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There was playoff pleasure and pain as Kelsey Bennett broke through on the LET Access Series but Richard Green was denied yet again on the PGA TOUR Champions.
Forced to endure the worst of the conditions that resulted in the Hauts de France Pas de Calais Golf Open being reduced to a 36-hole tournament, Bennett drained a 35-foot birdie putt at the first extra hole to record her first international professional win.
The champion at The Athena in February, Bennett has now moved up to ninth in the LET Access Series Order of Merit with the top six to earn promotion to the Ladies European Tour in 2025.
“This win means a lot,” said Bennett.
“I missed the cut at the Rose Ladies Open last week and I was wanting the week off.
“I spoke to my team and they pushed me to come and play this week because a win can give you so many points on the leaderboard.
“So now I’ve done it, it feels really good.”
Green is still chasing that winning feeling in the US after yet another heartbreaker at the Sanford International in South Dakota.
Fellow Aussie Michael Wright led the field into the final round yet it would once again be Green who was fighting it out late on the final day.
Tied for the lead with Steve Stricker shortly after the turn, Green dropped shots at both 13 and 14 to fall two shots back.
Stricker’s bogey on 18 gave Green a glimmer of hope, the Victorian piloting home his birdie putt from outside 20 feet to force extra holes.
He narrowly missed what would have been a winning birdie putt at the first extra hole and lipped out for birdie at the third, Stricker taking the title for a third straight year with birdie at the fourth playoff hole.
A three-time winner on the Legends Tour in Europe, it is Green’s fourth runner-up finish this season which includes three top-three finishes in major championships. He remains fourth on the Schwab Cup standings with total prize money this year of $US1.66 million.
Lucas Herbert’s tie for sixth was the pick of the Aussies at LIV Golf’s final individual tournament of the year in Chicago while Cassie Porter dropped to 10th in the Race For The Card despite finishing tied ninth at the Epson Tour’s Tuscaloosa Toyota Classic.
Photos: Federico Capretti/LETAS (Bennett); Alex Goodlett/Getty Images (Green)
Results
PGA TOUR
Procore Championship
Silverado Resort (North Cse), Napa, California
T32 Min Woo Lee 68-69-73-71—281
T50 Aaron Baddeley 68-73-72-72—285
MC Jeffrey Guan 69-75—144
MC Tim Wilkinson (NZ) 76-74—150
DP World Tour
Amgen Irish Open
Royal County Down GC, Co Down, Northern Ireland
1 Rasmus Hojgaard 71-68-71-65—275 €920,329.68
T52 Jason Scrivener 74-69-77-70—290 €19,272.79
66 Sam Jones (NZ) 71-73-79-72—295 €12,451.52
MC Ryan Fox (NZ) 73-72—145
MC Daniel Hillier (NZ) 75-70—145
MC David Micheluzzi 79-72—151
LIV Golf
LIV Golf Chicago
Bolingbrook Golf Club, Bolingbrook, Illinois
1 Jon Rahm 69-64-66—199 $US4 million
T6 Lucas Herbert 68-69-68—205 $534,500
T23 Matt Jones 71-72-67—210 $190,715
T30 Danny Lee (NZ) 73-68-70—211 $162,500
T34 Marc Leishman 74-70-68—212 $144,000
52 Cameron Smith 73-73-74—220 $50,000
Japan Golf Tour
ANA Open Golf Tournament
Sapporo Golf Club (Watatsu Cse), Hokkaido
1 Akira Iwasaki 66-67-69-66—268 ¥30m
T23 Brad Kennedy 69-71-70-68—278 ¥1.33m
MC Anthony Quayle 75-68—143
MC Brendan Jones 72-72—144
Korean PGA Tour
Golf Zone Doray Open
Golf Zone County Seonsan
1 Ham Jeong-woo 65-65-67-66—263
T14 Sungjin Yeo (NZ) 64-70-65-69—268
T40 Kevin Chun (NZ) 67-68-71-67—273
MC Wonjoon Lee 71-68—139
MC Junseok Lee 68-72—140
MC Changgi Lee 74-71—145
Korn Ferry Tour
Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation
Vanderbilt Legends Club (North Cse), Franklin, Tennessee
1 Paul Peterson 64-63-67-66—260 $US270,000
T55 Rhein Gibson 70-66-70-69—275 $6,270
MC Brett Drewitt 69-69—138
MC Karl Vilips 74-68—142
Epson Tour
