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It was Jason Day’s best Masters finish in six years yet it will be forever remembered as the crowning glory in the extraordinarily complex career of Rory McIlroy.
In an enthralling, chaotic and ultimately gratifying final round that will go down as one of the most compelling in major championship history, McIlroy (73) had to go one extra hole against Ryder Cup teammate Justin Rose (66) to complete the career grand slam and claim his first coveted green jacket.
His final pairing with his US Open nemesis Bryson DeChambeau was built to break box office records.
That his two-shot advantage was thrown away with a double-bogey at the opening hole followed by a DeChambeau birdie at the second to take the lead made the storyline all the more absorbing.
There were shots only McIlroy can hit – his second into seven, a hooked 7-iron from 208 yards to six feet at the par-5 15th – yet there were also mistakes that have plagued the Northern Irishman for a decade.
An inexplicable pitch into Rae’s Creek beside the 13th green saw what was a five-shot lead as he strode down the 11th hole disintegrate into a three-way tie at 10-under with both Rose and Ludvig Aberg (72).
The birdie on 17 would prove pivotal after McIlroy failed to get up-and-down from the greenside bunker on 18. He would fulfil his destiny with a perfect tee shot at the first playoff hole, an approach that spun back toward the hole and the longest two-foot tap-in of his life.
It was Day’s best finish since he was tied for fifth in 2019.
With all manner of drama unfolding behind him, Day was just three strokes from the lead with four holes to play.
He left a birdie attempt out to the left from the back fringe of the par-5 15th and then two-putted from 72 feet for par at the par-3 16th.
Closing bogeys at 17 and 18 were just his fourth and fifth for the week as the 37-year-old relished his return to the heat of major championship Sunday.
“It’s nice to be like third group from the end, at least trying to give myself a chance at winning the Masters,” said Day, who now has five top-10 finishes at Augusta National.
“I’m pretty gutted right now. It’s annoying to give myself the opportunities out there and not be able to take them.
“I mean, it’s a step in the right direction. That’s all I can say. It’s hard to walk off the golf course and go straight into an interview even though… I’m pretty headless right now.
“Just a few minor tweaks here and there and a few more putts go in, it might be a different story this week.”
The final round was a day of give and take for Lee.
The 26-year-old began brightly with an exquisite pitch shot to set up birdie at the par-5 second but, as would be the case all Sunday, Augusta National soon took it back, and then some.
There were bogeys at three, four and six before Lee hit another superb approach from the left rough on his way to birdie at the par-4 seventh.
He bogeyed 10 and 12, picked them back up again with birdies at 13 and 14 and then, finally, dropped to 2-over on his round with a bogey at the par-5 15th.
Holing out from the greenside bunker for par at the 72nd hole was a very Min Woo way to finish as he continues to build his database of Masters memories.
“I had a chat with my caddie Bo walking up 18, and I just asked him if it’s more of a mental or a technical battle here,” said Lee.
“Obviously you need to be on with your game, but I think the mental has to be right up there.
“The top players mentally are going to be at the top of the leaderboard, which I think they are.
“That leaderboard up there has a lot of major champion winners and guys who have played well over the past whatever years.
“A lot of learning to do. I’m really early in the stages of hopefully my career at Augusta, so I can’t wait for whatever the next few years have in store.”
Day’s wasn’t the only top-10 finish by an Aussie this week as Kelsey Bennett recorded her career-best result on the Ladies European Tour.
Bennett, who started the final day in a tie for eighth, dropped her only shot of the day on the fifth hole, before having three birdies in a row on the back nine.
Tied for eighth a week ago at the Joburg Ladies Open to climb to No.266 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking, Bennett finished three shots back of Perrine Delacour in outright third.
That surpasses her tie for seventh at last year’s Lacoste Ladies Open de France and elevates her to 16th on the Order of Merit in her rookie season on the LET.
Making early inroads on the leaderboard with birdies at two and four, Bennett’s Sunday charge hit a hurdle with a bogey on five.
The 25-year-old responded with birdie at the par-5 seventh but it wasn’t until she peeled off three on the trot from the 13th hole that she dared look at the leaderboard.
“I just gave myself plenty of opportunities so I’m glad a few on the back nine dropped,” said Bennett.
