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McLeod, Rudgeley lead Webex Players Series Perth


Queensland’s Jake McLeod leant on his sharpened short game to join West Australian Kirsten Rudgeley at the top of the leaderboard through two rounds of the Webex Players Series Perth hosted by Minjee and Min Woo Lee.

A day after matching the Royal Fremantle Golf Club course record of 9-under 63, McLeod dripped in a 15-footer for birdie on his final hole on Friday to post 1-under 71 and join Rudgeley at 10-under par.

Gold Coast’s Robyn Choi was 6-under on her round and 10-under for the tournament through 15 holes but finished with three consecutive bogeys to drop into a share of sixth at 7-under par.

A round of 6-under 66 by Brisbane’s Gavin Fairfax was the best of Round 2 and got him to 8-under and tied for third alongside Victorian Zach Murray (67) and New Zealand’s Kerry Mountcastle (70).

Playing in the afternoon groups, McLeod was faced with a far sterner test in Round 2 as the notorious ‘Fremantle Doctor’ gusted as much as 35km/h, calling on the work he has done the past year with short game coach Matt Ballard to hold his place at the top of the leaderboard.

“It could have quite easily (got away from me),” said McLeod.

“I was hitting it quite nicely and kind of out of nowhere I hit some very average shots today.

“It’s nice to grind out the pars and know I can get it up-and-down.

“I have that confidence now whereas before I tried to hit every green because I wouldn’t get it up and down.

“So that’s a confidence builder.”

Backing up her round of 5-under 67 in windy conditions on Thursday afternoon, Rudgeley made birdie at each of the four par-5s in a second straight 67 to be the first to post 10-under.

Playing in the afternoon wave that had it almost 1.5 strokes tougher in Round 1, Rudgeley had to contend with strong winds on the back nine on Friday morning as ‘The Doctor’ made an early house call.

It did little to faze her though, her junior days playing in Perth and past two years on the Ladies European Tour giving her the ideal grounding.

“I play Europe and over there, it’s windy all the time, so I’m pretty used to it,” said Rudgeley.

“I understand it now, which is always a bonus.

“Just hit the right shots with that wind and most of the time managed to execute pretty well.”

The first of Rudgeley’s three WA Amateur titles came in 2017 at The Western Australian Golf Club where Min Woo Lee won the men’s championship.

She is now poised to win the tournament that carries Minjee and Min Woo Lee’s names.

“It’s amazing that the two of them can do this event for us here in Perth,” said Rudgeley, who is expecting a gallery of family and friends to follow her in the final group on Saturday.

“It’s obviously the first Players Series we’ve had here and it’s amazing for everyone, even the juniors that are going to be coming in on the weekend.”

Fifth at the WA Open at Mandurah Country Club in October, Fairfax once again found a tree-lined, twisting layout to his liking.

A graduate of the PGA of Australia Membership Pathway Program at Redland Bay Golf Club five years ago, Fairfax has leant on 91-game former St Kilda player Gary Odgers to assist with the mental side to professional sport.

“I’ve been doing a bit of stuff with him in my mental game the last couple of years and it’s definitely helped,” said Fairfax.

“Not leaps and bounds, but just a little bit more polished and a little bit more controlled in situations where you might lose a bit of control or let your emotions to get the better of you.”

A total of 51 players made the cut that fell at 2-under par.

On Saturday the professionals will be joined by competitors in the Webex All Abilities Players Series and the Webex Junior Players Series.

Television coverage of Round 3 starts at 4pm AEDT on Fox Sports and Kayo. Round 4 coverage begins at 2pm AEDT Sunday.


Backing up her round of 5-under 67 in windy conditions on Thursday afternoon, Rudgeley made birdie at each of the four par-5s in a second 67 to be 10-under at the halfway mark at Royal Fremantle Golf Club. She had a one-stroke buffer from overnight leader Jake McLeod as he began his second round with […]

Backing up her round of 5-under 67 in windy conditions on Thursday afternoon, Rudgeley made birdie at each of the four par-5s in a second 67 to be 10-under at the halfway mark at Royal Fremantle Golf Club.

She had a one-stroke buffer from overnight leader Jake McLeod as he began his second round with Queensland Gavin Fairfax (66) and Victorian Zach Murray (67) moving to 8-under par and just two strokes back.

Playing in the afternoon wave that had it almost 1.5 strokes tougher due to the notorious Fremantle Doctor in Round 1, Rudgeley had to contend with strong winds on the back nine on Friday morning as the doctor made an early house call.

