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A former junior prodigy from Massachusetts with next to no professional golf experience is the surprise Round 1 leader at the Tailor-made Building Services NT PGA Championship in Palmerston.
Just two shots separated the top 35 players on the leaderboard late into the opening round at Palmerston Golf and Country Club on Thursday before American Nate Jordi stormed home with birdies at 15, 16 and 17 in a bogey-free 8-under 63.
Raised in Massachusetts but now playing out of Pine Forest Country Club in Georgia, Jordi only signed up to the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School at Kinderlou Forest in July as a warm-up for another event yet earned enough status to tempt him Down Under.
He missed the cut at the season-opening PNG Open but has put a four-stroke gap between himself and the rest of the field with what the 20-year-old says is the best round of his life.
“I really didn’t have many expectations going into this,” said Jordi post-round.
“My hopes were to have a good round, to have a lot of fun, to enjoy my time out there because golf’s a sport, it’s supposed to be fun. So that was my only expectation, to go out and have fun.
“This is my only second real event other than PNG; that was my first one. So no, I was very shaky to start, but I made some putts and, trust in the Lord, and he took me the rest of the way.”
That Jordi is in the Northern Territory is remarkable in itself.
As a 13-year-old, he won 17 of 21 events on the New England PGA Junior Tour… and finished top three in the four others.
But when his granddad, Howard Jordi, lost his foot due to diabetes the next year, Jordi’s junior golf career came to an abrupt halt.
“That was the last year actually that my granddad was actually able to be with me on the golf course,” said an emotional Jordi.
“He lost his foot due to diabetes and hasn’t been able to be out there with me.
“It kind of went downhill from there for a while until I met Mike Taylor, who took great care of me and now I’m starting to get back on track a little bit.”
Taylor, the former coach of US Open champion Lucas Glover and five-time PGA TOUR winner Harris English, is based at Sea Island in Georgia.
Prior to finding Taylor, Jordi spent time working on commercial fishing charters out of Newport, Rhode Island and is already booked on a boat for some fishing off the Top End on Monday.
If he can follow up his performance from Thursday over the coming three days, it might be the second big catch of the week.
“To be honest, I’m very golf stupid,” said Jordi, who had never used a yardage book or pin sheet prior to Round 1.
“I really had no idea what this tour even was until I found out that it was a legit tour. And I talked to people, your team has been wonderful and we figured out what time to be there and all that.
“I played my Q School there as a practice round and ended up making it so figured I’d come over here and give it a shot.”
After uncustomary fog lifted mid-morning, temperatures rose to 33 degrees, the building humidity only adding to the challenge of the golf course.
Gold Coast’s Jack Munro posted 4-under in the morning along with Qualifying School medallist Jimmy Zheng, their 67s holding up as the best of the day until Jordi’s late flurry.
Brisbane’s Tim Hart shot 67 in the afternoon to join Munro and Zheng at 4-under in a tie for second, 14 players a further shot back at 3-under par 69.
Round 1 also marked the competitive return of Jeffrey Guan following the tragic accident that left him blind in his left eye less than 12 months ago.
The 21-year-old from Sydney had two birdies, three bogeys and a double-bogey in a round of 74 and will start Round 2 in a tie for 95th.
The golf gods gave him very little and Mother Nature threw a spanner in the works yet Jeffrey Guan was largely content with his return to professional golf on Thursday.
Out in the third group off the day from the 10th tee at the Tailor-made Building Services NT PGA Championship at Palmerston Golf and Country Club, Guan and playing partners were met by an unusually heavy fog.
It added an element the 21-year-old was not expecting ahead of his first professional round since a tragic accident less than 12 months ago that left him blind in his left eye.
“It was weird,” Guan said of conditions on Thursday morning.
“I took out my rangefinder on the first tee and I was trying to laser the tree at the back and then all of a sudden it was only eight metres. I’m like, Oh, okay. That’s a great start.
“It didn’t help that after I hit the ball, I had no idea where it was either. It was a bit of a weird, rough start as well as some unfortunate breaks on the fairways on the early holes, but that’s just golf. That’s just the game. That’s why I enjoy it.”