Tuscaloosa Toyota Classic
Ol’ Colony Golf Complex, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
1 Ingrid Lindblad 67-66-67—200 $US35,625
T9 Cassie Porter 71-66-70—207 $5,070
T37 Fiona Xu (NZ) 74-69-69—212 $1,589
T63 Maddison Hinson-Tolchard 73-70-75—218 $798
Challenge Tour
Open de Portugal at Royal Óbidos
Royal Óbidos Spa & Golf Resort, Vau Óbidos, Portugal
1 Matt Oshrine 70-65-69-69—273 €43,200
T25 Hayden Hopewell 68-70-69-73—280 €2,295
LET Access Series
Hauts de France Pas de Calais Golf Open
Golf Saint Omer, Lumbres, France
Event reduced to 36 holes due to rain
1 Kelsey Bennett 67-73—140 €6,400
Won at the first hole of sudden-death playoff
T45 Wenyung Keh (NZ) 73-77—150
PGA TOUR Champions
Sanford International
Minnehaha Country Club, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
1 Steve Stricker 67-68-67—202 $US315,000
Won on fourth hole of sudden-death playoff
2 Richard Green 68-65-69—202 $184,800
T5 Steven Alker (NZ) 70-67-67—204 $92,400
T5 Michael Wright 67-65-72—204 $92,400
T13 Stuart Appleby 70-67-70—207 $40,950
T15 John Senden 73-68-67—208 $33,642
T15 Greg Chalmers 70-68-70—208 $33,642
T15 Steve Allan 67-70-71—208 $33,642
T37 Rod Pampling 69-71-73—213 $11,130
T42 Mathew Goggin 70-71-73—214 $8,610
T68 Jason Norris 78-71-71—220 $1,848
76 David Bransdon 75-78-72—225 $1,218
WD Mark Hensby 71
Legends Tour
European Legends Cup
Golf Almerimar, Andalucia, Spain
1 Adilson Da Silva 71-68-68—207
Won at the first hole of sudden-death playoff
T8 Scott Hend 69-73-69—211
T11 Michael Campbell (NZ) 71-73-68—212
T28 Michael Long (NZ) 76-73-67—216
New South Wales rookie Jye Pickin has stamped himself as a player to watch this summer after matching the course record to win the PSC Insurance Brokers Wagga Wagga Pro-Am.
A star-studded field plundered birdies and eagles on day one of the $50,000 event, one of the most popular on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series schedule.
Pickin shot 5-under 67 in Round 1 yet trailed by four, a deficit he would rein in late in Friday’s second round.
Forced to keep the foot down for the entire round, Pickin made birdie at each of his final two holes to match Andrew Kelly’s 2019 course record of 10-under 62 for a 15-under total, one clear of Jay Mackenzie (67) with Border Open champion Kyle Michel third (66) at 13-under.
It marks Pickin’s second win since turning professional in May and provides a timely confidence boost ahead of the continuation of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season next month in Western Australia.
“Seeing the kind of guys that were out here this week, I knew I had to play well. You had to come out here and play well and the fact that I did is a huge confidence boost for me,” said Pickin, who also shot 62 to win the Northbridge Pro-Am in July.
“To go out there against the star-studded field like we had the last couple of days was awesome. And to shoot a score like that today was awesome.”
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
Trailing overnight leaders Jay Mackenzie and Corey Lamb by four strokes, Pickin made a steady start that gathered momentum as the round went on.
He began with a birdie at the par-4 eighth and continued to chip away at the deficit.
Pickin picked up shots at 11, 13, 15 and 17 but it was the final flurry that got him ultimately to the top of the leaderboard.
Starting with a two at the par-3 second, the 24-year-old snared five birdies in his final six holes to match Kelly’s mark of five years prior and earn the biggest win of his young career.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“All day I had that chasing mindset of being behind; I must like playing in that position,” said Pickin.
“You didn’t have to not only get off to a good start, but you had to finish strong as well.
“The pin on 17 was sort of middle right and a perfect number for me.
