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Chris Taylor has reclaimed top spot on the PGA Legends Tour Order of Merit with a one-stroke win at the Sheen Panel Service Legends Pro-Am at Portarlington Golf Club.
A star-studded field converged on Portarlington including former touring professionals Nick O’Hern, Mike Clayton and Mark Allen, Australian Open champions Peter Lonard and Peter Fowler and the two dominant players on the Legends Tour the past five years, Andre Stolz and Brad Burns.
The Portarlington Golf Club membership came out in droves for the skins event held on the eve of the tournament yet when the business of golf began on Tuesday it was Taylor again who came out on top.
His third win of the season after picking up two victories in the New Zealand swing, Taylor moved past NZ PGA Seniors champion Murray Lott to return to No.1 on the moneylist.
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
With 3-under the best of the morning scores, Taylor took time to start to make an impression on the leaderboard.
Starting from the par-4 18th, Taylor began his round with seven straight pars before the putter that had been producing par saves unleashed a barrage of birdies.
The first birdie of his round came at the par-4 seventh and was followed up by birdies at nine, 10, 11 and 13 to move to 5-under on his round.
There would be a slight stumble with a dropped shot at the par-4 15th but his 4-under 68 would prove to be just enough to edge Michael Isherwood (69), David Miles (69), Peter Lonard (69), Ben Jackson (69) and Euan Walters (69).
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I had a good day out there. Didn’t hit the ball great but what I did do well was the scrambling. I’ve been working really hard on my short game and obviously it paid off today,” said Taylor, pictured with Portarlington Professional, Matt Milne, and Business Manager, Mark Hayes.
“The surrounds of the greens and the green surfaces themselves were second to none to putt on.
“I’ve got to say that because I didn’t miss any today.
“The surrounds and the fairways are second to none, probably the best we play on nearly all year.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Chris Taylor 68
T2 Michael Isherwood 69
T2 David Miles 69
T2 Peter Lonard 69
T2 Ben Jackson 69
T2 Euan Walters 69
NEXT UP
Chris Taylor and Brad Burns will once again team up to defend their crown at ‘The Jack Harris & Brian Twite’ Victorian PGA Seniors Foursomes Championship to be played on the West Course at Rich River Golf Club on Wednesday.
At times it can be challenging to place a PGA Professional in a remote community. In 2024, Kalgoorlie Golf Course, seven hours east of Perth, will have the benefit of two PGA Professionals after Jemma and Correy Price agreed to become the most remote professionals in the country.
Swapping the white sand and crystal blue waters of the south-west of Western Australia for the famous red dirt of Kalgoorlie, Jemma and Correy will job-share at the host venue for the CKB WA PGA Championship.
The benefits to the golfers of Kalgoorlie are twofold.
Not only do they get the retail and golf operations nous of Correy, but the coaching and game development expertise of Jemma.
“The council agreed to let us split our rostered hours 70/30, so that we’re both still able to have a good work-life balance and be home more with the three kids,” said Jemma.
“We’re fortunate that we really enjoy working together and complement each other in terms of what our interests are.
“Correy’s an excellent coach, but he’s also very good at the retail and golf operations side of things, whereas I’m more interested in coaching and marketing.
“I enjoy running junior and ladies programs, so that’s where I get to focus my time.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for the club members to have more than one PGA Member, and we’re actually really fortunate to have three at the moment. Billy Minns from Broome also joined the team as a casual late last year as well.”
In the Prices’, Kalgoorlie is getting two PGA Members with a vast range of experience accumulated over the past decade.
Jemma completed the Membership Pathway Program in 2012 and Correy in 2018, their respective qualifications taking them cross country and back again.
“Our careers have had quite a few twists and turns,” said Jemma. “Predominantly we were Perth and Mandurah-based, then we moved over to Melbourne for just over two years, then came back to Western Australia.
