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Brendan Jones doesn’t expect to win this week’s New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sports. No matter his affinity for the Millbrook Resort just outside Queenstown, Jones knows that the odds are stacked against him.
He knows that fairytales rarely come with sequels.
Yet despite the prospect of leaving New Zealand on Monday without the Brodie Breeze Trophy that now bears his name as the 2023 champion, Jones is ready to revel in everything that comes with being the defending champion.
And while having his face plastered across posters is unfamiliar for a veteran with 15 victories on the Japan Golf Tour to his name, Jones is savouring an experience he knows doesn’t come along too often.
The 2024 #NZOpen is officially under way ⛳️
— New Zealand Open (@NZOpenGolf) February 28, 2024
Everything you need to know:
📈 Live scoring: https://t.co/cBJmS9d79S
💻 Live blog: https://t.co/Kz3GiDYYu0
🚶♀️ Spectator info: https://t.co/v6fWFLGtWk
📺 TV Times: https://t.co/j43K8iUI4w pic.twitter.com/yAnOOtkwS5
“I am confident of putting in a good showing but to say I am going to defend and be a two-time New Zealand Champion is a bit far-fetched,” said Jones, who was runner-up to Kazuma Kobori at the Webex Players Series Sydney earlier this month.
“The only thing that I’ve been thinking about is that I will be flying back to Australia on Monday not as the current New Zealand Open champ and that is making me a little sad.
“I’ve still got four days of golf in front of me and if I do what I did last year, then who knows? It was a bit of a fairytale for me last year.
“I have won a lot of tournaments around the place but not too many when I understand what’s going on because in Japan I don’t speak Japanese and they don’t really want to talk to me the next year.
“This is special. This is my favourite golf tournament to play anywhere in the world and I’m coming back to my favourite place in the world.
“It’s just exciting to be back.”
Another excited to be back in Queenstown is local favourite Steven Alker.
A phenomenon since joining the PGA TOUR Champions in late 2021, Alker is also a realist when it comes to opportunities to win his national open.
The New Zealand PGA champion in 2009, Alker shot 65 in Round 1 at Millbrook a year ago before finishing tied for 30th.
Now 52 years of age, Alker wants to parlay his eight wins on the Champions Tour in the past three years into a treasured victory on home soil.
“I am still competitive. I am still playing professional golf,” said Alker, who will have wife Tanya on the bag this week for the first time since the 2014 US Open.
“There is probably not too many left in me, so just to come back to play and compete in New Zeeland when we are in New Zealand… It is a special place to come back to.”
At the other end of the career spectrum, much attention this week will be centred on rookie Kazuma Kobori.
A three-time winner this season on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, Kobori is all but guaranteed a spot on the DP World Tour for the 2025 season, Alker a keen observer from the other side of the world.
“I have been reading the press and how he has been playing,” said Alker.
“It’s very impressive if you compare it with what Tiger Woods did when he was young and started his career, although on a different level.
“To win events at his age as a professional is impressive. I wouldn’t have ever dreamt of that when turning pro but the young guys coming out now seem to be ready to play and hungry to win.
“He has obviously got that which is great and being from New Zealand is even better.”
More majors and an Olympic medal are Minjee Lee’s primary focus as she makes her 2024 debut at this week’s HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore.
A two-time runner up at Sentosa Golf Club, Lee starts the year as the No.5-ranked player in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking thanks in no small part to her blistering finish to her 2023 campaign.
After an uncharacteristically slow start to her year, in her last seven starts to 2023 Lee won the Kroger Queen City Championship and the BMW Ladies Championship, was runner-up at the Hana Financial Group Championship and Women’s Australian Open and had top-10 finishes at the Aramco Team Series – Riyadh and the CME Group Tour Championship.
It was a dramatic form reversal that the 27-year-old hopes to carry into a 2024 campaign ripe with opportunity.
“I didn’t really have the quick start to the year last year,” Lee conceded.
