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The run of major championship golf continues, this time with the over-50s getting their turn. Here is all you need to know about the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship where 14 Australians, a trio of Kiwis and a Fijian will be among those teeing it up in Michigan.
The great Peter Thomson was a winner of this title back in 1988.
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Steve Stricker (US)
PRIZEMONEY: US$3.5 million
LIVE SCORES: www.srpgachampionship.com
TV COVERAGE: The KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
*All times AEST.
Round One: Friday 3am–6am (Fox Sports 503/Kayo)
Round Two: Saturday 3am–6am (Fox Sports 503/Kayo)
Round Three: Sunday 3am–9am (Fox Sports 507/Kayo)
Final Round: Monday 5am–8am (Fox Sports 505/Kayo)
AUSTRALASIAN PLAYER PROFILES
STEVE ALLAN
Age: 50
The lowdown: One of the new crop of Aussies on the PGA TOUR Champions this year, Allan has experienced some mixed results since turning 50, with the Victorian first trying his hand at senior golf at home in Australia before earning his card in America at Q School.
Fifth at the Invited Celebrity Classic, which was one of four top-25 finishes in 2024, the 2002 Australian Open winner still works incredibly hard at his game and his ball striking and fitness should help with the increased test of a major.
STUART APPLEBY
Age: 56
The lowdown: A nine-time PGA TOUR winner, Appleby made his living with an incredibly high standard of ball striking and a putter that could catch fire at any moment.
Finishing in the top-25 four times this season, Appleby’s lead-in form bodes well for his chances this week, with the Cohuna native finishing tied 11th last start at the most recent senior major (Regions Tradition) and joint runner-up at the Insperity Invitational in his previous appearance.
DAVID BRANSDON
Age: 50
The lowdown: Earning his card at the qualifying school earlier this year and gaining instant success on the PGA Legends Tour at home, Bransdon makes his senior major debut this week in Michigan.
Already with a top-10 on his record from seven starts, and two more inside the top-25, Bransdon is a well-travelled professional who continues to compete on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and is in the upper echelon for driving distance on the PGA TOUR Champions.
BRAD BURNS
Age: 57
The lowdown: A prolific winner at home on the PGA Legends Tour, and four-time Order of Merit champion, Burns is a much loved fixture of Australian golf who relishes the rare chances he gets to ply his trade overseas.
Played this event in 2021 and missed the weekend action, but his form over the summer would suggest a better showing for Burns and his dart like iron play.
MICHAEL CAMPBELL
Age: 55
The lowdown: The winner of the 2005 U.S. Open doesn’t play much in America these days, but remains a joy to watch in every facet of the game that made him one of the purest strikers of the golf ball when he first emerged and nearly claimed The Open at St Andrews.
Campbell played all four rounds at Harbor Shores two years ago, and while he hasn’t shown much in the States this year, the Kiwi has always been a mercurial player who can catch lightning in a bottle for a week as he did at Pinehurst nearly 20 years ago.
GREG CHALMERS
Age: 50
The lowdown: After falling just short of a full card at qualifying, everyone’s favourite Twitter follow has earned a number of starts at pre-qualifying, including this week at Harbor Shores.
From his four starts this year, Chalmers has recorded three top-15 finishes and while known throughout his career as one of the finest putters in the game, Chalmers competing regularly on the PGA TOUR until turning 50 and working hard on his body means his distance is a distinct advantage.
RICHARD GREEN
Age: 53
The lowdown: One of the players to truly thrive post turning 50, Green is a regular presence on the PGA TOUR Champions, although the Victorian is still chasing a first victory on the biggest stage for over-50 golfers.
Already this year Green has amassed six top-25s from nine starts, while he is one of the Aussie contingent with previous experience at Harbor Shores from his missed cut back in 2022.
SCOTT HEND
Age: 50
The lowdown: Arguably the golfer to have travelled more miles to conduct his profession than any other, although Gary Player would like a word, Hend has remained active, and more importantly competitive, on the Asian Tour into his fifth decade.
Hend is a proven winner around the world and as the first non-American to lead the PGA TOUR distance statistic will be having plenty of short clubs into the greens this week. A genuine smoky who could get himself some status with a win.
MARK HENSBY
Age: 52
The lowdown: Providing one of the highlights of 2023 when he claimed the Invited Celebrity Classic after his rollercoaster career, Hensby has yet again been a consistent performer so far in 2024.
Third twice this year, Hensby was T18 at the Regions Tradition and the last time the Senior PGA was held at Harbor Shores, the PGA TOUR winner shared eighth after back-to-back rounds of 67 to close.
MICHAEL LONG
Age: 55
The lowdown: The tall New Zealander who makes his home in Western Australia headed for Europe upon turning 50, before the pandemic altered his plans after winning the Legends Tour qualifying school.
