Want to recieve exclusive news, videos, tournament highlights, golf important tips and more ?
Want to recieve exclusive news, videos, tournament highlights, golf important tips and more ?
The New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport has announced that the professional players
who take part in the 103rd edition of the iconic event will compete for a total prize purse of $2 million
when the tournament tees off at Millbrook Resort in Queenstown between February 29 and March 3.
Since taking over the running of the New Zealand Open in 2014, Millbrook Tournaments Ltd, the
tournament promoter, has regularly increased the overall purse, and this latest raise will see the prize
fund grow by a further 21% over 2023, surpassing $1.2m USD, and $180m YEN.
New Zealand Open chairman John Hart is thankful to the new and current sponsors of the tournament
who’s support have allowed the tournament to reach this significant milestone.
“We are delighted to be able to announce another increase in the purse for the New Zealand
Open. This only happens through the ongoing support of our fantastic sponsorship family. Without
their support the tournament would not be in the position we are today.”
“We have always aimed to ensure the balance between the New Zealand Open being a financially
attractive tournament across our three tour partners, the PGA Tour of Australasia, the Asian Tour and
the Japan Golf Tour, whilst also maintaining and securing the long-term future for the event” said Hart.
As part of this the New Zealand Open is also adopting a relatively new concept in the world of
professional golf, ensuring that every professional that competes in the tournament, and doesn’t make
the cut, will take away at least $1000 NZD to help support their travel and other related costs in
attending.
“We love the idea of supporting the professionals as much as we can, which is why we believe that
ensuring that the players who miss the cut are not left solely to bear the ever increasing costs of travel
that they face.
“From the conversations we have had with some of the regular players at the New Zealand Open, this
is a welcome addition, and one many players hope other tournaments across the world will adopt,”
said Hart.
The 103rd New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport will take place at Millbrook Resort in
Queenstown between February 29 and March 3, 2024.
Kazuma Kobori holed a 12-foot putt down the hill at Rosebud Country Club’s 18th green and the 72nd hole of the Webex Players Series Victoria to write his own little piece of history today.
The brilliant, young New Zealander, just eight tournaments into his professional career, completed back-to-back wins on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, a feat not managed since Adam Scott in 2013.
The 22-year-old from Christchurch had won his first tournament as a professional in Cobram Barooga last weekend and now jumps to second in the Order of Merit, giving himself a strong chance of earning a DP World Tour card for next season.
At 18-under, he beat Malaysia’s Ashley Lau by a shot, with veteran Mat Goggin outright third at 16-under.
“They always say the first win’s hard, and I’ll tell you what, I can speak about it now that the second one’s just as hard,” Kobori said.
“But I’m glad to get the job done.”
It was Goggin who presented the biggest challenge for the Kiwi today, playing in the same group.
From the first hole when Kobori three-putted to give the Tasmanian a share of the lead, to the very last, it was a dogfight.
Ultimately the New Zealander led by a shot from Goggin when they reached the 18th tee, a shortish par-4, and Goggin hit a nice approach to 25 feet, pin-high. Once Kabori dumped his second shot into the right greenside trap, it was game-on.
But Kobori hit a decent bunker shot to just beyond the hole, and Goggin ran his birdie putt – potentially for the win – six feet by.
Now it came down to Kobori’s par putt, which was for the outright win and the $45,000 first prize cheque.
It rolled in dead centre, much like a lot of important putts that have fallen for him this past two weeks.
“I was very nervous as you probably saw,” he said. “A few tips that my coach gave me just came back to me. I just took my time, and then the putt wasn’t difficult. It was dead straight. I had it there, and I knew it was going to drop.”
Kobori has had an amazing past 12 months, winning the Australian Amateur, the World Amateur with New Zealand, the Australian tour school, and now two tournaments as a pro
Emigrating from Japan to New Zealand as an infant, it was his elder sister Momoka who he followed into the sport and fittingly it was his touring professional sibling who greeted him with a hug soon after the last putt dropped today.
Goggin, 49, who was remarkable this week for a man who has hardly played any professional golf in the past four years, ultimately missed his par putt coming back to drop to third place.
It would have been his first tournament win since 2015 and it was close.
Kobori began with a one-shot lead and carded a 2-under 69 on the day. Goggin shot 70.
Lau played in the second-last group and appeared to be out of the running until she started rolling in birdies on the back nine. At the 18th, she had a 60-footer up the hill that could potentially have put her in a playoff, and it sat on the lip of the hole.
Todd Sinnott, the 2022 winner here, rattled home with a 64 to finish fourth.
Meanwhile New South Welshman Cam Pollard won the Webex All Abilities event by two shots, shooting a 3-over 74 for a 147 total, and beating Wayne Perske by two shots.
Perske, a long-time touring professional with a, had won in Cobram Barooga last week, but Pollard said his appearance in the All Abilities ranks had pushed him to perform.
“It’s pushing me to play a lot better,” he said. “It’s not easy because they’ve been on the big stage before. I enjoy it.”