“It was really nice to finish off with some confidence and a couple wins there and some good finishes.
“Hopefully I can keep the good momentum going into the start of this year and the rest of the year.”
Welcome Reception @HWWCGolf! 📸 pic.twitter.com/0XXKO6OsEK
— LPGA (@LPGA) February 28, 2024
Now a two-time major winner and with 10 career wins on the LPGA Tour, Lee’s resume is on a trajectory that will be LPGA Hall of Fame worthy by the time she finishes.
With five majors on the line again in 2024 along with a third Olympic campaign in Paris, Lee may never have a greater opportunity to have the year of her life.
“Obviously it’s a big year with the Olympics and all the majors,” said Lee, the only Australian golfer to compete at both the Rio and Tokyo Olympics.
“They are always on the top of my priority list, I guess. Always want to be playing well in those and contending.”
As for her outstanding record at Sentosa Golf Club, Lee believes the challenge of the golf course plays to her greatest strength.
“I definitely think ball-striking is a big thing out here,” said Lee, who has been drawn to play with New Zealand’s Lydio Ko and last week’s winner, Patty Tavatanakit.
“You want to hit the fairways, hit the greens and you’ll have good chances with birdies.
“That is a big key around the course.”
It shapes as a big week, too, for Minjee’s younger brother, Min Woo Lee.
Lee and Aaron Baddeley are the only two Aussies in the field for the PGA TOUR’s Cognizant Classic at PGA National, Lee now second behind Jason Day as leading Aussies on the Official World Golf Ranking.
The Olympic team will not be named until June but having moved past Cameron Smith (45), Lee – currently 42nd – can advance his cause further with a strong showing in Florida.
Smith will once again lead Ripper GC at this week’s LIV Golf event in Saudi Arabia while three-time PGA Tour of Australasia winner, Tom Power Horan, joins the Aussie contingent at this week’s Argentina Open on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Round 1 tee times AEDT
PGA TOUR
Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches
PGA National Resort (The Champion Cse), Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
3:45am Greyson Sigg, SH Kim, Ryan Fox (NZ)
4:07am Lanto Griffin, Denny McCarthy, Min Woo Lee
5:02am Aaron Baddeley, Padraig Harrington, Justin Lower
Defending champion: Chris Kirk
Past Aussie winners: Stuart Appleby (1997), Adam Scott (2016), Matt Jones (2021)
Prize money: $US9 million
TV times: 11:30pm-10am Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
LPGA Tour
HSBC Women’s World Championship
Sentosa Golf Club (Tanjong Cse), Singapore
11:25am* Aditi Ashok, Hannah Green, Andrea Lee
11:44am Esther Henseleit, Sarah Kemp, Lim Kim
12:25pm* Carlota Ciganda, Grace Kim, Miranda Wang
1:13pm* Eun-Hee Ji, Stephanie Kyriacou, Azahara Munoz
1:20pm Lydia Ko (NZ), Minjee Lee, Patty Tavatanakit
Defending champion: Jin Young Ko
Past Aussie winners: Karrie Webb (2011)
Prize money: $US1.8 million
TV times: Live 1:30pm-6:30pm Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.
DP World Tour
SDC Championship
St Francis Links, Eastern Cape, South Africa
4:50pm* Jason Scrivener, JC Ritchie, Marco Penge
8:30pm Toto Thimba Jnr, Keegan McLachlan, Haydn Barron
10:20pm Sam Jones (NZ), Richie O’Donovan, Nikhil Rama
Defending champion: Matthew Baldwin
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US1.5 million
LIV Golf
LIV Golf Jeddah
Royal Greens Golf and Country Club, Saudi Arabia
Australasians in the field: Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert, Matt Jones, Danny Lee (NZ)
Defending champion: Brooks Koepka
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US25 million
TV times: Live from 6:15pm Friday, Saturday, Sunday on 7 Plus.
