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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
Pymble Golf Club Associate William Bayliss will be seeking to repeat his dominant victory of 12 months ago when the NSW/ACT PGA Associate Championship tees off at Tura Beach Country Club on Tuesday.
The second year of a three-year commitment, a field of 108 Associates from across the country have gathered on the Sapphire Coast of New South Wales to compete for the $50,000 prize purse.
Currently in the third year of the PGA’s Membership Pathway Program and runner-up to Jack Wright in 2023, Bayliss trailed Luke Porritt by three strokes at the halfway mark of last year’s championship before shooting matching rounds of 71 in the final two rounds to win by seven.
Yarrambat Park Golf Course Associate Toby Walker shapes as one of the genuine challengers to Bayliss’s title while Lachlan Chamberlain (Gold Creek GC), South Australian Joseph Hodgson (Mt Osmond GC) and Kyle Novacek (Wodonga GC) are also expected to contend.
The Tura Beach Country Club members and the wider community embrace the tournament and the players for the week, all building towards crowning the 2025 champion on Thursday.
First round tees off at 7.30am AEST on Tuesday with the top 50 and ties to advance to the final two rounds Thursday and Friday.
Minjee Lee’s sensational 2025 season on the LPGA Tour almost produced another title with the Australian only falling a shot behind Canada’s Brooke Henderson in the CPKC Women’s Open in Ontario.
With a parochial home crowd cheering her on, Henderson closed with a 4-under 68 at Mississauga Golf and Country Club to finish at 15-under-par, while Lee had a 68.
In a thrilling back nine duel, the Canadian broke a tie for the lead with a 6-foot birdie putt on the par-3 14th. On the short par-4 17th, she followed Lee’s 13-foot birdie putt with a 12-footer of her own to keep the lead.
“I love playing with Minjee. She’s a great friend and she is a really tough competitor. I knew today was going to be really tough playing with her,” Henderson said.
“She also has an amazing presence on the course that was really calming and relaxing, so I feel like it was a great pairing for me to have that kind of peace and calmness.”
Although she was denied a second title for the year, the runner-up finish sees Lee eat further into Jeeno Thitikul’s lead in the season-long Race to the CME Globe standings. The 320 points she gained leaves the three-time major champion just 54 points behind the Thai.
“I had a solid performance …. I kind of got outplayed I guess,” Lee said.
On the PGA TOUR Champions, Australian Cameron Percy took a share of third place, three shots behind the winner, American Stewart Cink, while Steve Allan and David Bransdon finished in equal eighth.
Percy moved up five places to 12th in the Charles Schwab Cup rankings, while Allan consolidated seventh position and Bransdon climbed to 50th.
On the DP World Tour, former Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit champion Kazuma Kobori finished as runner-up in the British Masters, closing with a 7-under-par 65, including a back nine of 30.
Meanwhile, NSW pro Austin Bautista logged another strong finish on the Sunshine Coast in Africa, finishing T3 in the SunBet Challenge.
LPGA Tour
CPKC Women’s Open
Mississaugua Golf and Country Club, Mississauga, Ontario
1 Brooke Henderson 71-66-65-67—269 $US412,500
2 Minjee Lee 69-67-66-68—270 $US252,744
T5 Lydia Ko (NZ) 70-70-68-67—275 $US103,782
T15 Robyn Choi 73-70-68-68—279 $US36,254
T27 Grace Kim 71-69-67-74—281 $US21,817
T57 Cassie Porter 71-72-72-71—286 $US7,492
T71 Gabriela Ruffels 70-72-77-72—291 $US5673
MC Hannah Green 74-73—147
MC Stephanie Kyriacou 73-74—147
MC Hira Naveed 71-76—147
DP World Tour
Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo
The Belfry Hotel & Resort, Sutton Coldfield, England
