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An Order of Merit champion crowned, global opportunities created and futures secured on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
All will unfold at the final event of the 2023/2024 season, The National Tournament presented by BMW at the iconic The National Golf Club on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.
Twelve months ago, Tom Power Horan claimed his second victory of the season at one of the best layouts in the country, the Greg Norman-Bob Harrison designed Moonah Course.
With the Moonah Course again to host this week, there are two players with multiple wins already this season heading into the finale for 2023/2024.
Kiwi rookie Kazuma Kobori – winner of Qualifying School last April – leads the Order of Merit comfortably thanks to Webex Players Series wins at Cobram Barooga, Rosebud and Castle Hill Country Club in Sydney.
Twelfth on his home course at Castle Hill, Daniel Gale added to his earlier win at the NT PGA with victory at the closing Webex Players Series event of the year at Oaks Cypress Lakes in the Hunter Valley.
It puts Gale in prime position to snare one of the three DP World Tour cards on offer for the top-three Order of Merit finishers come Sunday evening.
Kobori is guaranteed one but Gale, Vic Open winner Brett Coletta, Heritage Classic champion Matthew Griffin, reigning Order of Merit winner David Micheluzzi, the consistent Jak Carter and WA PGA victor Ben Eccles can all leap into the top three with a win this week.
But it is not only about winning.
Prominent finishes on the Order of Merit open opportunities at qualifying schools internationally while those who finish in the top 50 earn a full card for the 2024/2025 season.
Prior to the New Zealand Open, Ben Wharton had all but resigned himself to losing his spot on tour, potentially for good.
Up to that point, Wharton had endured a tough run this season on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, his best result a tie for 15th at the Victorian PGA Championship at Moonah Links.
Well outside the top 50 that retain their status for the following season, Wharton was weighing up his options.
There was a very real possibility that this week’s tournament could have been his last. If he’d decided to tee it up at all.
With a baby on the way, it was clear to Wharton that something had to change.
With tears in his eyes, leader in the clubhouse at the Millbrook Resort if only for the next few hours, he tried to explain what comes next after signing for a potentially career-saving Sunday 64.
“Coming in this week, I was looking at racking up the sticks for good,” said Wharton.
“It was pretty nice to play well when I had to.”
What a closing round from Ben Wharton who sits in the clubhouse at T2 👏 #NZOpen pic.twitter.com/bXEHuJBgDw
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) March 3, 2024
After nearly walking away with a car on the 72nd hole of the tournament – where he was inches away from a hole-in-one at the par-3 18th – Wharton is now looking forward to what the future has to offer.
“That kind of defines to me that I am good enough to hang around the top of the leaderboard when I allow my mind to do it,” added Wharton, who climbed from 69th to 27th on the Order of Merit as a result.
By virtue of the recently established exemption for the leading five players from the International Federation Ranking — the top players from the money lists of Australasia, Japan, Asia and South Africa – the winner of the Order of Merit will be automatically exempt into The Open Championship at Royal Troon in July.
The top three on the Order of Merit earn a category on the DP World Tour next season and the leading three finishers (not otherwise eligible, down to 20th place) are exempt into Final Stage of DP World Tour Qualifying School.
There are also exemptions into the Alfred Dunhill Championship played at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns for those who finish high on the Order of Merit.
HOW TO FOLLOW
For live scoring and the latest news visit www.pga.org.au Exclusive content and tournament updates will also be posted regularly on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia’s social media channels.