It didn’t little to faze her though, her junior days playing in Perth and past two years on the Ladies European Tour giving her the ideal grounding.

“I play Europe and over there, it’s windy all the time, so I’m pretty used to it,” said Rudgeley.

“I understand it now, which is always a bonus.

“Just hit the right shots with that wind and most of the time managed to execute pretty well.”

Fifth at the WA Open at Mandurah Country Club in October, Fairfax once again found the tree-lined, twisting layout to his liking.

A graduate of the PGA of Australia Membership Pathway Program at Redland Bay Golf Club five years ago, Fairfax has leant on 91-game former St Kilda player Gary Odgers to assist with the mental side to professional sport.

“I’ve been doing a bit of stuff with him in my mental game the last couple of years and it’s definitely helped,” said Fairfax.

“Not leaps and bounds, but just a little bit more polished and a little bit more controlled in situations where you might lose a bit of control or let your emotions to get the better of you.”

Gold Coast’s Anthony Quayle was the big mover in the early afternoon wave, 4-under through six holes to join Fairfax and Murray at 8-under par.

Others in the mix at 7-under are Jason Scrivener (69) and James Marchesani (70) with the cut projected to fall at 2-under.

Live scores

Photo: Cassandra Edwards/PGA of Australia


Close mate Anthony Quayle called it “exceptional” as Queenslander Jake McLeod opened up a three-stroke lead by matching the course record on day one of the Webex Players Series Perth at Royal Fremantle Golf Club.

McLeod equalled the low mark of 9-under 63 held by Hayden Hopewell and Josh Armstrong in perfect conditions on Thursday morning, three clear of the past two Gippsland Super 6 winners, Kerry Mountcastle (66) and Ben Henkel (66).

Winner at Warragul in December, Henkel was 8-under through 11 holes and threatening to surpass McLeod at the top of the leaderboard but three late bogeys to go with a birdie on 15 saw the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia’s most recent winner finish the day three shots adrift.

West Australian Kirsten Rudgeley and LPGA Tour-bound Queenslander Cassie Porter led the way for the women in Round 1, posting rounds of 5-under 67 to sit in a share of fourth alongside veteran Brett Rumford, WA Open runner-up Jak Carter and Victorian James Marchesani.

The 2018 NSW Open champion, McLeod burst out of the blocks in pristine and still morning weather, racing out to 5-under through seven holes after starting from the 10th tee.

He made the turn in 5-under 31 and was 7-under shortly afterwards with further birdies at one and two.

The course record was at his mercy after he made eagle at the par-5 sixth and admitted that he was eyeing off double-digits under par with three holes to play.

“I was trying to get it to double digits there,” said McLeod, whose career low is 11-under at the Vic Open in 2017.

“I was thinking about it. I knew I got it to nine with three to go and I was like, Come on, get one more.”

Runer-up to Mountcastle at the Gippsland Super 6 in late 2023, McLeod credited the short game work he has done with Matt Ballard the past 12 months for his bogey-free round.

“I was hitting it good at the end of last year, but my putting was disgraceful really,” lamented McLeod, who made a superb sand save on his final hole to stay at 9-under.

“I did some work with my coach the last week, just a lot of set-up stuff, and felt pretty comfortable with that today.

“At times, still a little bit shaky, but they all seemed to go in, which was a good sign.”

There were good signs, too, for both Rudgeley and Porter.

Enjoying the comforts of home during tournament week for the first time since turning professional, Rudgeley was 4-under through seven holes and content with 67 as she chipped away at the holiday rust.

“I feel like my game’s a little bit scrappy if I’m going to be honest with you,” said Rudgeley, who finished 12th on the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit in 2024.

“There’s a few things I need to work on, but I guess that’s time off over the period of holidays, I guess.

“I’m happy where I’m going. It’d be nice to have no wind tomorrow morning. It was definitely a bit windy out there this afternoon but you’re always going to get that here I guess.”

Given a major equipment change only a week ago, Porter was pleasantly surprised to keep a clean card in the first round of the year.

The 22-year-old was playing her first full round with a new set of Ping i230 irons and found them very much to her liking.

 “This time last week I had no idea how far they were going, so it’s a bit wild,” said Porter.

“I was struggling with a few club mysteries really so Ping sent me a new set with my specs and said, ‘Try these.’

