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Only an extraordinary chain of events stands between Karl Vilips and promotion to the PGA TOUR in 2025 as Cassie Porter enters the Epson Tour Championship with one hand on an LPGA Tour card.
In two of the most compelling golf tournaments of the year in which storylines fluctuate based on almost every shot, the Korn Ferry Tour and Epson Tour will crown 30 and 15 graduates respectively.
A total of 17 players have already earned enough points to guarantee their elevation from the Korn Ferry Tour to the PGA TOUR, Vilips the next in line at No.18 for the 13 remaining cards to be handed out.
A winner in his fourth start on Tour having graduated from Stanford College in June, it would mark a meteoric rise for a young man who has been on a trajectory to the PGA TOUR from a very early age.
‘Koala Karl’ had won two US Kids World Championship titles before the age of 10 and now, at age 22, is almost assured of joining the PGA TOUR next season.
Top 30 into the final event of the season @tourchampulf 👀
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) September 30, 2024
Who will finish #TOURBound? pic.twitter.com/2ia2sqKBT7
Porter, too, has been predicted to play at the highest level from a young age.
Runner-up at the Masters of the Amateurs in a playoff in 2020, Porter turned professional in 2001 at the age of 18.
She edged good friend Kelsey Bennett to win the WPGA Melbourne International in January 2023 and in her second year on the Epson Tour in the US, won the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship in June.
That, along with three top-10 finishes throughout the season, has her placed 11th in the Race For The Card standings, the top 15 after this week’s Tour Championship to earn status on the LPGA Tour in 2025.
This week also represents a wonderful opportunity for a host of Aussies teeing it up in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.
Along with Kiwi Order of Merit winner Kazuma Kobori, Daniel Gale, Brett Coletta, Matthew Griffin, David Micheluzzi, Jak Carter, Cameron John, Kade McBride, Lachlan Barker and Jordan Zunic are all playing one of the DP World Tour’s most iconic events by virtue of their performances on the 2023/2024 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season.
There are 13 Aussies – including 2013 champion Scott Hend – playing the Mercuries Taiwan Masters on the Asian Tour and Kirsten Rudgeley and Kelsey Bennett will be out to continue their recent good form at the Aramco Team Series event in China.
Round 1 tee times AEST
PGA TOUR
Sanderson Farms Championship
The Country Club of Jackson, Jackson, Mississippi
11:11pm Tim Wilkinson (NZ)
2:50am Ryan Fox (NZ)
4:07am* Aaron Baddeley
Defending champion: Luke List
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US7.6m
TV times: Live 10pm-9am Thursday; Live 10pm-9:30am Friday; Live 7am-10am Sunday; Live 6:30am-9:30am Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
DP World Tour
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
Old Course St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland
St Andrews
6:44pm Daniel Hillier (NZ), Matthew Griffin
7:06pm Sam Jones (NZ)
8:01pm Daniel Gale
Carnoustie
6:11pm Kazuma Kobori (NZ)
6:55pm Lachlan Barker
7:50pm Jak Carter
7:50pm* Matt Jones
Kingsbarns
6:55pm Kade McBridge
7:06pm Jordan Zunic
7:39pm* David Micheluzzi
7:50pm* Cameron John
8:01pm Brett Coletta
Defending champion: Matt Fitzpatrick
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US5m
TV times: Live 9pm-2am Thursday, Friday on Fox Sports 505; 9pm-3am Saturday; Live 9:30pm-3am Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Asian Tour
Mercuries Taiwan Masters
Taiwan Golf and Country Club, Chinese Taipei
9am* Maverick Antcliff
9:10am* Sam Brazel
9:20am* Jed Morgan
9:45am Aaron Wilkin
1:25pm* Harrison Crowe
1:30pm Andrew Dodt
1:35pm* Todd Sinnott
1:45pm* Kevin Yuan
2:05pm* Zach Murray
2:15pm* Jack Thompson
2:20pm Brendan Jones
2:30pm Scott Hend
