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Cameron Smith has just one theory for satisfying the thousands of fans who will flock to see him play on home soil this summer: Win.
Smith confirmed on Tuesday that he will return to Australia in November first to defend his Fortinet Australian PGA Championship title and then seek to secure the Stonehaven Cup for the first time at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open at The Australian and The Lakes golf clubs.
The world No.11 is becoming accustomed to his status as Australian golf’s No.1 drawcard.
The first Australian winner of The Open Championship in almost 30 years made his Australian homecoming last year one of being ferried between commitments and tee times.
He was presented with the Key to the City by Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, won the Greg Norman Medal for a second time, attempted a Guinness World Record for the largest golf lesson ever given with coach Grant Field and took the Claret Jug to countless functions and media ops.
He displayed his class on the back nine on Sunday to thrill fans with a three-stroke win and says that will be the aim again when he tees off at Royal Queensland on November 23.
“I always think that I am there to play golf as best as I can. That’s my job,” said Smith, who can join legends Noman von Nida, Kel Nagle, Billy Dunk and Robert Allenby as a four-time winner with victory this year.
“The Aussie crowds, you can have a little bit more banter with and have a little bit more fun with, for sure, but the main goal is trying to lift the trophy.”
One trophy that has eluded Smith to date is the time-honored Stonehaven Cup.
Names that adorn the Australian Open trophy include Gene Sarazen, Peter Thomson, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy.
After the disappointment of fatigue setting in and missing the Round 3 cut last year, the 30-year-old is desperate to put himself in position to add his name to the greats to have won both The Open and the Australian Open.
“That’s probably No.1 for things that I want to win, definitely in the next four months,” said Smith, who would become the 13th player in history to win both should he triumph at The Australian from November 30-December 3.
“I’ve been close and I feel like it’s been right there for me a bunch of times and I haven’t really taken advantage of it.”
The closest Smith has come was a playoff defeat at the hands of Jordan Spieth at Royal Sydney in 2016 and he has had near misses at both of this year’s host venues.
He was fourth two shots back of shock winner Cam Davis at The Australian in 2017 and a year later finished tied for 10th at The Lakes Golf Club, performances he will draw upon when he returns to Sydney for the first time in four years.
“It’s at a couple of really good golf courses this year,” Smith said of the Australian Open’s return to Sydney.
“The Australian, particularly, I feel really comfortable around that place. I’ve also played well around The Lakes but The Australian for me is somewhere where I think I can go out there and make a ton of birdies and hopefully win convincingly, would be nice,” he added, laughing.
While winning remains his primary focus, Smith is conscious of putting on a show for the fans.
As he seeks to replicate his back-to-back Australian PGA wins in 2017 and 2018, the Queenslander has called upon tournament officials to help him bring the house down at the expanded par-3 17th party hole at Royal Queensland.
“I love the idea of a party hole where everyone can hang around,” said Smith.
“I think that hole is a good hole to have it on as well.
“They had a couple of tough pins there last year. It would be nice to see them put one down in a bowl where people can have a really good chance at a hole-in-one.
“That’d really get the crowd going.”
Australia’s top-ranked golfer, Cam Smith, will return home for the country’s two majors – the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship and the ISPS HANDA Australian Open – in the upcoming Summer of Golf.
The world No.11 confirmed today that he would defend the PGA title that he won in front of a raucous home crowd last year when the championship returns to Royal Queensland in Brisbane on November 23-26.
He will then try to win his national open for the first time when The Australian and The Lakes golf clubs in Sydney host the ISPS HANDA Australian Open on November 30-December 3.
Last year’s Open Championship winner at the historic 150th staging of the event at St Andrews, Smith had two top-10 finishes in this year’s majors and has collected two international victories in 2023.
A great supporter of Australian golf and the PGA Tour of Australasia, the 30-year-old is sure to bring big crowds to both tournaments in his homeland.
PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said: “Cam will be trying to join an elite group of golfers by winning the Kirkwood Cup for a fourth time this November and I’m sure he’ll be ready to put on a great show once again at Royal Queensland.
“Cam continues to support his home tour each year and the fans just want to see him live and in action showcasing his game while inspiring our next generation of players girls and boys to reach their peak.
“With Cam locked in for both fields, the Australian PGA and Australian Open will be must-see events.”
Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said: “Cam Smith is one of the biggest drawcards in world golf and I’m sure Australian golf fans are as delighted as we are that we will see him at both Sydney and Brisbane this year.