Instagram: @pgatouraus
Twitter: @PGAofAustralia
Facebook: @PGATourAus
Official hashtag: #TheNationalTournament
HOW TO WATCH
The only place to watch every upcoming event on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia live is on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
Round 3: Saturday 4pm-7pm AEDT
Round 4: Sunday 2pm-7pm AEDT
FORMER CHAMPIONS
2023: Tom Power Horan (Moonah)
2022: Derek Ackerman (Gunnamatta)
COURSE DESIGNER
Greg Norman/Bob Harrison (2000)
COURSE RECORD
Elvis Smylie, 63 (Rd 2, 2023)
CURRENT ORDER OF MERIT
1. Kazuma Kobori 833.93
2. Brett Coletta 599.76
3. Daniel Gale 539.84
4. Matthew Griffin 494.69
5. David Micheluzzi 372.64
6. Jak Carter 360.60
7. Ben Eccles 358.35
8. Kade McBride 345.53
9. Kerry Mountcastle 331.35
10. Lachlan Barker 326.88
With their first majors of the year looming, Cam Smith and Minjee Lee are trending in the right direction.
Smith, the 2022 Open champion, was beaten in a playoff by Mexico’s Abraham Ancer in the latest LIV Golf event in Hong Kong, his best result for 2024 with the trip to Augusta National now just a month away.
After rescuing a par thanks to a great approach shot on his final hole, Smith finished alongside Ancer and England’s Paul Casey at 13-under after three rounds, highlighted by a 6-under 64 on day two.
Ancer birdied the playoff hole, while his opponents had to settle for a bogey.
“It was a step in the right direction this week,” said Smith, who had started the final day six strokes back.
“Played some really patient golf over the weekend. A lot different than the first few weeks.”
Smith came into Hong Kong with a previous season best of T8 in his opening event of the year.
In China, Minjee Lee was in contention throughout the Blue Bay LPGA tournament, eventually finishing in a tie for fourth at 13-under, six shots behind the winner, American Bailey Tardy.
Watch golf live and on-demand on Kayo
The world No.5, who won this event in 2016, led after a first-round 65 but gave up her advantage with a 72 on day two.
The first women’s major for 2024, the Chevron Championship, starts on April 18.
On the PGA TOUR, Cam Davis was the best-placed Australian at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, finishing in equal 18th after a closing round of 2-under 70 at Bay Hill improved his position by 13 places.
Only four players shot in the 60s on Sunday, led by a 66 from world No.1 Scottie Scheffler who triumphed by five shots.
Gabi Ruffels turned in a solid week in her second LPGA event of 2024 to end up T15.
On the secondary Epson Tour, Cassie Porter started her year in fine style, finishing third, just two shots out of a playoff, at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic.
Meanwhile, on the PGA TOUR Champions, Greg Chalmers produced a top 10 on debut, claiming a share of seventh at the Cologuard Classic, just four shots behind the winner, Joe Durant.
“I am so excited!! T7 gets me into the next event in a week..this has been one of the most enjoyable experiences of my career,” Chalmers said on X/Twitter.
PGA TOUR
Arnold Palmer Invitational
Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Orlando, Florida
1 Scottie Scheffler 70-67-70-66–273 US$4,000,000
T18 Cam Davis 72-70-74-70–286 $289,000
T36 Jason Day 70-74-73-73–290 $88,375
T44 Min Woo Lee 69-73-76-73–291 $64,000
MC Adam Scott 73-76
Puerto Rico Open
Grand Reserve Golf Club, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
1 Brice Garnett 66-66-68-69–269 US$720,000
T23 Aaron Baddeley 70-69-67-70–276 $32,333
T42 Harrison Endycott 69-71-68-70–278 $13,423
MC Gareth Steyn (a) 71-73
MC Geoff Ogilvy 71-75
LPGA Tour
Blue Bay LPGA
Jian Lake Blue Bay Course, China
1 Bailey Tardy (USA) 68-70-66-65–269 US$330,000
T4 Minjee Lee 65-72-70-68–275 $95,907