1 Alex Noren 68-72-65-67—272 €513,490.95
T2 Kazuma Kobori (NZ) 69-68-71-65—273 €261,276.28
T24 Jason Scrivener 72-72-70-68—282 €32,319.72
T33 Elvis Smylie 71-67-77-69—284 €22,125.42
MC Danny List 72-73—145
MC Daniel Hillier (NZ) 73-73—146
MC Daniel Gale 76-70—146
MC Harrison Endycott 74-74—148
MC David Micheluzzi 71-81—152
LIV Golf
Teams Championship
The Cardinal at St John’s, Michigan
1 Legion XIII
9 Ripper GC
PGA TOUR Champions
The Ally Challenge
Warwick Hills G&CC, Grand Blanc, Michigan
1 Stewart Cink 62-71-68—201 $US330,000
Won on the first hole of sudden-death playoff
T3 Steven Alker (NZ) 64-75-65—204 $132,000
T3 Cameron Percy 67-67-70—204 $132,000
T8 Steve Allan 69-72-66—207 $60,500
T8 David Bransdon 71-68-68—207 $60,500
T18 Mark Hensby 66-68-75—209 $28,343
T30 Greg Chalmers 75-68-68—211 $16,940
T46 Rod Pampling 72-71-71—214 $7,260
T46 Richard Green 70-73-71—214 $7,260
T65 John Senden 74-72-72—218 $2,640
T65 Michael Wright 73-71-74—218 $2,640
T68 Brendan Jones 70-71-78—219 $2,134
Ladies European Tour
Hills Open
Hills Golf & Sports Club, Sweden
1 Meja Ortengren (a) 68-69-70—207 ——
T8 Momoka Kobori (NZ) 67-72-74—213 €7,700
T11 Maddison Hinson-Tolchard 69-72-73—214 €6,750
T14 Kelsey Bennett 72-70-74—216 €5,314.29
T21 Amelia Garvey (NZ) 73-72-72—217 €4,545
T23 Whitney Hillier 76-72-70—218 €3,529.09
T23 Sarah Kemp 76-73-69—218 €3,529.09
MC Amy Walsh 75-78—153
Japan Golf Tour
ISPS HANDA Summer Golf Battle
Hokkaido Brooks Country Club, Hokkaido
1 Satoshi Kodaira 67-64-70-63—264 ¥42.6m
T56 Denzel Ieremia 70-67-72-73—282 ¥503,390
MC Brad Kennedy 70-69—139
MC Michael Hendry 69-71—140
PGA TOUR Americas
Manitoba Open
Breezy Bend Country Club, Winnipeg, Manitoba
MC Grant Booth 71-71—142
Sunshine Tour
SunBet Challenge – Times Square
Wingate Park Country Club, Pretoria
1 Jonathan Broomhead 69-66-68—203
Won in sudden-death playoff
T3 Austin Bautista 69-65-71—205
Epson Tour
Dream First Bank Charity Classic
Buffalo Dunes Golf Course, Garden City, Kansas
1 Yana Wilson 67-71-67—205 $30,000
T14 Soo Jin Lee 74-70-67—211 $2,894
T67 Jennifer Elliott 75-68-76—219 $586
MC Su Oh 75-74—149
MC Jess Whitting 76-75—151
HotelPlanner Tour
The Dutch Futures
The Dutch, Spijk, Netherlands
1 Filippo Celli 71-71-62-65—269 €48,000
T50 Sam Jones (NZ) 68-72-71-73—284 €1,176
MC Hayden Hopewell 71-75—146
Legends Tour
Grass & Co. English Legends
Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire, England
1 Steve Webster 68-66-73—207
T20 Scott Hend 75-68-72—215
T28 Michael Campbell (NZ) 76-68-73—217
T46 Stephen Leaney 75-74-73—222
T52 Michael Long (NZ) 75-74-76—225
He has since called it the best shot of his career to date.
Needing to birdie the final hole of the final event of the 2024-2025 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season, Anthony Quayle stood on the left side of the fairway at the par-4 18th with 2-iron in hand, 215 metres to the flag and a fierce wind in his face.
The shot to eight feet is potentially life-changing, the resulting birdie helping to secure one of three DP World Tour cards for the 2026 season.
Watching on from the edge of his lounge chair in Brisbane, Quayle’s long-time coach Ken Berndt paid close attention to Quayle’s demeanour prior to stepping into the shot. Here he explains why what he saw can be adopted by golfers at every level.
You’re looking for a confluence of focal intensity and a fluidity of movement, a softness in the body.
There’ll be a fluidity of motion to not just in the shot, but in the way they move up to the ball and prepare and execute the shot. That’ll all flow quite smoothly and efficiently.
Often, it’ll be a softness around the face and an intensity of focus in the eyes. That focus can then shift into a focal intensity whereby they are picturing the shot. Their eyes will almost glaze over and they can essentially look right through you.
