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Prodigal talent Elvis Smylie has vowed to focus on the positives after he saw a growing lead evaporate late on day three of the CKB WA PGA Championship at Kalgoorlie Golf Course.
Smylie looked like building a big buffer heading into Sunday’s final round but had to settle for a share of the lead through 54 holes after a bogey, double-bogey finish in a round of 2-under 70.
Joining Smylie at 12-under is course record holder Cameron John (66), who is hunting a second straight Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia win, while West Australian rookie Jordan Doull (67) can record a maiden victory just five months after joining the pro ranks.
Now in his fourth year as a professional, a breakthrough win is again tantalisingly within reach for the 22-year-old Smylie.
Five-under through 16 holes of his third round, a tricky chip from left of the green at the par-3 17th saw the Queenslander drop to 14-under-par and then a wayward tee shot that nestled in the desert debris led to a double-bogey at the par-5 18th.
As a result, Smylie finds himself in a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard with Brett Rankin (67), Jack Buchanan (68) and Will Florimo (68) all now just one stroke off the lead.
“This is why I practise, and the fact that I get to put myself in a position like that again tomorrow, it’s only going to help me improve, not only as a golfer, but as a player,” said Smylie.
“I’m taking the positives out of today’s round heading into tomorrow. There was lots of good stuff. I made a lot of great putts when I needed to.
“Perhaps just a bit of a mental switch off on the last tee shot and I got into a bad position and then that led to a poor decision for my second shot and so on.
“But there’s lots of good stuff and my game feels great.”
After getting out of position with his tee shot on 18, Smylie went from bad to worse when his punch-out 7-iron went from one side to the other and coming to rest under a shrub.
He and caddie Andrew Evans were left with little option but to take a drop for an unplayable lie, Smylie unable to get up-and-down for bogey from right of the 18th green.
“I thought the 7-iron was going to come out a little bit softer,” Smylie admitted.
“The reason why I hit the 7-iron was because there were trees overhanging that I wanted to keep under.
“Just little decisions like that, obviously I would’ve liked to have over, but I think there’s lots of positives to take out of today.”
Winner of the season-ending National Tournament in March, John was leading the DP World Tour’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland just eight days ago.
He ultimately finished in a tie for 54th at St Andrews but says the experience of holding the 36-hole lead will hold him in good stead on Sunday.
“I feel like I got an extra week in the schedule, something massive to lead into these Aussie events and I played really well,” said John, who shares the Kalgoorlie course record of 9-under 63 with 2023 champion Ben Eccles.
“I took a lot of confidence playing with some of the best players in the world and being able to sort of tick that box. Play really well, give myself a chance going into the weekend to win.”
He is in position to win again after a 66 on Saturday that culminated with four birdies in his final five holes, a position he perhaps didn’t expect given the travel required to tee it up at all.
“First day I was pretty much half asleep,” said the 25-year-old Victorian.
“Second day it got a little bit better. Jet lag, wasn’t so bad.
“It was a long, long journey back to Kalgoorlie, but it’s definitely been worth it so far.”
The CKB WA PGA presented by TX Civil & Logistics is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo. Broadcast of the final round will begin at 2pm AEDT.
Photo: Alex Verhagen/PGA of Australia
Chris Taylor used a stroke of good fortune to hold off two legends of Australian golf and claim the Mollymook NSW Senior Masters at Mollymook Golf Club.
A former winner at Mollymook, Taylor’s win was set-up by a 4-under par round of 68 on day one and a crucial birdie on his penultimate hole of a final round even-par 72 for 4-under total.
With Peter Senior (74) and Peter Lonard (70) both breathing down his neck, Taylor conjured a birdie at the par-3 17th that he admitted post-round came with an element of good fortune.
“I haven’t told a lot of people, but I did pull it left,” Taylor said of his tee shot on 17.
“It ended up lying left of the hole, which is underneath the hole there.
“Made a nice two and I knew Pete had to get it up and down out of the bunker.
“It was one of those shots you take, but you don’t tell anyone that you weren’t aiming over there.”
Senior did make his up-and-down on 17 but bogeyed the last to finish four back of Taylor with Lonard and Adam Henwood (72) sharing third at 1-over.
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
Leading New South Welshman Scott Ford by a shot after Round 1, Taylor also had Senior for company in the final group and it was Senior who struck first.
The icon of Australian golf birdied the opening hole to draw within one and set up an enthralling final round of cut and thrust.