After missing the fairway just left at the par-4 10th, Guan pierced a gap in the trees with a 6-iron to 20 feet in the first sign that the talent that took him all the way to the PGA TOUR had not left him.
The birdie putt came up just short but a two-putt par was an ideal way to settle the nerves.
He hit a towering tee shot over the trees down the left of the par-4 12th only to have his ball come to rest in a divot in the fairway, his resulting pitch to the fringe of the green and three putts leading to an early bogey.
There were further bogeys at 14 and 15 as he turned in 3-over but clawed one back with a welcomed birdie at the short par-4 fifth.
“It was a great tee shot,” said Guan. “And then I left myself a pretty nice putt. I holed a couple putts before that, so I was feeling good with the putter, and then as soon as that went in, my dad gave me a really big fist pump and said, ‘Here we go. This is the turning point.,”
Playing just his third 18-hole round of golf since the accident, fatigue contributed to a double-bogey at the par-4 eighth but he bounced back with birdie at his final hole of what is likely the most challenging round of golf he has ever played in his life.
“Teeing off the first was genuinely a great feeling,” he added.
“I wasn’t nervous at all from what I predicted the past couple of days, but there was a lot of mistakes out there and heaps of room for improvement.
“I’ll definitely take this as a good heads up for the next couple of days and let’s see if I can shoot a couple under par.
“I’m sort of getting back into the form that I felt prior to the accident. I hit a lot of shots out the middle of the face, mainly off the tee, which probably was the highlight of the day.
“My tee shots were very good, but then I hit some very loose shots towards the end around the greens. That cost me a double and then a couple shots that I could have saved.
“I think I’ve got a good feel of the course now and then with what I’ve done out there today, I know what I need to work on maybe this afternoon or tomorrow morning just to hopefully get that sorted.
“I’m looking forward to it again.”
Gold Coaster Jack Munro and Kiwi Jimmy Zheng posted the best of the morning scores with rounds of 4-under 67 with a total of 20 players within two shots of the lead.
Photo: Monica Marchesani/PGA of Australia
Central Coast product Jordie Garner handled windy afternoon conditions best to produce the round of the day and take a share of the lead at the halfway mark of the NSW/ACT PGA Associate Championship at Tura Beach Country Club.
While the sun was shining the wind blew strongly, keeping the majority of scores in check and with just two shots separating the top seven players on the leaderboard.
Following on from an even-par 73 on day one, Garner turned in 1-over on Wednesday but responded with four birdies and a lone bogey on the back nine, joining Ho-Tae Kim at 2-under through 36 holes.
In his first year of the Membership Pathway Program at Pennant Hills Golf Club in Sydney, Garner is excited to be once again contending in a major event.
“I wasn’t chuffed with my start,” said Garner, who had three bogeys in his first seven holes.
“I’ve been swinging it well so just keep hitting fairways and take advantage of the par 5s.
“Played smart and had a few more putts dropped today which was nice.
“I haven’t been in this position in a tournament since 2019 so I’m looking forward to the next two days.”
Kim, a PGA Associate based at Ryde-Parramatta Golf Club, backed up his 2-under round on Tuesday with an even par 73 in Round 2, also bouncing back after a rough start.
“Had a bit of a rough start with doubling the second hole but from there I battled through the front nine,” said Kim.
“Turned 1-over and then through the back nine, made a couple of pars here and there and then finished strong towards the end, making three birdies in a row on 16, 17, 18.”
Defending champion Will Bayliss (76) is the only other player under par with Round 1 leader Jordy McGarry (78), Campbell Jones (73), Angelo Bourandanis (73) and 2023 champ Jack Wright (74) all at even par.
The cut was set at 10-over-par, with exactly 50 players advancing to the final two days of play.
Round 3 tees off at 8am on Thursday morning with the feature group of Garner, Kim and Bayliss scheduled to tee off at 10:24am.
Five years since he last teed it up in the Northern Territory, Anthony Quayle returns this week to the course that fuelled a passion for golf that has taken him to the sport’s greatest stage.
With a 2026 DP World Tour card in his back pocket for use later this year, Quayle makes his first appearance of the new Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season at this week’s Tailor-made Building Services NT PGA Championship.
