Griggs is one of 11 Americans in the field at Royal Port Moresby Golf Club, the majority earning status for the new 2025-2026 season via the historic Qualifying School held in Georgia in July.

Griggs, a graduate of UCLA, finished 19th at Kinderlou Forest and needs to start his season well to earn starts in the biggest tournaments as the season advances.

Like his travel companions from the United States, Griggs is making his first trip Down Under yet it is familiar territory for his uncle, JJ West.

West was a regular visitor to Australia between 1996-2000, his best result a tie for fourth when Bradley Hughes claimed the 1996 Australian Players Championship at Robina Woods on the Gold Coast.

Griggs will make his debut on Australian soil at the Tailor-Made Building Services NT PGA Championship in a fortnight’s time but is already embracing the adventure ahead.

“Funnily enough, my uncle played on the Australian tour back in the day, back in the ‘90s, so I’ve known about it for a long time,” said Griggs.

“Just recently I was doing a lot of Monday qualifiers for the Korn Ferry, PGA TOUR and then PGA TOUR Americas and then I got an e-mail for the Australian Tour.

“I’ve known that it’s pretty legit so I figured might as well go take a crack at that.

“I was lucky enough to get some status and get into the first two events, so I’m pretty happy.”

Another of the US contingent eager to make a strong early impression is Ty Gingerich.

After graduating from the University of Cincinnati last year, Gingerich won the 2024 Indiana Amateur Championship and the Big 12 Men’s Golf Championship.

Tied fifth at Qualifying School in Georgia, Gingerich is not yet exempt for the BMW Australian PGA Championship or the men’s Australian Open, something he is eager to rectify during the early part of the season.

“As of now, I’m not exempt for Aussie PGA or Aussie Open, so I’d like to work my way into playing in those events and kind of go from there,” said Gingerich.

“I guess the first goal is the start of the season and then hopefully, by the end of the season, to win the Order of Merit would be great.

“There’s a lot of good opportunity here on the Australian tour. I saw the e-mail come about Q School and kind of did some research and seemed like a good opportunity for me.

“I didn’t have any status this year, so thought I might as well go play and see what I can get out of it, and it worked out well.”

Led by Q School medallist Chris Malec, the other American players in the field this week are Nathan Jordi, Ben Carpenter, Brock Healy, Kameron Williams, Scotty Kennon, Viraj Garewal, Matthew Cleary and Colin Andrade.

Brisbane’s William Bruyeres returns as defending champion along with 2023 champion Lachlan Barker and seven tournament winners from the 2024-2025 season.

Round 1 tees off Thursday at 7am AEST.

Photo: Joel Isbister/PGA of Australia

The past three Order of Merit champions – David Micheluzzi, Kazuma Kobori and Elvis Smylie – are all now domiciled on the DP World Tour and played major championships within months of the Australasian season coming to a close.

In a further boost to the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia’s international awareness, the first Qualifying School to be held in the US will see an increase in the American flags that populate leaderboards throughout the Summer of Golf.

Starting with next week’s PNG Open at Royal Port Moresby Golf Club, here are seven players under the age of 25 who will hope to use the 2025-2026 season as a launching pad for their professional careers.

Harrison Crowe

A familiar name to Australian golf fans whose victory at The National Tournament to close out the 2024-2025 season was his second on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia. Winner of the 2022 Asia Pacific Amateur Championship in Thailand, Crowe won the NSW Open the same year, the first player to win it and the NSW Amateur in the same year in more than 80 years. Has the pedigree to contend in the season’s biggest events having finished eighth on the 2024-2025 Order of Merit.

Phoenix Campbell

Like Crowe, Phoenix Campbell is a two-time winner on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, having won back-to-back Queensland PGA championships at Nudgee Golf Club. He birdied the par-3 18th on his way to winning as an amateur in 2023 and then backed that up by defeating Jak Carter in an enthralling playoff for his first professional win in 2024. Finished 2024-2025 season 21st on the Order of Merit.

Quinn Croker

A graduate of the Future Tour following some outstanding performances as an amateur across the 2023-2024 season, Croker’s best finish last year came in the final event, a tie for third at The National. Possessing incredible length and a soaring ball flight, the tall Queenslander is poised to be one of the breakout players of the coming season.

