also has a new home at Castle Hill Country Club in north-west Sydney.
For the Tour, today’s schedule announcement builds on the momentum which has been achieved on a number of fronts, including:
PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said: “Our Tour is all about ‘the chase’, which is why our new campaign resonates so strongly for me. Our players are chasing titles and prizemoney, exemptions into future events on our Tour and eventually for the opportunity to ply their trade across the globe against the world’s best.
“There is just so much on the line.
“We’re very excited to be travelling all around Australia and New Zealand for 18 exciting events this year, with the third event on the calendar starting today with the WA Open at Joondalup.
“It’s going to be a Summer of Golf to remember.”
PGA of Australia Commercial Director Michael McDonald said: “As we commence our 2023/24 Summer of Golf broadcasts with a schedule of tournaments locked in across five states in Australia and New Zealand, we can’t wait to showcase the best talent in our region on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
“Our growth in live broadcast content along with golf’s ability to connect directly with our fans – many of whom also participate across a variety of golf formats – has led to an opportunity to work with Challenger, and we are excited to grow this partnership.”
Challenger CEO Nick Hamilton said: “Our team at Challenger is excited to see the reveal of the first Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia schedule and look forward to a wonderful Summer of Golf.
“Together with the Tour, we want to continue to elevate the sport of golf and inspire young golfers to chase their dreams on and off the golf course.”
PGA of Australia General Manager of Tournaments and Global Tour Relations Nick Dastey said: “There is a fantastic field battling it out at this week’s WA Open as the chase for the Order of Merit heats up, again offering the top three players a spot on the DP World Tour, along with a raft of other playing opportunities around the world.
“With 16 tournaments yet to be played on our schedule over the next seven months, we’re looking forward to seeing what new talents emerge and what our established stars bring to courses around Australia and New Zealand.”
Eight Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia events will be played in the lead-up to the end of the year, including the two Aussie majors – the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship and the ISPS HANDA Australian Open.
At the start of 2024, there will be another eight events as the chase for the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit reaches its conclusion, highlighted by the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sports.
The only place to watch every event of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and the Summer of Golf live is on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
The full Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia schedule for 2023/24 is:
2023
May 4-7: PNG Open at Royal Port Moresby Golf Club ($180,000). Winner: Lachlan Barker
August 17-20: Tailor-Made Building Services NT PGA Championship at Palmerston Golf & Country Club ($200,000). Winner: Daniel Gale
October 5-8: Nexus Advisernet Bowra & O’Dea WA Open at Joondalup Country Club ($175,000)
October 12-15: CKB WA PGA Championship presented by TX Civil & Logistics at Kalgoorlie Golf Course ($250,000)
October 19-22: Webex Players Series South Australia hosted by Greg Blewett at Willunga Golf Course ($200,000)
November 2-5: Queensland PGA Championship at Nudgee Golf Club ($250,000)
November 9-12: Gippsland Super 6 at Warragul Country Club ($200,000)
November 16-19: Victorian PGA Championship at Moonah Links Resort ($250,000)
November 23-26: Fortinet Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club ($2 million)
November 30-December 3: ISPS HANDA Australian Open at The Australian Golf Club/The Lakes Golf Club ($1.7 million)
2024
January 11-14: Heritage Classic at The Heritage Golf and Country Club ($200,000)
January 18-21: Webex Players Series Murray River in honour of Jarrod Lyle at Cobram-Barooga Golf Club ($250,000)
January 25-28: Webex Players Series Victoria hosted by Geoff Ogilvy at Rosebud Country Club ($250,000)
February 1-4: Vic Open at 13th Beach Golf Links ($420,000)
February 8-11: Webex Players Series Sydney hosted by Braith Anasta at Castle Hill Country Club ($250,000)
February 15-18: Webex Players Series Hunter Valley hosted by Peter O’Malley and Jan Stephenson at Cypress Lakes Resort ($250,000)
February 29-March 3: NZ Open presented by Sky Sports at Millbrook Resort (NZ$1.7 million)
March 11-17: The National at The National Golf Club ($200,000)
On the surface, a tie for 36th is not a result that would indicate a player is about to go on a tear. Yet David Micheluzzi’s top-40 finish at last year’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland instilled the belief he needed to dominate the Australian summer of golf.
As Kiwi Ryan Fox returns to defend his title at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, Micheluzzi will also draw on the positive memories of his performance in challenging conditions 12 months ago.