Taylor’s lead remained one after Senior made bogey on three and he dropped a shot of his own on five but two birdies after the turn would prove crucial.
It gave Taylor a three-shot buffer that was soon four when Senior made bogey at the par-3 12th.
Taylor made back-to-back bogeys of his own on 14 and 15 to tighten the contest once again before the critical birdie on 17 essentially wrapped up the win.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“It just sort of suits my eye,” Taylor said of his affinity with Mollymook.
“A lot of the holes work both left-to-right and right-to-left but, not only that, the greens are always in pristine condition.
“I haven’t been under the pressure like that to win a two-dayer for a while now. It was actually good to get under the gun and hope your swing hangs on.
“People put some pressure on you and it sorts you out whether your swing’s working or not.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Chris Taylor 68-72—140
2 Peter Senior 70-74—144
T3 Peter Lonard 75-70—145
T3 Adam Henwood 73-72—145
5 Brad Burns 75-71—146
6 Roland Baglin 73-74—147
T7 Mike Zilko 73-75—148
T7 Andre Stolz 73-75—148
T7 Martin Peterson 72-76—148
T7 John Wade 70-78—148
NEXT UP
The PGA Legends Tour moves into the nation’s capital on Tuesday for the two-day ACT Senior PGA Championship at Fairbairn Golf Club.
Both suffered late slip-ups yet Aaron Maxwell and Alex Simpson did enough to share victory at the 2024 Cumberland City Junior Pro-Am.
Played at the spectacularly-presented Woodville Golf Course, veteran Matthew Millar led the field into Round 2 but early struggles brought the likes of fellow Canberran Maxwell and Simpson into the mix.
Paired with Millar for the final round, Maxwell (68) was 6-under on his round and 10-under total before he dropped three shots in his final three holes to end the day at 7-under.
Simpson (67) teed off on his final hole at 8-under for the tournament only to bogey the par-4 17th to finish square with Maxwell at 7-under.
Jordan Mullaney’s 6-under 66 was the low round of the tournament and propelled him into outright third with Millar’s even-par 72 enough to snare fourth.
HOW THE WINNING ROUNDS UNFOLDED
The par-5 18th hole was Simpson’s first of the second round, a birdie the ideal start of a 2-under 70 on day one.
The par 5s would continue to provide good fodder as he eagled the par-5 third which he followed up with three straight birdies around the turn at Woodville.
He made his first bogey of the day at the par-4 12th but responded immediately with a birdie on 13, yet another par 5.
Like Simpson, Maxwell made his move on the early holes at Woodville.
Maxwell birdied the par-5 third and then made eagle at the par-5 sixth to make the turn in 3-under.
He had the tournament in his grasp when he made three birdies in the space of four holes from the par-4 12th but a double-bogey on 16 and bogey on 17 left him needing a birdie on 18 to match Simpson’s 7-under total.
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
T1 Aaron Maxwell 69-68—137
T1 Alexander Simpson 70-67—137
3 Jordan Mullaney 73-66—139
4 Matthew Millar 68-72—140
T5 Wil Daibarra 71-70—141
T5 Samuel Slater 73-68—141
T5 Dean Mulley 69-72—141
T5 Nathan Miller 71-70—141
T5 Jake Kable 70-71—141
NEXT UP
The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series has a week off before resuming at Anglesea Golf Club for the Anglesea Golf Club Pro-Am on Tuesday, October 22.
The first television broadcast of the new Summer of Golf season will get underway this weekend with exciting improvements and more tournaments for golf fans to watch the best in Australasian golf.
Starting from this week’s CKB WA PGA Championship presented by TX Civil and Logistics in Kalgoorlie through to The National Tournament in late March, all Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia events in Australia will be available for viewing by golf fans around the country – with WPGA Tour of Australasia and PGA Legends Tour action adding to the largest amount of live broadcast golf ever shown on Australian screens.
Fox Sports will cover 18 events via Foxtel and Kayo, while the BMW Australian PGA Championship and ISPS HANDA Australian Open will also be simulcast on the NINE Network and 9Now.
Sky Sport NZ, the presenting partner of the NZ Open, will also screen all Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia tournaments.
Among the improvements to the broadcasts that viewers will see from week-to-week, delivered by the PGA of Australia production partner JAM TV, will be enhanced live data presentation of scores and hole information, as well as leaderboards and Order of Merit updates as the chase for titles and opportunities runs throughout the summer.
Augmented drone footage, dynamic first-person view fly throughs and inside access to players and more will also help bolster the coverage each and every week, while the two Australian majors will see an increase in not only live golf but coverage.