Korn Ferry Tour
117 Visa Argentina Open
Olivos Golf Club, Buenos Aires, Argentina
9:53pm* Rhein Gibson, Jamie Lovemark, Cristobal Del Solar
10:24pm* Brendon Jelley, Ryan Hall, Tom Power Horan
2am Roberto Díaz, Curtis Luck, Tim Widing
2:10am Brett Drewitt, Quade Cummins, Braden Thornberry
Defending champion: Zack Fischer (2022)
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US1 million
For Australian David Micheluzzi, there was no question about taking a break from the DP World Tour and returning to Queenstown for his second New Zealand Open which is set to be a pivotal battleground in the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit race.
The reigning Order of Merit champion has his sights on retaining his title and comes into this week ranked fourth behind Kazuma Kobori, Daniel Gale and Brett Coletta, who are all in the field.
A win at Millbrook Resort could vault Micheluzzi back to No.1 with just one event, The National Tounament (March 14-17), remaining.
“Who wouldn’t want to come back to Queenstown,” said Micheluzzi. “Everything just adds up to me being here this week.
“To have two Order of Merit wins in a row, I don’t think that has been done in a long time so to have that, I think would be satisfying and I’m just looking forward to the whole experience.”
After enjoying a continuation of his 2022/23 form at the beginning of his season, including a win at the Vic PGA and a dramatic T2 with seven other players in the Queensland PGA Championship, Micheluzzi was propelled into second place on the Order of Merit, leadng a shift in his plans for the year.
“I did not expect to have a second and a win in my first two events of the season,” he said.
“That vaulted me up to second on the Order of Merit, so it changed my plans a little bit.
”There are a few events on the DP World Tour over the next few weeks but there is also a lot up for grabs this week.
“It’s quadruple (OOM) points this week and then we’ve got The National… If I can play really well, then that will set my year up very well.”
Preparing for his second appearance in Queenstown, Micheluzzi says he is feeling confident in his game, in particular his skill in shaping shots to navigate the Coronet and Remarkables courses.
“I’m hitting it okay at the moment so right now [my game] isn’t too bad. You have to shape your game to the pins and the slopes around here,” he said.
Micheluzzi is also comfortable to be playing a different, more relaxed tournament style, teaming up with an amateur partner over the first two days and hopefully again into the weekend.
“I love the format. I personally think there should be a lot more of these because there is a lot more to golf than what everyone sees and when you’re inside the ropes. I think it’s really cool,” he said.
“To see what the pros do right then, and right there, it is a massive thrill.
“If this tournament wasn’t here, the area wouldn’t be what it is.”
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.
Everything you need to know ahead of the 103rd New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sports from Thursday 29 February to Sunday 3 March.
Being played at the stunning Millbrook Resort, the tournament is one of three marquee events on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and the Tour’s penultimate event, with a share of $2 million NZD and 4,000 Order of Merit Points to be distributed.
For only the third time this summer, the best players on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia are up against the stars of the Asian Tour and a host of players from the Japanese Golf Tour.
Played along similar lines to the world-renowned Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland, the New Zealand Open also hosts up to 156 amateur players which will this year include the likes of Ash Barty, Ricky Ponting, Andy Lee, and Sir Ian Botham, each partnering with a professional in a two-person best-ball event, competing for the NZ Open Pro-Am Championship.
See the full Round 1 Draw here
🟡 Round 1 @NZOpenGolf 🟡#NZOpen
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) February 27, 2024
FORMAT – Professionals
Each professional will play one round at Millbrook Resort’s Coronet and Remarkables courses on the Thursday and Friday of the event. Both these rounds they will be partnered with an amateur player.
After round two, the top 60 Professionals (plus ties) will proceed to rounds three and four.
FORMAT – Amateurs
Each amateur will play with a professional in a two-person Pro-Am team in a two-ball best-ball format
On each hole, for the teams’ event, the best single net score from the two players will count towards the team score.
On the completion of the first two rounds, a Pro-Am teams cut will be made with the leading 40 teams going through to the third round on the Saturday at Millbrook Resort.