That confluence of focal intensity and calmness is probably the key to the whole thing. From there, their instincts take over.
The same principles can be applied to amateur golfers.
Once you have established the types of shots they are predisposed to hit, the best thing any coach can do is to help their player hit the best shots possible within their means.
You can make major changes to their swing but that is a process that takes patience and a great deal of commitment on behalf of the player.
Rather than thinking about all the things that are not going to really work, direct their focus to the target and what they want the ball to do.
And then let their instincts take over.
Based out of the Hills Golf Academy, Ken Berndt has been a PGA Professional for 50 years and is the current coach of Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia winners Anthony Quayle and Louis Dobbelaar.
Rising star Elvis Smylie will seek to end a 30-year Aussie drought when he tees it up in this week’s Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo.
Back at The Belfry for the fifth straight year, a tournament that dates back to 1946 has only had three Australian champions, the last Robert Allenby back in 1996.
Buoyed by a tie for sixth at last week’s Danish Golf Championship, Smylie arrives at The Belfry at a career-high of 189th on the Official World Golf Ranking and 22nd in the season-long Race to Dubai rankings.
Australia’s highest-ranked professional, Minjee Lee, also makes her return to tournament golf at this week’s CPKC Women’s Open in Canada.
The three-time major champion is one of eight Aussies in action in Ontario including Grace Kim, the Amundi Evian champion moving up one spot to 26th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking on the back of her fifth-place finish at The Standard Portland Classic last week.
Winner of last week’s Rogers Charity Classic, Richard Green, and three-time winner this season, Steve Allan, are among the 10 Aussies contesting The Ally Challenge on the PGA TOUR Champions and Ripper GC go into the LIV Golf Michigan Team Championship in sixth place.
The defending champions went on a giant-killing run to the title last season and will need a similar run of upsets to go back-to-back.
Round 1 tee times AEST
LPGA Tour
CPKC Women’s Open
Mississaugua Golf and Country Club, Mississauga, Ontario
9pm Gabriela Ruffels
9:37pm* Hira Naveed
9:44pm Hannah Green
9:59pm* Grace Kim
10:21pm* Cassie Porter
3:20am* Lydia Ko (NZ)
3:31am* Stephanie Kyriacou
3:42am* Minjee Lee
3:49am Fiona Xu (NZ)
4:22am Robyn Choi
Recent champion: Lauren Coughlin
Past Aussie winners: Katherine Kirk (2008)
Prizemoney: $US2.75m
TV times: Live 11pm-2am Thursday on Fox Sports 506; Live 11pm-2am Friday on Fox Sports 507; Live 6am-9am Sunday; Live 5am-8am Monday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo Sports.
DP World Tour
Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo
The Belfry Hotel & Resort, Sutton Coldfield, England
5:20pm Kazuma Kobori (NZ)
5:20pm* Daniel Hillier (NZ)
4:40pm* Elvis Smylie
10pm Danny List
10:10pm* Jason Scrivener
10:20pm* Harrison Endycott
11:20pm* Daniel Gale
11:30pm* David Micheluzzi
Recent champion: Niklas Norgaard
Past Aussie winners: Graham Marsh (1979), Greg Norman (1981-82), Robert Allenby (1996)
Prizemoney: $US3.5m
TV times: Live 9:30pm-3am Thursday, Friday; Live 9pm-2am Saturday, Sunday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo Sports.
PGA TOUR Champions
The Ally Challenge
Warwick Hills G&CC, Grand Blanc, Michigan
1:40am Michael Wright
1:45am* Cameron Percy
1:50am David Bransdon
2am Brendan Jones
2:10am John Senden
2:15am* Mark Hensby
2:20am Rod Pampling
2:35am* Greg Chalmers
3am Steven Alker (NZ)
3:10am Steve Allan
3:20am Richard Green
Recent champion: Stewart Cink
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prizemoney: $US2.2m
TV times: 1pm-2:30pm Saturday on Fox Sports 506; Live 4:30am-6:30am Sunday; Live 3:30am-6:30am Monday on Fox Sports 507 and Kayo Sports.