“When we welcomed our very premature twin girls, we worked for ourselves, trading under South-West Golf Professionals at Nannup Golf Club and providing coaching and club-fitting services at some of the surrounding country courses.”
It was only an opportune visit to the 2023 WA PGA Championship that planted the seed of a possible move for the Price family.
While it is an extreme departure from the more coastal setting they have been accustomed to, Jemma is already seeing the opportunity that the move will afford them.
“Correy went up to the WA PGA last year, had a look around and was really impressed by the facility and the golf course is obviously amazing,” said Jemma.
“He thought that there could be a lot of opportunity here and said at that time that if the job ever became available, we’d have to seriously look at it.
“When Brendon Allanby contacted us to let us know the position at Kalgoorlie had opened up, we thought, ‘Oh man, we said we were going to have to look at it, so we better actually do some homework’.
“It’s all happened very quickly and been a big change for our family.
“It was a bit jarring to start with, because we’ve moved away from our support network of close family, but in a lot of ways it’s been really positive too. The members are great here, and we have a lot of support from the council.”
Correy and Jemma’s plan at Kalgoorlie to divide and conquer is a true demonstration of the vast skillset PGA Members have, and the tireless effort they put in to make sure club members have the best experience possible.
Wherever they may be throughout Australia.
To find the PGA Professional closest to you, visit pga.org.au/find-a-pga-pro/
As he did on Sunday at Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort, Daniel Gale may be timing his charge on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit to perfection.
On a marathon final day of the Webex Players Series Hunter Valley where he and Victorian amateur Phoenix Campbell went toe-to-toe over 34 holes, Gale’s birdies on the 70th and 72nd holes would ultimately prove the difference, finishing one clear of the Queensland PGA champion.
Like Campbell, Gale was chasing his second win of the season after taking out the Tailor-Made Building Services NT PGA back in August.
From that point, one of the three cards on the DP World Tour was an obvious target, a target that is now more clearly in view with just two events left in the season.
With three-time winner Kazuma Kobori consolidating his place as the notional No.1 with a third-place finish, Gale’s victory elevated him seven spots to fourth and positioned to graduate to the DP World Tour.
“The ultimate end goal is to win,” said Gale, who boasts the Sandbelt Invitational with his two Tour wins this summer.
“I’ve set goals numerous times in the past and plans change and all that. I just want to go out there and play golf and wherever it leaves me at the end of the season, it leaves me.
“Obviously, I want to play somewhere. I want to get one of those DP World Tour spots.
“At the end of the day, I can only just play my best golf, and wherever that leaves me, it leaves me.”
Players are enjoying a week off this week as preparations for the $NZ2 million New Zealand Open at the Millbrook Resort ramp up.
Given the prize money on offer, it is the event that can reshape the final top three on the Order of Merit.
In what will be his first event on home soil since turning professional last November, Kobori is eager to cement his status on the DP World Tour later this year.
“I am going to take some rest, I really need it, because it is going to be a big week next week,” Kobori conceded.
“Two courses, so that means double practice rounds. So going to have to be well rested and I’ll be ready to fire.”
With three wins and a third from his past five starts, Kobori has climbed 756 in the Official World Golf Ranking to a career high of 407th.
He knows that it has taken more than a one-off win to be so well positioned with two events to play.
“I won the first one and I think I was sitting like seventh or so,” Kobori said.
“Then won the week after that and it bumped me up to second and the more you win, the more cushion you have, if that makes sense.
“Just makes it easier but you kind of get used to what it takes and then you just go out there and give it your all.”
PGA Immortal Alex Mercer and legendary Tour player Billy Dunk stole the show at a gathering of PGA Members from New South Wales and the ACT at The Lakes Golf Club on Monday.
Held every two years in recognition of PGA Members with more than 50 years of membership, Monday’s get together had a combined PGA Membership of more than 2,000 years including Life Members and past Presidents.
PGA of Australia Chair Rodger Davis, PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman and PGA of Australia Senior State Manager David Barker were also in attendance in a celebration of the formative years of the Association and those who paved the way.
