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Aussies on Tour: Smylie comes full circle in Germany


Four years ago, it was to be his professional launch pad yet this week’s BMW International Open represents simply the next step in the development of Elvis Smylie.

The 2021 BMW International Open in Germany was Smylie’s first international start as a professional.

It was the first of eight sponsor exemptions across two years extended to a talent barely out of his teens that had good judges drooling.

With eight missed cuts in his first eight DP World Tour appearances on foreign soil, Smylie’s introduction to the elite level largely fell flat but potential is now evolving into professional respect.

Still just 23 years of age, Smylie stared down Cameron Smith to win the co-sanctioned BMW Australian PGA Championship last November and last month played all four rounds of a major championship for the first time at the US PGA Championship.

As he looks ahead to a three-week stretch that includes the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open Championship at Royal Portrush, Smylie took a moment to look back on the four years it has taken to get here.

“It’s very hard to be able to plan what the next four years are going to look like,” Smylie reflected.

“You want it to be this smooth increment of progression, but, in hindsight, it’s actually been very up and down.

“A lot of things have changed. I’ve changed my team within the last year-and-a-half and I feel like I’m on a really good plateau to be able to achieve what I want to.

“I definitely feel like I’ve got the right people around me now to be able to guide me in the right direction.

“It’s my first full year out here where I can pick and choose what events I want to play in. Just having that comfortable feeling, knowing that you don’t have to get your card in five starts.

“You can just slowly keep building, going to all these new courses and learning as much as you can.

“Professional golf can throw a lot of things at you left, right and centre, being able to juggle all those things and trying to put your best foot forward and working hard and doing the right stuff.

“That’s something that I’ve continued to feel like I’m doing a really good job at.”

Confirming that he will return to Royal Queensland in November to defend his BMW Australian PGA Championship title, the reigning Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner also has one eye on a second consecutive appearance at The Open.

Having come through Final Qualifying 12 months ago, Smylie is excited at the prospect of preparing for Portrush with some links golf next week in Scotland.

“You want to feel confident by having good results going into big events,” said Smylie.

“That’s definitely on my mind, to be able to put a good week here and a good week in Scotland to build that confidence, knowing that the results are there as well as the good feelings that I can produce.

“Portrush will be great. I’m looking forward to getting there and doing the work and seeing how we go.”

Another with an eye on Portrush is New Zealand Open champion Ryan Peake (pictured below).

Forced to play last week’s Asian Development Tour event in Morocco with borrowed clubs – he finished tied 21st – Peake has been reunited with his sticks as he joins 13 other Australasian players for International Series Morocco.

“Game’s good. Feel like I’m starting to swing it pretty well, found more of a groove,” Peake told Asian Tour Media.

“I’ve been in Morocco for a week, playing last week, lost my clubs for seven days.

“I picked them up yesterday from the airport so feeling pretty good about this week and being able to use my old stuff again.

“Obviously excitement (about playing The Open) is starting to set in a little bit more now.

“Still not 100 per cent yet, still got this week here in Morocco but after this week’s finished, I’ll be pretty switched on and the excitement will start to hit a little bit harder.”

Photo: Maddie Meyer/PGA of America via Getty Images

Round 1 tee times AEST

PGA TOUR
John Deere Classic
TPC Deere Run, Silvis, Illinois
3:38am            Karl Vilips
3:49am            Jason Day
5:17am            Harrison Endycott

Past champion: Davis Thompson
Past Aussie winners: Mark Hensby (2004), John Senden (2006)
Prize money: $US8.4m
TV times: 9:30pm-9am Thursday, Friday; Live 11pm-9am Saturday; Live 1am-8am Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.

DP World Tour
BMW International Open
Golfclub München Eichenried, Munich, Germany
4:10pm            David Micheluzzi
4:20pm*          Daniel Hillier (NZ)
4:40pm*          Elvis Smylie
5pm*               Jason Scrivener
10:30pm          Daniel Gale, Kazuma Kobori (NZ)

Past champion: Ewen Ferguson
Past Aussie winners: Peter Fowler (1993)
Prize money: $US2.75m
TV times: Live 8:30pm-2am Thursday, Friday; Live 8:45pm-1:30am Saturday; Live 8:30pm-1:30am Sunday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.

Asian Tour
International Series Morocco
Royal Golf Dar Es Salam (Red Course), Morocco
4:30pm            Kevin Yuan
5:10pm*          Jack Thompson
5:50pm*          Brett Coletta
6:20pm*          Brett Rankin
9:50pm            Ben Campbell (NZ)
9:50pm*          John Lyras
10pm               Ryan Peake
10:10pm          Travis Smyth
10:20pm*         Nick Voke (NZ)
10:40pm          Maverick Antcliff
10:50pm*         Lawry Flynn
11pm               Jack Buchanan
11pm*             Denzel Ieremia (NZ)
11:10pm          Todd Sinnott

Past champion: Ben Campbell
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US2m
TV times: Live 11pm-3am Thursday; Live 1am-3am Saturday on Fox Sports 508; Live 10:30pm-1am Saturday; Live 9pm-1am Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.