2:40pm Deyen Lawson
2:50pm Justin Warren
Defending champion: Jaco Ahlers
Past Aussie winners: Scott Hend (2013)
Prize money: $US1m
Japan Golf Tour
ACN Championship Golf Tournament
Miki Golf Club, Hyogo
9:50am* Michael Hendry (NZ)
10:20am Brad Kennedy
10:40am Anthony Quayle
Defending champion: Yuki Inamori
Past Aussie winners: Graham Marsh (1974, 1982), Brian Jones (1985, 1987, 1988)
Prize money: ¥100,000,000
Ladies European Tour
Aramco Team Series Presented by PIF – Shenzhen
Mission Hills Resort (World Cup Cse), China
Australasians in the field: Kirsten Rudgeley, Kelsey Bennett
Defending champion: Xiyu Lin
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US1m
TV times: Live 3pm-7pm Friday on Fox Sports 505; Live 4pm-7pm Saturday; Live 5pm-8pm Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Korn Ferry Tour
Korn Ferry Tour Championship
French Lick Golf Resort (Pete Dye Cse), French Lick, Indiana
10:52pm Karl Vilips
Defending champion: Paul Barjon
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US1.5m
TV times: Live 3am-6am Friday; Live 3am-7am Saturday, Sunday on Fox Sports 505; Live 3:30am-6:30am Monday on Fox Sports 503.
Epson Tour
Epson Tour Championship at Indian Wells
Indian Wells Golf Resort (Players Cse), Indian Wells, California
12:37am Cassie Porter
1:10am* Amelia Garvey (NZ)
5:18am* Fiona Xu (NZ)
Defending champion: Auston Kim
Past Aussie winners: Kristie Smith (2010)
Prize money: $US287,500
Challenge Tour
D+D REAL Czech Challenge
Royal Beroun Golf Club, Beroun, Czech Republic
8:45pm Hayden Hopewell
9:05pm* Connor McKinney
Defending champion: Andrea Pavan
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: €270,000
LET Access Series
Iberdrola Calatayud Ladies Open
Gambito Golf Calatayud, Spain
Australasians in the field: Laura Hoskin (NZ)
Defending champion: Hannah Screen
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: €45,000
PGA TOUR Champions
Constellation FURYK & FRIENDS
Timuquana Country Club, Jacksonville, Florida
Australasians in the field: Steven Alker, Steve Allan, Stuart Appleby, David Bransdon, Greg Chalmers, Rod Pampling, Cameron Percy, John Senden, Michael Wright.
Defending champion: Brett Quigley
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US2.1m
TV times: Live 4am-6am Saturday on Fox Sports 507; Live 5am-7am Sunday, 9:30am-11am Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Sunshine Tour
SunBet Challenge hosted by Sun Sibaya
Umhlali Country Club, Ballito, South Africa
4:10pm Astin Arthur (a, NZ)
8:20pm* Austin Bautista
Defending champion: Martin Rohwer
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: R2m
A sudden change in fortunes with the flatstick has carried Tim Elliott to a one-stroke victory at the Toronto Legends Pro-Am at Toronto Golf Club and Driving Range.
With a solitary PGA Legends Tour win to his name this season back in March, Elliott shrugged off his struggles to post 5-under 66 and edge Order of Merit leader Andre Stolz (67) by a shot with Peter Lonard (68) and Leigh McKechnie (68) sharing third.
Yet early on an Elliott triumph looked highly unlikely.
Out in the morning field off the 11th tee, Elliott was 2-over through six holes before the putts began to drop.
“I probably one putted – I haven’t worked it out – 12 of the last 13 holes,” said Elliott.
“Putting was just totally different.”
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
Bogeys at 13 and 14 had Elliott on the back foot early.
Back-to-back birdies at 17 and 18 sent him to the Toronto front nine square with the card where he quickly added two more at holes one and three.
Elliott made successive birdies again at seven and eight before closing with a birdie at the par-4 10th to edge one clear of the field and claim victory.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I haven’t been playing that well lately,” Elliott conceded.
“Putted terrible the day before and came out today and was 2-over early.
“Then started putting really good and managed to shoot 5-under.