Four times a winner on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, Long is no stranger to success in America, with two wins on the Korn Ferry Tour and his mid-field result last start in Europe suggests he could be a factor here this week.
DAVID MCKENZIE
Age: 56
The lowdown: Highly experienced on the PGA TOUR Champions, with more than 100 starts to his name, McKenzie has been solid if not spectacular from his limited opportunities so far in 2024.
A long-time player on the Korn Ferry Tour, and one-time winner, McKenzie has plenty of experience at Harbor Shores having played two Senior PGAs there previously and it is with the putter where the Victorian can be dangerous.
ROD PAMPLING
Age: 54
The lowdown: A two-time winner on the PGA TOUR Champions, including last year’s SAS Championship, Pampling has long held a reputation as a high quality ball striker with a capability to go very low.
Already has two top-10s this year, including earlier this month at the Insperity Invitational, the Queenslander is another of the Australasian contingent with previous experience at Harbor Shores that should help his cause this week.
CAMERON PERCY
Age: 50
The lowdown: Percy makes not only his senior major debut this week, but also his PGA TOUR Champions maiden appearance this week after winning the Q School but only turning 50 earlier this month.
Having picked the brain of close friend Greg Chalmers, and similarly competing on the PGA TOUR until last season, Percy knows his distance will be an advantage on the over 50s circuit and will hope his birthday luck continues after backing the winner of the Kentucky Derby at his celebrations.
JOHN SENDEN
Age: 53
The lowdown: A two-time winner on the regular PGA TOUR, Senden has plenty of experience already in the senior game and showed what he is capable of at the end of last month when finishing joint sixth at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic.
A straight driving and green hitting machine in his prime, the Harbor Shores layout should fit the eye of the Queenslander if he can find close to his best.
VIJAY SINGH
Age: 61
The lowdown: Despite being more than 10 years into his senior golf career, the World Golf Hall of Fame member continues to outwork the vast majority of professionals of any age.
A five-time winner on the PGA TOUR Champions, Singh’s best finish so far this year was a share of sixth last month, and despite being eligible multiple times has only teed it up at Harbor Shores once, limiting his course knowledge.
The Fijian still ranks highly for driving distance among the over 50s and that will be a significant advantage this week, however, as always for Vijay, a good result is dependent on the putter.
MICK SMITH
Age: 51
The lowdown: The first results of a Google search of Mick Smith will bring about details of his impressive credentials as a teaching professional, however, make no mistake the Wisconsin-based Aussie can seriously play.
A regular winner in his local PGA section, think Michael Block in the west coast, Smith makes his second PGA TOUR Champions start this week and will no doubt be keen to show what he can do on a big stage.
MICHAEL WRIGHT
Age: 50
The lowdown: A journeyman who epitomises never giving up, Wright’s big moment came with a hole out at Q School to earn his way onto the PGA TOUR Champions, but bigger yet could come this week.
As one of the fresh 50 year olds, Wright is one of the longest drivers on Tour so far this year and performs well in the birdie categories that could bode well if this week offers up some low scores. A very consistent putter, Wright’s competitiveness and resilience are arguably his greatest attributes at the senior majors.
THE COURSE
For the sixth time, The Golf Club at Harbor Shores welcomes the best players over the age of 50 in the game, with the Jack Nicklaus designed layout last hosting the event in 2022 when Kiwi Steve Alker triumphed.
Offering a mix of vegetation lined inland holes and more open parts with vistas of Lake Michigan, the course stands out for its rugged bunkering and dunes that mean players are really greeted with a flat lie or uninterrupted view of the putting surface.
He insists the swing needs some tweaks but Nathan Barbieri’s putter proved the difference at the Total Tree Services Perth Sun City CC Pro-Am at Sun City Country Club.
Winner of Q School in April and with a maiden adidas PGA Pro-Am Series victory at the Cottesloe Open, the New South Welshman is riding high on confidence and with a flatstick to match.
Barbieri’s round of 7-under 65 was enough to edge West Australian Ben Ferguson by a shot with left-hander Ryan Peake third at 5-under 67.
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
After starting his round from the par-4 12th hole it took Barbieri just two holes to record his first birdie of the day at the par-3 14th.
He backed that up with a second at the par-5 15th and then closed out Sun City’s back nine with three straight pars.
Three birdies in the first four holes to start the front nine helped to separate Barbieri from the field, two further birdies at seven and nine enough to build the buffer he needed for a second win in the WA swing.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I started well. I was a couple under through four or five holes and then picked up a couple after the turn,” said Barbieri.
“I then had the easiest stretch with the short par-4 and the short par-5s and then just played steady from there.