“I put them in play straight away and saw some really good improvement.

“That’s a good way to start with them.”

Round 2 tees off at 7am AWST on Friday morning with the final two rounds broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo.


Queenslander Jake McLeod revelled in perfect scoring conditions to match the Royal Fremantle Golf Club course record and lead the Webex Players Series Perth by three strokes.

The 2018 NSW Open champion, McLeod burst out of the blocks in pristine and still morning weather, racing out to 5-under through seven holes after starting from the 10th tee.

He made the turn in 5-under 31 and was 7-under shortly afterwards with further birdies at one and two.

He matched the 9-under total set by Royal Fremantle member Hayden Hopewell and New South Welshman Josh Armstrong in the WA Open three years ago with an eagle at the par-5 sixth and admitted that he was eyeing off a double-digit total with three holes to play.

“I was trying to get it to double digits there,” said McLeod, whose career low is 11-under at the Vic Open in 2017.

“I was thinking about it. I knew I got it to nine with three to go and I was like, Come on, get one more.”

As it was, McLeod needed to hole a 12-foot par putt on seven and get up-and-down from the front right bunker on nine to post 63, three clear of Kiwi Kerry Mountcastle (66).

Playing her first full round with new Ping i230 irons, LPGA Tour-bound Cassie Porter went bogey-free in her round of 5-under 67 to be the best of the women in the morning field.

Porter also started quickly with early birdies at 11, 13 and 15, keeping her card clean until making back-to-back birdies at six and seven to sit just four strokes off the lead.

“This time last week I had no idea how far they were going, so it’s a bit wild,” said Porter.

“This course requires a lot of respect. We just gave it respect today and it was kind to us.”

West Australian Jessica Whitting and Victorian James Marchesani were the big movers early in the afternoon wave, both 5-under through their first six holes.

Entry is free for spectators all four days with the final two rounds to be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo from 4pm-7pm Saturday and 2pm-7pm Sunday AEDT.

Live scores

Photo: Cassandra Edwards/PGA of Australia


Kirsten Rudgeley is enjoying the simple pleasures of driving her own car to the golf course each day. Hayden Hopewell can relate, having waited until 3am for a hire car in Poland that never arrived during the 2024 Challenge Tour season.

After strong seasons on the Ladies European Tour and Challenge Tour respectively, the Perth pair shape as two genuine chances at the Webex Players Series Perth hosted by Minjee and Min Woo Lee starting Thursday.

Like the tournament hosts, Hopewell is a member at Royal Fremantle Golf Club and already boasts a tournament win at the venue having taken out the COVID-impacted WA Open in 2020.

Rudgeley has not played the golf course since her amateur days but knows it well enough to be in the frame to join Hannah Green, Sarah Jane Smith and Min A Yoon as women to have won a Webex Players Series event.

Aiding that will be the 24-year-old’s daily commute and the chance to relax at home between rounds.

“It’s great to have an event here,” said Rudgeley.

“I was just saying to Mum and Dad last night, I can’t remember the last time I played a tournament in Perth.

“You can go home, you can do your own thing; just having your own car makes it so much easier.”

Hopewell is also enjoying the comforts of home after a year in which he played 28 events on the Challenge Tour in such varied locales as South Africa, India, the Czech Republic, Ireland, Portugal and Poland.

“I rocked up to Poland at 9pm expecting to get a hire car within an hour and at 3am we were still waiting,” Hopewell recalled.

“Eventually we caught a $300 Uber to the accommodation. Then we had to play a practise round the next day and then the tournament the day after.

“They’re just the things you’ve got to deal with on tour sometimes.

“Thankfully I was with my sister so at least we had a laugh about it after but at the time I was furious.

“You don’t realise how convenient it actually is (to have a tournament at home).

“You don’t have the Monday with the flight, accommodation, hire car. It’s good to be in your own bed this week.”

Hopewell was yet to turn pro when he won his state Open five years ago, making birdie at each of his final three holes to win the 54-hole event to finish one clear of Haydn Barron and Brody Martin.

The scale of the tournament this time around is slightly bigger but presents the same opportunity in the eyes of the 23-year-old.

“It is the Webex Players Series so there’s a few extra marquee tents which makes it feel a little bit bigger but I’m seeing all the familiar Aussie Tour faces,” said Hopewell.

“It just feels good to be competing against these guys again.

“This course and the two tournaments here in the past, I definitely hold close to my heart. Definitely good memories here and it feels good to be back. Hopefully we can get another one.”

