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Victorian Ben Eccles has picked up four birdies early in Round 2 to join Queensland amateur Quinnton Croker on top of the leaderboard at the CKB WA PGA Championship.
Backing up from his 4-under 68 in Round 1 at Kalgoorlie Golf Course, Eccles (pictured) picked up shots at three, four, six and seven to make the turn in 4-under and 8-overall.
Overnight leader Croker is also keeping pace, making birdie at two and five to build on his opening 6-under 66.
As the morning groups near the turn Eccles and Croker sit three strokes clear with West Australian Josh Greer the other big mover, 4-under on his round and tied for third with Harrison Crowe, Brett Rumford and Charlie Robbins at 5-under.
Coverage begins at 5pm AEDT on Saturday and 2.30pm Sunday.
Live scores
Photo: Monica Marchesani/PGA of Australia
Murwillumbah Golf Club Associate Riley Taylor overcame early “head noise” to complete a wire-to-wire win at the Queensland PGA Associate Championship at Windaroo Lakes Golf Club.
Tied with Coolangatta’s Jack Wright after 18 and 36 holes, Taylor was a runaway six-stroke leader heading into Thursday’s final round.
That lead was cut to just two after just three holes but Taylor leant on his putter on the back nine to complete a four-stroke win with a final round of 3-over 76.
The champion at the NSW/ACT Associate Championship last month, Wright shot even par on Thursday for an even-par total to finish outright second, Indooroopilly’s Dylan Knox (77) third at 3-over.
“I had head noise,” Taylor conceded of his shaky start.
“Dylan birdied the first and the second to be 2-under and I was 1-over through two. My mind was racing early but I got it back together and the back nine was solid.
“I holed a lot of good putts down the stretch that I had to hole and putting has been what has held me back in recent times.
“It was good to hole some putts down the stretch when the pressure was on.”
Hailing from Casino in Northern New South Wales, Taylor is now in the third year of the Membership Pathway Program.
He started the program under Lang Doolan at Wentworth Falls Country Club and credited Doolan for providing the entry point towards becoming a PGA Professional.
“If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be doing the program,” said an emotional Taylor.
Although he has had few opportunities to play of late, Taylor confided in those closest to him that he felt his game was positioned to produce something special.
“I’ve been saying to all my mates at home, my dad, that my game is close and I could feel something around the corner. It’s good to get it done,” he added.
“I work hard when I’m at home. I put the work in. Not as much as I’d like but I feel like I do the right practice.
“Any of the boys at home see me on the practice fairway and know I’m working on my game when I am home.”
Taylor also praised a Windaroo Lakes layout that plays to his strengths as it produced yet another thrilling championship climax.
“It’s a great championship course because anything can happen on any hole. There’s no easy stretch out there,” said Taylor, this year’s championship the fifth staged in the City of Logan.
“My game suits this course. I rely on my short game a lot. I’m always working on chipping and pitching and you need to chip it and pitch it well around here to score.”
Left to rue a third round of 5-over 78, Wright remained philosophical regarding another outstanding performance in a big event.
“Although disappointed not to win, if you told me at the start of the year I would win the NSW Championship and finish second in the Queensland Championship, I would certainly take it,” said Wright.
“I played a lot of golf with Riley as juniors so I’m thrilled that he won.”
Rising Queensland amateur star Quinnton Croker has upstaged the pros to take a one-stroke lead into Round 2 of the CKB WA PGA Championship in Kalgoorlie.
Veteran Brett Rumford and former reality TV star Charlie Robbins set the mark early at Kalgoorlie Golf Course with rounds of 5-under 67 but they were ultimately superseded by Croker, who birdied his final hole for a round of 6-under 66.
New South Welshman Aaron Townsend had three birdies in his final four holes to join Rumford and Robbins at 5-under, 16 players finishing day one within three strokes of the lead.
A member of the Australian team that will contest the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in less than two weeks, Croker has taken up Affiliate Future Tour Membership of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
As he gets closer to joining the professional ranks, Future Tour membership opens the door to obtaining a card for next season before having to forgo his amateur status.
