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City Golf Club Associate Minami Inoue has continued to thrive in the biggest events on the Membership Pathway Program calendar, taking out the Norris Motor Group Associate Pro-Am at Royal Queensland Golf Club.
The third year of a tournament reserved exclusively for Queensland Associates, the Norris Motor Group sponsorship of $25,000 and support of Royal Queensland Golf Club made it the richest one-day prize purse ever for an Associate tournament.
As such, it drew a field of 59 Associates from across the state, Inoue needing to make birdie at the 180-metre par-3 eighth for a round of 3-under 69 and a one-stroke win from Pacific Golf Club’s Campbell Jones (70) and Zane Lowe (70) of Yamba Golf and Country Club.
Winner of the $3,000 PGA Associate & Employer Challenge at Keperra Country Golf Club in January, Inoue admitted that the larger prize purses seem to bring out his best.
“I can show off for money I suppose, don’t I?” Inoue joked.
“When I play Open matches, for some reason, maybe the ease or something like that, maybe I’m not focused enough, but then as soon as there’s a bit of money…
“That’s why it’s so good to have major sponsors like Norris Motor Group and Liberty One so we can play for this sort of money and we can start focusing more a bit.
“Putting was off the chart today. I sunk two or three 25-30-fotters for birdies, the highlight boxing a 25-footer to win it.
“I drove it really well too, probably the best I’ve done in probably about two months, so that really worked out too.”
Inoue moved from Japan to Australia with his family when he was six years old, the family settling down in the unlikely surrounds of a cattle farm in Tenterfield in the New England region of New South Wales.
It was his grandfather who first introduced Inoue to golf, shooting 51 the first time he played nine holes an indicator that he possessed natural talent for the sport.
But it was a knee injury suffered playing rugby league when he was 14 that convinced Inoue to pursue a career in golf instead.
“Not a lot of Japanese or Asian people would have the experience like I did. Mine was a pretty interesting one, let’s just say that,” said the 20-year-old Third Year Associate.
“First nine holes, I shot 51 and I was like, Yeah, righto, this is really fun, I want to do it.
“Back then I was playing league and I did my knee when I was 14 years old. Then I’m like, golf it is, I’ll just play golf.
“Just started to hit it a bit better and better and better and now I’m here.”
While Inoue took the bulk of the prize money, Jones and Lowe did not go home empty handed.
Sponsors Liberty One contributed 10 nights’ accommodation at their Liberty One Apartments in Melbourne for Inoue, five nights for runner-up Jones on a countback, and four nights for third-placed Lowe.
Five-time major champion, and career grand slam winner, Rory McIlroy will headline the men’s Australian Open for the next two years, including when it returns to The Royal Melbourne Golf Club on the Melbourne Sandbelt in 2025.
McIlroy’s return to Australia comes off the back of his historic win at the 2025 Masters Tournament to complete the career grand slam, with the world No.2 reaffirming his love for the Australian Open by committing to the next two years.
Thanks to the renewed partnership with the Victorian Government and Visit Victoria, the Melbourne Sandbelt will be the home of the men’s Australian Open until at least 2026, with the next year’s event confirmed to be staged at Kingston Heath Golf Club.
McIlroy’s first attempt to claim a second Stonehaven Cup will be across the world-renowned Composite Course of Royal Melbourne from December 4-7, which comprises holes from both the West and East courses and is rated among the top golf courses in the world.
The last time the 35-year-old appeared at the Australian Open was in 2014 when McIlroy defended the Stonehaven Cup the year after he went head-to-head with Adam Scott in 2013 to eventually be crowned champion.
“I’m proud to be committing to the Australian Open for the next two years, especially with it being played on the world-class Melbourne Sandbelt, somewhere I’ve always wanted to play professionally” McIlroy said.
“The success of the Australian Open is important for the global game, and I’m incredibly confident it will thrive again this year, especially with it being staged in one of the world’s great sporting cities and on two of the finest golf courses in the world over the next two years: The Royal Melbourne Golf Club and Kingston Heath Golf Club.”
“Melbourne is known for being one of the world’s great sporting cities and I can’t wait to be part of that atmosphere and soak in everything it has to offer, both on and off the course.”
Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said the commitment from the Victorian Government and McIlroy will help elevate the men’s Australian Open to new heights.
“The Victorian Government truly understands the value that golf brings to the local economy. We appreciate their ongoing support and we look forward to partnering with them again as we host this year’s men’s Australian Open,” Sutherland said.
”Rory McIlroy, one of the best to ever play our game, playing on the world-renowned Melbourne Sandbelt, is a mouth-watering proposition for golf fans. We are committed to elevating the status of our national championship, and this announcement is a significant step in that direction.”
As the Australian Open moves away from its previous combined event, the dates and venue of the women’s Australian Open and Australian All Abilities Championship will be confirmed at a later date.
“We are confident that the revised format, with individual men’s, women’s and all-abilities events will give each event their own platform to showcase the incredible talent in golf,” Sutherland said.