“Course was great. The greens were just immaculate. Fantastic.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Tim Elliott 66
2 Andre Stolz 67
T3 Leigh McKechnie 68
T3 Peter Lonard 68
T5 Paul Powell 69
T5 Grahame Stinson 69
NEXT UP
The PGA Legends Tour sets up on the Central Coast for three straight days, starting with the Austbrokers Wyong Legends Pro-Am at Wyong Golf Club on Wednesday followed by the Magenta Shores Legends Pro-Am at Magenta Shores Golf and Country Club.
West Australian Haydn Barron has confirmed that he will play two events coming up on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia schedule.
The 28-year-old Western Australian Golf Club product has spent much of 2024 competing on the DP World Tour after earning his playing rights at Qualifying School late last year.
After a promising start to his rookie year, which included a top-10 finish at the Qatar Masters in February, Barron endured a tough run of results and will return to Q-School in November.
Prior to that, Barron will return to the PGA Tour of Australasia to play two events in his home state.
He will first play the CKB WA PGA Championship presented by TX Civil & Logistics at Kalgoorlie Golf Course from October 10-13 and then back up a week later for the 100th staging of the Bowra & O’Dea Nexus Advisernet WA Open from October 17-20 at Mandurah Country Club.
A former WA state captain, Barron’s best finish at the WA Open came in 2020, where he finished as runner-up to fellow amateur Hayden Hopewell at Royal Fremantle. Last year, after embarking on a whirlwind trip home from St Andrews to the Kalgoorlie desert, Barron was runner-up to Ben Eccles in the WA PGA Championship.
“I’m excited to be able to come home and play in the state open,” Barron said.
“I’ve played well previously around Mandurah Country Club and am looking forward to getting back there in front of some familiar faces.”
On his rookie season on tour, Barron added: “This season has been nothing short of incredible. I’ve made so many new friends, learnt a heap of life lessons and experienced new and different places and cultures all around the world. I’ve just had a genuine all-round blast, and it’s hard to put the journey into words.
“It’s also been the toughest year I’ve had so far. I’ve spent nine of the last 12 months away from home, family and friends. There’s been laughs, smiles, frustration and tears. It’s been a rollercoaster.”
Gary Thomas, GolfWA’s Chief Executive, welcomed Barron’s participation in the WA Open, saying: “Baz is a hugely popular figure in WA golf and it’s great for the tournament and for local golf fans to be able to see him in action at Mandurah Country Club.
“I’m sure he’ll get a very warm reception and his experiences on the DP World Tour this year will hold him in good stead for the WA Open.”
Grahame Stinson played the back nine in 29 strokes and Andre Stolz birdied his final four holes to share top spot at the New Era Technology East’s Legends Charity Pro Am at Easts Leisure and Golf in Maitland.
Without a PGA Legends Tour victory in close to two years, Stinson set the course alight with a brilliant back nine that had him 7-under with four holes to play.
A bogey at the difficult par-4 second saw Stinson finish at 6-under 65, a mark that forced Stolz to conjure a fantastic finish in order to match it.
“I thought it was playing pretty hard out there so I was surprised to see the scoring was that hot,” said Stolz.
“I said to the missus with a few holes to go, ‘How many do I have to make?’
“She said, ‘Four’ and then I went and birdied the last four.”
With matching 65s, Stinson and Stolz finished two strokes clear of Simon Tooman (67) and Chris Taylor (67) with Brad Burns fifth after a round of 3-under 68.
HOW THE WINNING ROUNDS UNFOLDED
The back nine at Easts Leisure and Golf would prove to yield the bulk of the birdies for both Stinson and Stolz.
Beginning his round from the par-3 fifth, Stinson opened with a birdie but had to wait until the par-4 10th to register his second. They came with a flurry from that point, picking up shots at 11, 13, 15, 16 and 18 to play the back nine in 6-under 29.
One-under through his first 11 holes, Stolz, too, made his score on the latter holes.
A birdie at the par-4 12th moved the current Order of Merit leader to 2-under on his round before his quartet of birdies to finish and join Stinson at 6-under par.