“His quest to win his national open at The Australian and The Lakes in Sydney will be one of the highlights of the summer of golf.”
In the early stages of his professional career, Smith lost a playoff to American Jordan Spieth at the 2016 Australian Open at Royal Sydney. A year later, he was fourth behind Cam Davis at The Australian.
His Australian PGA Championship record features back-to-back victories at Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast in 2017-18 with Adam Scott winning the 2019 title to prevent a three peat before last year’s three-shot triumph at Royal Queensland.
As well as being highlight tournaments on the PGA Tour of Australasia, the two Aussie majors will be co-sanctioned with the DP World Tour and form part of the start to the 2023/24 Race to Dubai schedule.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said Cam Smith’s return home to Brisbane was a win for the city.
“We are thrilled to welcome back Brisbane sporting royalty and keys to the city recipient Cam Smith to tee off an exciting summer of golf in front of a home crowd,” Cr Schrinner said.
“The Australian PGA Championship is a major driver for visitation, attracting more than 62,000 fans last year to watch Cam’s electrifying win.
“The tournament is a highlight of our jam-packed major events calendar and is set to deliver millions in economic support to local Brisbane businesses, with hotels, tourism experiences and restaurants experiencing the economic upswing.
“We hope visitors will take advantage of their time off the course to explore Brisbane’s unique offerings and beautiful natural surrounds.”
Tickets for both the ISPS HANDA Australian Open and Fortinet Australian PGA Championship are available now via ticketek.com.au
The Fortinet Australian PGA Championship is proudly supported by the Queensland Government, through Tourism and Events Queensland and Brisbane City Council, through Brisbane Economic Development Agency.
The ISPS HANDA Australian Open is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW.
Defending champion James Marchesani returns to his home club for a second shot at a DP World Tour card when First Stage of Q School gets underway at Rosebud Country Club in Victoria on Tuesday.
This marks the second year that Rosebud Country Club has hosted a stage of DP World Tour Q School, making history in 2022 as the first venue outside continental Europe to host any stage of Q School.
Along with the Aussie hopefuls there are players from Japan, America, Canada and Thailand in the field out to take the first towards a 2024 DP World Tour card.
A former winner on the PGA TOUR-China circuit, Marchesani (pictured) has used his intimate knowledge of Rosebud to good effect in recent years.
He topped this event 12 months ago and finished second to Min A Yoon at TPS Victoria earlier this year.
Marchesani finished two strokes clear of Tom Power Horan 12 months ago at Rosebud but was unable to advance past Second Stage, finishing tied for 56th at Emporda Golf in Spain.
West Australian Hayden Hopewell made it all the way to Final Stage last year but did so the hard way.
He finished 10th at First Stage in Sweden and was then tied for fourth in Spain at Second Stage.
A member of the Golf Australia Rookie Squad, that earned the 21-year-old a spot at Final Stage where he missed the Round 4 cut in the six-round marathon.
By qualifying for Final Stage, Hopewell received conditional status on the Challenge Tour in Europe where he has made four starts this year, his best result a tie for 54th at the UAE Challenge.
Following outstanding amateur careers, Josh Greer, Adam Brady and Harvey Young have all joined the professional ranks in 2023.
Greer and Brady missed the cut at the recent NT PGA by one and two shots respectively while Young will be out to recapture the form that took him all the way to the matchplay section of the 2022 US Junior Amateur at Bandon Dunes.
This week also represents a new opportunity for established professionals to further their careers.
Like Hopewell, Braden Becker went to Europe to contest First Stage last year and progressed to Second Stage while left-hander Ryan Peake will be out to convert dominant displays on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series into a ticket to Second Stage later this year.
Rosebud has the honour of kicking off the 2023 DP World Tour Q School schedule along with The Players Club in England where Aussies Todd Sinnott and Ryan Ruffels and Kiwi pair Kieran Muir and James Hydes will tee it up.
Second Stage will be held throughout Spain in the first week of November with Final Stage to be played at Infinitum Golf in Tarragona, Spain from November 10-15.
Australian Matt Jones fell short in an epic playoff at the Asian Tour’s St Andrews Bay Championship in Scotland today, and had to be content to be part of a record-breaking tete-a-tete with Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra.
Jones, who was seeking his first tournament win since 2021, fell at the 10th hole of a sudden-death playoff with Chacarra when he missed a par putt from almost two metres, the 23-year-old Spaniard having two-putted for a birdie.
