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Danny Lee is set to make a highly anticipated return home to tee it up in Queenstown at next week’s New Zealand Open after years of competing on the global stage.
Lee became the youngest-ever winner of the U.S. Amateur in August 2008, aged 18 years and one month, six months younger than Tiger Woods when he won in 1994. He became No.1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking in August 2008 and remained No.1 until he turned pro in April 2009.
Lee represented New Zealand at the Eisenhower Trophy in 2008 and the World Cup of Golf in both 2009 and 2016. He was also part of the New Zealand Olympics team in 2016 alongside Ryan Fox and Lydia Ko.
In his professional career, Lee has played on the Web.com tour, DP World Tour and PGA TOUR. Lee now plies his trade as part of the Iron Heads GC team in the LIV Golf League.
Lee, whose career highlights include wins on the PGA TOUR and the LIV Golf League, as well as a top-10 finish at the U.S. Open, is “excited to be coming home.”
This marks his fourth appearance in the New Zealand Open, but his first as a professional.
“It will be great to be playing back on home soil in front of my family, friends, and the New Zealand fans,” Lee said.
“New Zealand holds a special place in my heart, and I am proud to represent New Zealand. I am looking forward to reconnecting with so many people who have supported me over a number of years.”
New Zealand Open Tournament Director Michael Glading is delighted that Lee is coming home to play in his national Open and is looking forward to watching the fans out in force to watch him in action.
“It’s great that Danny is making his long-awaited return to the New Zealand Open.
“It will be a special moment for him, the tournament and the golf community here in New Zealand.
“Danny has had an incredible career from being the No.1 amateur golfer in the world, playing at the Olympics, and winning on the PGA TOUR, DP World Tour and the LIV Golf League.
We are excited to have him back, and we know the energy from the crowd will make it a truly memorable experience for everyone.”
The 104th New Zealand Open will tee off at Millbrook Resort in Queenstown between February 27 and March 2. For more information, please visit nzopen.com.
Queenslander Scott Hend produced the round of the week but came up two shots short of victory at the Legends Tour’s season-opening Staysure Marbella Legends in Spain.
Hend had seven birdies and a bogey in an eight-hole stretch from the ninth hole in the final round to exert pressure on Englishman Simon Griffiths on his way to a round of 8-under 64.
Sensing the Aussie in his rearview mirror, Griffiths made birdie at the par-4 15th to build a three-shot buffer that meant that his closing bogey reduced the winning margin to two.
Hend was not the only member of the Aussie over-50s to log a top-five result.
Still in pursuit of a breakthrough win on the PGA TOUR Champions, Richard Green shot 4-under 68 in the final round of the Chubb Classic in Florida.
Five birdies in the final seven holes saw Justin Leonard claim his first PGA TOUR Champions title by four strokes, Green six strokes back in a tie for fourth.
Making her first appearance on the Ladies European Tour, West Australian Hira Naveed impressed with a tie for eighth at the PIF Saudi Ladies International.
Entering her second year on the LPGA Tour, Naveed was tied for fourth after an opening round of 5-under 67 and then climbed back into the top 10 on the back of a 2-under 70 in the final round.