WHAT THE WINNERS SAID
“I think I’ve only had 29 once and that’s when I had the 59,” said Stinson.
“I had a ball. The guys with us today were so good. Funny, funny guys. Had a great time.
“I didn’t realise I had a putt to win it outright and missed it from about 10 feet.
“All in all I putted well. You’ve got to miss a few.”
“This is how it is in the shotguns, depending on where you start, you’ve got a hard stretch and an easy stretch,” added Stolz.
“The last few holes weren’t playing as hard as some of the others. I drove it great on all the into-the-wind tee shots, which were really tough.
“I actually hit some great drives on all those holes today so I’m happy.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
T1 Andre Stolz 65
T1 Grahame Stinson 65
T3 Simon Tooman 67
T3 Chris Taylor 67
5 Brad Burns 68
T6 Anthony Summers 69
T6 Michael Harwood 69
NEXT UP
The Hunter swing continues on Tuesday with the Toronto Legends Pro-Am at Toronto Country Club before heading south to Wyong Golf Club on Wednesday for the Austbrokers Wyong Legends Pro-Am.
Kirsten Rudgeley was denied a maiden Ladies European Tour in a playoff as fellow West Australian Hayden Hopewell recorded his second Challenge Tour top-five finish of the season.
As the Aussie trio of Adam Scott, Jason Day and Min Woo Lee went down to the US as part of the International Team contesting the Presidents Cup in Canada, Rudgeley and Hopewell flew the Aussie flag in Europe.
Four shots back of Switzerland’s Chiari Tamburlini at the start of the third and final round, Rudgeley took advantage of the leader’s struggles with a back-nine surge to take the outright lead.
Boasting five top-five finishes in her two years on the LET to date, Rudgeley made birdies at 11, 12, 15 and 16 to apply the blowtorch to Tamburlini.
Winner of the Joburg Ladies Open earlier in the season, the Swiss rookie responded with a brilliant approach to set up birdie at the par-3 17th before making par at the last to match Rudgeley’s total of 7-under par.
The pair headed back to the 18th hole for the playoff where Tamburlini holed the winning putt after Rudgeley’s birdie try came up just short.
Shoutout to Kirsten Rudgeley on an excellent performance to force the playoff. That win is just around the corner 💪#RaiseOurGame | #LLODF pic.twitter.com/7biacjjyAj
— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) September 29, 2024
Tamburlini came within a whisker of winning in spectacular fashion when her approach shot at the playoff hole spun back past the hole before settling seven feet away.
Rudgeley did well to hit the green after pulling her drive left but with her birdie effort failing to get the full distance, Tamburlini was able to hole her putt for victory.
“It was way too stressful!” said Tamburlini.
“Kirsten played so well today, especially on the back nine. She really lit it up and it was tough for me to keep up.”
Rudgeley’s career-best finish elevates her to 10th on the LET Order of Merit and within reach of an LPGA Tour card that is awarded to the top four finishers at season’s end.
It was a strong week too for fellow Aussie Kelsey Bennett, who finished tied for seventh to enhance her chances of a full LET card in 2025.
Tied for seventh a week ago in Italy, Hopewell continued his strong form with a tie for fifth at the Swiss Challenge.
Rain forced the event to be reduced to just 36 holes, Hopewell picked up late birdies at 15 and 17 in a round of 3-under 69 to finish top five to finish five shots back of Scotsman Euan Walker.
Five birdies in her first seven holes set Grace Kim on a path to a final round of 5-under 66 to earn a tie for 12th at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship and Aaron Wilkin’s tie for 23rd was the best of the Aussies at the Yeangder TPC on the Asian Tour.