It was the longest playoff in Asian Tour history, beating the seven-hole playoff between Charlie Wi, Kang Wook-soon and Simon Yates in South Korea in 2001.
The all-time record for a professional event is believed to be from the Japan Tour in 1965 when Peter Thomson, the legendary five-time Open champion, defeated Graham Marsh, Brian Jones and Shozo Miyamoto in 14 holes.
In the US, the record is an 11-hole playoff between Cary Middlecoff and Lloyd Mangrum at the 1949 Motor City Open in Detroit, where the players ultimately agreed to share the honours.
The Jones-Chacarra playoff lasted two hours, eight minutes, both players having birdied the par-5 18th at Fairmont St Andrews to reach the playoff, Jones shooting 69 and Chacarra 67.
They both made birdies at the first five playoff holes and Jones chipped in to get himself out of trouble on the third of the playoff holes.
“I threw away a golf tournament with the way I putted during the tournament, and in the playoff,” he said later. “I putted pretty awful all week. I missed a lot of short ones. My speed was terrible, but I hit some nice shots. It is always good to get into contention, but I am done now, I am tired.”
It was a strong week for Australians across the globe not least in Scotland, where Andrew Dodt (68 today) was only a shot off the playoff in a tie for third, and Wade Ormsby also inside the top 10.
Jason Day had a quiet week at the Tour Championship in Atlanta on the PGA TOUR, but his 28th-place finish earned him more than $US 500,000 as well as a slew of exemptions for next season as reward for his best performance in some years, including a guaranteed spot in the field for the 2024 Masters tournament in Augusta, the Open Championship and the US Open.
Norway’s Viktor Hovland easily won the $US18 million first prize for the Fedex Cup champion, with Australian Shay Knight on his bag also enjoying the biggest week of his career as a caddie..
On the LPGA Tour, Hannah Green made a run on the final day of the CPKC Women’s Open in Vancouver, ultimately finishing tied-fourth to continue her consistent season.
Playing on a sponsor’s invitation Gabi Ruffels threatened to finish inside the top 10 but a two-shot penalty she called on herself before the final round – and a double bogey at the 18th hole – pushed her back to tied-19th.
Ruffels reportededly called the penalty on herself because she believed that she touched sand in a bunker with her club during the third round, although no one else saw the incident.
Epson Tour players Hira Naveed and Robyn Choi both finished tied-fifth in Idaho keeping themselves in the running for LPGA Tour elevation in 2024.
PHOTO: Matt Jones and Eugenia Chacarra after their record-setting playoff in Scotland. Image: Asian Tour
Results
PGA TOUR
Tour Championship, East Lakes, Atlanta
• 1 – Viktor Hovland 68-64-66-63 – 261 $US 18,000,000
• 28 Jason Day 67-70-74-73 – 284 $520,000
LPGA Tour
CPKC Women’s Open, Vancouver, Canada
• 1 Megan Khang 71-66-68-74 – 279 (playoff) $US375,000
• T4 Hannah Green 70-71-72-69 – 282 $117,506
• T19 Gabriela Ruffels 70-74-71-73 – 288 $29,218
• T22 Karis Davidson 74-72-70-73 – 289 $23,005
• T22 Minjee Lee 75-73-69-72 – 289 $23,005
• 71 Lydia Ko (NZ) 72-74-82-73 – 301 $x
• MC Grace Kim 75-74 – 149
• MC Su Oh 74-76 – 150
• MC Stephanie Kyriacou 78-74 – 152
DP World Tour
D+D Real Czech Masters, Czech Republic
• 1 Todd Clements 65-69-69-63 – 266 €315,082
• MC Blake Windred 74-72 – 146