A host to multiple Presidents Cups and countless other important events, The Royal Melbourne Golf Club will play host to the men’s Australian Open for the seventeenth time when the tournament returns in late 2025. It will mark the first men’s Australian Open at the venue since 1991.
“We are looking forward to hosting the 2025 men’s Australian Open Championship at our world-class venue,” Captain of The Royal Melbourne Golf Club Tony Rule said.
“Royal Melbourne has a long history of providing a supreme test of golf to the world’s best players. We eagerly await the opportunity to watch Rory McIlroy take on the challenge of mastering the Composite Course at Royal Melbourne.”
The men’s Australian Open will follow the BMW Australian PGA Championship, with both events again co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and creating a not to be missed two-weeks of world class golf.
Gavin Kirkman, CEO of the PGA of Australia which owns and operates the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, said the move to a standalone men’s event on the Melbourne Sandbelt and the confirmation of McIlroy will help elevate the men’s Australian Open to one of the most anticipated events on the global golf calendar in 2025.
“At a course where so many historic tournaments have been played, The Royal Melbourne Golf Club is the perfect stage to showcase the wonderful home-grown talent and the best international golfers like Rory, who we are so proud to welcome back to Australia for the first time since 2014,” Kirkman said.
“With two weeks of DP World Tour co-sanctioned events, the best players from the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia can also put their game to the ultimate test against the world’s best and etch their name into the history books.”
A renowned host of some of the biggest events in sport and culture, the state of Victoria will be the focus of the golf world during both the 2025 and 2026 events with McIlroy front and centre.
“These tournaments will be fantastic for our visitor economy, filling hotel rooms, restaurants and cafes and showcasing our state to millions more following on from overseas.” Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said.
“Rory is one of the greatest golfers in history and his desire to play in the Australian Open is a major coup, highlighting just how brilliant our Sandbelt courses are and why Melbourne is one of the great golfing cities of the world.”
Now a well-established presence as part of the Australian summer of golf, and the home Tour of McIlroy, the DP World Tour expects a quality field to join The Masters Champion in Melbourne during the early stages of its 2026 season.
“Starting our Race to Dubai in recent years with back-to-back events in Australia has been popular with our members and we are excited to return to the world class Royal Melbourne Golf Club for the first time on the DP World Tour since 2005,” DP World Tour Chief Tournament & Operations Officer Ben Cowen said.
“Our thanks go to the Victorian Government and Visit Victoria for their continued support of this great national open.
“We are equally looking forward to seeing Rory McIlroy tee it up in Australia once again, giving fans in the southern hemisphere the opportunity to see our most recent Major Champion up close. As a six-time Race to Dubai winner and golf’s latest Grand Slam champion, Rory is a prominent ambassador of global golf, and we are sure he will enjoy his experiences on the Melbourne Sandbelt this year and next.”
Tickets for the men’s Australian Open are on sale now at www.ticketek.com.au
Seventeen Australians and two of our Kiwi brethren will contest two major championships separated by just 630 kilometres in the US this week.
The 107th US PGA Championship will be played for the second time at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina as the senior circuit readies for its first major of 2025 with the Regions Tradition in Birmingham, Alabama.
Marking 10 years since Jason Day became the fifth Australian to lift the Wanamaker Trophy, Aussies Day, Cam Davis, Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott, Cameron Smith, Elvis Smylie and Karl Vilips will be joined by New Zealand’s Ryan Fox.
The Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner in 2019, Fox was the last man admitted to the field on the back of his PGA TOUR breakthrough win at the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic.
Smylie, the reigning PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner, was granted a special exemption to play his second major just last week while Vilips secured his first major as a professional by virtue of his Puerto Rico Open win in March.
Coach of both Day and Vilips, Col Swatton believes the depth of Aussie talent is testament to the coaching quality built through the PGA of Australia.
“We keep on producing great talent and I think that’s a tribute to the system,” said Swatton.
“The PGA of Australia – of which I’m a proud member – has done a great job and I think that just stands the test of time.
“It’s just saying you guys are doing a great job of what you’re doing to help us do a great job of what we need to do with these athletes. We’re proving that we’re competitive on the world stage.
“That’s a tribute to what we’re doing from a holistic approach to making better golfers.”
Twenty-six years after Graham Marsh won a Regions Tradition reduced to 36 holes by spring snow in Arizona, 10 Aussies and Kiwi Steven Alker will tee it up at Greystone Golf and Country Club.
The influx of Aussies on the PGA TOUR Champions has been significant in recent years, this year’s Regions Tradition the first for Greg Chalmers, David Bransdon, Cameron Percy and Michael Wright.
Both major championships will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo, Round 1 coverage of the US PGA Championship to begin at 3am Friday morning on Fox Sports 503 and coverage of the Regions Tradition to begin at 5am Friday morning on Fox Sports 505.