Ladies European Tour
KPMG Women’s Irish Open
Carton House, Ireland
5:12pm            Sarah Kemp
5:48pm            Amelia Garvey (NZ), Wenyung Keh (NZ)
6:12pm            Amy Walsh
6:12pm*          Kelsey Bennett
6:36pm*          Maddison Hinson-Tolchard
10:24pm          Kirsten Rudgeley
11:12pm          Momoka Kobori (NZ)

Past champion: Annabel Dimmock
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: €450,000
TV times: Live 3am-4:30am Friday on Fox Sports 508; Live 2:40am-4:30am Saturday on Fox Sports 506; 11:30am-1pm Sunday on Fox Sports 503; Live 10:30pm-2:30pm Sunday on Fox Sports 508 and Kayo.

PGA TOUR Americas
Explore NB Open
Mactaquac Golf Course, New Brunswick, Canada
9:30pm*          Grant Booth
2am                 Charlie Hillier (NZ)

Past champion: Ian Holt
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US225,000

HotelPlanner Tour
Interwetten Open
Schladming-Dachstein Golf Club, Oberhaus, Austria
Australasians in the field: Hayden Hopewell, Sam Jones (NZ), Tom Power Horan

Past champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: €300,000

LET Access Series
Swedish Strokeplay Championship
Golf Uppsala Soderby, Sweden
4:22pm*          Stephanie Bunque
9:33pm*          Abbie Teasdale
9:45pm            Justice Bosio
9:55pm*          Kristalle Blum
10:29pm          Belinda Ji

Past champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: €45,000

Legends Tour
Reignwood Legends Championship
Reignwood Pine Valley, Beijing
Australasians in the field: Michael Campbell (NZ), Scott Hend, Michael Long (NZ), Stephen Leaney

Past champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil


If you told Max Ford that he could be playing major championships inside three years, the 23-year-old Queenslander would quickly shake your hand and ask where to sign.

Yet as he takes another step up in class at this week’s $60,000 Ian Weigh Toyota Rockhampton Pro-Am at Rockhampton Golf Club, Ford is in position to follow the Ryan Peake playbook and play his way into the highest levels of the sport.

A talented junior who moved from Cairns at the age of 16 to link with Chris Gibson at Royal Queensland Golf Club, Ford had fellow RQ member and Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia winner Jake McLeod on the bag for First Stage of Qualifying School in April.

The pair successfully navigated stage one, but Ford was unable to secure full status for the 2025/2026 season, finishing 44th at Final Stage at Moonah Links.

It’s a position Peake knows well.

As he sought to make his return to professional golf after five years in jail, Peake finished 39th at Final Stage in 2023, shifting his focus towards the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series as a means to play his way into main Tour events.

He won five times on either side of the country in less than six weeks, and, although he missed out on the major events, played 10 events across the 2023/2024 season thanks to his improved category.

A further 12 months on and Peake is a New Zealand Open champion destined to play The Open at Royal Portrush in a fortnight’s time, a timely reminder to Ford that playing well solves all.

“I didn’t know that, but now I know it’s pretty amazing to see,” Ford said of Peake’s progression.

“It’s pretty amazing how quickly life can change for everyone really in the game of golf. If you’re playing well, it can progress pretty quickly.

“It’s great to see that and that’s a great example of what can happen.”

The 2024 club champion at Royal Queensland, Ford turned professional following Final Stage, heading west shortly thereafter to play the WA swing of the Pro-Am Series.

His best performance came with a tie for seventh at the 54-hole Spalding Park Open, his breakthrough win coming in impressive fashion during the Mining Towns Series back in his home state.

Ford shot 10-under 63 to win the JET Engineering Tieri Pro-Am two weeks ago and then went back-to-back, shooting 18-under over two rounds to take out the Bolt Off Clermont Pro-Am.

With two professional wins now to his name, Ford is excited at the prospect of three rounds at Rockhampton in a field full of Tour winners.

“It’s probably more that I’ll enjoy the fact we get to play three rounds of golf instead of one or two days,” added Ford, who like Quinn Croker, James Mee and Lincoln Morgan works on the greens staff at Royal Queensland.

“Get it closer to four rounds because inevitably that’s where I want to be playing.

“That’s four rounds of golf on a week-to-week basis so I see this as a really valuable stepping stone.”

Reigning Rockhampton champion Chris Wood is back to defend his title, the field boasting winners from last year’s Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season in Ben Henkel (Gippsland Super 6), Will Bruyeres (PNG Open) and James Conran (Heritage Classic).

Round 1 tees off at 6:50am Thursday.

Round 1 draw


Victorian Lucas Herbert will play just his second major championship in the past two years after he topped Final Qualifying at West Lancashire to secure a place in The Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

Herbert’s 5-under 67 was the best of the second round by two strokes, his 8-under par total for 36 holes enough to clinch medallist honours by one stroke from China’s Sampson Zheng.

Herbert was the lone Australian across four qualifying venues to earn a place at The Open to be played July 17-20, Sydney’s Kevin Yuan missing out on the playoff at West Lancashire by a single shot after making birdie at his final hole.

Queensland amateur Billy Dowling finished two strokes out of the playoff at West Lancashire, Daniel Gale was tied 24th at Royal Cinque Ports, Hayden Hopewell tied 29th at Dundonald Links and Jake McLeod tied 30th at Bernham and Burrow. Also playing at West Lancashire, Harrison Crowe was tied 53rd.

The 2024 US PGA Championship is the only major that Herbert has played since missing the cut at the 2023 Open Championship.

The reigning Ford NSW Open champion has won on the Asian Tour this year and been Ripper GC’s most consistent performer on LIV Golf, the 29-year-old thrilled to be returning to major championship golf.

“I’m super excited to be going to Portrush. I love playing in The Open,” said Herbert, who narrowly missed out on qualifying spots at the Australian Open, New Zealand Open and International Series Macau.