“I made some really nice putts all day. Didn’t have any three-putts and the greens were quick, so the putting definitely took over today.
“I’ve been rolling it really nice pretty much since I got here. I’ve still got to fix the swing a little bit before the season starts but it’s been good.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Nathan Barbieri 65
2 Ben Ferguson 66
3 Ryan Peake 67
T4 Brady Watt 68
T4 Jordan Doull 68
6 Daniel Hoeve 69
NEXT UP
The $50,000 Lexus Townsville Classic begins on Thursday at Townsville Golf Club while the WA swing continues on Friday with the Urban Quarter Dunsborough Lakes Pro-Am at Dunsborough Lakes Golf Course near Busselton.
He knows little of the golf course and has played one competitive round this year, yet Cameron Percy believes he can make an immediate impression on the over-50s circuit at this week’s KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship.
Medallist at PGA TOUR Champions Qualifying School last December – where fellow Aussies Steve Allan, David Bransdon and Michael Wright claimed three of the other four cards on offer – Percy is one of 14 Aussies teeing it up at Harbor Shores in Michigan.
Only the United States has a greater representation in a field where four-time PGA Legends Tour Order of Merit winner, Brad Burns, and Wisconsin-based PGA Professional, Mick Smith, join Stuart Appleby, Richard Green, Rod Pampling, Scott Hend and others in flying the Australian flag.
Percy now also joins them having celebrated his 50th birthday on May 5 with a first-time visit to the Kentucky Derby.
And, just like his fortunes at Churchill Downs – “Mystik Dan won at 20-1 and we backed it like we owned it” – Percy hopes to make it first time lucky in senior company.
Although he has been denied starts in PGA TOUR events since the RSM Classic last November, Percy has already seen where the most recent addition to the senior ranks can take his advantage.
“I basically got everything out of my body that I could, but the young guys just hit it so far now. I’m just so far behind,” Percy admitted of his final year playing the PGA TOUR.
“I played in a US Senior Open qualifier a week ago and I was 60, 70 yards ahead of my playing partners most times.
“That’s a huge advantage to me.
“I’ve watched the Champions Tour a bit on TV and the par 5s are 500-520 yards long; that’s a par 4 now on the PGA TOUR.
“Hopefully I’m going to be the one hitting it a bit further than some other guys and have shorter clubs in.
“That’s going to help me for sure once I get out there.”
We'll be at beautiful @HarborShores next week! 😍#SrPGAChamp pic.twitter.com/Y9TKqUnpum
— KitchenAid Senior PGA Champ (@seniorpgachamp) May 17, 2024
Percy is an alternate for the US Senior Open after shooting 69 in the one-round qualifier and missing out in a playoff to Mario Tiziani.
It’s an insight to the standard of his play with very limited practice and next to no strength work in the gym since contracting Long COVID four years ago.
His practice regime has been structured around the coaching he does at Wakefield High School where his son is a member of the golf team.
The Victorian who now calls Raleigh, North Carolina home, knows his short game needs to be sharpened and his regimen needs greater intensity. There is also a familiarity with life on tour that needs to be re-established.
He has already leant on close friend Greg Chalmers to gauge the standard of competition he can expect but knows that there is a learning curve he must expedite if he is to be one of the 36 Champions Tour players to keep their card at season’s end.
“I speak to Greg Chalmers a lot. We’re very close and he qualified for a few events and finished top 10,” said Percy.
“I said, ‘Oh, how did you play? Did you play unbelievable?’ He goes, ‘Cameron, I actually didn’t play that good but I’m so far ahead of everyone with distance off the tee that you’ve just got to play decent. If you play great, you’re going to be contending to win.’
“To be honest, I still haven’t gotten onto everything. I don’t know where everything is and which airport to fly into.
“It’s pretty weird. I’m still trying to get my head around everything.”
But, given he has missed the first 10 events and the 36th-ranked player on the monsylist has already banked close to $US200,000, time is of the essence.
As Q School medallist, Percy is exempt for all tournaments except the majors, and he knows the simplest way to start moving up the Order of Merit.
“Winning is definitely something I’m looking at doing,” said Percy, who has made 220 starts on the PGA TOUR.
“Unfortunately there was a big event, the Insperity Invitational, I got in because I won Q School but it was the week before I turned 50 so I never got to play it.
“I just think if I play well enough, I should be up there and give myself a chance to win.”
The full list of Australians teeing it up this week is Steve Allan, Stuart Appleby, Greg Chalmers, David Bransdon, Brad Burns, Richard Green, Scott Hend, Mark Hensby, David McKenzie, Rod Pampling, Cameron Percy, John Senden, Mick Smith and Michael Wright. Kiwis Michael Campbell and Michael Long are also in the field.