Ranked 760th in the world when the 2022 Dunhill Links began, Micheluzzi finished as the leading Aussie that week.
Two weeks later, he won the WA PGA Championship at Kalgoorlie, the first of three wins that would see him claim the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.
That paved the way for the Victorian to make his PGA TOUR debut, play in two major championships and get his game ready to join the DP World Tour for the 2024 season.
That same opportunity is now available to 10 of Micheluzzi’s countrymen this week, nine of whom are in the field by virtue of their finish on the 2022-2023 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.
It is just one of many pathways now available to players on the Australasian Tour and one which Micheluzzi has shown can elevate players to the game’s highest level.
Even this week’s defending champion used the Australasian Tour to catapult himself into the game’s upper echelons.
The 2014 WA Open champion and 2019 Order of Merit winner, Fox was second on the DP World Tour Order of Merit in 2022 and rose to 31st in the world on the back of his BMW PGA Championship win a fortnight ago.
Now the 36-year-old wants to make sure he is on the International Team at next year’s Presidents Cup.
“Going to help myself out; going to have my PGA TOUR card next year,” said Fox, who was a surprise omission from the 2022 Presidents Cup.
“That may is have hurt me slightly not being a PGA TOUR member.
“The Presidents Cup probably doesn’t have quite the same aura around it as the Ryder Cup does, but it’s certainly something I’d really love to play in.
“I know the International Team has not had the greatest record, so I would like to try to get on that team and maybe grab a little bit of history as well.”
It is a potentially life-changing week too for Robyn Choi on the Epson Tour.
The Gold Coaster enters the season-ending Tour Championship 11th in the Race For The Card standings, just $200 from one of the 10 cards on offer.
As fellow Australian Gabi Ruffels waits to be crowned the Order of Merit winner for 2023, Choi needs to extend her cut-streak of 26 straight events to play her way onto the LPGA Tour in 2024.
“Out here, every single dollar is very important, so I am just trying to make the cut every week,” explained Choi, who is a chance of obtaining an LPGA Tour card with a solo 60th-place finish or better.
“To get into the top 10, you need to try and get every dollar you can. If I had a bad round, I had to remind myself it wasn’t over and I can still make my way up the leaderboard.
“Obviously, I don’t have a win this year, but I have given myself a few good chances.
“The goal was to have a win this year, but at the end of the day, the top 10 is my ultimate goal, and I am really close to that.”
Elsewhere this week the Morgan boys, Jed and Lincoln, are among the 15 Aussies playing the International Series Singapore on the Asian Tour, amateur June Song makes her LPGA Tour debut at The Ascendant and Curtis Luck, Dimi Papadatos, Brett Drewitt and Rhein Gibson wrap up the Korn Ferry Tour season with the Korn Ferry Tour Championship in Indiana.
Round 1 tee times AEDT
DP World Tour
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
Old Course St Andrews, Carnoustie & Kingsbarns, Scotland
7pm* Nick Bachem, Lincoln Tighe
7.11pm* Mikael Lindberg, Thomas Power-Horan
7.22pm Ryan Fox (NZ), Matt Kuchar
7.33pm* Manu Gandas, Haydn Barron
7.44pm Dylan Naidoo, Andrew Martin
7.55pm* Nathan Kimsey, Jason Scrivener
8.06pm Daniel Hillier (NZ), Justin Warren
8.17pm* Maximilian Kieffer, David Micheluzzi
8.28pm Scott Jamieson, Nathan Barbieri
8.39pm* Daniel Gale, Tapio Pulkkanen
9.01pm* Jeong weon Ko, Aaron Wilkin
9.23pm* Jaco Prinsloo, Christopher Wood
Defending champion: Ryan Fox
Past Aussie winners: Nil
TV times: Live 10.30pm-3am Thursday; Live 10pm-3am Friday; Live 12am-3am Sunday; Live 9.30pm-3am Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
PGA TOUR
Sanderson Farms Championship
Country Club of Jackson, Jackson, Mississippi, USA
11.22pm Nate Lashley, Cameron Percy, Henrik Norlander
12.17am Greg Chalmers, Will Gordon, Ben Taylor
4.06am Chris Stroud, Sam Ryder, Harrison Endycott
4.28am Luke List, Lucas Herbert, Jim Herman
Defending champion: Mackenzie Hughes
Past Aussie winners: Nil
TV times: Live 3am-5am Friday on Fox Sports 507; Live 7am-10am Friday on Fox Sports 503; Live 3am-5am Saturday on Fox Sports 507; Live 7am-10am Saturday on Fox Sports 503; Live 7am-10am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
LPGA Tour
The Ascendant LPGA Benefiting Volunteers of America
Old American Golf Club, The Colony, Texas
12.31am Lindy Duncan, Sarah Kemp, Elizabeth Szokol
12.31am* Hannah Green, Ally Ewing, Hae Ran Ryu
1.04am* Luna Soborn Galmes, Jill McGill, June Song (a)
5.32am* Lucy Li, Su Oh, Jennifer Song
5.43am* Nicole Broch Estrup, Jennifer Chang, Karis Davidson
6.05am Elinor Sudow, Sarah Jane Smith, Sadena Parks
Defending champion: Charley Hull
Past Aussie winners: Nil
TV times: Live 3am-5am Friday on Fox Sports 503; Live 7am-10am Saturday on Fox Sports 505; Live 6.30am-8am Sunday on Fox Sports 505; 4.30pm-6.30pm Monday on Fox Sports 503.