All amateurs who miss the two-round teams cut will have the opportunity to play at The Hills New Zealand Open Challenge.
After the third round, a final Pro-Am team cut will be made, with the best 10 teams going through to the final round at Millbrook Resort.
HOW TO FOLLOW
For live scoring and the latest news visit nzopen.com
Exclusive content and tournament updates will also be posted regularly on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia channels.
Instagram: @pgatouraus
Twitter: @PGAofAustralia
Facebook: @PGATourAus
Official hashtag: #NZOpen
HOW TO WATCH
In person – spectators will be admitted FREE at Millbrook Resort.
On your screen – 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
RECENT WINNERS
2023 – Brendan Jones
2020 – Brad Kennedy
2019 – Zach Murray
2018 – Daniel Nisbet
2017 – Michael Hendry
2016 – Matt Griffin
COURSE DESIGNER
OCCM – Mike Cocking (lead designer)
PLAYERS TO WATCH – Professional
Brendan Jones, defending champion and 15-time Japan Golf Tour
David Micheluzzi, reigning Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner
Kazuma Kobori, three-time winner on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia this season
Daniel Hillier, 2023 Betfred British Masters champion on DP World Tour
Tomoharu Otsuki, three-time winner on Japan Golf Tour
Jazz Janewattananond, former world No.38, seven-time Asian Tour winner
Steven Alker, winner of eight Champions Tour titles since November 2021
Jasper Stubbs, 2023 Asia-Pacific Amateur champion
PLAYERS TO WATCH – Amateurs
Ash Barty, former world No.1 tennis player
Larry Fitzgerald Jnr, second all-time for receiving yards in the NFL
Sir Ian Botham, England cricket legend
Sir Russell Coutts, world champion yachtsman and five-time America’s Cup winner
Sean Fitzpatrick, former All Blacks captain
Stephen Fleming, former New Zealand cricket captain
Andy Lee, TV and radio personality
Ricky Ponting, former Australian cricket captain
Click HERE to view all professional players.
Click HERE to view all Pro-Am Ambassadors.
A harsh lesson learned at last week’s Moama Masters paid off for veteran Terry Price with a one-stroke victory at the Settlers Run Legends Pro-Am at Settlers Run Golf and Country Club in Melbourne.
With the course playing long and tough, Price’s 3-under 69 was good enough to edge Terry Pilkadaris (70), Brendan Chant (70) and Tim Elliott (70) by a single stroke.
A three-time winner on the PGA Legends Tour last season, Price was in contention last week at Rich River Golf Club before a poor decision led to a double-bogey on his penultimate hole.
He would ultimately finish in a tie for ninth four shots back of winner Peter Lonard, making sure not to make the same mistake twice at Settlers Run.
“It was probably course management,” Price said of the key to his winning score.
“I played at Moama last week and made a silly mistake on the second-last hole which cost me about six places.
“I had an opportunity to be silly again today and did not do that so that was probably the best thing that happened today.”
HOW THE ROUND UNFOLDED
A bogey on his opening hole – the par-5 ninth – was not how Price had hoped to start his round.
He would recover in impressive fashion, though, making four birdies in the space of five holes from the par-4 12th to vault to the top of the leaderboard.
A birdie at the par-4 second helped to further separate Price from the field, his buffer trimmed to a single shot with a bogey at the par-4 fifth.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“It was a tough start. I played the easiest hole first and made a bogey so it looked like being a long day.
“Came good after that. A bogey at the end which was not really pleasing but, in the middle, very nice play.
“The course was set up very tough. We played off some back markers and the greens dried out this afternoon so birdies were not plentiful. The course was a real challenge; you had to have your thinking cap on.
