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Two Members with a combined 110 years of service have been made Life Members of the PGA of Australia.
Kyle Francis (left) and Denis Brosnan (right) were announced as Life Members at the Annual General Meeting on Tuesday night in recognition of the more than 50 years that each have contributed to the growth of the Association and golf in Australia.
The Brosnan name is synonymous with golf equipment in Australia but Brosnan’s golf career began at the age of 12 with a part-time job in the pro shop at Virginia Golf Club in Brisbane’s north.
After a few years, Brosnan was put forward to begin his PGA Traineeship under Fred Anderson at Oxley Golf Club.
He completed his PGA training under Frank McCarthy Snr at Jindalee Golf Club, spent a few years as the PGA Professional at Caboolture Golf Club and was recruited to become the PGA Professional at Redcliffe Golf Club in 1967.
Brosnan was there for the next 24 years, working alongside his wife June – who passed away in 2016 – who would prove instrumental not only in the founding of Brosnan Golf in 1977 but in the company’s success over the coming decades.
Now in his 58th year as a PGA Professional, the establishment of 16 Golf World retail stores in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia would further entrench the Brosnan name in the consciousness of Australian golf and strengthen a love affair with the game that continues to this day.
“Golf is my life, as many of you know,” Brosnan said in a video message, his Life Membership application submitted by Nigel Lane and seconded by Wayne Grady and Richard Beer.
“I like to play golf regularly. I was the Club Professional at Redcliffe Golf Club for 24 years and it always gave me a great deal of pleasure to nurture young golfers, to bring them through, to teach golf.
“The PGA has meant so much to me over the years and, as a proud member of the Australian PGA, whether I travel throughout Australia or around the world, Australian PGA Professionals are admired. We are welcome in golf clubs all over the world.
“Thank you to the Australian PGA for the training, for the effort that they put in to nurturing and training Professionals for the future.
“The Australian PGA has a fantastic future going forward. Our current Board is brilliant, the ideas that they possess are very positive and growing.
“As a proud PGA Professional, I would like to say thank you very much.”
Kyle Francis’s influence on the PGA of Australia over the past 52 years is significant and varied.
Like Brosnan, it had humble beginnings, caddying and picking up balls for Billy Holder at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney.
Francis completed his apprenticeship under Holder in 1971 and spent time under the legendary Alex Mercer at Royal Sydney in the late 1970s.
He was at New Brighton Golf Club for seven years before joining Concord Golf Club as Head Professional in 1987.
After a decade at Concord, Francis spent time playing again before stints working for Geoff Scott as his ‘roaming manager’ four years at Paradise Palms in Cairns before returning to Sydney and Bexley Golf Club in 2018 where he worked for five years prior to retirement.
In the 1980s, Francis became the National and State education Chairman, a role he would retain through until the mid-1990s.
He played a critical role in establishing what is now known as the ACE Program and, after joining the senior ranks in 2002, spent seven years as the Chair of the now PGA Legends Tour.
“This is the greatest honour that a member can receive and I am proud to be joining such an illustrious group of members, past and present,” Francis said in his acceptance speech.
“I’ve met many great people and made many terrific friends. I’d like to thank my lifetime friends, Col McGregor and Peter McWhinney for submitting my nomination to the Board, the Board for approving it to go to the Members and of course, all of you guys for voting for me.”
Darcy Boyd drew motivation from a John Lyras chip-in to earn a share of victory at the Abbot Point Operations Bowen Pro-Am at Bowen Golf Club.
An adidas PGA Pro-Am Series winner with wife Danni Vasquez on the bag at Portsea in January, Boyd had to conjure something special of his own to match Lyras’s score of 6-under 64.
Playing in the group behind Lyras in the afternoon wave, Boyd trailed by one as Lyras played the par-3 16th.
Last week’s winner at the Lexus Townsville Classic, Lyras hit his tee shot long of the green, took a free drop from the pump house and then chipped down to the front edge.
From there he chipped in for par which provided the momentum he needed for a final birdie at the par-5 17th.
Measuring 160 metres, Boyd gave himself a birdie look from 15 feet and converted from range for the first time in his round.
“I never looked like making a bogey all day, but I didn’t really hole any putts until I saw John Lyras in front of me on 16,” said Boyd.
“He chipped in for par and I hit it to about 10 or 15 feet and was able to roll that one in.
“That was a nice little momentum shift when I thought it had gone against me, to roll that one in.
“That felt really nice.”
