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Harry Higgs is heading to Melbourne this week for some swotting up on the Sandbelt before he gets to Brisbane for the BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland next week.
Higgs, the genial American who is one of the internationals in the fields for both the PGA Championship and the ISPS HANDA Australian Open the following week at Kingston Heath and The Victoria Golf Club, is excited to be here for the first time.
“My thought was that with the Aussie Open being on two different courses, in a perfect world to play them both before the tournament week to at least get a little bit more familiar with them, or at least sneak over and do one of them,” he said.
“I’m super-excited. I’ve never been to Australia. I’ve heard some unbelievable things about the golf, but also the people, the country itself. Apparently Melbourne has some of the best food you’ll ever have in the world, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, the beaches, we’re really looking forward to it.
“We’re very fortunate that golf takes us all around the world. Pretty much anywhere I’ve gone is because of golf. I’m super-thrilled.”
A recent chat with Jordan Spieth only added to his sense of expectation, with multiple major-winner Spieth rating Kingston Heath, in particular, very highly.
“He (Spieth) was raving about it,” said Higgs. “He said Kingston Heath is in his top three (courses) of all time. Royal Melbourne is awesome with the history and everything, but he said if you had to pick for fun, and some of the shots you had to hit, that he had to give Kingston Heath the edge.”
Higgs, 32, won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2024 and has earned his playing rights for the PGA TOUR in 2025. But first, he is going to enjoy his time Down Under.
“From what I’ve heard, Royal Queensland is maybe similar to a Florida golf course. It wouldn’t be something that I have never totally seen before, but then the two on the sandbelt could be a little tricky.”
The big question at Royal Queensland next week might well be his sartorial state, with the Dabble Party Hole at No. 17 coming into play. Higgs (and Joel Dahmen) both went shirtless at Scottsdale’s famous party hole in 2022, and he has heard about the atmosphere at RQ’s par-3 already.
Higgs intends remaining clothed at RQ, but admits that in some circumstances, that could change, especially if he produces a hole-in-one that gifts one million dollars to the assembled audience on Saturday afternoon.
“You’ve got guys getting booed, you’ve got guys betting cheered, it seems like a lot of cold beer is flowing. You get there, and your legs are shaking, and your heart is pounding, and you get over the ball and all you’re saying is ‘please hit the green, please hit the green’.
“It’ll be pretty similar on 17 at Royal Queensland. (With) a hole-in-one, there’s no telling what happens … I might take an article of clothing off!”
The 2024 ISPS HANDA Australian Open and BMW Australian PGA Championship will be broadcast on Fox Sports and Kayo, as well as the NINE Network/9NOW.
For BMW Australian PGA Championship tickets, go to ticketek.com.au
Tickets for the ISPS HANDA Australian Open are available now via Ticketek
The Australian PGA Championship is supported by the Queensland Government, through Tourism and Events Queensland’s Major Events Program and Brisbane City Council, through Brisbane Economic Development Agency.
PHOTO: Harry Higgs won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2024. Image: Getty
The big names came out to play and it was Victorian David McKenzie who emerged triumphant at the $60,000 The Australian Golf Club Legends Pro-Am.
Recent additions to the PGA Legends Tour such as Brad Kennedy and Mathew Goggin loomed large but it was McKenzie’s putting that proved the difference.
He had a total of 10 one-putts in his round of 5-under 67 to finish one clear of Peter Lonard (68) as Australian PGA Senior champion Andre Stolz (69) and Kennedy (69) shared third.
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
A par at the difficult par-3 second was a steady start to McKenzie’s round.
He traded a birdie at three with a bogey at the par-3 fourth before the putter got hot.
McKenzie birdied three on the trot from the par-5 fifth and then made four pars around the turn to be well positioned at 3-under par.
He went back-to-back with birdies at 12 and 13 and after a dropped shot at the par-4 17th, hit the par-5 18th in two for the final birdie that would ultimately prove the difference.
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 David McKenzie 67
2 Peter Lonard 68
T3 Andre Stolz 69
T3 Brad Kennedy 69
5 Mathew Goggin 70
T6 Adam Henwood 71
T6 Chris Taylor 71
NEXT UP
The PGA Legends Tour is on the Central Coast on Wednesday for the Kooindah Waters Legends Pro-Am before returning to Sydney for the $80,000 David Mercer Senior Classic at Killara Golf Club.