“Gardiners Run on Friday will be my last event down here and I’m really looking forward to having a hit there. Barb Kelly and the team down there do a fantastic job and have been great supporters of the Legends Tour so looking forward to getting back there.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Terry Price 69
T2 Terry Pilkadaris 70
T2 Brendan Chant 70
T2 Tim Elliott 70
T5 Michael Long 71
T5 John Wade 71
T5 Peter Fowler 71
T5 Euan Walters 71
T5 Murray Lott 71
NEXT UP
The PGA Legends Tour is in central Melbourne on Thursday for The White Glove Movers Legends Pro-Am at Albert Park Golf Course before moving on to Gardiners Run Golf Course for the Gardiners Run Legends Pro-Am on Friday.
Kiwi Daniel Hiller will enter the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sports, starting on Thursday, with some advice from his country’s No.1 men’s golfer firmly in his mind.
While Ryan Fox is unable to be at Millbrook Resort as he commits to his first full year on the PGA TOUR, his influence remains strong with young New Zealanders such as Hillier, a winner on the DP World Tour for the first time in 2023 at the British Masters.
Fox’s tip to Hillier is simple and current for any week on tour – don’t change anything in his game to suit the golf course, no matter how spectacular the setting.
“There will be golf courses out there that suit me more than the others,” Hillier, the world No.150, said.
“I have played pretty well here in the past so if I play my game, and have a solid plan that I can trust and execute, hopefully you will see my name near the top of the leaderboard.”
In four starts on the DP World Tour in 2004, Hillier has made three cuts with a best finish of T23 at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship.
He was equal 12th in his home open last year, five shots behind the winner, Brendan Jones, after shooting four rounds in the 60s.
“My form has been OK. I haven’t played my best stuff for the first part of the year,” he said at today’s pre-tournament media conference.
“I know there is a long year ahead so I am not too fazed how the year has started. It would be nice for everything to click this week as it is obviously an exciting week ahead.
“The course is pure as always which is great. The rough is up a little bit but I did not spend much time in it today so hopefully I can keep that up.”
Hillier was part of an interesting practice group pairing on Tuesday, joining rookie Kazuma Kobori who has already claimed three Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia victories this year to lead the Order of Merit and have one hand on a 2024/25 DP World Tour card.
“He is really impressive to watch and you can see why he has done so well in Aussie this year,” Hillier said of his countryman.
“You can see he wants to get his hands on the trophy as well. I’m playing the first two rounds with him as well so we will be seeing a bit of each other.”
The star NZ duo will be on the Remarkables course on Thursday morning followed by the Coronet layout on Friday afternoon.
Photo: Daniel Hillier at the 2023 NZ Open presented by Sky Sports. Credit: Hannah Peters/Getty Images
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.
Four-time Order of Merit winner Brad Burns looks set for a tilt at a fifth PGA Legends Tour crown after a one-stroke win at the Southern Golf Club Legends Pro-Am in Melbourne.
Already a winner this season at the North Otago Legends Pro-Am in New Zealand, Burns recovered after a double-bogey mid-round to post 3-under 69 at Southern Golf Club for a one-shot win.
“Starting to get a little bit of form together so looking forward to them,” Burns said of the events coming up.
“There are some good tracks coming up and hopefully some good golf.”
Reigning Order of Merit champ Andre Stolz shared second spot with Martin Doyle, Grahame Stinson and Michael Long with Terry Pilkadaris one of six players to post 1-under 71 in his PGA Legends Tour debut.
HOW THE ROUND UNFOLDED
Paired with Peter Fowler and starting from the 12th tee, Burns took little time to find his groove.
Birdies at 13 and 14 gave him a strong foundation, a foundation that suffered a minor knock with a dropped shot at the par-3 16th.
He birdied the par-5 17th to move back to 2-under but was back to level par when a wrong club selection led to a double-bogey at the par-3 third.
A birdie at the par-5 seventh got him back in red figures before closing out his round with back-to-back birdies on 10 and 11 for a one-stroke win.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I played all right except for the double on three. I bogeyed another short par-3 as well but played quite nicely.
“I just hit the wrong club over the back. Chipped it on and three-putted. Pretty normal really.