With a third Ladies European Tour season beckoning in February, Rudgeley is also single-minded in how she hopes to use home-ground advantage this week.

“Any chance you can beat the boys, it’s good fun,” said Rudgeley, who finished 12th on the LET Order of Merit in 2024 to narrowly miss out on an LPGA Tour card for 2025.

“What the Players Series has done is great for Australian golf, allowing us women to be able to play with the men as well. I think it’s amazing.

“There’s no point being here unless you’re going to try and win.

“It hasn’t really changed my mentality. Just go out there, play, enjoy it, and do the right things and hopefully it all comes together at the end of the day.”

The Webex Players Series is a playing opportunity for women and men professionals and elite amateurs, competing in the same field for the same prize purse in mixed pairings.

For the final two rounds, they are joined by competitors in the Webex All Abilities Players Series and Webex Junior Players Series.

Entry is free for spectators all four days with the final two rounds to be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo from 4pm-7pm Saturday and 2pm-7pm Sunday AEDT.


The new year heralds a new tournament to the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia schedule with the inaugural Webex Players Series Perth at Royal Fremantle Golf Club.

Hosted by Australia’s most accomplished golfing siblings and proud West Australians Minjee and Min Woo Lee, Webex Players Series Perth is the third event of the season in the west and the best showcase of women’s professional golf in Perth since the Handa Australia Cup in 2011.

Headlining the women’s field is LPGA Tour-bound Cassie Porter, established Ladies European Tour player Kirsten Rudgeley, recent LPGA Tour players Robyn Choi and Su Oh and Vic Open winner and Paris Olympian Ashley Lau.

A member of Royal Fremantle from a very young age, Minjee believes the layout provides the opportunity for one of the women in the field to join Hannah Green, Sarah Jane Smith and Min A Yoon in beating the boys in a Webex Players Series event.

“It’s always fun beating the boys,” said Minjee.

“Obviously they’ve gone really low and played really well to win. You still have to hit the shots and hole the putts.

“I heard that maybe a couple of the holes have gotten shorter than how I usually play it, off the back tees.

“It will be nice to see where they’ve set the tees, where they’re hitting from and what kind of approaches they have in.”

The men’s field is stacked, too, with the winners of five events this season along with local favourites Jason Scrivener, Haydn Barron, Jarryd Felton, Brett Rumford, Hayden Hopewell and Connor McKinney.

With his season to begin next week in Dubai, Min Woo won’t be teeing it up at Royal Fremantle but is getting a kick out of seeing a tournament set-up at the course he has called home from a young age.

“There’s a lot of different scenery,” said Min Woo.

“There’s a grandstand and flags up, so it’s got a little special feeling to it.

“It’ll be very exciting for the players to come out here and enjoy our home course.”

Play begins on Thursday morning with the final two rounds broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo.

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Inaugural event

PRIZEMONEY: $250,000

LIVE SCORES: www.pga.org.au; www.wpga.org.au

TV COVERAGE: Webex Players Series Perth is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.

*All times AEDT.

Round 3:  Saturday 4pm-7pm (Fox Sports 503/Kayo)

Final Round:  Sunday 2pm-7pm (Fox Sports 503/Kayo)

HEADLINERS

Jack Buchanan – 2024 WA PGA and Webex Players Series South Australia champion

Cassie Porter – Winner on Epson Tour in 2024 and 2025 LPGA Tour rookie

Jason Scrivener – DP World Tour player, 2017 NSW Open winner

Ashley Lau – 2024 Vic Open winner, 2024 Olympic Games representative for Malaysia

Haydn Barron – 2024 DP World Tour player

Kirsten Rudgeley – 12th on the 2024 Ladies European Tour Order of Merit

Yue Ren – 2024 LPGA Tour player from China

Anthony Quayle – Tied third at BMW Australian PGA Championship and Victorian PGA Championship


Given the influence Australian golf is currently having on the world stage, we thought it timely to launch the Australian Golf Power Rankings, a weekly feature that will showcase our best performers throughout the year.

In 2025 we will have a record Australian representation on the LPGA Tour, the likes of Adam Scott, Jason Day, Cam Davis and Min Woo Lee chasing more success on the PGA TOUR, Elvis Smylie will join Jason Scrivener and David Micheluzzi as a member of the DP World Tour, Ripper GC will be out to defend their LIV Golf Teams title and Kelsey Bennett will have a rookie season on the Ladies European Tour alongside Kirsten Rudgeley.