“For us Australians, it was the major we watched overnight growing up. It’s really cool be playing in another one and joining my (Ripper GC) teammates, Cam Smith and Marc Leishman, there.

 “I’ve made it hard on myself just missing out on qualifying before now, but I’ve finally got there.

“I had chances in Australia, Macau and New Zealand and I couldn’t finish it off so it’s definitely tested my patience.

“I’m glad it’s held out in the end.”

Herbert’s qualification takes the total number of Australians in the field to nine. He joins Jason Day, Min Woo Lee, Marc Leishman, Curtis Luck, Ryan Peake, Adam Scott, Cameron Smith and Elvis Smylie.

Photo: Getty Images


Australian golf rising star Elvis Smylie has today locked in the defence of his BMW Australian PGA Championship title.

This year’s championship, co-sanctioned by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tour, will again be hosted by Royal Queensland Golf Club from November 27-30.

The 23-year-old from the Gold Coast provided one of the major highlights of last season’s Summer of Golf when he held off three-time champion Cameron Smith to win the Joe Kirkwood Cup for the first time.

It propelled Smylie onto the world stage by earning him status as a full-time member of the DP World Tour and he went on to claim the 2024/25 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit title.

“Winning the Joe Kirkwood Cup for the first time was a huge honour and definitely the highlight of my career so far,” Smylie said.

“I have some great memories of that final Sunday. It meant so much to win at home in front of my family and friends in one of Australia’s most important championships.

“Being a BMW ambassador just made it even more special. “Although there’s still a lot of this year to play out, I can’t wait to get back to RQ and try to do it all again.”

PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said: “Elvis played some spectacular golf at Royal Queensland last year, especially down the stretch when he had one of our game’s greats in Cam Smith playing alongside him and trying to chase him down”.

“It’s been very rewarding to see his progress since then, winning our Order of Merit for the first time and going on to play successfully internationally, including at his first US PGA Championship where he made the cut at his first attempt of a US Major and he now has The Open Championship to come.

“We look forward to seeing Elvis back at Royal Queensland where I’m sure he will be determined to get his name on the Kirkwood Cup for the second time.”

Wolfgang Buechel, CEO of BMW Group Australia – the title partner of the Australian PGA Championship – said: “BMW has a long and proud association with Elvis, and it has been delightful for us to witness his remarkable rise in world golf.

“We look forward to his return to the BMW Australian PGA Championship in 2025, where our entire team will be there to cheer him on.

“We also look forward to again be the title partner of the BMW Australian PGA Championship – an event that continues to go from strength to strength and perfectly complements our partnerships with the PGA, Golf Australia and the WPGA.”

Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tim Mander said:“Elvis Smylie’s win last year was a standout moment for Queensland and Australian golf, you could see how much it meant to him to lift the Joe Kirkwood Cup on home soil.

“It’s no surprise he’s eager to return and defend his title, and I’ve no doubt fans will turn out in force to see if he can do it again.”

“Now in its fifth consecutive year at Royal Queensland Golf Club and just 15 minutes’ drive from Brisbane, the BMW Australian PGA Championship continues to deliver for Queensland. It brings in thousands of visitors, fills hotels and restaurants, and showcases our state as a premier destination for world-class sporting events.”

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said: “Brisbane is excited to host this world-class event for the fifth straight year in 2025, bringing thousands of passionate fans back to Royal Queensland Golf Club.

“Elvis Smylie is the first big name confirmed to compete, but certainly won’t be the last – promising fans another thrilling Championship.

“Brisbane is Australia’s lifestyle capital, and this event is a hole in one for our city, boosting our economy as visitors pack our hotels, restaurants, and local attractions.”

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.


Sunshine Coast Professional TJ King will be joined by three new faces when the PGA of Australia team travels to Canada to contest the 2025 Four Nations Cup.

To be held at The Pulpit Club an hour outside Toronto from September 2-5, the 2025 tournament marks the third playing of the Four Nation’s Cup that brings together PGA Members from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa.

King, the Assistant Professional at Mount Coolum Golf Club, has been a constant in the Australian team since 2022 and was part of the victorious Australian team along with Scott Laycock, Jayden Cripps and Brad McLellan at Moonah Links in 2023. The Four Nation’s Cup was not held in 2024.

The past two winners of the PGA Professionals Championship National Final, Matthew Docking (2023) and Samuel Eaves (2024), will make their Four Nations Cup debuts along with Sanctuary Cove Teaching Professional Mitchell Smith.

Smith finished tied second alongside Docking at last year’s PPC National Final at The Heritage Golf and Country Club and will now try to play his part in Australia’s title defence on foreign soil.

PGA Member Director, Steve Hutchison, will travel with the team as the non-playing manager and is excited that three Members will experience the Four Nations Cup for the first time.

“The Four Nations Cup is not only a chance to compete and represent the PGA of Australia internationally, it is an opportunity to learn and establish relationships with fellow PGA Members across the globe,” said Hutchison.

“The issues faced by our Members on a day-to-day basis are very similar to those that PGA Professionals around the world are experiencing.

“Sharing what we know and hearing how other Professionals deal with certain challenges can be of great benefit to our Membership as a whole.”


The Lees have made a habit in the past of winning in consecutive weeks and, for one round, it looked like it might happen again this past week.

Just four days after sister Minjee won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Min Woo took an early front-running position at the Rocket Classic in Detroit with a round of 9-under 63.

Equalling his low round of the year – the other 63 coming in Round 3 of his Texas Children’s Houston Open win – Lee dropped back with a 73 in Round 2 but shot 10-under across the weekend to earn a share of 13th.

It was the standout performance for the Aussies across the weekend, Kelsey Bennett’s tie for 19th at the Amundi German Masters another strong showing in her maiden season on the Ladies European Tour.

10. Karis Davidson (New)

After taking time away from the game in 2024 is now establishing herself as a bona fide talent on the LPGA Tour. A tie for seventh at the Meijer LPGA Classic was Davidson’s best result on the LPGA Tour. She has since followed that up by playing all four rounds at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and tie for 10th at the Dow Championship.

9. Stephanie Kyriacou (8)

Skipped the two-player teams event at the Dow Championship after surviving four brutal rounds at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Can now look ahead to next week’s Amundi Evian Championship where she was runner-up 12 months ago.

8. Karl Vilips (7)

Finally able to get back on course but the Puerto Rico Open champion played just two rounds before missing the cut at the Rocket Classic in Detroit. One of just three Aussies in the field for this week’s John Deere Classic.

7. Min Woo Lee (9)

Four days after sister Minjee won her third major, Min Woo burst from the blocks at the Rocket Classic in Detroit. His 9-under 63 in Round 1 was a course record for just a few hours, his eventual tie for 13th his best result since winning the Texas Children’s Houston Open in March.

6. Hannah Green (6)

Remains 11th on the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking despite missing the Dow Championship in Michigan. Without a top-10 finish since the JM Eagle LA Championship in April.

5. Marc Leishman (5)

In something of a struggle for the Ripper GC boys at LIV Golf Dallas, the LIV Golf Miami champion finished in a tie for 25th, second to skipper Cameron Smith who was tied 13th.

4. Adam Scott (4)

Squeezed in a social hit at home in Switzerland after a run of five tournaments in seven weeks on the PGA TOUR, highlighted by his tie for 12th at the US Open. Next slated to tee it up at the Genesis Scottish Open next week.

3. Jason Day (3)

A tie for fourth at the Travelers Championship on the back of his top-25 finish at the US Open saw Day reclaim the mantle as Australia’s highest-ranked male player in the Official World Golf Ranking. In the field for this week’s John Deere Classic.

2. Lucas Herbert (2)

A second straight disappointing result for Herbert on LIV Golf, shooting 6-over in the final round to finish tied 40th at LIV Golf Dallas. Dropped to seventh in the individual season standings as Ripper GC finished tied seventh in the team event.

1. Minjee Lee (1)

Australia’s most recent major winner revelled in the week off to celebrate her KPMG Women’s PGA Championship triumph. Now sets her sights on the Amundi Evian Championship next week, the tournament where she made her major breakthrough in 2021.

The Australian Golf Power Rankings is a subjective list developed with input from members of the Australian Golf media team.


His birthday wish may not have come true yet Mark Hensby left happy after contending all week at the US Senior Open in Colorado.

Co-leader each of the first three days at The Broadmoor, Hensby played in the final group for the second straight day alongside major champions Padraig Harrington and Stewart Cink.

A poor start where he dropped shots at the first and fifth holes would ultimately prove costly for Hensby, Harrington (67) establishing a five-stroke gap with birdies at two, three and five, the Irishman claiming his second US Senior Open in three years by one stroke from Cink (68).

Celebrating his 54th birthday, Hensby (73) finished in a tie for fourth, his second top-five finish in the event since 2022.

“When you play with a Hall of Famer and Stewart Cink, obviously a very accomplished player, it’s always fun,” said Hensby.

“You always learn something from them, what they do.

“I felt comfortable, I must admit. Obviously, we all get nervous, but I just didn’t get off to the start I needed to really contend.

“Overall, I’m happy for the week. I had a good week.

“I’m going to be honest, today I just got off to a bad start. We just hit a few clubs that probably weren’t the right clubs and hit it in some bad spots where it’s hard to two-putt.

“Just couldn’t get any momentum going. Just couldn’t get the putter right today.”

Victorian Cameron Percy closed with a superb 4-under 66 to sneak inside the top 10, Scott Hend (70) and Greg Chalmers (69) making it four Aussies inside the top 20.

A briefly held course record 9-under 63 in Round 1 gave Min Woo Lee the foundation for his best PGA TOUR result since his win in Texas in March, a tie for 13th at the Rocket Classic in Detroit.

Cameron Smith closed well to also earn a share of 13th at LIV Golf Dallas while Cassie Porter teamed up with Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh to finish tied sixth at the Dow Championship, the second top 10 of her rookie season on the LPGA Tour.

Results

PGA TOUR
Rocket Classic
Detroit Golf Club, Detroit, Michigan
1          Aldrich Potgieter          62-70-65-69—266       $US1.728m
Won on fifth hole of sudden-death playoff
T13      Min Woo Lee                63-73-68-66—270       $172,000
T82      Harrison Endycott        67-66-78-72—283       $17,280
MC       Cam Davis                   74-70—144
MC       Aaron Baddeley           71-73—144
MC       Karl Vilips                     71-74—145

US Senior Open
The Broadmoor (East Cse), Colorado Springs, Colorado
1          Padraig Harrington      67-67-68-67—269       $US800,000
T4        Mark Hensby               67-67-68-73—275       $165,012
7          Steven Alker (NZ)         69-72-66-70—277       $119,882
T9        Cameron Percy             72-71-70-66—279       $85,798
T16      Scott Hend                   71-69-71-70—281       $54,727
T18      Greg Chalmers             70-72-71-69—282       $45,563.75
T22      Steve Allan                   71-71-69-72—283       $34,923.50
T22      Rod Pampling              70-71-69-73—283       $34,923.50
T32      Stuart Appleby             71-70-73-72—286       $20,952
T45      Richard Green              71-71-73-73—288       $10,630
MC       Michael Campbell (NZ) 74-73—147
MC       Mathew Goggin           77-74– 151
MC       Brendan Jones             83-70—153
MC       Richard Lee (NZ)           78-77—155

LIV Golf
LIV Golf Dallas
Maridoe Golf Club, Carrollton, Texas
1          Patrick Reed                 67-68-75—210 $US4m
Won in sudden-death playoff
T13      Cameron Smith            75-71-68—214 $320,000
T21      Ben Campbell (NZ)       73-70-74—217 $225,000
T25      Marc Leishman            75-70-74—219 $180,000
T40      Danny Lee (NZ)            74-76-74—224 $134,333
T40      Lucas Herbert               75-71-78—224 $134,333
T46      Matt Jones                   79-75-71—225 $124,000

DP World Tour
Italian Open
Argentario GC, Monte Argentario, Italy
1          Adrien Saddier             69-64-67-66—266       €436,314.18
T16      Kazuma Kobori (NZ)     66-71-67-70—274       €34,648.48
T28      Daniel Gale                  68-71-70-68—277       €22,842.33
T41      Daniel Hillier                70-68-71-70—279       €14,629.36
T50      Danny List                    68-67-70-76—281       €9,606.24
T69      David Micheluzzi          68-69-71-76—284       €4,619.79
MC       Elvis Smylie                  70-72—142
MC       Jason Scrivener            69-74—143
MC       Brett Coletta                76-77—153

LPGA Tour
Dow Championship
Midland Country Club, Midland, Michigan
1          Jin Hee Im/Somi Lee                67-63-68-62—260       $US399,510 ea
Won on second hole of sudden-death playoff
T6        Cassie Porter/Gemma Dryburgh          66-62-73-63—264       $50,621
T10      Karis Davidson/Daniela Darquea          68-66-69-62—265       $35,017
T30      Robyn Choi/Jenny Bae              70-62-74-63—269       $8,282
T35      Fiona Xu (NZ)/Mariel Galdiano 68-66-74-64—272       $6,638     
MC       Lydia Ko (NZ)/Danielle Kang     71-68—139
MC       Sarah Kemp/Alena Sharp         73-68—141
MC       Hira Naveed/Sofia Garcia         72-70—142

Ladies European Tour
Amundi German Masters
Green Eagle Golf Courses, Germany
1          Shannon Tan                70-69-68-76—283       €45,000
3          Amelia Garvey (NZ)      68-72-73-72—285       €18,000
T14      Maddison Hinson-Tolchard      75-74-71-72—292       €5,362.50
T19      Kelsey Bennett             70-73-73-77—293       €4,545
T46      Momoka Kobori (NZ)   75-71-75-77—298       €1,590
MC       Amy Walsh                   79-80—159
MC       Wenyung Keh (NZ)       75-85—160    

Korn Ferry Tour
Memorial Health Championship
Panther Creek Country Club, Springfield, Illinois
1          Austin Smotherman     65-63-68-63—259       $US180,000
T69      Harry Hillier (NZ)          70-67-72-68—277       $3,910
MC       Rhein Gibson               72-67—139
MC       Brett Drewitt                72-69—141

HotelPlanner Tour
Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge
Golf PGA France du Vaudreuil, Le Vaudreuil, France
1          David Horsey               72-66-65-69—272       €48,000
Won in sudden-death playoff
T28      Sam Jones (NZ)            71-70-73-67—281       €2,520
MC       Hayden Hopewell        74-76—150

Epson Tour
Otter Creek Championship
Otter Creek Golf Course, Columbus, Indiana
1          Jillian Hollis                  66-68-68—202 $US37,500
T22      Jess Whitting               71-69-73—213 $2,620
T43      Su Oh                          72-71-73—216 $1,373
MC       Jennifer Elliott              74-77—151
MC       Soo Jin Lee                   73-79—152

LET Access Series
PGA of Sweden Championship Landeryd
Landeryds Masters & Landeryds Vasterby, Sweden
1          Katharina Muehlbauer  66-68-71-74—279       €8,678.08
T10      Kristalle Blum               72-73-74-68—287       €1,450.87
T10      Belinda Ji                      72-72-74-69—287       €1,450.87
T14      Stephanie Bunque        72-73-69-74—288       €1,152.56
T33      Justice Bosio                77-68-73-73—291       €722.27
T41      Abbie Teasdale             73-71-77-71—292       €629.16

Korean PGA Tour
KPGA Gunsan CC Open
Gunsan Country Club, Korea
1          Tae Hoon Ok                69-67-65-68—269
T47      Sungjin Yeo (NZ)          70-72-71-74—287
MC       Wonjoon Lee                71-76—147
WD      Junseok Lee                  78


If he needed any more good vibes on his return to Detroit Golf Club, Aussie Cam Davis now has a permanent – albeit miniature – reminder of his Rocket Classic success.

Davis will tee off alongside fellow Australian Min Woo Lee at 9:18pm (AEST) on Thursday night as the defending champion, the second time he has had such an honour.

His victory in 2021 marked a breakthrough moment on the PGA TOUR, his win 12 months ago creating a slice of history as the first two-time winner of the event.

To mark the occasion, tournament organisers immortalised Davis in bobblehead form, an idea the 30-year-old was glad he green-lighted.

“When I heard that that was a potential for this week, I definitely wasn’t going to say no to having one of those done,” Davis said in his pre-tournament press conference.

“They nailed it. I heard the hair colour was a difficult one to nail, but I think they did a really good job.

“It’s very cool. I’m really glad I said yes to the idea of having one made up. Very unique experience but very fun. I’ve had a lot of requests, as soon as the picture came out a few days ago that a lot of people want one, which is kind of fun.

“Pretty cool perk for being able to come back here.”

It isn’t just a bobblehead that will mark the occasion this week, food outlets all week at Detroit Golf Club to stock the ‘Davis Double’, a sandwich consisting of crispy chicken, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, pepperoncini, provolone and mayonnaise on a brioche bun, inspiration coming from the meal Davis ate at the pub after his first win.

Such a showering of gifts only adds to Davis’s affinity for a golf course and a tournament he hopes can kick-start his PGA TOUR season.

After starting the year with top-20 finishes at The Sentry and The American Express followed by a tie for fifth at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Davis had climbed back into the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

In his 13 most recent starts he has missed seven cuts and is without a single top-10, making this week’s title defence a timely one.

“It’s been a little bit of banging my head against a wall over and over again, waiting for something to change,” conceded Davis, who experienced a lean run of seven events prior to last year’s win.

“Sometimes it’s a change in location, a change in scenery can be something that you can draw a lot of inspiration from, and just having so many good memories around this place, every spot I walk around in, will only help with that.

“I’m really glad it’s turned up now because there’s no better time to turn things around than getting right back here again.”

After a gruelling test last week at the KPMG Women’s PGA, four Aussies have found teammates for the LPGA Tour’s Dow Championship in Michigan, veteran Sarah Kemp also in the field alongside Canadian Alena Sharp.

There are a total of 13 Australasians in the field for the US Senior Open at The Broadmoor, Ripper GC resume their LIV Golf season in Dallas and the past three winners of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit are contesting the Italian Open on the DP World Tour.

Round 1 tee times AEST

PGA TOUR
Rocket Classic
Detroit Golf Club, Detroit, Michigan
8:56pm            Aaron Baddeley
9:18pm*          Min Woo Lee, Cam Davis
10:02pm          Karl Vilips
3:49am*           Harrison Endycott

Past champion: Cam Davis
Past Aussies winners: Cam Davis (2021, 2024)
Prize money: $US9.6m
TV times: Live 8:45pm-5am Thursday, Friday; Live 9pm-8am Saturday; Live 10:15pm-8am Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo Sports.

US Senior Open
The Broadmoor (East Cse), Colorado Springs, Colorado
11:21pm          Richard Lee (NZ)
11:21pm*         Mathew Goggin
11:31pm          Stuart Appleby
11:42pm*         Michael Campbell (NZ)
12:03am          Cameron Percy
12:13am          Mark Hensby
12:13am*         Richard Green
5:12am*           Brendan Jones
5:22am*           Steve Allan
5:33am*           Greg Chalmers
5:54am            Scott Hend
5:54am*           Rod Pampling
6:04am            Steven Alker (NZ)

Past champion: Richard Bland
Past Aussie winners: Graham Marsh (1997)
Prize money: $US4m
TV times: Live 8am-11am Friday, Saturday on Fox Sports 503; Live 4am-8am Sunday on Fox Sports 505; Live 4am-8am Monday on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo.

LIV Golf
LIV Golf Dallas
Maridoe Golf Club, Carrollton, Texas
Australasians in the field: Cameron Smith, Lucas Herbert, Marc Leishman, Matt Jones, Ben Campbell (NZ), Danny Lee (NZ)

Past champion: Ripper GC (Team Championship)
Past Aussie winners: Ripper GC (Team Championship, 2024)
Prize money: $US20m
TV times: 2:35am-7am Saturday; 3am-8am Sunday, Monday on 7Mate.

DP World Tour
Italian Open
Argentario GC, Monte Argentario, Italy
3:50pm            Daniel Gale
8:30pm            David MIcheluzzi
8:40pm            Elvis Smylie
9:10pm*          Kazuma Kobori (NZ), Danny List
9:30pm*          Jason Scrivener
9:40pm            Daniel Hillier (NZ)
10:30pm*         Brett Coletta

Past champion: Marcel Siem
Past Aussie winners: Greg Norman (1988), Craig Parry (1991)
Prize money: $US3m
TV times: Live 9:30pm-2:30am Thursday, Friday; Live 8:45pm-1am Saturday; Live 8pm-1am Sunday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo Sports.

LPGA Tour
Dow Championship
Midland Country Club, Midland, Michigan
9:15pm             Robyn Choi/Jenny Bae
9:37pm             Sarah Kemp/Alena Sharp
9:48pm*          Cassie Porter/Gemma Dryburgh
9:59pm            Lydia Ko (NZ)/Danielle Kang
1:41am*           Karis Davidson/Daniela Darquea
1:52am*           Fiona Xu (NZ)/Mariel Galdiano
2:36pm            Hira Naveed/Sofia Garcia

Past winners: Ruoning Yin/Jeeno Thitikul
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US3.3m
TV times: Live 1am-4am Friday on Fox Sports 506; Live 2:30am-4am Saturday; Live 5am-8am Sunday on Fox Sports 505; Live 5am-8am Monday on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sports.

Ladies European Tour
Amundi German Masters
Green Eagle Golf Courses, Germany
3:40pm*          Momoka Kobori (NZ)
4:24pm*          Amelia Garvey (NZ)
4:35pm            Amy Walsh
5:08pm*          Maddison Hinson-Tolchard
5:19pm            Wenyung Keh (NZ)
8:30pm            Kelsey Bennett

Past champion: Alexandra Forsterling
Past Aussie winners: Karrie Webb (2013)
Prize money: €300,000
TV times: 11am-12:30pm Friday, Saturday, Sunday; 10am-11:30am Monday on Fox Sports 503.

Korn Ferry Tour
Memorial Health Championship
Panther Creek Country Club, Springfield, Illinois
3:26am*           Brett Drewitt
4:15am*           Rhein Gibson
5:26am*           Harry Hillier (NZ)

Past champion: Max McGreevey
Past Aussie winners:
Prize money: $US1m

HotelPlanner Tour
Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge
Golf PGA France du Vaudreuil, Le Vaudreuil, France
5pm*               Sam Jones (NZ)
10:20pm          Hayden Hopewell

Past champion: Joel Moscatel
Past Aussie winners:
Prize money: €300,000

Epson Tour
Otter Creek Championship
Otter Creek Golf Course, Columbus, Indiana
Australasians in the field: Su Oh, Jess Whitting, Soo Jin Lee

Past champion: Savannah Carlson
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US250,000

LET Access Series
PGA of Sweden Championship Landeryd
Landeryds Masters & Landeryds Vasterby, Sweden
4:25pm            Stephanie Bunque
9:55pm*          Kristalle Blum
10:17pm*         Justice Bosio
10:39pm          Abbie Teasdale
11:01pm          Belinda Ji

Past champion: Natacha Host Husted
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: kr600,000

Korean PGA Tour
KPGA Gunsan CC Open
Gunsan Country Club, Korea
9:01am            Sungjin Yeo (NZ)
10:40am          Junseok Lee
2:13pm            Wonjoon Lee

Past champion: Jang Yu-bin
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: KRW500m


Not only did Minjee Lee this week assume top spot in the Australian Golf Power Rankings, her third major championship elevated her into the upper pantheon of the sport in Australia.

Lee’s three-stroke win at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship makes her just the fourth Australian to win more than two major championships, adding her name alongside Hall of Famers Karrie Webb (seven majors), Peter Thomson (five) and Jan Stephenson (three).

Her flawless third round in ferocious winds and with firm greens will come to be regarded as one of the greatest by an Australian in a major, her 3-under 69 turning a three-stroke deficit into a four-stroke lead.

With three bogeys on the front nine, she would need all of them to keep the challengers at bay, ultimately securing her place among the legends of Australian golf with birdies at 14 and 15 for a three-stroke win.

As a result, the 29-year-old has now risen to sixth in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings to resume her place as Australia’s highest-ranked golfer.

There was almost cause for double celebration when Jason Day played his way into contention at the Travelers Championship, subsequently moving up 10 places on the Official World Golf Ranking to be the highest-ranked Aussie male at No.28.

10. Kelsey Bennett (10)

Solidified her place inside the top 25 on the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit by playing all four rounds at the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open, finishing tied 46th.

9. Min Woo Lee (7)

Struggled to get anything going at the Travelers Championship at TPC Highlands, finishing tied 63rd as sister Minjee enjoyed another major moment.

8. Stephanie Kyriacou (9)

Battled the brutal conditions at East Fields Ranch to make the cut at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, dropping three spots to 42nd on the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking.

7. Karl Vilips (5)

Another frustrating week of being unable to get a start for the Puerto Rico Open winner. Returns to action this week at the Rocket Classic in Detroit hoping to improve his current standing of 70th on the FedEx Cup points list.

6. Hannah Green (4)

The 2019 champion comfortably made the cut at the KPMG Women’s PGA but saw her hopes of a high finish evaporate with a 9-over 81 in Round 3. Now sits 11th on the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking.

5. Marc Leishman (3)

Had the week off to tend to his lawn and let the bruises heal from a brutal final day at the US Open at Oakmont. The LIV Golf Miami champion will be eager to help Ripper GC improve their current fourth-place team standings at LIV Golf Dallas this week.

4. Adam Scott (2)

A brilliant 8-under 62 in Round 3 helped Scott to build on his spirited charge at the US Open with a tie for 30th at the Travelers Championship. Holding steady at No.40 in the Official World Golf Rankings.

3. Jason Day (6)

Like Scott, built on the momentum of his tie for 23rd at the US Open with a strong showing at the Travelers. Day moved to within one stroke of the lead midway through the back nine of the final round only to stall with a bogey at the 17th, eventually finishing tied fourth.

2. Lucas Herbert (1)

Gets to resume his season this week at LIV Golf Dallas. With three top-five finishes, Herbert is fifth on the LIV Golf player standings along with his victory at the International Series Japan on the Asian Tour.

1. Minjee Lee (8)

Erased two years of frustration with a third major victory at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Texas. Entered the week with seven top-15 finishes from 11 starts on the LPGA Tour, effectively separating herself from the field with a brilliant third round.

The Australian Golf Power Rankings is a subjective list developed with input from members of the Australian Golf media team.