• DQ Jason Scrivener
Japan Golf Tour
Sansan KBC Augusta Tournament, Fukuoka
• 1 Young-Han Song 68-64-70-69 – 271 ¥20,000,000
• T35 Anthony Quayle 74-67-71-70 – 282 ¥510,000
• T41 Brad Kennedy 71-68-73-71 – 283 ¥370,000
• T72 Adam Bland 70-72-75-74 – 291 ¥219,000
• MC Andrew Evans 74-69 – 143
• MC Dylan Perry 72-73 – 145
Asian Tour
St Andrews Bay Championship, St Andrews, Scotland
• 1 Eugenio Chacarra 68-66-68-67 – 269 (playoff) $US360,000
• 2 Matt Jones 69-65-66-69 – 269 $220,000
• T3 Andrew Dodt 66-68-68-68 – 270 $113,000
• T8 Wade Ormsby 69-68-67-69 – 273 $37,950
• T23 Zach Murray 70-71-67-69 – 277 $19,400
• T38 Travis Smyth 71-70-72-67 – 280 $12,800
• T41 Terry Pilkidaris 71-70-72-68 – 281 $11,500
• T45 Jack Thompson 72-67-74-69 – 282 $10,325
• T45 Kevin Yuan 73-67-73-69 – 282 $10,325
• MC Nick Voke (NZ) 73-69 – 142
• MC Josh Younger 73-69 – 142
• MC Ben Campbell (NZ) 72-70 – 142
• MC Scott Hend 71-71 – 142
• MC Marcus Fraser 71-71 – 142
• MC Todd Sinnott 71-74 – 145
• MC Tom Power Horan 74-74 – 148
• MC Jed Morgan 73-78 – 151
• MC Harrison Gilbert-Wong 75-76 – 151
• MC Douglas Klein 77-78 – 155
• RTD John Lyras
Korn Ferry Tour
Albertsons Boise Open, Idaho
• 1 Chan Kim 66-62-64-64 – 256 $US 270,000
• T43 Dimi Papadatos 64-70-69-68 – 271 $6,843
• MC Brett Drewitt 68-70 – 138
• MC Rhein Gibson 72-69 – 141
US Women’s Senior Open Championship
Waverley Country Club, Portland, Oregon
• 1 Trish Johnson 73-72-67-72 – 284 $US180,000
• T29 Sue Wooster 71-77-74-78 – 300 (amateur)
Epson Tour
Circling Raven Championship, Idaho
• 1 Yue Ren 68-71-64 – 203 (playoff) $US30,000
• T5 Robyn Choi 72-66-68 – 206 (prize payout N/A)
• T5 Hira Naveed 70-70-66 – 206
• T47 Amelia Garvey (NZ) 72-72-71 – 215
LET Access Series
Ahlsell Final At Elisefarm, Sweden
• 1 Avani Prashanth 72-71-67 – 210 * (amateur)
• T12 Kristalle Blum 76-68-73 – 217 $1,120
• T29 Wenyung Keh (NZ) 71-75-75 – 221 $560
• T36 Amy Walsh 73-75-75 – 223 $464
• T47 Kelsey Bennett 70-77-78 – 225 $296
• MC Stefanie Hall 74-78 – 152
PGA TOUR Canada
Manitoba Open, Winnipeg
• 1 Hayden Springer 66-65-70-66 – 267 (Payout n/a)
• T51 Jack Trent 69-71-75-71 – 286
• MC Jason Hong 72-75 – 147
PGA TOUR Champions
The Ally Challenge, Grand Blanc, Michigan
• 1 Vijay Singh 66-68-68 – 202 $US330,000
• T13 Richard Green 70-67-71 – 208 $41,800
• T16 Mark Hensby 70-71-68 – 209 $33,132
• T16 Rod Pampling 68-75-66 – 209 $33,132
• T23 Steven Alker (NZ) 68-75-68 – 211 $21,089
• T30 Stuart Appleby 69-71-72 – 212 $15,547
• T55 David McKenzie 71-72-75 – 218 $4,620
Legends Tour
Staysure PGA Seniors Championship, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
• 1 Peter Baker 69-66-69-72 – 276 (Prize payout N/A)
• T3 Michael Campbell (NZ) 69-71-71-75 – 286
• T40 Michael Long (NZ) 71-75-74-78 – 298
• T49 Peter Fowler 72-75-76-77 – 300
• T60 Jason Norris 74-78-72-80 – 304
• MC Andre Stolz 79-73-79 – 231
James Conran knew the score to beat but waited until his final hole to match it at the Stacks Finance Club Taree Pro-Am at Club Taree Golf on Sunday.
Playing in the morning wave, Queensland rookie Sam Slater caught fire late in his round to post 7-under 64.
After starting from the 17th tee, Slater was 1-over through 10 holes yet produced two eagles and four birdies in his final eight holes to take the clubhouse lead in pursuit of his first win as a professional.
It looked like it would hold up almost all afternoon until Conran found the birdie he needed on the final hole.