T15 Gabi Ruffels 72-71-68-70–281 $29,247
MC Karis Davidson 72-75
MC Robyn Choi 75-73
DP World Tour
Jonsson Workwear Open
Glendower Golf Club, Edenvale, South Africa
1 Matteo Manassero 68-61-67-66–262 €255,000
T17 Jason Scrivener 68-66-70-68–272
LIV Golf
LIV Golf Hong Kong
Hong Kong Golf Club, Sheung Shui, Hong Kong
1 Abraham Ancer 63-62-72–197 US$4,000,000
T2 Cam Smith 67-64-66–197 $1.875,000
T2 Paul Casey (Eng ) 66-67-64–197 $1.875,000
(Ancer won on first playoff hole)
T15 Lucas Herbert 70-64-67–201 $278,750
T21 Matt Jones 64-68-71–203 $204,286
T29 Marc Leishman 68-68-69–205 $165,000
Champions Tour
Cologuard Classic
La Paloma Country Club, Tucson, Arizona
1 Joe Durant (USA) 67-66-67–200 US$330,000
T2 Steve Alker (NZ) 69-68-65–202 $161,333
T7 Greg Chalmers 67-70-67–204 $59.086
T17 David Bransdon 66-70-70–206 $32,065
T21 Steve Allen 71-68-68–207 $23,833
T21 Mark Hensby 71-66-70–207 $23,833
T27 Michael Wright 72-69-67–208 $18,260
T32 John Senden 71-67-71–209 $14,850
T43 Richard Green 75-67-69–211 $8800
T49 Rod Pampling 70-70-72–212 $6380
T61 Stuart Appleby 70-73-72–215 $3300
Korn Ferry Tour
Astara Chile Classic
Prince of Wales Country Club, Santiago, Chile
1 Taylor Dickson 68-67-70-66–271 US$180,000
T47 Curtis Luck 65-75-70-71–281 $4310
MC Rhein Gibson 75-66–141
MC Brett Drewitt 72-70–142
MC Charlie Hillier (NZ) 75-70–145
Epson Tour
Florida’s Natural Charity Classic
Country Club of Winter Haven, Winter Haven, Florida
1 Valery Plata (Col) 70-66-70–206 US$37,500
3 Cassie Porter 69-69-70–208 $17.092
MC Amelia Garvey (NZ) 77-73
MC Su Oh 76-79
Rick Kulacz and Andrew Kelly are the joint winners at the MMD Geelong 9 Hole Pro-Am, the last of the 2023-24 adidas PGA Pro-Am Series.
Both Kulacz and Kelly finished the 9-hole track at 4-under, with four players tied third at 3-under.
Redemption was the theme of today for Kelly, who only narrowly lost out yesterday at Eynesbury to Andrew Campbell in a playoff.
Kulacz also backed up a solid day yesterday at Eynesbury, where he finished 2-back of the leaders, pleased to be heading back to WA after going one better today.
While Kelly has had a fruitful season, the drought-breaking win for Kulacz marks a welcome return to the winner’s circle.
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
Kulacz played the Geelong course blemish-free today, with birdies coming at one, four, six and seven, the rest pars.
The West Australian wasn’t overly pleased with his game, but said the putter kept him in it.
Kelly took a slightly different journey to the winning number, with an early bogey seeing him 1-over after three.
An eagle at the par-5 fourth, and three more birdies coming in, saw the Victorian charge home to the joint win.
WHAT THE WINNERS SAID
Kulacz:
“I was just pretty scrappy to be honest tee to green, but holed a lot of good putts, which kind of kept the momentum going,” said Kulacz.
“The game hasn’t been great, so it’s nice to see a couple of red numbers at least the last week or so.
“Heading to Q-school start of April, try and get status back and we’ll go from there.”
Kelly:
“Very happy actually, I was sort of gearing up for a big week and yeah it went really well,” said Kelly.
“I practise a lot. I still enjoy practising, I haven’t sort of lost the passion to practise.
“Looking forward to the challenge of having some expectations, or at least dealing with them, and looking forward to playing that course (The National), and seeing if the form can keep going.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
-4 Rick Kulacz
-4 Andrew Kelly
-3 Alex Edge
-3 Darcy Brereton
-3 Austin Bautista
-3 Chris Wood
NEXT UP
The MMD Geelong 9 Hole Pro-Am was the last of the 2023-24 adidas PGA Pro-Am Series, what a successful series it has been!