Photos: Gary Kellner/PGA of America via Getty Images (PGA); Alex Slitz/Getty Images (Regions Tradition)
Details
US PGA Championship
Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, North Carolina
2024 champion: Xander Schauffele
Past Aussie winners: Jim Ferrier (1947), David Graham (1979), Wayne Grady (1990), Steve Elkington (1995), Jason Day (2015)
TV times: Live 3am-9am Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Australasians in the field
Cameron Davis
World ranking: 68 (Highest: 38)
Previous appearances: 4 (2021-2024)
Best finish: T4 (2023)
Last start: MC in 2024
Best finish in a major: T4, 2023 US PGA
Jason Day
World ranking: 32 (1)
Previous appearances: 15 (2010-2024)
Best finish: 1st (2015)
Last start: T43 in 2024
Best finish in a major: Won, 2015 US PGA
Ryan Fox (NZ)
World ranking: 71 (23)
Previous appearances: 6 (2017-2019, 2022-2024)
Best finish: T23 (2023)
Last start: 75th in 2024
Best finish in a major: T16, 2019 Open Championship
Min Woo Lee
World ranking: 27 (22)
Previous appearances: 3 (2022-2024)
Best finish: T18 (2023)
Last start: T26 in 2024
Best finish in a major: T5, 2023 US Open
Adam Scott
World ranking: 40 (1)
Previous appearances: 24 (2001-2024)
Best finish: 3rd (2018)
Last start: MC in 2024
Best finish in a major: Won, 2013 Masters
Cameron Smith
World ranking: 148 (2)
Previous appearances: 9 (2015, 2017-2024)
Best finish: T9 (2023)
Last start: T63 in 2024
Best finish in a major: Won, 2022 Open Championship
Elvis Smylie
World ranking: 206 (197)
Previous appearances: Nil
Best finish: N/A
Last start: N/A
Best finish in a major: MC, 2024 Open Championship
Karl Vilips
World ranking: 117 (106)
Previous appearances: Nil
Best finish: N/A
Last start: N/A
Best finish in a major: MC, 2024 US Open
Regions Tradition
Greystone G&CC, Birmingham, Alabama
2024 champion: Doug Barron
Past Aussie winners: Graham Marsh (1999)
TV times: Live 5am-8am Friday, Saturday; Live 4am-7am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.
Australasians in the field
Steven Alker (NZ)
Previous appearances: 3 (2022-2024)
Best finish: 2nd (2024)
Last start: 2nd in 2024
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 9
Best finish in a senior major: Won, 2022 Senior PGA
Steve Allan
Previous appearances: 1 (2024)
Best finish: T67 (2024)
Last start: T67 in 2024
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 1
Best finish in a senior major: T33, 2024 Kaulig Companies Championship
Stuart Appleby
Previous appearances: 3 (2022-2024)
Best finish: 3rd (2022)
Last start: T11 in 2024
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 0
Best finish in a senior major: 3rd, 2022 Regions Tradition
David Bransdon
Previous appearances: Nil
Best finish: N/A
Last start: N/A
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 0
Best finish in a senior major: MC, 2024 Senior PGA
Greg Chalmers
Previous appearances: Nil
Best finish: N/A
Last start: N/A
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 0
Best finish in a senior major: 3rd, 2024 Senior PGA
Richard Green
Previous appearances: 2 (2023-2024)
Best finish: T11 (2023)
Last start: T14 in 2024
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 0
Best finish in a senior major: 2nd, 2024 Senior PGA and 2024 Senior Open
Mark Hensby
Previous appearances: 2 (2023-2024)
Best finish: T18 (2024)
Last start: T18 in 2024
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 1
Best finish in a senior major: 3rd, 2022 US Senior Open
Rod Pampling
Previous appearances: 4 (2021-2024)
Best finish: T3 (2022)
Last start: T37 in 2024
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 2
Best finish in a senior major: T3, 2022 Regions Tradition
Cameron Percy
Previous appearances: Nil
Best finish: N/A
Last start: N/A
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 0
Best finish in a senior major: T11, 2024 Kaulig Companies Championship
John Senden
Previous appearances: 4 (2021-2024)
Best finish: T29 (2021)
Last start: T52 in 2024
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 0
Best finish in a senior major: T29, 2021 Regions Tradition
Michael Wright
Previous appearances: Nil
Best finish: N/A
Last start: N/A
PGA TOUR Champions wins: 0
Best finish in a senior major: T7, 2024 Kaulig Companies Championship
Any debate regarding Australia’s in-form golfer was erased when Lucas Herbert completed a five-stroke wire-to-wire win at the International Series Japan.
Two years since his last win on foreign soil – also in Japan – Herbert opened by matching the course record of 9-under 62 and conjured two eagles in his final four holes on Saturday to enter the final round with a share of the lead.
The Ford NSW Open winner last November, Herbert lost the lead early Sunday but only briefly, making eagle on the 72nd hole for a commanding margin of victory.
But Herbert was not the only player in the Power Rankings to enjoy a good week.
Stephanie Kyriacou’s tie for fifth at the Mizuho Americas Open was her second straight top-six finish while Kelsey Bennett returns after a third consecutive top-10 finish on the Ladies European Tour.