Conran began his round from the second tee and was 3-under through six. His back nine was punctuated by five birdies and two bogeys, sending him to the par-5 first hole one stroke from the lead.
A two-time winner on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series, Conran found the green in two to leave himself an eagle putt from 30 feet for the win.
That putt came to rest a foot from the hole, leaving a straightforward tap-in to match Slater’s score of 7-under.
“It’s the first time I’ve done that,” Conran said of having to chase down a score.
“I’ve won two of these before when I’ve posted a score and didn’t have to go chase. Seeing a score posted and then playing good enough to beat it – or tie it at least – was satisfying.
“I started awful off the tee and was out of position and getting away with a few things. I chipped in a couple of times to get it going and then I straightened it out by the end of it.
“Putted nice and just hit it where I needed to on the right holes.”
Slater was tied for 27th in his PGA Tour of Australasia debut at the NT PGA Championship a week ago and is learning the key to contending in the professional game.
“The putting. It’s the putts out here,” Slater said.
“You can have a good ball-striking day but you’ve got to make the putts.
“It’s awesome. I’m happy, playing good golf and enjoying the process.”
Playing just his fifth event of the season, 2020 Order of Merit champion Matt Millar shared third with Victorian Cameron John just one stroke back, David Bransdon outright fifth with a round of 5-under 66.
The next event on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series is the inaugural Deniliquin Pro-Am at Deniliquin Golf Club on Wednesday, September 6.
Matching good mate Richie Gallichan’s 10-year-old course record provided the backbone to Andrew Campbell’s five-stroke win at the Hawks Nest Beachside Pro-Am at Hawks Nest Golf Club.
The $50,000 two-day event drew a high-class field but no one could keep pace with the runaway Campbell.
Now based at Coffs Harbour, Campbell birdied his final four holes to post 10-under 62 in Round 1, equalling the course record set by Gallichan at the 2013 NSW/ACT Trainee Championship.
Four strokes back, Michael Wright was Campbell’s closest challenger heading into day two but his lead was never truly threatened.
Birdies at two, six and seven kept the chasing pack at bay on the front nine, further birdies at 12, 13 and 16 for 6-under 66 giving Campbell a bogey-free 36-hole total of 16-under.
Josh Armstrong had nine birdies in his final 13 holes to shoot 8-under 64 in Round 2 for an 11-under par total and outright second, Darcy Brereton (66), Darcy Boyd (69) and Cameron John (69) sharing third place.
The win was cause for double celebration for Campbell who has had his eye on Gallichan’s record with each visit to Hawks Nest.
“Richie is my best mate and he always tells me when I come down here that he has got the course record,” said Campbell, who started his first round from the 14th tee.
“I didn’t think it was going to happen but I just put the foot down. I hit a nice shot into 10 and holed the putt, bombed the drive down 11 and hit 9-iron to eight feet, holed a four-footer on the next hole and then made a 10-footer on 13 to finish at 10.
“I holed a lot of putts but I gave myself the opportunities through some good and smart golf.”
One of golf’s toughest assignments is to back up a low round with another.
Campbell took the opportunity to speak to both Gallichan and his sports psychologist prior to Round 2 to ensure he had the right mindset to close out his fourth win this year on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series.
“Shooting 10-under is my lowest round in a professional event by a shot but to back that up with a 66 is something that I haven’t done before,” he conceded.
“I was talking to my sports psych last night and Richie and they said that it is uncharted territory for me.
“I really wanted to push myself to see what I was capable of doing today.
“To be able to then go out and be bogey-free for 36 holes and lock it down with a 6-under today gives me so much confidence for all of the events that I’ve got coming up in the next four months.”
The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series stays on the New South Wales Mid North Coast for Sunday’s Stacks Finance Taree Pro-Am at Taree Golf Club before heading south to the Riverina for the inaugural Deniliquin Pro-Am on September 6.
The PGA of Australia and its Members are saddened to learn of the passing of Glenn Joyner.
A former winner on the PGA Tour of Australasia and an immensely popular figure on the SParms PGA Legends Tour in recent years, Joyner passed away a week shy of his 59th birthday after a year-long battle with Stage 4 bowel cancer.
A three-time winner on the Legends Tour in the early months of 2022, Joyner qualified to play the Senior Open last July but began to feel fatigued as he missed the cut.
He travelled to Canada shortly thereafter and after being encouraged to seek medical help by close friend Guy Wall, returned to Australia.