Lyas and Boyd finished two shots clear of reigning Order of Merit winner Andrew Campbell, James Mee and Dylan Gardner while Danni’s tie for sixth at 3-under 67 made it a profitable day for the Boyd-Vasquez household.
HOW THE WINNING ROUNDS UNFOLDED
On the back of his brilliant breakthrough at Townsville a week earlier, Lyras was forced to keep pace with playing partner Andrew Campbell early in the round.
At 4-under through eight holes, Campbell held a one-stroke advantage, a buffer that doubled when Lyras dropped a shot at the par-3 ninth.
Campbell made bogey himself at the par-4 10th before Lyras put the foot down, making four birdies and a bogey in his next five holes.
As Lyras and Campbell engaged in a shootout in the group ahead, Boyd patiently waited to take his opportunities.
He made birdie at each of the four par-5s along with one at the par-4 10th and, finally, the birdie on 16 that would match Lyras’s 64.
WHAT THE WINNERS SAID
John Lyras: “I missed the ball in predominantly the right spots and made a few putts. Played the par 5s pretty well and you really need to do that here. And there’s a few other good opportunities and with some short par 3s as well that you need to really hit the middle of the green. I felt like I did a really good job missing the ball on the right side, not missing the fairway on the wrong side as well. And when you can do that, you generally open up the hole pretty well.”
Darcy Boyd: “I was sort of watching the leaderboard all day and knew I had some work to do coming in. I couldn’t really get anything going and I needed to hole about a seven-footer for par on about my fifth-last hole. I was able to do that and then kicked on from there. Made that nice 15-footer on the third-last hole when I watched Johnny chip in for par when I thought I was going to get one back on him there.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
T1 John Lyras 64
T1 Darcy Boyd 64
T3 Andrew Campbell 66
T3 James Mee 66
T3 Dylan Gardner 66
T6 Samuel Slater 67
T6 Connor McDade 67
T6 Danni Vasquez 67
NEXT UP
The North Queensland Series begins on Saturday with the two-day CMR Recycling Sarina Golf Club Pro-Am at Sarina Golf Club where Andrew Campbell is the defending champion.
She has doused her in champagne and this week is sharing a house yet Stephanie Kyriacou remains in awe of the form of fellow Australian Hannah Green ahead of the US Women’s Open in Pennsylvania.
With two wins this season and a runner-up finish to Nelly Korda at the Cognizant Founders Cup, Green arrives at Lancaster Country Club as the second-hottest player currently in the women’s game.
With $US12 million up for grabs, Green’s timing is ideal, yet Kyriacou is hoping to ride some of her wake in her US Women’s Open debut.
The 23-year-old has been one of the first to help celebrate two of Green’s three wins in the past 13 months and has seen first-hand what has elevated the West Australian to be the No.5 player in the world.
“I’m staying with her this week – she’s literally next door – but she just doesn’t really care what anyone thinks about how she goes about practice or what she does,” said Kyriacou.
“She’s literally the most chill and calmest person I’ve met on the golf course. I watch her and I feel like I’m more stressed than her.
“She just does not change her demeanour the whole time and I’m on the sidelines with my heart racing thinking I’m going to have a panic attack.”
The last time @hannahgreengolf was at Lancaster Country Club was in 2015, when she was a recipient of the @Karrie_Webb Series Scholarship, watching from outside the ropes 💚💛🇦🇺@uswomensopen | #USWomensOpen pic.twitter.com/KsMJwqUUFF
— Golf Australia ⛳️ (@GolfAust) May 28, 2024
Speaking just hours after American Lexi Thompson announced that, at 29 years of age, her 18th US Women’s Open would be her last, Kyriacou reflected on her path to play her first.
Twice a winner on the Ladies European Tour and boasting two top-10 finishes in major championships, the Sydneysider believes she is much better placed to handle the enormity of a US Women’s Open than she was even two years ago.
“The purses are bigger, the crowds are bigger, the set-up is harder so being thrown into the deep end in my rookie year would’ve been tough to adjust,” she admitted.
“But I’ve had experience, I’ve played well in majors, so I’m kind of familiar with the feeling.
“But I mean, again, it’s pretty exciting to be playing the US Open.”
Kyriacou and Green make up two of the six-strong Aussie contingent that also includes 2022 champion Minjee Lee, in-form Gabriela Ruffels, veteran Sarah Kemp and Victorian amateur Keeley Marx.
Elsewhere this week Adam Scott, Harrison Endycott and Aaron Baddeley are out to add another Aussie name to the Canadian Open honour roll, David Micheluzzi, Haydn Barron and Jason Scrivener are playing the European Open in Germany and there are nine Aussies playing the Principal Charity Classic on the PGA TOUR Champions.
Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images
Round 1 tee times AEST
US Women’s Open
Lancaster Country Club, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Round 1
8:45pm* Amelia Garvey (NZ)
9:18pm* Sarah Kemp
10:24pm* Lydia Ko (NZ)
10:35pm Gabriela Ruffels
10:57pm Keeley Marx (a)
2:52am Steph Kyriacou
3:58am Minjee Lee
4:09am Hannah Green
Round 2
9:07pm* Steph Kyriacou
10:13pm* Minjee Lee
10:24pm* Hannah Green
2:30am Amelia Garvey (NZ)
3:03am Sarah Kemp
4:09am Lydia Ko (NZ)
4:20am Gabriela Ruffels
4:42am* Keeley Marx (a)
Defending champion: Allisen Corpuz
Past Aussie winners: Jan Stephenson (1983), Karrie Webb (2000, 2001), Minjee Lee (2022)
Prize money: $US12 million
TV times: Live 2am–10am Friday, Saturday; Live 3am-8am Sunday; Live 4am-9am Monday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo
PGA TOUR
RBC Canadian Open
Hamilton Golf & Country Club, Hamilton, Ontario
9:29pm* Adam Scott
10:35pm Ryan Fox (NZ)
3:17am Aaron Baddeley
4:01am* Harrison Endycott
Defending champion: Nick Taylor
Past Aussie winners: Joe Kirkwood Snr (1933), Jim Ferrier (1950, 1951), Kel Nagle (1964), Greg Norman (1984, 1992), Nathan Green (2009), Jason Day (2015)
Prize money: $US9.4 million
TV times: Live 8:45pm-8am Thursday, Friday; Live 11:15pm-9:30am Saturday; Live 10:15pm-8:30am Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
DP World Tour
European Open
Green Eagle Golf Courses, Hamburg, Germany
4:50pm David Micheluzzi
8:30pm Daniel Hillier (NZ)
9:30pm* Jason Scrivener
10:10pm* Haydn Barron
10:30pm* Sam Jones (NZ)
Defending champion: Tom McKibbin
Past Aussie winners: Graham Marsh (1981), Greg Norman (1986), Peter Senior (1990), Mike Harwood (1991)
Prize money: $US2.5 million
TV times: Live 9pm-2am Thursday, Friday; Live 9pm-1:30am Saturday; Live 8:30pm-1:30am Sunday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.
Ladies European Tour
Dormy Open Helsingborg
Allerum Golf Club, Sweden
Australasians in the field: Kirsten Rudgeley, Momoka Kobori (NZ), Amy Walsh
Defending champion: Lisa Pettersson
Past Aussie winners: Rebecca Artis (2013)
Prize money: €300,000
Korn Ferry Tour
UNC Health Championship
Raleigh Country Club, Raleigh, North Carolina
9:16pm Dimi Papadatos
2:57am Rhein Gibson
3:08am Brett Drewitt
Defending champion: Jorge Fernández Valdés
Past Aussie winners: Mark Hensby (2000)
Prize money: $US1 million
PGA TOUR Champions
Principal Charity Classic
Wakonda Club, Des Moines, Iowa
Australasians in the field: Steven Alker (NZ), Steve Allan, Stuart Appleby, David Bransdon, Richard Green, David McKenzie, Rod Pampling, Cameron Percy, John Senden, Vijay Singh (FI), Michael Wright.
Defending champion: Stephen Ames
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US2 million
TV times: 9:30am-11am Saturday, Sunday; 9am-11am Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo
Major champion and Australian golf icon, Ian Baker-Finch, will succeed Rodger Davis as the next Chair of the PGA of Australia.
A member-elected Director for six years and Deputy Chair for the past two years, Baker-Finch officially starts as Chair today following the Annual General Meeting yesterday on May 28, marking the start of a three-year term.
He takes over from Rodger Davis who has helped to guide the PGA through a tremendous period of change in his six years as Chair.
The 1991 Open Champion at Royal Birkdale, Baker-Finch, 63, has become one of the most respected voices in world golf through his television commentary in both Australia and the United States.
Given his status within the game around the world, Baker-Finch hopes to use his position to further advance the game in Australia.
“Throughout the world, the popularity of golf is booming, and my central focus will be to leverage that interest to help the game continue to grow in my home country,” said Baker-Finch.
“The PGA Professionals that our organisation represents are at the forefront of delivering a wonderful golf experience, whether that be at golf courses, driving ranges or indoor golf centres.