“Nine-iron was about 147 back into a little wind so I knew I could be confident and hit a strong shot.
“Just drew off the pin a little bit to 15 foot left of it, which was an ideal shot in my mind at the time.
“There was actually a member that was a few feet behind me on a similar line and I got a good read off his to roll that one in and follow that one in on the last was awesome.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Jye Pickin 67-62—129
2 Jay Mackenzie 63-67—130
3 Kyle Michel 65-66—131
T4 James Conran 64-69—133
T4 Toby Walker 65-68—133
T4 Larry Austin 67-66—133
T7 Corey Lamb 63-71—134
T7 Emma Ash 69-65—134
NEXT UP
The next event in the New South Wales Open regional qualifying series tees off on Tuesday at Wollongong Golf Club to be followed by the South Coast Open at Catalina Country Club starting Saturday, September 21.
Paris Olympian Jason Day will return home to Queensland to play in the 2024 BMW Australian PGA Championship on November 21-24.
In a huge boost for the tournament, Day will make his first appearance in a PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club, joining defending champion Min Woo Lee as feature players for the event co-sanctioned by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tour.
Part of an elite group of Australian golfers to reach No.1 in the Official World Golf Ranking and win a major championship, the world No.33 will be hunting his first victory in one of Australian golf’s majors.
The 2015 US PGA champion has had five top-10s in 2024, continuing a career resurgence over the past two years which re-established him as one of the world’s best players.
As Australia’s No.1, he earned a place alongside Lee in Australia’s men’s golf team at the Olympics where he finished T9 and he was an automatic selection in this year’s International Team for the Presidents Cup in Canada this month.
“I’m extremely excited to be coming back home to Queensland this summer to contest the BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland,” said Day.
“Wearing the green and gold for Australia at the Olympics in Paris was an extremely proud moment for myself and my family and it will be very special to get back on home soil and play in front of the Aussie fans.
“I’ve seen the amazing atmosphere at ‘RQ’ the past few years and can’t wait to experience it for myself.”
PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said Day was an exciting addition to this year’s BMW Australian PGA Championship field.
“I know there will be thousands of golf fans who will keen to come out and see Jason play at Royal Queensland,” Kirkman said.
“After learning the game in Beaudesert, Jason has gone on to become one of the best players of his generation.
“We’re delighted to welcome him back home and to see him challenge for his first Joe Kirkwood Cup.”
Queensland Minister for Tourism and Sport, Michael Healy said: “Jason Day is Australian golf royalty and to have him play in the 2024 BMW Australian PGA Championship is absolutely sensational, his first ever at Royal Queensland.
“It’s terrific to welcome a player as accomplished as Jason back to our state to compete in this world-class event, especially when they’re Queenslanders.
“The Australian PGA continues to go from strength to strength with tens of thousands of fans expected to flock to this event, contributing $17 million into Queensland’s local visitor economy.”
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said the event coming to the Royal Queensland fairways would be an unmissable showdown.
“Brisbane is Australia’s lifestyle capital and our major events bring more to see and do to our suburbs,” Cr Schrinner said.
“With a suite of world class athletes confirmed to play, the BMW Australian PGA Championship is going to be a must-see event for local and visiting golf fans.
“The benefits of this world-class tournament will be felt across the region, delivering millions in economic support to local Brisbane restaurants, hotels and tourism businesses.”
The BMW Australian PGA Championship is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland, and Brisbane City Council via Brisbane Economic Development Agency.
Jason Day is a Testimonee for Rolex a major partner of the PGA of Australia and the BMW Australian PGA Championship.
For tickets, click here https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=PGAGOLF24
PGA of Australia has announced a new major partnership with Rolex, the prestigious Swiss watchmaker.
The agreement sees Rolex become Official Timekeeper of the BMW Australian PGA Championship, one of Australian golf’s majors, as well as a Major Partner of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and WPGA Tour of Australasia.
Commenting on the partnership, PGA of Australia CEO, Gavin Kirkman, said: “We are delighted to welcome Rolex as a Major Partner of the PGA of Australia; our premier tournament, the BMW Australian PGA Championship; and our tours which are producing the new generation of stars.
“Rolex is synonymous with golf with a rich history in our sport, and through major championships around the world, that dates back almost six decades.