Results
Asian Tour
Yeangder TPC
Linkou International Golf and Country Club, Chinese Taipei
1 Suteepat Prateeptienchai 64-66-68-69—267 $US180,000
T23 Aaron Wilkin 72-68-71-68—279 $9,700
T40 Justin Warren 72-69-68-74—283 $5,618.75
T52 Brendan Jones 68-72-71-74—285 $3,820
T52 Maverick Antcliff 68-69-75-73—285 $3,820
T57 Travis Smyth 70-71-73-72—286 $3,250
T65 Andrew Dodt 69-70-73-76—288 $2,600
T65 Lachlan Barker 71-70-75-72—288 $2,600
T68 Harrison Crowe 70-71-72-76—289 $2,300
71 Jordan Zunic 66-72-75-77—290 $2,100
MC Kevin Yuan 69-73—142
MC Sam Brazel 75-69—144
MC Jed Morgan 70-74—144
MC Deyen Lawson 74-72—146
MC Jack Thompson 69-78—147
MC Todd Sinnott 76-72—148
MC Zach Murray 78-70—148
Presidents Cup
Royal Montreal Golf Club, Montreal, Canada
United States 18.5 def International 11.5
Sunday Singles
Xander Schauffele def Jason Day 4&3
Sam Burns halved Tom Kim
Hideki Matsuyama def Scottie Scheffler 1 up
Russell Henley def Sungjae Im 3&2
Patrick Cantlay def Taylor Pendrith 3&1
Keegan Bradley def Si Woo Kim 1 up
Corey Conners def Tony Finau 5&3
Min Woo Lee halved Wyndham Clark
Byeong Hun An halved Sahith Theegala
Collin Morikawa def Adam Scott 2&1
Christiaan Bezuidenhout def Brian Harman 2&1
Max Homa def Mackenzie Hughes 2&1
LPGA Tour
Walmart NW Arkansas Championship
Pinnacle Country Club, Rogers, Arkansas\
1 Jasmine Suwannapura 63-72-61—196
Won on the second hole of sudden death playoff
T12 Grace Kim 69-67-66—202
T27 Robyn Choi 68-68-69—205
T37 Stephanie Kyriacou 67-69-70—206
T44 Gabriela Ruffels 71-66-70—207
MC Hira Naveed 72-75—147
DP World Tour
acciona Open de España
Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
1 Angel Hidalgo 65-67-68-70—270 €494,861.54
Won in sudden death playoff
T39 David Micheluzzi 71-69-71-71—282 €17,465.70
T45 Sam Jones (NZ) 69-71-70-73—283 €13,681.47
T57 Jason Scrivener 74-70-70-71—285 €9,169.49
T65 Daniel Hillier (NZ) 71-73-74-71—289 €6,986.28
MC Haydn Barron 75-73—148
MC Andrew Martin 77-76—153
Ladies European Tour
Lacoste Ladies Open de France
Golf Barriere, Deauville, France
1 Chiara Tamburlini 68-67-71—206 €56,250
Won on the first hole of sudden death playoff
2 Kirsten Rudgeley 66-73-67—206 €33,750
T7 Kelsey Bennett 71-71-68—210 €9,150
T52 Momoka Kobori (NZ) 73-74-72—219 €1,650
MC Whitney Hillier 70-79—149
Japan Golf Tour
Vantelin Tokai Classic
Miyoshi Country Club (West Cse), Aichi
1 Takahiro Hatachi 64-69-69-65—267 ¥22 million
T62 Brad Kennedy 70-71-73-71—285 ¥249,700
MC Michael Hendry 75-71—146
MC Anthony Quayle 72-75—147
Challenge Tour
Swiss Challenge
Golf Saint Apollinaire, Folgensbourg, France
Event reduced to 36 holes due to rain
1 Euan Walker 69-66—135 €32,400
T5 Hayden Hopewell 71-69—140 €7,593.75
MC Connor McKinney 79-82—161
The United States won a 10th consecutive Presidents Cup competition at Royal Montreal today as two of the three Australians struggled in final-day singles contests.
Starting the final day with an 11-7 lead the USA was in an almost-impregnable position and despite a strong contest from the International team, it was not especially close. The final margin was 18.5-11.5.
Day lost 4&3 to Xander Schauffele and Scott was beaten 2&1 by Collin Morikawa, but the 26-year-old Lee came from behind to tie his match against Wyndham Clark as a further indication of his talent.