“I am of the firm belief that by making the game of golf stronger, we grow opportunities for PGA Members to continue their role as custodians of the game in Australia.
“The PGA of Australia also operates the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and the WPGA Tour of Australasia, both of which are integral in developing our Tournament Professionals to become world-class players.
“Both tours have experienced significant growth in recent times and we are seeing increasing numbers of Australians represent our country on major world tours.
“It is vital that we continue to expand these opportunities and continue to inspire the next generation to strive for success in golf’s showpiece events.”
Baker-Finch’s ascension to the role of Chair follows in the footsteps of Rodger Davis, who has served with distinction and dedication.
Providing leadership through the challenges presented by the pandemic, Davis was on hand for the signing of the long-term Strategic Alliance with the DP World Tour, along with the opening of the PGA Learning Hub at Sandhurst in 2022, a facility that will provide world-leading education and training for those wishing to work in the golf industry.
“I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished during my time as Chair of the PGA of Australia,” said Davis.
“Through the hard work of our leadership team and a Board that boasts a wide array of knowledge and skills, I am pleased to leave the PGA of Australia in a very strong position.
“I have no doubt that Ian will lead with passion and integrity and carry the PGA of Australia forward into an evolving and exciting future.”
PGA of Australia CEO, Gavin Kirkman, praised Davis for his contribution to the PGA the past six years and is excited by Baker-Finch’s willingness to elevate his role within the organisation.
“We are very fortunate as an organisation that we can call on such respected and accomplished people as Rodger Davis and Ian Baker-Finch to Chair the PGA of Australia Board,” Kirkman said.
“Rodger has left a lasting legacy through his contribution as Chair and I have no doubt Ian will have a similar impact in the next three years.
“You only need to spend a little time with Ian at a major to appreciate the respect and esteem with which he is held throughout the golf world.
“I am excited to see what we can accomplish with Ian leading our highly accomplished Board.”
Tour player Matt Griffin was appointed as a Director at the AGM following the completion of Davis’s six-year term, while PGA Professional Josh Madden was reappointed for a second term.
An early burst of three birdies in Round 1 has paved the way for Victorian Mark Boulton to win the Busselton Legends Pro-Am by four strokes at Busselton Golf Club.
A new event on the PGA Legends Tour schedule, the Busselton layout 2.5 hours south of Perth presented a stern test for some of the best senior golfers in the country.
Boulton – a four-time winner in his rookie season in 2023 – was the only player to break par for the two rounds, his 36-hole total of 1-under putting him four strokes clear of Stuart Beament (72) with West Australians Brendan Chant (74) and Scott Barr (77) sharing third.
Boulton’s opening round of 3-under 69 was one of only two sub-par rounds for the tournament and was set up by a blistering start.
Beginning his first round from the third tee, Boulton made birdies at four, six and eight in a bogey-free round that would ultimately prove the difference.
“I didn’t see this one coming,” admitted Boulton, whose last win was at Coffs Harbour Golf Club last September.
“Been close on a couple of events this year, but yesterday felt good, played good.”
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
Leading by two entering Round 2, Boulton’s game-plan centred around controlled aggression that would hopefully yield an improvement on his day one score.
A dropped shot at the par-4 seventh was an early step back but he responded with four straight pars.
A bogey at the par-3 12th was followed by a birdie at the par-5 13th and then a third bogey for the day at the par-4 14th.
A 2-over 74 was not how Boulton had hoped to close out the win but proved to be more than enough by day’s end.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“Today was a lot harder,” Boulton said the second round.
“Certainly a challenging course. Just a strong course right from the tee, those back blocks and right up to the green and on the greens.
“Very, very pleased that I could get the job done. Just hung in there, I guess.
“I slept pretty good last night. Sometimes you don’t, your mind wanders a little, but today I just came in trying to be not super aggressive, but try to find a better score today.
“But every round of golf one day to the next can be just a little different. And today was that.
“Wasn’t exactly I guess the finish result I wanted, but it was good enough.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Mark Boulton 69-74—143
2 Stuart Beament 75-72—147
T3 Brendan Chant 74-74—148
T3 Scott Barr 71-77—148
T3 Paul Powell 72-76—148
T6 Stephen Herbert 72-77—149
T6 David Wilson 74-75—149
NEXT UP
There is now a one-week break on the PGA Legends Tour leading into the $50,000 Vuksich & Borich Fiji Legends Golf Classic at Denarau Golf & Racquet Club.
A Richard Bland buzzsaw and frustrating weather delay has conspired to deny Australians Richard Green and Greg Chalmers victory at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in Michigan.