“Rolex shares our dedication to enhancing the game for future generations and we look forward to the mutual benefits that will come from having Rolex at the heart of professional golf in Australia through the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and WPGA Tour of Australasia.”
The iconic Rolex clock, which has become a feature of golf events at all levels of the game across the world, will sit beside Royal Queensland’s first tee at the BMW Australian PGA Championship on November 21-24 in Brisbane.
Managing Director of Rolex Australia, Benoit Falletti, commented: “Rolex is proud to expand its support of golf in Australia, a country with more than 3.5 million active golf players and some of the world’s top ranking golf courses.
“The PGA of Australia promotes a thriving industry of golf professionals and presents a world-class tournament with the annual Australian PGA Championship event.
“We look forward to this exciting new partnership and to further developing the alignment between Rolex and Golf in this region.”
The PGA of Australia is the third oldest Professional Golfers Association in the world and traces its origins back to 1911 when a group of expatriate Scottish golf Professionals formed a national association to promote the game of golf and elevate the vocation of the golf Professional within Australia.
Rolex has deep roots with Australian golf, with its long-standing support including having 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott and 2015 PGA Championship winner Jason Day among its family of Testimonees.
ABOUT ROLEX AND GOLF
Rolex is committed to the permanent quest for excellence in all its endeavours and has been a long-term supporter of golf in its pursuit of the same. The brand’s enduring relationship with the sport began almost 60 years ago, in 1967, when Arnold Palmer, joined by Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, became the brand’s first golfing Testimonees.
Known together as The Big Three, these legendary players changed the face of golf forever, and their partnership with Rolex marked the beginning of a relationship based on the shared commitment to continuous improvement and unwavering precision.
Since then, the affiliation has grown and flourished, permeating every level of the game worldwide. From elite players and golf legends to all the game’s Major championships, where success represents the pinnacle of achievement in the sport, as well as the foremost professional tours and worldwide amateur championships, Rolex is ever-present.
Rolex is deeply committed to the amateur game and is a partner of important amateur tournaments across the globe, including the ground-breaking Augusta National Women’s Amateur launched in 2019, The British Amateur Championship, U.S. Amateur Championship, European Amateur Championship, Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, Latin America Amateur Championship and Women’s Amateur Latin America Championship.
Rolex also supports the leading amateur team competitions, the Arnold Palmer Cup, Walker Cup, Curtis Cup, Junior Ryder Cup and World Amateur Team Championships.
After lifting the trophies in front of record crowds in 2023, Chile’s Joaquin Niemann and South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai have today confirmed they will defend their titles at the 2024 ISPS HANDA Australian Open in Melbourne.
Played again in the world-first format of men, women and all abilities alongside one another, the ISPS HANDA Australian Open will be held at Kingston Heath Golf Club and The Victoria Golf Club from November 28 to December 1.
Claiming her second consecutive Patricia Bridges Bowl in 2023, after winning across the same host venues on Melbourne’s famed Sandbelt in 2022, Buhai will seek to become the first woman, and second player ever, to win a consecutive hat-trick of Australian Opens.
“I have a long history with Australia and have always loved visiting, and especially competing in the Australian Open which I’m thrilled is returning to the Melbourne Sandbelt,” Buhai said.
A major champion in 2022 when winning the AIG Women’s Open, Buhai already has a place among highly decorated company with fellow multiple winners Karrie Webb, Laura Davies and Yani Tseng all ranked as world No.1 during their careers.
“The names on the Australian Open trophy are special to be included alongside. Fortunately, I have had two years of looking at the trophy and I am hoping to make it a third this year.”
Lifting the Stonehaven Cup at The Australian last December following a thrilling play-off with Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino, Niemann will defend a title for the first time in a professional career that includes five wins around the globe and seven at home in Chile.
Considered one of the rising stars of men’s golf, Niemann’s victory in Sydney was part of a bountiful run that saw the 25-year-old earn a special invitation to The Masters at Augusta National.
“To have the opportunity to defend a title, especially a national Open, is something truly special that I am greatly looking forward to. I thoroughly enjoyed the Australian Open experience last year and think it will be a fantastic way to end a successful year,” Niemann said.