With top-10 finishes at both the NT PGA Championship and last week’s WA Open, the 21-year-old is learning quickly what it takes to succeed on the pro tour.
“I’m usually a more aggressive player off the tee but Joondalup last week showed that you don’t have to be that aggressive to still be able to score,” said Croker, who is coached by Chris Gibson at Royal Queensland Golf Club.
“We have put some work into my putting and he said that I just have to wait for it to start working.
“It was a bit slow the first two rounds last week and then come out the third round and had a pretty solid day on the greens.
“That showed that you don’t have to stump it next to the pin to make birdie every single time.”
After taking home the Terry Gale Cup as leading amateur last week at Joondalup Resort, Croker began his first round from the 10th tee at Kalgoorlie and collected three birdies in his opening four holes.
His only bogey of the day came at the difficult par-3 17th but the 21-year-old responded with another hot stretch from the second, picking up three birdies in four holes before taking sole possession of the lead with a final birdie at the par-4 ninth.
A six-time winner on the DP World Tour, Rumford is now a qualified PGA Professional who coaches out of the Wembley Golf Complex in Perth while Robbins is trying to transition from ‘Ninja Warrior’ to professional golfer.
Victorious at Kalgoorlie in 2015 and runner-up in 2020, Rumford’s lone bogey for the day came at his eighth hole, the par-3 17th.
With a wealth of knowledge at his disposal, Rumford said the key to his good start was very simple.
“I just played really well,” was Rumford’s summation.
“I gave myself a lot of good opportunities today, shot 5 (under) but you always want more, of course.
“You’ve got to be appreciative that it’s a tough day and I understand that 5-under is a very good score in these tricky conditions.”
Like Rumford, Robbins had a single bogey in his round, the dropped shot coming at the par-4 16th.
He responded with a birdie at the par-5 18th to earn a share of second in just his third event on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia since turning professional.
Winner of ‘Ninja Warrior’ on Channel Nine in 2019, Robbins made the cut at last week’s WA Open and hopes a strong week in Kalgoorlie will help people to see him in a different light.
“I’ve obviously got a lot of people who know me as the ‘ninja’,” Robbins said post-round.
“Even when I’m working in the pro shop at Moonah Links, people will come in and be like, ‘It’s the ninja boy!’
“It would be nice for them to instead be saying, ‘That’s the guy that’s really good at golf.’”
Now 42 years of age, Townsend has reignited his passion for tournament golf after almost three years away.
Tied for 18th last week, Townsend spent winter playing the secondary tour in Japan and is excited about the way his game is trending.
“It feels like it’s getting closer, to be honest,” said Townsend, the 2015 Victorian PGA champion.
“I was really happy with how I played today, I hit a heap of good shots and this golf course probably suits me a little better than last week.
“I like how I’m swinging it and really happy with how it looks like it’s going.”
New South Welshman Nathan Barbieri was the pick of the four players who returned after playing the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews last week.
Barbieri, who left Scotland a day earlier than Haydn Barron, Lincoln Tighe and Justin Warren, shot 68 in Round 1 to be one of six players in a tie for fifth, two strokes off the lead.
Warren had three birdies in his final four holes to shoot 69, Barron posted even-par 72 while Tighe, whose clubs only arrived in Kalgoorlie on Thursday morning, shot 76.
Photo: Monica Marchesani/PGA of Australia
Gold Coast’s Jack Munro has picked up two birdies and an eagle in his first six holes to take the early lead at the CKB WA PGA Championship at Kalgoorlie Golf Course.
Cool temperatures and little winds made for ideal conditions for the early groups, Munro taking full advantage to be 3-under through his first six holes.
After a dropped shot at the tricky par-5 second he responded with birdies at three and four and then moved to the outright lead with an eagle at the 569-metre par-5 sixth.
It is the second week in succession Munro has made a strong start having posted a 6-under 66 in Round 1 at the WA Open last Thursday at Joondalup.
He currently sits one shot clear of a group of four players at 2-under. Victorian James Gibellini is 2-under after starting from the 10th tee with former champions Brett Rumford and Jay Mackenzie and amateur Jasper Stubbs also 2-under.