Golf NSW and Jack Newton Junior Golf, alongside industry partners Golf Management Australia (GMA), the PGA of Australia (NSW) and the NSW Golf Course Superintendents Association (NSWGCSA) have celebrated an incredible year of outstanding achievements across the state.
By Kass Rogan
The 2024 NSW Golf Industry Awards took centre stage at the illustrious Crown Barangaroo last night, celebrating the outstanding contributions of individuals, clubs, and professionals over the past year.
Eighteen prestigious awards were presented, spanning playing performance, volunteer service, coaching, and club management.
Among the honourees were Ella Scaysbrook and Declan O’Donovan, who were named the 2024 Golf NSW Male and Female Players of the Year, respectively, while Massey Park and Mollymook took home top honours as the Metropolitan and Country Clubs of the Year for their exceptional impact on the sport in their respective communities.
Rising Stars: Declan O’Donovan and Ella Scaysbrook, the Golf NSW Male and Female Athletes of the Year
Declan O’Donovan from Avondale Golf Club continued his impressive trajectory, earning the Male Player of the Year award after an outstanding year, including wins in the NSW and Avondale Amateurs.
O’Donovan topped his year off by representing Australia in October in the Nomura Cup in Vietnam.
Ella Scaysbrook from the Australian Golf Club lived up to her reputation as one of Australia’s brightest golf talents by picking up several victories throughout the year, including a WPGA Tour win at Bathurst, the Rene Erichsen Salver and the Bowra & O’Dea Women’s 72-hole classic in Western Australia.
A highlight of Scaysbrook’s year was being selected for the first-ever Australian Junior team to take on the USGA in Wisconsin in June
Volunteer of the Year: Bruce McMullen Of Uralla Golf Club
Bruce McMullen has been a cornerstone of Uralla Golf Club for almost 30 years.
Elected to the Board of Directors in 2001, Bruce served for 10 years, including six as Vice Captain and two as Vice President. His passion for growing the club, mainly through youth engagement, led him to launch junior coaching clinics in 2003, a program that continues to thrive today.
Bruce’s background as a teacher and his commitment to continuous learning earned him PGA Professional coaching status. His Sunday morning clinics attract both young and old, fostering a multigenerational connection within the club. His dedication to junior development has extended beyond Uralla, as he regularly takes groups to tournaments across New South Wales, often at his own expense.
Bruce’s influence is evident in the increasing number of juniors who return to the club as adults. He has inspired young and senior golfers alike, fostering a love for the game that spans generationsand ensuring the ongoing growth and sustainability of Uralla Golf Club.
Service to Golf in NSW Award: Greg Hohnen of Killara Golf Club
Greg Hohnen’s 50-year career at Killara Golf Club is a testament to his dedication and influence. Starting as an Assistant Professional in 1973, Greg became Head Professional in 1995.
Hohnen’s mentorship has shaped the careers of many aspiring PGA professionals, with his guidance extending beyond technical skills to professional ethics and personal growth. His approachable teaching style has helped countless golfers improve their game, from beginners to seasoned players, earning him a beloved reputation at Killara.
Greg’s contributions to golf in NSW have inspired future generations and left a lasting legacy on the golfing community.
Metropolitan Club of the Year- Sponsored By Australian Super: Massey Park Golf Club
Massey Park Golf Club, known for its inclusive environment and financial performance, received the 2024 Metropolitan Club of the Year award. The club reported a significant profit increase, installed a 70kW solar system to boost sustainability, and introduced a range of successful participation programs for juniors and women.
Country Club of the Year: Mollymook Golf Club
Mollymook Golf Club secured the Country Club of the Year award for its financial and membership growth. The club also completed an $8 million renovation of its Beachside Clubhouse and set a record for rounds played.
Future is Bright: Celebrating Excellence Across All Categories
Other winners on the night included the Jack Newton Junior Golf (JNJG) Junior Club of the Year, The Rock Golf Club, which was lauded for its extensive junior development programs.
For its continued success, the PSC Insurance Brokers Wagga Wagga Pro-Am was named PGA NSW/ACT Tournament of the Year for 2024.