Ladies European Tour
Hills Open
Hills Golf & Sports Club, Sweden
4:24pm Maddison Hinson-Tolchard
5:36pm Amelia Garvey (NZ)
6pm* Whitney Hillier
10pm Momoka Kobori (NZ)
10:12pm Amy Walsh
10:24pm Sarah Kemp
10:24pm* Kelsey Bennett
Recent champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prizemoney: €300,000
Japan Golf Tour
ISPS HANDA Summer Golf Battle
Hokkaido Brooks Country Club, Hokkaido
8:30am Brad Kennedy
12:25pm Denzel Ieremia (NZ)
12:45pm Michael Hendry (NZ)
Recent champion: inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prizemoney: ¥213m
PGA TOUR Americas
Manitoba Open
Breezy Bend Country Club, Winnipeg, Manitoba
4:30am Grant Booth
Recent champion: Johnny Keefer
Past Aussie winners:
Prizemoney: $US225,000
Sunshine Tour
SunBet Challenge – Times Square
Wingate Park Country Club, Pretoria
Round 1 scores
T23 Austin Bautista 69
Recent champion: Thriston Lawrence
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prizemoney: R2m
Epson Tour
Dream First Bank Charity Classic
Buffalo Dunes Golf Course, Garden City, Kansas
12:13am* Su Oh
12:24am Jennifer Elliott
3:56am Soo Jin Lee
5:46am Jess Whitting
Recent champion: Kathleen Scavo
Past Aussie winners: Gabriela Ruffels (2023)
Prizemoney: $US200,000
HotelPlanner Tour
The Dutch Futures
The Dutch, Spijk, Netherlands
4:10pm Sam Jones (NZ)
5pm Hayden Hopewell
Recent champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prizemoney: €300,000
Legends Tour
Grass & Co. English Legends
Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire, England
5:30pm Stephen Leaney
6:20pm Scott Hend
6:50pm Michael Long (NZ)
7:40pm Michael Campbell (NZ)
8:50pm Mark Brown (NZ)
Recent champion: Robert Coles
Past Aussie winners: Nil
An 11-shot turnaround between rounds has delivered childhood friends Cody Davis and Josh Edgar victory in the coveted Queensland PGA Foursomes Championship at Kooralbyn Valley Resort.
It is the 11th time that Kooralbyn Valley has hosted the Queensland Foursomes and the fourth year in succession, the Desmond Muirhead layout giving competitors all they could handle in the morning.
Three pairings went into the afternoon round tied for the lead at 3-over par, the team of Davis and Edgar a further five strokes back after 8-over 80 in Round 1.
But countless weekends playing together at Surfers Paradise Golf Club as kids came to the fore in Round 2, Davis and Edgar posting 3-under 69 to finish one stroke clear of New South Wales pair Dylan Stollery and Andrew Brennan (71).
“We hit the ball really well in the afternoon and we even had three three-putts in our round of 69,” said Davis, the Assistant Professional at Surfers Paradise Golf Club.
“It was great to spend some time together because it has been few and far between over recent years,” Edgar added.
“No doubt that enjoyment showed in the way we played.”
Davis and Edgar now join an honour board of winners that includes Ian Baker-Finch and Jeff Woodland, Terry and John Price, Scott Hend and Luke Arnott and Jeff Senior and Peter McWhinney.
The Queensland PGA Associate Foursomes Championship was also played in conjunction where four teams who finished tied for the win at 9-over. Joint winners were Adam Jansz and Jack Jones, Minami Inoue and Wade Edwards, Drew Herbert andJayke Merrell and defending champions Jack Wright and Reilly Wunderlich.
It’s a text message almost no one on the planet would be expecting. It was an invitation Min Woo Lee says was too unfathomable to reject.
Celebrity status doesn’t get much bigger than being invited to a listening party for a new Justin Bieber album, yet that is where Lee finds himself after just two seasons on the PGA TOUR.
It will be two years this November when Lee returns to Royal Queensland Golf Club chasing a second BMW Australian PGA Championship and a repeat of the week that launched his global fame.
Chef hats and chants of ‘Let him cook!’ have now become synonymous wherever the 27-year-old plays in the world and he credits the boisterous enthusiasm of the Brisbane crowds in 2023 for accelerating a social media profile now among the most popular in world golf.
“I had, I don’t know, probably half the followers I had from now to then,” Lee said of his Queensland coming out party.
“That was a big, I guess, moment of my career and my social media career, the cooking and stuff.
“It did start there and I owe that to the supporters that came out and watched me. It was a lot of dedication to wearing chef hats. I know it’s not ideal to wear a chef’s hat when you’re watching, but it is very cool to have that support.