“Having played on the Melbourne Sandbelt previously, I can’t wait to try and go back-to-back across Kingston Heath and Victoria at this year’s tournament.”
The two defending champions join Min Woo Lee among the confirmed players for the 2024 ISPS HANDA Australian Open.
“Having our men’s and women’s defending champions now confirmed as returning for the 2024 ISPS HANDA Australian Open is a magnificent boost for the tournament,” Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said.
“Ash has the chance to do something we haven’t seen before, while Joaquin is hoping to defend a title for the first time, and both have the chance to do so on two of Australia’s finest courses.”
The 2024 ISPS HANDA Australian Open will be broadcast on Fox Sports and Kayo, as well as the NINE Network.
Limited first release tickets for the ISPS HANDA Australian Open are available now via Ticketek. Save 20% off all tournament day passes until September 17.
Legendary NRL superstar and current Queensland State of Origin coach Billy Slater has been announced as the keynote speaker for the Australian Golf Summit.
Slater, often called the greatest fullback in the history of rugby league, has moved on from his stellar playing career to enhance his reputation as a leader through coaching Queensland to two Origin victories against fierce rivals New South Wales.
He played 323 NRL games for Melbourne Storm, winning four grand finals, five Dally M awards and two Clive Churchill Medals, as well as his remarkable career for Queensland and Australia’s Kangaroos.
Blessed with a fierce competitive drive and a relentless work ethic to go with his natural athleticism and talent, Slater is one of the most respected figures in all of Australian sport.
He will speak about effective coaching, managing setbacks and leading successful teams at the Golf Summit on October 16-17 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
“I am looking forward to joining the Golf Summit this year to share some of the learnings from my career journey,” said Slater.
PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman is delighted to have Slater at the head of the list of speakers for Melbourne in October.
“Billy Slater is revered in Australian sport with good reason,” said Kirkman. “Beyond his magnificent playing career, he’s shown himself to have really special qualities in terms of leadership that we believe will be inspiring to everyone who comes to the Summit.”
Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said: “It’s fabulous to have access to a person like Billy Slater for the Golf Summit. The first-hand ideas on leadership that Billy owns, we believe, are very relatable to everyone and very much transferrable to all walks of life.”
The Golf Summit is run by Australian Golf’s peak bodies – the PGA of Australia and Golf Australia – to bring the industry together to engage and influence key decision makers to lead, grow and innovate Australian golf. Attendees will have the chance to network, share ideas, strategies and best practices to take back to their business to help drive growth and success.
A highlight of the Summit will be the diverse range of panel sessions addressing critical business outcomes within the industry. There will be a panel tackling championing change for women and girls in golf, along with the impact of technology on golf coaching.
The two-day conference will also feature sessions on promoting diversity and inclusion, talent retention and management, biodiversity and sustainability in golf, and leveraging social media for commercial success.
Confirmed speakers for the 2024 Golf Summit:
NRL legend & Queensland Maroons Coach, Billy Slater
Former PGA Tour caddie, Steve Williams
World-renowned PGA Professional, Will Robins
Paralympian, Elle Steele
Richmond Football Club triple-premiership player, Bachar Houli
PING VP Engineering, Dr Paul Wood
CEO PGA of Australia, Gavin Kirkman
CEO Golf Australia, James Sutherland
CEO WPGA Tour of Australasia, Karen Lunn
Deputy General Manager – 13th Beach Golf Links, Sally McKenna
2023 PGA National Coach of the Year – Game Development, Asha Flynn
General Manager – Pacific Golf Club, Amber Williams
PGA Professional – Golf coach and golf educator, Hugh Marr
Biodiversity and Sustainability expert, Monina Gilbey
Biodiversity and Sustainability expert, Kate Torgersen
Lecturer – The University of Melbourne, Emma Power
READ MORE ABOUT THE SESSIONS HERE
The Asia-Pacific region’s premier event welcoming the entire golf industry, tickets for the 2024 Golf Summit are on sale now.
SECURE YOUR TICKETS HERE
Chris Wood played “smart” golf to tear up the back nine at Murwillumbah Golf Club and score a one-shot win in the Coca-Cola Murwillumbah Pro-Am.