After a dramatic three-way playoff, which saw players take two extra trips down the 18th fairway, Andrew Campbell has emerged as the 2024 Eynesbury Masters Pro-Am champion.
The win at Eynesbury also secures Campbell the national order of merit, even with one event to go tomorrow at Geelong, he cannot be beaten.
Joining Campbell in the playoff was Matias Sanchez and Andrew Kelly, who all shot 4-under in the afternoon groupings.
All three players made par on the first playoff hole, with Campbell and Kelly getting up and down from tricky positions.
With Sanchez and Kelly both in for par on the second playoff hole, the stage was clear for Campbell to drain his 20-footer for birdie and the win.
Queenslander William Bruyeres and Austin Bautista, who was playing alongside Campbell and Sanchez, finished just back from the leaders at 3-under.
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
Starting his day – fittingly – on 18-tee, Campbell got off to a dream start, making birdie on his opening hole.
A double-bogey two holes later however saw Campbell over-par early, but this was his first and only blemish of the day.
Campbell played flawlessly, with five more birdies coming in. Needing one more birdie for the outright win on his final hole, the short par-4 17th, Campbell’s putt just slid by.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“Testing conditions out there, just kept playing my game and keeping myself in it, I knew I was up around the lead.”
“It’s pretty sweet to get a victory at any time, but especially here at Eynesbury.”
“Matias was a little bit sneaky, I didn’t realise he birdied the last two to get in the playoff, I was just trying to beat Austin!”
“There was a lot of good golf in the group so it just kept us going.”
“We go to Geelong tomorrow, and we got our last tour event at The National next week, so this is going to give me a heap of confidence going into that week.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
-4 Andrew Campbell
-4 Andrew Kelly
-4 Matias Sanchez
-3 William Bruyeres
-3 Austin Bautista
-2 Rick Kulacz
-2 Kyle Michel
-2 Chris Wood
NEXT UP
The final Pro-Am series event for the season is tomorrow, with players heading to the MMd Geelong 9-hole Pro-Am.
It delayed his flight home to Chattanooga, Tennessee but David Hill left a happy man after his two-stroke win at the TFH Hire Services Goonawarra Legends Pro-Am.
A regular returnee to the PGA Legends Tour from his home in the US, Hill wielded a putter he had been given the night before with renewed confidence, his 4-under 66 at Goonawarra Golf Club in Melbourne’s north-west two to the better of Andre Stolz (68), Brendan Chant (68) and Scott Ford (68).
It was Hill’s first win since the Gardiners Run Legends Pro-Am a tick over 12 months ago and the perfect way to bring his Aussie stint to a close.
“I come out to Australia for a month or two each year, try and play the Melbourne schedule and this year I included New Zealand,” said Hill.
“By the time I come to the end I’m normally just getting warmed up so today was a big thrill.
“I was supposed to be on a 3 o’clock flight to head back to Chattanooga, Tennessee but that all had to change and we’re now headed out at 8.30.”
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
A 30-footer for birdie on his opening hole was an ideal introduction to Hill’s new putter but his round wasn’t without its setbacks.
He picked up a second birdie inside his first three holes at the par-4 first but then had to endure a three-hole stretch on the bogey train.
The 63-year-old returned to red numbers with birdies at five and six but it was his final flurry that would prove the difference, three birdies in his final five holes building the buffer he needed to make the plane ride home one to savour.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I’ve been playing OK but really struggling with the putter. Last night at about 6pm I visited a local guy who is an expert in putters. Talked through a few things, he gave me a great putter last night and first hole, 30-footer, boom, went in. I missed two or three short ones but I putted well and I knew that if I could putt well, I could contend. Well, I was shocked, 4-under.
“The goals are the same as they have been the past 30 years; I just want to play to my potential, whatever that is. And I just feel like I am underperforming a lot but today I didn’t underperform.