“It’s quite cool to come back to where the chef’s hat started and the ‘Let him cook’ went viral.
“I love playing there. I play well there and I can’t wait to be back.”
Lee’s star was unquestionably on the rise when he electrified the Royal Queensland galleries at the 2023 BMW Australian PGA Championship, a chip-in for eagle at the par-5 ninth instantly among the iconic moments in Australian tournament history.
He has since transitioned to the PGA TOUR, set up camp in Las Vegas and finds himself giving chipping lessons to Hailey Bieber surrounded by A-list celebs.
“I still don’t believe it,” Lee said of the circles he now mixes in.
“I talk to (Justin) now and then over the phone and text, but it’s nothing. It is very cool to just be around him.
“It was my first time really being close and meeting up with him and yeah, it is a very pinch me moment.
“I’m still speechless of it. I’m just me and ‘JB’ is one of the biggest artists and celebrities in the world.
“A lot of respect for what he does and it’s very cool that he loves golf and I just managed to get in between them.”
Deep down, Lee knows his celebrity status is dependent on performance on the golf course.
A maiden PGA TOUR title at the Texas Children’s Houston Open was a major career milestone in a year in which he admits the results that followed fell short.
He will play the BMW PGA Championship in London and Open de France next month before setting sights on another showstopper at RQ.
“At the beginning of the week, it is already hyped up that you’re going to play,” Lee added.
“One of the top names being at a tournament, you’re going to get a crowd and then the Australian crowd is just enormous.
“It’s very cool. It’s awesome to have that feeling of playing in front of thousands of fans early on a Thursday morning.
“I always say that Australian crowds are the best and they always want sporting events down here.
“It is very, very cool to try and play good golf for them. Hopefully I can keep it going.”
Tickets for the BMW Australian PGA Championship and men’s Australian Open are on sale now at www.ticketek.com.au
With no Aussies left in the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup Playoffs and the LIV Golf individual season now at an end, attention turns to the culmination to the LPGA Tour season and a run of big events on the DP World Tour.
Thankfully for Australian golf fans, we have live chances on both sides of the Atlantic.
Grace Kim showed that she will continue to put herself in position to win tournaments with a fifth-place finish at The Standard Portland Classic as our incumbent No.1 Minjee Lee makes her return at this week’s CPKC Women’s Open in Canada.
The Betfred British Masters signals the start of the DP World’s run towards the DP World Tour Championship, Elvis Smylie’s tie for sixth at the Danish Golf Championship enhancing his chances of progressing to the very end of the DP World Tour Playoffs.
There’s still much to play for, including a place within the Australian Golf Power Rankings.
10. Cassie Porter (New)
Continues to build an impressive list of results in her rookie season on the LPGA Tour. A fourth-place finish early in the year set a good foundation which she has recently backed up with a tie for 21st at the Women’s Scottish Open and tie for 11th at last week’s The Standard Portland Classic. Sits 57th in the Race to CME Globe ranking and 10th in the Louise Suggs Rookie of the Year standings.
9. Karis Davidson (8)
A 3-over 75 in Round 1 left Davidson with too much ground to make up to make the cut at The Standard Portland Classic. At 72nd on the Race to CME Globe ranking is well placed to turn this year’s medical exemption into full status in 2026.
8. Elvis Smylie (New)
Striking form at the right time of the year in his rookie campaign on the DP World Tour. Tie for sixth at the Danish Golf Championship was Smylie’s fourth made cut from his past five starts and his best result since his tie for fifth at the Australian Open late last year.
7. Lucas Herbert (6)
Has cooled considerably since starting the LIV Golf season with three top-five finishes in the first six events along with a victory on the Asian Tour in Japan. Ended the individual season in 15th place with Ripper GC sitting sixth entering the Team Championship final.
6. Adam Scott (5)
Sticks are in cotton wool after a PGA TOUR season highlighted by spirited showings at both the US PGA Championship at the US Open. Next outing will be the BMW Championship at Wentworth in London next month.
5. Stephanie Kyriacou (4)
After a strong major championship campaign that featured a tie for 14th at the Amundi Evian Championship and tie for eighth at the AIG Women’s Open, the world No.35 returns to action this week for the CPKC Women’s Open in Canada.