We will have competitors on the Asian Tour, Epson Tour, Japan Golf Tour, LET Access Series, Korn Ferry Tour and even TGL.

Success will come, and this will be the place to keep track of it all.

10. Kelsey Bennett
Finished tied for seventh at the ISPS HANDA Women’s Australian Open and then secured her Ladies European Tour card for 2025 at Final Stage of Qualifying School in Morocco. Was exempt into Final Stage courtesy of her finish on the LET Access Series points list highlighted by a breakthrough win in France in September.

9. Lucas Herbert
Was a colossus for Ripper GC and then converted that form into success on home soil with victory at the Ford NSW Open at Murray Downs. Backed that up with a tie for fifth at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open at Kingston Heath.

8. Minjee Lee
A tie for fourth early in the year was Lee’s only top-five finish in 2024, her first winless season since the Covid-interrupted 2020 season. Despite struggles with the putter and shortened preparation was tied for seventh at ISPS HANDA Women’s Australian Open.

7. Cam Davis
Enjoyed a terrific finish to the 2024 PGA TOUR season on the back of a second victory at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Was tied for sixth at the BMW Australian PGA Championship and was T13th in his 2025 season-opener at The Sentry in Hawaii.

6. Stephanie Kyriacou
It took an eagle on the 72nd hole to deny the Sydneysider a maiden major title at the Amundi Evian Championship and she closed out 2024 with a tie for seventh at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open and 54th on the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

5. David Micheluzzi
Completed an outstanding rookie season by playing his way into the DP World Tour Playoffs and then began his 2025 campaign with a fifth-place finish at the BMW Australian PGA Championship.

4. Elvis Smylie
Potential finally translated into professional victories as Smylie took the Australian summer by storm. Battled ferocious winds and Jak Carter to win the WA Open in a playoff and then stared down Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman to win the BMW Australian PGA Championship, thus securing status on the DP World Tour for the next two years. Currently leads Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.

3. Cameron Smith
After leading Ripper GC to the team title on LIV Golf in 2024, Smith returned home and did everything but win on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia. Smith was third at the Queensland PGA and then runner-up at both the Ford NSW Open and BMW Australian PGA Championship.

2. Adam Scott
Finished 2024 as Australia’s highest-ranked male player at No.18 in the world and began his 2025 campaign with a tie for 15th at The Sentry in Hawaii.

1. Hannah Green
Last start was a valiant tie for fourth at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open and enters the new year looking to back up her three-win season on the LPGA Tour in 2024.

The Australian Golf Power Rankings is a subjective list developed with input from members of the Australian Golf media team.


She has a general distaste for pizza. “There’s just too much going on. Too many flavours.” Spoiler alert, the death of John Dutton on ‘Yellowstone’ brought her to tears and ‘The Fault In Our Stars’ induces “ugly sobbing” every time.

Slow-walking people frustrate her – both on and off the golf course – yet her temper is at its most frayed in a different sporting arena.

“On the tennis court, I have such a temper. It’s next level, honestly. Even Dad’s like, ‘Wow, Cass, chill.’ And I’m like, ‘No! I am better than this.’ It really gets on my nerves.”

Yes, LPGA-bound Cassie Porter is the cheery, effervescent person you have seen emerge on the WPGA Tour of Australasia and the Epson Tour the past three years, but there is so much more sitting just beneath the surface.

“There’s definitely a real fire there that burns pretty bright all the time,” Porter confesses.

“I want to be the best. I don’t want that to sound bad, but it’s just a mindset thing.”

“It doesn’t matter what she does, she absolutely has to win,” says Porter’s long-time coach, Dan Morrison.

“I’ll play her at darts, no problems at all. I’ll play her at darts any day of the week. But tennis, no, she’s too good.”

With an LPGA Tour rookie season beckoning, Porter begins her 2025 campaign as one of the marquee names at this week’s Webex Players Series Perth hosted by Minjee and Min Woo Lee at Royal Fremantle Golf Club.

It is somewhat new territory for the 22-year-old but the next stop along a path she, Morrison and her family have been plotting for close to a decade.

“Six months to a year in, I had almost a hundred percent faith that I knew where we could go with this,” said Morrison, who first started working with Porter when she was just 14 years old.

“I knew she could make LPGA. It’s one of those things that was blindingly obvious.”