Jimmy Zheng

Kiwi countryman Kazuma Kobori delivered the blueprint as Jimmy Zheng seeks to turn medallist honours at Qualifying School in April into a DP World Tour card or better in the season ahead. An Economics graduate from Duke University, Zheng was an All-ACC Academic Team selection three years running and was fifth at the 2024 Western Amateur won by… Kazuma Kobori. Received the Bledisloe Cup as low amateur at the 2020 New Zealand Open… three years before Kobori achieved the same.

Jayce Hargrove

One of eight players to earn status for the 2025-2026 season via the international Final Qualifying School held in Georgia in July. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University after transferring from Texas Tech, the Texan-born Hargrove won the Silver State Amateur and was runner-up at the Easter Amateur during the 2022 season.

Samuel Espinosa

As a product of Pedrana in Spain where he and his family were friends with the Ballesteros family, Espinosa spent time with Seve Ballesteros as a youngster and was coached in his early days by Seve’s brother, Vicente. Espinosa represented his homeland at the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup in 2019 and then embarked on a very successful college career in the US, including a third-place finish at the 2022 NCAA Division II championships. Was tied 16th at Qualifying School in Georgia to earn limited status and is entered for both the PNG Open and NT PGA.

Scotty Kennon

Joins the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia on the back of Monday qualifying for a PGA TOUR debut at last week’s Wyndham Championship. Kennon won the Drive Chip and Putt Championship at Promontory Nicklaus Golf Course in Utah in 2014 and he and his older brother Jackson and sister Cassie filled their spare time as kids caddying at acclaimed Bandon Dunes Resort. Kennon finished tied 13th at Qualifying School in the US after completing his fourth year at Wake Forest University No.27 in the PGA Tour University rankings.

The winner of the Canadian Open and Myrtle Beach Classic in 2025, Fox will return to Australia for the first time since 2022, joining fellow Kiwis Daniel Hillier and Kazuma Kobori as confirmed contenders for the Joe Kirkwood Cup from November 27-30.

The trio have a combined 31 victories worldwide in professional events, two Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit titles and will be trying to break a 26-year drought for New Zealanders at the BMW Australian PGA Championship.

Tickets and hospitality packages are available at ticketek.com.

Enjoying a career-best year, Fox’s Official World Golf Ranking has climbed to No.34 and he is currently ranked No.32 in the PGA TOUR’s FedEx Cup standings.

His list of 19 wins worldwide includes three Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia titles – the 2014 WA Open, 2015 Queensland PGA and 2019 World Super Six – on the way to becoming NZ’s long-time No.1 men’s professional and an established star on the DP World Tour and now the PGA TOUR.

Fox said: “It’s going to be a great Summer of Golf in Australia and being part of it at the BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland is something I’m very much looking forward to.

“I had some good success on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia in my very early days on Tour which helped to give my career a nice kick along. Winning one of the big tournaments like the PGA would be a real highlight.

“Brisbane is also close to home so lots of friends and family will hopefully get the chance to come out which should make for a really enjoyable week.”

Bound for the PGA TOUR if he continues his 2025 form on the DP World Tour, Hillier has seven professional victories on his resume, including the 2023 British Masters, and is currently 13th on the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai standings.

Hillier almost secured a second DP World Tour title earlier this year, finishing as the runner-up in the Dubai Desert Classic.

Like Fox, Kobori is a past winner of the Order of Merit and Player of the Year titles on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, claiming the honour for the 2023/24 season when he won three tournaments in his rookie year as a professional.

Kobori has consolidated his position on the DP World Tour, recently posting a season-best third place at the BMW International in Germany.

PGA of Australia Nick Dastey General Manager of Tournaments & Global Tour Relationships said he was delighted the top three Kiwis on the Official World Golf Ranking had signed on for this year’s BMW Australian PGA Championship.

“Having Ryan, Daniel and Kazuma in our field, representing the best of New Zealand men’s golf, is a huge plus for this year’s tournament,” Dastey said.