“Whether I won or not, I’m just happy that I played to my potential.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 David Hill 66
T2 Andre Stolz 68
T2 Brendan Chant 68
T2 Scott Ford 68
5 David Diaz 69
T6 Peter Fowler 70
T6 Carl Smedley 70
T6 Christopher Hynes 70
T6 Adam Henwood 70
T6 Martin Peterson 70
NEXT UP
There is a short break in the schedule before the PGA Legends Tour embarks on its South Australian swing, starting with the QUBE Logistics Legends Pro-Am at Aston Hills Golf Club on March 20.
Gavin Fairfax has upstaged a Tour-quality field thanks to a bogey-free 6-under 67 to win the Bendigo Bank Dingley Village Community – Keysborough Golf Club Pro-Am.
With just two events left in the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series season, Fairfax’s first win since the Traralgon Pro-Am in December was well-timed as he seeks to wrap up his Pro-Am category for the 2024/2025 season.
The Brisbane native is looking ahead to Japan Golf Tour Qualifying School in September and will take confidence from a triumph over players the calibre of Matthew Griffin, Marcus Fraser, Braden Becker and Peter Wilson.
“Today was a big turning point,” said Fairfax, who has been top-seven in each of his past three starts.
“I had a bit of rust just because I hadn’t had any tournament rounds until early this year.
“Not having any errors on the card today was a big confidence-booster.
“Played up at Newcastle and went close a couple of times up there. Didn’t quite get over the line but managed to get the win today.”
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
The last name on the tee sheet as he teed off in the second group off 18 at 12.30pm on Thursday, Fairfax wasted little time in making his way up the leaderboard.
He birdied the par-4 18th and par-5 first to commence his round and picked up shots at five and eight to reach 4-under as he teed off on 10.
He birdied that hole also and, after a run of five pars, picked up his sixth and final birdie of the day at the par-5 16th to finish two strokes clear of Jack Harrison (69), Andrew Kelly (69) and Cameron John (69).
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I haven’t played here for probably four years but the course was absolutely sensational. Couldn’t fault it.
“Got off to a bit of a hot start, didn’t make any bogeys on the day, and got the holes that I should have got.
“Got the short, gettable ones and kept the errors off the card.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Gavin Fairfax 67
T2 Jack Harrison 69
T2 Andrew Kelly 69
T2 Cameron John 69
T5 Edward Donoghue 70
T5 Alex Edge 70
T5 Michael Choi 70
T5 Nathan Page 70
T5 Braden Becker 70
NEXT UP
Less than $1,500 separates the top three on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series Order of Merit heading into the penultimate event of the season, the $50,000 Eynesbury Masters at Eysenbury Golf Course on Saturday. The season then concludes on Sunday with the MMD Geelong 9-Hole Pro-Am at Geelong Golf Club.
Noted US-based PGA Professional Will Robins, who turned to golf coaching after sustaining injuries in the 2004 Thailand tsunami, has today been announced as the first keynote speaker for this year’s Golf Summit.
Focusing on the power of on-course coaching, Robins will present multiple times during the two-day conference, hosted by Golf Australia and PGA of Australia, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on October 16-17.
Growing up in the United Kingdom, Robins moved to the United States to play college golf in Monterey, California, and graduated with a BBA in Marketing and Management from Northwood University in Florida in 2000.
Robins carved a career playing on the mini tours in the US before an incident on his honeymoon changed his life forever, and guided his future coaching philosophy.
Robins and his wife sustained injuries in the Indian Ocean tsunami, and these injuries put a stop to his playing days and ultimately led him into coaching.
Early in his coaching career, Robins noticed that most students came to him in a state of frustration which had reached a point where they no longer enjoyed golf. He took his playing skills and experience of survival to tailor a coaching program to inspire his students to love the game of golf again.
“Everyone has a tsunami in their life. Maybe It’s cancer, or a bankruptcy, or the death of a loved one. But there will always be a storm. The question is how you deal with it,” says Robins
A certified PGA professional, Robins is revolutionising global golf instruction through his coaching programs, guaranteeing results for players and doubling teaching/coaching revenue for instructors.