This week the focus turns to the second men’s major of the year where there are seven Aussies and Kiwi Ryan Fox in the field for the US PGA Championship.
10. Cameron Smith (Last week: 10)
A tie for seventh in his last start at LIV Golf Korea was the Ripper GC captain’s third top 10 in LIV Golf events in succession. After an uncharacteristic missed cut at The Masters is back on the major stage at this week’s PGA Championship.
9. Kelsey Bennett (New)
Sitting at a career high of 225th in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking courtesy of her third consecutive top-10 finish on the Ladies European Tour. Now sits 15th on the Order of Merit in her rookie season courtesy of her tie for eighth at the Aramco Korea Championship.
8. Marc Leishman (8)
A win at LIV Golf Miami is the high point of Leishman’s season that also includes a tie for sixth at the first event of the year at Riyadh. Currently 10th in the LIV Golf individual standings.
7. Minjee Lee (7)
Bounced back from her withdrawal from the Black Desert Championship with a tie for 15th at the Mizuho Americas Open. That result was Lee’s sixth top-15 finish from nine starts this season.
6. Jason Day (6)
A decade on from his US PGA Championship triumph, Day returns to Quail Hollow this week where he was victorious at the 2018 Wells Fargo Championship. Was a late withdrawal from last week’s Truist Championship but held his spot at No.32 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
5. Hannah Green (5)
Now ranked No.8 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking after finishing tied for 33rd at the Mizuho Americas Open. Won’t play again until the US Women’s Open at Erin Hills starting May 29.
4. Stephanie Kyriacou (4)
Moved inside the top 40 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking for the first time on the back of a tie for fifth at the Mizuho Americas Open. Has not finished outside the top 30 in her past six starts and boasts three top-six finishes in that time.
3. Karl Vilips (3)
Spent time working with coach Col Swatton after missing out on a call-up as an alternate for the Truist Championship. The Puerto Rico Open winner is making his US PGA Championship debut this week at Quail Hollow.
2. Min Woo Lee (2)
After a bright start, shot 2-over across the weekend to finish tied for 51st at the Truist Championship. Dropped two spots to 27th on the world ranking as a result.
1. Lucas Herbert (1)
Solidified his place as Australia’s most in-form golfer with a five-stroke win at the International Series Japan. Herbert’s first Asian Tour title was his sixth career win and comes on the back of three top-five LIV Golf finishes this season.
Poring over Rory McIlroy’s past success at Quail Hollow and standing alongside the Masters champion on the range has convinced Elvis Smylie he is ready to take his place among the game’s best at this week’s US PGA Championship in Charlotte.
As the 2024-2025 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner, Smylie was last week granted a special exemption to play the year’s second major championship and the second major of his career.
While hopeful he might receive the same exemption granted to the previous two Order of Merit winners David Micheluzzi and Kazuma Kobori, Smylie’s late call-up necessitated a mad dash to North Carolina.
The Queenslander took to Quail Hollow on Sunday to begin his tournament preparation but is somewhat familiar having watched highlights of McIlroy’s four wins at the venue along with Justin Thomas’s 2017 PGA Championship victory.
That, combined with exposure to the game’s stars since joining the DP World Tour, has the 23-year-old in a positive frame of mind ahead of his first start as a professional in the US.
“I remember watching the 2017 PGA Championship when Justin Thomas won there so I’ve gone back and watched the extended highlights of that year and then also the Wells Fargo Championship (now Truist Championship) the past few years when Rory’s won and Max Homa,” said Smylie.
“I’ve gone back and had a bit of a look and seen the course and it looks amazing.
“I’m really excited to play in America for the first time as a professional. That’s something that I haven’t done yet so to be able to get right into the deep end is going to be really exciting because I feel like that my game has gone to that next level after playing in Europe.”
Smylie’s transition to the DP World Tour was fast-tracked by his victory at the BMW Australian PGA Championship in November.
That win in the co-sanctioned tournament secured a playing category effective immediately, status he used to tee it up in elite company.
Tied for fifth at the Australian Open, Smylie was in South Africa the next week for the Nedbank Golf Challenge alongside the likes of Max Homa, Corey Conners, Will Zalatoris and Masters champion Danny Willett.
Next up was the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, a tournament headlined by McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood and Patrick Reed.
“When I look around and see the names … Rory McIlroy was in the field at the start of the year in Dubai along with Jon Rahm and Adam Scott, world-class players that I’ve grown up watching on TV,” added Smylie, who narrowly missed the cut at The Open last year.
“To be competing against them in the same tournament, I feel like I really do belong.
“I don’t really get overwhelmed too much. I more so think of it as an opportunity to see how good my game is against these guys.”
And while he fully intends to link up with fellow Aussies such as Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott, Cameron Smith and Jason Day for a practice round, Smylie is conscious of not over-doing it before Round 1 tees off.
“My tendency last year playing The Open was wanting to play a lot, just because it’s a major, it’s just really exciting,” Smylie conceded.
“But I’m doing my best at being able to prepare like any other tournament.