Although it has undergone a major renovation since the last NT PGA in 2023, Palmerston Golf and Country Club still elicits childhood memories for Quayle of making a 12-hour trek from Gove for junior clinics conducted by local PGA Professional Tony Albon and PGA Immortal, Charlie Earp.
A practice round on Tuesday reminded Quayle of bunker lessons with Earp as an 8-year-old, the annual pilgrimage a precursor to a career in professional golf.
“I just remember it being one of the best weeks ever for me at the time,” said Quayle, who will start as one of the tournament favourites when play begins at 7:40am local time on Thursday.
“I was such a golf nerd and loving it at that moment. To be able to get over here and see other people that were playing golf, actually see a real coach and do that sort of stuff was just awesome at the time.
“From memory, it was a three-day clinic Monday through Wednesday and then a two-day tournament at the end and I just loved it.
“I was really the only kind of junior (at Gove) so to then come here where there were multiple juniors and competition and education and everything like that… It was the greatest thing ever.”
When Quayle last played the NT PGA it was a non-Order of Merit event for $70,000 in October 2020 in the wake of various Covid lockdowns.
This year’s edition has the best field in tournament history vying for $200,000 in prizemoney, will be broadcast live on Kayo Sports and Foxtel across the weekend for the very first time and on a golf course that is benefitting greatly from a $3,1 million irrigation project.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen better greens in the Northern Territory,” said Quayle, who has been drawn to play with Jack Buchanan and American Scotty Kennon for rounds one and two.
“I just played the front nine and I don’t think I’ve ever seen the greens roll that good. They were unbelievable.
“Last time I was here, I know they were struggling with a few different things. They’ve put in a new irrigation system and it’s paying dividends.
“The greens look like they’re well hydrated. The fairways look incredible, so it’s going to be pretty fair golf out there this week, which will be great.”
It’s also a comfortable kick-off point for Quayle who suffered a back injury shortly after finishing fifth on the 2024-2025 Order of Merit.
Rewards for that include a spot at the Alfred Dunhill Links in Scotland in October and status when the new DP World Tour season starts at the BMW Australian PGA Championship, where he finished tied third last November.
“At the moment I’m just excited to compete again and get some of those juices flowing,” said Quayle.
“I’ll have to put a little bit of work in just to make sure the body kind of holds up and things like that but in general, just excited to get things going here.
“It’s just a nice way to dip the toes in a really familiar hunting ground.”
The final two rounds of the NT PGA Championship will be broadcast live on Kayo Sports and Foxtel, coverage starting at 3pm AEST Saturday and 1pm AEST Sunday.
Photo: Monica Marchesani/PGA of Australia
The whirlwind that propelled Ryan Peake to The Open Championship has now abated and the West Australian can turn his attention to advancing his cause on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
Peake tees it up for the first time since missing the cut at Royal Portrush at this week’s Mandiri Indonesia Open, one of 11 Australians in the field at Pondok Indah Golf Course.
Victory at the New Zealand Open in March not only gave Peake global exposure but secured playing rights on the Asian Tour due to the tournament being co-sanctioned with the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
He has made just three starts since on the Asian Tour, his best result a tie for 33rd at the International Series Morocco in the lead-up to The Open and will tee off on Thursday afternoon seventh on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
Another with Order of Merit aspirations is Minjee Lee.
Currently second on the LPGA Tour Race to CME Globe standings, Lee heads to the FM Championship in Massachusetts on the back of a runner-up finish at the CPKC Women’s Open and within reach of current No.1 Jeeno Thitikul.
Round 1 tee times AEST
LPGA Tour
FM Championship
TPC Boston, Norton, Massachusetts
9pm* Cassie Porter
9:11pm Fiona Xu (NZ)
9:22pm Robyn Choi
9:22pm* Hira Naveed
9:55pm Stephanie Kyriacou
10:06pm Grace Kim
10:06pm* Minjee Lee
3:21am Hannah Green
4:16am Gabriela Ruffels
Recent champion: Haeran Ryu
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prizemoney: $US4.1m
TV times: Live from 4:30am Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday on Kayo Sports and Foxtel.