Photo: Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images
In a sense, Declan McCollam’s career working at golf facilities around the world was the result of a gap year gone wrong.
After completing his PGA Traineeship (now Membership Pathway Program) in Perth under Graham Johnson and spending a couple of years playing on tour in Asia and Australia, Declan decided to join a number of his countrymen and teach golf in Germany.
There was a growing enclave of Aussie PGA Professionals within Germany and Declan saw it as a way to see a new part of the world, experience a new culture and return home to Australia to resume his playing career.
“I really went with the idea of going for a year to see what it was like, save some money and go play again,” Declan says.
“I ended up staying 12 years in Germany.”
Thirty years on from that initial exploration, Declan was named the 2023 PGA International Member of the Year at the PGA of Australia Awards in Brisbane last November.
His current role as General Manager of the Prestige Golfshire Club in Bangalore in India prevented Declan from attending in person, his career now serving as a blueprint for just how widely PGA qualifications can take you.
Through his association with Troon Golf that is coming up on 24 years, Declan has worked in Portugal, Russia, Italy, Morocco, the United Kingdom, Dubai and Switzerland as well as a stint back on home soil managing Troon properties such as Brookwater, Golf Club Kennedy Bay, Pelican Waters, Peregian Springs and The Cut.
He is adamant that his experiences in different countries among different cultures have armed him with the skills to be able to work anywhere and urges other PGA Professionals to invest time working internationally.
“I would recommend to all young graduates to go overseas for at least a period of time and experience what it’s like overseas,” Declan says.
“Even if it’s for one year or two years because it’s great to see what’s happening somewhere else and how different it is to the Australian system.
“If you go to a private club in Singapore, for example, seeing first-hand how they operate at such a high level is an invaluable experience.
“Any young Professional that gets that experience and has the opportunity to work in that environment, comes back with such a better understanding of how to work in the service and hospitality industry and deliver to your members.
“It’s a big feather in their cap and, when they come back, they will be highly desirable to Tier 1 clubs around the country.”
Although Graham Johnson’s acronym for FIFO may not be fit for publication, Declan insists that the principle remains the same for those who wish to work worldwide.
“You have to have the ability to adapt,” Declan says.
“I first went to Dubai not long after September 11 so there was lot of cautiousness about being in that part of the world.
“My thought was that if I make the decision to go there, it’s their country, I have to live by their rules.
“If you’re going to go somewhere, you need to fit in and you need to assimilate and behave in a professional manner.
“I think this is why Australians do so well overseas. We have the ability to adapt to any culture or race of people whereas other people perhaps don’t have that ability.”
Thirty years in, Declan continues to supplement his in-workplace development with continuing education through the PGA ACE Program.
Wherever he is in the world, Declan believes that continued learning is critical to success.
“It’s important to me, and it should be important to all Members because knowledge is everything,” he says.
“You cannot stop learning. If you stop learning, it’s like applying the brake to everything. It then gets to the point where everyone’s passed you by so far that it’s hard to catch up.
“The guys that have been really successful have never stopped learning and knowing how to adapt and grow their business.
“That’s very important. And the PGA has now realised that and are giving us the tools to be very knowledgeable, very well-rounded and understanding of what’s happening outside of the golf industry.
“That can only benefit us within our own industry.”
Reigning champion Brett Rankin is vowing to bring a Tour mentality to the defence of his Lexus Townsville Golf Classic at Townsville Golf Club starting Thursday.
The $50,000 54-hole event marks the start of the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series North Queensland swing and boasts a field littered with Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and WPGA Tour of Australasia players.
The week of golf begins with a free junior clinic from 4pm on Tuesday which will be followed by a junior shootout competition and junior pizza party.
The Sponsors Day will be held in conjunction with a club competition on Wednesday with PGA Professionals to be involved in a Q&A and Calcutta at the club on Wednesday evening.
Round 1 of the Lexus Townsville Golf Classic tees off at 6:45am Thursday morning with the champion to be crowned on Saturday afternoon followed by a Shootout on the 18th hole
Rankin, who got up-and-down at the par-3 18th in regulation and then again at the first playoff hole to edge Shae Wools-Cobb 12 months ago, won the NT PGA Championship in 2019 and has been a dominant figure on the Pro-Am circuit for a decade.
With an 18-month-old daughter now at home in Brisbane, Rankin is more judicious with his scheduling and is treating his Townsville defence with the same mindset he takes into a 72-hole Tour event.
“For a one-day event, you try and make as many birdies as you can,” said Rankin, the 2019 NT PGA champion.
“You’re being super aggressive with the attitude of, well, if I don’t pull it off, I’ve got a new event tomorrow.
“With three days it’s more like a Tour event. It’s more like Tour golf. It’s a bit more like a chess match instead of a Big Bash event.