Photo: Octavio Passos/Getty Images
PGA TOUR
The Genesis Invitational
Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Cse), San Diego, California
1 Ludvig Åberg 74-66-70-66—276 $US4m
T37 Adam Scott 74-70-75-70—289 $96,500
48 Min Woo Lee 71-77-74-70—292 $56,000
T50 Jason Day 76-72-74-72—294 $51,500
MC Danny List 79-72—151
MC Cam Davis 77-74—151
LIV Golf
LIV Golf Adelaide
The Grange Golf Club, Adelaide
1 Joaquin Niemann 67-71-65—203 $US4m
T21 Marc Leishman 73-70-70—213 $225,000
T23 Ben Campbell (NZ) 73-70-71—214 $190,714
30 Cameron Smith 72-73-70—215 $170,000
T31 Lucas Herbert 71-70-75—216 $153,833
T37 Danny Lee (NZ) 70-74-74—218 $135,285
44 Matt Jones 75-71-73—219 $128,000
50 Wade Ormsby 79-71-75—225 $60,000
Ladies European Tour
PIF Saudi Ladies International
Riyadh Golf Club, Saudi Arabia
1 Jeeno Thitikul 67-64-69—200 $US647,493.75
T8 Hira Naveed 67-70-70—207 $99,282.38
T18 Stephanie Kyriacou 68-68-74—210 $69,066
T27 Momoka Kobori (NZ) 73-69-70—212 $46,115.95
MC Kirsten Rudgeley 75-72—147
PGA TOUR Champions
Chubb Classic
Tiburon Golf Club, Naples, Florida
1 Justin Leonard 68-65-68—201 $US270,000
T4 Richard Green 70-69-68—207 $82,800
T12 Cameron Percy 72-70-68—210 $31,748
T12 Michael Wright 71-69-70—210 $31,748
T23 Rod Pampling 70-75-67—212 $18,450
T31 Steve Allan 72-70-72—214 $12,150
T47 Mark Hensby 70-72-75—217 $6,120
T51 Greg Chalmers 70-76-72—218 $4,860
T57 Stuart Appleby 73-74-73—220 $3,690
T69 David Bransdon 77-77-72—226 $1,584
HotelPlanner Tour
NTT DATA Pro-Am
Fancourt Golf Estate, George, South Africa
1 Wilco Nienaber 60-66-66-70—262 €57,473.21
T3 Sam Jones (NZ) 68-65-69-69—271 €17,151.31
MC Haydn Barron 70-69-74—213
MC Hayden Hopewell 67-76-75—218
Legends Tour
Staysure Marbella Legends
Aloha GC, Marbella, Spain
1 Simon Griffiths 65-68-68—201
2 Scott Hend 69-70-64—203
T39 Michael Campbell (NZ) 73-72-73—218
T52 Michael Long (NZ) 74-72-76—222
Ripper GC’s Adelaide reign came to an end as Joaquin Niemann out-duelled fellow Australian Open winner Abraham Ancer to take the individual title at LIV Golf Adelaide.
Part of a three-way tie for the lead overnight, birdies at each of his opening two holes put Ancer in a front-running position early on day three at The Grange Golf Club.
Yet as he endured a frustrating run of nine straight pars, 2023 Australian Open champion Niemann made his move.
After an early birdie of his own at the par-3 third, the Torque GC captain closed out his front nine with three birdies in his final four holes. He completed a bogey-free 7-under 65 with birdies at 12, 15 and finally a superb up-and-down after driving it into the greenside bunker at the par-4 18th.
Niemann finished the three rounds at 13-under par, three clear of Ancer (71) and Carlos Ortiz (71) with David Puig (67) outright fourth at 9-under par.
“Man, I love it,” Niemann said of his impressive record in Australia.
“I’m starting to feel the chills now because I didn’t want to get out of that game rhythm because you never know what can happen on the last one. But now for the relief, and man, it feels awesome.”
Ancer and Puig were part of the Fireballs GC team captained by Sergio Garcia that claimed a dominant six-stroke win in the teams event as an early Ripper GC charge could not be sustained over the final nine holes.
Trailing by nine heading into Sunday’s final round, Ripper GC moved into fifth in the teams event on the back of captain Cameron Smith.
Smith was the hottest player on course with an eagle and two birdies in his opening four holes of Round 3 and was 5-under on his round when he birdied the par-4 15th.
But that was where Smith’s forward momentum ended as he made three bogeys in the space of four holes to sign for a 2-under 70 and 30th for the week, Ripper GC ninth at 1-under par.
“I scrambled really well the first day to kind of stay in the tournament, and then the last couple of days I actually did a lot of good stuff and just couldn’t really keep on top of it, keep the momentum going,” admitted Smith.
“I hit a lot of good shots that ended up in bad spots, and it was one of those weeks where you had to be really patient.
“Obviously being home, you’re always pushing, and perhaps that got us out of the tournament. That’s the only thing I can really think of.”
Marc Leishman had three birdies in his round of 2-under 70 to lead the way for Ripper GC in a tie for 21st, Lucas Herbert (75) and Matt Jones (73) finishing tied for 31st and 44th respectively.