‘I woke up one day and couldn’t walk’

Early in 2020, shortly after coming through the stress of completing her final year of high school, everything that an athletic and energetic Cassie Porter had known came to a frightening halt.

At her parents’ home on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Porter woke to searing pain in her hip and back, an ailment that she would undergo 16 MRIs in an attempt to diagnose, a range of diagnoses from different specialists failing to find the solution.

It was an 18-month enforced hiatus from the game at a crucial time in a young player’s development, Porter faced with the possibility that she may never play competitive golf again.

“Every doctor I saw told me something different and I was just getting worse. I was in so much pain,” Porter recalls.

“Certain people weren’t scared to tell me that I would never play golf again and that my career’s probably over.

“I just was like, That’s just not it. That’s not where my journey ends.

“I changed my physio and saw a few doctors that I really wanted to see and within six weeks I was back playing pain-free.”

Working closely with Morrison and physiotherapist Jen McKenzie, Porter slowly and methodically rebuilt her body and her game.

When she returned to competitive golf after almost 18 months away, Porter won the Katherine Kirk Classic and Keperra Bowl in quick succession.

At just 19 years of age, she then made the decision to turn professional.

“My coach and I were basically the only ones in our whole circle that were like, ‘Let’s do it’,” Porter says of her move into the pro ranks.

“It was a pretty bold decision, I won’t lie. It did happen quite quickly. I mean, I didn’t play for 18 months. Suddenly I was playing pain-free and straight out the box, I wanted to turn pro.

“I was house-sitting for my sister at the time. I went down to the beach and just cried for four hours. I knew that if I turned professional then… there’s no going back after that.

“It was that cliff that once you take that step, if you have the right mindset, you’re not going to fall. You’re going to fly.”

‘Potential to be a superstar’

Cassie Porter was 12 years old when she first told people closest to her that she wanted to play the LPGA Tour.

Ten years on – and eight years into the plan she and Morrison devised with the United States as the ultimate destination – that pre-teen declaration has become a reality.

A win at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship last June gave Porter the foundation to finish 10th on the Epson Tour points list and secure that coveted LPGA Tour card.

Playing in Perth this week is partly driven by her goal to be top 80 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings by year’s end as she and Morrison plot what comes next.

“Yes, we’ve ticked off a very long journey to get to this point, but it’s the beginning of the main story now,” says Morrison.

“We need to keep putting that work in and be able to justify the work we’ve done and get a reward for the path we’ve travelled.

“We just want to make sure that we do ourselves proud and get those results that we know she’s capable of.”

Adds Porter: “I’m absolutely going to be grateful for every second because it’s what I’ve dreamed of since I was 12.

“It’s a dream come true, but I am also not going to take that for granted. I’m going to work hard because there’s a lot of stuff that I want to achieve out there.”

From the emergence of Karrie Webb through to the current crop of major winners in Minjee Lee and Hannah Green, no one has witnessed the emergence of more Aussie talent than WPGA Tour of Australasia CEO, Karen Lunn.

Having known Porter since she was 15 years old, Lunn believes Australia’s latest addition to the LPGA Tour has the foundation to join the greats of the game.

“You can get there too early, there’s no doubt about that, and the stars have got to align for you to reach the pinnacle,” Lunn adds.

“The Epson Tour has been the best thing for her. She’s absolutely ready to go to the LPGA now, where maybe a year ago she wasn’t.

“If Cassie stays healthy and if she keeps enjoying it, I have no doubt she can get to the very top of the tree.

“She’s got the potential to be another superstar.”


On the back of securing his PGA TOUR Champions card for 2025, the 2023 New Zealand Open champion, Brendan Jones, has confirmed he will return to Queenstown for his favourite event of the year.

The 104th New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport tees off at Millbrook Resort in Queenstown between February 27 and March 2.

A fantastic ambassador for both Queenstown and the New Zealand Open, Jones’ 2023 victory in Queenstown came after he survived the cut on the number, and then played “the two best shots of my life” to make crucial birdies on the final few holes helping him claim the title.

Speaking about the New Zealand Open Jones says he “wouldn’t miss it for anything” and is looking to add his name to the Brodie Breeze trophy once again.

 “The New Zealand Open is the first event I add to my schedule every year. It’s a fabulous event and not only myself, but every one of the players can’t wait to be part of it.”

 “Not only is it the best event of the year in my opinion, but the location and hospitality are something we don’t experience anywhere else in the world.”