“I enjoy playing the two, three and four-day events more. You can play a bit smarter and play a bit more consistent.”
Four shots back at the start of the final round, Rankin believes it was that patient approach that proved so effective last year, coming home strong with a round of 6-under 65.
“There are a few guys that are quite good at making a lot of birdies, but they’re super aggressive,” he added.
“Sometimes you can just be a bit more patient and eventually they might slip up and consistency will come through at the end, which it did for me last year.
“I enjoy playing multiple days and I still love playing golf, too. You’re playing three or four days in a row, it’s quite exciting. It’s just fun to do.”
Not only does Rankin believe that the patient approach is effective in a three-day event, he says that the Townsville Golf Club layout also plays into the hands of those prepared to plot their way around.
“It’s a course that really bites you in the arse,” Rankin said.
“If you’re going with the aggressive play and you don’t pull it off, you can get into a lot of trouble.
“Just be a bit more cautious off the tee and get it in play and then try and score from that 100-120-metre mark instead of driving some greens and bringing out-of-bounds or water hazards into play.
“I’ve found that the more patient and safer you are off the tee, it normally plays to my advantage.
“Last year the greens were quite good, so you can just play smart off the tee, give yourself looks at birdies and eventually hole a few.”.
Given the growth of the Webex Players Series in recent years, the presence of Kelsey Bennett, Jordan O’Brien, Danni Vasquez, Sarah Yamaki Branch and Rhianna Lewis adds another element to the event.
Other players of note are 2016 Hong Kong Open champion Sam Brazel, rising stars Elvis Smylie and John Lyras and new additions to the pro ranks, Jye Pickin and Connor McDade.
Today marks the first day of National Volunteer Week, and Golf Australia, the PGA of Australia and the WPGA of Australasia would like to say “Three Cheers for Volunteers!”.
Like many sports, volunteers are at the heart of golf. From ball spotters, to first tee starters, to the board members who make Australian clubs tick, golf could not be enjoyed without the crucial role volunteers play.
Across the summer of golf in Australia, 1600 volunteers made sure that the Australian touring professionals and elite amateurs had a well-run tournament at each and every stop around the country.
Also assisting at professional and elite amateur events were more than 50 Tournament Support Officials, helping with refereeing, registration, course setup, and more.
At clubs across Australia, there are 1732 registered Community Instructors, dedicated to helping more Australians play more golf, and almost 14,000 board members facilitating welcoming and inclusive golf facilities.
Golf Australia’s Head of Workforce Engagement, Claudia Marazita, thanked Australian volunteers for their contributions on and off the course to help make Australian golf even bigger and is excited for the relationships that have been built going forward.
“To have a total number of volunteers in Australian golf that exceeds 30,000 is both extremely reassuring and exciting,” she said.
“Without volunteers, our events, tournaments, and day-to-day golf at grassroots level would simply not be possible, so thank you to everyone who has made their contribution to our game.
“Volunteers are the backbone of Australian golf, and the success and growth of our sport would not be possible without their passion and dedication.
“Introduction of online volunteer management system Rosterfy has allowed us to streamline our volunteer process, and has helped us build an ongoing relationship with those who wish to continue volunteering into the future.
“We are committed to ensuring that every volunteer feels appreciated, recognised and supported by the industry in the process of working towards our vision that those wanting to volunteer choose golf.
“We cannot say thank you enough, so again, three cheers for volunteers!”
Two late birdies and a judicious decision on the final hole has secured Brady Watt a one-stroke victory at the 50th playing of the Mitchell and Brown Spalding Park Open in Geraldton.
A round of 6-under 66 gave Watt a one-stroke lead after Round 1 at Spalding Park Golf Club, an advantage he extended to three courtesy of a 4-under par round of 68 in Round 2.
Paired with Ryan Peake and Scott Strange for the final round, Watt was somewhat slow out of the blocks.
Six pars and a bogey in his opening seven holes gave the likes of Jordan Doull (64) and rwo-time champion Daniel Fox (68) a glimmer of hope that Watt could be reined in.
Birdies at eight, nine and 11 re-established Watt’s ascendancy, building a two-stroke buffer with further birdies at 15 and 16.
He dropped a shot at the par-4 17th to reduce the deficit to one but used a conservative approach to secure the par he needed for his first adidas PGA Pro-Am Series win in close to a year.
“It’s always hard to win wire-to-wire,” Watt said post-round.
“I felt a little nervous this morning but how the course was set-up was kind of tricky, so you’ve got to hang in there.
“I didn’t look at the live scoring too much. I looked after nine and saw that a few guys were going quite well so just tried to have a couple more birdies coming home, checked it on the last and managed to get it done.”