“It’s a very good members track. The greens are fantastic, fairways are great, just a pleasure to play actually.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Brad Burns 69
T2 Grahame Stinson 70
T2 Martin Doyle 70
T2 Michael Long 70
T2 Andre Stolz 70
T6 Terry Pilkadaris 71
T6 David Diaz 71
T6 John Onions 71
T6 Robert Mitchell 71
T6 Michael Isherwood 71
NEXT UP
The PGA Legends Tour continues its Melbourne leg at Settlers Run Golf and Country Club on Tuesday to be followed by The White Glove Mover Legends Pro-Am at Albert Park Golf Course on Thursday.
No one ever described Tiger Woods’ game as ‘consistent’. Given Woods held the No.1 world ranking for 683 weeks – including 281 weeks straight – and made 142 consecutive cuts on the PGA TOUR, perhaps we should have.
‘Consistent’, though, is just not very sexy.
It verges on boring.
Ask golfers to sum up Tiger Woods in one word and you’re more likely to hear ‘thrilling’, ‘explosive’, ‘fearless’ and ‘box office’. (Yes, I know, that’s two words.)
But ask those who have spent the summer finishing second to Kazuma Kobori on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and you invariably get the same response: ‘Consistent’.
For a player with three wins in his first 10 starts as a professional – Hello, Mr Woods – and all but a lock for a DP World Tour card heading into this week’s New Zealand Open, it’s not meant as a slight.
It’s simply an admission that from tee-to-green he is all but flawless… and that he makes more putts than he misses.
In statistics provided by Matt Green of GreenForm Golf, Kobori is 109-under par this season in just nine events. (The next best is Brett Coletta at 86-under par.)
His average-to-par per round of -3.41 is 1.45 shots better than Coletta and he is ranked first in Back 9 Strokes Gained with +1.58.
It has been the hallmark of an amateur career that includes wins at the Australian Amateur, PGA Tour of Australasia Q School, Western Amateur in the US and individual honours at the Eisenhower Trophy… all in the past 14 months.
So, when those who have seen the 22-year-old play from close quarters – Ashley Lau, Jeffrey Guan and Kerry Mountcastle – describe his game as ‘consistent’, Kobori takes it as a compliment.
“It’s something that I’ve always had actually, consistency,” says Kobori, who is coached by Golf New Zealand National Coach, Jay Carter.
“As an amateur growing up, I was never one to really shoot the lights out. I was always cruising around 2-under, 3-under and over the course of a tournament I might get just under 10-under.
“Some weeks that’s OK, some weeks you get blown out by 15.
“It’s something that I have always had and for that to turn into a strength is very cool to see for me.”
Those who veer ever so slightly from the script use words that any rookie professional would love to be associated with.
3 x #WebexPlayersSeries Champion 🏆🏆🏆
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) February 11, 2024
Congratulations Kazuma Kobori 👏 pic.twitter.com/JoiOzwtDJi
Reigning Order of Merit champion David Micheluzzi – who also won three times in his breakout season last year – saw a side to Kobori that few others have when they were paired together in the final round of the Victorian PGA Championship at Moonah Links.
On that Sunday, Kobori began the day six shots clear but, in just his second start after turning professional, shot 77 to Micheluzzi’s 68 to end the day three back.
Now in his fifth year since turning pro himself, Micheluzzi saw enough to label Kobori’s game in a way that should also serve him well.
“Discipline.”
It’s a quality that the 22-year-old hopes to tap into again this week at the Millbrook Resort.
Low amateur in a top-10 finish 12 months ago, Kobori knows that Millbrook presents something of a different challenge to anything he has faced thus far this summer.
“It’s going to require a bit more discipline,” admitted the winner of Webex Players Series events at Cobram Barooga Golf Club, Rosebud Country Club and Castle Hill Country Club.
“There are certain places (at Millbrook) where if you miss it, I don’t care if you have the best short game in the world, you’re not getting up and down.