David Sommerville of Bankstown Golf Club received the NSWGCSA Superintendent of the Year Award.
Stuart Fraser, CEO of Golf NSW, said the awards night was a resounding success and highlighted the level of excellence found in our sport across the entire State.
“These awards honour the very best of our golf community.
“We are deeply grateful for their contributions which ensure that golf in our state continues to grow, innovate, and inspire future generations.
“Each of these honourees has not only excelled individually but has also played a pivotal role in strengthening the fabric of our sport across NSW.
“The dedication displayed by not only the winners but all of the finalists sets a standard that others can aspire to, and we are fortunate to have such passionate people building the future of our great game,” Mr Fraser said.
The complete list of winners is:
PGA NSW Awards:
GMA NSW:
NSWGCSA:
JNJG:
Junior Club of the Year: The Rock Golf Club
A full photo gallery of all award winners is available to view here
Two late eagles transformed a day of frustration into a three-stroke win for David Bransdon at the $30,000 Pymble GC Centenary Legends Pro-Am at Pymble Golf Club.
On the back of a week at the Australian PGA Senior Championship where his putting failed to match his ball-striking, Bransdon again failed to hole putts early at Pymble on Monday.
Four-under through 14 holes, Bransdon removed the putter from the equation with a brilliant 6-iron into three feet at the par-5 seventh and then holed a gap wedge from 86 metres at the par-4 ninth for a second eagle in three holes.
“Obviously if you have an eagle with a three-footer on a par 5 and then you hole a sand iron for two on a par 4, that certainly helps your score,” said Bransdon.
“Otherwise, it was going to be a frustrating day before that.”
His round of 8-under 64 was three to the better of Adam Henwood (67) as Scott Laycock (68) and Mark Boulton (68) shared third place.
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
With birdies at each of his opening two holes after starting from the short par-3 11th, Bransdon set an ominous tone.
He added a third at the par-4 16th but made his only bogey of the day at the par-4 17th.
He kept pace with the top of the leaderboard with a fourth birdie at the par-5 first and added another at the par-4 fifth before closing with two eagles in his final four holes.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“It was pretty good ball-striking,” said Bransdon.
“I’ve done it all last week and then again today and it’s actually good. But if I do hole some putts it’ll be a bit scary. It’ll be dangerous.
“It was a good day. Very good day, actually.
“I played really good last week and didn’t make a hell of a lot with the putter. And then today I made some, but I still left a lot on the table out there.
“But anytime you shoot 8-under is pretty good.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 David Bransdon 64
2 Adam Henwood 67
T3 Scott Laycock 68
T3 Mark Boulton 68
T5 Simon Tooman 69
T5 Euan Walters 69
NEXT UP
The PGA Legends Tour’s week in Sydney continues on Tuesday with the $60,000 The Australian Golf Club Legends Pro-Am at The Australian Golf Club before heading north to the Central Coast on Wednesday for the Kooindah Waters Legends Pro-Am.
A Bernhard Langer bomb on the 72nd hole has denied Richard Green a maiden PGA TOUR Champions title at the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Arizona.
One of only 10 players in the 36-player field still a mathematical chance of taking out the season-long Charles Schwab Cup, Green’s hopes looked dashed through two rounds at Phoenix Country Club.
He responded with weekend rounds of 63-65 capped by a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole and a back nine of 5-under 30 to set the clubhouse mark at 17-under par.
Langer and Kiwi Steven Alker stood on the final tee both at 17-under, yet when Langer hit his tee shot left and Alker hit his approach shot long over the back of the green, Green was suddenly sitting pretty.
Richard Green is CLUTCH!
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) November 10, 2024
A huge birdie on 18 to tie the lead @SchwabCupFinale 🔥
He can win the Schwab Cup if he wins outright. pic.twitter.com/C1BGNF6Tfi
Yet, as he had done 46 times previously on the Champions Tour, Langer poured in his birdie putt from long range to claim victory and relegate Green to a second-place finish for a fifth time this season.
His tie for second was enough for Green to lift three spots to third in the final Charles Schwab Cup standings, Alker the season champion for the second time in third years.