The 54-hole co-leader alongside Ernie Els at Harbor Shores, Chalmers went toe-to-toe with Bland until the Englishman’s eagle on 15 and a suspension of play shortly afterward robbed the West Australian of any positive momentum.
Play was suspended for a total of 74 minutes and, when it resumed, Chalmers made his first bogey of the day on 16, going straight underneath his ball with his chip shot after missing the green with his approach.
He fell out of contention with two more bogeys at 17 and 18 as Bland shot 8-under 63 for a 17-under total to win by three from Green (65) with Chalmers (68) falling to third.
Playing in his first senior tournament, Bland began the day one back of the lead yet two holes in had moved past both Els and Chalmers to assume the front-running position.
When he made bogey on three and Chalmers recorded his first birdie of the day, the lead once again changed hands, a trend that would continue throughout the day.
Four birdies in the space of six holes saw American Chris DiMarco join Chalmers and Bland at 12-under before falling one back when Chalmers and Bland both made birdies at the par-4 eighth.
Bland took full advantage of back-to-back par-5s at nine and 10 to lead by two, Chalmers responding with consecutive birdies of his own at 11 and 12 to stay within one.
Bland’s bogey at the par-3 13th and Chalmers’ birdie from 18 feet on 14 saw the West Australian once again take the outright lead only for Bland to come in over the top with an eagle from six feet at the par-5 15th.
Play was suspended 10 minutes later due to dangerous weather in the area and when it resumed the two-time Australian Open dropped shots at both 16 and 17, handing Bland a three-shot buffer heading to the 72nd hole.
“Even though I didn’t finish as strongly as I would like, I have to take solace in the fact that I was 3-over at the start of the tournament on Thursday and here I am, finished third outright,” said Chalmers, who earned $US238,000 for his week’s work.
Greg Chalmers with the CLUTCH birdie putt to take the lead! 🙌
— KitchenAid Senior PGA Champ (@seniorpgachamp) May 26, 2024
Catch the action LIVE on @Peacock.#SrPGAChamp pic.twitter.com/MN5rbQ9E29
“It’s a great week in any first major, first real taste of being in the last group and seeing some things about what it takes and what I need to work on and improve.
“I take a lot of positives about it. I’m hopeful I can get another opportunity down the line.
“Ironically, I’m in the US Open and the British Open coming up, so hoping I’ll get some chances to get in this position again.”
Green’s surge came late on Sunday with eagles at both 12 and 15, taking his tally for the week to five.
He holed an 8-iron from 139 yards at the par-4 12th and then converted his chance from eight feet at the par-5 15th to reach 14-under.
A three-time winner on the Legends Tour in Europe, Green believes he is closing in on a maiden win in the US.
“Just think it adds to your confidence and belief that you can hang in there under pressure, you can take it all the way to the end,” said Green, who earned $US378,000 for second.
“That’s all you can really take out of it. I work so hard on my game in the background and it’s up to me to be mentally strong in those situations.”
Richard Green surprises himself with this hole out for EAGLE! 🦅
— KitchenAid Senior PGA Champ (@seniorpgachamp) May 26, 2024
Watch all the action LIVE on @Peacock. #SrPGAChamp pic.twitter.com/Qfh8ZqzBR1
In a week that began with 14 Aussies in the field, five finished inside the top 20.
Queenslander Scott Hend (66) also made eagle on 15 on his way to a tie for fourth while Stuart Appleby shot 67 in the final round to climb into a tie for 14th.
Michael Wright (68) enjoyed his best finish on the PGA TOUR Champions with a tie for 17th as Cameron Percy finished tied 21st in his seniors debut.It was a near miss too for Rhein Gibson on the Korn Ferry Tour.
The New South Welshman eagled his final hole of the Visit Knoxville Open for a closing round of 4-under 66, one shy of the playoff won by Harry Higgs at the second extra hole.