This week marks the 12th consecutive staging of the WA PGA Championship in Kalgoorlie with the final two rounds to be broadcast live on Fox Sports through Foxtel and Kayo Sports.
Round 3 coverage starts at 5pm AEDT on Saturday with the final round to be broadcast live from 2.30pm-7.30pm Sunday.
Australian Cam Davis will be hoping to match form with good fortune when he seeks a second PGA TOUR title at the Shriners Children’s Open in Las Vegas.
Davis is one of four Aussies in the field at TPC Summerlin, Scottsdale-based PGA Professional Craig Hocknull earning the sixth PGA TOUR start of his career by winning the PGA of America’s Southwest section championship.
Davis is without a win since his victory at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit more than two years ago but possesses a formline that will have Vegas bookmakers salivating.
Outright third in his most recent start at the Fortinet Championship, Davis boasts four top-10 finishes in his past five starts and has made the cut each of the four times he has played TPC Summerlin.
His best finish is a tie for 27th two years ago but ahead of his return home for both the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship and ISPS HANDA Australian Open, will be hoping to bring a second PGA TOUR title in his carry-on.
As Davis chases a second PGA TOUR win, Scott Hend returns to Macau looking for a third victory at the SJM Macao Open.
Returning to the Asian Tour for the first time since 2017, Macau will welcome 16 Aussies and Kiwi pair Ben Campbell and Nick Voke to Macau Golf and Country Club.
Hend was victorious in both 2013 and 2015 and finished second in 2014 so will be able to draw upon plenty of good memories.
Joining Hend and co in Macau is Min Woo Lee, his sister Minjee Lee leading the Aussie charge at the LPGA Tour event in Shanghai.
The LPGA Buick Shanghai has not been played since Danielle Kang won for the second straight year in 2019 and Lee, Grace Kim and Karis Davidson will make up the Australian contingent this week.
Regarded as one of the toughest tests in all of professional golf, the Japan Open also tees off on Thursday morning where Adam Scott and amateur Jeffrey Guan join Japan Golf Tour regulars Brad Kennedy, Anthony Quayle and Adam Bland.
This week also marks the final individual event of the LIV Golf season, with our own Cameron Smith leading the points race heading into LIV Golf Jeddah.
A two-time winner this season, Smith leads from Americans Talor Gooch and Bryson DeChambeau and as aspirations to claim the individual crown in convincing fashion.
“That’s kind of the mindset every week is to come here to win, so I don’t think it’s really any different to any other week,” said Smith.
“For sure there’s a little bit more up for grabs this week. You have to acknowledge that and really get on your toes and just try and go out there and win the tournament. I think it’s the same as every other week. But more to play for.”
Round 1 tee times AEDT
PGA TOUR
Shriners Children’s Open
TPC Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nevada
12.50am* Robby Shelton, Austin Eckroat, Harrison Endycott
1.34am Lucas Herbert, Robert Streb, Andrew Landry
1.34am* Si Woo Kim, Cam Davis, Scott Stallings
7.30am* Michael Gligic, Peter Kuest, Craig Hocknull
Defending champion: Tom Kim
Past Aussie winners: Greg Norman (1986), Stuart Appleby (2003), Andre Stolz (2004), Rod Pampling (2016)
TV times: Live 12.30am-4am Friday on Fox Sports 505; Live 4am-11am Friday on Fox Sports 503; Live 12.30am-4am Saturday on Fox Sports 505; Live 4am-11am Saturday on Fox Sports 503; Live 8am-11am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503.
DP World Tour
acciona Open de España
Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
6.20pm Marcus Kinhult, Tapio Pulkkanen, Jason Scrivener
6.20pm* Adri Arnaus, Daniel Hillier (NZ), Tom McKibbin
Defending champion: Jon Rahm
Past Aussie winners: Rodger Davis (1990)
TV times: Live 11pm-4am Thursday, Friday; Live 10.30pm-3am Saturday; Live 10pm-3am Sunday on Fox Sports 503.