“It was a little hard getting going early, but once I sort of got the momentum on my side the back nine, it was just a matter of making the right decisions and playing my game as good as I possibly could and trying to execute the shots needed,” said Green, who finished the year with more than $US2 million in prize money.
“We had a couple opportunities that I even felt let slip, but still really nice to finish the way I did.”
As the PGA TOUR Champions season came to a close, Queenslander Scott Hend kept alive his hopes of winning the Legends Tour Order of Merit in Europe.
With two events left in the season, Hend’s third place finish at the Farmfoods European Senior Masters in Spain saw him bridge the gap to Order of Merit leader Adilson Da Silva.
Trailing Englishman Simon Griffiths by two after a bogey-free 7-under 66 in Round 2, Hend had drawn level with four birdies in the space of six holes to close out the front nine.
Dropped shots at 10 and 12 would prove costly, an eagle at the final hole enough to secure outright third three shots back of Griffiths.
The DP World Tour season finale will feature two Australians as Min Woo Lee and Adam Scott both maintained their position inside the top 50 in the Race to Dubai Rankings.
Lee produced four sub-70 rounds to finish tied for 23rd at the Abu Dhabi Championship with Scott closing with a round of 7-under 65 to finish tied for 46th and 16th entering the DP World Tour Championship.
Grace Kim’s tie for 11th was a strong result in defence of her LOTTE Championship title in Hawaii while Danny List leads the Aussie charge at the halfway mark of Final Stage of DP World Tour Qualifying School in Spain.
Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Results
PGA TOUR
World Wide Technology Championship
El Cardonal at Diamante Cabo San Lucas, Los Cabos, Mexico
1 Austin Eckroat 68-67-66-63—264 $US1.296m
T64 Aaron Baddeley 71-68-71-75—285 $15,408
MC Tim Wilkinson (NZ) 74-75—149
DP World Tour
Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship
Yas Links, Abu Dhabi, UAE
1 Paul Waring 64-61-73-66—264 €1,419,771.15
T23 Min Woo Lee 69-67-68-69—273 €88,109.33
T37 David Micheluzzi 69-68-70-69—276 €52,615.05
T46 Adam Scott 71-67-75-65—278 €38,417.34
Qualifying School – Final Stage
Infinitum Golf (Lakes & Hills Cses), Tarragona, Spain
Through three of six rounds
1 Edoardo Molinari 65-61-72—198
T4 Danny List 72-63-69—204
T22 Brett Coletta 66-74-66—206
T37 Sam Jones (NZ) 69-66-73—208
T44 Haydn Barron 77-61-71—209
T79 Hayden Hopewell 68-74-68—210
T79 Todd Sinnott 74-68-68—210
T111 Tom Power Horan 70-73-69—212
T132 Andrew Kelly 72-70-72—214
T141 Cameron John 71-71-74—216
T150 Matthew Griffin 72-77-69—218
LPGA Tour
LOTTE Championship
Hoakalei Country Club, Ewa Beach, Hawaii
1 A Lim Kim 66-69-67-68—270 $US450,000
T11 Grace Kim 72-68-68-71—279 $52,713
T35 Robyn Choi 70-72-71-72—285 $17,236
T43 Stephanie Kyriacou 70-73-70-73—286 $12,491
MC Hira Naveed 74-72—146
Japan Golf Tour
Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters
Pacific Club (Gotemba Cse), Shizuoka
1 Ryo Ishikawa 66-71-65-67—269 ¥40m
T23 Brad Kennedy 72-69-68-69—278 ¥1.86m
T69 Michael Hendry (NZ) 73-73—146
Korean PGA Tour
KPGA Tour Championship
Cypress Golf & Resort, Korea
1 Daihan Lee 67-67-66-66—266
T49 Sungjin Yeo (NZ) 71-73-70-71—285
PGA TOUR Champions
Charles Schwab Cup Championship
Phoenix Country Club, Phoenix, Arizona
1 Bernhard Langer 69-64-67-66—266 $US528,000
T2 Richard Green 71-68-63-65—267 $276,000
T2 Steven Alker (NZ) 70-68-63-66—267 $276,000
5 Rod Pampling 69-72-65-68—274 $180,000
T15 Greg Chalmers 74-69-69-66—278 $61,500
T17 Mark Hensby 70-69-73-67—279 $55,500
T26 Cameron Percy 70-68-78-68—284 $22,950
33 Stuart Appleby 75-72-71-70—288 $18,750
Legends Tour
Farmfoods European Senior Masters
La Manga Club, Murcia, Spain
1 Simon Griffiths 64-70-68—202
3 Scott Hend 70-66-69—205
T15 Michael Campbell (NZ) 73-70-67—210
T38 Michael Long (NZ) 74-69-75—218
Reigning Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit champion Kazuma Kobori and DP World Tour winner Daniel Hillier are locked in to head the New Zealand challenge at the upcoming Australian golf majors.
The two Kiwis will take on the best of Australian golf, including Jason Day, Cam Smith, Min Woo Lee, Cam Davis, Lucas Herbert and Marc Leishman at the BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland (November 21-24) and ISPS HANDA Australian Open at Kingston Heath and The Victoria (November 28-December 1).
Both tournaments are co-sanctioned by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tour.
Kobori will be making his first appearances as a full-time DP World Tour member, the reward he gained from a sensational Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season in 2023/24. Three tournament victories, all in Webex Players Series events, helped him to top the Order of Merit in his first year as a professional.
Since then, the 23-year-old has played in two major championships, The Open at Royal Troon and US PGA Championship at Valhalla, as well as events on the DP World Tour, Korn Ferry Tour and Asian Tour.
Kobori said: “I’m really looking forward to getting started as a full-time DP World Tour member at Royal Queensland and then heading to the Sandbelt for the Australian Open.
“Last summer in Australia was huge for me with the three wins and winning the Order of Merit to earn my DP World Tour card. There’s some great memories there.
“I can’t wait to see some of my mates I haven’t seen on Tour for a while and playing well in these two big Aussie events would give me a great start to the 2024/25 season.”
Hillier had a career highlight in 2023 when he won the British Masters and this year finished 94th on the Race to Dubai.
“Australia is close to home so the PGA and Open are always events I’m keen to play,” he said.
“The fact they’re at the start of the DP World Tour season means it’s a fresh beginning, even though they come at the end of the year.”
The 2024 ISPS HANDA Australian Open and BMW Australian PGA Championship will be broadcast on Fox Sports and Kayo, as well as the NINE Network/9NOW.
For BMW Australian PGA Championship tickets, go to ticketek.com.au
The Australian PGA Championship is supported by the Queensland Government, through Tourism and Events Queensland’s Major Events Program and Brisbane City Council, through Brisbane Economic Development Agency.
Andre Stolz has won the Nova Employment Australian PGA Senior Championship for a second time after a final round 64 saw him finish five shots in front of the fast finishing Mat Goggin and defending champion Jason Norris.
Entering the final day with a two shot lead over Norris, and five stroke advantage of a pack including Goggin at 7-under, Stolz did his best to fulfil his stated mission to wife Katrina to “make it boring” on Sunday.
A couple of back nine hiccups overcome to lift the trophy for the second time after Stolz triumphed in 2020.
“I think obviously these last two weeks are our biggest two events of the year. I know I’ve won a lot of events on this Tour, and I’ve won the Order of Merit the last three years and leading again this year, and winning all those events is great, but these are the ones that we all want,” Stolz, who finished at 17-under, said.
“It’s like people talk about majors for the young guys and all that sort of stuff, but these are our biggest two events. So absolutely these are the two to win. And being the senior PGA champion is pretty special.”
Stolz continued the same formula of impressive chipping and putting that had been a feature all week at Richmond Golf Club during a front nine of 31 as Norris did his best to ruin the boring plan.
Birdieing four of six holes from the third, Stolz looked to be getting in the ideal preparation for PGA TOUR Champions qualifying school next month before back-to-back bogeys at the 12th and 13th.
Hooking both tee shots at the two par-4s, Stolz could feel the pressure of the reigning champ gaining momentum as Norris emerged as the most likely challenger with birdie at the 14th after turning in 1-under-par.
Stolz finding his putting touch again at the right time when the Queenslander followed Norris in for a birdie of his own at the par-3, before he pulled away with eagle at the par-5 15th following a “drop kick” second shot to within 15 feet.
“I like this golf course,” was Stolz simple assessment of a course he helped adjust the layout of ahead of this year’s event.
“I know it’s super demanding and you’ve got to drive the ball great, and if you do, you can make a ton of birdies.
“I’ve been telling everybody I talk to about it, just got to drive it well and you’re going to have plenty of opportunities to make some birdies.”
Noting how difficult it is “to match eagles”, Norris birdied the par-5 15th before a three putt at the short par-4 16th against Stolz’s par ensured the 2020 winner a more comfortable closing stretch. Goggin’s eagle-birdie-birdie run starting at the 15th a little too late for the Tasmanian to mount a challenge.
Stolz dropped another shot at the par-3 17th after arguably his worst chip of the week, but he finished things in style with a clinical birdie at the 54th hole.
The victory and pay cheque a helpful cash injection as Stolz prepares to head stateside to try and join the large contingent of Australians on world’s premier over-50s Tour.
“It’s just really good timing,” Stolz said.
“Obviously this time of the year is pretty much peak season for us. It’s a big expense to blow for a week, but we, we’ll go and roll the dice.”
Joining Stolz in Phoenix in the hope of securing playing rights will be Goggin, who will no doubt leave his tournament debut with plenty of positives after sharing runner-up honours with Norris.
Last week’s NSW Senior Open winner David McKenzie continuing his good form with a solo fourth on 11-under, with Peter Lonard a shot further back as the PGA Legends Tour prepares for a lucrative run of event in Sydney this week before Stolz potentially tees it up at the BMW Australian PGA Championship thanks to his win this week.
“I hadn’t really even looked at the schedule. I basically just had been in the zone all this week,” he said of potentially heading to Royal Queensland.
Another professional claiming the first win of his career featured in a three-way tie for top spot at The Middle of Everywhere Yarram Pro-Am today.
A day after Ed Donoghue broke through for his maiden success on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series at Traralgon, this time it was Zinyo Garcia (NSW) earning his first title, shooting a 4-under-par to sit alongside Matt Millar (ACT) and Alex Edge (NSW).
The trio was two shots clear of their nearest rivals.
While it was victory No.1 for Garcia, Millar’s pro-am win count now sits in excess of 50 in the past 10 years alone.
Edge’s victory added to his Tasmanian Open title in April.
HOW THE WINNER’S SCORE UNFOLDED
Garcia came into the event a bit under-prepared after making a late commitment to the final leg of the Gippsland swing.
However made a fast track with three birdies in his first four holes. He ended up with a tally of eight birdies for the day, including two to close out his round to claim a share of top spot.
Miller’s round featured five birdies, including going back-to-back twice at the third and fourth and eighth and ninth as he posted a front nine of 33. The back nine had just the one birdie at the par-4 13th.
Meanwhile Edge was 1-over through his first five holes before picking up shots on the fifth, eighth, ninth, 10th and 12th.
WHAT THE WINNERS SAID
Garcia said: “It feels pretty good because it’s been a bit tough of late. The game feels like it’s there but the scores haven’t been really showing it. The course is on a great bit of land, the land is really good and it’s a club that’s volunteer run. It’s absolutely amazing really. If anyone is down this way, I’d recommend playing it.”
Edge said: “I kept it in play all day and that gave me some chances. It was nice to come back and play here again. There’s a bit of emphasis on where you need to hit your next shot from and I enjoy that type of golf rather than trying to bludgeon it everywhere.”
Millar said: “It’s exciting to get a win again. It’s been a bit up and down the last few weeks or so. It’s always a pleasure to come back to Yarram. They do a wonderful job here. A lot of golf courses could take note of what they do here as a group of volunteers. It’s just amazing.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
68: Matthew Millar (ACT); Zinyo Garcia (NSW); Alex Edge (NSW)
70: Jack Chrystie (Vic); Toby Walker (Vic)
71: Rick Kulacz (WA)
72: Dean Mulley (NSW); Darren Bowman (Vic); Samuel Slater (Qld); Anthony Choat (Vic); Alexander Simpson (NSW); Tom Ryan (Vic)
NEXT UP
The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series welcomes a new event at Hidden Valley Golf and Country Club, north of Melbourne, on Sunday.