There were 31 Members present with more than 50 years of Membership of the PGA and CEO Gavin Kirkman was honoured to be able to join them to mark such significant milestones.
“All of these Members have sweated the brand and positioned the PGA to where we are today,” said Mr Kirkman.
“They are the founders and the pioneers who took the PGA through the tough times when Professionals weren’t allowed in clubhouses and the like.
“We are now in a place where more than 150 PGA Members are General Managers at golf clubs throughout Australia and we conduct tournaments for men, women, juniors and All Abilities players to play together.
“We are now a leader of our sport and we have arrived here due to the hard work and the hard knocks that the founding members took in establishing the PGA of Australia.”
Due to turn 90 next month and now in his 68th year as a PGA of Australia Member, Alex Mercer carries with him a gentle aura that those within Australian golf and admire and respect.
A five-time winner of the Australian PGA Championship, Billy Dunk (below, with Gavin Kirkman) is a Life Member of the PGA and credited with more than 30 course records during his time in professional golf.
Both spoke on Monday and reiterated to Kirkman, and all of those in the room, why they take such pride in their Membership of the PGA of Australia.
“To be in the room with Mr Mercer – as I call him – was not just a thrill and an honour for me but for all of the Members in the room,” Mr Kirkman added.
“What comes through is their passion and what the PGA means to them.
“Billy Dunk spoke to this, that they were successful and have very good life journeys because they were PGA Members. They don’t forget that.
“That’s why I have the best job in golf, because I get to watch the game grow and evolve and innovate but while holding true to the tradition and history of the sport.
“These are the people that helped shape and advance our Association and we certainly have a lot to thank them for.”
A struggle to find the fairways ultimately caught up with Jason Day as he fell out of contention in the final round of the Genesis Invitational at famed Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.
Four back and in a tie for fifth through three rounds, Day was unable to generate birdie opportunities on Sunday as he failed to regularly find Riviera’s narrow, twisting fairways.
The 36-year-old hit less than 43 per cent of fairways for the week and found just six of 14 in a final round of 1-over 72 to finish outright ninth, the 94th top-10 result of his PGA TOUR career.
It is his third top-10 from five starts this season and is projected to see him hold firm at No.19 in the Official World Golf Ranking, one ahead of eventual Genesis Invitational champion, Hideki Matsuyama.
“This is probably the most stressful and frustrating golf course you can potentially play if you’re just missing fairways,” Day said after his third round.
“Like it’s really difficult to hit the greens when you miss fairways.”
A two-time winner at Riviera, Adam Scott closed with an even-par 71 to earn a share of 19th while Cam Davis fell away after an opening round of 6-under 65 to finish 49th.
Making his second start of the season, Mark Hensby was denied from launching a final round charge at the PGA TOUR Champions Chubb Classic in Florida.
Four back of Canadian Stephen Ames after two rounds, heavy rain and storms forced the cancellation of the final round, Hensby left to be content with a tie for third as fellow Aussie Richard Green grabbed a share of seventh in his first start of the year.
New South Welshman Kevin Yuan was the best of a strong Aussie contingent at the Asian Tour’s IRS Prima Malaysian Open.
With three spots at The Open Championship at Royal Troon up for grabs, Yuan (68) made a late play with birdie on 15 and eagle on 17 but would have needed to make up two shots on the final hole to earn an Open exemption.
He would par the final hole to finish outright fifth at 19-under, two clear of Deyen Lawson (68) with Travis Smyth (65) the third Aussie to finish inside the top 10.
At the $US5 million Aramco Saudi Ladies International, Stephanie Kyriacou’s tie for 14th led the way for the Aussies, Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit running away with a seven-stroke victory.