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
Individual
1 Joaquin Niemann (Torque GC) 67-71-65—203
T2 Carlos Ortiz (Torque GC) 67-68-71—206
T2 Abraham Ancer (Fireballs GC) 68-67-71—206
4 David Puig (Fireballs GC) 70-70-67—207
5 Richard Bland (Cleeks GC) 69-73-66—208
Australians
T21 Marc Leishman (Ripper GC) 73-70-70—213
30 Cameron Smith (Ripper GC) 72-73-70—215
T31 Lucas Herbert (Ripper GC) 71-70-75—216
44 Matt Jones (Ripper GC) 75-71-73—219
50 Wade Ormsby (Iron Heads GC) 79-71-75—225
Team
1 Fireballs GC -21
2 Legion XIII -15
3 Torque GC -13
9 Ripper GC -1
Golf fans across the nation will be able to watch the 2025 Australian WPGA Championship live on the 9Network, and Fox Sports available on Foxtel and Kayo.
By Alanna Mullan
In what is a major coup for the new standalone women’s golf event set to be hosted at Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club on March 6-9, the 9 Network, Foxtel and Kayo will showcase 10 hours of action-packed golf during the final two days of play. The domestic rights compliment the global reach provided through the event’s Tour co-sanctioning partner in the Ladies European Tour (LET).
The 9Network has been the free to air home of Australia’s major golf tournaments including the BMW Australian PGA Championship and the Australian Open for last three years, alongside Foxtel and Kayo who have helped to drive the largest amount of Australian golf on television in the sports history as the broadcast partner of the Australian majors, the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and WPGA Tour of Australasia.
The Saturday and Sunday of the 2025 Australian WPGA Championship will be broadcast live from 12pm-5pm AEDT on 9GEMHD and 9Now, and on Fox Sports available on Foxtel and Kayo.
PGA of Australia and Golf Australia’s Chief Commercial Officer, Michael McDonald, said:
“We’re excited to have both the 9Network and Foxtel group simulcast the 2025 WPGA Championship,” McDonald said.
“Our broadcast partners understand the unprecedented growth and demand for golf across the country, and we are excited to showcase more elite women’s golf to our fans through this broadcast.
“We are excited that Grace Kim will headline an elite field from Australia and around the world tackling the sensational The Palms golf course layout at Sanctuary Cove, and we look forward to showcasing Gold Coast golf through the broadcast.”
The 2025 Australian WPGA Championship will be played at Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club on the Gold Coast from March 6-9.
The Gold Coast Festival of Golf will also be held as part of the event, combining the thrill of the game with an unforgettable festival atmosphere. Featuring live music, pop-up bars, dedicated participation zones, interactive experiences, plus golf and lifestyle displays showcasing the latest and greatest in golf.
Tickets to the 2025 Australian WPGA Championship are now available via Ticketek and are just $15 or adults, with kids 17 and under free.
The 2025 Australian WPGA Championship is supported by Experience Gold Coast and the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland.
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) confirmed today that the New Zealand Open will join the Open Qualifying Series offering one entry into the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush
The entry will go to the winner (or leading non-exempt player) of the 104th New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport later this month.
Tournament Chairman John Hart is delighted that the hard work put in has seen the New Zealand Open join the Open Qualifying Series and hopes we will see another Kiwi on golf’s biggest stage.
“This certainly signals that our event has continued to grow in stature on the world stage and we are delighted that the R&A have opened the door for us to be a part of the Open Qualifying Series. This has been one of the tournament goals for some time, and it’s great to see it now come to fruition” said Hart.
“My thanks to Golf New Zealand, the R&A and our Tour partners for all their efforts in making this happen.
“This will act as extra motivation for our Kiwi professionals to not only win the New Zealand Open but then to make their mark at Royal Portrush next year. We certainly hope that this is the year that sees another Kiwi winner.”
Sir Bob Charles, the only New Zealander to have won The Open Championship, commended the tournament on this achievement.
“I’m very pleased that the R&A have recognised the growth that the New Zealand Open has achieved in recent years, and I have no doubt that the winner will cherish this opportunity to tee it up at Royal Portrush next year,” said Charles.
Golf New Zealand CEO Jeff Latch is thrilled by the announcement, calling it a defining opportunity for the sport in this country.
“This is a massive moment for golf in New Zealand. To have a direct pathway from Queenstown to The Open at Royal Portrush is huge – not just for the players, but for the prestige of the event itself.
“It reinforces our place on the global stage and provides a dream opportunity for a rising star to compete for the Claret Jug.”
As per official Open Qualifying Series criteria, the tournament winner or leading player not already exempt at the New Zealand Open in Queenstown next year will earn a place at the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush to be held on July 13-20.
The New Zealand Open tees off at Millbrook Resort in Queenstown between February 27 and March 2. For more information, please visit nzopen.com.
The stars are coming out to play as our Aussies continue to exert their influence on the world stage.
A three-time winner last season, Hannah Green had her first top-five finish of the new LPGA year at the Founders Cup in Florida as NSW Open champion Lucas Herbert kicked off the LIV Golf season with a tie for fourth in Riyadh.
The chef, Min Woo Lee, brought the heat to the 16th hole at the WM Phoenix Open on his way to a tie for 12th as Kelsey Bennett continued her strong form on home soil with a tie for fourth at the Vic Open.
There are Aussies in the mix everywhere you look, and they’re just getting started.
10. Anthony Quayle (Last week: 8)
Handled the hurricane that swept through 13th Beach better than most on Sunday, climbing into a share of 12th courtesy of a round of 1-over 73. Remains seventh on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit and in the hunt for one of three DP World Tour cards at season’s end.
9. Min Woo Lee (New entry)
Quietly building into his work in 2025. Tied for 17th in his first two starts in Dubai and at Pebble Beach, Lee brought his world-renowned showmanship to the WM Phoenix Open. He sent the crowd into a frenzy with a near ace at the par-3 16th on Saturday on his way to a tie for 12th.
8. Lucas Herbert (New entry)
Led the charge for Ripper GC in the LIV Golf season opener in Riyadh. On the back of his NSW Open and tie for fifth at the Australian Open, Herbert was in the hunt for a first LIV Golf individual win right up until the final hole, ultimately finishing in a tie for fourth.
7. Kelsey Bennett (10)
Kelsey’s climb up the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking is set to continue after the 2025 Ladies European Tour rookie was tied for fourth at the Vic Open. Has finished inside the top seven in each of her past four starts on the WPGA Tour of Australasia.
6. Elvis Smylie (5)
A second straight missed cut on the DP World Tour for the BMW Australian PGA Championship. Due to return to the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia where he continues to lead the Order of Merit at the New Zealand Open in a fortnight’s time.
5. Minjee Lee (7)
Rounds of 68-69 across the weekend saw Lee finish in a share of 28th at the Founders Cup in Florida. On the back of a top-five finish first up at the Tournament of Champions, it is another building block in a bigger and better 2025 campaign.
4. Jason Day (4)
Skipped the WM Phoenix Open after finishing tied for 13th at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Holds his spot at No.32 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
3. Adam Scott (3)
Like Day, took the week off ahead of this week’s Genesis Invitational. At No.24, remains Australia’s highest-ranked player on the Official World Golf Ranking.
2. Cam Davis (2)
Producing a level of consistency on the PGA TOUR befitting his talent. The New South Welshman missed the WM Phoenix Open after earning a share of fifth with an all-world birdie on the 72nd hole at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
1. Hannah Green (1)
Giving every indication that she intends to follow-up her three-win season last year with more of the same in 2025. Tied for 20th in the LPGA season opener, Green was tied for fourth at the Founders Cup. Her next event will be the defence of her HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore starting February 27.
The Australian Golf Power Rankings is a subjective list developed with input from members of the Australian Golf media team.
It took just two starts for Hannah Green to earn her first top-five finish of the LPGA Tour season as Lucas Herbert opened his year on LIV Golf with a tie for fourth at LIV Golf Riyadh.
In the mix on the back of rounds of 65-66 in rounds two and three, Green endured a frustrating final day on the greens to post 2-under 70 and secure a share of fourth at the Founders Cup in Florida.
Tied for 20th in the season-opener with new caddie David Buhai on the bag, Green is content with her first two weeks of the 2025 season but is headed home to Perth for a training block with coach Ritchie Smith ahead of the defence of her HSBC Women’s World Championship title in Singapore.