Photos: Ryan Lochhead/PGA of America via Getty Images (Chalmers); Patrick McDermott/Getty Images (Green)
Australasian Results
PGA TOUR Champions
KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship
Harbor Shores, Benton Harbor, Michigan
1 Richard Bland 64-66-74-63—267
2 Richard Green 64-71-70-65—270
3 Greg Chalmers 69-68-66-68—271
T4 Scott Hend 68-68-70-66—272
T14 Stuart Appleby 70-69-72-67—278
T17 Michael Wright 69-67-75-68—279
T21 Cameron Percy 69-72-68-71—280
T39 David McKenzie 72-72-71-70—285
T57 Vijay Singh (FI) 67-77-73-72—289
T67 Mark Hensby 68-71-77-76—292
T75 Mick Smith 72-70-74-78—294
MC Steve Allan 73-73—146
MC Michael Long (NZ) 72-74—146
MC Rod Pampling 70-77—147
MC David Bransdon 76-75—151
MC Brad Burns 72-81—153
DQ John Senden 75-70—145
WD Michael Campbell (NZ)
PGA TOUR
Charles Schwab Challenge
Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, Texas
1 Davis Riley 66-64-66-70—268 $US1.638m
T12 Adam Scott 69-68-69-71—277 $180,635
T24 Min Woo Lee 69-68-68-74—279 $70,866
T32 Ryan Fox (NZ) 68-67-71-74—280 $51,961
T56 Cam Davis 69-70-69-76—284 $20,839
DP World Tour
Soudal Open
Rinkven International GC, Antwerp, Belgium
1 Nacho Elvira 64-64-67-71—266 €393,133.92
T7 Sam Jones (NZ) 62-70-70-67—269 €59,663.85
T48 Jason Scrivener 72-66-69-70—277 €9,096.04
T57 David Micheluzzi 69-69-68-72—278 €6,590.77
MC Haydn Barron 72-72—144
MC Daniel Hillier (NZ) 72-70—142
Ladies European Tour
Jabra Ladies Open
Evian Resort Golf Club, France
1 Morgane Metraux 67-64-72—203 €45,000
T5 Momoka Kobori (NZ) 72-71-67—210 €9,500
T27 Kirsten Rudgeley 72-72-73—217 €3,375
MC Amy Walsh 75-74—149
Japan Golf Tour
Road to the British Open Mizuno Open
JFE Seto Inland Sea Golf Club, Okayama
1 Ryosuke Kinoshita 69-66-70-71—276 ¥20m
T28 Michael Hendry 68-73-71-74—286 ¥670,000
T35 Brad Kennedy 69-74-69-75—287 ¥540,000
MC Anthony Quayle 74-74—148
Korn Ferry Tour
Visit Knoxville Open
Holston Hills Country Club, Knoxville, Tennessee
1 Harry Higgs 64-65-67-65—261 $US180,000
Won on the second hole of sudden death playoff
T3 Rhein Gibson 66-66-64-66—262 $44,375
T64 Dimi Papadatos 66-69-70-69—274 $4,010
MC Brett Drewitt 68-72—140
MC Jimmy Zheng (NZ) 73-69—142
Challenge Tour
Danish Golf Challenge
Odense Eventyr Golf, Odense, Denmark
1 Andreas Halvorsen 66-66-66-71—269 €43,200
MC Andrew Martin 74-70—144
MC Tom Power Horan 74-75—149
MC Hayden Hopewell 77-73—150
MC Connor McKinney 76-80—156
Korean PGA Tour
KB Financial Liiv Championship
Blackstone Golf Club, Icheon, Korea
1 Seungsu Han 72-67-67-71—277
T55 Wonjoon Lee 73-71-75-74—293
T58 Sungjin Yeo (NZ) 73-71-76-74—294
MC Kevin Chun (NZ) 77-71—148
MC Junseok Lee 82-69—151
Sunshine Tour
KitKat Cash & Carry Pro-am
Irene Country Club, Centurion
1 Kieran Vincent 67-67-67-66—267
MC Austin Bautista 77-72—149
Australian Greg Chalmers is ready to embrace the pressure of a maiden PGA TOUR Champions title after joining Ernie Els at the top of the leaderboard at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in Michigan.
Following the completion of Round 2 on Saturday morning, Round 3 began with Chalmers seven strokes back and in a tie for 13th but would end with the West Australian tied with Els at 10-under in a congested leaderboard.
Fellow Aussie Richard Green (70) is part of that log-jam at 8-under and outright fifth, Richard Bland (74) and Chris DiMarco (71) one back of Chalmers (66) and Els (69) at 9-under.
Making just his fifth start in the senior ranks and without full status on the Champions Tour, Chalmers knows that there will be emotions in the final round that he has not experienced since his lone win on the PGA TOUR in 2016.
“This is the thing, I haven’t had this for so long” said Chalmers, who soared up the leaderboard with a run of six birdies in seven holes around the turn in Round 3.
“This is the great thing about Champions Tour golf. It feels like you’re part of a big event, which you are.
“I’ve been looking forward to this opportunity. I need the challenge. I’m looking forward to see how I do tomorrow and how I play.