“I wasn’t looking at the leaderboard too much until I had three birdies in a row and then said to Michelle [caddie and partner], ‘I need to see.’
“Then that felt pretty good.”
Results
Masters Tournament
Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia
1 Rory McIlroy 72-66-66-73—277
T8 Jason Day 70-70-71-72—283
T50 Min Woo Lee 71-72-77-74—294
MC Adam Scott 77-72—149
MC Cameron Smith 71-78—149
MC Cam Davis 74-79—153
Japan Golf Tour
Token Homemate Cup
Tokken Tado Country Club, Nagoya, Mie
Reduced to 54 holes due to rain
1 Tatsunori Shogenji 66-64-66—196 ¥19.5m
T54 Michael Hendry 72-68-70—210 ¥231,353
66 Brad Kennedy 71-68-74—213 ¥213,525
Ladies European Tour
Investec SA Women’s Open
Erinvale Country and Golf Estate, South Africa
1 Perrine Delacour 65-69-70-70—274 €51,000
3 Kelsey Bennett 69-68-73-67—277 €17,850
T20 Amelia Garvey (NZ) 71-71-71-70—283 €4,246.91
T45 Momoka Kobori (NZ) 69-73-73-72—287 €1,598
HotelPLanner Tour
UAE Challenge
Al Zorah Golf & Yacht Club, Ajman, UAE
1 Renato Paratore 69-68-64-65—266 €42,538.46
T50 Hayden Hopewell 69-70-72-71—282 €1,042.19
MC Danny List 73-71—144
MC Sam Jones (NZ) 74-72—146
Sunshine Tour
Qualifying School Final Stage
Heron Banks Golf & River Resort
1 Luis Carrera 66-69-68-61—264
T12 Austin Bautista 67-67-71-71—276
T49 Ben Eccles 71-70-73-71—285
DQ Phoenix Campbell
He sensed an air of confidence before they even teed off on Saturday yet Australian Jason Day insists he is close enough to deny Rory McIlroy’s Masters dream at Augusta National Golf Club.
A second straight round of 6-under 66 and 12-under total has given McIlroy a two-shot buffer from a surging Bryson DeChambeau (69) heading into the final round as the Northern Irishman seeks to break free of his Masters torment and complete the career Grand Slam.
Top five on three separate occasions, Day will start Round 4 seven strokes back in a tie for sixth but conscious that momentum can change quickly on a Sunday at Augusta.
A chip-in for birdie at the par-4 14th was the highlight of Day’s third round of 1-under 71 as fellow Aussie Min Woo Lee dropped from contention with a round of 5-over 77 that included a penalty stroke when he was deemed to have made his ball move on the 13th fairway.
Day’s first birdie of Round 3 came courtesy of a clinical pitch shot to four feet at the par-5 second, his second via a curling 18-foot birdie putt at the par-4 fifth.
He scrambled pars at six, 10 and 11 but made his second bogey for the week after hitting his tee shot long and left at the par-3 12th to drop back to 5-under.
He was in a share of fifth when he holed out from the back of the 14th green but the 37-year-old dropped back to a tie for seventh when he made bogey at the par-3 16th, choosing to chip sideways from the top shelf of the green to feed his ball down to the hole location on the bottom section.
“Sundays at Augusta is unlike any other tournament. You just never know what potentially could happen,” said Day.
“I know that if you shoot a low one, you can use the crowd as momentum, and it also works against you, as well.
“He seems like he’s very focused and level-headed right now, and he’s going to be a very, very difficult person to beat tomorrow, just the way that he is looking off the golf course before the round. Very confident, very balanced in himself.
“I know it’s in the back of his mind, but I think he’s running off so much confidence and he has so much belief in his game that it almost… like he knows it’s going to happen, kind of thing.
“And when you’re playing like that, it’s very dangerous.”
Lee made a bright start to Saturday when he holed a sliding left-to-right eight-footer for birdie after almost driving the green at the 350-yard third.
He almost holed his second shot from 177 yards at the par-4 fifth but would three-putt from just inside 20 feet and make bogey.
Missed greens led to bogeys at both 10 and 11 and then Lee incurred a penalty stroke at the par-5 13th after it was assessed that his actions near the ball caused it to move in the fairway.
That resulted in a third bogey in four holes which became four in five when a wayward tee shot had the 26-year-old out of position on his way to a dropped shot on 14, his final bogey coming with a third three-putt for the day on 17.
Photo: Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images
Jason Day is already targeting a Sunday charge at Augusta National after playing his way into a Masters weekend for the 11th time in his career.
Day and fellow Paris Olympian Min Woo Lee are the only two Aussies to advance past the 36-hole cut-line as Adam Scott (72), Cameron Smith (78) and Cam Davis (79) all finished shy of the 2-over mark.
Day shot 2-under 70 for the second straight day to be in a tie for ninth at 4-under and four back of leader Justin Rose (71), his only bogey of the tournament to date coming at the par-4 18th in Friday’s second round.
After starting Round 2 with a double-bogey, Lee also dropped a shot on 18 in his round of even-par 72 that has him in a share of 22nd at the halfway point.
Runner-up on debut in 2011 and with three top-five finishes to his name, Day knows what to expect of a weekend at the Masters: Survive Saturday and charge home Sunday.
“We know that Saturday usually is the tougher day of the two,” said Day.
“I know it’s going to be tough, but get the opportunities, try and capitalise on them and then get myself into contention on the back nine on Sunday.”
Being unable to capitalise on opportunities has been a frustration for Day the first two rounds.
The 37-year-old has hit 27 of 36 greens but converted just five birdie chances, a stat he hopes will turn over the final two days.
“This golf course, it can frustrate you,” Day added.
“It’s a funny golf course because where they put the pin locations, if you’re leaving yourself 30 to 35 feet, very rarely do you hit it very close. You’re always leaving yourself two, three, four-footers, and that can be very frustrating.
“That’s why you feel mentally fatigued getting off the golf course at the end of the day, just where they place the pin locations.
“But when you’re missing putts and giving yourself opportunities, it is what it is.
“I feel like the stats will soon kind of turn for me, and hopefully it’s this weekend.”
After hitting his second shot from the pine straw left of the fairway, Day got up-and-down from 43 yards to make birdie at the par-5 second and then hit a gorgeous tee shot to seven feet for birdie at the par-3 sixth.
Another wayward tee shot had Day scrambling at the par-5 eighth but his wedge play again came to the fore for a third birdie on the front nine and turn 5-under for the championship.
It was the worst possible start to Round 2 for Lee.
His tee shot on one went left onto the ninth fairway and he clipped the trees as he tried to make his way back to the fairway.
The 26-year-old would make double-bogey but got both shots back with birdies at two and three.
A bogey followed when Lee came up well short at the 240-yard par-3 fourth but two brilliant iron shots got him back in red numbers with a birdie from 13 feet at the par-4 10th.
He moved to 2-under with birdie from 12 feet at the par-5 15th but dropped back to 1-under when he missed his par putt from six feet after missing the green long and left at 18.
Even par on his round and 1-under as he entered the back nine, Smith’s aspirations faded in a four-hole stretch.
The 31-year-old was unable to save par after finding the bunker at the par-4 10th and then made double-bogey at 11 after finding Ike’s Pond with his second.
The 2022 Open champion missed a birdie chance from nine feet at 12 and then made bogey on 13 when his third shot failed to carry the bank and bounced back into Rae’s Creek.
Wayward tee shots led to further bogeys at both 16 and 17 as he missed the cut at the Masters for the first time in his ninth appearance.
Two bogeys in his final three holes would cruel any chance that Scott had of making the cut.
A sand save at the par-5 second and birdie from eight fee at the par-3 sixth had the 2013 champion 1-under through 14 holes of his second round.
After choosing to lay up at the par-5 15th, Scott missed the green long with his approach from 99 yards and was unable to get up-and-down for his par.
He responded with a superb shot to five feet to make birdie on 16 but dropped back to 5-over when he missed a par putt from four feet on 17.
It was late in his round again where Davis’s score ballooned.
Needing an under-par round to be any hope of making the weekend, the 30-year-old turned in 1-over.
But, like so many before him, he would be brought undone by the mystic beauty of the par-3 12th.
Davis’s tee shot pitched into the bank at the front of the green, his ball bouncing back into Rae’s Creek on his way to a double-bogey.
He would find the water twice more on his way in, making bogeys at both the par-5 13th and par-5 15th along with bogeys at both 17 and 18.
Tasmanian pair Scott Priest and Luke Hickman are the first two qualifiers for the $100,000 PGA Professionals Championship National Final in November.
Priest had three birdies and three bogeys to finish on top at the PGA Professionals Championship of Tasmania played at Ulverstone Golf Club on Friday, three clear of Hickman.
The Head Professional at Devonport Country Club, Hickman birdied the par-5 17th to build a two-stroke buffer from Darren Spencer, a buffer he would need as he closed with a bogey for a round of 3-over 75.
The Teaching Professional at Tasmania Golf Club, Priest’s round of 72 ensured he qualified for the National Final for the second consecutive year.
Outright third with a round of 4-over 76, Spencer will also attend the National Final as the Senior PGA Championship qualifier.
The next qualifying event is the PGA Professionals Championship of North Queensland to be played at Mirage Country Club on Monday, April 28.
Victorians Bradley Kivimets and Liam Reaper have clinched section victories in the First Stage of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia’s Qualifying School – Australia at Moonah Links.
Kivimets won Section A by one shot from Jason Hong (NSW) after closing with a 65 to finish on 12-under-par for the 54 holes, while Reaper shot a final round 69 for an 8-under total to overhaul 2023 Japan Amateur champion Rintaro Nakano in Section B
After leading coming into the final round, Nakano battled to a 75 to end up in a share of second position with Victorian Aiden Didone at 7-under.
Silvester Tan (WA) was the other amateur to advance from Section B, while four amateurs – Queenslanders Max Ford and Ryan Swann, NSW’s Ethan Harvey and Victorian Sang Jun Lee – qualified from Section A.
One of the biggest moves on the final day came from Kieran Jones (NSW) who climbed to T8 from a share of 21st thanks to a 65 to follow on from opening rounds of 72-70.
The top 18 finishers from both stages advanced to next week’s Final Stage, also at Moonah Links.
Former Australian amateur representative Max Charles (Vic), who lost to Nathan Barbieri in a playoff at Final Stage last year, qualfiied with a 3-under-par total in Section A.
However, his 2023 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship teammate, Connor Fewkes (WA), who is looking to make the switch to pro golf, failed to advance with a 2-over-par total.
The 72-hole Final Stage of Qualifying School – Australia, which has a confirmed field of 65 starters, gets underway on Monday with the top 26 finishers and ties to earn Full Tournament Membership of the PGA of Australia and be placed in a Tournament Exemption Category. The winner will be fully exempt for all tournaments in the 2025/26 season.
Those players finishing beyond 26th place and ties, who complete 72 holes at Final Stage, will be eligible for Full Tournament Membership of the PGA of Australia, however, they will not hold an exemption category for the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
All players who play 72 holes of the Final Stage will earn a pro-am exemption category and be eligible to enter adidas PGA Pro-Am series events.
The 72 – hole Final Stage of Qualifying – USA will be played July 15-18 and the leading six players and ties from the USA will be eligible to for Full Tournament Membership of the PGA of Australia, and will be placed in a Tournament Exemption Category. As in Australia, the winner of this stage will be fully exempt for all tournaments in the 2025/26 season.
Those players finishing from seventh to 20th place and ties at Final Stage USA, will be eligible for Full Tournament Membership of the PGA of Australia, however, they will not hold an exemption category for the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
The top 20 players will also earn a pro-am exemption category and be eligible to enter adidas PGA pro-Am Series.
Photo: Victorian Bradley Kivimets
Participants are already asking when they can play again after a second highly successful Ready Steady Golf – Salty Fish All Abilities Tournament on Sunday, April 6.
An initiative built on the back of the Ready Steady Golf program for people with a disability established by PGA Professional Mark Tibbles more than a decade ago, the second such event was attended by 48 players made up of physically, psychologically and intellectually challenged participants of all ages and abilities along with family members and volunteers at the Vines Golf and Country Club in Perth.
The Ready Steady Golf Program conducted by Tibbles at The Vines Resort has been proudly supported by the WA Golf Foundation since its inception and provides a program for children and adults with additional needs.
Going beyond ‘come and try’ sessions, the program aims to provide a pathway for individuals to transition to mainstream programs, the playing of social golf and the opportunity of club membership/competition golf.
Peter West, whose son Joseph has a mild intellectual disability and cerebral palsy, said his third-place finish will be an achievement he dines out on for months.
“Golf is funny with Jo as every term, like clockwork, the “Nah, don’t want to go,” and “I’m
doing something else,” excuses turn up as he does get anxious,” Peter said post event.
“When the day is finished it’s all he talks about. Now that he got third place and a prize it’s all I’ll hear for months.”
Like Jo, Evan Lee has a mild intellectual disability and cerebral palsy and was similarly excited by the medal he received for playing alongside his father.
“Evan had a wonderful time and was so proud to show off his participant medal to all at our family dinner last night,” said Evan’s mother, Jane.
“He’s worn it to school this morning, too.”
There were also representatives from Special Olympics Australia, Variety Children’s Charity, Sport4All and the WA Disabled Sports Association.
Western Australia State Coordinator for Special Olympics Australia, Kendall King, spoke glowingly of the spirit in which the tournament was conducted.
“The event truly captured the spirit and values of Special Olympics – inclusion, unity and the power of sport to bring people together,” said Kendall.
“It was a celebration of inclusion and perseverance as an opportunity to showcase the skills and dedication of participants, some of whom have been involved for over 10 years, alongside others experiencing the joy of being on a golf course for the very first time.
“It serves as a powerful reminder of what’s possible when we take a strength-based approach by focusing on what athletes can do, not what they can’t.”
A bogey-free 2-under 70 has Jason Day inside the top 10 after Round 1 of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
History suggests that being inside the top 10 after day one is advantageous in wearing the green jacket come Sunday and, while Day is the only Aussie inside that number, two others are just one stroke behind.
With Englishman Justin Rose leading the way at 7-under and defending champion Scottie Scheffler one of three players at 4-under, the 37-year-old Queenslander is in a share of seventh, followed closely by 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith (71) and Australia’s most recent PGA TOUR winner, Min Woo Lee (71).
Cam Davis had an eagle, three birdies and two double-bogeys in his opening round of 2-over 74 while 2013 champion Adam Scott faces an uphill battle to make the cut after opening with 5-over 77.
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A superb ball-striking day that yielded 11 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens in regulation was not fully rewarded on the greens, yet Day remained content in his Round 1 work.
His first birdie didn’t come until Amen Corner, draining a 28-foot putt centre cut at the picturesque par-3 12th.
Day didn’t have to wait long for his second.
After laying up to 58 yards with his second shot at the par-5 13th, the 2015 US PGA champion spun back a wedge to just two feet, tapping in to go to 2-under.
He would par his way in for his first bogey-free round at Augusta since Round 1, 2023 and poised for another Masters tilt.
“I had a really good strategy out there,” said Day, who has finished top five on three occasions at the Masters.
“I didn’t get myself out of position too bad, and then when I did get myself out of position, I had a relatively easy up-and-down.
“Unfortunately, I just missed a few too many opportunities for birdies. But sitting at 2-under right now in fifth place, I’m pretty happy with it.
“The better you start, obviously, the easier it gets as long as you keep that level of play up.
“Very pleased with how everything went.”
Australia’s highest-ranked male player on the back of his Houston Open win a fortnight ago, Lee’s 71 is his best start to a Masters in his fourth appearance.
Like Day, it was a round consisting predominantly of pars, his lone bogey coming at the opening hole to go with birdies at two and eight.
The 26-year-old also hit 15 of 18 greens to build his way nicely into the tournament.
“It’s one of those things, if you’re giving yourself birdie putts at Augusta National, you’re doing a good job,” said Lee, who had a birdie putt from 14 feet lip-out on his final hole.
“It’s a tough golf course today. Very happy with 1-under.
“Obviously could have had a couple more, but again, tricky pins, and I played very solid, so that’s a plus.”
Smith did make birdie at the par-4 18th after hitting his approach shot pin-high 18 feet left of the flag.
The 31-year-old also had a round featuring two birdies, one bogey and 15 pars but was forced to lean on his stellar short game to stay in red figures.
Smith hit just six greens in regulation yet finds himself alongside Lee in a share of 11th.
“It was nice for that putt to go in on the last. That felt a little bit better,” said Smith.
“I haven’t left myself too much work.
“For how I felt out there, it felt like it was going to be a bit of a long day. All in all, pretty pleased with the score.
“If I’m going to win this thing, I definitely need to do better than that.
“Golf is such a weird game. I feel like my last round last week at Doral was probably the best I’ve hit it in a long time, and coming out here today is probably the worst I’ve hit it in a long time.
“It’s just such a weird game sometimes. I felt really good at the start of the week, just a little bit of clean-up on the range, and we’ll be good.”
Two-over through 13 holes, Davis turned his fortunes around only to take two steps back.
A monster drive set up birdie from nine feet at the par-4 14th and then the two-time PGA TOUR winner chipped in from an unlikely position 35 yards behind the green at the par-5 15th.
That got the Sydneysider to 1-under on his round but a tee shot that bounced into the water led to a double-bogey at the par-3 16th followed by a bogey on 17.
With bogeys at three of his opening five holes – along with a birdie on two – Scott was on the back foot early.
He missed the green left of the par-4 10th and then three-putted from 50 feet, making a final bogey at the par-4 17th and then missing a birdie try on the left edge on 18.
Photo: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Turning a strength into a super-power will be the primary driver in Cameron Smith’s quest to become the second Australian to win the Masters at Augusta National starting Thursday night.
Making his ninth Masters appearance, Smith is the first Australian away from 10:52pm Thursday night (AEST) at a golf course where putting is arguably more important than at any other tournament all year.
Raised putting complexes exposed to the elements, dramatic slopes and surfaces so slick that even tap-ins are no gimmes makes Augusta National the ultimate examination of imagination and execution.
It is an environment in which Smith thrives, the 31-year-old long regarded as one of the best flatstick exponents in the game.
Conscious of not letting a strong suit dissipate, Smith and coach Grant Field have doubled down on his putting prowess, spending countless hours on the practice putting green in readiness for Augusta’s snapping breaks and downhill sliders.
“When one part of your game is kind of lacking, it’s easy to get really obsessed with that,” conceded Smith, who has well-publicised issues with his driver in recent years.
“I made a conscious effort over the past few months to really get out on the green.
“That’s really my strength. That needs to be performing at a hundred percent, particularly going into major season.
“I just wanted to make sure that all the boxes were ticked there and as well as hitting some more balls.”
Statistics from recent Masters emphasise the advantage Smith is able to take on the greens.
He ranked fifth in total putts (112) on his way to a tie for sixth in 2024, was second in 2023 with 110 and ranked first in Putts Per Green In Regulation (1.62) when he finished tied third in 2022.
The 2020 runner-up has three-putted just three times over the past two Masters and got up-and-down from the sand four of five times last year.
It instils a sense of freedom that he is eager to tap into again this year.
“There’s definitely a sense of like confidence,” said Smith, who recently became a first-time father.
“I feel like I’ve been playing good golf. I haven’t got the results that I’ve wanted at the start of this year so it’s nice coming to a place knowing you’ve had some good results.
“You think about certain shots and you kind of almost forget about your swing around here, which is kind of exactly what I need.
“You have some shots out here where the ball’s a foot above your feet or a foot below your feet or on a massive down slope, so you kind of just forget about it and you play golf.
“That’s what I love about it.”
There are Aussies in action elsewhere this week. Brad Kennedy returns for the first Japan Golf Tour event of the year, Kelsey Bennett is in South Africa for the Investec SA Women’s Open and Hayden Hopewell and Danny List are playing the UAE Challenge on the HotelPlanner Tour.
Photo: Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Round 1 tee times AEST
Masters Tournament
Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Georgia
10:52pm Cameron Smith
11:47pm Min Woo Lee
11:58pm Jason Day
12:48am Cameron Davis
3:01am Adam Scott
Recent champion: Scottie Scheffler
Past Aussie winners: Adam Scott
TV times: Live 4am-7am Thursday (Par 3 Contest); Live 12:30am-5am (Featured Groups), Live 5am-9:30am Friday, Saturday; Live 12am-2am (Featured Groups), Live 2am-9am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Japan Golf Tour
Token Homemate Cup
Tokken Tado Country Club, Nagoya, Mie
8:30am* Michael Hendry (NZ)
1:05pm Brad Kennedy
Recent champion: Takumi Kanaya
Past Aussie winners: Andre Stolz (2003), Wayne Perske (2006), Brendan Jones (2012, 2019)
Prize money: ¥130m
Ladies European Tour
Investec SA Women’s Open
Erinvale Country and Golf Estate, South Africa
3:15pm* Amelia Garvey (NZ)
3:59pm* Kelsey Bennett
4:43pm* Momoka Kobori (NZ)
Recent champion: Manon De Roey
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: €340,000
HotelPLanner Tour
UAE Challenge
Al Zorah Golf & Yacht Club, Ajman, UAE
12:40pm Hayden Hopewell
6pm Sam Jones (NZ)
6:10pm* Danny List
Recent champion: Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US300,000
Sunshine Tour
Qualifying School Final Stage
Heron Banks Golf & River Resort
Round 1
T4 Austin Bautista 67
T31 Ben Eccles 71
DQ Phoenix Campbell
Financial assistance and the pride felt in wearing sponsored apparel are just two of the benefits felt by recipients of the Webex All Abilities Scholarship.
Entries for the eight scholarships available in 2025 are now open and will provide sponsored athletes with funding for coaching support, financial assistance to put towards entry fees and accommodation, equipment and apparel courtesy of adidas and Callaway Golf and priority entry into Webex Players Series events to be held as part of the 2025/2026 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season.
The eight scholarships are an increase of the six inaugural recipients in 2024, one of whom was Victorian teenager Noah Schammer (pictured, right).
An exceptionally talented golfer who plays off single figures, Noah received one of three Development Scholarships last year.
He put that support to good use, taking out the Webex All Abilities Players Series Victoria tournament at Rosebud Country Club in January.
Noah’s mother, Bree, says that the scholarship was not only of great assistance to their family, but gave Noah an enhanced feeling of self-esteem as he pursued his passion for golf.
“This scholarship was an incredible support, allowing access to specialised golf sport science training and support to provide his regular team with deeper information to further develop his game,” said Bree.
“The travel funds significantly helped the financial load on his family for Noah to travel and attend tournaments and the apparel support from adidas was worn with pride at many golf events. And continues to be!
“The equipment support from Callaway was also much appreciated.”
A full scholarship was just part of a whirlwind 12 months for South Australian Steven Alderson.
Not only did Steven successfully defend his Webex All Abilities Players Series South Australia title at Willunga, he made history as the first person with autism to win on the G4D Tour in Europe, going on to win the net crown at the G4D Tour Series Finale in Dubai.
“The scholarship has helped me immensely and changed my life for the better,” Steven said.
Victory at the Macau Masters World Games was the highlight of Development Scholarship holder Natascha Tennent, who participated in a number of Webex All Abilities Players Series tournaments.
“The money allowed Natascha to receive additional coaching to assist in improving her game and preparing her for more competitive tournaments,” said Natascha’s mum, Kathleen.
“It also made it possible for Natascha to compete in an international competition as a portion was used for her travel. She then proceeded to become the female champion at the Macau Masters World Games.
“The equipment factor of the scholarship was also considerably helpful as shoes, clothing, bags and balls are another important part for an athlete and the cost does add up.”
Glenn Smith, Regional Manager Collaboration for Cisco, said that as an organisation driven to provide an inclusive future for all, Cisco was delighted to expand their support of the Webex All Abilities Scholarship in 2025.
“We’re inspired by the talent and passion that the All Abilities athletes possess,” said Smith.
“It gives us great pleasure to assist in increasing the number of recipients of the scholarship this year in partnership with the PGA of Australia and WPGA Tour of Australasia.
“Providing the opportunity for All Abilities athletes to showcase their skill is core to Cisco’s values, and our purpose of powering an inclusive future for all.”
As Senior Manager – Coaching Programs for the PGA of Australia, Nick Bielawski highlighted the impact that the funding made available by Webex is having not only on golf development, but on the entire family.
“People with a disability do not get the opportunity to participate without a great deal of support from family and friends,” said Bielawski.
“The Webex All Abilities Scholarship is a way of supporting the people who support our athletes while, at the same time, providing opportunities to continue their golf development.