Photo: Harry How/Getty Images
PGA TOUR
The Genesis Invitational
The Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, California
1 Hideki Matsuyama 69-68-68-62—267 $US4m
9 Jason Day 65-69-69-72—275 $600,000
T19 Adam Scott 72-68-67-71—278 $251,400
49 Cam Davis 65-73-73-75—286 $54,000
Asian Tour
IRS Prima Malaysian Open
The Mines Resort & Golf Club, Malaysia
1 David Puig 66-71-62-62—261 $US180,000
5 Kevin Yuan 65-64-68-68—265 $41,000
T7 Deyen Lawson 66-67-66-68—267 $26,500
T9 Travis Smyth 68-66-69-65—268 $18,550
T22 Maverick Antcliff 67-68-70-65—270 $9,400
T31 Jack Thompson 69-68-66-68—271 $7,211.11
T31 Andrew Dodt 66-68-71-66—271 $7,211.11
T40 Jed Morgan 68-69-66-69—272 $5,840
T40 Brendan Jones 68-69-68-67—272 $5,840
T52 Jordan Zunic 68-68-68-70—274 $3,960
T57 Ben Campbell (NZ) 69-66-71-69—275 $3,300
T57 Douglas Klein 71-63-73-68—275 $3,300
69 Scott Hend 67-70-73-73—283 $2,400
MC Aaron Wilkin 72-67—139
MC Sam Brazel 69-70—139
MC Marcus Fraser 69-70—139
MC Zach Murray 71-69—140
MC Justin Warren 70-70—140
MC Lachlan Barker 75-69—144
WD Todd Sinnott 75
WD Wade Ormsby 69
Ladies European Tour
Aramco Saudi Ladies International Presented by PIF
Riyadh Golf Club, Saudi Arabia
1 Patty Tavatanakit 66-70-69-65—270 $US697,743
T14 Stephanie Kyriacou 76-71-69-69—285 $83,147.71
T42 Kirsten Rudgeley 73-74-69-74—290 $23,897.70
T50 Grace Kim 72-75-71-73—291 $19,846.91
MC Gabriela Ruffels 79-71—150
Champions Tour
Chubb Classic
Tiburon Golf Club, Naples, Florida
Reduced to 36 holes due to storm
1 Stephen Ames 67-64—131 $US270,000
T3 Mark Hensby 66-69—135 $99,000
T7 Richard Green 68-68—136 $61,200
T10 Rod Pampling 70-68—138 $39,960
T15 Steven Alker (NZ) 67-72—139 $27,990
T21 David Bransdon 69-71—140 $19,500
T35 Stuart Appleby 74-68—142 $10,170
T53 Steve Allan 74-71—145 $4,320
T56 John Senden 73-73—146 $3,600
Challenge Tour
Dimension Data Pro-Am
Fancourt Golf Estate, George, South Africa
1 David Ravetto 68-66-71-69—274 €54,447.60
T34 Hayden Hopewell 75-74-67-70—286 €2,988.61
MC Connor McKinney 73-72-77—222
The predicted head-to-head battle for the Webex Players Series Hunter Valley eventuated on Sunday, with a three-way tussle eventually seeing Daniel Gale triumph after holing a curling birdie putt at the 72nd on Sunday.
The 27-year-old reaching 19-under-par to edge out amateur Phoenix Campbell by one shot, with Kazuma Kobori in third alone another shot back.
Gale’s win his second of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season and first in front of his parents.
“It is, they’re over there. Mum’s in tears, poor thing,” Gale said when asked if this win was extra special.
“I had a couple of buddies come up for the weekend, which is even more special because they’ve seen numerous times how good I can actually play. And to get the win in front of them as well, it’s awesome.”
Once again bogeying the 1st hole as he did in round three, Gale got the shot back at the next, with Campbell also level par as the pair reached the 6th hole and the Victorian’s two-shot advantage still intact.
Gale finding his moment to apply pressure on Campbell, with four straight birdies to close the front nine and a one shot lead after Campbell made bogey from the right trees at 9.
Things turned back in the Victorian’s favour after a remarkable second shot almost along the ground and barely missing on course commentator Paul Gow found the 10th green, with Gale making bogey at the next to Campbell’s birdie to switch places on the leaderboard.
Gale’s four coming after a heavy handed chip from the fringe that failed to stay on the putting surface at the same hole where Kobori’s charge for a fourth straight Webex Players Series title truly began.
Holing a chip from long of the 11th green, the New Zealander then holed a long left-to-right putt almost the length of the 12th green, then another at 13 to have chatter spread throughout the course.
Sitting on 17-under with five holes to play and needing more birdies, unlike the rest of 2024, Kobori failing to capitalise on his chances, with putts going close at 17 and 18 to ultimately leave him two short.
“I think I’ve used my fair share of putts, think that’s what happened. I was hitting good putts they just didn’t quite drop,” Kobori said.
Through that same stretch, it looked as if Gale’s charge might also hit a hurdle, with another bogey at 13. His five matched by Campbell, a play-off seemingly inevitable.
Campbell paring his way to the clubhouse, with Gale drawing level with a wedge to tap-in range at the par-5 16th, before his wedge and subsequent putt from 10 feet at 18 secured the win.
“I feel like those bogeys down the stretch, they hurt because I hit such good shots. And Phoenix was just rock solid, not letting anyone in,” Gale said.
“Then just hit a clutch wedge shot in there at 16 to draw level, then I thought my one into 17 was going to be good, but I think it just dug a little in the ground and didn’t fly that ridge.
“Then I had just the perfect number, obviously in the rough, which actually helped, because the greens were spinning. It was the perfect number, it came off perfect.”
Living up to Gale’s assessment of “rock solid” in the closing stages, QLD PGA winner Campbell left disappointed but also optimistic.
“To be leading 71 holes of 72 is pretty incredible for me, and to hold my nerve there towards the end … I got a lot out of this week,” Campbell said.
“I think coming second is probably the best thing that could have happened to me as well, I think it is just going to drive me to get better and keep growing. I am only looking up from here, it’s just the beginning of the journey.”
Also looking at his journey, Gale now has the DP World Tour in his sights, with a jump on the Order of Merit potentially putting one of the three cards in reach.
“The ultimate end goal is to win, I’ve set goals numerous times in the past and plans change and all that. I just want to go out there and play golf and wherever it leaves me at the end of the season, it leaves me.”
Kobori’s hot run home also helping his Order of Merit aspirations, while Elvis Smylie finished one back of the Kiwi in fourth on 14-under, with Jeffrey Guan a shot further back and one in front of Kotono Fuyaka and amateur Justice Bosio.
Earlier in the day Garth Allen claimed his first All Abilities win with a seven-over 77 giving him a two shot win over Wayne Perske.
“It feels great and I’m a local boy, so coming from Hawks Nest about an hour away and winning here, is exciting for me,” Allen said.
Meanwhile Zoe Arcus claimed Junior honours via a play-off with Jesse Linden after the pair were tied on three-over.
“It was really exciting, I was so nervous over the putt,” the 16-year-old said.
Play resumed at 7:30am Sunday at Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort, with the final group of Daniel Gale and Phoenix Campbell playing the final 16 holes of the third round to sit in first and second on the leaderboard. Campbell two in front of Gale on 17-under.
The final round of the Webex Players Series Hunter Valley getting underway at 12:30pm (AEDT) via a shotgun start, with more storms hopefully staying away after rain and lightning caused play to pause at 2:42pm Saturday.
Despite the prospect of a long day ahead of 34 holes of tournament golf, Campbell and Gale hit their straps early, with the amateur winner of the QLD PGA making a hat-trick of birdies from the sixth hole, before closing his front nine with a bogey five.
Gale getting back the shot he dropped at the 1st yesterday with birdie at the par-4 4th, before an eagle-birdie-birdie run starting at the 6th briefly gave him the lead on his own.
Campbell answering back with birdies at 11 and 12 to reach 17-under before a bogey at the par-5 16th made things level with Gale at the top.
The Victorian immediately bouncing back at 17 with birdie, while New South Welshman Gale made bogey to make it a two-shot difference heading into the final round
“I don’t think it was too important,” Campbell said of his birdie at the penultimate hole.
“I hit a good drive, really good chip.”
Perhaps benefitting from youth, and a good night’s rest, Campbell was headed for a quick bite to eat before his second round of the day.
“Feeling good, I had a really good sleep last night,” he said. “I was saying to Dean (Kinney) it’s probably the best I’ve slept all week.
Queenslander Tim Hart made the biggest move of the morning to sit a shot back from Gale after a bogey-free 63 to climb into third on 14-under-par.
Proving the old adage to beware the injured golfer, Hart was preparing for the afternoon round by getting as much rest as possible with a humid afternoon and plenty of birdies from the field on the cards.
“To be honest I’ve actually been battling a bit of a virus all week, so didn’t really do much practice before the week, which could be a good thing, just sort of rest it up,” Hart said.
“Then just came out here, a bit more calmer this week. To say the energy levels are high would be lying, they’re a bit low at the moment. I’ll go rest up and go out there this afternoon.”
Next best is a player whose presence won’t go unnoticed by the rest of the contenders, Kazuma Kobori who is chasing a fourth Webex Players Series title in 2024. The Kiwi sitting 12-under alongside Jeffrey Guan and West Australian Jess Whitting.
Japan’s Kotono Fukaya in seventh alone at 11-under, one in front of Elvis Smylie and Kade McBride.
Due to the weather delays on Saturday, Webex Players Series Hunter Valley All Abilities and Junior events were shortened to 18 holes.
Hailing from just over an hour away, Garth Allen claimed his first All Abilities win with a seven-over 77 giving him a two shot win over Wayne Perske. Last week’s winner Cameron Pollard another shot further back.
“It feels great and I’m a local boy, so coming from Hawks Nest about an hour away and winning here, is exciting for me,” Allen said.
“I’ll take it, no matter if it is 36 holes usually or 18. A win’s a win.”
Playing alongside Gale and Campbell, Zoe Arcus ended up in play-off for the Junior title with Hunter local Jesse Linden after the pair were tied on three-over.
Cromer Golf Club’s Arcus winning on the first play-off hole with a 15 foot birdie putt
“It was really exciting, I was so nervous over the putt,” the 16-year-old said.
Adding of her playing partners: “They are great golfers, just their course management and everything, and how far they hit it was crazy.”
Phoenix Campbell will again sleep on the lead of the Webex Players Series Hunter Valley after play in the third round was suspended due to storms on Saturday at Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort, with the final group two holes into their round.
Lightning in the area caused play to be halted at 2:42pm local time, with heavy rain arriving during a suspension, which was extended due to electrical activity before a final attempt to restart play at 6:15pm Saturday was officially called off at 6:05pm.
“The course was deemed unplayable at 6:05pm. Round three will resume at 7:30am Sunday,” Tournament Director Peter Welden said.
“The course Superintendent will be busy for the rest of Saturday, and in the early hours of Sunday, to get the course ready to play the third and fourth rounds.”
Round three will resume at 7:30am when players will start from where they marked their ball and finish the third round, which 19 players completed before the weather hit the Hunter Valley region.
Once the third round is completed on Sunday, the field will be redrawn, with a decision on the format of the final round to be decided on Sunday morning once an updated weather forecast is available.
The final round estimated to commence at 12:30pm (AEDT) on Sunday, with the All Abilities and Junior events to be concluded following the completion of 18 holes in the morning.
Of those that finished, five-under 65 was the best round of the day, with Josh Younger and Dylan Gardner lifting themselves into a share of 19th on six-under overall, while Kathryn Norris was one shot better in a share of 16th.
At the top of the leaderboard, Campbell sits at 13-under with a two shot advantage over playing partner Daniel Gale after starting par-par to Gale’s bogey-par start.
Gale level with Queensland amateur Justice Bosio, who is five-under on the day through nine holes. The trio of Kotono Fukaya, Tunrada Piddon and Jess Whitting another shot back on 10-under.
Campbell leaning on recent experience in December during the extended delay to remain relaxed, all the while staying ready to play when notified.
Players mixing in the clubhouse, with some choosing to simply sitting in conversation while others played pool or darts. Constant checks of the Bureau of Meteorology website and app a common theme.
“I was telling Deano (caddie Dean Kinney), Sandbelt Invitational when we came off at my home club, was probably the last time we had a bit of rain, thunderstorm delay. Relatively inexperienced, but just take it on the chin, use it tomorrow,” Campbell said.
The same event where Campbell had his most recent weather delay experience was won by Gale, who believes he might hold an advantage on a marathon final day where the pair will play 34 holes.
“I think so. I want to say I am one of the fitter blokes out here. I guess all that training, balls you hit, the big training sessions, it’s for days like tomorrow,” he said.
Whitting and Piddon joking of memories of American college events playing 36 holes in a day as preparation for Sunday, while the rest of the chasing pack will hope finishing their round earlier could be of assistance in chasing down 22-year-old Campbell.
Included in those a six strong group on nine-under-par that contains three-time Webex Players Series winner in 2024 Kazuma Kobori, who will resume from the middle of the 4th fairway.
Phoenix Campbell may still be an amateur, but having already won on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and with an attitude built for tournament golf, he will chase a second victory at the Webex Players Series Hunter Valley, where he leads at the halfway mark.
Returning to Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort after equalling Bret Coletta’s course record of 61 on Thursday, Campbell followed up with a four-under 66 to sit on 13-under with a one shot advantage over Daniel Gale, who signed for a 62.
“Another solid day, didn’t do too much different to yesterday. Few little breaks here and there, a few lips outs, it was a solid day for me,” Campbell said.
“I managed to stay patient there towards the end. I was giving myself a few opportunities and I wasn’t capitalising, so to stay patient and finish strong was a big credit to myself there.”
Also crediting this week’s caddie, former Tour player turned elite amateur mentor, Dean Kinney for helping to move on from mistakes and keep things light during the opening two days in the Hunter, Campbell’s lead could have been even larger if not for some bad luck at the 6th.
The site of his first bogey of the week, the QLD PGA champion’s drive careened off a cart path and found a hazard, his six at the par-5 immediately recovered from via birdies at 7 and 8.
“It was a little bit unlucky, but that happens, that’s golf, just got to accept it and move on,” Campbell said.
The Victorian adding a second bogey at the 13th and two more back nine birdies to sleep on the lead … not that he will be aware how things stand.
“I don’t look at the scoreboard at all during the week,” he said. “I’m not too worried about what everyone else is doing, I’m just going to play my best golf and come the weekend have a crack.
“For me personally, not looking at the leaderboard helps me it just makes me focus on my game rather than what everyone else is doing.”
Undertaking his blinkered approach in recent months, Campbell admits he will know where he stands come Sunday if he is in contention, while Gale believed despite having the low round of the day by two shots, he potentially left shots out there on a humid Friday.
“It’s been building, I think the whole season, that super low one, even today I didn’t take advantage of a couple early in the round, but got it going nicely,” Gale said.
Last week’s home course hero adding an unlikely eagle to his six birdies to shoot up the leaderboard and into Saturday’s final group.
Reaching the par-5 16th green in two from 270 metres and draining a curling putt for three, Gale was bogey-free on the day after taking a great deal from Sydney where the NT PGA winner was a start turn around Castle Hill.
“I probably took a lot of confidence from that, I still played solid. For me to play the golf I did with what I was going through, I feel like I handled outside pressures awesome,” he said of last week.
Two back of Gale on 10-under is West Australian Jess Whitting, who signed for a seven-birdie 64 powered by a rediscovery of some of her basics on the range this week.