“See if I can embrace it with both hands and play some good golf.”
What a Third Round for Greg Chalmers! #SrPGAChamp pic.twitter.com/Ye4N1FEj20
— KitchenAid Senior PGA Champ (@seniorpgachamp) May 25, 2024
Although he had three bogeys on the front nine, Green was able to keep himself in contention with twin eagles at five and nine.
He holed an 80-foot putt from the front of the green for eagle on five and then chipped in from 35 yards on nine, the three-time winner on the Legends Tour in Europe eager to convert a chance to win in the US for the first time.
“Those two eagles, you know, they saved my round today big time,” said Green.
“I dropped a couple shots, and to get myself back under par and through nine holes was really nice.
“When things go right like that, you feel like you’re in for a good week.
“You know, I work so hard on my game in the background and it feels like it would be nice to be my time.”
Leave the putter in the bag, Richard Green! 🙌
— KitchenAid Senior PGA Champ (@seniorpgachamp) May 25, 2024
Watch LIVE on @NBC. #SrPGAChamp pic.twitter.com/261JsPhB8p
The Australian flag is prominent down the leaderboard through three rounds.
Scott Hend (70) is just one back of Green in a tie for sixth, Cameron Percy (68) is tied for 16th in his PGA TOUR Champions debut, Stuart Appleby (72) and Michael Wright (75) are in a share of 25th with David McKenzie (71), Mick Smith (74) and Mark Hensby (77) eager to improve their standings in the final round.
Australasian scores after Round 3
T1 Greg Chalmers 69-68-66—203
5 Richard Green 64-71-70—205
T6 Scott Hend 68-68-70—206
T16 Cameron Percy 69-72-68—209
T25 Stuart Appleby 70-69-72—211
T25 Michael Wright 69-67-75—211
T49 David McKenzie 72-72-71—215
T55 Mick Smith 72-70-74—216
T55 Mark Hensby 68-71-77—216
T60 Vijay Singh (FI) 67-77-73—217
MC Steve Allan 73-73—146
MC Michael Long (NZ) 72-74—146
MC Rod Pampling 70-77—147
MC David Bransdon 76-75—151
MC Brad Burns 72-81—153
DQ John Senden 75-70—145
WD Michael Campbell (NZ)
Photo: Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
Sydney’s John Lyras has got the better of Elvis Smylie in an epic back-nine duel to claim the $50,000 Lexus Townsville Classic at Townsville Golf Club.
A day after breaking the course record with a round of 10-under 61, it took just three holes for Lyras move past Smylie and take the outright lead for the first time all week.
Two holes later that advantage pushed out to two before the pair separated themselves from the field with a brilliant display of top-class golf.
Starting from the par-4 ninth, Lyas made seven birdies in the space of eight holes as Smylie endeavoured to keep pace with five straight birdies of his own from the short par-4 10th.
When Lyras birdied the par-5 16th he held a four-stroke lead, Smylie’s birdie at 17 and Lyras’s bogey on the final hole reducing the final margin of victory to two shots.
Five-over through four holes on Thursday, Lyras played his next 50 holes in 23-under par, backing up Friday’s 61 with a 9-under-62 for an 18-under par winning total, his first official win on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series.
“When I made the birdie on 16, that was the first time I felt comfortable,” said Lyras.
“Elvis pushed all the way. We played incredible golf on the back nine. I think we both reeled off five birdies straight at one point.
“It was good to see we holed a couple of putts on top of each other on the back nine too, and a couple of incredible up and downs.
“It was really high quality golf and honestly, every time I’ve played with Elvis, it’s been high quality golf.
“He is a super kid and he’s an incredible player with an incredible personality and mindset about the game, too.”
As other players fought against the wind that buffeted the twisting Townsville layout, Lyras decided to ride with it.
It is a skill he has honed playing alongside the likes of Travis Smyth, Stephanie Kyriacou and Harrison Crowe at St Michael’s Golf Club in Sydney’s east, a skill he believes brings out his best.
“The wind opens up a bit more of a creative mind in me,” said Lyras, who has five top-five finishes on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
“It’s been a really incredible development to my game and opened a lot of doors for a bit more of a creative and artistic mindset about the game.
“Really trying to zone in on a shot and picture it a little bit more than maybe some of the guys can. I know for me, I struggle seeing straight shots, so with wind there it kind of helps me a little bit.”
Smylie had to settle for second with a round of 6-under 65 and 16-under total, four shots clear of James Mee (65) with Blaike Perkins (68) and Andrew Campbell (70) rounding out the top five.