With a run of six birdies in eight holes, the Queenslander played the second nine of the picturesque NSW Northern Rivers layout in 6-under-par 30 on the way to a 5-under 67 to snare his fourth adidas PGA Pro-Am Series victory of 2024.
National Pro-Am Order of Merit leader Brett Rankin, Cory Crawford and Bailey Arnott shared second place at 4-under.
HOW THE WINNER’S SCORE UNFOLDED
Playing in the afternoon field and starting on the sixth hole, Wood made five straight pars to begin his round. Once he made it to the back nine, the fireworks started with birdies at the 11th and 13th holes and then four in a row from hole 15.
The Queenslander’s only dropped shot of the day came with a three-putt on the par-4 first.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
Wood said: “The putting was a bit better today. I put a bit of work in the last couple of days to get that fixed up because that’s what had been costing me.
“Every time I’ve played here previously, I’ve tried to overpower the course. Today I tried to take what I guess you’d call a smarter approach to the game. Just keep it in play off the tee and give myself as many chances as possible.
“Was fortunate the putter got hot, especially around the back nine. That six to 10-foot range was pretty crucial.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
66: Chris Wood
67: Brett Rankin, Cory Crawford, Bailey Arnott
68: Daniel Stephenson, Andrew Campbell (NSW), Alex Simpson (NSW), Will Florimo, Brenton Parrish (NSW)
NEXT UP
There’s two 36-hole events coming up in New South Wales in the adidas Pro-Am Series. The Ray White Yamba Pro-Am will be held this weekend at Yamba Golf Club followed by the PSC Insurance Brokers Wagga Wagga Pro-Am at Wagga Wagga Country Club on Wednesday and Thursday next week.
Catching the ‘golf bug’, as cliché as it sounds, is a very familiar feeling for those who have become hooked on our great game, however catching the bug for working in golf is slightly less common, yet that is exactly what happened for PGA Institute graduate Tom Keane though, who now works in a role he loves at RACV Cape Schanck Resort.
After playing the game on and off throughout his teenage years, Keane’s true passion in golf was realised when he took up a job working at Centenary Park Golf Course in Melbourne’s South.
“It came to a thing of like, ‘Oh man, I really want to start working in golf now’,” Keane said of starting at Centenary Park in 2022.
“So, I decided in 2023 that is what I wanted to do, and that year I started doing the Diploma of Golf Management at the PGA Institute.”
In his time at Centenary Park, Keane became particularly fascinated in the golf operations and management side of the industry.
“Running the operations area was sort of the main thing, and working in the pro shop and communicating with the customers was something I really loved,” he said.
A little Googling and chatting with his colleagues in the industry led Keane to the PGA Institute, and particularly the Diploma of Golf Management (now Diploma of Golf Business and Management).
With a career in the industry front of mind for Keane, his time at the PGA Institute helped refine that dream, and indeed make it reality.
“The best thing about the Institute was tour teacher, the trainer, Glenn (Burbidge), who was just the best,” said Keane.
“He’s just so knowledgeable on all kind of areas of the golf industry.
“I learned heaps about how to operate social groups and running big days, managing big days, managing finance and stuff — which was the thing I was most stressed about.”
Another aspect of the PGA Institute which Keane credits a lot of his learnings to is the diversity of his fellow students.
“I was really lucky because the class that I was in was actually with a lot of the international students as well as some local students, so you got a good perspective of what golf is to different cultures,” he said.
“So that was actually really awesome that in class I was learning about different cultures with students from different areas such as Indonesia and Hong Kong.”
Since graduating from the PGA Institute late last year, Keane has landed his dream role at RACV Cape Schanck, where he is enjoying tackling new challenges every day.
“I have taken on a lot more leadership stuff than I had at Centenary Park,” he said.
“My role is mostly in the golf operations area, so helping run the pro shop and managing stock.”
“The best thing at Cape Schanck is having more responsibility running some competitions and running corporate events and social events with members and guests that come into the hotel.”
From Warren Young and Jack Donaldson at Centenary Park to Glenn Burbidge at the PGA Institute, to now Andy Smith at Cape Schanck, Keane feels lucky that he has had great mentors throughout his journey, and although he is loving his current role, he is excited to always keep learning.