Although not quite wire-to-wire, it was a solid performance from PGA Legends Tour Order of Merit leader Chris Taylor to claim the Mitchell and Brown Spalding Park Legends Open.
One back of Terry Pilkadaris after Round 1, Taylor opened up a four-stroke buffer with a second straight round of 3-under 69 on day two.
Two early birdies in the final round saw that lead balloon to six early, Taylor completing a comfortable three-stroke win despite making bogey at each of the final two holes.
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
With Watt out in front, it did not take long for contenders to make their move in the final round.
New South Welshman Alex Edge made three birdies and an eagle in his first four holes after starting on the 10th tee while Cameron John threatened to make it three wins on the WA swing when he used two birdies and an eagle to draw within two of Watt.
As Watt struggled early, Doull made his move.
A week into his professional career, Doull started the final round seven shots back of Watt but had drawn to within one courtesy of an outward nine of 5-under 31.
He added three further birdies in a bogey-free round that would ultimately come up one shot shy.
Watt’s two birdies prior to the turn proved crucial in building momentum into the back nine.
He took advantage of the short par-4 11th to edge further ahead and following a dropped shot at 13, responded with birdies at 15 and 16.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I try to make as many (birdies) as I can while limiting the bogeys,” said Watt.
“I like playing quite aggressive so it’s hard sometimes to aim away from the pin but on the last, being in the middle of the fairway, it’s 100 metres, it’s actually hard to aim right of the flag and try to make a four.
“But that’s how you close out golf events and really happy that I did today.
“I got my card back at Q School and I’ve just been continuing to work and tie in these pro-ams to test how I’m going.
“It’s all starting to come back to where it can be so it’s exciting to get a win, especially at a place I’ve been coming since I was a junior.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Brady Watt 66-68-70—204
T2 Jordan Doull 68-73-64—205
T2 Daniel Fox 68-69-68—205
4 Tom Addy (a) 69-72-65—206
5 Scott Strange 68-69-70—207
T6 Cameron John 70-70-68—208
T6 Kim Felton 69-71-68—208
T6 James Marchesani 70-70-68—208
NEXT UP
The WA swing of the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series moves on to Watt’s junior club, Sun City Country Club, on Wednesday for the Total Tree Services Perth Sun City CC Pro-Am where he is also the defending champion. On the east coast of the country, the Queensland run begins on Thursday with the $50,000 Lexus Townsville Classic.
Sydney professional Josh Clarke broke through for his first adidas PGA Pro-Am Series victory by shooting a Sunday 65 to claim the Cowra Lamb Pro-Am by a single shot.
Coming off two top-three pro-am finishes in February and regaining his Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia card at Qualifying School in April, Clarke posted a 36-hole total of 9-under-par to overtake the first-round leader James Conran (66-68),
Matthew Docking (68-67) and Blake Windred (68-67) shared third place.
With the Asian Tour Qualifying School as his next major target, Clarke said he is seeing the results of plenty of time on the practice fairway with coach Blake Dowd at Castle Hill.
Former Australian amateur representative Jye Pickin made his professional debut at Cowra and finished in 12th at 3-under-par.
HOW THE LEADING SCORE UNFOLDED
Clarke rode a hot putter across the two days, collecting 13 birdies.
Six of those came on day one when he also mixed in three bogeys.
In his 6-under 65 on Sunday, which matched John Lyras for low round of the day, Clarke rolled in another seven birdies with his sole bogey coming on the 383m par-4 ninth which he also bogeyed in round one.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I putted pretty well on both days,” Clarke said.
“I didn’t hit it the greatest on day one but much better day two and still just holed heaps of putts whether it was pars or birdies and even a couple of bogey putts. I just putted really good.
“I’ve been continuing to work hard with my coach Blake who is now at Castle Hill. Working on the same type of swing stuff. Still trying to hit fades just control the flight a little bit better.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
133: Josh Clarke (68-65)
134: James Conran (66-68)
135: Matthew Docking (67-68), Blake Windred (67-68)
136: Jack Walden (69-67)
137: Andrew Evans (71-66), Nathan Page (70-67), Anthony Choat (69-68), Justin Warren (68-69)
(*all NSW)
NEXT UP
The next adidas PGA Pro-Am series event in New South Wales is the Northbridge Pro-Am in Sydney on July 26.
West Australian Min Woo Lee believes he is a step closer to a major championship breakthrough after finishing as the leading Aussie at the US PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club.
American Xander Schauffele had to birdie the 72nd hole to earn his own maiden major victory with a record score of 21-under par, edging Bryson DeChambeau (64) by a single stroke.
Tied with two-time major champion Collin Morikawa entering the final round, Schauffele holed a birdie putt from 27 feet at the first to take the outright lead.