Lee rinsed his ball in the water at the 17th to fall one down to Clark but then hit a gorgeous short iron shot in tight at the 18th to win the hole and tie the match, albeit that by then, the cup had already been decided.
He admitted afterward to some disappointment at having sat the second and third days, but kept it in perspective. “Of course you want to contribute as much as – I wanted to, of course. I wanted to play every day. But full trust in the team, and yeah, the boys were playing really good. People have said they would have loved me out there, but I would have loved to, too, but I had a good rest and then came out, tried to win my match today.”
The best match was between world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, who took down the American 1 up.
But the Americans were too steady overall, to no one’s surprise, and they had secured the 15.5 points required by the time Keegan Bradley defeated Si Woo Kim 1 up, Kim missing an eight foot birdie putt at the 18th hole that would have tied the match and extended it.
Day went out first for the Internationals and a birdie three at the second hole put him on top of Schauffele, but the American dual major winner was back in the lead by the fifth and never headed from there, their match ending at the 15th hole. The Queenslander won just one point for the week from his three matches.
Scott never had his best against Morikawa, although he led until he made a mistake off the tee at the par-5 sixth hole where the American took over and the lead did not change from the time that Morikawa birdied the eighth hole. That match ended at the 17th where Scott, needing a birdie to extend it, missed from eight feet.
Scott, who was playing his 11th Presidents Cup, had two wins in his five matches this week.
American captain Jim Furyk said his team had focused on playing the back nine better than their opposition.
“We talked about being a dog all week, being a tougher team,” he said. “I feel like we kind of owned the back nine this week, and that was the difference.”
This was the 15th playing of the Presidents Cup. The USA has won 13 times and tied the contest once in 2003. The only victory by the International team was at Royal Melbourne in 1998.
“We’re close,” said Mike Weir, the International captain. “A lot of these matches were so close.”
PHOTO: The Americans led by captain Jim Furyk celebrate in Montreal. Image: Getty
THE AUSTRALIANS AT MONTREAL
Adam Scott 2 wins, 3 losses
Jason Day 1 win, 2 losses
Min Woo Lee 1 tie, 1 loss
Brett Rankin didn’t think life could get any better than when his beloved Brisbane Lions won the AFL Grand Final. Until he became a world champion.
Rankin, 38, rammed in a seven-metre birdie putt to win a three-way sudden-death playoff at Binalong on Sunday to become the inaugural World Sand Greens Championship winner.
“This might be the best weekend of my life,” the affable Queenslander said with the broadest of smiles.
“I was already buzzing about the footy, then to have this, I can’t believe it.
“I think I’m going have to change the resume and all the socials to say world champ.
“I think I might even get that `Champ is here’ thing from Muhammad Ali to play when I go and see the boys.”
A prolific winner on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series, Rankin began his round in the second-last group at 4-under and two off the lead. He emerged as the likely winner when he leapt to the top before the turn as those in the final group stumbled.
But just as he failed to take advantage of some key scoring opportunities midway through the back nine, Victorian Andrew Kelly caught fire ahead with birdies on 15, 16 and 17 to cap a magnificent course-record 63 to post 9-under.
Momentarily, a Cinderella story involving Yass amateur Robbie Furner appeared a possibility, but his birdie attempt from off the back of the 18th green narrowly missed and he signed for 8-under to the thunderous applause of the huge local gallery.
But Rankin steadied behind and he and playing partner Samuel Slater, also of Queensland, each birdied the 17th to reach 9 and 8-under, respectively.
The powerful Slater hit a huge drive almost 100m left of his target coming up the final regulation hole and it didn’t appear much better when his second could only get back to within 25m of the green.
But needing a birdie to join a possible playoff, Slater pulled off the miracle as his third fell in on the last roll to bring the house down.
Rankin missed what would have been the winning birdie putt, but made no such mistake in the playoff from a similar position minutes later.
“This course is great, it really makes you think and hit some shots that require a bit of imagination which I really like,” Rankin said.
“I had an amazing week out here, I really loved it, everything about the sand greens.