Asian Tour
International Series Singapore
Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course), Singapore
10am* James Leow, Chanat Sakulpolphaisan, Lincoln Morgan (a)
10.10am Nick Voke (NZ), Douglas Klein, Abiel Lim
10.30am* Charl Schwartzel, Scott Hend, Richard T. Lee
10.50am Jack Thompson, Suteepat Prateeptienchai, Bjorn Hellgren
10.50am* Jediah Morgan, Jazz Janewattananond, Kieran Vincent
11am Kevin Yuan, Viraj Madappa, Atiruj Winaicharoenchai
11.10am Natipong Srithong, Andrew Dodt, Veer Ahlawat
11.20am Josh Younger, Chonlatit Chuenboonngam, Hung Chien-yao
11.20am* Yuto Katsuragawa, Todd Sinnott, Jbe Kruger
11.30am Ben Campbell (NZ), Prom Meesawat, Honey Baisoya
11.30am* Zach Murray, Taehee Lee, Chikkarangappa S.
11.40am Terry Pilkadaris, Dodge Kemmer, SSP Chawrasia
3pm John Lyras, Sanghyun Park, David Drysdale
3.40pm David Puig, Travis Smyth, Chase Koepka
4pm Sangmoon Bae, Brendan Jones, Danthai Boonma
4.20pm Mardan Mamat, Shiv Kapur, Marcus Fraser
Defending champion: Nitithorn Thippong
Past Aussie winners: Nil
TV times: Live 5pm-9pm Thursday, Friday on Fox Sports 503; Live 5pm-6pm Saturday on Fox Sports 503; Live 2pm-6pm Sunday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.
Ladies European Tour
Aramco Team Series Presented By PIF
Hong Kong Golf Club, Hong Kong
Australasians in the field: Stephanie Kyriacou, Kirsten Rudgeley, Momoka Kobori (NZ)
Defending champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Japan Golf Tour
ACN Championship Golf Tournament
10am* Yoshitaka Takeya, Michio Matsumura, Andrew Evans
11am Anthony Quayle, Takahiro Hataji, Tomohiro Ishizaka
11.30am Brad Kennedy, Yuki Shino, Takashi Ogiso
12.20pm* Yui Ueda, Dylan Perry, Tatsunori Nukaga
12.30pm* Shintaro Ban, Adam Bland
Defending champion: Shugo Imahira
Past Aussie winners: Peter Thomson (1971), Graham Marsh (1972, 1974, 1982), Brian Jones (1985, 1987, 1988)
Korn Ferry Tour
Korn Ferry Tour Championship
Victoria National Golf Club, Newburgh, Indiana, USA
11.38pm Adrian Dumont de Chassart, Curtis Luck, Rafael Campos
1.06am* Jamie Lovemark, Kevin Dougherty, Dimi Papadatos
1.17am Rhein Gibson, Mac Meissner, Matt McCarty
1.28am Brett Drewitt, Taylor Dickson, Cody Blick
Defending champion: Justin Suh
Past Aussie winners: Nil
TV times: Live 5am-7am Friday; Live 3am-7am Saturday, Sunday; Live 4am-7am Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
PGA TOUR Champions
Constellation Furyk and Friends
Timuquana Country Club, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Australasians in the field: Steven Alker (NZ), Stuart Appleby, Richard Green, Mark Hensby, David McKenzie, Rod Pampling, John Senden
Defending champion: Steve Stricker
Past Aussie winners: Nil
TV times: 10am-11.30am Saturday, Sunday; 11am-12.30pm Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Epson Tour
Epson Tour Championship
LPGA National (Jones Course), Daytona Beach, Florida
11pm* Hira Naveed, Tsai Ching Tseng, Alana Uriell
4.03am Jiwon Jeon, Natasha Andrea Oon, Gabriela Ruffels
4.14am* Jenny Bae, Robyn Choi, Nataliya Guseva
4.25am* Amelia Garvey (NZ), Kirsten Gillman, Kaleigh Telfer
4.36am* Tzu-Yi Chang, Cassie Porter, Kenzie Wright
Defending champion: Jaravee Boonchant
Past Aussie winners: Kristie Smith (2010)
LET Access Series
Lombardia Ladies Open LETAS
Golf Club Varese, Varese, Italy
5.40pm* Alice Gotbring, Victoria Fricot, Vicky Prietzel (a)
6pm Kelsey Bennett, Lejan Lewthwaite, Isabell Elkstrom
10pm Mayka Hoogeboom, Amy Walsh, Ellen Huthinson-Kay
Defending champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Photo: Oisin Keniry/R&A/R&A via Getty Images