He would never trail from that point on, yet had to navigate a treacherous final hole to better DeChambeau’s clubhouse mark of 20-under par.
His tee shot at the par-5 18th came so close to the fairway bunker that he was forced to play his second shot with both feet in the sand. An awkward 7-iron from 247 yards hooked into the fairway 36 yards short of the green, his subsequent pitch coming up six feet short of the hole.
Raise it high, Xander Schauffele! You're a PGA Champion! 🏆#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/onxnK4f0ZC
— PGA Championship (@PGAChampionship) May 19, 2024
As DeChambeau thundered driver swings on the practice range in preparation of a possible three-hole playoff, Schauffele stepped in and found enough of the left edge of the hole to make birdie and join the pantheon of major champions.
At 25 years of age, it is a place Lee wants to one day occupy and he left Valhalla feeling confident that he remains on the right path.
“Definitely trending in the right direction,” Lee told the PGA of America after a round of 4-under 67 that elevated him into a tie for 26th.
“I feel like I’m slowly becoming a better player.
“I left some out there but that’s just how it is. I think we can learn from that; solid week.”
A shot to just three feet at the first hole on Sunday set Lee up for a Sunday flurry.
He converted that birdie opportunity and a second from nine feet at the second to begin his final round in the best possible fashion.
There would be a dropped shot at the par-4 fifth but birdies at seven, nine and 10 had Lee 4-under on his round with eight holes to play.
He was unable to get up and down when he came up short of the green at the par-3 11th but got that back with a birdie from 17 feet at the 520-yard par-4 16th.
Thirteenth for the week in Strokes Gained: Putting, Lee was left to lament a 57% driving accuracy off the tee that restricted his birdie chances throughout the week.
“My driving wasn’t too good the last couple of days,” he admitted.
“If my driving’s up to scratch then I can definitely attack and make some more birdies. It didn’t feel comfortable the last two days so it was quite tough to make some birdies.
“I thought I did pretty good with my recovery the last few days, very happy.”
Tied for 16th through three rounds and chasing a first top-10 finish in a major, Lucas Herbert was on the back foot early with a double-bogey at the first, falling to a tie for 43rd with a closing 3-over 74 alongside fellow Aussie Jason Day (71).
Cameron Smith had six bogeys and four birdies in his round of 2-over 73 while Kiwi Ryan Fox shot 74 to finish 75th.
Photo: Michael Reaves/Getty Images
US PGA Championship
Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville, Kentucky
1 Xander Schauffele 62-68-68-65—263 $US3.3m
T26 Min Woo Lee 72-66-70-67—275 $113,962
T43 Jason Day 71-67-69-71—278 $48,969
T43 Lucas Herbert 69-67-68-74—278 $48,969
T63 Cameron Smith 68-70-70-73—281 $25,202
75 Ryan Fox (NZ) 72-68-72-74—286 $22,350
MC Adam Scott 72-73—145
MC Cam Davis 78-71—149
MC Kazuma Kobori (NZ) 73-77—150
West Australian Hannah Green has fallen just short in her quest to win for a third time this season in an epic showdown with world No.1 Nelly Korda at the Mizuho Americas Open.
Seeking to join Jan Stephenson and Karrie Webb as the only Australians to win three times in a single LPGA Tour season, Green began the final round two shot back at Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey.
Green’s birdie at the opening hole and Korda’s bogey on two brought the two together at the top of the leaderboard and it quickly turned into a two-horse race.
The 27-year-old took the outright lead when Korda dropped a shot at the par-4 seventh but joined Korda again at 11-under when she made bogey at the par-5 eighth.
The pair made a trio of matching birdies at 10, 13 and 15 to move out to 14-under and four strokes clear of the field.
They are neck and neck! 🏃♀️@HannahGreenGolf birdies and @NellyKorda follows 🐥 pic.twitter.com/t5LAZvAdik
— LPGA (@LPGA) May 19, 2024
Each hole was an absorbing round of a heavyweight title fight.
Every time that Green landed a body blow, Korda countered with one of her own.
In a possible precursor to the US Women’s Open in two weeks’ time, two players with seven wins between them this season battled until the 72nd hole when Green’s fourth missed fairway of the day would prove costly.
The deep rough left of the fairway grabbed hold of her club as she played her second shot, the ball diving left and short of the putting surface.
The 2019 KPMG Women’s PGA champion showed great touch to give herself a par putt of some 10 feet but it missed on the low side as Korda clinched her sixth win in her past seven starts.
Although disappointed to come up agonisingly short, Green was proud of how she stood up against one of the greatest stretches by anyone in golf history.
“To lose to Nelly… it’s sad, but then it’s also Nelly Korda,” Green reflected.
“She’s obviously so dominant right now. To feel like second behind her is quite nice.”