The BMW Australian PGA will have all four rounds shown live across Foxtel, Kayo, NINE and 9Now, before the ISPS HANDA Australian Open sees the introduction of a new week-long Australian Open channel on Foxtel and Kayo.
Featuring historical footage and other presentations, the Australian Open Channel will be in the mould of the content delivered to Australian fans during The Masters and The Open each year.
As in previous seasons, Trackman will offer an insight into ball flights and data from the impressive play of the next wave and well-known names of the Australian golf scene.
Delivering that data alongside insights from years playing and covering the game at the highest level, the commentary team has been bolstered and will be led throughout the season by two of the pre-eminent voices in Australian golf alongside Fox Sports News rising star Isabella Leembruggen as host.
Former PGA TOUR regulars and winners on their home circuit, the familiar faces and voices of Nick O’Hern and Paul Gow will lead the coverage each week across the season with support provided by a growing group of experts in their field.
O’Hern and Gow will feature in the booth taking fans through what is seen on screen, as well as what can’t be seen, while also offering up their opinions on thoughts on play and the game of golf overall.
The pair supported by Leembruggen and an outstanding line-up of experts and on-course commentators including Ryan Lynch, Jimmy Emanuel, Ali Whitaker, Warren Smith, Ewan Porter, Mark Allen, Stacey Peters, Brenton Speed, Mathew Thompson and more.
The WA PGA Championship coverage this weekend starts with Saturday’s third round live from 4pm–7pm (AEDT) with Sunday’s final day action from 2pm–7pm.
2024/25 CHALLENGER PGA TOUR OF AUSTRALASIA BROADCAST SCHEDULE
FOXTEL/KAYO/NINE/9NOW/SKY SPORT NZ
CKB WA PGA Championship presented by TX Civil & Logistics
Kalgoorlie Golf Course
October 12 – 13
Foxtel/Kayo/Sky Sport NZ
Bowra & Odea Nexus Advisernet WA Open
Mandurah Country Club
October 19 – 20
Foxtel/Kayo/Sky Sport NZ
Webex Players Series South Australia hosted by Greg Blewett
Willunga Golf Course
October 26 – 27
Foxtel/Kayo/Sky Sport NZ
Queensland PGA Championship
Nudgee Golf Club
November 2 – 3
Foxtel/Kayo/Sky Sport NZ
BMW Australian PGA Championship
Royal Queensland Golf Club
November 21 – 24
Nine/9Now/Foxtel/Kayo/Sky Sport NZ
ISPS HANDA Australian Open
Kingston Heath Golf Club and Victoria Golf Club
November 28 – December 1
Nine/9Now/Foxtel/Kayo/Sky Sport NZ
Victorian PGA Championship
Moonah Links Resort
December 7 – 8
Foxtel/Kayo/Sky Sport NZ
Gippsland Super 6
Warragul Country Club
December 14 – 15
Foxtel/Kayo/Sky Sport NZ
Webex Players Series Perth hosted by Minjee and Min Woo Lee
Royal Fremantle Golf Club
January 11 – 12
Foxtel/Kayo/Sky Sport NZ
Webex Players Series Victoria
Rosebud Country Club
January 23 – 26
Foxtel/Kayo/Sky Sport NZ
Webex Players Series Murray River in honour of Jarrod Lyle
Cobram Barooga Golf Club
February 1 – 2
Foxtel/Kayo/Sky Sport NZ
Tournament TBC
February 8 – 9
Webex Players Series Sydney
Castle Hill Country Club
February 22-23
Foxtel/Kayo/Sky Sport NZ
NZ Open presented by Sky Sport
Millbrook Resort
February 27 – March 2
Foxtel/Kayo/Sky Sport NZ
Heritage Classic
The Heritage Golf and Country Club
March 22 – 23
Foxtel/Kayo/Sky Sport NZ
The National Tournament
The National Golf Club, Old Course
March 29 – 30
Foxtel/Kayo/Sky Sport NZ
After recording matching 4-under-par opening rounds, Elvis Smylie and Lucas Higgins again signed for the same score, with 66 seeing them on top of a congested leaderboard at the CKB WA PGA Championship presented by TX Civil & Logistics heading into the weekend.