“It was literally tempo, as stupid as it is. Flat left wrist, making sure it is square on impact. Just two little things that I know, and then I just figured it out this week,” said Whitting, who won a BMW i4 eDrive35 grand coupe with a hole-in-one at the Webex Players Series Murray River.
Noting a similar ball striking round to the previous day, but with putts falling, Whitting will play alongside Campbell’s co-overnight leader Tunrada Piddon who had a level par 70 for a nine-under total.
“I didn’t expect it was going to be low again, I just want to go out and try my best to shoot what I can,” Piddon said. “Obviously playing afternoon today it was pretty hard, it was windy. Towards the back of the back nine, and then halfway of the back nine. It was really hard.”
Taught the game by her father, who runs a golf school at home in Thailand, Piddon sits one in front of the player of the moment Kazuma Kobori.
The three-time Webex Players Series winner shooting a second straight 66 for an eight-under total and share of fifth place with Jeffrey Guan and Japan’s Kotono Fukaya.
“It is definitely an advantage, and I will definitely be using it, but in order to do so I am going to have make some birdies myself,” Kobori said when asked if he believed his success in 2024 increases his presence on the leaderboard.
Kobori’s caddie last week in Sydney, Tyler Wood, one shot back of his “boss” on seven-under alongside Kade McBride, Tim Hart, Anthony Choat and local amateur Ella Scaysbrook.
Six players another shot back on six-under, while defending champion Brett Coletta is part of a seven strong group, including his fellow 2024 Vic Open champion Ashley Lau, one shot further adrift.
Athletes in Golf Australia’s High Performance Program have been given a new opportunity to study at the PGA Institute to secure their future in the golf industry, whether that is on the course or not.
The High Performance Program is designed to guide the country’s brightest junior golfers on their long-term development as players, and this new collaboration will ensure that development continues even if athletes decide not to pursue becoming a professional golfer.
General Manager – High Performance Brad James is excited for this new educational pathway for athletes in the program.
“Aligning with the PGA Institute will provide our athletes with the knowledge and skills to remain actively involved in the sport, whether they wish to compete at the highest level or not,” he said.
“It’s another significant step forward that we will be able to continue to support our athletes in their future careers.
“We will be encouraging the High Performance members to consider studying at the PGA Institute in addition to working on their game and development as athletes.”
The courses on offer to high performance athletes include both the Diploma of Golf Management and Diploma of Sport, as well as a suite of Micro credentials comprising Golf Athlete Essentials, Brand and Stakeholder Management, and Golf Management.
By taking the opportunity to study at the PGA Institute, the High Performance Program members will open up a myriad of internal and external pathways.
The internal pathways within the PGA of Australia are unlocked through accumulating credits towards the academic component of the Membership Pathway Program.
Externally, athletes can open pathways to higher education partners of the PGA Institute including scholarships to Torrens University, as well as credits for courses at Holmesglen TAFE, Deakin, Griffith and Victoria universities.
As well as the educational and future-proofing benefits, PGA General Manager for Membership and Education Geoff Stewart said there are further advantages to study.
“Research indicates that the combination of sport and study is both helpful and important in the overall development of the athlete in a range of sports, and it’s pleasing that golf can now make this available in Australia,” he said.
“In addition to future off-course job outcomes following the conclusion of a playing career, study can also assist with enhancing transferable competencies such as leadership, commitment, goal setting, prioritisation and planning – skills that will improve practice and on-course performance.
“This new collaboration means that high performance golfers don’t need to neglect their education – they can combine performance development and success with a range of study options.
“We are delighted to collaborate with Golf Australia to provide Australia’s next generation of high-performance golfers a program that complements the on-course development and achievements of the players with off-course success”.
If High Performance members choose to take this opportunity at the PGA Institute, Golf Australia will financially invest a considerable percentage of the study costs.
Click HERE to find out more information about the PGA Institute.