Superstar siblings Minjee and Min Woo Lee hope to provide a platform for the next wave of golf stars having signed on to host the Webex Players Series Perth at Royal Fremantle Golf Club.
In the first of a three-year deal, the inaugural Webex Players Series Perth will be played in January 2025, taking to six the number of Webex Players Series events on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia schedule.
A two-time major winner and a nine-time winner on the LPGA Tour in the US, Minjee has called Royal Fremantle Golf Club home since the age of eight, younger brother Min Woo also graduating from Royal Fremantle to golf’s biggest stages.
In their roles as tournament hosts, Minjee and Min Woo hope to provide mentorship to the young players who will tee it up and provide them the opportunity to advance their careers and onto the world stage.
“I think it’s a real privilege for us to be able to host, especially in our home state and at our home club, Royal Fremantle,” said Minjee.
“I’ve been here since I was eight years old so for a tournament like the Webex Players Series to come to Royal Fremantle is a really big deal.
“We’ve been waiting quite a while for this stuff so I think it will be really cool.”
“We were lucky enough to play a lot of the professional events before we turned pro and have that experience before we got to the big stage,” added Min Woo, a two-time winner on the DP World Tour.
“That definitely helped us to where we are now.
“I’m really excited to get the juniors playing as well and I think a lot of good names will come out of it.”
A world-first format where men and women compete against each other on the one golf course for the one trophy, the Webex Players Series also incorporates Junior Players Series events each weekend along with All Abilities tournaments.
Given the current strength of Australian golf and the depth of amateur talent coming through the ranks, both Minjee and Min Woo want to help advance young players any way they can.
“If they have any questions we’re going to answer them,” said Minjee, currently ranked No.7 on the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking.
“We’re very easy to approach, I’d hope. It will be good for us to be around them and get to know them and if they have any questions we’re there to help.
“If they want any tips for on the golf course we’re there to help as well.
“They can get the feel for what it’s like to play on a bigger stage with crowds and get that experience under their belt before heading to the professional scene.
“It’s a good stepping stone for them.”
“I’m happy to help,” said Min Woo, No.47 on the Official World Golf Ranking.
“We’re all about being great golfers but also having juniors and anyone of any age ask us questions.
“We’re always open. We’ve got social media too so that definitely helps and we always like to help out.”
With the Nexus Advisernet/Bowra & O’Dea WA Open to tee off at Joondalup Country Club on Thursday to be followed by the WA PGA Championship at Kalgoorlie Golf Course next week, the addition of Webex Players Series Perth further bolsters tournament golf in Perth.
“It’s really cool to showcase Royal Fremantle itself but also Perth. I don’t think we have too many events here so it will be nice to have a tournament at home,” said Minjee.
“Australia wants more golf tournaments everywhere, especially at our home club in Perth,” said Min Woo.
“I think it’s going to draw a lot of people out and get them really excited.
“WA Open gets a few people coming out so this is obviously a really big tournament on the schedule and really excited.
“I think there’s going to be a lot of hype.”
