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Catch all the action live from Cameron Smith and Lucas Herbert’s opening rounds at the 2024 NSW Open at Murray Downs.
And we’re away on the tenth
With huge crowds surrounding the tenth tee, Smith launched his drive straight over the dogleg and looks to be in good shape. Attempting to follow, Herbert blocked his in what looks to be the right fairway bunker.
Not quite making the fairway trap, Herbert has just a wedge in from the right side of the fairway which he’s knocked in close.
From the very centre of the fairway, Smith’s flick wedge caught a nasty kick, leaving him with a 25ft birdie chance.
Both players just missed on the left edge and have tapped in for par.
Pin seeking on the 11th
With a tucked right pin on the par-3 11th, both Smith and Herbert have taken dead aim. Birdie chances incoming.
Herbert to putt first with an uphill 10ft chance, and he’s got it!
Smith now, also uphill from a similar distance, and his dies just on the right side. In for par.
Safely away on the 12th
With water all down the right, both players drives are safe on the par-5 12th. Herbert centre fairway, Smith just in the rough on the left but maybe with a better angle.
Both Herbert and Smith have gone for it in two. Smith just short, with long eagle putt from the front edge to a back pin. Herbert has gone long left, a chip with a bit of green to work with left.
With what has to be close to a 75ft putt, Smith rolls it to 6ft for a great chance at his first birdie of the day.
Herbert with amazing touch, knocks his chip within tap in range for birdie.
Bang! Smith rolls in his birdie as well.
Trouble lurking on the 13th
Herbert has sent his drive left on the par-4 13th, he will have to venture into the trees. Smith is way down the fairway in great shape.
Hitting from the red dirt under the trees, Herbert skips his second over the fairway bunker to the right side of the green, a great recovery.
Smith has just a flick wedge in, with no bunkers to contend with. Go time.
Smith knocks it in close setting up another fantastic birdie chance.
With not much green to work with, Herbert runs his third through the fringe, leaving 6ft to save his par.
Herbert lips hard on the right edge with his par putt, tap in bogey. While Smith rolls in his short birdie. Smith goes to 2-under while Herbert drops back to 1-under.
Green light special for both on 14
After two great drives, both Herbert and Smith have just a wedge in on the par-4 14th. Smith from just off the fairway on the left, Herbert from the right side of the fairway.
Both players have come up shorter than they would’ve liked to the back pin. Smith 20ft, Herbert 30ft.
Herbert and Smith’s outside birdie chances slide just past. Both tap in for par.
In close on 15
To a tucked front pin on the par-3 15th. Smith and Herbert have knocked it in close. Smith landing on the front edge and rolling to 6ft. Herbert stopping his dead behind the flag leaving 15ft.
Herbert rolls it in! The Victorian bounces back after his bogey on 13. Back to 2-under.
Not to be outdone, Smith rolls it in too! He’s 3-under on his day.
Social golf on 16
Both Smith and Herbert have found the right side of the fairway on the par-5 16th. Both with shots at the green, although Smith has to go over the trees creeping in.
Electing to layup, Smith looks to have lost it right finding the green side bunker. From the centre of the fairway Herbert has knocked his on, eagle putt incoming.
Smith has hit a fantastic mid range bunker shot to 6ft, another good birdie chance.
From the front edge of the green, Herbert’s eagle chance slides just by the right side. Tap in birdie to get him to 3-under.
Smith also rolls his birdie in!! He’s stays one ahead at 4-under.
Regulation stuff on 17
Both players found the fairway, both found the green, and both two putted. Onto 18.
Bombs away on 18
Playing first, Smith split the fairway, before Herbert launched his drive in the same spot, just running through the fairway but in no trouble.
Both players approaches spun more than anticipated leaving outside birdie chances.
Herbert’s birdie try slides by, as does Smith’s both have a bit left to clean up for par.
Easy as you like, two pars has Smith turn in 4-under, Herbert in 3-under. Smith tied at the top with Victorian Ben Eccles.
Up close and personal on 1
Smith and Herbert have drove it a long way down the short first, leaving just chips left for their second shots.
To ooos and ahhs from the crowd, Smith pulled out his short game magic, one-hop and stopping his ball a foot behind the pin.
Taking his in lower, Herbert stopped his ball just short of the hole, 3ft for birdie.
Both players confidently roll them in, and Smith has grabbed the outright lead at 5-under.
Work to do on 2
Both Smith and Herbert have come up short on the long par-3 second. Par will be a good result from here.
Herbert’s long birdie try pulls up short, and Smith’s slides by. Both with tricky par putts.
Smith is in safely, and so is Herbert.
Up and over the trees on 3
On the slight dogleg third, Smith and Herbert have both taken their drives over the trees and have great looks in. Herbert has absolutely bombed his right to the front of the green.
Another beautiful wedge leaves Smith a near tap-in for birdie.
Herbert brings his in low and it checks up to a near tap-in too. The Ripper GC team mates going blow for blow out here.
Smith hits! Herbert hits! Both players make birdie, and go 1 and 2 on the leaderboard.
Into the wind on 4
Turning back into the wind on the par-5 fourth, Smith’s drive has found the right fairway bunker, while Herbert has split the fairway with low piercing tee ball.
Forced to layup, Smith knocks an iron back into position. A wedge left for his third.
Herbert has the huge following crowd 10 metres behind him as he lines up to go for the green in two.
Not one to disappoint the people, Herbert launches a 3-wood, catching the left edge of the green.
Smith hits yet another great wedge, great birdie chance left.
Herbert’s second actually just rolled off the left edge, and with incredible touch almost holes the chip for eagle. Rolls by to 10ft for birdie.
Smith leaves the 20ft attempt just short, while Herbert knocks his in! They’re tied at the top at 6-under.
What a show these two are putting on for the fans that have come out early to follow their stars.
The long and the short of it on 5
It’s one of the toughest holes at Murray Downs, the long par-3 fifth, with water all the way to the green. Herbert’s ball has gone long right, while Smith’s hit the front bank and fed back down to the bowl at short of the green.
Smith has been brilliant today with wedge in hand, as he so often is, and almost holes it here on five. Tap in par.
Able to putt from off the green, Herbert rolls his attempt 6ft by. Work left for his par. It lips hard on the left edge and he gives his birdie from four right back.
Perfection on 6
Both players picked out a line over the centreline fairway trap with their caddies, and both executed to perfection.
Another wedge close for Smith, so too for Herbert. Both with great looks at birdie.
Smith rolls in another one!! The champ extends his lead at the top getting to 7-under.
Herbert rolls his just by, he stays at 5-under.
More fairways on 7
Smith down the middle, Herbert down the right. Both leaving great angles into the green.
Smith is safely on the green but Herbert has found some trouble. Going long left, his ball has found the pond.
Fortuitously, Herbert’s ball is sat up on the mud and he has a shot. It’s come out a lot better than he thought and had over-shot the putting surface. Scrambling to make bogey now.
Magic from Herbert leaves a tap in. It will be for bogey but from where he was, it could’ve been a lot worse. He drops back to 4-under.
Smith’s long birdie try comes up short, a tap in par to stay at 7-under atop the leaderboard.
Playing for position on 7
Both players have opted for irons off the tee on seven. With the hole doglegging to the left, Smith plays his ball up the middle, leaving a great angle in. Taking a more aggressive line, Herbert’s ball ducked under a tree on the corner and has rolled out to the centre of the fairway.
After actually just rolling through the fairway, Smith faces some tree trouble for his approach.
Hitting a masterful little cut with wedge, Smith’s ball lands right by the hole, and stops 10ft by.
Not to be upstaged, Herbert takes dead aim and all but holes it!! Taps in for birdie!
Smith rolls his attempt by, but cleans up for par.
With one hole to play, Smith is 7-under, Herbert 5-under.
Way up there on 9
Both players have gone for it on the short par-4 ninth. Herbert is safely green side left, while Smith is in the trees left but he has a shot. He’ll need some magic here.
Trundling a wedge down the hill, Smith’s second comes up short of the green.
Herbert now, nips a nice chip, leaving 4ft for a closing birdie.
Smith’s putt from the fringe slides by, and he will tap in for a closing par and opening round 7-under 64.
Herbert now for birdie, it’s in!! He closes with birdie for a 6-under 65 in round one.
Smith and Herbert are currently 1 and 2 on the leaderboard.
Aggression off the tee and a simple strategy on the greens has seen Ethan Chambers take a one-stroke lead at the halfway mark of the PGA Associate National Championship at Cobram Barooga Golf Club.
A First Year Associate at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney, Chambers matched the low round of the tournament on day two, his 7-under 65 giving him a 36-hole total of 11-under and a one shot buffer from Round 1 co-leader Zach Ion (69).
Those in the morning wave were greeted by perfect conditions at Cobram Barooga’s West Course, conditions that changed markedly for the afternoon groups.
A thunderstorm rolled through mid afternoon that caused a delay of one hour, the wind whipping up and heavy rain leaving casual water in some of the bunkers.
Chambers and Ion were both safely tucked away in the clubhouse by the storm hit, Chambers playing the four par-5s in 4-under par to surge to the top of the leaderboard.
“I’d definitely say I’m more an aggressive player,” said Chambers.
“I’ve been trying to take driver where I can, but then I understand some holes I’ve got to take my medicine.
“Just been poking it around with 2-iron and 3-iron so I’ve got in the bag this week.
“A lot depends on the wind, where the wind’s at. But I’ll keep sticking to it.”
Four-under and bogey three through nine holes, Chambers dropped a shot at the par-4 10th but hit back with birdies at 11 and 12 and then an eagle at the par-5 14th.
With the West Course greens nudging 12 on the Stimpmeter, Chambers said controlling the trajectory of his approach shots was crucial.
“Really just going to keep doing what I’m doing, keeping it below the hole,” Chambers added.
“It’s a big part of my game-plan this week given the greens are so good.
“I’m just going to keep it the same and see how we go.”
Ion followed up his 65 on day one with a 3-under round on Wednesday, the tall left-hander from Virginia Golf Club in Brisbane coming home in 3-under 33 to sit just one off the lead.
“What I’m doing is working,” Ion said of his game-plan for the final two rounds.
“A couple of holes today the game-plan didn’t work as well, but that was just due to poor swings.
“It’ll just be keeping my head nice and calm, keep my breathing going and try and go low again tomorrow.”
First Year Associate at Gold Creek Country Club in the ACT, Lachlan Chamberlain, sits in third spot four strokes off the lead thanks to a round of 4-under 68 featuring five birdies and one bogey.
Round 1 co-leader Linus Yip (Avondale Golf Club) is in a share of fourth after a round of 1-over 73 in the afternoon, joined at 6-under by Joseph Hodgson (70) from Mount Osmond Golf Club in Adelaide.
As a winner on both the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR and most recently part of the victorious Ripper GC LIV Golf, the fairways of regional Australian golf courses are a far cry from what Lucas Herbert has become accustomed to.
However those venues, like Murray Downs Golf and Country Club host of this week’s Ford NSW Open, are exactly the places he cut his teeth as a professional golfer.
Excited to be back in regional Australia, having grown up in Bendigo, Herbert has fond memories of the NSW Opens he has played, even if it has been a few years since he last teed it up in one.
With an elevated prize-purse of $800,000 and double Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit points on offer, this year’s NSW Open has attracted increased player interest, yet it has always been an important event for Herbert.
As a budding 21-year-old, grinding away in his first few seasons on Tour, Herbert’s career made a significant leap after his runner-up finish at the 2017 NSW Open at Twin Creeks Golf & Country Club Resort.
Despite Jason Scrivener running away with the Kel Nagle Cup that week by six-shots, Herbert describes his playing that week, and the two weeks that followed as an extremely pivotal moment.
“I remember that being a bit of a moment in my career where I sort of probably took a next step up,” Herbert said Wednesday.
“The following two weeks we played the Aussie Open and the Aussie PGA, and I played with Jason Day at the Aussie Open on the weekend and Sergio (Garcia) at the Aussie PGA.
“Within my team, we probably talk about the fact I probably grew up two years in those three weekends.”
Now 28, Herbert’s career has been on a steady upwards trajectory since that summer, and while the belief in his game was always there, getting the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the sports’ greatest enabled him to confirm that belief.
“I learned so much and probably learned that my game was on the right track in a way,” he said.
“I really benefited from seeing how J Day played and then how Sergio played, to be able to stack my game up against him and sort of go, ‘okay, look, I’m not there, but I’m on the right track’, and I could see how I can potentially get that good.”
That experience has stuck with the Victorian throughout his career and played a big part in his decision to extend his summer schedule, similar to 2022 Open Champion Cameron Smith.
Herbert added this week along with the Webex Players Series Murray River in early 2025 to the ISPS HANDA Australian Open and BMW Australian PGA Championship he had pencilled in his calendar already.
Herbert and Smith got out earlier this week for a practice round with Tour winners from this season Jack Buchanan and Elvis Smylie, imparting some of the wisdom he has picked up over the years.
“Some of these kids probably haven’t played with players at the top level to really compare and see where their game matches up,” he said.
“We all show an interest in the next kids that are coming through because we want to do everything we can to help them out.
“It was very nice and hopefully we get to do it a little bit more over the next couple of weeks too.”
Self-described as “too competitive to not care”, Herbert is certainly at Murray Downs to compete this week, the memories of getting so close in 2017 potentially providing that extra motivation and hunger.
While that result may still sting, Herbert looks back fondly on 2017, even if his humble lodgings that week likely bears little resemblance to where he is staying this year.
“There was about five of us all staying in an apartment above a car garage where you take your car in to get service sort of thing,” he laughed fondly.
“All sorts of noises going on through the night. I reckon someone slept on a couch, but it was back when that was fun.
“Everyone will tell you those early years on Tour when you were doing that kind of stuff was some of your fondest memories though.
“I’ve got a lot of good memories from those three weeks, but yeah, in particular the 2017 New South Wales Open.”
As for his chances this week, Herbert says his game is not quite where he would like it, but he has been putting in the work over the off season.
“It’s been a little rusty,” he said. “It’s been a good bit of time off since my last event in Dallas, so yeah, just trying to get my body right again.
“The course is in great shape. I think it’s going to be a really good tournament venue this week.
“It looks like it’s going to be warm through the weekend, so it’ll firm everything up and should play like a true country golf course.”
Photo: Golf NSW
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.