“That’s where the experience of having Ritchie (Smith, Smylie’s coach) around will be really beneficial.
“I’d love to play all four rounds of the major. I think that’s a realistic goal for me.
“Once we can get through those first two rounds, then it’s just about really embracing what you’re feeling and just going after it.”
Smylie is one of seven Australians in the field this week alongside Cam Davis, Jason Day, Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott, Cameron Smith and Karl Vilips.
They are joined by Kiwi Ryan Fox following his debut PGA TOUR at the weekend.
Photo: Jason Butler/Getty Images
All four rounds of the US PGA Championship will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo. Round 1 coverage begins Friday morning at 3am AEST.
An impulse buy on his way to dinner in Korea has proved to be the catalyst to Lucas Herbert’s sixth career win at the Asian Tour’s International Series Japan.
Less than two weeks after a final-round course record 61 at LIV Golf Mexico City, Herbert opened with a 9-under 62 at Caledonian Golf Club using a Yes! C-Groove putter purchased from a second-hand golf shop while in Korea last week.
It is reminiscent of the putter that was lost en route to the 2018 Open Championship and which was never able to be replaced, Herbert finding comfort and confidence in its reunion on his way to a five-stroke win.
Tied for the lead through 54 holes after making two eagles in his final three holes of Round 3, Herbert fell behind early in the final round when Round 3 co-leader Younghan Song made eagle at the second.
The Victorian would soon rein him in with birdies at two, four and five and was never headed from there, making seven birdies and an eagle at the 72nd hole for a round of 7-under 64 and a five-stroke win.
“I was thinking about it down on the 18th green, that finish yesterday really set it up,” Herbert said of his finishing flourish to Round 3.
“It would have been much tougher, I think, to play the group in front, or maybe two groups in front, had I parred in and to try and come back from behind today.
“Being able to tie the lead last night, and sleep thinking that I didn’t have to chase anything down today, was a big factor.
“Very happy with the way I played today, I think it was the low round of the day, so that’s always going to make it hard to beat when you start the day tied for the lead.
“The way I’ve been playing this year, it’s been building to get a win at some point.
“It’s nice to get it done here, especially in Japan, which is one of my favourite places.
“It’s nice to feel like some of the hard work that I put in has paid off. Holding that trophy is a pretty good feeling.”
Herbert’s win highlighted a strong week for Aussies around the world as New Zealander Ryan Fox claimed a breakthrough PGA TOUR title at the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic.
A three-time winner on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and Order of Merit champion in 2019, Fox chipped in from 50 feet at the first playoff hole to edge Mackenzie Hughes and Harry Higgs.
“I had a really similar line in regulation and missed the putt right,” said Fox, who now earns a spot in this week’s US PGA Championship in Charlotte.
“My caddie, Dean (Smith), said to me, ‘Remember, this doesn’t break that much.’ So I just kind of aimed straight at it, and I hit the spot I wanted to hit.
“To be honest, it never looked like it was going anywhere else, and the rest of it is a bit of a blur from there.”
For the second straight week Stephanie Kyriacou finished strongly to play her way inside the top 10 at the LPGA Tour’s Mizuho Americas Open in New Jersey.
Kyriacou had three birdies in her opening four holes in a final round of 5-under 67 to climb into a tie for fifth, her third top-six finish in her past five starts.
Kelsey Bennett made it three top-10s in succession on the Ladies European Tour with a tie for eighth at the Aramco Korea Championship and New South Welshman Austin Bautista was second at the FBC ZIM Open on the Sunshine Tour.
Results
PGA TOUR
Truist Championship
The Philadelphia Cricket Club (Wissahickon Course), Philadelphia
1 Sepp Straka 63-67-66-68—264 $US3.6m
T34 Adam Scott 68-70-70-68—276 $95,063
T51 Min Woo Lee 69-68-72-70—279 $47,000
T54 Cam Davis 69-69-70-72—280 $44,750
ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic
Dunes Golf and Beach Club, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
1 Ryan Fox (NZ) 65-70-68-66—269 $US720,000
MC Aaron Baddeley 72-75—147
LPGA Tour
Mizuho Americas Open
Liberty National Golf Club, Jersey City
1 Jeeno Thitikul 64-73-65-69—271 $US450,000
T5 Stephanie Kyriacou 68-69-73-67—277 $106,039