Sitting on a total of 10-under, Smylie and Higgins hold a two-shot advantage over Tom Power Horan who led for most of the day before the co-leaders surged past late Friday at Kalgoorlie Golf Course as they chase a first Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
Smylie’s second round was a case of more of the same, with his new putter that went into the bag in September helping him to four birdies on the par-5s having recorded three eagles on Thursday, while Higgins made his first bogey of Friday at the par-5 18th to make it a tie at the top.
“I played really well. I felt like today was a bit more of a solid round,” Smylie said.
“I didn’t have as many bogeys and the time that I did make the bogeys that were just kind of soft. But yeah, lots of good stuff, especially coming in on the back nine.”
Making birdies in bunches in the middle of his round, including six in seven holes starting at the par-5 sixth, Higgins will count himself a little unlucky at the last, but with a new mindset will hope to continue his recent good play.
Hitting his tee shot right at 18, Higgins’ attempt to extricate himself from the red dirt and trees that border Kalgoorlie’s fairways found wood before a sprinkler stopped his approach getting closer.
“It’s been really solid. Today was really good. Holed a few longish birdie putts, and then just holed a lot of six footers for birdie as well, and a couple of nice par saves in there,” Higgins said.
Arriving in good form, with a recent adidas Pro-Am Series win to his name, the New South Wales North Coast product, who represented both his home state and Queensland as an amateur, knows good golf and his adjusted approach will put thoughts of other future employment to the back of his mind.
“I think for me at the moment, I’m just trying to really just take it as it comes and just trying not to make dumb decisions,” Higgins said.
“I usually try not to just miss it on the wrong side and stuff like that, so I’ve really just been trying to do that. So if I have a bogey or two, I’m not following it up with a lot. I’m trying to just get myself a chance of birdie and make a putt or two and then get myself back in the round.”
Achieving that so far this week, it will make an interesting contrast to Smylie, who is taking a more aggressive approach since joining the Ritchie Smith coaching stable almost 12 months ago.
“Obviously I’ve been out here for, I think this is my third full year playing on this Tour now. So I’ve also used what other guys do as well, how they play and how aggressive they play,” Smylie said.
“I’ve played with winners on this Tour before, and I think the one thing that I’ve noticed is I’m pulling out the more aggressive club and stepping up and hitting the right shot rather than the comfortable shot.”
Planning to continue taking on the course over the final 36 holes, Smylie, as well as Higgins, will have plenty of pursuers from the chasing pack headed by three-time Tour winner Power Horan.
Powered by improved ball striking and a chip-in birdie, the Victorian signed for an eight birdie, one eagle round of 65, that was the equal low round of the day and is one in front of overnight leader Kyle Michel, Lincoln Tighe, Jordan Doull, Jack Buchanan and amateur Abel Eduard.
Power Horan hoping to use what he has learned over the past two years playing the DP World and Asian Tours to his advantage as he chases a fourth win.
“I think you definitely learn a lot off the course with the travel and overseas … and then the golf, you’re obviously seeing some of the best players in the world this year on DP (World Tour), which was great to see and sort of realise what good is,” Power Horan said.
Of the group another shot in arrears, Tighe would like to repeat his Friday start when he birdied his first three holes during a 5-under 67 that could have been better had his wedge game behaved slightly better.
“Just a couple of weak sand wedge shots that I’ve made bogeys with both days, so that’s sort of killing me,” Tighe said.
Noting the difficulty of backing up a low round, it was a grinding day for Michel, whose driver that played a key role in taking the first round lead finding the red dirt more often than he would have liked in a 1-under 71.
“Kind of felt myself on the red dirt a fair bit and yeah, just scrambled around, made it sort of still hold my fair share of putts, but I kind of a lot of par putts today, so still hung in there,” Michel said.
Eight players sit at 6-under, including plenty with experience like Tour winners Brett Rankin and Cameron John, while the cut fell at 2-under, with former WA PGA champion Jarryd Felton making the weekend in remarkable fashion after a hole-in-one at the par-3 fourth hole brought him back inside the mark before finishing at 3-under.
The CKB WA PGA presented by TX Civil & Logistics is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
Wynnum Golf Club proved to be the night’s big winners as they took home three awards from the 2024 Queensland Golf Industry Awards on the Gold Coast.
Shane Tempest (Burleigh Golf Club) was named PGA Qld Management Professional of the Year and Angus Porter (Carbrook Golf Club) PGA Qld Club Professional of the Year as more than 400 guests celebrated another magnificent year for golf in Queensland.
Wynnum’s reputation as one of the best tournament venues in the state was evident in their dual victories for Metropolitan PGA Tournament of the Year for the Bartons/BMD Wynnum Pro-Am and PGA Legends Tournament of the Year for the Bartons/BMD Paul King Memorial Legends Pro-Am.