“And to cap the whole thing off by doing that in a playoff, it’s just amazing.”
Furner and Dillon Hart shared fourth one shot back, while Matt Dowling, Adam Brady and Blake Windred finished tied sixth at 7-under.
Golf has a way of drawing you in from your very first swing. For Will Bruyeres, competing in this weekend’s World Sand Greens Championship at Binalong Golf Club, It began with nine holes of family bonding on a sand greens track three hours west of Toowoomba.
By David Tease
“My very first game of golf was on sand greens at Ingleston Golf Club, just outside Meandarra,” Bruyeres recalled with a smile. “My grandparents had a cattle property out there. My dad and grandpa were both playing. It was a family experience, and I had a lot of fun.”
Bruyeres, who said he ‘shot 74 or 75’ for nine holes, had no idea how special the experience was at the time.
“Looking back, it was the perfect initiation into the game,” he added. “I didn’t realise how special the experience was.”
That first day of fun on the sand started a golfing journey for Bruyeres, from junior golf around Logan City in Queensland to a college degree in Iowa, it reached a crescendo with a well-deserved victory on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia last month in Port Moresby.
Following his PNG victory, Bruyeres took a well-earned break for a friend’s wedding in the United States. He returned to action last week at the NSW Open Regional Qualifying events at Catalina Club and Queanbeyan. He is primed for this weekend’s world sand greens championship and relishes the bespoke challenge of the deceptively small putting surfaces at Binalong.
“They look great,” Bruyeres added.
“It’s going to be a mix between some guys going stupid low and some struggling with adjusting to the sand greens.”
“It’s going to be a test to work it out. Where do you land your second shots?”
“If you figure it out, you could go quite low.”
Sand Greens: A Unique Challenge
For those unfamiliar with sand greens, they offer a completely different experience from the typical lush, grass-covered putting surfaces.
‘Smoothing’ your line will be a first for more than a few competitors, as will the challenge of working out how exactly you stop your ball on some of the putting surfaces.
“I know playing sand greens can be tricky,” Bruyeres added. “The nuances can turn a straightforward game into a mental battle.”
“I expect you’ll see a mix of scores. Some players will figure it out and go extremely low, but others will struggle to adapt.”
“The key is managing your approach shots carefully.
“Land your second shot too hard, and the ball will bounce straight over the back and roll away.
“A nine-iron or a smooth run-on shot from inside 100 yards seems to work best.
“Work it out, and you can go quite low, quite quick. If you don’t, it will just be a bit of a head battle.
“I’m just going to try and smooth it around and hope the ball goes in the hole,” Bruyeres smiled.
Tournament Facts:
Host Venue: Binalong Golf Club
Dates: 28 – 29 September, 2024
Prize Fund: AU$140,000
TV Times:
Sunday 29 September 2024 from 12.00 pm on 7Plus
The Venue:
Binalong Golf Club has a long and rich history. Founded in 1857, the club’s original nine-hole layout was carved through the middle of a now-defunct horse racing track.
At 500 metres above sea level, the 18-hole, par-72 course is considered one of the best examples of a sand greens layout in regional New South Wales.
37km northwest of Yass, about one hour from Canberra and three hours from Sydney, Binalong is a hub for sporting activities and an integral part of the surrounding community.
The Men’s World Sand Greens Championship is supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
It took birdies at each of his final two holes for Chris Taylor to match Adam Henwood’s 9-under 62 and claim a share of victory at the Glen Innes Legends Pro-Am at Glen Innes Golf Club.
Eyeing off a low total upon driving in and seeing the course for the first time, Taylor had to push until the final hole to rein Henwood in.
The Victorian reached 10-under when he made six birdies in the space of seven holes only to drop a shot at his final hole, the par-3 seventh.
Taylor arrived at his penultimate hole, the par-4 16th, three shots back of Henwood but a birdie there and another at the par-3 17th saw him finish at 9-under for his 11th win of the season.
“I’m not a scoreboard watcher, so I never had any idea what Adam was on,” said Taylor.
“Obviously if he got to 10-under, he’s playing great golf.