“Ryan is in the middle of the best year of his career, proving once again what an outstanding competitor he is by winning twice against the best in the world on the PGA TOUR.

“His presence is going to add tremendous interest, especially from Kiwi golf fans who will get to see their No.1 back on his home tour, the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.

“Likewise, Daniel and Kazuma have already had great results in 2025 and would no doubt love to add the BMW Australian PGA Championship to their list of achievements.

“We haven’t had a Kiwi winner since Greg Turner in 1999, but with these three great contenders in the field, plus the other New Zealand pros who will join them from our Tour, you definitely can’t discount it this year.”

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said fans were ecstatic about the world-class talent coming to the iconic Royal Queensland fairways.

“As Australia’s lifestyle capital, Brisbane is proud to welcome some of New Zealand’s top golfing talent as part of this much-loved event,” Cr Schrinner said.

“Hosting the Australian PGA Championship isn’t just a sporting highlight – it’s a major economic win for our city, creating more to see and do for residents and visitors.

“With thousands of visitors expected to attend the tournament, our lifestyle precincts will be buzzing with people ready to support local businesses and explore everything Brisbane has to offer.”

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.

The first Australian to win The Masters at Augusta National, Scott is a two-time winner of the Kirkwood Cup in his home state of Queensland but has yet to win at Royal Queensland, where he was a junior member.

“Australia will always be home and returning to compete in front of the passionate and knowledgeable fans is always a nice way to end the year,” Scott said today.

“It is always exciting to play in Queensland, and especially at RQ where I spent time developing my game.”

Currently on track to join Jack Nicklaus as the only players to contest 100 consecutive major championships, with the 2026 US Open the potential century celebration, Scott returns home having recorded top-10s in his last appearances at Australia’s two major events – the BMW Australian PGA and Australian Open.

Tied for sixth at the 2023 PGA Championship, Scott was in the mix late on Sunday for a second Australian Open crown, with more silverware in his home country in Scott’s sights as he seeks to add to his 28 official wins worldwide.

He will also contest this year’s Australian Open at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

“It is an honour to have both the BMW Australian PGA and Australian Open on my resume, and I would love nothing more than to win again at home in front of family and friends,” the 44-year-old said.

“Both trophies have honour rolls full of the biggest names in not just Australian golf, but world golf, and anytime you can have success at the end of the year always makes for a nice break and sense of satisfaction.

“The Summer of Golf at home has been a constant talking point on Tour recently, and it will be great to have a truly international field showcasing our world-class courses and players.”

Joined as a confirmed starter for the BMW Australian PGA Championship by defending champion Elvis Smylie, Scott will make his 17^th appearance in his home state event where he owns nine top 10s and claimed the title in 2019.

“Adam has always been one of the great supporters of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, and it is a huge boost for both tournaments that he will be teeing it up in 2025, starting at the BMW Australian PGA Championship,” PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said.

“The effort of our overseas based players to return home after a long year is highly appreciated, and after again contending at the majors in 2025, I am sure Adam will be targeting another of our biggest trophies in Australian golf.”

Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tim Mander said: “We’re thrilled to again be hosting Australia’s oldest professional golf tournament in 2025, an event that always assembles world-class fields, attracts massive galleries and further cements Queensland’s reputation as a premier destination for major sporting events”.

Minister for the Environment and Tourism Andrew Powell said: “Last year’s tournament welcomed tens of thousands of people to the manicured lawns of the Royal Queensland Golf Club, making an economic contribution of more than $15 million.  We can’t wait to see what the 2025 tournament holds.”

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said: “Adam Scott’s return to the world-class Royal Queensland fairways will make this November’s Championship truly unmissable, especially for Queenslanders.

“The Australian PGA Championship is shaping up to be a major highlight on our sporting calendar, drawing fans from near and far to enjoy not just the action on the green, but everything Brisbane has to offer.

“As Australia’s lifestyle capital, Brisbane is the perfect backdrop for this blockbuster event, which is set to deliver millions of dollars in economic benefits for our restaurants, hotels and tourism operators.”

Tickets for the BMW Australian PGA Championship and men’s Australian Open are on sale now at www.ticketek.com.au

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.