Although he finished well down the leaderboard, Michael Dean left with one of the tournament highlights, making a hole-in-one at the par-3 second hole.
Playing 144 metres, Dean used the disappointment of a bogey on the opening hole to muscle an 8-iron that finished in the bottom of the cup.
“Hole two played a little into the wind so I hit 8 a little harder with a little draw,” Dean said.
“The wind pushed it back onto the hole and it one-hopped and in.”
Richard Green continues to lead the Australian contingent at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, where eight of his fellow countrymen will make the cut and England’s Richard Bland leads at the halfway mark.
Sharing the lead after round one, it was an up-and-down day for Green on Friday at Harbor Shores, where he mixed five birdies with the same number of bogeys for an even par 71 and 7-under total.
The Victorian shares sixth place, five shots back of Bland, who signed for a second round 66 to lead American Scott Dunlap by one at the year’s second major for the over-50 crowd on a day when weather halted play and Miguel Angel Jimenez made a 15th career hole-in-one.
Playing his first year on the PGA TOUR Champions, Queenslander Michael Wright had the best round of the day for of the 14 strong Australian group, with his 4-under 67 lifting him into a share of 11th alongside Scott Hend, who signed for a second straight 68 to be 6-under.
Greg Chalmers needed the same number of shots as Hend on day two to be a shot further back in joint 13th, with Stuart Appleby and Mark Hensby tied 20th on 3-under the next best.
Making his senior golf debut after topping the qualifying school and waiting for his 50th birthday, Cameron Percy is at 1-under and in a tie for 34th, while Wisconsin based club pro Mick Smith on even par will also be through to the final 36 holes once the cut is made on Saturday morning when the final groups complete the second round.
David McKenzie set to make the cut on the number of 2-over, with Fijian Vijay Singh also scraping through thanks to a final hole birdie to jump back inside the top half of the field.
The KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
Australasian Scores
T6 Richard Green -7
T11 Michael Wright -6
T11 Scott Hend -6
T13 Greg Chalmers -5
T20 Stuart Appleby -3
T20 Mark Hensby -3
T34 Cameron Percy -1
T41 Mick Smith EV
T60 David McKenzie +2
T60 Vijay Singh +2
T70 John Senden +3
T86 Steve Allan +4
T86 Michael Long +4
T95 Rod Pampling +5
T126 David Bransdon +9
T133 Brad Burns +11
WD Michael Campbell
Josh Greer’s first win as a professional was again a joint effort as he and Ryan Peake shared victory at the Urban Quarter Dunsborough Lakes Pro-Am on Friday.
Winner of the WA PGA Foursomes Championship with Nathan Barbieri two weeks ago, Greer was still chasing an individual title on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series.
He got that at Dunsborough Lakes Golf Course, albeit a shared victory with Peake with rounds of 5-under 67.
Greer’s Foursomes partner Barbieri was one of six players to finish in a tie for third at 3-under 69, Braden Becker, Kathryn Norris, Daniel Fox, Rick Kulacz and Tim Elliott also finishing two shots back.
HOW THE WINNING ROUNDS UNFOLDED
Remarkably, both eventual champions began their rounds on the eighth tee, Peake playing in the group in front with Greer just behind.
Peake wasted little time making forward progress on the leaderboard with two opening birdies, Greer also picking up a shot at the par-5 eighth before three straight pars.
Greer put the foot down with four straight birdies from the par-5 12th but gave two back with bogeys at 16 and 17 before rounding out the back nine with a birdie.
One after the other, the pair both headed to the first tee at 4-under par and took advantage of a par 5 again to start the front nine with birdies.
Peake countered a bogey on two with a birdie at six to be the first to post 5-under, Greer giving up the chance at an outright win with a bogey on his final hole.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
Peake: “It’s always a pleasure to drive down here. It’s obviously going to be much more pleasurable driving home as well tonight after having a good day.
“As happy as I am obviously to share the win, congratulations to Josh. What an absolute milestone.
“Tonight’s probably a little bit more about you receiving all your medals and awards and things like that.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
T1 Ryan Peake 67
T1 Josh Greer 67
T3 Braden Becker 69
T3 Nathan Barbieri 69
T3 Daniel Fox 69
T3 Kathryn Norris 69
T3 Rick Kulacz 69
T3 Tim Elliott 69
NEXT UP
With a short break in the WA swing, attention on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series now turns to North Queensland. The Lexus Townsville Classic concludes on Saturday to be followed by the Abbot Point Operations Bowen Pro-Am at Bowen Golf Club on Wednesday.