Photo: Courtesy of The West Australian
He is less than two months into his professional career yet Josh Greer is already wary of the threat posed by the next generation at this week’s Nexus Advisernet/Bowra & O’Dea WA Open in Perth.
A state Open dating back to 1913, the WA Open has a proven history of elevating amateur golfers into the professional stratosphere.
Eleven of the first 12 WA Opens played were won by amateurs while in more recent times, Terry Gale (1972, 1975), Stephen Leaney (1991), Oliver Goss (2012), Curtis Luck (2016), Zach Murray (2018) and Hayden Hopewell (2020) have all won as amateurs.
Greer, Hopewell, Connor McKinney and Adam Brady have all turned professional in the past 12 months and the WA production line shows no signs of slowing.
Joondalup Country Club member Tom Addy beat a strong field of professionals to claim the Metal West Recycling Joondalup Resort Classic on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series in May while 15-year-old Wanneroo sensation Ollie Marsh won both the WA Amateur and City of Perth Men’s Championship earlier this year.
Greer, himself, first played the WA Open as a 14-year-old in 2015 and expects the youngsters to turn heads this week.
“There are a lot of good players here at the minute, even guys you wouldn’t really hear of,” said Greer.
“Obviously Tom Addy won the pro-am around here and pretty much beat a similar field to what’s here this week. He’s an awesome player and then you’ve got Connor (McKinney), this is his home course, too.
“I’ve never played with Ollie or even seen him play in the last three or four years but he’s obviously a really good player and he deserves to be here. I wouldn’t be surprised if he plays well.”
Although the official course record for the combination of the Quarry and Lake nines at Joondalup Resort sits with Matthew Habgood’s 9-under 63 at the 2020 WA PGA Championship, Greer and McKinney have both shot 11-under 61 in club competitions.
They regularly practice with Hayden Hopewell and Min Woo Lee when he is home in Perth, that competitive intensity a key driver in the strength of WA golf at present.
“It’s good to play with good players and we all play together quite a lot,” said Greer.
“If they’re better than you and you play with them, it just levels it out. Whereas if you practice on your own a lot or just do stuff on your own, it’s hard to really gauge where you’re at.
“I actually don’t know what it is but there are quite a few good players coming out of WA at the moment.”
And if playing at his home course isn’t enough of an advantage, Greer will also have a familiar face on the bag this week.
As he did eight years ago in his son’s WA Open debut, John Greer will take on the caddie duties at a price only a parent would agree to.
“We probably had a few arguments back then, but I’ve grown up a bit now,” Greer said of his dad’s early days on the bag.
“He caddied for me in the British Amateur last year so I like having him on the bag.
“He knows what I need. I know what I’m doing and he knows that I know what I’m doing so we just chat about random stuff and play the game.
“He’ll probably spray me if I hit a few bad shots or if I don’t hit it where he tells me to.
“But he’ll wait until after the round, which is good.”
The third event of the 2023/2024 PGA Tour of Australasia season, the WA Open offers players another opportunity to enhance their standing on the Order of Merit.
With current No.1 Daniel Gale among the strong Aussie contingent at the Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews, PNG Open winner Lachlan Barker can wrest back top spot with a strong showing this week.
The final two rounds of the WA Open will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo Sports, coverage to start at 4.30pm on Saturday and 2.30pm Sunday AEDT.
Today marks a new dawn for the PGA Tour of Australasia, with Australian investment management firm Challenger signing on as exclusive naming rights partner – its first partnership in Australian sport.
The breeding ground for Australian golf’s champions and home tour of our current superstars will now be known as the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
The new three-year partnership forms part of a wide-ranging Australian Golf collaboration, with Challenger also becoming a partner of Golf Australia, the WPGA Tour of Australasia, PGA Legends Tour, and Golf Management Australia.
The partnership will also play an important role in promoting golf across Australia’s local communities, cities and internationally while continuing to elevate professional golf across the wider region.
PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said the partnership with Challenger represented a union of shared values and a commitment to fostering growth and innovation.
“We are thrilled to join forces with Challenger and look forward to achieving our joint goals over the next three years,” he said.
“We will be focused on offering even greater opportunities for our aspiring golf professionals to hone their skills and achieve their dreams, as well as creating captivating golf events across Australasia.
“This partnership is another great example of the Australian Golf Strategy generating opportunities for our sport with quality brands.”