“I’ve talked to my coach, Jay Carter, and we’ve figured out a plan for this week and how we can prepare best.”
But perhaps the final word – literally – belongs to the person who knows his game best.
Although they are rarely in the same postcode these days, Momoka and Kazuma Kobori have grown up playing against each other.
They went head to head first on the Charles Tour in New Zealand and now the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, with bragging rights split.
So how does Momoka – and anyone who saw his putt on the 72nd hole at Rosebud – describe his game in one word?
“Clutch.”
Much more Tiger-like.
Photo: Kurt Thomson/Kurtogram
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.
The work he put in throughout 2023 is finally coming to fruition for Brock Gillard who earned his second adidas PGA Pro-Am Series win since December at the Cardinia Beaconhills Pro-Am.
The Head PGA Professional at Yarrambat Park Golf Course, Gillard’s pro-am starts have been infrequent yet his recent form has raised the possibility of returning to Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School in April.
Winner of the Maffra Pro-Am on December 11 and runner-up at Settlers Run on January 5, Gillard’s 6-under 65 in the morning round at Cardinia Beaconhills Golf Links would hold up all afternoon as Alex Edge (66), Kyle Michel (66) and Wade Lowrie (66) all got within one. Cameron Kelly and Lachlan Armour would round out the top five with rounds of 4-under 67.
HOW THE ROUND UNFOLDED
Starting his round from the 11th tee, Gillard was quick out of the blocks.
He birdied his second hole and then added two more at 14 and 15 to be 3-under after five.
A dropped shot at 16 was quickly forgotten with birdies at 17 and 18, heading to the front nine at 4-under par.
A second bogey at the par-3 second threatened to suck the life out of a round that showed so much promise early but he steadied with birdies at three and seven, separating himself from the field with a closing birdie at the par-5 10th.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I haven’t been playing that much but when I have been playing I’ve been hitting it really straight, which is a nice change, and the putter has been running a little bit hot.
“It’s been really nice for everything to be clicking.
“I did not touch a club at all (over Christmas). The 5-under at Settlers Run was a surprise and it’s a surprise again today.
“I really worked on my game last year and didn’t get the results that I wanted. It’s just shining through now.
“Q School is definitely on the radar. Haven’t made my decision just yet though. Need to see how things align with that but it’s definitely an option.
“I wouldn’t mind seeing a little bit more of this form before I dive more deeply back into it.
“It’s very nice to be able to turn up and actually post a nice score and enjoy your day.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Brock Gillard 65
T2 Wade Lowrie 66
T2 Alex Edge 66
T2 Kyle Michel 66
T5 Cameron Kelly 67
T5 Lachlan Armour 67
NEXT UP
The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series heads north into New South Wales on Wednesday for the 35 Latitude Waratah Pro-Am at Waratah Golf Club in Newcastle.
Queenslander Maverick Antcliff has recorded his best finish on international soil in close to three years in a timely boost ahead of this week’s New Zealand Open in Queenstown.
Antcliff required a tournament invite to take his place in the field at Millbrook Resort starting Thursday and will feel confident about utilising it to its fullest after a top-five finish at the Asian Tour’s International Series Oman.
Matching eventual champion Carlos Ortiz for round of the day on Sunday, Antcliff played his final 13 holes in 7-under par for a closing 6-under 65 and a tie for fourth.
Fourth at the Victorian PGA Championship last November and a three-time winner on the China Tour in 2019, it is Antcliff’s best finish outside of Australia since he was runner-up at the Canary Islands Championship on the DP World Tour back in May of 2021.
Antcliff was one of three Aussies to log top-10s in Oman with both Lucas Herbert and Travis Smyth finishing in a tie for 10th.
Antcliff was also not the only Aussie to finish inside the top five this past week.
West Australian Hayden Hopewell moved up to 13th in the Race to Mallorca standings with his third-place finish at the Challenge Tour’s NMB Championship in South Africa while Mark Hensby was the best of the strong Aussie contingent at the Trophy Hassan II on the PGA TOUR Champions.