Jones, who turns 50 on March 3, the day after the final round at the New Zealand Open, believes the experience and pressure from the PGA TOUR Champions Q-School has helped put him in great shape, both physically and mentally for returning to Queenstown.

“The Q-School process is quite tough and really tests your all-round game. Having had a few injuries this year, it’s been great to see my fitness and mentality back up to the level I want them to be at. Hopefully, these experiences will help me push on at Millbrook.”

Jones also made note of the success that Steven Alker, who is also confirmed to be playing at the New Zealand Open in 2025, has had in recent years on the PGA TOUR Champions and will be hoping to emulate his success.

“Obviously Steve has had a couple of wonderful seasons on the tour and I will definitely be having a few conversations with him in Queenstown. Maybe some of his magic will rub off on me.”

New Zealand Open Tournament Director, Michael Glading is delighted that Jones will be returning, and is also excited to see how he goes next year on tour.

“I think Brendan will do really well on the PGA TOUR Champions as he has the tools in his locker to win again, as he demonstrated so well in Queenstown in recent years,” Glading said.

For more information, please visit nzopen.com


Superstar siblings Minjee and Min Woo Lee hope to uncover and mentor the next generation of Aussie golf stars when the Webex Players Series Perth tees off at Royal Fremantle Golf Club on Thursday.

The pair of Paris Olympians will go from headline act to tournament hosts at the course where they developed their games, eager to share what they have learned about the golf course itself and their paths to the top of world golf.

Minjee, 28, is a two-time major champion with 10 career LPGA Tour wins while Min Woo is entering his second year on the PGA TOUR and whose four career wins include the 2023 Australian PGA Championship and 2021 Scottish Open.

It’s a far cry from their formative years in Perth, yet a major motivator in their decision to take on hosting duties for the first Webex Players Series event in their home state.

“It’s a real privilege for us to be able to host, especially in our home state and obviously at our home club, Royal Fremantle,” said Minjee.

“I’ve been here since I was eight years old, so for a tournament like the Webex Players Series to come to Royal Fremantle is a really big deal.”

Min Woo was a 14-year-old amateur when he played the WA Open for the first time in 2012, a tournament that was won by 18-year-old amateur Oliver Goss.

It is why he is so excited to not only provide a platform for elite amateurs and young professionals, but those who will contest the Webex Junior Players Series over the course of the weekend.

“We were lucky enough to play all the professional events before we turned pro and have that experience before we got to the big stage,” said Min Woo, a three-time winner on the DP World Tour.

“That definitely helped get us to where we are now. I’m really excited to see the juniors playing as well. That’s a new thing that’s been happening and I think a lot of good names will come out of it.

“It’s very inclusive to have all the juniors, men, women and All Abilities playing and definitely what we wanted to be part of promoting.”

A 30-time host of the WA Open and host venue of the 1960 Australian PGA Championship, Royal Fremantle Golf Club will mark its 120-year anniversary in 2025.

With such a storied history and the breeding ground of some of Australia’s greatest golfers, Royal Fremantle General Manager, Lucy Guppy, believes it is a fitting way to commence celebrations in a milestone year for the club.

“Royal Fremantle Golf Club is a club with a very proud history but also one that is committed to providing the best experience for a diverse membership,” Ms Guppy said.

“By having men, women, juniors and All Abilities competitors playing, the Webex Players Series is golf’s most inclusive tournament and we couldn’t think of two more appropriate hosts than Minjee and Min Woo.”

For participants who have never played Royal Fremantle, Min Woo says they can expect a golf course that offers up a mix of scoring opportunities and challenging pars.

“If the ‘Fremantle Doctor’ comes through, it can play windy, but then there’s also a lot of scoring opportunities,” said Min Woo.

“It’s definitely a fun course for everyone. I love coming back here. Make some birdies, but there’s also a few tough holes to get us in that frame of mind for the tough courses on tour.

“It’s a really nice mixture and if the greens are nice, it’s going to be a really good time for everyone who’s playing.”

The Webex Players Series is a playing opportunity for women and men professionals and elite amateurs, competing in the same field for the same prize purse in mixed pairings.

For the final two rounds, they are joined by competitors in the Webex All Abilities Players Series and Webex Junior Players Series.

The tournament runs from January 9-12 and entry is free for spectators all four days.

The final two rounds will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo from 4pm-7pm Saturday and 2pm-7pm Sunday AEDT.


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