Challenger is Australia’s leading retirement income brand, playing an important role helping Australians achieve financial security for a better retirement.
Challenger Managing Director and CEO, Nick Hamilton said: “Challenger is delighted to partner with the PGA of Australia, WPGA and Golf Australia.
“With over nine million passionate golf fans in Australia, and a sport of choice for over 45s, this partnership represents an exciting opportunity to showcase our brand and retirement credentials as we focus on taking a broader stance in retirement.
“The partnership also aligns with Challenger’s commitment to supporting Australia’s communities, investing at the grass roots to ensure that talented players can thrive at the highest level.
“We look forward to bringing this partnership to golf fans, customers and the wider community.”
In addition, Challenger will also be a part of some key vocational PGA Member initiatives to increase their connection with the highly skilled PGA Professionals, who are at the forefront of promoting and growing golf at the club level.
The full Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia schedule for 2023/24 will be announced tomorrow.
The Challenger PGA Tour of Australia will visit six Australian states and territories in 2023/24, as well as New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Eight Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia events will be played in the lead-up to the end of the year, including the two Aussie majors – the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship and the ISPS HANDA Australian Open. As well as an increased events schedule for 2023-24, the Tour features live broadcasts of almost all tournaments via Fox Sports and Kayo, with Nine and Nine Now also simulcasting the two Australian majors.
Challenger Limited (Challenger) is an investment management firm focused on providing customers with financial security for a better retirement. Challenger operates a fiduciary Funds Management division, an APRA-regulated Life division and an APRA-regulated authorised deposit-taking institution. Challenger Life Company Limited (Challenger Life) is Australia’s largest provider of annuities.
About the PGA of Australia
The PGA of Australia is a not-for-profit Member-based organisation representing both Tournament Professionals and the Club Professionals who form the cornerstone of the industry, working in golf facilities throughout Australia and overseas. Our PGA Members play an integral role in servicing more than 1.5 million Australians who hit the fairways each year. The PGA of Australia also owns and manages the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia which is a member of the International Federation of PGA Tours.
It is a tournament rich in 110 years of history but all eyes will be on generation next when the Nexus Advisernet/Bowra & O’Dea WA Open tees off at Joondalup Country Club on Thursday.
The third event of the season and the first in a three-week stretch of tournaments, the WA Open serves as the start to the PGA Tour of Australasia’s Summer of Golf and will showcase a host of former champions hoping to hold off a rising batch of rookies eager to make their mark.
One of those, Hayden Hopewell, was the WA Open champion in 2020 but is playing his home Open for the first time as a professional having left the amateur ranks in November last year.
Hopewell is not the only WA player to have turned professional in the past 12 months.
Connor McKinney turned pro the same week as Hopewell and Josh Greer will play his home Open at his home course this week having come through the junior ranks at Joondalup.
Excited at the prospect of showing off his home track to his fellow Tour players, Greer believes local knowledge will come in handy over the course of the four rounds.
“I know the course really well and I’m just looking forward to playing to be fair,” said Greer, who first played the WA Open as a 14-year-old in 2015.
“I know how good the course is and I’m also looking forward to everyone I know playing a tournament there.
“Not everyone has played it so I feel like they’ll enjoy it.
“The greens are really slopey so you have to leave it on the right parts of the greens. The fairways are wide-ish but the greens are the toughest part of the course.”
The WA Open also marks the first appearance for New South Welshman Harrison Crowe since he joined the professional ranks last month.
The winner of the 2022 NSW Open and 2022 Asia-Pacific Amateur champion, Crowe turned pro to make use of his tournament winner’s category before it expires and is eyeing off a big summer to play his way onto a world tour in 2024.
Other prominent names seeking to kick-start their Order of Merit aspirations include Jake McLeod, Louis Dobbelaar, Blake Windred, Jarryd Felton and Brett Rumford.
Designed by acclaimed American architect Robert Trent Jones Jnr, Joondalup Resort boasts three separate and distinctive nines with the WA Open to be played across the Quarry and Lake nines.
Fans can follow all the action of the opening two rounds via pga.org.au and the PGA of Australia app.
The final two rounds will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo Sports starting from 4.30pm on Saturday and 2.30pm Sunday AEDT.
HOW TO FOLLOW
For live scoring and the latest news visit www.pga.org.au. Exclusive content and tournament updates will also be posted regularly on the PGA Tour of Australasia’s social media channels.