4. Jason Day (7)
The last remaining Aussie in the FedExCup Playoffs, Day began brightly at the BMW Championship but ultimately fell short of advancing to the Tour Championship. Had a share of the lead late in Round 1 but dropped to a share of 23rd by week’s end to finish 41st in the FedExCup standings.
3. Marc Leishman (3)
The only member of Ripper GC with an individual title to his name in 2025, the LIV Golf Miami champion was tied 51st at LIV Golf Indianapolis. At 13th, finished the season as the highest member of the Ripper GC team on the individual standings.
2. Grace Kim (2)
Was on track to challenge Minjee Lee for the No.1 spot late in The Standard Portland Classic. Within one of the lead early in the final round, Kim ultimately couldn’t keep pace with Akie Iwai, finishing fifth to put the top 20 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking within reach.
1. Minjee Lee (1)
Second to world No.1 Jeeno Thitikul in the Race to CME Globe standings, Lee resumes her season at this week’s CPKC Women’s Open in Canada. The KPMG Women’s PGA champion has not finished worse than a tie for 35th in 14 starts this season.
The Australian Golf Power Rankings is a subjective list developed with input from members of the Australian Golf media team.
Photos: Getty Images
Already a winner of the BMW Australian PGA Championship, and one of the most popular players in world golf, Min Woo Lee will set his sights on claiming a second Joe Kirkwood Cup at Royal Queensland Golf Club later this year, it was confirmed today.
Claiming the title in 2023 with memorable scenes including his chip-in at the ninth hole, Lee won for the first time on the PGA TOUR in 2025 when the now 27-year-old triumphed over world No.1 Scottie Scheffler at the Texas Children’s Houston Open in March.
A victory the vocal Queensland crowds will no doubt be excited to celebrate with the West Australian when he tees it up at Royal Queensland from November 27-30 alongside the already confirmed local challenge of Adam Scott and defending champion Elvis Smylie.
Tickets and hospitality packages for the BMW Australian PGA Championship are on sale now via www.ticketek.com.au
“Ending the year at home in front of the amazing Aussie fans is always a fantastic experience, and I’m hoping to add some more success after winning in the US earlier this year,” Lee said.
“The BMW Australian PGA is one my favourite events of the year,” Lee said.
“Winning the Aussie PGA was such a special moment in my career and clearly Royal Queensland suits my game,” Lee said.
“The atmosphere in Queensland is always amazing to be a part of, especially at the party hole.”
Now a five-time winner as a professional, and like Scott and Smylie chasing another Kirkwood Cup to their trophy collection ahead of a Presidents Cup year, Lee was tied for 15th at the BMW Australian PGA in 2024.
The tournament is once again co-sanctioned by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tour, with Lee, now ranked 46th in the world qualifying for this year’s FedExCup Playoffs, headlining the next generation of Australian players taking on a truly international field in Brisbane.
“Min Woo is obviously a champion golfer, but he is so much more than that with his personality, play, social media and more meaning he is fast becoming a fan favourite with golfers and non-golfers, which we love to see,” PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said.
“Min’s win at Royal Queensland two years ago is one of the most memorable in recent history, and his chip-in at the ninth was truly electric to witness and showcased the ‘X-Factor’ he has that only a special few in professional sport can rival.
“I’m sure my excitement as a fan to have him back playing at home will be shared by everyone who plans to head to Royal Queensland and witness him in full flight chasing another chance to lift a truly historic trophy in golf.”
Minister for the Environment and Tourism Andrew Powell said Min Woo Lee’s return to Royal Queensland was a thrilling moment for the state and for golf fans across Australia.
“We’re proud to support an event that showcases such exceptional talent,” Minister Powell said.
“Last year’s BMW Australian PGA Championship injected more than $15 million into the local economy, reinforcing its value not just as a world-class sporting event, but as a driver of tourism and economic growth.
“We’re delighted to see it continue to attract globally known stars and passionate fans to Brisbane.”
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said fans would be thrilled to see the returning champion back on the iconic Royal Queensland fairways.
“Min Woo Lee’s pursuit of a second title in Brisbane this November is a huge win for the tournament,” Cr Schrinner said.
“Brisbane is Australia’s lifestyle capital and our incredible major events calendar creates more to see and do for residents and visitors alike.
“The battle for the Kirkwood Cup will once again draw fans from across Australia and beyond, filling our hotels, restaurants, and precincts while showcasing everything Brisbane has to offer.”