LPGA Tour
LPGA Buick Shanghai
Qizhong Garden Golf Club, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
12.21pm* Lauren Coughlin, Karis Davidson, Stephanie Meadow
12.54pm Sei Young Kim, Lydia Ko (NZ), Patty Tavatanakit
1.27pm* Moriya Jutanugarn, Grace Kim, Gabriella Then
1.38pm Minjee Lee, Ruoning Yin, Rose Zhang
Defending champion: Danielle Kang (2019)
Past Aussie winners: Nil
TV times: Live 2pm-7pm Thursday, Friday on Fox Sports 503; Live 2pm-7pm Saturday on Fox Sports 505; Live 2pm-7pm Sunday on Fox Sports 507 and Kayo Sports.
Asian Tour
SJM Macao Open
Macau Golf and Country Club, Macau
9.50am Hun Pui In (a), Douglas Klein, Jeremy Gandon
9.55am* Scott Hend, Min Woo Lee, Taichi Kho
10.10am Pawin Ingkhapradit, Chikkarangappa S, Andrew Dodt
10.15am* Zach Murray, Suradit Yongcharoenchai, Yikeun Chang
10.20am Jack Thompson, Chonlatit Chuenboonngam, Michael Maguire
10.25am* Micah Lauren Shin, Chapchai Nirat, Marcus Fraser
10.30am Mardan Mamat, Suteepat Prateeptienchai, Josh Younger
10.40am John Lyras, Dodge Kemmer, Matt Killen
11am Kartik Sharma, Nick Voke (NZ)
11.05am* Natipong Srithong, Ben Campbell (NZ), Tom Power-Horan
2.50pm* Rashid Khan, Ollie Roberts, Terry Pilkadaris
3pm* Turk Pettit, Terrence Ng, Kevin Yuan
3.05pm Todd Sinnott, Sarit Suwannarut, Ian Snyman
3.10pm* David Gleeson, SSP Chawrasia, Justin Quiban
3.15pm Sam Brazel, David Drysdale, Angelo Que
4pm* MJ Viljoen, Harrison Gilbert-Wong, K P Lin
Defending champion: Gaganjeet Bhullar (2017)
Past Aussie winners: Kane Webber (2006), David Gleeson (2008), Scott Hend (2013, 2015)
TV times: Live 4pm-8pm Thursday on Fox Sports 506; Live 4pm-8pm Friday on Fox Sports 507; 8.30pm-10.30pm Saturday on Fox Sports 503; 7.30pm-9.30pm Sunday on Fox Sports 503.
Japan Golf Tour
Japan Open Golf Championship
Ibaraki Country Club (West Cse)
9.55am Riku Uze (a), Adam Bland, Taichi Nabetani
10.20am* Lee Sang Hee, Akuryu Iwasaki, Brad Kennedy
1.25pm Kohei Okada (a), Anthony Quayle, Mikumu Horikawa
1.35pm Yasuka Migakawa, Adam Scott, Takumi Kanaya
1.45pm Jeffrey Guan (a), Riki Kawamoto, Takahiro Hatachi
Defending champion: Yasuka Hanamigawa (a)
Past Aussie winners: Craig Parry (1997), Paul Sheehan (2006)
LIV Golf
LIV Golf Jeddah
Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, Saudi Arabia
Australasians in the field: Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman, Matt Jones, Jed Morgan, Danny Lee (NZ)
Defending champion: Brooks Koepka
Past Aussie winners: Nil
TV times: Live 8pm-1am Friday, Saturday and Sunday on 7 Plus
Challenge Tour
Hainan Open
Danzhou Ancient Saltern Golf Club, Hainan Island, China
Australasians in the field: Kieran Muir (NZ)
Defending champion: Francesco Laporta (2019)
Past Aussie winners: Nil
PGA TOUR Champions
SAS Championship
Prestonwood CC, Cary, North Carolina
Australasians in the field: Steven Alker (NZ), Stuart Appleby, Richard Green, Mark Hensby, David McKenzie, Rod Pampling, John Senden
Defending champion: Fred Couples
Past Aussie winners: Nil
TV times: Live 5am-8am Saturday on Fox Sports 505; Live 5am-8am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503.