It was then that he was diagnosed with Stage 4 bowel cancer and given 12 months to live.
He defied his diagnosis to record an emotional victory at The Australian Legends Pro-Am last November where he stated that he would, “just keep showing up and just keep playing while I still can”.
Joyner continued to play early in 2023, hosted and finished tied for 12th at the inaugural Glenn Joyner Legends Invitational at Thaxted Park in March but a trip to Western Australia saw his health take a turn for the worse.
He withdrew after a round of 74 in the opening round of the Cottesloe Open in May which would prove to be his final competitive round.
Joyner’s wife, Carolyn, shared the heartbreaking news on Saturday in a message on social media, paying tribute to her “beautiful husband”.
“My heart is shattered into a million pieces,” Carolyn wrote.
“It has been an honour and a privilege to be your caddy, both on the course and in life.
“Fly high, I will always love you.”
Affectionately known as ‘Joyns’ to his fellow Professionals, Joyner’s determination and good spirits the past 12 months will ensure he leaves a legacy that will long be remembered.
“Glenn first became a Member of the PGA in 1987 and he has touched countless of people within golf worldwide in those 36 years,” said PGA of Australia CEO, Gavin Kirkman.
“Glenn was always a jovial character but I don’t know that anyone could have expected the strength of spirit he has displayed for the past year.
“He refused to let his diagnosis stop him from playing the game he loved with his friends on the Legends Tour and he has left many people with memories that they will treasure forever.
“We pass on our sincerest condolences to Glenn’s wife Carolyn, his twin boys Marcus and Brad, parents Barry and Margaret and his extended family and friends.
“Glenn made a magnificent contribution to Australian golf which will never be forgotten.”
A winner of some 153 tournaments and pro-ams in Australia and throughout the world, Joyner went toe-to-toe with some of the game’s greats throughout his career.
He finished third behind Greg Norman at the 1996 Ford Open, was third to Lucas Parsons and Michael Campbell at the 1994 Queensland Open and was runner-up at the 1989 Air New Zealand Open.
He had two top-three finishes on the Asian Tour in 1995 and was third behind Rodger Davis, Kiwi Frank Nobilo and American John Morse at the 1991 New Zealand Open.
He joined the Legends Tour in late 2014 and would win 40 times, his biggest victory coming at the 2016 SA PGA Seniors Championship.
He shot 7-under 65 to lead Senior Open Qualifying last July, missing the cut at Gleneagles as the effects of his illness began to take hold.
Kareela Golf Club Head Professional Dylan Thompson defied his own low expectations to record a shock one-stroke win at the Kew Country Club Pro-Am.
Making just his fourth appearance of the year on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series circuit, Thompson compiled a round of 4-under 66 to finish one stroke clear of in-form Queensland Dillon Hart (67) with Jayden Cripps (68) and Toby Walker (68) sharing third.
Originally from Bathurst in the New South Wales Central West, Thompson picked up his first win at the Forbes Pro-Am more than a year ago.
After a year working at Royal Canberra Golf Club, Thompson moved north to take the role as the Head Professional at Kareela Golf Club in Sydney’s south, leaving precious little time to play or even practice.
“It was good to be back out playing again. Definitely missed being out here,” said Thompson.
“Having only a little amount of time to practice just making sure that I’m doing the right practice. Just trusting it and being confident.
“That’s all I can do. There are no expectations so that helps too.”
In a field boasting PGA Tour of Australasia winners such as Andrew Martin, Austin Bautista and Chris Wood, Thompson emerged as an unlikely champion.
He started well with a birdie at his second hole – the par-3 10th – but dropped a shot at the next par 3, the short 12th.
He moved back into red figures with a birdie at the par-4 13th and then headed for the front nine on the back of birdies at 16 and 17.
He had seven pars and a lone birdie at the par-4 fourth to post 66 and finish one clear of Hart who was trying to go back-to-back after his joint win at the Better Homes Port Macquarie Pro-Am on Wednesday.
The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series has now moved on to Hawks Nest Golf Club for the $50,000 Hawks Nest Beachside Pro-Am.
Reigning Vic PGA champion Andrew Martin needed an up-and-down from 50 metres at the final hole to match Dillon Hart and share victory at the Better Homes Port Macquarie Pro-Am.
The $25,000 two-day pro-am on the New South Wales Mid North Coast drew a high quality field, a number of whom travelled down after playing the NT PGA Championship.