Victorian Ed Donoghue claimed his maiden professional title after successfully negotiating a Friday of difficult conditions at the Traralgon Latrobe City WIN Network Pro-Am Classic.
Rounds of 66-69 for a 9-under-par total at Traralgon Golf Club gave Donoghue a one-shot margin over first-round leader Andre Lautee (63-73) and Peninsula-Kingswood amateur Matthew Dahlsen (67-69).
The breakthrough victory on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series is a nice confidence boost for the 27-year-old heading into the NSW Open on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, starting at Murray Downs on Thursday.
Donoghue is currently sitting in 49th place on the Order of Merit after two top-30 finishes in his opening four events.
HOW THE WINNER’S SCORE UNFOLDED
Donoghue’s bogey-free 6-under round on day one featured a 5-under-par 32 on the front nine at Traralgon.
After starting a very windy day two at the second hole, he had five straight pars before a birdie arrived at the par-5 seventh.
His first bogey of the event came at the par-4 12th, but the fourth year pro seized the lead with consecutive birdies on 16, 17 and 18, his round of 3-under-par 69 matching the best score on Friday.
Meanwhile, Lautee was brought undone by four bogeys in the middle of his round.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I’ve had a lot of seconds so I didn’t want to come second again,” Donoghue said.
“It’s nice to finally win and getting that monkey off the back definitely helps. It will give me some confidence I think.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
-9: Ed Donoghue (Vic) 66-69
-8: Andre Lautee (Vic) 63-73; Matthew Dahlsen (Vic) (a) 67-69
-7: Harry Goakes (Vic) 66-71; Matthew Stenson (Vic) 66-71; Caleb Bovalina (Vic) 66-71
-4: Kyle Michel (Vic) 69-71
-3: Samuel Slater (Qld) 72-69; Nathan Page (NSW) 68-73; Alexander Simpson (NSW) 69-72
NEXT UP
The Gippsland swing ends with The Middle of Everywhere Yarram Pro-Am on Saturday.
Australia’s golf venues have been given a new roadmap to help maximise the benefits that golf can bring to the community.
Headlining this new report is a live dashboard, built for general managers, facility operators, and landowners, who can now enter their own data and generate their own venue’s community benefits report.
The report also includes 10 themes to help all of golf’s venues across the country become the best version of themselves, whether it be golf courses, short courses, driving ranges, indoor simulator venues, or mini golf.
Last year, the Australian Golf Industry Council (AGIC) unveiled a groundbreaking report that revealed golf provides $3.3 billion in total annual benefits to the Australian community, economy and environment.
In the year since, the AGIC, which comprises the key national bodies of the golf industry in Australia, including the PGA of Australia, Golf Australia and the WPGA Tour of Australasia, has worked hard to take the report to the next level.
The result is an in-depth new report, titled “Maximising the Community Benefits of Golf”, published today.
AGIC Chair Karen Lunn is excited for venues around the country to put the report’s findings into practice.
“This report builds what was outlined last year – that golf is making a huge contribution to Australians in a number of ways every year,” Lunn said.
“We are now focussing on helping our clubs, facilities, landowners and operators, to build that contribution to even higher levels.
“The report will help all golf venues around our country understand the benefits they contribute from their own venue and in doing so work on areas that will maximise these benefits even further to create a healthier, happier and more sustainable community.”
A key point of last year’s report is that golf is big, different from other sports in positive ways, and is changing with new venue types attracting a more diverse player demographic.
It also showed that golfers are healthier and happier than the average Australian.
Underpinning the new report are fact-finding interviews with 15 venue operators, across a variety of golf courses, short courses, driving ranges, indoor simulator venues, and mini golf.
“The 15 venues who contributed to this engaging report were invaluable. The knowledge and experience they shared is extremely important in our quest to achieve our shared goal of more Australians playing more golf,” said Lunn.
“Golf is in an extraordinary time of growth, and together we can maximise the benefits the game brings our community as a whole to build a strong and resounding future.”
The 10 themes to success presented include:
The themes to success apply to venues in varying degrees, but all have been identified as the most important factors for maximising community benefits.
To learn more about the report, and for access to the interactive dashboard CLICK HERE.