Green is looking toward the US Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club where she attended as a spectator in 2015 as a Karrie Webb scholarship holder.
“I’m super excited for the next stretch of events,” Green added.
“To go back to somewhere that I haven’t actually played but been outside the ropes, that was the thing that made me want to become a professional golfer, watching Karrie there.
“I’m really excited for Lancaster.”
Green wasn’t the only outstanding performance from an Australian woman this week.
Gabriela Ruffels continued her outstanding rookie season on the LPGA Tour with a third third-place finish to will propel her inside the top 50 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings while Kirsten Rudgeley shot 65 in the final round to finish tied for fourth at the Amundi German Masters on the Ladies European Tour.
Another very solid week at a major for @Minwoo27Lee.
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) May 19, 2024
He breaks down his @PGAChampionship ⬇️
📹 @PGA pic.twitter.com/FhuUdsuOyA
A final round of 4-under 67 saw Min Woo Lee finish as the leading Australian at the US PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club.
Lee’s four-round total of 9-under earned the 25-year-old a tied for 26th as American Xander Schauffele (65) birdied the 72nd hole to win his maiden major championship by a single stroke from Bryson DeChambeau (64).
It was another winning week too for the Kiwis, with Harry Hillier shooting 59 on his way to an eight-shot win on the PGA TOUR Americas and Fiona Xu winning the Copper Rock Championship on the Epson Tour by seven.
Results
US PGA Championship
Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville, Kentucky
1 Xander Schauffele 62-68-68-65—263 $US3.3m
T26 Min Woo Lee 72-66-70-67—275 $113,962
T43 Jason Day 71-67-69-71—278 $48,969
T43 Lucas Herbert 69-67-68-74—278 $48,969
T63 Cameron Smith 68-70-70-73—281 $25,202
75 Ryan Fox (NZ) 72-68-72-74—286 $22,350
MC Adam Scott 72-73—145
MC Cam Davis 78-71—149
MC Kazuma Kobori (NZ) 73-77—150
LPGA Tour
Mizuho Americas Open
Liberty National Golf Club, Jersey City, New Jersey
1 Nelly Korda 70-68-65-71—274 $US450,000
2 Hannah Green 71-71-63-70—275 $277,738
T3 Gabriela Ruffels 68-70-68-72—278 $146,358
T21 Minjee Lee 69-72-71-69—281 $30,238
T51 Karis Davidson 71-70-71-77—289 $10,189
T51 Sarah Kemp 73-67-72-77—289 $10,189
T53 Stephanie Kyriacou 74-69-71-76—290 $9,427
MC Grace Kim 72-72—144
MC Robyn Choi 73-74—147
MC Lydia Ko (NZ) 72-77—149
Japan Golf Tour
Kansai Open Golf Championship
Meishin Yokaichi Country Club, Shiga
1 Takahiro Hatachi 69-65-65-67—266 ¥16m
T14 Michael Hendry 72-67-70-66—275 ¥1.376m
MC Brad Kennedy 77-67—144
MC Anthony Quayle 70-76—146
Korn Ferry Tour
AdventHealth Championship
Blue Hills Country Club, Kansas City, Missouri
1 Harry Higgs 71-67-65-66—269
Won in sudden-death playoff
MC Rhein Gibson 72-71—143
MC Dimi Papadatos 75-70—145
MC Brett Drewitt 75-70—145
MC Steven Bowditch 75-78—153
Ladies European Tour
Amundi German Masters
Golf and Country Club Seddiner See, Berlin, Germany
1 Alexandra Forsterling 70-70-69-67—276 €45,000
Won in sudden-death playoff
T4 Kirsten Rudgeley 73-74-68-65—280 €12,150
T24 Momoka Kobori (NZ) 74-73-68-72—287 €3,510
MC Amy Walsh 73-79—152
Korean PGA
SK Telecom Open
Pinx Golf Club, Seogwipo, South Korea
1 K.J. Choi 71-64-72-74—281
Won in sudden-death playoff
MC Wonjoon Lee 77-74—151
MC Junseok Lee 78-73—151
MC Kevin Chun (NZ) 84-73—157
PGA TOUR Americas
Inter Rapidisimo Golf Championship
Club El Rincón de Cajicá, Bogotá, Colombia
1 Harry Hillier (NZ) 68-59-68-67—262 $US40,500
T45 Jason Hong 70-70-76-69—285
Epson Tour
Copper Rock Championship
Copper Rock Golf Course, Hurricane, Utah
1 Fiona Xu (NZ) 67-63-64—194 $US37,500
T30 Cassie Porter 74-68-71—213 $2,166
MC Su Oh 74-72—146
MC Amelia Garvey (NZ) 77-72—149