“We have seen some wonderful performances from our 2024 scholarship holders over the past 12 months and I am excited to see the quality of applicants we receive for 2025.
“None of this, of course, is possible without the wonderful support we receive from Webex, adidas and Callaway.”
In 2025 there will be four Full Scholarships and four Development Scholarships.
To be considered for a Team Webex scholarship, athletes must be an Australian citizen and a WR4GD pass holder. Additionally, athletes must have played in at least one of the following:
After applications have closed, athletes will be shortlisted with further interviews arranged to determine the final recipients of the scholarships.
Full Scholarship recipients will receive:
Development Scholarship recipients will receive:
Click here to submit to submit your application to join Team Webex as a Webex All Abilities Scholarship holder.
A decade after mounting golf’s numerical summit, Jason Day believes Min Woo Lee now has all the tools to become Australian golf’s next male world No.1.
The Paris Olympic teammates spent Tuesday together at the Masters, playing a practice round with fellow Australian Cameron Smith as the trio all set to build on what are impressive records at Augusta National.
Day has finished top-five on three occasions, Smith boasts four finishes inside the top-six while Lee has two top-25 results from three appearances.
This year is different, though, for the 26-year-old West Australian.
This year Lee comes in as a PGA TOUR winner, a hurdle he was able to climb thanks in no small part to his friendship with Day.
Post fading from contention after holding the 36-hole lead at THE PLAYERS, Lee spoke briefly with Day on the putting green on the Tuesday of the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
The advice from the 2015 US PGA champion was simple: Trust the process and keep hitting good shots.
Five days later Lee was a PGA TOUR winner and the next day, at a career-high of No.22, was the No.1-male Australian player on the Official World Golf Ranking.
Day believes it is just the next step in becoming the best player on the planet.
“Obviously been out here a while and I can definitely tell when guys have that certain X factor about themselves and they have potential of standing out. Min is definitely one of those guys,” said Day, who spent a total of 51 weeks as world No.1.
“He hits it a mile. Has a really good short game. He does all the sexy stuff good. All the stuff that people love to see, he does that really, really well.
“It was funny. I was sitting there on Tuesday of Houston. I’m like, dude, you played great at THE PLAYERS. You had the lead through 36 holes. Obviously played good there beforehand. You just got to keep putting yourself in position and it’ll happen regardless.
“Obviously won that week.
“With Min, it’s all up to him if he wants to get to No.1 and to that next level. Obviously there is work ethic and that desire to become No.1 in the world. It’s a lifestyle change he has to understand.
“I know that he has the tools and the mental side to do it because he loves the moment, and that’s something that you cannot teach golfers in general, to love being in that moment and under the most stress.
“If he can really enjoy that and just improve over time, he’s got the best chance to become No.1 from Australia.”
Further emphasising his elevated place within world golf, Lee has been paired with good friend Collin Morikawa and 2023 Australian Open champion Joaquin Niemann in one of the feature groups for Round 1.
Twelve months ago, Lee drove down Magnolia Lane nursing a broken finger following a mishap with a dumbbell and feeling under the weather after sharing his jumper with a young fan while watching sister Minjee in the cold air of Las Vegas.
This week he arrived at Augusta ranked higher than the players he once idolised and who he shared a practice round with on Tuesday.
“It’s pretty surreal actually,” Lee said of being Australia’s highest-ranked male player at No.23.
“I mean, it’s crazy. I looked up to these guys and I still do.
“It’s awesome to be the No.1-ranked Aussie. I still feel like a little kid growing up and I don’t feel 26. I feel 18, 19, 20 as a youngster.
“But it is very cool. It’s cool to be there.
“I feel like I inspire kids and inspire people to love and play golf.
“It’s quite cool to be the top spot I guess in Australian golf and hopefully I can keep going.”
Round 1 tee times
10:52pm AEST
Cameron Smith, JT Poston, Aaron Rai
11:47pm
Min Woo Lee, Collin Morikawa, Joaquín Niemann
11:58pm
Jason Day, Phil Mickelson, Keegan Bradley
12:48am
Cameron Davis, Rafael Campos, Austin Eckroat
3:01am
Adam Scott, Xander Schauffele, Viktor Hovland