For information on the education opportunities available through the PGA Institute, visit pgaigi.com
Victorian Ben Henkel had shared two wins in this year’s adidas PGA Pro-Am Series but he made sure the next success was a solo victory at the Cohuna Stuart Appleby Pro-Am on Thursday.
A spectacular 7-under-par 65 on the country Victorian course gave Henkel a two-shot margin over two of Australia’s most experienced touring professionals, Matt Griffin and Marcus Fraser, as well as fellow Victorian Bradley Kivimets and NSW’s James Gordon.
A joint winner at Clermont and Maryborough in Queensland over winter, Henkel has been in solid form throughout 2024 with 12 top-10 pro-am finishes and he started the new Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season with a tie for ninth at last month’s PNG Open.
HOW THE WINNER’S SCORE UNFOLDED
After starting his round on Cohuna’s eighth hole, Henkel went on a run of three straight birdies on nine through 11. Although he dropped a shot at the long par-4 14th, he was -5 by the time he rolled in birdie number six for the day on the first.
Another birdie on the fourth and then an eagle on the 465m par-5 fifth sent the 23-year-old clear of the field, with a bogey on his second last hole only reducing the winning margin.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
Henkel said: “It feels great. Obviously most of these events don’t have playoffs and you really want to go out and win by yourself. Getting it done in an event solo, and shooting a good number to win by a couple, is a great feeling.
“Everything in my game has been really solid and I’m coming off some good results. Hitting the ball well off the tee was important here. It’s a pretty tight golf course. I also holed a couple of crucial par putts to keep the momentum going.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
65: Ben Henkel
67: James Gordon (NSW), Bradley Kivimets, Marcus Fraser, Matt Griffin
68: Ruben Lai, Harry Goakes, Andrew Kelly
69: Jake Fullerton, Steven Jones
(Vic players unless noted)
NEXT UP
The majority of the field that played at Cohuna will contest the 67th cluBarham Border Open at cluBarham Golf and Sports Club this weekend with 18 holes on both Saturday and Sunday.
Yamba’s Reilly Wunderlich has claimed the biggest win of his career thanks to a 2&1 victory over Conor Whitelock in the 36-hole Pampling Plate Final on Thursday.
Completing a marathon week at Caboolture Golf Club where he played a total of 137 holes in just four days, Wunderlich took advantage of a strong start to build an early lead and then hold off Whitelock’s late fightback.
The fact that Whitelock slept through his alarm and only arrived at the golf course 13 minutes before the match began may have worked in Wunderlich’s favour.
He won the opening hole to go 1 up before Whitelock squared the match again by winning the third hole.
But with wins at the fourth, seventh, 10th and 11th holes Wunderlich was soon 4 up, his lead never dropping below two holes until midway through the afternoon round.
Originally from Ballina but now undertaking the Membership Pathway Program at The Brisbane Golf Club, Whitelock won the 29th hole to get back to 1 down but Wunderlich responded by winning the next hole to return to a 2-up advantage.
The pair would halve the next five holes for Wunderlich to clinch a 2&1 victory and his second major title in the past month having won the Queensland Foursomes Championship with Jack Wright, who served as his caddie on Thursday.
“It’s so good to finally get an individual win off the back,” said Wunderlich, pictured with tournament host Marge Pampling.
“Been knocking on the door for a while now, so good to get it finally over with.”
In an all-New South Wales Northern Rivers final, Wunderlich admitted that it was a somewhat bittersweet victory given he and Whitelock grew up playing junior golf together.
“It’s certainly a lot harder to beat one of your good mates,” he added.
“Obviously you still want to beat him but it’s a lot harder to do it to one of your good mates and make them feel so bad.”
Whitelock was endeavouring to complete the Pampling Plate double having won Monday’s 36-hole Pro-Am qualifier.
Although disappointed to fall just short in the final, Whitelock leaves Caboolture proud of his performance.
“Obviously not the finish that I wanted, but I’m still very chuffed to be a finalist in this event in my first year here,” said Whitelock, who played 124 holes after contesting last week’s NSW/ACT Associate Championship at Tura Beach Country Club.
“I couldn’t really imagine it going too much better without winning.
“Obviously sleeping through the alarm didn’t help, getting here 13 minutes before the tee time.
“Got off to a rough start and trying to claw back, just couldn’t quite get there but was close in the end.”