He owns WRGolf Coaching and is CEO of Robins Golf Logistix (RGX), based in Sacramento County, CA, where he mentors more than 80 coaches worldwide on implementing accelerated and guaranteed result programs.
Through his coaching and speaking, Robins inspires employees, clients and teams to overcome seemingly impossible objections and challenges and come out as better people.
Promising to be the Asia-Pacific region’s premier event welcoming the entire golf industry, tickets for the 2024 Golf Summit are on sale now.
Find tickets HERE.
Somebody get DJ Khaled on the phone because we’ve got ‘another one’. Just as the PGA TOUR Champions fraternity come to terms with Aussies taking four of five spots on offer at Qualifying School last December, Greg Chalmers has Monday qualified for this week’s Cologuard Classic in Arizona.
Denied the opportunity to try and Monday qualify for the first Champions Tour he was eligible to enter in October last year – he turned 50 two days after the qualifier – Chalmers only narrowly missed joining Cameron Percy, David Bransdon, Michael Wright and Steve Allan in securing a full card at Q School.
The two-time Australian Open and Australian PGA champion finished one shot shy of forcing a playoff for the fifth and final card but will now make his senior circuit debut, taking the total number of Aussies in the field to eight.
Ironically, Chalmers was already exempt into the Puerto Rico Open on the PGA TOUR but, in typical Chalmers style, is instead embracing his new status as a rookie on tour.
“This will be my first Champions Tour event and I might be a little excited about it,” said Chalmers in a tweet that garnered 279 comments, 45 retweets and close to 2,000 likes.
I just dropped my rental car off and picked up a tournament car @CologuardGolf …all the players get one😎(this is known as a “flex”)
— Greg Chalmers (@GregChalmersPGA) March 5, 2024
Chalmers is not the only Australian making their debut on a major tour this week.
West Australian amateur Gareth Steyn will make his PGA TOUR debut in Puerto Rico thanks to his victory at the White Sands Bahamas NCAA Men’s Invitational last October.
A redshirt sophomore at Georgia State University who hails from Joondalup in Perth, Steyn was formerly at Augusta University and is trying to treat this week as he would any other playing college golf.
“I haven’t prepared any differently from how I prepare for collegiate events because, at the end of the day, it’s still golf and lowest score wins,” Steyn said prior to arriving in Puerto Rico.
“If anything, that is a form of preparation, trying to make the event not bigger than what it actually is.”
Showing just what a step up in class he is facing, Steyn expects that the closest comparison he has to the crowds expected in Puerto Rico are those who turned out for the club championships back home at Joondalup Country Club.
“We have a very passionate membership at Joondalup and we get hundreds of members coming out to watch our club champion final,” Steyn added.
“Even though it’s an event that doesn’t really mean much, that’s probably the most support I’ve had.
“I don’t know what to expect, how many people will support me because obviously there will be bigger crowds around the bigger players, but I’m sure there’ll still be quite a lot around hole one and hole 18.”
Georgia State golfer Gareth Steyn discusses his opportunity to play in the this week's @PuertoRicoOpen.
— GSU Men's Golf (@GSU_MGolf) March 4, 2024
More ➡️ https://t.co/S13ivxfB6x#LightItBlue | #24PROpen pic.twitter.com/kFlN0MKTCT
Min Woo Lee’s runner-up finish at the Cognizant Classic has earned him a spot in the field for the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Adam Scott granted a sponsor’s exemption to join fellow Aussies Jason Day and Cam Davis at Bay Hill.
Also this week, Cameron Smith will be out to go one better at Hong Kong Golf Club for the inaugural LIV Golf Hong Kong.
Smith was runner-up to Ben Campbell in the Hong Kong Open late last year and is trying to solidify the work that he and coach Grant Field have done to improve his performance with the driver.
Photo: Tim Heitman/Getty Images
Round 1 tee times AEDT
PGA TOUR
Arnold Palmer Invitational
Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Orlando, Florida
12:15am Will Zalatoris, Min Woo Lee
12:55am Jason Day, Tom Hoge
3:35am Cam Davis, Denny McCarthy
5:40am Sami Valimaki, Adam Scott
Defending champion: Kurt Kitayama
Past Aussie winners: Rod Pampling (2006), Jason Day (2016), Marc Leishman (2017)
Prize money: $US20 million
TV times: Live 5am-10am Friday, Saturday; Live 2am-10am Sunday; Live 1:30am-9am Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Puerto Rico Open
Grand Reserve Golf Club, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
10:45pm* Andrew Landry, Nate Lashley, Aaron Baddeley
10:56pm* Nicholas Lindheim, Harrison Endycott, Justin Hastings (a)
3:19am Geoff Ogilvy, George McNeill, Derek Lamely
4:14am Jimmy Stanger, Max Greyserman, Gareth Steyn (a)
Defending champion: Nico Echavarria
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US4 million
TV times: Live 2am-5am Friday, Saturday on Fox Sports 503; Live 6:30am-9am Sunday; Live 5:30am-8am Monday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.
DP World Tour
Jonsson Workwear Open
Glendower Golf Club, Edenvale, South Africa
9:30pm* Jason Scrivener, Johannes Veerman, Louis Albertse
Defending champion: Nick Bachem
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US1.5 million
TV times: Live 9pm-2am Thursday, Friday; Live 9:30pm-2am Saturday; Live 8:30pm-1:30am Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
LPGA Tour
Blue Bay LPGA
Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course, People’s Republic of China
10:30am* Celine Boutier, Lydia Ko (NZ), Minjee Lee
11:25am Robyn Choi, Caroline Inglis, Yue Ren
11:36am* Karis Davidson, Yijia Ren (a), Sarah Schmelzel
3:33pm Gabriela Ruffels, Miranda Wang, Yunxuan Zhang
Defending champion: Gaby Lopez (2018)
Past Aussie winners: Minjee Lee (2016)
Prize money: $US2.2 million
TV times: Live 3pm-8pm Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
LIV Golf
LIV Golf Hong Kong
Hong Kong Golf Club, Sheung Shui, Hong Kong
Australasians in the field: Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert, Matt Jones, Danny Lee (NZ)
Defending champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US20 million
TV times: Live from 3:15pm Friday, Saturday, Sunday on 7 Plus
Korn Ferry Tour
Astara Chile Classic
Prince of Wales Country Club, Santiago, Chile
10:05pm Tag Ridings, Curtis Luck, Frankie Capan III
10:35pm Brett Drewitt, Chris Petefish, Jacob Solomon
11:25pm Walker Lee, Charlie Hillier (NZ), Luke Long
2:35am Jorge Fernández Valdés, Rhein Gibson, Rick Lamb
Defending champion: Ben Kohles
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US1 million
PGA TOUR Champions
Cologuard Classic
La Paloma Country Club, Tucson, Arizona
Australasians in the field: Steven Alker (NZ), Stuart Appleby, David Bransdon, Greg Chalmers, Richard Green, Mark Hensby, Rod Pampling, John Senden, Michael Wright
Defending champion: David Toms
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US2.2 million
TV times: 1:30pm-3pm Saturday on Fox Sports 503; Live 9am-11am Sunday; Live 8am-11am Monday on Fox Sports 505.
Epson Tour
Florida’s Natural Charity Classic
Country Club of Winter Haven, Winter Haven, Florida
Australasians in the field: Amelia Garvey (NZ), Cassie Porter, Su Oh
Defending champion: Agathe Laisne
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US250,000
Steven Jones hadn’t won in almost seven years, yet he felt it coming. So confident was Jones that after handing in his card for a 3-under 69 that earned him a share of fourth at the Heidelberg Pro-Am, he said as much.