General Manager Bernard Wilson made it a hat-trick of wins for Wynnum when he received the Distinguished Manager Award for the stability and vision he has provided Wynnum since coming to the club in 2021.
Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club also went home with multiple wins.
The inaugural Sanctuary Cove Legends Pro-Am hosted by Adam Scott and Peter Senior was named PGA Tournament of the Year and Sanctuary Cove’s Andrew Lothian claimed the Assistant Superintendent Achievement Award.
Justice Bosio and Quinn Croker signed off on their amateur careers with Female and Male Amateur Golfer of the Year respectively, Sarah Hammett and Chase Oberle won the Junior Female and Male Amateur Golfer of the Year awards and Asha Flynn (Game Development) and Richard Woodhouse (High Performance) took out the major coaching awards.
Victoria Park Golf Complex was the inaugural winner of the Off-Course Golf Facility of the Year while it was the expansion of the offering and connection to the local community that saw Pacific crowned Club of the Year.
The opening of a new clubhouse has made Pacific Golf Club an entertainment venue that is welcoming to all while the construction of a mini golf course and installation of indoor simulators in conjunction with targeted marketing campaigns have made it a family-friendly facility for all.
2024 Queensland Golf Industry Awards
PGA (QLD) Coach of the Year (High Performance)
Richard Woodhouse (KDV Sport)
PGA (QLD) Coach of the Year (Game Development)
Asha Flynn (The Brisbane Golf Club)
PGA (QLD) Club Professional of the Year presented by Coca-Cola
Angus Porter (Carbrook Golf Club)
PGA (QLD) Management Professional of the Year
Shane Tempest (Burleigh Golf Club)
PGA Tournament of the Year
Sanctuary Cove Legends Pro-Am hosted by Adam Scott and Peter Senior
Metropolitan PGA Tournament of the Year
Bartons/BMD Wynnum Pro-Am
Regional PGA Tournament of the Year
PIMS Group Mackay Pro-Am
PGA Legends Tournament of the Year
Bartons/BMD Paul King Memorial Legends Pro-Am (Wynnum GC)
Assistant Superintendent Achievement Award presented by Greenway Turf Solutions
Andrew Lothian (Sanctuary Cove Golf & Country Club)
Superintendents Achievement Award presented by Living Turf
Graeme Andrews (Tamborine Mountain Golf Club)
Superintendents Environment and Safety Excellence Award
Mick McCombe (Maleny Golf Club)
Golf Course Turf Apprentice of the Year presented by Toro
Dylan Buttigieg (Windaroo Lakes Golf Club)
Golf Club Staff Member of the Year Award presented by CPR Group
Teegan Negreira (Redcliffe Golf Club)
Golf Club Board Member of the Year Award
Dr Max Whitten AM (Maleny Golf Club)
Golf Club of the Year Award presented by MiClub
Pacific Golf Club
Distinguished Manager Award presented by Asahi Schweppes
Bernard Wilson (Wynnum Golf Club)
Volunteer of the Year
Christopher Sarquis (Kingaroy Golf Club)
Golf Club of the Year (Under 400 Members) presented by Inside Golf
Kingaroy Golf Club
Golf Supplier of the Year Award
Greenway Turf Solutions
Junior Golf Program of the Year Award
Cairns Golf Club
Off-Course Golf Facility of The Year
Victoria Park Golf Complex
Services to Golf Award
Judy Logan (Golf Queensland/Laidley GC), Iris Thompson (Downs and South West Ladies Golf District), Gurney Clamp (Central Qld District), Steve King (BDGA/Nudgee GC)
Superintendents Industry Recognition Award
Paul Bevan
Male Amateur Golfer of the Year
Quinn Croker
Female Amateur Golfer of the Year
Justice Bosio
Junior Female Amateur Golfer of the Year
Sarah Hammett
Junior Male Amateur Golfer of the Year
Chase Oberle
Kyle Michel made the most of the lower scoring afternoon conditions at the 2024 CKB WA PGA Championship presented by TX Civil & Logistics, where he leads by one after an opening 6-under 66 at Kalgoorlie.
The Victorian making seven birdies on Thursday to move past Andrew Kelly, who led for much of the day. Kelly joined by Michel’s fellow afternoon players Cory Crawford and Charlie Robbins in equal second after 5-under 67s.