Shepparton teenager Bailey Goodall won the Webex Junior Players Series with rounds of 72-72, ahead of Huntingdale’s Rupert Toomey.
PHOTO: Winners Cam Pollard, Kazuma Kobori and Bailey Goodall celebrate. Image: Henry Peters
New Zealander Kazuma Kobori is already the hottest player on tour and the Kiwi jumped out of the pack at the Webex Players Series Victoria in Rosebud today to give himself a chance of consecutive tournament wins.
The 22-year-old from Christchurch playing his first season as a professional, will take a one-shot lead into the final round on Sunday after bursting into the lead on the back nine on Saturday.
His 6-under 65 in today’s third round puts him at 16-under overall and into the final group with 49-year-old Australian veteran Mathew Goggin, who relived former glories with a 65 to reach 15-under.
Malaysia’s Ashley Lau, who set a new women’s composite course record with a remarkable 61 with 10 birdies today, is next best at 14-under on a highly eclectic leaderboard.
But Kobori, winner of the event at Cobram Barooga last week, looks the man to beat.
His game mimics Australian Cameron Smith in the sense that he does not overpower courses but brings them to their knees with his beautiful hands.
His putting is world class, as he crowd at Rosebud witnessed as he rolled a string of birdie putts into the hole in the afternoon.
He had eight birdies, putting just one damper on his day with a bogey from behind the green at the 18th.
Afterward he paid tribute to his caddie for the weekend, Japanese professional Ren Yonazawa. “He gave me some great reads.”
But Kobori’s prowess with the short stick is well known already and does not require outside help.
If he wins on Sunday, he will jump to second on the Challenger PGA Tour Order of Merit and effectively, with Min Woo Lee not eligible, he would be first and in position to claim a DP World Tour card for next season.
It was another windy day on the Mornington Peninsula, but players found a way to post scores, starting with Lau’s 10-under.
Kobori said he was hitting 8-irons 100 metres at times, working the mantra: “Take more club and hit it soft. If you get it spinning and up in the air, you’re waiting on luck.”
The 40 km/h gusts scarcely bothered Lau, the 23-year-old from Sarawak in Malaysia.
She turned in 29 and then birdied the last three holes for a new composite course record for women, the low round of a career that rolled along in 2023 on the Epson Tour in America.
Goggin was no less impressive, rolling in a bomb at the par-4 17th and missing an opportunity for another birdie at the last in his 65.
The Tasmanian has been developing the Seven Mile Beach golf course in his native Hobart but is not done as a player just yet. Turning 50 later this year, he has his eyes on senior golf; he lives in Charlotte, North Carolina which makes it accessible.
“You know that chasing the dream’s gone, but there’s this other opportunity at 49-and-a-half,” he said.
“I know if I play decent it’s nice to know you’re still competitive.
“It’s been forever. It’s just another good opportunity to test your game under pressure and see where it is.”
Overnight leader Kristalle Blum dropped two shots on the day but remains in the mix at 11-under with James Marchesani and Justin Warren.
In the Webex Junior Players Series, Metropolitan’s Rupert Toomey leads by three shots at 1-under par.
In the Webex All Abilities Series, Cameron Pollard shot an opening 73 to lead last week’s winner, Wayne Perske, by four shots.
Sunday’s final round is broadcast live on Foxtel and Kayo Sports from 2pm.
Entry is free.
PHOTO: Kazuma Kobori drives during his 65 today. Image: Henry Peters
Kristalle Blum continued to dominate Rosebud Country Club today but she is under significant challenge from behind as the Webex Players Series Victoria heads into the weekend.
The South Australian today added a second-round 67 to her blistering first-round 62 despite tough, windy conditions on the Mornington Peninsula.
She is at 13-under, two shots ahead of Thailand’s Saraporn Chamchoi, giving women the top two spots on the leaderboard in the mixed tournament.
Chamchoi who shot a sensational 8-under 63 in the second round and is 11-under, while Rosebud local James Marchesani (69 today), Kiwi Kazuma Kobori (66), Sydney’s Justin Warren (68) and South Australian Lachie Barker (66) are at 10-under and right in the mix.
The low round of the day belonged to Brett Coletta, the Victorian finishing his day birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie for a 9-under 62 that saw him vault up to tied-fifth.
Blum, 26, was just happy to back up her first day heroics when she broke the women’s composite course record.
“I was really happy,” she said. “I just wanted to go out and back it up. It’s not easy to go back after you’ve shot 9-under and basically done nothing wrong the day before.
“One bogey, which wasn’t great, a three-putt which was disappointing. I knocked it close again, gave myself lots of chances. You have to take advantage of the par-5s here. They’re not very long.”
The Adelaide professional has never won a traditional four-round tournament; her principal victory was in The Athena event in 2021.
But she has given herself a chance this week on the back of some swing changes over the Christmas period including a new overlapping putting grip she uncovered out practising with her mother. “She thinks it’s horrendous but it actually feels good for me.”
The wind blew at up to 50km/h throughout the day and sideways rain bothered the morning players, but it scarcely bothered Thailand’s Chamchoi, who carded two eagles in her 63.