“I don’t typically play these events,” said Green of the slight change to her schedule.
“I’ve made the trip over, so it’s nice to have had some good results, but also see what I need to work on to get ready for Singapore for a title defence.
“I’m going to try and catch up with my coach as much as possible. Try and see him at home before we both head on the road.
“I think I need to play a little bit more while I’m home. I felt like when you’re on the range you always hit it good, when you’re on the putting green. Just experience some wind or whatever it may be.
“Trying to play a little bit more before I get to Singapore is probably my goal.”
Herbert is also headed home to Australia this week with a focus on both individual and team success at LIV Golf Adelaide before playing the NZ Open in Queenstown.
The 29-year-old shot 64 in Round 2 under the lights at Riyadh Golf Club to play his way into the final group for Round 3.
He endured a rollercoaster round that included one eagle, five birdies, three bogeys and one double bogey at the 10th that seemingly took the win out of reach.
A brilliant second shot set up eagle at the par-5 13th which Herbert followed up with three consecutive birdies at 15, 16 and 17.
Trailing 2022 Australian Open champion Adrian Meronk by two playing the final hole, Herbert took an aggressive approach but made bogey to drop to a tie for fourth.
With all four scores now counting, it was a strong start to Ripper GC’s team title defence, the quartet of Herbert, Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman and Matt Jones earning a spot on the podium.
Photos: James Gilbert/Getty Images (Green); Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images (Herbert)
Results
PGA TOUR
WM Phoenix Open
TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Cse), Scottsdale, Arizona
1 Thomas Detry 66-64-65-65—260 $US1.656m
T12 Min Woo Lee 70-66-68-67—271 $195,500
T63 Ryan Fox (NZ) 72-66-71-72—281 $19,964
DP World Tour
Commercial Bank Qatar Masters
Doha GC, Doha, Qatar
1 Haotong Li 69-67-67-69—272 €409,592.05
T25 Daniel Hillier 71-70-70-74—285 €21,804.75
MC Kazuma Kobori 73-71—144
MC Danny List 77-68—145
MC David Micheluzzi 75-71—146
MC Daniel Gale 74-74—148
MC Jason Scrivener 76-74—150
MC Elvis Smylie 74-78—152
LPGA Tour
Founders Cup presented by US Virgin Islands
Bradenton Country Club, Bradenton, Florida
1 Yealimi Noh 68-64-63-68—263 $US300,000
T4 Hannah Green 70-65-66-70—271 $86,932
T28 Minjee Lee 70-72-68-69—279 $15,923
T39 Gabriela Ruffels 72-68-73-68—281 $10,122
T48 Lydia Ko (NZ) 74-68-70-71—283 $6,595
T48 Fiona Xu (NZ) 70-70-72-71—283 $6,595
T48 Stephanie Kyriacou 70-72-69-72—283 $6,595
T56 Hira Naveed 70-68-72-74—284 $5,887
MC Karis Davidson 72-74—146
MC Cassie Porter 74-81—155
LIV Golf
LIV Golf Riyadh
Riyadh Golf Club, Saudi Arabia
1 Adrian Meronk 62-66-71—199 $US4m
T4 Lucas Herbert 68-64-70—202 $900,000
T6 Marc Leishman 67-68-68—203 $534,500
T15 Ben Campbell (NZ) 68-69-69—206 $292,500
T25 Wade Ormsby 68-72-69—209 $185,000
T25 Cameron Smith 67-72-70—209 $185,000
T33 Matt Jones 74-68-69—211 $145,572
T33 Danny Lee (NZ) 68-74-69—211 $145,572
Team Scores
1 Legion XIII 50-under
T2 Ripper GC 39-under
T2 Rangegoats GC 39-under
PGA TOUR Champions
Trophy Hassan II
Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, Rabat, Morocco
1 Miguel Angel Jiménez 70-69-69—208 $US400,000
2 Steven Alker (NZ) 69-70-71—210 $220,000
T9 Richard Green 76-71-70—217 $60,000
T14 Scott Hend 71-73-74—218 $42,550
T14 Greg Chalmers 72-71-75—218 $42,550
T28 Mark Hensby 72-75-74—221 $19,800
T39 Rod Pampling 74-79-71—224 $12,250
T47 Stuart Appleby 80-74-73—227 $8,000
T53 Cameron Percy 78-69-81—228 $6,125
Ladies European Tour
Lalla Meryem Cup
Royal Golf Dar Es Salam (Blue Cse), Morocco
1 Cara Gainer 71-70-69—210 €67,500
Won in sudden-death playoff
MC Momoka Kobori (NZ) 79-71—150
MC Maddison Hinson-Tolchard 76-75—151
Korn Ferry Tour
Astara Golf Championship
Country Club de Bogota, Bogota, Colombia
1 Kyle Westmoreland 70-64-61-70—265 $US180,000
T13 Rhein Gibson 68-65-68-70—271 $17,583
T26 Harry Hillier (NZ) 64-72-69-68—273 $7,476
HotelPlanner Tour
Cell C Cape Town Open
Royal Cape Golf Club, Cape Town, South Africa
1 Jamie Rutherford 69-69-67-69—274 €57,282.65
T4 Sam Jones (NZ) 70-69-69-70—278 €13,010.57
T47 Hayden Hopewell 72-69-69-76—286 €2,204.57
MC Haydn Barron 77-70—147
After a windswept final round he described as “super, super tough”, New Zealand’s Josh Geary clinched the 2025 Vic Open at 13th Beach Golf Links, his first Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia title in almost 12 years.
The leader after rounds two and three, Geary would never have thought a closing 6-over-par 78 to finish on 13-under-par would be good enough. But it was, by four strokes over West Australian Connor McKinney.
Only three men shot under-par rounds on Sunday – two-under-par 70s from McKinney, New Zealand’s Kerry Mountcastle, who took equal third, and local favourite Ben Eccles, who soared to a share of eighth.
Former Vic Open champion Michael Hendry (74) and NSW’s Austin Bautista (79) also had a share of third.
The afternoon of unyielding, buffeting winds from the Southern Ocean blew the scoring average for Sunday to 76.5 shots.
“It’s the hardest round of golf I’ve had to play,” the new champion said.
“It’s hard enough trying to close out a tournament, let alone in those conditions which meant literally you can make any score from anywhere.
“If you’d asked me if I shot 78 tomorrow if I’d still have a four-shot margin, I’d tell you you’re dreaming, but that’s just how hard it was.
“I’m super happy, obviously, and stoked to get it done.”
It was always going to be extremely difficult for Geary to match his near-faultless first 54 holes, a double-bogey on his final hole of the Creek Course on Friday were his only dropped shots in rounds of 64-65-68.
He bogeyed the first hole on Sunday but was impressively under par for the day after back-to-back birdies at the fifth and sixth.
It was at the par-four eighth, playing as the toughest hole of the day at almost a shot over par, where Geary’s round threatened to unravel – a penalty drop after a wayward approach shot into the greenside bush and three putts leading to a triple-bogey.
But a bounce-back birdie on No.9 ensured he would take a five-shot lead into the final nine holes of the tournament.
As his potential challengers fell away, the 2013 WA Open champion only had to avoid a catastrophe. Five bogeys on the way to the clubhouse didn’t create too many concerns.
“Even when you got downwind, you couldn’t hold the greens. You’d have a sand wedge and 180 metres and it’s going through the back of the green,” Geary said.
“I was just trying to keep it out of the real trouble.”
McKinney’s 70 allowed him to climb from a tie for 23rd overnight to second place, his best finish on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, just surpassing his tie for second at the 2023 WA Open.
The Scottish-born West Australian turned in 3-under 33 and finished his round with a total of four birdies.
Defending champion Brett Coletta (Vic) closed with a 72 to end in a share of 18th place.
The next Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia tournament is Webex Players Series Sydney, starting on Thursday, February 20.
Players can take the first step towards joining the elite of world golf by earning a place on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia through Qualifying School at Moonah Links Resort in April.
Entries are now open for both First and Final Stage to be played in consecutive weeks at Moonah Links Resort on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.
First Stage will be held across both the Open Course and Legends Course at Moonah Links from April 9-11 with Final Stage to follow on the Open Course from April 14-17.
The reward on offer is playing rights for the 2025-2026 season; the opportunity is a place on the DP World Tour for the top three finishers on the Order of Merit at season’s end.
Kiwi Kazuma Kobori was an amateur when he conquered Q School in 2023. Less than two years on, he has won three times on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, contested two major championships and is now in his rookie season on the DP World Tour.
Those to secure status at Q School in 2024 included Jack Buchanan, Jordan Doull and Ben Henkel who have four wins between them this season already.
“The pathway from the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia to global tours and major championships is now clear and Qualifying School is the first step on that path,” said General Manager of Tournaments & Global Tour Relationships for the PGA Tour of Australasia, Nick Dastey.
“Kazuma showed what is possible when you give players that opportunity and how quickly they can advance their careers.
“Players such as Jordan Doull, Corey Lamb, Jack Buchanan and Ben Henkel have made a big impression on our Tour this season after coming through Q School.
“We’re excited to see who tees it up at Moonah Links in April and secures their place on Tour for the 2025-2026 season.”
While the introduction of the Future Tour has allowed amateurs to secure status on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia through strong showings the previous season, Q School is the primary pathway to begin a professional career.
“We have been able to showcase our best amateur talent through our Tour events but Q School is where they can earn Membership and lock in playing opportunities for the next 12 months,” Dastey added.
“Rather than heading overseas, our best young players can now start their careers in Australia and play their way onto global tours, just as Kazuma did.”
Co-sanctioning of the BMW Australian PGA Championship and Australian Open with the DP World Tour increases the importance of Category status for those already on tour and who wish to improve their Category through Q School.
Entry for Q School is now open with a deadline of March 25 for First Stage and April 1 for Final Stage.
For more information and to enter, click here
Fresh from clinching the 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit title, John Catlin from the United States will lead the strongest Asian Tour field to date at this year’s New Zealand Open.
The New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport, is set to take place at the prestigious Millbrook Resort from February 27 to March 2. Last month it confirmed players will be competing for a share of the NZD $2 million prize pool.
Catlin, who secured his maiden Order of Merit victory last season, was in sensational form throughout the year, with a string of standout performances that saw him hit the top spot in the rankings. Victories at the International Series Macau presented by Wynn and the Saudi Open presented by PIF, along with six other top-10 finishes meant he claimed the season-long Merit title ahead of Kiwi Ben Campbell.
“I’m incredibly proud to have secured the Order of Merit title last year. The consistency I was able to achieve was arguably the best patch of golf in my career so far,” Catlin said.
“I’m really excited to be coming back to Queenstown for the New Zealand Open. It’s a tournament I’ve always wanted to win, and the competition this year will be as strong as ever. The course at Millbrook Resort is stunning, and I’m excited to return.”
Catlin’s season also saw him take home the Kyi Hla Han Award for Player of the Year on the Asian Tour. It’s the second time he has won the award, and was the icing on the cake for an incredible season which included a 59 on day three in Macau. It was the first sub-60 shot ever on the Asian Tour.
“We are thrilled to welcome John back to the New Zealand Open,” said Tournament Director Michael Glading.
“His success last season was extraordinary, and it’s great that John is making his way back to Queenstown for the first time since 2020. He is definitely one to watch at Millbrook Resort.”
Catlin isn’t the only high-profile Asian Tour player heading to Queenstown, with seven of the top 12 in the 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit making the trip to Central Otago.
Queenstown’s own Campbell will be joined by the likes of Jazz Janewattananond (Thailand), M.J. Maguire (U.S.A.), Miguel Tabuena (Philippines), Taichi Kho (Hong Kong), Steve Lewton (England), Jbe’ Kruger (South Africa), Jeunghun Wang (Korea) and Travis Smyth (Australia).
Another feature of this year’s Asian Tour entries is the inclusion of Scott Hend, a close runner-up at the New Zealand Open last year, and Liang Wenchong, one of China’s most successful golfers with 21 wins worldwide.
“It’s great to have so many top players from the Asian Tour in the field this year, from such a wide variety of countries. This is a real feature of the Asian Tour and we are delighted to partner with them,” said Glading.
The 104th New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport will tee off at Millbrook Resort in Queenstown between February 27 and March 2. For more information, please visit nzopen.com.
New Zealand Open 2025 – Asian Tour Entries