DP World Tour
Omega European Masters
Crans-sur-Sierre GC, Crans Montana, Switzerland
5:10pm Daniel Gale
8:20pm* Harrison Endycott, Jason Scrivener
9:50pm* Danny List
Recent champion: Matt Wallace
Past Aussie winners: Graham Marsh (1972), Brett Rumford (2007)
Prizemoney: $US3.25m
TV times: Live from 9pm Thursday, Friday; Live from 8pm Saturday, Sunday on Kayo Sports and Foxtel.
Asian Tour
Mandiri Indonesia Open
Pondok Indah Golf Course, Indonesia
9:50am* Jed Morgan
10am Lawry Flynn
10am* Travis Smyth
11am* Brett Rankin
11:10am* Marcus Fraser
3pm Ryan Peake
3:10pm Maverick Antcliff
3:10pm* Jack Thompson
3:30pm Kevin Yuan
3:30pm* Todd Sinnott
3:40pm* John Lyras
Recent champion: Steve Lewton
Past Aussie winners: Terry Gale (1984), Wayne Smith (1987), Craig Parry (1997), Nick Cullen (2012)
Prizemoney: $US500,000
HotelPlanner Tour
Dormy Open
Upsala Golf Club, Upsala, Sweden
3pm Sam Jones (NZ)
4:20pm Hayden Hopewell
Recent champion: Joakim Lagergren
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prizemoney: €300,000
Japan Golf Tour
Sansan KBC Augusta Golf Tournament
Keya Golf Club, Fukuoka
9:35am* Michael Hendry (NZ)
1:15pm* Brad Kennedy
Recent champion: Kazuma Jinichiro
Past Aussie winners: Graham Marsh (1976), Brian Jones (1977), Steve Conran (2004)
Prizemoney: ¥100m
Korea PGA Tour
Dong-A Membership Group Open
10:04am Won Joon Lee
1:10pm Changgi Lee (NZ)
1:43pm Junseok Lee
2:21pm Sungjin Yeo (NZ)
Recent champion: Lee Dong-min
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prizemoney: KRW700m
PGA TOUR Americas
CRMC Championship
Craguns Legacy Course, Brainerd, Minnesota
10pm Tony Chen
11:20pm Grant Booth
Recent champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prizemoney: $US225,000
Legends Tour
Black Desert NI Legends
Galgorm, Ballymena, Northern Ireland
Australasians in the field: Scott Hend, Mark Brown (NZ), Michael Long (NZ), Stephen Leaney
Recent champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Not even Jeffrey Guan expected that he would be playing this week’s Tailor-made Building Services NT PGA Championship.
For fellow players who become his competition again when Round 1 tees off on Thursday morning at Palmerston Golf and Country Club, his presence is both humbling and inspiring.
A junior prodigy who had joined the professional ranks and made his PGA TOUR debut only a week earlier, Guan lost all sight in his left eye when he was struck by a golf ball during a pro-am on the New South Wales South Coast last September.
As the severity of the incident became apparent, the hopes and dreams of a generational talent appeared destined to remain unfulfilled.
Forget playing golf for money, Jeffrey Guan’s life would never be the same again.
To see him rejoin the brethren of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia for a practice round on Tuesday was a reminder that talent and determination can overcome almost anything.
“It’s pretty unbelievable to be honest,” said Anthony Quayle.
“I can’t imagine how difficult it’s been for him, for such a tragic thing to happen to such a young talent.
“From the stuff that I’ve listened to online and read online, how he’s handled it and I guess his mindset about how he’s going to embrace the obstacles that are inevitably in front of him now, it’s pretty inspiring.
“I really look up to Jeff and how he’s handled himself in that situation.
“All of us here will be pretty eager to see how he goes this week and probably all rooting for him to do quite well, given the circumstances.”
Almost three years his senior, Harrison Crowe played alongside Guan in Golf NSW state squads and at international events such as the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.
Paired together along with South Australian Lachlan Barker, Crowe will be there when Guan steps onto the tee at 8am on Thursday, both inspired yet not surprised.
“To be honest, I always knew that he’d give it a crack, for sure,” said Crowe.