T8 Hira Naveed 69-69-73-68—279 $69,067
T11 Lydia Ko (NZ) 69-70-70-71—280 $54,071
T15 Minjee Lee 68-71-72-72—283 $41,286
T33 Hannah Green 69-72-75-72—288 $19,749
T41 Gabriela Ruffels 68-73-76-74—291 $14,204
T47 Grace Kim 69-72-75-77—293 $11,476
56 Karis Davidson 72-71-81-77—301 $8,934
MC Sarah Kemp 77-74—151
MC Cassie Porter 72-80—152
MC Fiona Xu (NZ) 85-84—169
DP World Tour
Turkish Airlines Open
Regnum Carya, Antalya, Turkey
1 Martin Couvra 65-66-72-64—267 €416,075.94
T52 Kazuma Kobori (NZ) 72-69-70-70—281 €8,872.21
MC Daniel Gale 67-75—142
MC Danny List 69-78—147
Asian Tour
International Series Japan
Caledonian Golf Club, Japan
1 Lucas Herbert 62-69-69-64—264 $US360,000
T12 Nick Voke (NZ) 71-64-70-70—275 $31,400
T14 Jed Morgan 69-70-66-71—276 $27,700
T23 Travis Smyth 68-67-68-75—278 $19,700
T39 Brett Rankin 72-70-72-67—281 $10,908.33
T56 Todd Sinnott 74-68-71-70—283 $6,800
67 Lawry Flynn 68-70-78-70—286 $5,000
T68 Jack Thompson 71-70-74-72—287 $4,600
MC Michael Hendry (NZ) 71-72—143
MC Wade Ormsby 70-73—143
MC Maverick Antcliff 73-70—143
MC Aaron Wilkin 71-74—145
MC Jack Buchanan 72-74—146
MC Kevin Yuan 70-77—147
MC Scott Hend 73-74—147
MC Denzel Ieremia (NZ) 82-78—160
Ladies European Tour
Aramco Korea Championship
New Korea Country Club, Korea
1 Hyo Joo Kim 70-70-69—209 $US199,509.75
T8 Kelsey Bennett 73-70-72—215 $33,251.63
T55 Maddison Hinson-Tolchard 73-78-72—223 $4,947.84
T55 Kirsten Rudgeley 72-77-74—223 $4,947.84
MC Amelia Garvey (NZ) 78-77—155
MC Momoka Kobori (NZ) 79-76—155
LET Access Series
Super Bock Ladies Open
Vidago Palace Golf, Portugal
1 Sara Brentcheneff (a) 68-69-67—204 ——
T50 Kristalle Blum 72-69-81—222 €273.33
Sunshine Tour
FBC ZIM Open
Royal Harare Golf Club, Harare
1 Luis Carrera 67-66-69-68—270
2 Austin Bautista 67-70-66-71—274
PGA TOUR Americas
Bupa Championship
Club de golf Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
1 John Marshall Butler 64-70-69-66—269 $US40,500
MC Charlie Hillier (NZ) 69-73—142
MC Grant Booth 73-71—144
Epson Tour
Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic
TPC Scottsdale (Champions Cse), Scottsdale, Arizona
1 Sophia Popov 64-73-64-69—270
MC Su Oh 72-75—147
Korea PGA Tour
KPGA Classic
Cypress Golf & Resort, Seogwipo
1 Yongjun Bae 8-14-16—38
T15 Changgi Lee (NZ) 2-7-10—19
MC Junseok Lee 4-0—4
MC Wonjoon Lee 1-(-1)—0
MC Sungjin Yeo (-8)-4—(-4)
Ben Campbell earned the biggest prize of his professional golf career so far by winning the 2025 Victorian PGA Associate Championship at Club Tocumwal.
The only player to shoot under-par rounds on the Captains Course on each of the four days, Campbell (71-71-68-71) finished on 7-under-par to beat fellow Victorian Tony Walker by a shot, with Queensland’s Drew Herbert a further stroke behind in third place.
A first year associate professional from The Sands Torquay, Campbell has made the switch to the Membership Pathway Program after experiencing life as a Tour pro and as a college player in the United States.
He was the third-round leader by one, but made a horror start to his final round, stumbling to a double-bogey on the par-4 first hole followed by a bogey at the par-3 second.
However he picked up a birdie at the fourth before holing out for an eagle at the par-4 fifth and gaining another shot at the sixth.
Walker, a former Tasmanian Open champion now based at Yarramat Park Golf Course, challenged with three consecutive birdies on the back nine but had his challenge thwarted by a bogey at the par-4 16th.
It wasn’t the eagle that was at the forefront of Campbell’s mind post-round. He was quick to look back on a hole-out from a bunker for a birdie on the par-3 17th that was pivotal to him securing the win.
“That allowed me to go two ahead of Toby. It was a pretty wild round really,” the 27-year-old said.
“Holing out on the fifth got me settled into the round.
“Playing 72-hole Tour events in the past really helped me to stay patient, knowing it would be a long week and there’d be some ups and downs.”
Campbell says he has always had an interest in golf coaching and decided to head down that career path after trying out Tour life.
“It’s been really seamless. I’m really enjoying it and where I’m at,” he said.
“I’m not sure if I’ll back to the Tour or not. We’ll just see how the rest of the year plays out.”
Leaderboard
-7: Ben Campbell (Vic) 71-71-68-71
-6: Toby Walker (Vic) 69-69-73-71
-5: Drew Herbert (Qld) 73-68-72-70
-4: Joseph Hodgson (SA) 78-67-68-71
-2: Levi Sclater (Vic) 70-73-71-72
-1: Daniel Gill (Vic) 71-72-68-75; Lachlan Chamberlain (ACT) 75-70-72-70; Ryan Thomas (Tas) 74-72-73-68
Lucas Herbert will head into the weekend as a huge contender at International Series Japan.