West Australian Minjee Lee has joined a select few of Australia’s greatest ever golfers with a third major championship win at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Texas.

The 54-hole leader by four strokes, Lee had to overcome a nervy front nine that featured three bogeys in the space of four holes before completing a three-stroke win.

A crucial par putt at the par-3 13th and back-to-back birdies at 14 and 15 gave the 29-year-old a four-stroke cushion with three holes to play, a bogey on 16 a mere blip on her way to golf immortality.

There are just four Australians to have ever won more than two major championships, Lee now alongside Karrie Webb (seven), Peter Thomson (five) and Jan Stephenson (three) with an eye on more to come.

“I don’t really set goals like I’m going to win three majors, try and have three wins,” Lee said, her bogey-free 3-under 69 in Round 3 deserving of a place in the annals of greatest ever rounds by an Australian in a major championship.

“I just stick to my processes, and one of my big goals was to improve on the putting stats, so I think I’ve been doing that.

“I’m just taking it one step at a time. I’m going to enjoy this win, and then I’ll sit down with my coach and talk to him on the phone, see where we are going go after this one.”

There was almost double cause for celebration on Monday morning as Jason Day moved into position for victory at the $US20m Travelers Championship at TPC Highlands.

Five back of England’s Tommy Fleetwood through three rounds, Day made birdies at 11 and 14 to move within one of the lead, a dropped shot on 17 relegating him to a tie for fourth as Keegan Bradley edged Fleetwood on the final hole.

Aussie duo Richard Green and Michael Wright both finished tied for seventh at the third senior major of 2025, the Kaulig Companies Championship, while Kirsten Rudgeley showed a return to form with a tie for ninth at the Tipsport Czech Ladies Open on the Ladies European Tour.

Results

KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco, Frisco, Texas

1          Minjee Lee                   69-72-69-74—284       $US1.8m

T12      Lydia Ko (NZ)                75-73-74-71—293       $170,561

T36      Gabriela Ruffels           77-74-75-72—298       $60,722

T36      Grace Kim                    73-78-68-79—298       $60,722

T47      Karis Davidson             74-75-76-75—300       $42,465

T47      Stephanie Kyriacou      72-75-78-75—300       $42,465

68        Hannah Green              74-74-81-75—304       $24,362

77        Hira Naveed                 75-76-86-75—312       $21,230

MC       Robyn Choi                  74-78—152

MC       Cassie Porter                78-76—154

PGA TOUR
Travelers Championship
TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Connecticut

1          Keegan Bradley            64-70-63-68—265       $US3.6m

T4        Jason Day                    66-66-67-68—267       $880,000

T17      Ryan Fox (NZ)               69-71-68-66—274       $252,563

T30      Adam Scott                  72-72-62-70—276       $125,375

T57      Cam Davis                   71-73-68-71—283       $43,750

T63      Min Woo Lee                73-69-71-72—285       $41,250

PGA TOUR Champions
Kaulig Companies Championship
Firestone Country Club, Akron, Ohio

1          Miguel Angel Jiménez  70-66-66-68—270       $US525,000

Won on second hole of sudden-death playoff

2          Steven Alker (NZ)         68-67-67-68—270       $308,000

T7        Richard Green              71-67-67-72—277       $102,200

T7        Michael Wright            72-66-66-73—277       $102,200

15        Mark Hensby               69-70-69-71—279       $63,000

T16      Steve Allan                   71-71-69-69—280       $57,750

T33      Rod Pampling              75-68-70-72—285       $21,150

T33      David Bransdon           72-71-70-72—285       $21,150

T40      Greg Chalmers             73-74-68-71—286        $16,100

T50      Stuart Appleby             73-73-73-70—289       $10,500

T52      Cameron Percy             69-71-74-76—290       $8,867

T74      John Senden                77-72-74-77—300       $2,170

Ladies European Tour
Tipsport Czech Ladies Open
Royal Beroun Golf Club, Czech Republic

1          Casandra Alexander     73-64-62—199

T9        Kirsten Rudgeley          71-67-65—203

T31      Momoka Kobori (NZ)   70-68-69—207

T40      Amelia Garvey (NZ)      68-71-69—208

T46      Kelsey Bennett             70-68-71—209

T46      Maddison Hinson-Tolchard      68-72-69—209

MC       Wenyung Keh (NZ)       71-79—150

MC       Amy Walsh                   76-76—152

Korean PGA Tour
68th KPGA Championship
A-One Country Club, Yangsan

1          Ok Tae-hoon                63-71-68-62—264

T31      Wonjoon Lee                71-68-74-65—278

MC       Sungjin Yeo (NZ)          72-69—141

MC       Matthew Griffin            72-72—144

MC       Changgi Lee (NZ)         72-74—146

MC       Junseok Lee                  78-73—151

Korn Ferry Tour
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open
Crestview Country Club, Wichita, Kansas

1          Myles Creighton          68-68-59-68—263

T7        Harry Hillier (NZ)          65-62-71-70—268

MC       Rhein Gibson               69-71—140

HotelPlanner Tour
Blot Play9
Golf Bluegreen de Pléneuf Val André, Pléneuf, France

1          James Morrison           64-66-74-70—274       €48,000

T27      Hayden Hopewell        71-73-68-72—284       €2,460

T67      Sam Jones (NZ)            70-72-78-78—298       €705

Epson Tour
Island Resort Championship
Sweetgrass Golf Club, Harris Michigan

MC       Jess Whitting               75-72—147

MC       Su Oh                          76-72—148


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