“It’s just great to see him. I’m sure there’s some nerves and probably more so excitement, just to get back out there and try to get things going.
“Obviously it’s just such a terrible thing to happen and obviously there were so many question marks hearing about it. Whether he’d be able to play again and his recovery and all that stuff around it.
“Not many people can know the situation or know exactly how he feels. I’m sure it’s going to be a tough adjustment but it’s just great that he’s back out giving it a go again.”
Even Guan isn’t sure himself exactly how he feels.
A game he knew so intimately has had to be relearnt; a talent that came so naturally slowly being coaxed back to the surface.
Having celebrated his 21st birthday in July, Guan has under-par rounds under his belt in recent weeks at his home club, The Australian Golf Club, but knows that he can’t know for sure what awaits.
“It’s really weird. I’ve got a mix of emotions,” Guan conceded.
“I’m very excited for this week and for this season to come, but I’m very nervous.
“I haven’t played tournament golf for quite a while, and to think that 12 months ago I was still in hospital… It’s a crazy thing to think about.”
It was in February last year that Guan recorded back-to-back top 10s at Webex Players Series events in Sydney and the Hunter Valley before a run of international starts that included a tie for 10th in a HotelPlanner Tour event in France.
This week won’t be measured by a position on the leaderboard but rather the length of the step he takes back into professional golf.
“I didn’t think it was going to be this year, but then I’ve been practising and I felt really good over the ball and I was like, Why not give it a shot?” said Guan.
“There were so many times in the hospital where I just thought, Is this going to be over?
“I couldn’t even eat. I couldn’t really do anything. I wasn’t allowed to walk because I had to keep my eye stable. So yeah, those thoughts were definitely running through my head for three, four months.
“I’m coming here with really no expectations. I just want to have fun and sort of just play to see where I’m at.
“I’m just really, really glad to be back.”
For the first time, the final two rounds of the NT PGA Championship will be broadcast live on Kayo Sports and Foxtel, coverage starting at 3pm AEST Saturday and 1pm AEST Sunday.
Defending champion Will Bayliss is well placed as First Year Associate Jordan McGarry takes a one-stroke lead into Round 2 of the $50,000 NSW/ACT PGA Associate Championship at Tura Beach Country Club.
The New South Wales South Coast served up idyllic conditions for Round 1 and the players responded, McGarry’s 5-under 68 the pick after Bayliss endured a hiccup mid-round.
In the first year of the Membership Pathway Program at Pacific Golf Club in Brisbane, McGarry turned in 1-under after starting the championship from the 10th tee. He would surge when he reached the Tura Beach front nine, an eagle at the par-5 second propelling him to an inward nine of 4-under and 5-under total.
“This is my first time to Tura Beach and all the boys were talking it up given the conditions of last year,” said McGarry.
“I heard the course was playing really hard so it is super nice to put it all together and have a great score.”
The champion 12 months ago and runner-up in 2023, Bayliss was 5-under through just seven holes of his opening round before stumbling mid-round.
The Pymble Associate dropped shots at eight, nine and 12 before rescuing his round with an eagle of his own at the par-5 16th to post 4-under 69.
The 2023 champion, Jack Wright, also positioned himself nicely on the leaderboard, posting a 1-under-par 72 to sit in a tie for fifth heading into day two.
Players were tested by slick greens running at 10.5 on the Stimpmeter, demanding precision on approach and with the putter.
Round 2 tees off from 7:30am on Wednesday morning with the forecast promising mostly sunny conditions, perfect for another day of championship golf.
Golf Australia and the PGA of Australia have today welcomed the announcement from Augusta National Golf Club and The R&A that the winner of the 2025 men’s Australian Open will receive an invitation into the 2026 Masters Tournament in addition to the places it already receives in The Open.
The new invitation reinforces the stature of the Australian Open on the global stage, while further strengthening the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia’s role as a proven pathway to major championships and the biggest stages in the sport.
The Australian Open has been part of The Open Qualifying Series since it was launched in 2013 with qualifying places available in The Open.
The new approach builds on The R&A’s successful Open Qualifying Series and will ensure strong international pathways into both major championships from several professional tours around the world.
Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said:
“We are committed to elevating the status of our national Open, and this announcement is another significant step in that direction.”
“Winning a place in The Masters field is a great honour for any golfer and combined with the chance to qualify for The Open it will be a special bonus for the Australian Open winner.
“With the 2025 Masters Champion, Rory McIlroy, confirmed to play the Australian Open at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in December, there is already huge anticipation ahead of our tournament. This announcement will only fuel greater interest from players, fans and commercial partners.
“This means a lot to Golf Australia and our local Tour, and we sincerely appreciate the significant gesture by the Augusta National Golf Club. We look forward to working with Augusta National and The R&A in supporting the game in our region.”
PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said:
“For the winner of the Australian Open to now receive an invite into The Masters is a landmark moment. It demonstrates the global standing of the event, and the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia which continues to play an important role in world golf.”
“The Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia is built on creating pathways for our players. The Australian Open, alongside other marquee events on the Tour, provides opportunities that can change careers. Elvis Smylie showed what is possible last year when he won the Order of Merit, securing pathways onto a global Tour and two major starts, including The Open Championship.
“Our Tour is built on creating pathways for our players all over Australia and New Zealand. Staging internationally recognised co-sanctioned events such as the Australian Open, the BMW Australian PGA Championship, the New Zealand Open and others in the pipeline, are all critical to our purpose.
“Once our Australian and New Zealand players get their opportunity, they’ve consistently shown they can perform on the world stage. The PGA of Australia have been great partners of Augusta National and The R&A for many years and working together with Golf Australia, we look forward to the continued global growth of professional golf in Australasia. We are very thankful for their support.”
Only the hometown support of parochial Canadians – and a rock-solid Brooke Henderson – stood in the way of Minjee Lee’s second win of the season at the CPKC Women’s Open.
Australia’s undisputed No.1 was in the hunt until the final putt dropped, her runner-up finish the third top-three finish from her past five starts.
Dropping to 24th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking in June, Lee is now up to fourth and within reach of moving past Lydia Ko into third.
A tie for 15th in Canada has put Queensland’s Robyn Choi in position to earn a full card for the 2026 season as she and Elvis Smylie both climbed to career highs in their respective world rankings.
10. Cassie Porter (10)
Made the cut for the fifth time in her past eight starts to continue to solidify her place on the LPGA Tour in her rookie season. Finished tied 57th at the CPKC Women’s Open and is now 58th in the Race to CME Globe standings.
9. Robyn Choi (New)
Quietly accumulating an impressive season on the LPGA Tour. Starting the year with only limited status, Choi’s tie for 15th last week in Canada was her second consecutive top-15 finish and fifth top-20 finish of the year. Is now at a career high of 206th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings and 73rd in the Race to CME Globe.
8. Adam Scott (5)
Gearing up for a return to tournament golf at the BMW Championship at Wentworth next month.
7. Lucas Herbert (6)
Fought gallantly against Stinger GC’s Dean Burmester in the LIV Golf Team Championship quarter-finals, ultimately going down 4&2 as Ripper GC failed to advance to the semi-finals in Indianapolis.
6. Elvis Smylie (8)
Another solid outing for the reigning Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner. Was well placed at the halfway mark of the Betfred British Masters before dropping down the leaderboard with 77 in Round 3. Responded with 69 in Round 4 to climb 13 spots into a tie for 33rd and a new career high of 179th on the Official World Golf Ranking.
5. Stephanie Kyriacou (5)
Missed the cut in her return to play at the CPKC Women’s interview. Will be looking to bounce back at this week’s FM Championship in Massachusetts.
4. Jason Day (4)
The first week of Day’s off-season after falling just short of the FedExCup finale at the Tour Championship.
3. Marc Leishman (3)
The LIV Golf Miami champ was unable to conjure a final win in the Team Championship finale, combining with Matt Jones in a 4&3 loss to Stinger GC’s major champions Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.
2. Grace Kim (2)
Holding steady at No.26 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking after a tie for 27th at the CPKC Women’s Open. The Amundi Evian champ is now 23rd on the Race to CME Globe ranking.
1. Minjee Lee (1)
Was half of an epic duel with home-country favourite Brooke Henderson in the final round of the CPKC Women’s Open, ultimately coming up one shot short to take runner-up honours. Remains No.4 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking and is less than 55 points behind Jeeno Thitikul in the Race to CME Globe standings.
The Australian Golf Power Rankings is a subjective list developed with input from members of the Australian Golf media team.
Top-class golf returns to the Top End for the first time since 2023 with the latest edition of the Tailor-made Building Services NT PGA Championship starting Thursday.
The second event on the new 2025-2026 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season, the NT PGA will be staged at a revitalised Palmerston Golf and Country Club for the eighth time since 2016.
The last time the Tour visited Palmerston was in 2023 when Daniel Gale was victorious. An extensive redevelopment both on and off the golf course has elevated the tournament to new heights in 2025.
With a host of Tour winners and an influx of international talent, this year’s championship boasts the best field ever seen in the NT and, for the first time, the final two rounds will be broadcast to a national TV audience through Kayo Sports and Foxtel.
Bound for the DP World Tour in 2026, Territory-raised Anthony Quayle makes his season debut along with recent PNG Open champion Cory Crawford, two-time winner last season Jack Buchanan and a host of American qualifiers excited for their first taste of the NT.
After two years of redevelopment, including a $3.1 million irrigation upgrade on the golf course, Palmerston Golf and Country Club General Manager, Matt Hewer, is excited to welcome world-class golf back to Palmerston.
“The club has undergone extensive improvements since we last hosted the Tailor-Made Building Services NT PGA Championship and we’re excited to showcase that to such a strong field for this year’s championship,” said Hewer.
“Given the upgrade to the irrigation system on course and the clubhouse renovation, we think those players who have visited Palmerston previously will be impressed and that we will make a good impression on those playing the NT PGA for the first time.”
This week also marks the competitive return of Sydney’s Jeffrey Guan, who suffered the loss of vision in his left eye when struck during a pro-am less than 12 months ago.
A junior prodigy who made his PGA TOUR debut last September, Guan’s inclusion is an inspirational one that has attracted global interest and support.
Round 1 tees off on Thursday morning with the broadcast of Round 3 to begin at 3pm AEST Saturday and 1pm AEST Sunday on Kayo Sports and Foxtel.
Tailor-made Building Services NT PGA Championship
Palmerston Golf and Country Club, Palmerston, NT
Prizemoney: $200,000
TV times: 3pm-6pm Saturday; 1pm-6pm Sunday AEST on Kayo Sports and Foxtel.
Entries
Key social media accounts
Instagram: @pgatouraus
Facebook: @PGATourAus
X: @PGAofAustralia;
Tik Tok: @australiangolf
Players to watch
Anthony Quayle, 2026 DP World Tour member
Jack Buchanan, two-time winner 2024-2025 season
Cory Crawford, 2025 PNG Open champion}
Harrison Crowe, two-time Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia winner
Chris Malec, Winner US Final Qualifying School
Past champions
1995: David Iwasaki-Smith
1996: David Diaz
2016: Jordan Zunic
2017: Travis Smyth
2018: Daniel Nisbet
2019: Brett Rankin
2020: Aaron Pike
2021: Austin Bautista
2022: Not contested
2023: Daniel Gale
Highest winning margin
7, Austin Bautista, 2021
Tournament record round
61, Austin Bautista, R2, 2021
72-hole tournament low
264, Brett Rankin, 2019 and Austin Bautista, 2021
Low front-nine score
29, Austin Bautista, R2, 2021
Low back-nine score
29, Jacob Boyce, R3, 2019
Most top-10 finishes
4, Deyen Lawson
Most eagles in a round
2 Jake Higginbottom, R1, 2016; Kota Kagasaki, R1, 2016; Kristopher Mueck, R2, 2016; Neven Basic, R2, 2016; Callan O’Reilly, R1, 2018; Taylor Macdonald, R1, 2019; Shae Wools-Cobb, R2, 2019.
Most birdies in a round
10, Daniel Nisbet, R4, 2018; Austin Bautista, R2, 2021