Winner of the DP World Tour’s ISPS HANDA Championship in Japan just over two years ago, Herbert is one of 16 Australasian players in the field at the Asian Tour event at Caledonian Golf Club.
He sits at 11-under-par after two rounds, following up his brilliant 62 on Thursday with a 69 on day two.
Fellow Australian Travis Smyth (68-67) is just four shots behind Herbert, who led by a shot when he finished his second round.
The Aussie influence is strong too at the LPGA’s Mizuho Americas Open where three of our best men are endeavouring to win a unique cricket bat trophy at the Truist Championship in Philadelphia.
With regular host venue Quail Hollow preparing for next week’s US PGA Championship, the Truist Championship moves to the Philadelphia Cricket Club, the oldest country club in the US and founded by a group of English students who had played cricket while at the University of Pennsylvania.
All nine of the LPGA-exempt Australians are teeing it up at the spectacular Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey, world No.7 Hannah Green hoping to go one better after finishing second to Nelly Korda during the American’s record-equalling run of wins.
Kirsten Rudgeley, Kelsey Bennett and Maddison Hinson-Tolchard are in the field as the Ladies European Tour season resumes with the Aramco Korea Championship and Kristalle Blum has finished T50 in her first LET Access Series event of the year, the Super Bock Ladies Open in Portugal.
Photo: Yoshimasa Nakano/Getty Images
Round 1 tee times AEST
PGA TOUR
Truist Championship
The Philadelphia Cricket Club (Wissahickon Course), Philadelphia
1:42am* Adam Scott
1:53am Cam Davis
2:15am Min Woo Lee
Past champion: Rory McIlroy
Past Aussie winners: Jason Day (2018)
Prize money: $US20m
TV times: Live 1am-8am Friday, Saturday; Live 10:30pm-8:30am Saturday; Live 9:30pm-8am Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic
Dunes Golf and Beach Club, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
9:12pm Ryan Fox (NZ)
9:45pm* Aaron Baddeley
Past champion: Chris Gotterup
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US4m
TV times: Live 12am-2am Friday, Saturday on Fox Sports 507; Live 5am-7am Sunday on Fox Sports 506; Live 5am-7am Monday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.
LPGA
Mizuho Americas Open
Liberty National Golf Club, Jersey City
9:15pm Gabriela Ruffels, Sarah Kemp
9:26pm Hira Naveed
9:26pm* Karis Davidson
9:48pm Stephanie Kyriacou
10:32pm* Minjee Lee
10:43pm Fiona Xu (NZ)
3:10am* Cassie Porter
3:21am* Hannah Green
3:32am* Lydia Ko (NZ)
3:43am Grace Kim
Past champion: Nelly Korda
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US3m
TV times: Live 1am-4am Friday, Saturday on Fox Sports 506; Live 6:30am-9:30am Sunday; Live 2am-5am Monday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.
DP World Tour
Turkish Airlines Open
Regnum Carya, Antalya, Turkey
2:35pm* Daniel Gale
8:40pm* Kazuma Kobori (NZ)
8:50pm* Danny List
Past champion: Tyrrell Hatton (2019)
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US2.75m
TV times: Live 8:30pm-1:30am Thursday, Friday; Live 8:45pm-1am Saturday; Live 8pm-1am Sunday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.
Asian Tour
International Series Japan
Caledonian Golf Club, Japan
7:05am Brett Rankin
7:15am Aaron Wilkin
7:25am Jack Buchanan
7:35am Kevin Yuan
8am* Nick Voke (NZ)
8:10am* Michael Hendry (NZ), Wade Ormsby
8:30am* Scott Hend
8:40am* Maverick Antcliff
8:50am* Todd Sinnott
8:55am Lawry Flynn
12:10pm Denzel Ieremia (NZ)
12:30pm Travis Smyth
12:50pm Lucas Herbert
1:15pm* Jack Thompson
1:40pm Jed Morgan
Past champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US2m
TV times: Live 2pm-6pm Thursday, Friday; Live 1pm-5pm Saturday; 6pm-8pm Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Ladies European Tour
Aramco Korea Championship
New Korea Country Club, Korea
11:14am Kirsten Rudgeley
11:26am* Kelsey Bennett
11:38am* Maddison Hinson-Tolchard
12:07pm Momoka Kobori (NZ)
12:55pm* Amelia Garvey (NZ)
Past champion: Hyo Joo Kim
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US2m
TV times: Live 3:30pm-7:30pm Friday on Fox Sports 507; Live 5pm-7:30pm Saturday on Fox Sports 503; Live 5pm-7:30pm Sunday on Fox Sports 507 and Kayo.