Photo: Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
A back-nine bounce-back has enabled Murwillumbah’s Riley Taylor to pull six strokes clear heading into the final round of the Queensland PGA Associate Championship at Windaroo Lakes Golf Club.
Tied with Jack Wright for the first two days, Taylor responded to a front nine of 2-over 38 with five birdies on the back for a round of 2-under 71 and 7-under total through 54 holes.
He is the only player in the 90-strong field to be under par in each of the first three rounds after Wright dropped seven shots off the lead with a round of 5-over 78 on Wednesday.
Pampling Plate runner-up Dylan Knox (Indooroopilly Golf Club) is the only other player in red figures through three rounds but faces a daunting task to rein in Taylor over the final 18 holes.
A far different looking scorecard to his bogey-free 70 the day before, Taylor credited a brilliant tee shot at the par-3 11th for sparking his back-nine birdie barrage.
“I got off to a bit of a shaky start,” conceded Taylor, who had four bogeys and two birdies on the front nine.
“Made a soft par on one and then I just had a few bad breaks with lies and left the ball in the wrong positions to make pars and give myself looks at birdies on the front.
“I made a good birdie on six from an awkward lie but on 10 I said to Chaz, my caddie, ‘Let’s just play golf.’
“I hit a really good shot into 11 to about two feet and made birdie there. That kicked it off on the back nine.”
Knox played his way into contention with the equal-best round of the day, a 3-under 70.
One-over through eight, Knox also made his move on the back nine at Windaroo Lakes, playing his final 10 holes in 4-under to earn a spot in the final group.
“Riley has a big lead but you never know,” said Knox.
“I had a red-hot putter on the back nine. To have 3-under on that back nine on this course is very satisfying.
“I have been playing well finishing second at the Pampling Plate and riding the wave while it is flowing.”
While many in the field have shied away from using driver in order to find the narrow, twisting fairways, Taylor won’t change his approach despite the advantage he will take into the final round.
“The game-plan’s not going to change. I’m going to play my own game and see what happens,” said Taylor, who is in Year 3 of the Membership Pathway Program.
“I know a lot of the boys have said how tight it is to hit driver but I find that a lot of the holes suit how I hit it.
“Not so much trying to hit it long but I feel comfortable in hitting driver in play around here.”
Matching Knox for round of the day were interstate pair Rhys Tonkin (Keysborough Golf Club) and Brad Doherty (Castle Hill Country Club).
“Was great to get back into contention with a few good-length birdie putts which kept the momentum going,” said Doherty, who is in a tie for fourth with Dylan Gardner (72) and Jack Harrison (71).
“We have seen some big leads over the past few years evaporate around this the Windaroo Lakes layout so the final day will be interesting.”
The final round of the Queensland PGA Associate Championship will begin at 10.40am on Thursday with the final group teeing off at 11.50am.
The 2023 championship marks the fifth year in succession that it has been held in the City of Logan.
Birdies at his final two holes have seen Chris Taylor snatch victory at the Tooheys St Georges Basin Legends Pro-Am at St Georges Basin Country Club on the NSW South Coast.
Winner of the PNG Senior Open last month, Taylor trailed Mark Boulton (66) and Brendan Chant (66) by three after day one.
An outward nine of 4-under on Wednesday elevated Taylor into contention but he waited until the last possible moment to seal the deal.
A birdie at the 205-metre par-3 17th was an unexpected bonus and when he followed it with a birdie at the par-5 18th Taylor had done enough for a two-stroke win.
The Hervey Bay Professional shot 5-under 65 on Wednesday for a two-round total of 6-under, two clear of Euan Walters (67) with Boulton (71), Chant (71) and Andre Stolz (67) sharing third at 3-under par.
As the winds gusted in the afternoon, Taylor was thrilled to finish in the fashion that he did.
“To make a two on that one (17) and then four at the last, it was quite a nice finish for a change,” said Taylor, who now sits third on the PGA Legends Tour Order of Merit.
“The front nine was definitely a lot easier. I shot 4-under around the front nine and basically around the back nine it was a case of hang on, hang on, hang on and then birdied the last two.
“It was actually quite a good finish.”