Martin and Hart both played at Palmerston Golf and Country Club, Martin playing all four rounds while Hart missed the cut in his first start on the PGA Tour of Australasia.
Hart trailed Queensland’s Harrison Wills (68) and New South Welshman Apostolos Tsolakis (68) by two shots after the opening round at Port Macquarie Golf Club before strong winds on day two put the squeeze on scoring.
Hart and Martin were the only two players in the field to complete both rounds under par, Hart following up an opening round of 2-under 70 with a 1-under 71, Martin leaving it late to post the equal best score of Round 2 – 2-under 70 – to join Hart at 3-under.
Level with Hart at 3-under through 16 holes, Martin made what looked to be a costly bogey on 17 but leant on his stellar wedge play to make birdie at the 506-metre par-5 18th playing directly into the wind.
“Seventeen was a really bad bogey from 90 metres out with a wedge,” Martin said post-round.
“I wasn’t too happy standing on the 18th tee.
“Straight back into the wind, I probably hit my drive better today than I did yesterday and I was 50 metres behind where I was in the first round.
“I was 50 metres out for my third, straight into the breeze and I hit a really good pitch close enough for a tap-in.”
If it was his finish that sealed a share of victory, it was Martin’s work around the turn in Round 2 that put him in position to win.
One-over on his round after bogeys at seven and eight, Martin made eagle at the par-5 10th and then added a birdie at the difficult par-4 11th to move back into red figures for the day and the tournament.
“Once I did that I did glimpse at the leaderboard,” Martin said of picking up three shots in the space of two holes.
“I didn’t take much notice of it until then but thought I’d better have a bit of a look. I hit a couple of wayward drives after that so maybe I shouldn’t have.
“I struggled to get the right wind direction for a lot of the round but the putter was pretty good today which was probably my saving grace.”
After earning his card at Q School, this is Hart’s fourth adidas PGA Pro-Am Series win of the year and a confidence-boosting bounce-back after his missed cut in the Northern Territory.
“It’s nice to turn that around and come down here and get a win today,” said the Gold Coaster.
“I knew it was going to be a grind. We knew the wind was coming in early so tried to get away OK, play safe and plot my way around.
“The ball-striking was pretty good to be able to control it in the wind out there and just stayed consistent with the putter.
“Managed to hole a few putts here and there and sure enough it came off.”
The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series continues to move south with the Kew Country Club Pro-Am on Thursday to be followed by the two-day Hawks Nest Beachside Pro-Am starting Friday.
Some of the biggest names in Australian golf over the past 30 years will be on show when the $120,000 NSW Senior Open returns to Albury this October.
Heading into its fifth edition at the Thurgoona Golf & Country Club Resort, the 54-hole tournament, running from October 27-29, has been a popular addition to the SParms Legends Tour.
And in a first for the event, Golf NSW, in partnership with The Sports Entertainment Network (SEN), will be live broadcasting the final round of this year’s tournament.
The 2023 Championship is expected to feature many of the greats of Australasian golf, including:
Other notables and past champions expected to play include Peter O’Malley, Michael Harwood, Grant Kenny, and 2019 champ Brad Burns.
Golf NSW Chief Operating Officer Graeme Phillipson said he was thrilled to see the event back in Albury and being beamed live for the first time.
“Golf NSW and the PGA of Australia are elated to bring the NSW Senior Open back to the Albury Region,” Mr Phillipson said.
“The local sporting public has supported this championship from the beginning, and with this year’s event to be broadcast for the first time, fans across Australia will get to see what a wonderful venue Thurgoona is, and how popular the tournament has become.
“It is a pleasure to continue to return to a venue and city where everyone involved around the tournament, including the players, officials and staff, have been so warmly received.”
SParms PGA Legends Tour coordinator Andy Rogers said the tour welcomed the opportunity to return to Thurgoona.
“The players are so familiar with the place and so familiar with the area,” he said.
“It’s a fantastic course and a perfect fit for a tournament that’s a really important part of our schedule.”
EVENT FACTS:
Host Venue- Thurgoona Country Club Resort.
The Thurgoona Country Club Resort is a par 72, 18-hole championship course measuring 6372 metres. A Peter Thomson & Mike Wolveridge-design, the course features couch fairways and large bent grass greens.
Tournament Dates: 27-29 October 2023 (54 holes)
Website: www.nswsenioropen.com.au
Prize Fund: AUD 120,000
Field Size: 120 players consisting of:
