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“The Chase Is On” for the professionals on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia with a busy schedule of tournaments for the first half of the upcoming 2024/25 season released today.
Starting from the PNG Open in August, 10 tournaments will be contested through to the end of the year, highlighted by the two Australian major championships co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour.
The first Australian events on the 2024/25 calendar will be the Western Australia double in October, beginning in Kalgoorlie at the CKB WA PGA Championship presented by TX Civil & Logistics (October 10-13).
It’s then on to the Mandurah Country Club, the new home for the Bowra & O’Dea Nexus Advisernet WA Open which will celebrate its 100th anniversary when it is played on October 17-20.
The ground-breaking Webex Players Series, featuring its format of men and women on the same course, vying for the same title, will have one event prior to the New Year with the McLaren Vale wine region once again the home of Webex Players Series South Australia hosted by Greg Blewett from October 24-27.
Another five Webex events will come in 2025, including the debut of Webex Players Series Perth hosted by Minjee and Min Woo Lee at Royal Fremantle GC in January.
The Tour then heads east to the Queensland PGA Championship played once again at Nudgee Golf Club in Brisbane from October 31 to November 3.
The NSW Open, offering a boosted purse of $800,000, returns to the schedule with the 2024 edition to be hosted for the first time by the Murray Downs Golf Resort on November 14-17 as the lead-in to the majors.
The BMW Australian PGA Championship will make its fourth consecutive appearance at Royal Queensland in Brisbane (November 21-24) while the ISPS HANDA Australian Open at two of Melbourne’s world renowned Sandbelt gems, Kingston Heath GC and Victoria GC, on November 28-December 1.
The schedule also features a date shift for the Victorian PGA Championship and Gippsland Super 6 which will now be played following the Australian Open in December.
“The Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia is gaining in momentum, mirroring what is occurring with the game of golf in all metrics across Australia,” PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said.
“When the Chase resumes in August, our next generation of stars will have their sights on the great opportunities and pathways that exist by being one of the leading players on our Tour.
“We experienced a fantastic 2023/24 season highlighted by Kazuma Kobori’s three victories which led him to our Order of Merit title, the return of some established names to the winner’s circle and the emergence of first-time tournament winners.
“The new season is sure to bring more spectacular golf when we kick off in PNG and then travel into five states including the return of NSW Open with a significant prizemoney boost at a new Tour venue we’re excited to visit.”
Building on the success of its tournament broadcast, which has brought the Tour and its new era of stars onto screens across the country and overseas, Fox Sports and Kayo will be home of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia. The two majors, the PGA and Open, will also be simulcast on Nine and 9Now. The NSW Open will appear on 7plus.
Challenger Chief Executive, Customer Mandy Mannix said: “We’re excited to begin our second year as naming rights sponsor with the PGA Tour of Australasia.
“Over the past year, in partnership with PGA, we’ve elevated professional golf’s profile and supported a beloved sport that brings joy to older Australians.
“As we embark on another thrilling golf season, we wish all players the best of luck, from seasoned professionals to rising stars, ensuring every swing and every round is a hole-in-one.”
The post-Christmas/New Year schedule of Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia events will be announced in coming weeks.
2024
August 15-18: PNG Open at Royal Port Moresby Golf Club ($200,000).
October 10-13: CKB WA PGA Championship presented by TX Civil & Logistics at Kalgoorlie Golf Course ($250,000)
October 17-20: Bowra & Odea Nexus Advisernet WA Open at Mandurah Country Club ($175,000 min)
October 24-27: Webex Players Series South Australia hosted by Greg Blewett in McLaren Vale wine region. Course TBC ($200,000)
October 31-November 3: Queensland PGA Championship at Nudgee Golf Club ($250,000)
November 14-17: NSW Open at Murray Downs Golf Resort ($800,000)
November 21-24: BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club ($2 million)
November 28-December 1: ISPS HANDA Australian Open at Kingston Heath Golf Club and Victoria Golf Club ($1.7 million)
December 5-8: Victorian PGA Championship at Moonah Links Resort ($250,000)
December 12-15: Gippsland Super 6 at Warragul Country Club ($200,000)
Danni Vasquez has joined a short list of women to win on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series with a share of victory at the Biloela Pro-Am at Biloela Golf Club west of Gladstone.
Playing in the afternoon groups, Vasquez and Anthony Choat both shot 8-under 64 to finish one stroke clear of Jay Mackenzie (65) and another women’s PGA Professional in Emma Ash (65).
There has been an influx of women PGA Professionals and WPGA Members playing the Queensland swing of the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series this season, Vasquez the first woman to have a win since Grace Lennon’s joint victory at the Eastwood Pro-Am in Melbourne in 2019.
“Monkey off my back. Finally got a win,” said Vasquez, who was fourth at the Clermont Pro-Am two weeks ago.
“I knew it was coming. I’ve been playing well the last few months, but I just haven’t had everything click in one round. Today it happened.”
It was something of a drought-breaker, too, for Choat, the New South Welshman enjoying his first pro-am success since the Stuart Appleby Cohuna Pro-Am last September.
“I’ve been chopping and changing, trying to get better the last few years and things are starting to stabilise,” said Choat.
“To actually be out there in contention, to be really way under par and to be thinking about only making birdies and trying to shoot 10, 11, whatever under, it’s really, really good.
“I feel really good about my game and have for a while, but it’s nice to actually shoot a good one and get a result.”
HOW THE WINNING ROUNDS UNFOLDED
Playing in the group ahead of Vasquez, Choat went backwards before going forward, making bogey at his opening hole, the par-4 fifth.
He rebounded with birdies at seven and eight before unleashing on the Biloela back nine, peeling off six birdies and three pars for a back nine of 6-under 30.
His ninth and final birdie came at the par-3 second, coming up just short of a birdie on his final hole that would have secured an outright win.
Vasquez had to come up with an up-and-down of her own to match Choat’s score of 8-under.
Unlike Choat, Vasquez was fast out of the blocks with birdie at her first hole, the par-5 fourth.
She added a second at the short par-3 eighth and then eagled the par-5 ninth to head to the 10th tee 4-under par.
There were birdies at 12, 14, 17 and 18 before three closing pars to round out a bogey-free 64.
WHAT THE WINNERS SAID
Danni Vasquez: “I knew because it was my last par 5 of the day, I knew I had to do something but I didn’t put too much pressure on myself. I knew the chip that I had was tough, but I knew if I just landed it on the fringe, it would roll up to a hole-able length. Ended up holing my five-footer which I was very happy about.”
Anthony Choat: “It was an amazing day. I know I’ve been hitting the ball. I haven’t been scoring great, but I knew it couldn’t be too far away. When the putter started to get hot, I was just like, don’t watch a leaderboard. Let’s go make as many birdies as we can.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
T1 Anthony Choat 64
T1 Danni Vasquez 64
T3 Jay Mackenzie 65
T3 Emma Ash 65
T5 Bradley Kivimets 66
T5 Dean Jamieson 66
T5 Christopher Wood 66
T5 Harrison Wills 66
T5 William Bruyeres 66
NEXT UP
One of the marquee tournaments of the season starts on Wednesday with the $60,000 Ian Weigh Toyota Rockhampton Pro-Am at Rockhampton Golf Club followed by the inaugural Maryborough Pro-Am next Monday.
Victorian David Micheluzzi has taken a big step towards securing his future on the DP World Tour with a runner-up finish at the BMW International Open in Germany.
Just two weeks after leaving the KLM Open in despair at the state of his game, Micheluzzi led after Round 1 at Golfclub München Eichenried in Munich and stayed in the hunt until the very end.
Two strokes back at the start of Round 4, Micheluzzi (68) was unable to rein in Scotsman Ewan Ferguson (68), finishing tied with Englishman Jordan Smith (70) in second spot for his best result in his rookie season.
The 2022/2023 Order of Merit winner on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, Micheluzzi has now moved up 63 spots to 57th in the Race to Dubai standings, the top 110 at season’s end to earn full status for 2025.
“It’s amazing how things can change so quickly in this game,” Micheluzzi said in an Instagram post.
“Two weeks ago, after the second round in Amsterdam, I had no idea where things were at and I came third last.
“I wanna say a huge thank you to (caddie) Ben Brewer for putting up with my s***; he is a big reason why things have changed so quickly!”
Birdie
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) July 7, 2024
Birdie
Eagle
Take a bow, David Micheluzzi! He's in the clubhouse at -16.#BMWInternationalOpen pic.twitter.com/TovGVmz1GC
Producing the type of finish that became commonplace in his three-win season on home soil, Micheluzzi signed off on his best finish on the DP World Tour with a birdie-birdie-eagle finish, his 3-wood to six feet on the last one of the shots of the week.
Travis Smyth led the way for the 19 Aussies in action at the International Series Morocco but it was a Kiwi in Ben Campbell who left with the second Asian Tour victory of his career.
American John Catlin looked to have the title secured when he led by three with three holes to play but Campbell produced a stunning eagle-birdie finish to tie Catlin at 15-under and send it to a playoff.
It would take just one extra hole to decide the outcome, Campbell converting his birdie chance from 10 feet as Catlin missed from a similar range to complete a stunning comeback.
“I didn’t have my best out there today and I just kept saying to Mike (his caddie), I’ve just got to find something and just stay patient,” said Campbell.
“I went flag hunting on 16 and leaked it right, and hit a great bunker shot there. I said to Mike, if I can find a birdie-eagle, you never know. So I did that, and then to hole a putt like that in the playoff, it’s always good.”
A 63 in Round 2 was the cornerstone of Brad Kennedy’s tie for 12th at the Japan Professional Golf Championship while a pair of 66s on the weekend earned Jason Day a tie for 23rd at the John Deere Classic.
Photo: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images
Results
PGA TOUR
John Deere Classic
TPC Deere Run, Silvis, Illinois
1 Davis Thompson 63-67-62-64—256 $US1.44m
T23 Jason Day 69-67-66-66—268 $83,600
MC Harrison Endycott 68-71—139
DP World Tour
BMW International Open
Golfclub München Eichenried, Munich, Germany
1 Ewen Ferguson 67-64-71-68—270 €392,710.62
2 David Micheluzzi 66-70-68-68—272 €199,820.41
T17 Ryan Fox (NZ) 69-71-70-69—279 €29,876.81
MC Sam Jones (NZ) 69-73—142
MC Andrew Martin 72-71—143
MC Tom Power Horan 68-75—143
MC Haydn Barron 70-75—145
MC Jason Scrivener 73-72—145
MC Daniel Hillier (NZ) 73-74—147
Asian Tour
International Series Morocco
Royal Golf Dar Es Salam (Red Course), Morocco
1 Ben Campbell (NZ) 68-70-68-71—277 $US360,000
Won in sudden-death playoff
T5 Travis Smyth 69-69-70-73—281 $74,300
T28 Kazuma Kobori (NZ) 66-77-71-74—288 $16,560
T37 Wade Ormsby 71-75-71-73—290 $12,820
T42 Lachlan Barker 72-74-72-73—291 $10,900
T49 Doug Klein 74-71-72-76—293 $8,433.33
T62 Justin Warren 74-72-79-70—295 $5,800
69 Harrison Crowe 76-70-73-82—301 $4,600
MC Scott Hend 71-76—147
MC Todd Sinnott 78-69—147
MC Jed Morgan 77-70—147
MC Andrew Dodt 73-75—148
MC Maverick Antcliff 74-74—148
MC Deyen Lawson 74-74—148
MC Kevin Yuan 76-73—149
MC Aaron Wilkin 71-79—150
MC Sam Brazel 76-76—152
MC Zach Murray 72-81—153
MC Jack Thompson 76-78—154
MC Marcus Fraser 80-75—155
WD Brendan Jones 80
Ladies European Tour
Aramco Team Series – London
Centurion Club, London
1 Leona Maguire 66-72-73—211 €69,435.75
T42 Momoka Kobori (NZ) 74-76-74—224 €2,368.53
T51 Kirsten Rudgeley 78-73-75—226 €1,706.14
MC Stephanie Kyriacou 71-83—154
MC Whitney Hillier 80-76—156
Japan Golf Tour
Japan Professional Golf Championship
Fuji Country Kani Club (Shino Cse), Gifu
1 Yuta Sugiura 65-66-65-72—268 ¥30m
T12 Brad Kennedy 70-63-70-70—273 ¥3.18m
MC Michael Hendry 68-76—144
LET Access Series
PGA Championship Gothenburg
Albatross GolfKlubb, Sweden
1 Natacha Host Husted 70-72-69—211 €6,400
T10 Kelsey Bennett 71-81-68—220 €1,020
T15 Wenyung Keh (NZ) 72-75-75—222 €840
MC Munchin Keh (NZ) 77-82—159
WD Hanee Song (NZ 80
Hervey Bay Professional Chris Taylor produced two clutch shots when they mattered most to claim the two-day JRT Yeppoon Legends Pro-Am at Yeppoon Golf Club near Rockhampton.
Trailing Brad Burns by four heading into Round 2, Taylor holed a bunker shot for birdie at the par-4 18th to close out his front nine and then holed a putt from off the back edge of the ninth green – his final hole – for a one-stroke win.
With a round of 3-under 68, Taylor was the only player to break 70 on day two, his 4-under total enough to edge Burns (73) by one with David McKenzie (71) outright third at 1-under par.
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
Strong winds whipping along the Capricorn Coast made conditions challenging for all players in Round 2.
On the back of a 5-under 66 on day one, Burns began his second round from the second tee but after a birdie on six made a double-bogey on seven.
Birdies at 12, 14 and 16 had Burns in prime position to go wire-to-wire only for a bogey, double-bogey finish to open the door for Taylor.
After an early dropped shot at 11, Taylor’s birdie from the bunker saw him make the turn in 1-under, birdies at five and six keeping him within reach of Burns.
A bogey at the par-3 eighth was untimely but not fatal to his chances, his lengthy birdie putt on the final hole enough to clinch victory.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I finished par, bogey, birdie so it was a lucky win in the end,” said Taylor.
“Holed it from off the back of the green there and unfortunately Brad finished bad so take the wins as you can I suppose.
“It was very, very tough out there today. I don’t know how many people broke par today, but I probably think it wouldn’t even be a handful.
“I’m extremely happy with the way I played. Struck the ball nicely and shot 3-under in very windy conditions. Very happy.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Chris Taylor 70-68—138
2 Brad Burns 66-73—139
3 David McKenzie 70-71—141
4 Euan Walters 69-73—142
5 Andre Stolz 70-74—144
T6 Adam Henwood 72-73—145
T6 Brendan Chant 68-77—145
NEXT UP
The PGA Legends Tour continues to move south down the Queensland Coast with the Bargara Legends Pro-Am starting Monday at Bargara Golf Club.
It was not how he drew it up on the tee but Victorian Nathan Page conjured the birdie he needed on the final hole to claim the 36-hole JRT Group Emu Park Pro-Am at Emu Park Golf Course near Rockhampton.
Winner of the North Queensland Series in May, Page followed up the equal best round of day one with a 5-under 67 in windy conditions in Round 2, his 12-under total enough for a one-stroke victory from Zach Maxwell (66) with James Marchesani (69) third at 10-under par.
In a field full of Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia regulars, Page needed something special on the final hole to edge clear.
Going to what had been a trusty cut off the tee all tournament, Page double-crossed himself and hit his tee shot onto the opposite fairway.
It was a mere blip, however, as he lofted a shot over the trees to two feet and the winning birdie.
“It was good to do it in the moment. It was a good feeling,” said Page.
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
Beginning his second round from the 17th tee, Page opened with three pars before unleashing a birdie barrage.
He had five birdies in the space of seven holes from the third hole, his momentum disrupted only by a bogey at the short par-4 sixth.
A bogey at the par-4 11th for the second straight day was another step back but a birdie at the par-5 13th and his miracle closer on 16 was all he needed to get the job done.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“It was good to back it up today in the bit of wind and shoot 5-under,” said Page.
“Just kind of got my putting going a bit more over the last couple of days than I have this whole trip.
“The mentality kind of shifts a little bit from going low. Just kind of damage control when it’s this windy. I was lucky to stick a few close I guess and make some birdies when I needed to.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Nathan Page 65-67—132
2 Zachary Maxwell 67-66—133
3 James Marchesani 65-69—134
T4 Lachlan Armour 65-70—135
T4 Lincoln Tighe 66-69—135
T6 Jay Mackenzie 67-69—136
T6 Caleb Bovalina 68-68—136
T6 James Conran 69-67—136
NEXT UP
The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series heads south on its Queensland swing on Saturday for the inaugural Biloela Pro-Am at Biloela Golf Course.
The 2024 NSW Open is set to shine when it heads to the magnificent Murray Downs Golf and Country Club in the NSW south-west from November 14 to 17, with Australia’s best golfers competing for a record-setting purse of $800,000.
Last held in March 2023, the NSW Open will also return to the spring/summer window for the first time in five years. This tournament and the entire men’s regional Open series is proudly supported by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
Stuart Fraser, CEO of Golf NSW, was thrilled to announce this year’s prize purse and tournament date. “This year’s NSW Open presents a fantastic opportunity for us to ensure the tournament maintains its standing as the most prestigious State Championship on the Australian golf calendar.”
“Rich River proved to be a fabulous venue for last year’s Championship, and the crowds we saw throughout the week proved how thirsty the public are for elite tournament golf. We know Murray Downs will be just as successful,” Mr Fraser added.
Defending champion, Victoria’s David Micheluzzi, confirmed his status as one of the sport’s rising stars with his victory at Rich River. The win propelled him to the 2023 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit crown and a DP World Tour card for 2024.
With the NSW Open returning to a pivotal date on the calendar, this year’s champion could easily end up following in the footsteps of the Victorian.
PGA of Australia CEO, Gavin Kirkman, said the NSW Open would be a major highlight of the 2024/25 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season.
“The NSW Open has a wonderful history with an outstanding list of past champions, and we’re looking forward to seeing who adds their name to the trophy at Murray Downs, one of the wonderful courses we have in our regional areas,” Mr Kirkman said.
“It will kick off three huge weeks for our Tour, leading into the BMW Australian PGA Championship and the ISPS HANDA Australian Open.
“We are very appreciative of the NSW Government and Golf NSW’s outstanding ongoing support of our Tour and professional golf in general as we continue to grow the game across our region.”
Tournament Facts
Host venue: Murray Downs Golf and Country Club
Dates: 14 – 17 November 2024
Prize fund: AU$800,000 (Min)
Website: www.nswopen.com
The ISPS HANDA Australian Open will return to the famed Melbourne Sandbelt in 2024, Golf Australia announced today.
To be played from November 28 to December 1, the ISPS HANDA Australian Open will again feature its unique combined format with players in the men’s, women’s and all abilities tournaments over two courses, showcasing the best of Australian golf.
Kingston Heath Golf Club will host all four rounds, while The Victoria Golf Club will share the hosting duties for rounds one and two.
The Sandbelt region hosted the inaugural combined event in 2022, when The Victoria Golf Club was the primary host club with Kingston Heath in support. It was the first time in 20 years that the Sandbelt had hosted the men’s national Open.
The men’s ISPS HANDA Australian Open will again be co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, and will follow the BMW Australian PGA Championship in Queensland, providing two weeks of premium golf in Australia.
Meanwhile, the women’s Australian Open will be sanctioned by the WPGA Tour of Australasia and the 2024 event will include the fifth Australian All Abilities Championship (AAAC) featuring the top-12 ranked Golfers with a disability as part of the G4D Tour, with the event supported in its entirety by Visit Victoria.
“The Victorian Government have been tremendous supporters of golf, and after working with us to bring the inaugural men’s and women’s Australian open to Melbourne, we look forward to continuing that partnership with this return to Melbourne,” Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said.
“The Melbourne Sandbelt is a unique treasure in world golf, with a long history of hosting tournaments and producing worthy champions.
“We are delighted that this year’s ISPS Handa Australian Open will showcase not only our best men’s and women’s players but two of the country’s finest courses in Kingston Heath Golf Club and The Victoria Golf Club.”
In 2024, the champions will emerge from fields of 156 men and 84 women, competing for prize money of $3,400,000 AUD.
As was the case in 2023, there will be one cut made to both the men’s and women’s fields after 36 holes of play. All players making the cut will earn a cheque, with male and female professionals earning the equivalent figure per finishing position, while the Australian All Abilities Championship is set to conclude on Saturday with the Stonehaven Cup and Patricia Bridges Bowl decided on Sunday.
“Returning to Kingston Heath and The Victoria Golf Clubs for the Australian Open will deliver a fascinating test for our players, both men and women, and offer a tremendous opportunity to welcome Australian and international players after successful campaigns around the world,” PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said.
“Steeped in history and the sites for many great Australian golf moments, both courses will no doubt create interest at home and overseas, as will our fortnight of DP World Tour co-sanctioned events for our men where the best players from the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia can test their games against some of the world’s best.”
Broadcast on Foxtel, Kayo, Nine and 9Now, where record numbers were achieved during last year’s Australian Open, the 2024 tournament will also provide a preview for the 2028 Presidents Cup that will be held at Kingston Heath Golf Club.
This year’s tournament also marks the 120th anniversary of the first men’s event played and the 50th anniversary of the first women’s tournament held at Victoria, with a long list of some of the best players in the game and Australian legends on both honour rolls.
“It has been a magnificent year so far for our players competing both at home and overseas, and the Melbourne Sandbelt is a fitting location to celebrate the Women’s Australian Open’s 50th anniversary,” WPGA Tour of Australasia CEO Karen Lunn said.
“Maintaining the joint format allows great visibility for our players, while the field size ensures high quality competition for our historic national Open as we continue to grow the depth of players, with the hope of expanding the women’s field in years to come.”
Acting Minister for Tourism Sport and Major Events in Victoria Ros Spence said: “We’re proud to bring some of the world’s best golfing talent – and fans of this iconic tournament – back to Melbourne for the 2024 Australian Open – boosting businesses, jobs and our state’s economy.”
Visit Victoria CEO Brendan McClements said: “Golf is a major driver of activity in our sector with its capacity to drive year-round visitation, delivering approximately $1 billion with golfers from around the world wanting to experience Melbourne’s Sandbelt courses.
“Victoria is pleased to welcome the 2024 Australian Open and we look forward to seeing the tournament contribute to our visitor economy.”
Part of a two-week swing of DP World Tour events in Australia, following the BMW Australian PGA Championship, the ISPS HANDA Australian Open will help launch the new season for the Tour for the third straight year.
“We are delighted the DP World Tour will return to the world-renowned Melbourne Sandbelt for the ISPS HANDA Australian Open at the start of our 2025 Race to Dubai,” Chief Tournament & Operations Officer at the DP World Tour Ben Cowen said.
“My thanks go to ISPS HANDA for their continued commitment to Australia’s national open and to Golf Australia for their work in showcasing golf as a sport for everyone with the staging of the men’s, women’s and All Abilities events across the same week.
“Our Strategic Alliance with the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia helps to provide important global pathways for our memberships, allowing players to reach the highest levels of the game, and the co-sanctioning of events like these is an important aspect of that partnership.”
Captain of Kingston Heath Golf Stephen Montfort said: “Kingston Heath Golf Club has a rich and proud history of hosting internationally recognised events and we are honoured to be hosting the 2024 Australian Open.
“After being a part of the historic first joint-event in 2022, there is a great deal of excitement around the club with this year’s role as primary host venue. From an Australian Open in 2024, to the Presidents Cup in 2028, showcasing Kingston Heath Golf Club to golf fans around the world will be a tremendously proud moment for all our members and staff. We look forward to celebrating our three champion golfers at the conclusion of this great event.”
Limited first release tickets available now – save 20% on tournament day passes: https://bit.ly/4co8WZa
An emotional Jack Wright has paid tribute to his late uncle after taking out the Brisbane MG Royal Queensland PGA Associate Pro-Am at Royal Queensland Golf Club on Monday.
With prize money in excess of $27,000, the tournament broke the record for the richest one-day Associate Pro-Am in the history of the PGA of Australia, Wright winning close to $5,000 with a superb round of 6-under 66.
Starting his round from the fifth tee alongside Zach Ion and Tiger Boontang, Wright stumbled out of the blocks with an opening bogey.
A run of four straight birdies from the ninth hole to the 12th quickly turned momentum his way, the second-year Coolangatta-Tweed Heads Golf Club Associate’s bogey on 13 the only other dropped shot for a one-stroke win.
Campbell Jones had just the one bogey in his round of 5-under 67 to snare second, Ion taking third spot with 4-under 68.
For Wright, not only did the win ease some of the pain his family had felt just days earlier but provides a much-needed financial boost ahead of the defence of his NSW/ACT PGA Associate Championship at Tura Beach Country Club next month.
“I would like to dedicate the win to my uncle who passed away over recent days,” said Wright. “Today will certainly help our family who have been saddened for our loss.
“Being the winner of the biggest one-day prize purse in the history of PGA Associate Pro-Ams is really special to me and I am grateful to be able to hold such title.
“Myself and all of the PGA Associates are really thankful for the support Paul Norris as well as the Royal Queensland Golf Club has provided, not only us as a PGA Associates but for everything they do of professional golf.
“It costs a fair amount to travel to both the NSW and National PGA Associates Championships coming up later this year so this money will go a long way to taking the pressure off me to cover expenses in travelling down for them.”
Globally renowned premium automotive leader BMW will become the title partner of the Australian PGA Championship.
The collaboration will see the BMW Australian PGA Championship, one of Australian golf’s two majors, join BMW’s suite of premium global tour tournaments alongside the DP World Tour’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, BMW International Open in Munich, the PGA TOUR’s penultimate playoff tournament – the BMW Championship – as well as the BMW Ladies Championship on the LPGA Tour.
Locked in for Royal Queensland Golf Club on November 21-24 this year, the BMW Australian PGA Championship stands as one of the premier tournaments on the Australian sporting calendar with its vibrant party hole and spectacular golf, attracting record crowds as Min Woo Lee won the 2023 title in his unique style.
Thanks to the co-sanctioning agreement between the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tour, this year’s BMW Australian PGA Championship will again feature a world-class field, pitting the best of Australia’s professionals against an international contingent of contenders.
Same tournament, new title partner 😎@bmwau | #AusPGA pic.twitter.com/qnOLsYOa2e
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) July 1, 2024
It will once again be the opening tournament of the DP World Tour season and enjoy its fourth consecutive year at Royal Queensland, the host venue of the 2032 Olympic Games golf competition.
Min Woo Lee, one of the rising superstars in world golf, has already confirmed he will return to defend his title.
PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said that with BMW’s commitment to excellence and innovation, the partnership promises to elevate the championship to a new level.
“We are delighted to welcome BMW as the title partner of the Australian PGA Championship,” Kirkman said.
“BMW has had a wonderful influence on Australian golf and our PGA Championship for many years and this title partnership takes its commitment to the next level.
“The company’s commitment to excellence and innovation perfectly aligns with our values, and we are confident that this partnership will contribute to the continued success and growth of the championship.”
BMW Australia CEO Wolfgang Buechel said: “BMW has had a longstanding involvement in golf around the world for more than 40 years, and we are excited to extend our partnership with the Australian PGA for such a prestigious Australian tournament, welcoming incredible Australian talent home for the season’s first major event.
“From the US via Europe to Asia and Australasia, you will find BMW wherever golf is played and enjoyed through all major markets worldwide.
“This is BMW’s first golf title partnership in the Southern Hemisphere and builds on our existing relationship as the official automotive partner of the PGA, Golf Australia and the WPGA.
“In partnership with the PGA, BMW will create captivating experiences across Australia, where future-defining innovation meets a sustainable society and a shared ambition to grow and create unforgettable memories and moments.
“The BMW Australian PGA Championship will be a great platform to promote our electric future via our range of BMW fully electric vehicles that will be on course at Royal Queensland.”
Guy Kinnings, CEO of the DP World Tour, added: “We are delighted BMW have joined as title partner of the Australian PGA Championship. Over the past 35 years, the DP World Tour have developed an extremely close working relationship that continues to drive strong value to BMW’s global engagement in sport.
“With this partnership in Australia, it brings together a truly iconic brand and iconic golf tournament, popular with golf fans and players alike across the world. The BMW brand stands for luxury, innovation, and sportiness – all values that closely match our own, with both the DP World Tour and PGA of Australia benefitting significantly from partnering with such a respected partner of the game of golf.”
As well as being title partner of the BMW Australian PGA Championship, BMW is committed to supporting the future of Australian professional golf with its existing Australian golf partnership with the PGA of Australia and Golf Australia covering the broader Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, WPGA Tour of Australasia and the Australian Open.
The company also currently has partnerships with LPGA Tour star Grace Kim and DP World Tour player Elvis Smylie.
Tickets for the BMW Australian PGA Championship are available now via Ticketek
An emotional Cam Davis has credited two weeks of hypnotherapy for the sudden form reversal that has yielded a second win at the PGA TOUR’s Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit.
Three years after holing a bunker shot on the 71st hole and emerging victorious from a three-man playoff for his breakthrough win, Davis could not hide the enormity of his second victory at Detroit Golf Club, the first player with multiple wins at the event.
With putts repeatedly burning the edge of the hole and a lasered second shot into the par-5 14th that somehow dribbled into the water, it looked as though the golf gods would conspire against Davis.
Fellow Australian Min Woo Lee (69) made a back-nine charge to earn a share of the lead at 18-under but made bogey on the final hole when his approach shot finished in the rough behind the green and he was unable to get up-and-down for par.
Davis, too, needed to scramble from the rough on 18 for a 2-under 70 to claim the clubhouse lead at 18-under.
He did that with a superb chip from right of the green and then looked on in shock from the range as American Akshay Bhatia (72) three-putted for the first time all week on the 72nd hole to hand the Aussie a one-shot win.
Ranked 77th in the FedEx Cup standings entering the week and without a top-10 finish all season, Davis was at a loss to explain a form reversal that resulted in victory.
“From where I was a couple of weeks ago to today, just completely different person,” said the 29-year-old from Sydney.
“This is a little emotional actually. I wouldn’t wish what happened to Akshay on anyone, but I’ve done a lot of grinding to kind of get myself out of a hole and just all of a sudden to do that, it’s pretty good.”
Dub (again) in Detroit 🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/RW37jg41tG
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 30, 2024
While he described his playoff win over countryman Adam Scott at US Open qualifying as a “little shining moment”, Davis revealed that it has been his recent visits to a hypnotherapist that has unlocked his love for the game again.
At the urging of his wife, Jonika, Davis began seeing a hypnotherapist two weeks ago and is adamant in the role that it has played in earning a long-awaited second win.
“My career trajectory was not where I wanted it,” added Davis, who has been working with Canadian-based coach Ralph Bauer for the past year.
“It’d been a long time since I’d won and I felt like I wasn’t playing anywhere near good enough golf to keep up with the best players in the game.
“We’ve only been working together for a couple of weeks and I’ve gone from almost disliking the game to feeling like I’ve got a bit of that magic back, so it’s made a huge difference.
“I can entirely put it down to fact that my team’s had my back through every dark day I’ve had over the last couple of couple of months to Grace, who’s helped me through it all and got me back on a really good path.
“I’ve got a lot of people to thank, but definitely the biggest turnaround has happened with the hypnotherapy.”
In addition to the 1-2 finish in Detroit, there were Aussies in contention across the globe this past week.
Richard Green remains in the hunt as the US Senior Open was forced into a Monday finish due to dangerous weather while Grace Kim paired with American Auston Kim for a tie for fifth at the LPGA Tour Dow Championship.
David Micheluzzi rebounded from some indifferent form of late for a top-10 finish at the Italian Open, Rhein Gibson shot 63 in rounds two and four to be tied for eighth on the Korn Ferry Tour and Cassie Porter is projected to move to second on the Epson Tour Race For The Card after a tie for seventh at the Dream First Bank Charity Classic.
Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Results
PGA TOUR
Rocket Mortgage Classic
Detroit Golf Club, Detroit, Michigan
1 Cam Davis 68-66-66-70—270 $US1.656m
T2 Min Woo Lee 68-68-66-69—271 $616,400
T67 Ryan Fox (NZ) 71-67-76-71—285 $19,412
T72 Aaron Baddeley 68-70-72-76—286 $18,768
MC Tim Wilkinson (NZ) 74-70—144
MC Harrison Endycott 74-71—145
PGA TOUR Champions
US Senior Open
Newport Country Club, Newport, Rhode Island
Round 4 to be completed Monday due to dangerous weather
1 Hiroyuki Fujita 63-66-67—196
3 Richard Green 63-67-69—199
T8 Steven Alker (NZ) 71-67-67—205
T14 Cameron Percy 70-65-70—205
T25 Mark Hensby 75-63-74—212
T25 Michael Long (NZ) 72-69-70-68—279
T40 Greg Chalmers 72-70-70—212
T45 Stuart Appleby 67-74-71—212
T57 Michael Wright 68-72-73—213
T60 Mathew Goggin 66-73-77—216
MC Rod Pampling 67-78—145
MC Richard Lee (NZ) 73-73—146
LPGA Tour
Dow Championship
Midland Country Club, Midland, Michigan
1 Atthaya Thitikul/Ruoning Yin 64-66-66-62—258 $US364,572 ea
T5 Grace Kim/Auston Kim 67-61-69-65—262 $60,177
T17 Hira Naveed/Sofia Garcia 69-64-70-62—265 $19,206
T27 Lydia Ko (NZ)/Danielle Kang 71-62-72-63—268 $9,322
MC Gabriela Ruffels/Esther Henseleit 69-65—134
MC Stephanie Kyriacou/Olivia Cowan 68-66—134
MC Robyn Choi/Minji Kang 71-64—135
MC Sarah Kemp/Alena Sharp 74-65—139
DP World Tour
Italian Open
Adriatic Golf Club Cervia, Milano Marittima, Italy
1 Marcel Siem 69-68-66-71—274 €516,774.24
Won in sudden-death playoff
T10 David Micheluzzi 70-68-69-70—277 €45,141.75
T10 Sam Jones (NZ) 72-68-68-69—277 €45,141.75
MC Haydn Barron 70-73—143
MC Jason Scrivener 74-71—145
MC Daniel Hillier (NZ) 70-77—147
Ladies European Tour
VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open
Golfpark Holzhausern, Switzerland
1 Alice Hewson 68-69-65—202 €45,000
Won in sudden-death playoff
T19 Kelsey Bennett 71-68-69—208 €4,230
T34 Kirsten Rudgeley 66-72-72—210 €2,385
T43 Momoka Kobori (NZ) 72-72-68—212 €1,656
T56 Whitney Hillier 69-73-75—217 €1,110
MC Amy Walsh 77-80—157
Korn Ferry Tour
Memorial Health Championship
Panther Creek Country Club, Springfield, Illinois
1 Max McGreevy 63-66-62-69—260
T8 Rhein Gibson 69-63-69-63—264
MC Brett Drewitt 69-72—141
Challenge Tour
Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge
Golf PGA France du Vaudreuil, Le Vaudreuil, France
1 Joel Moscatel 71-67-66-70—274 €43,200
Won in sudden-death playoff
T10 Jeff Guan 69-65-72-73—279 €5,670
T29 Andrew Martin 74-68-73-68—283 €2,160
T50 Hayden Hopewell 71-71-76-68—286 €1,096.20
MC Tom Power Horan 74-76—150
MC Connor McKinney 78-73—151
Epson Tour
Dream First Bank Charity Classic
Buffalo Dunes Golf Course, Garden City, Kansas
T7 Cassie Porter 69-73-68—210
T14 Amelia Garvey (NZ) 69-71-71—211
T22 Maddison Hinson-Tolchard 70-72-71—213
MC Amy Chu 69-78—147
MC Soo Jin Lee 71-78—149
Korean PGA Tour
Biz Play-Wonder Club Open
Club 72 Country Club (Sky Cse), Korea
1 Heo In-hoe 66-68-68-65—267
T7 Junseok Lee 67-67-67-71—272
T52 Sungjin Yeo (NZ) 64-71-72-74—281
T69 Kevin Chun (NZ) 70-70-76-69—285
PGA TOUR Americas
ATB Classic
Northern Bear Golf Club, Strathcona County, Alberta
1 Frederik Kjettrup 68-68-67-69—272 $US40,500
T8 Grant Booth 70-68-72-68—278
T33 Karl Vilips 65-73-74-72—284
MC Harry Hillier (NZ) 72-74—146
LET Access Series
MoreGolf Mastercard Open
Varbergs Golf Klubb, Sweden
1 Kajsa Arwefjall 70-69-67—206 €6,400
T10 Belinda Ji (a) 70-69-77—216 ——-
T32 Hanee Song (NZ) 73-75-74—222 €484
MC Wenyung Keh (NZ) 76-75—151
MC Munchin Keh (NZ) 76-76—152