It is Taylor’s sixth win of the season and a further confidence boost ahead of the defence of his Mollymook NSW Senior Masters title at Mollymook Golf Club’s Hilltop course starting Friday.
Four Aussies will make a 15,396-kilometre mad dash from a rain-soaked St Andrews to the Kalgoorlie desert to take their place in the CKB WA PGA Championship starting Thursday.
Haydn Barron, Lincoln Tighe, Nathan Barbieri and Justin Warren’s travel plans were disrupted by the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship extending into a Monday finish in Scotland but have now set off on their journey to play the most remote tournament on a major professional tour.
All four have been drawn to tee off in the afternoon wave on Thursday but are not expected to arrive in Kalgoorlie until Thursday morning.
Barron shot 65 in the final round at the famed Old Course to climb into a tie for 25th on Monday and will have to call upon the course knowledge he gleaned from his top-20 finish at Kalgoorlie Golf Course 12 months ago.
Barron, Warren, Barbieri and Tighe were all in Scotland by virtue of their respective finishes on last year’s Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.
Hailing from western Sydney, Warren finished ninth on the 2022/2023 Order of Merit with Tighe just a quarter of a point behind in 10th spot.
Barron, who earned a start at The Open Championship with his tie for fourth at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open, finished 12th on the Order of Merit to also earn a start at the Dunhill Links. Barbieri was 13th, just three points behind Barron.
PGA Tour of Australasia Tour Development Manager, Kim Felton, says it is reflective of the significance of the WA swing that all three are embarking on a marathon trip to tee it up in Kalgoorlie.
“This is the tournament that David Micheluzzi won last year which was the springboard for David to go on and win the Order of Merit,” said Felton.
“Now that the Order of Merit is a points-based system, every event has the potential to impact the final standings at the end of the year so the guys are very aware of the importance that the WA PGA plays in the season.
“It’s wonderful that these four guys are making the effort to come and play in Kalgoorlie.
“I’m not sure anyone would have ever played St Andrews and Kalgoorlie in the same week so they can claim that unique slice of history, too.”
Warren and Barbieri have been paired together at 11.40am along with former champion Jarryd Felton from the first tee, Barron is off the 10th tee at 11.30am with Louis Dobbelaar and Kalgoorlie amateur Connor Fewkes with Tighe to follow in the group behind at 11.40am with Braden Becker and Aaron Pike.
Known for having one of the largest open-cut gold mines in Australia, Kalgoorlie has hosted the WA PGA Championship since 2012 with the honour roll of past champions boasting Brett Rumford (2015), Dimi Papadatos (2017) and Jarryd Felton (2020).
Former junior sparring partners Riley Taylor and Jack Wright are set to go head-to-head after separating themselves from the field on day two of the Queensland PGA Associate Championship at Windaroo Lakes Golf Course.
Players were greeted by conditions more conducive to low scores yet it was again Taylor (pictured) and Wright who led the way.
The pair followed up their rounds of 2-under 71 on day one with matching rounds of 3-under 70 to sit five-strokes clear of third-placed Joe Kim (Concord Golf Club) and six clear of Douglas Chow (RACV Royal Pines Resort).
Currently based at Murwillumbah Golf Club, Taylor is in the process of moving back home to Casino where he will continue the Membership Pathway Program while Wright is in Year 1 of the program at Coolangatta-Tweed Heads Golf Club.
They will play together in the final group with Kim and Chow at 12.40pm AEST on Wednesday, Wright excited at the prospect of renewing their junior rivalry.
“I’ve played a lot of golf with Riley. We’re both from the North Coast of New South Wales so played heaps of junior golf with him,” said Wright, who won the NSW/ACT PGA Associate Championship at Tura Beach Country Club last month.
“He’s such a great guy so look forward to playing with him and try and play my best.”
Taylor went bogey-free in Tuesday’s second round, relying on his short game to keep a clean card early in his round.
“I got off to a bit of a shaky start so I had to rely on my short game today,” said Taylor.
“I missed a few greens early but managed to get those up and down and build from there.
“I chipped the ball really well today when I missed the greens so that’s a confidence boost heading into tomorrow.”