Runner-up in the same event a year ago, Hensby finished three back of Ricardo Gonzalez to earn a share of third, Victorian Richard Green three shots further back in a tie for seventh.
Photo: Jason Butler/Getty Images
Results
PGA TOUR
Mexico Open at Vidanta
Vidanta Vallarta, Vallarta, Mexico
1 Jake Knapp 67-64-63-71—265 $US1.458m
T24 Aaron Baddeley 68-70-69-68—275 $61,695
MC Harrison Endycott 73-70—143
MC Ryan Fox (NZ) 71-73—144
DP World Tour
Magical Kenya Open
Muthaiga GC, Nairobi, Kenya
1 Darius Van Driel 66-69-68-67—270 €392,570.38
T42 Sam Jones (NZ) 68-70-70-72—280 €12,008.04
T64 Haydn Barron 72-69-69-74—284 €5,426.71
MC Connor McKinney 71-75—146
MC Tom Power Horan 75-71—146
Asian Tour
International Series Oman
Al Mouj Golf, Oman
1 Carlos Ortiz 67-69-68-65—269 $US360,000
T4 Maverick Antcliff 74-68-68-65—275 $91,000
T10 Lucas Herbert 70-69-67-72—278 $33,975
T10 Travis Smyth 69-68-68-73—278 $33,975
T14 Kevin Yuan 67-68-74-71—280 $27,100
T14 Justin Warren 70-70-68-72—280 $27,100
T22 Aaron Wilkin 73-69-71-71—284 $20,600
T27 Jed Morgan 71-73-73-68—285 $17,900
T31 Deyen Lawson 71-66-75-74—286 $15,228.57
T31 Scott Hend 69-71-71-75—286 $15,228.57
T48 Zach Murray 75-69-75-70—289 $9,200
T58 Andrew Dodt 75-69-71-76—291 $6,600
T63 Wade Ormsby 73-71-74-74—292 $5,800
MC Harrison Crowe 71-74—145
MC Jack Thompson 73-74—147
MC Marcus Fraser 75-73—148
MC Matt Jones 78-71—149
MC Danny Lee (NZ) 78-73—151
MC Todd Sinnott 75-77—152
WD Ben Campbell (NZ) 76
LPGA Tour
Honda LPGA Thailand
Siam Country Club (Old Cse), Chonburi, Thailand
1 Patty Tavatanakit 67-67-66-67—267 $US255,000
T31 Sarah Kemp 74-70-68-68—280 $11,388
T31 Grace Kim 69-70-68-73—280 $11,388
T41 Stephanie Kyriacou 71-70-72-68—281 $8,155
T54 Hannah Green 69-72-70-73—284 $5,456
Ladies European Tour
Lalla Meryem Cup
Royal Golf Dar Es Salam (Blue Cse), Morocco
1 Bronte Law 73-69-64—206 €67,500
T42 Momoka Kobori (NZ) 73-76-72—221 €2,637
T59 Kirsten Rudgeley 77-73-75—225 €1,417.50
PGA TOUR Champions
Trophy Hassan II
Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, Rabat, Morocco
1 Ricardo Gonzalez 69-70-70—209 $US320,000
T3 Mark Hensby 68-73-71—212 $131,000
T7 Richard Green 74-71-70—215 $68,000
T11 Stuart Appleby 71-75-71—217 $46,000
T13 Steve Allan 68-75-75—218 $38,067
T27 Rod Pampling 78-73-70—221 $15,886
T27 David McKenzie 74-73-74—221 $15,886
T38 Michael Wright 72-78-74—224 $10,800
T43 David Bransdon 73-81-73—227 $8,000
T43 John Senden 77-75-75—227 $8,000
Challenge Tour
NMB Championship
Humewood GC, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Event reduced to 54 holes due to rain
1 Björn Akesson 63-67-68—198 €51,241.98
3 Hayden Hopewell 63-69-68—200 €22,598.20