“I did say that I thought I would win something soon,” admitted Jones admitted, whose last win on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series was at Wynnum Golf Club in Brisbane in December 2017.
That prediction came to fruition less than a week later with a two-stroke victory at the Dallas Building and Maintenance Northern Pro-Am at Northern Golf Club on Tuesday.
After a slight stumble with a bogey at his second hole, Jones put the foot down… and kept it down.
“I gave myself a mission this morning before I teed off that if I do start going well again to just keep going,” he added.
His round of 7-under 65 gave him a two-stroke buffer from good friends Darcy Brereton (67) and Ed Donoghue (67) with Zach Maxwell (68), Gavin Fairfax (68) and Brock Gillard (68) sharing fourth.
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
Starting from the third hole, Jones made bogey at his second hole, the par-3 fourth, but he would be back in red numbers shortly thereafter.
One of the longest hitters on tour, Jones made eagle at the 314-metre par-4 seventh and followed it with birdie at the par-5 eighth.
Two further birdies followed at 10 and 11 and he went back-to-back again at 15 and 16, a final birdie at two the exclamation point on what will be a popular win throughout Australian golf.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I’ve been playing really well and getting close.
“I’ve been putting in some work on the game and it’s come to fruition which is great.
“I had about five years off and didn’t play at all so probably the Wynnum Pro-Am back in 2017 or 2018.
“It’s been a while so it’s good to get the trophy.
“I like Keysborough, it’s a good course. It’s got five par 5s which suits me. Have played well there in the past too so looking forward to that, should be a good test.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Steven Jones 65
T2 Darcy Brereton 67
T2 Edward Donoghue 67
T4 Zachary Maxwell 68
T4 Brock Gillard 68
T4 Gavin Fairfax 68
NEXT UP
There are just three events left in the 2023/2024 adidas PGA Pro-Am Series season, starting with the Bendigo Bank Dingley Village Community – Keysborough Golf Club Pro-Am at Keysborough Golf Club on Thursday.
Brad Burns’ third win of the 2024 PGA Legends Tour season could be his last as he ponders a return to his former role working in the mines in Central Queensland.
With prior strong performances at Club Mandalay to call upon, Burns posted 5-under 67 to win the Undercover Roasters Legends Pro-Am by one stroke from reigning Order of Merit champion Andre Stolz.
Burns is a four-time Order of Merit winner himself with 13 tournament wins in the past two years alone but could be on the verge of walking away from tournament golf.
“I’m playing very nicely but I’ve got a couple of decisions to make in the next couple of weeks,” Burns revealed.
“I’m contemplating on whether to go back to the mines and work again or keep playing, I’m not too sure yet.”
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
It took Burns just two holes to find the first of what would be eight birdies in his round.
Paired with Euan Walters and starting from the par-3 15th, Burns made back-to-back birdies at 16 and 17 to get out in front of the field early.
He dropped a shot at the par-4 18th but responded in the best way possible with three birdies on the trot to start Club Mandalay’s front nine.
A birdie at the par-5 sixth saw Burns move out to 5-under, a mark he stayed at as he moved to the 10th hole after a bogey on eight and birdie on nine.
As he did throughout the round, Burns bounced back from a bogey on 12 with a birdie on 13 and then made on 14 to edge Stolz by a shot with Peter Fowler (69) third.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I drove it really good and putted really good so that obviously helps.
“Plenty of run out there too.
“I love the place actually. I’ve had a win and a couple of seconds.
“The course is in really good nick. The fairways are good, the greens are fantastic; they do a fantastic job here at Mandalay.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Brad Burns 67
2 Andre Stolz 68
3 Peter Fowler 69
4 Adam Henwood 70
T5 Shane Johnson 71
T5 Tim Elliott 71
T5 Euan Walters 71
NEXT UP
The PGA Legends Tour will next tee it up at Goonawarra Golf Club in Melbourne’s north-west on Friday for the TFH Hire Services Goonawarra Legends Pro-Am.