“I was pleasantly surprised coming in for the first time and looking at the golf course.
“I though, yeah, this is a place where someone could really go really low.
“You can drive it down pretty close to the greens and as long as your short game is going OK, you’re always going to make plenty of birdies out there.”
There was a four-stroke gap to the next best with Simon Tooman (66) and Brad Burns (66) sharing third place.
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
Both Taylor and Henwood took advantage of the early holes at Glen Innes Golf Club to build their 9-under totals.
Taylor was fast out of the blocks with a run of four straight birdies after an opening with par at the par-4 18th and then drained a long putt for eagle at the par-5 ninth.
He would add just one further birdie in the next six holes before holing a 10-foot putt for birdie on 16 and then closing out his round with a birdie from eight feet on 17.
Henwood began his round with a par at the par-4 eighth and then soon found rhythm, picking up five birdies in his next seven holes.
After a stretch of three pars, Henwood returned to the Glen Innes front nine and unleashed a birdie barrage, picking up shots at one, two, three, five and six before an untimely bogey to finish on seven.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“Anytime you jump out of the blocks and you make a heap of birdies up there straight away, you’re thinking, This could be a good day of shooting 7, 8-under,” said Taylor.
“The putter is still going well and happy to be out here still making a lot of birdies.
“I made a silly three-putt for par at the par-5 15th but the next two holes were kind to me.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
T1 Adam Henwood 62
T1 Chris Taylor 62
T3 Simon Tooman 66
T3 Brad Burns 66
T5 Guy Wall 69
T5 Colin Hunt 69
NEXT UP
The PGA Legends Tour heads to the coast on Friday for the Watsons Leisure Centre Legends Classic at Coffs Harbour Golf Club.
Heaving Australian crowds and world-class courses are the perfect formula to recreate a major-like atmosphere on home soil says PGA TOUR star, Cam Davis.
Davis, Australia’s most recent winner on the PGA TOUR, confirmed his place in the summer’s two marquee events on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, the BMW Australian PGA Championship and ISPS HANDA Australian Open.
Davis was just 22 when he triumphed at The Australian Golf Club to claim the 2017 Australian Open and has finished tied seventh in each of his past two starts at the Australian PGA Championship.
But more than the lure of a second Stonehaven Cup and maiden Joe Kirkwood Cup, the 29-year-old points to the home-country support for elevating the tournaments to the equivalent of a major championship.
“It isn’t a major but, to an Australian, it still feels like a major,” said Davis.
“I think every player out there would feel that if you’re playing on the Aussie tour, these are your majors for the year.
“If you’re playing around the world, you might have played one or two (majors). But you come back and these have the same sort of atmosphere, especially as a local coming back to play at home.”
With the Australian PGA Championship finding a home at Royal Queensland and the Australian Open to return to the Melbourne sandbelt for the second time in three years, Davis says that the championship stages add to the feeling of prestige.
“It’s always great when you get the best courses in Australia involved in the biggest tournaments,” said the world No.42, who won the Rocket Mortgage Classic for a second time in June.
“There’s something about seeing a sandbelt golf course on TV and something about seeing Brisbane on TV.
“The environment that you’re playing in is so different to everywhere else in the world.
“Especially when you have been playing all over the world throughout the year, when you come back it’s awesome to be amongst that environment again.”
Bitterly disappointed to be overlooked for the International Team for this week’s Presidents Cup, the silver lining is that Davis has an extra week to refresh and set his sights on an Aussie summer assault.
Aware that with the likes of Jason Day, Cameron Smith and Min Woo Lee confirmed to return that victories won’t come easy, Davis will return to Australia with a burning ambition to complete the Aussie quinella.
“To try and get the Aussie PGA championship under my belt as well would mean a lot,” said Davis.
“I feel like having a trophy in both of the biggest events that Australia holds is a real feather in the cap, especially for an Australian player.
“I know what it was like to win the Australian Open and that doesn’t stop you from wanting to try and do it again.”
For BMW Australian PGA Championship tickets, go to ticketek.com.au