LET Access Series
Super Bock Ladies Open
Vidago Palace Golf, Portugal
Round 2 scores
T16 Kristalle Blum 72-69—141
Past champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: €50,000
PGA TOUR Americas
Bupa Championship
Club de golf Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
12:10am* Charlie Hillier (NZ)
5am Grant Booth
Past champion: Clay Feagler
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US225,000
Epson Tour
Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic
TPC Scottsdale (Champions Cse), Scottsdale, Arizona
1:10am* Su Oh
Past champion: Ruixin Liu
Past Aussie winners: Gabriela Ruffels (2023)
Prize money: $US225,000
Korea PGA Tour
KPGA Classic
Cypress Golf & Resort, Seogwipo
9:51am* Wonjoon Lee
12:51pm Changgi Lee (NZ)
2:19pm* Sungjin Yeo (NZ)
2:30pm Junseok Lee
Past champion: Kim Chan-woo
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize Money: KRW700m
A hole-in-one and an eagle in the space of five holes has propelled Huntingdale Golf Club’s Jack Deftereos-Brennan to a two-stroke lead after day one of the 2025 Victorian PGA Associate Championship at Club Tocumwal.
A field of 142 Associates from across the country came out firing at Club Tocumwal’s Captain’s Course on Tuesday, none better than the 5-under 67 posted by Deftereos-Brennan in ideal morning conditions.
Blustery winds made scoring more challenging for the afternoon groups, Deftereos-Brennan one of only four players under par heading into Round 2 on Wednesday.
Despite dropping a shot at the opening hole of the championship, the man commonly known as ‘Jack D-B’ unleashed a stunning stretch of holes to surge to the top of the leaderboard.
He made a hole-in-one at the 136-metre par-3 second and then backed it up with further birdies at three and four.
The flurry came to an end with a regulation par at the par-4 fifth but Deftereos-Brennan put it back into top gear with an eagle at the 495-metre par-5 sixth.
He moved to 6-under through seven holes with birdie at the 400m par-4 seventh and was 7-under when he picked up yet another birdie at the short par-4 13th.
Deftereos-Brennan had the tournament by the scruff of the neck, only to give the chasing pack a glimmer of hope with bogeys at each of his final two holes.
The nearest challenger entering Round 2 is Toby Walker (69) followed closely by 2023 National champion Levi Sclater (70) and Ben Campbell (71).
Round 2 teed off at 7am on Wednesday morning, the championship to reach its conclusion on Friday.
Stephanie Kyriacou proved yet again why every shot matters at the highest levels of professional golf.
An unlikely albatross with 5-wood from 212 metres at the 72nd hole of the Black Desert Championship had a multitude of flow-on effects for the Sydneysider.
A regulation par 5 to finish would have resulted in a tie for 12th and $US44,641 less in prize money.
Instead, the 24-year-old’s walk-off two earned her a second top-10 finish for 2025, a rise to 28th in the Race to CME Globe standings and a three-spot jump to a career high of No.43 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking.
In an otherwise quiet week for Aussies around the globe, it also led to a nice bump in this week’s Australian Golf Power Rankings.
10. Cameron Smith (Last week: New)
The game is trending northward for the Ripper GC skipper. Unable to break into the top 15 in each of his first four starts for 2025, Smith has responded with three straight top 10s, the most recent a tie for seventh at LIV Golf Korea. Exempt into next week’s US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow where he has missed the cut in each of his two prior appearances.
9. Elvis Smylie (7)
Played his way into next week’s US PGA Championship without having to pick up a club. The 2024-2025 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner will play in his second major championship after being granted a special exemption by the PGA of America.
8. Marc Leishman (9)
Shot 69 in the final round to finish in a tie for 34th at LIV Golf Korea. The only member of Ripper GC with an individual win across the past two LIV Golf seasons.
7. Minjee Lee (6)
Tied for 14th at the Chevron Championship, Lee was forced to withdraw after one round at the Black Desert Championship due to injury. Is among the nine Aussies entered for this week’s Mizuho Americas Open.
6. Jason Day (5)
A winner at the Byron Nelson two years ago, Day skipped the 2025 edition. Tied for eighth at The Masters, returns this week for the Truist Championship at The Philadelphia Cricket Club in preparation for next week’s US PGA Championship.
5. Hannah Green (4)
Dropped two spots to seventh in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking after missing the cut at the Chevron Championship and skipping the Black Desert Championship. Returns this week for the Mizuho Americas Open in New Jersey.
4. Stephanie Kyriacou (8)
An albatross on the final hole was a unique way for Kyriacou to climb inside the top 10 at the Black Desert Championship in Utah. Her tie for sixth saw Kyriacou rise another three spots in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking to a career high of No.43.
3. Karl Vilips (3)
Opened with a superb 65 in Round 1 of The CJ Cup Byron Nelson, his tie for 49th by week’s end the best of the Aussies. Currently an alternate for this week’s Truist Championship.
2. Min Woo Lee (2)
The world No.25 returns to play this week for the Truist Championship in Philadelphia, the sixth of eight Signature Events on the PGA TOUR this season.
1. Lucas Herbert (1)
Another strong showing from Herbert for Ripper GC at LIV Golf Korea. Already boasting three top-four finishes this season, Herbert shot 67 in Round 2 on his way to a share of 13th.