Instagram: @pgatouraus, @golfwestaust
Twitter: @PGAofAustralia, @golfwestaust
Facebook: @PGAofAustralia, @PGATourAus, @GolfWA
Official hashtag: #WAOpen
HOW TO WATCH
Catch the action of the third and final rounds on Saturday and Sunday, broadcast live, on Foxtel (Channel 505) and Kayo Sports.
Round 3: Saturday, 4.30pm-7.30pm AEDT
Round 4: Sunday, 2.30pm-7.30pm AEDT
RECENT CHAMPIONS
2022 Deyen Lawson (Western Australian GC)
2021 Braden Becker (Royal Fremantle GC)
2020 Hayden Hopewell (a) (Royal Fremantle GC)
2019 Michael Sim (Cottesloe GC)
2018 Zach Murray (a) (Mount Lawley GC)
2017 Stephen Leaney (Royal Perth GC)
2016 Curtis Luck (a) (Western Australian GC)
2015 Daniel Fox (Royal Fremantle GC)
2014 Ryan Fox (Cottesloe GC)
COURSE RECORD
63, Matthew Habgood (2000 WA PGA)
Photo: Courtesy of Joondalup Resort
Australia’s superstar golf siblings, Minjee and Min Woo Lee, will join forces to host a new professional golf tournament at their home club, Royal Fremantle, in 2025.
The Webex Players Series Perth hosted by Minjee and Min Woo Lee will be part of both the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and WPGA Tour of Australasia and is locked in for an initial period of three years in a massive boost for golf in Western Australia.
The first edition, officially launched by Minjee and Min Woo at Royal Fremantle Golf Club today, will be played from January 9-12, 2025.
It takes to six the number of Webex Players Series events that will be played around Australia under the first-of-its-kind format of having women and men compete against each other on the same course at the same time for the same trophy and prizemoney.
Royal Fremantle GC played a huge role in the early development of both Minjee and Min Woo’s golf games, making it an obvious choice to host WA’s first Webex Players Series event.
Minjee has won two major championships as part of her nine LPGA Tour victories, while Min Woo, one of the most exciting young talents in world golf, has now graduated to the PGA Tour and already has two DP World Tour titles on his résumé.
PGA of Australia Tour Development Manager Kim Felton said: “Minjee and Min Woo are great ambassadors for the game of golf in Australia, and particularly WA, and our thanks go to both of them for jumping at the opportunity to host the Webex Players Series Perth.
“The Webex Players Series is all about providing opportunities to our future stars of the game and to have both Minjee and Min Woo host this special event, share their knowledge on how they got to this point is invaluable and something that will no doubt assist our young players follow their footsteps.
“Being hosts of this new event in our Summer of Golf takes their on-going support and promotion of Australian golf to a new level.”
WPGA Tour of Australasia CEO Karen Lunn said: “The inclusive format of the Webex Players Series has been a fantastic success since it was introduced in 2021.
“Having Minjee and Min Woo, two of our highest-profile current Australian professionals, involved as hosts of our new Perth event is new ground for the Webex Players Series as it continues to grow into being a key part of our professional tours.
“With the introduction of Webex Players Series Perth, we will now have six Webex Players Series events, allowing us to showcase the best of Australian women’s and men’s golf on the same stage in four different states.”
General Manager of Royal Fremantle GC Lucy Guppy said: “It was very exciting to be approached to host the inaugural Webex Players Perth to once again showcase our great course but also to be aligned with two stars of the current game and members of our club.
“They grew up playing at Royal Fremantle GC and still practice here when they take a break from Tour life.
“We are very proud of what they have done on course and we look forward to having them host their event here at their club.”
Minjee Lee bio
Minjee started out at Royal Fremantle as a junior, working her way through the cadet system. She had a clear gift for the game as she piled on junior tournament victories, and started to win women’s events. After being part of multiple Australian and WA State girls and women’s teams, Minjee turned professional in 2015
Min Woo Lee profile
Much like his sister, Min Woo joined Royal Fremantle at a young age to start his quest for golfing greatness. Quickly working his way through the ranks, Min Woo was selected on multiple WA State Boys and Men’s Teams before progressing to Australian amateur teams. He also added “youngest Royal Fremantle club champion” to his list of achievements. With two WA State Amateur wins, as well as Interstate Amateur Events, Min Woo turned professional in 2019.