Taylor came into the tournament without having touched a club since the Pampling Plate at Caboolture but believes he has found the formula for success at Windaroo Lakes.
“I’ve been aggressive when you can be aggressive and played smart when the holes get a bit tighter,” he added.
“Just keep it the same and try and keep the ball below the hole.
“It will be much the same of that tomorrow.”
Defending champion Bailey Arnott bounced back from a 79 in Round 1 with the best of the day in Round 2, his 4-under 69 elevating him to a share of fifth at the halfway mark.
Arnott had an eagle and four birdies on Tuesday, all despite being without the use of his driver from the second hole onwards.
After damaging the face of his driver with his opening tee shot Arnott reverted to a 3-iron for the remainder of his round, admitting that it may have helped to unlock scoring opportunities on the twisting layout.
“It was a blessing in disguise,” said Arnott.
“At this course you don’t necessarily need a driver and it just shows that you when you are forced not to take driver what can happen.”
Round 3 begins at 10.30am tomorrow with the leading group hitting off at 12.40pm.
Adam Scott, one of an elite group of golfers who have Australian Open and Australian PGA victories on their records, has confirmed he will be a starter in both tournaments in the upcoming Summer of Golf.
Adam Scott, one of an elite group of golfers who have Australian Open and Australian PGA victories on their records, has confirmed he will be a starter in both tournaments in the upcoming Summer of Golf.
The 43-year-old Australian, who has six Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia victories on his outstanding career resume, is yet another drawcard for the two Aussie majors that had already locked in world No.14 Cam Smith as well as rising stars Min Woo Lee and Cam Davis for their 2023 fields.
Scott’s first appearance of the summer will be at the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland in Brisbane from November 23-26 when he will look to add to the PGA titles he won in 2013 and 2019 at Royal Pines on the Gold Coast.
He will then try to win his national open for the second time when The Australian Golf Club and The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney host the ISPS HANDA Australian Open from November 30-December 3.
The 2009 Open champion by five shots at NSW Golf Club came close to clinching last year’s event at the Victoria and Kingston Heath golf clubs in Melbourne, eventually finishing runner-up behind Poland’s Adrian Meronk.
His Open record also includes runner-up finishes in 2013 and 2015, while he was beaten in a playoff in the 2014 PGA.
Always a popular drawcard on his regular visits back to Australia, Scott, who is currently 41 on the Official World Golf Ranking, is sure to be a big hit with the galleries in both Brisbane and Sydney.
PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said: “Adam has been a wonderful supporter of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and our major events for many years now. Having him back home again this summer for the two Aussie majors will be welcomed by everyone connected to Australian golf.
“Adam always comes to our Australian events with his mind on one thing – winning. I know he will be determined to challenge for both titles and get his hands on the Kirkwood Cup or Stonehaven Cup once again.”
Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said: “Having Adam as part of the Australian Summer of Golf always adds to the anticipation ahead of our two major tournaments.
“Adam is a world-class player and is a threat in any tournament he contests. We are delighted that he has once again committed to play here this summer.”
Queensland Tourism and Sport Minister, Stirling Hinchliffe said: “Adam Scott’s commitment to play the Fortinet Australian PGA in Brisbane, on the back of the news Cam Smith is also headed home, means the PGA has assembled yet another star-studded field, in what is shaping up to be an unmissable tournament this year.
“Adam is a huge drawcard ensuring there will be packed galleries at Royal Queensland to watch him play, which is great news for local hotels, restaurants, and tourism operators, with the event estimated to inject more than $14 million into the local visitor economy.”
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said Adam Scott’s return to the Royal Queensland fairways makes for an even more exciting event.
“With Adam Scott and Cam Smith now on the ticket, the Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane will be a massive drawcard for locals and visitors this summer,” Cr Schrinner said.
“The contest for the Kirkwood Cup will be a major driver for visitation to Brisbane, with more than 62,000 fans partaking in the action at the Royal Queensland Golf Club last year.
“The benefits of this sporting showdown will 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 via ticketek.com.
The Fortinet Australian PGA Championship is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland, and Brisbane City Council via Brisbane Economic Development Agency.