Starting on the 10th tee, Michel got straight into his first start of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season with back-to-back birdies at the par-4 and par-5 next before he dropped his lone shot of the day at the par-3 13th.
Michel resuming his birdie making at the 16th and 18th to turn in 3-under, before the 28-year-old birdied both front nine par-5s, as well as the par-4 fifth to sit atop the leaderboard.
The former amateur standout offering up a simple reason for his hot start.
“I just drove the ball really well. Just gave myself a lot of looks and seemed to roll in a few putts,” Michel said.
“I didn’t really find myself in much trouble, mainly on the fairway all day. That’s kind of the secret around here. You can give yourself some looks if you can do that.”
Finishing last season with a share of eighth at The National Tournament, Michel has kept his competitive edge sharp with events on the adidas Pro-Am Series and two Asian Development Tour starts.
The Shepparton product sharing 16th in Vietnam last month ahead of a busy stretch leading into Christmas as the season gets underway in earnest.
“Pro-Ams are great to keep your game sharp and everything, but you want to be playing the bigger events and I think everyone gets excited for the five or six month stretch from October through to March,” Michel said.
“Play a lot of golf and you feel like you can gain a bit of momentum if you’re playing well.”
For Kelly his first round was a mix of experience and the continuation of recent form on the Pro-Am circuit and at the World Sand Greens Championship in Binalong, where he shared runner-up honours after Brett Rankin pipped him in a play-off.
“I think it’s the experience. I looked at the book a little bit today, but I know most of the holes, none of the pin placements I’m not really familiar with,” Kelly said.
“I know most of the venues and that helps a lot.”
Unlike Kelly and Crawford, who notched two recent Pro-Am wins on the mid-north coast of New South Wales as he continues his return from a back injury, Robbins arrived in the West with less awareness of where his game might be.
The former contestant on Ninja Warrior spending more time cutting holes than playing them at Moonah Links before teeing it up at the WA PGA, where he tied for fifth last year.
“I think coming to somewhere where you’ve got good memories, really helped I think relax me knowing that I can do it if I just sort of let the golf take care of itself,” Robbins said.
“I haven’t been playing a whole lot of competition golf just the last month cause I’ve been working on ground staff, just dropped it back to a couple of days there so I can play a few more just club comps just to get some 18 hole rounds under my belt.”
Six players sit one back of Kelly, Crawford and Robbins, with Elvis Smylie’s more aggressive mindset helping him to reach the 4-under mark after three eagles in his 68 as he approaches almost a year of working with coach Ritchie Smith.
“I’ve taken on a bit more of an aggressive attitude, especially towards the par-5s,” Smylie said.
“I feel like if I don’t at least be aggressive on those and go for the eagles, then I’m kind of losing shots.”
The first winner of the season, PNG Open champion Will Bruyeres, one of four players a further shot adrift at 3-under, while Ben Eccles opened his title defence with a 1-under 71.
The CKB WA PGA presented by TX Civil & Logistics is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
Victorians Lucas Herbert and Marc Leishman will return to their home state for the 2024 ISPS HANDA Australian Open as part of multiple Australian appearances to end the year.
Bendigo’s Herbert will play three Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia events in a row in 2024, starting at the NSW Open, followed by the BMW Australian PGA Championship and then the Australian Open.
He will then return early in 2025 at the Webex Players Series Murray River at Cobram Barooga Golf Club in the second half of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season announced earlier today.
Meanwhile, Leishman will contest the two Australian majors, first at Royal Queensland for the Australian PGA from November 21–24 before heading to Kingston Heath and The Victoria Golf Clubs for the Australian Open, starting November 28.
“Playing tournaments in Australia is right up there for me, and I can’t wait for the three-tournament run to end 2024, and also to get back underway early in 2025,” Herbert, who announced his schedule in person at the Australian Golf Centre today, said.
Added Leishman: “I’m really happy to be heading home again after what’s been a successful 2024.
“Finishing my year at the Australian PGA Championship and Australian Open, two events I have always loved playing, is always good fun with great competition and I would love to add to my resume with a big Aussie win.”
Starting his career on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, which will co-sanction the Australian PGA and Australian Open with the DP World Tour again in 2024, Herbert’s three-week stretch will be alongside Cameron Smith and start close to his hometown with the NSW Open.
Played at Murray Downs Golf & Country Club from November 14, 28-year-old Herbert returns to a course where he had success as a teenager to challenge for the Kel Nagle Cup he nearly won early in his career, before heading back to the Murray River region and Cobram Barooga on January 30 to February 2 to play a Webex Players Series event for the first time.
Pitting men and women against one another for one trophy and prize fund, the innovative series brings juniors into the fold over the weekend, with the Murray River event one of nine in the second half of the men’s Tour schedule.
“Getting the chance to play alongside women and juniors at the Webex Players Series is something I am really looking forward to, especially given how close it is to home in Bendigo, so hopefully plenty of people come out to watch,” said Herbert, whose four-event commitment means he is eligible for the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit title and all the benefits on offer.
Hailing from Warrnambool, Leishman is chasing his first big piece of silverware in Australia after being a regular challenger for the country’s biggest titles over the course of his career.
Making his 29th and 30th combined Australian PGA and Australian Open starts this year, Leishman returns home after a strong appearance in 2023 when he was third at Royal Queensland and tied for 27th at The Australian and The Lakes.
Growing up in regional Victoria and playing representative golf on the famed Sandbelt, both Herbert and Leishman would no doubt agree an Australian Open in Melbourne presents a special opportunity.
“Winning one would mean the world to me, especially on the Melbourne Sandbelt where I have played so much golf and absolutely love teeing it up,” Herbert said.
“Kingston Heath and Victoria are incredible courses that I think suit my game perfectly.”
Herbert and Leishman continue to add to fields that will include Min Woo Lee, Cameron Smith, Jason Day, Hannah Green, Cam Davis, Joaquin Niemann, Ash Buhai and more over the Australian Summer of Golf.
“Anticipation continues to build as we excitedly prepare for the return of the Australian Open to the brilliant Melbourne Sandbelt. The addition of Lucas and Marc to the field has heightened that excitement, and we can’t wait to see them in action at Kingston Heath and Victoria,” Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said.
Joining Smith in playing four events of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season, Herbert will compete alongside the rising stars of Australian golf in a 19-event season.
“The support of players like Cam and Lucas for the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia is tremendous and will help to bring added attention to the amazing group of players contesting 19 events across the season,” PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said.
“The second half of the season has shaped up tremendously as our players chase the pathways on offer and historic titles such as the New Zealand Open.”
The 2024 BMW Australian PGA Championship and ISPS HANDA Australian Open will be broadcast on Fox Sports and Kayo, as well as the NINE Network, with tickets available now via Ticketek.
2024/25 CHALLENGER PGA TOUR OF AUSTRALASIA 2025 DATES
Webex Players Series Perth hosted by Minjee and Min Woo Lee (January 9 – 12)
Webex Players Series Victoria (January 23 – 26)
Webex Players Series Murray River in honour of Jarrod Lyle (January 30 – February 2)
Tournament TBC (February 6 – 9)
Webex Players Series Sydney (February 20 – 23)
NZ Open presented by Sky Sports (February 27 – March 2)
NZ PGA (March 6 – 9)
Heritage Classic (March 20 – 23)
The National Tournament (March 27 – 30)
Tura Beach Country Club defended par with everything it had but Peter Lonard, Guy Wall and Mark Boulton dealt with it best to share victory at the Sapphire Coast Legends Pro-Am.
Played across Merimbula Golf Club (par 71) and Tura Beach (par 73) over two days, Lonard, Wall and Boulton finished the 36 holes at even par, Wall, Boulton and Mike Harwood the only players to play Tura Beach in even par.
For Wall, the difficulty of the challenge brought him into the frame for his first PGA Legends Tour win in more than a year.
“If a pair of 5-unders wins the tournament, I’m not really going to be a chance,” said Wall.
“I’m kind of steady, good control of distances on the iron shots, and that’s important around here.
“When it gets tough and par’s a good score, then that lifts my chances.”
HOW THE WINNING ROUNDS UNFOLDED
A brilliant round of 5-under 66 gave Peter Jones a three-stroke lead after Round 1 at Merimbula but, like many, he would fall foul to the test of Tura Beach.
One-under on arrival at Tura Beach, Lonard made two bogeys in his first six holes but responded with late birdies at 13 and 16 in a round of 1-over 74 to finish square after 36.
Boulton and Wall both shot even-par 71 at Merimbula but endured some ups and downs on their way to even-par 73s at Tura Beach.
Boulton was hot out of the blocks with three birdies in his first seven holes but a run of four bogeys and two birdies across six holes late in his round brought him back to the pack.
He maintained a one-stroke advantage but a dropped shot at his penultimate hole – the par 4 first – would drop him back to even par.
Wall also had three birdies in his six holes – along with a lone bogey – but would have to conjure something late to join Boulton and Lonard on top.
A double-bogey at the par-4 seventh left Wall with work to do and he answered with a closing birdie at the par-4 12th.
WHAT THE WINNERS SAID
“It was good to begin with,” said Mark Boulton.
“I seemed to find greens and make putts and then, towards the afternoon, the greens firmed up and found them a bit harder to hold. That made it a bit difficult, but in the end, got over the line with just enough numbers.
“I’ve said it many times, but to be in amongst the fraternity with some of these real legends that played for many years and been everywhere, it’s an absolute privilege to be a part of.”
“Played the par 5s well,” said Guy Wall.
“Didn’t reach them all, but you’ve just got to lay back to a yardage sometimes and relied on my wedge game.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
T1 Mark Boulton 71-73—144
T1 Peter Lonard 70-74—144
T1 Guy Wall 71-73—144
T4 Andre Stolz 70-75—145
T4 Brad Burns 71-74—145
T6 Michael Harwood 73-73—146
T6 Grahame Stinson 72-74—146
NEXT UP
The South Coast swing continues on Friday with the 36-hole Mollymook NSW Senior Masters at Mollymook Golf Club’s Hilltop Course to be followed by the ACT Senior PGA Championship starting Tuesday at Fairbairn Golf Club.
After the journey Jasper Stubbs undertook to make his professional debut at this week’s CKB WA PGA presented by TX Civil & Logistics you’d forgive him for not smiling from ear-to-ear on Wednesday after a practice round in the heat.
However, powered by the “nervous excitement” of playing his first Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia event with money on the line, the former amateur star detailed his trip from the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship in Japan to Kalgoorlie with a laugh.
“Started in Gotemba, which is about two and a half hours southwest of Tokyo,” said Stubbs ahead of his 7:25am tee time alongside Cameron John and Louis Dobbelaar.
“Then the drive to the airport began, 10 hour flight down to Melbourne at 8:30, overnight, landed at 8:30 in the morning in Melbourne.
“Got into Perth at 1:30pm and then I had five and a half hours there before I got to leave to come here to Kal last night and got in at 7:00pm.
“So it’s over a day of travel. But yeah, it’s worth it to be back here again at the WA PGA.”
Asked whether the long journey had taken a toll before he chases status on his home Tour via tournament invites, Stubbs was upbeat and headed for more practice in the West Australian sun after 14 holes to start the day.
“I’m a pretty good plane sleeper, so I slept like a baby on there, so I’m not too physically exhausted, but the body held up and I’ve sort of done everything I can last night and this morning to get it ready for the next few days,” he said.
Playing the WA PGA for a second time after a share of 50th in 2023, the Victorian spoke of the anticipation of entering the next stage of a career after his time as an amateur where he claimed the Asia Pacific Amateur at Royal Melbourne and teed it up at The Masters and The Open.
“It’s a little bit sort of like a nervous excitement. It’s a big step,” the 22-year-old said when asked of potential butterflies.
“I have played a lot of professional events, but not with a card on the line or potentially money on the line yet. So it’s sort of going to be different in that respect. But yeah, I’ve played a lot of these events before and I feel pretty at home out here with a lot of these guys.”
Another player who feels right at home, especially this week, is defending champion Ben Eccles, who Stubbs might do well to chat with about the transition from amateur to professional.
Claiming the NSW Open as an amateur back in 2015, Eccles waited eight years before he won again with an emotional victory last year.
“A little bit of a different scenario. He obviously had a lot more success than I did,” the ever modest Eccles said when asked if he had advice for his fellow Victorian.
“I think looking back when I first turned, I sort of thought it was going to be pretty easy and I thought things were always going to be sort of on the up when I turned pro, and that’s definitely not the case.
“So my advice would just be, just take it in as it comes and just keep trying to get better each year and make smart decisions as well.”
Eccles’ words similar in sentiment to the approach to this week that Stubbs has laid out with his team.
“Not really too much of a goal setter of I have to finish in the top 10 to feel like I’ve had a good week,” Stubbs said.
“I’m more just little targets based, little things that I’m doing with my coach and my team back home that we set, little wins that aren’t necessarily a win of the golf tournament that I can feel like I’ve accomplished something here this week.
“On the golf course, just you’ve got to just play as best I can and I know my good golf is really good, so a win isn’t out of the question for me, I don’t think.”
The CKB WA PGA presented by TX Civil & Logistics is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