Her front nine was just 29 shots. “Today my putter was very good,” she said afterward.
Warren’s 68 followed an opening 64 on Thursday and continues a theme established at the Asian Tour School where he qualified to play on that tour this year inside the top five.
The Sydneysider’s only bogey today came at the par-4 18th where he drove into the trees down the right.
“It’s a course if you’re hitting the ball well and rolling the putts nicely, there are a lot of birdie chances out there. It’s a good spot going into the weekend,” he said.
Warren is looking forward to the change-up of playing in Asia.
“The money’s improved a lot the last two years,” he said.
“For me, personally, I’ve done a lot in America and Europe the last two years, so I’m pretty knackered with the flying and stuff. With Asia you can fly over on a Sunday, you’re in a good time zone and you can plan to go for a three week stretch and then come home.”
More difficult weather is forecast for Saturday’s third round, with the Webex Junior Players Championship beginning in earnest, as well as the Webex Players Series All Abilities.
When play concludes, around 6.30pm, there will be another leg of the Australian Long Drive Championship.
Both Saturday and Sunday’s play is broadcast live on Foxtel and Kayo Sports.
PHOTO: Kristalle Blum drives on her way to a 67 today. Image: Henry Peters
Kristalle Blum eviscerated Rosebud Country Club in perfect conditions with a course record 62, her career-low, to push hometown hero James Marchesani off the top of the leaderboard when the Webex Players Series Victoria began today.
Adelaide’s Blum, winner of the inaugural Athena event in 2021 but who struggled in Europe last year, surprised herself with a stunning nine-birdie round including a hole-out eagle from 55 metres at the par-4 second hole.
Two bogeys were thrown in for entertainment value, and her 62 displaces the Rosebud women’s course record of 63 set by Kirsten Rudgeley in 2021.
The 26-year-old Blum is a shot ahead of Marchesani, who reprised his opening 63 in the 2023 iteration of this tournament with the same score, featuring eight birdies and not a single blemish. The Rosebud local and New South Welshman Nathan Barbieri are tied-second at 8-under.
Justin Warren closed with four straight birdies and at 7-under is tied-third with veteran Mat Goggin, while a group of nine players is at 6-under, three shots from the lead.
Blum started out hot on the back nine and rolled in five consecutive birdies from 13 to 17.
“I knew that I wanted to take advantage of today,” she said. “The weather was always looking like it wasn’t going to be too windy, and tomorrow’s not looking that great, so I was hoping afternoon-morning (draw) would be good.
“I would definitely take that. I was very nervous beforehand. I had a chat with Mum, and it was like ‘I don’t feel great, my heart’s racing, I can’t get it under control’, but she was like ‘it’s adrenaline, it’ll be fine, just use that and trust that and the ball will go further’.
“I’ve made a few changes in my swing over the last few weeks and it’s good to see that coming to fruition.”
Scoring was low in round one with the course in near-perfect condition and no wind to speak of.
Marchesani, with 12-year-old Rosebud junior Jude Farrelly on his bag, delivered for the locals with his 8-under round.
Last year he was joint leader through the first round, staying on top into the final day only to be reeled in by South Korea’s Min A Yoon who closed with a 63.
This time, he hopes to go one better, and he has enthusiastic support from his fellow club members not to mention his mother’s home-cooked gnocchi.
He holed a couple of long putts and even when he hit his “worst shot of the day”, a pushed drive into the sandy wasteland at his last hole, the ninth on the course, he got up-and-down to save par.
“If you can do that for four days, you’re going to go a long way, because there are a lot of birdies out here,” he said. “Eight -under bogey-free first round’s a good start. Three more of those and I’ll probably go pretty close.”
McKinney was the one of his closest challengers who threatened the most.
The Western Australian had a long birdie putt from the fringe at the 18th which almost went in, and would have given him a 62 and the outright lead. He then missed from short range once, then twice for a double bogey and an opening 65.
Marchesani appreciated the support and love that was there for him.
“Everyone here wants me to play well, for good reason,” he said. “But I know if I play as good as I can, it’s going to be pretty close to winning, which it was last year. I got beaten by a better player on the week. But if I can shoot a similar score it’s going to be pretty close again.
“It’s nice to play in front of friends and family because it doesn’t happen too often. Which makes it a little bit more relaxed.”
PHOTO: Kristalle Blum bombs her drive on No. 8 today. Image: Monica Marchesani
Now that a first-time win as a professional is in the books, Kiwi Kazuma Kobori has outlined his two targets for the remainder of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season.
Kobori was a two-shot winner at the Webex Players Series Murray River at Cobram Barooga Golf Club on Sunday, his second on the PGA Tour of Australasia after taking out the NZ PGA Championship as a 17-year-old amateur in 2019.
A decorated amateur who counts the 2023 Australian Amateur as one of his many triumphs, Kobori turned professional prior to the Queensland PGA Championship in November where he finished tied for ninth.
A week later he was the 54-hole leader at the Victorian PGA Championship but had to settle for third when he was run down by David Micheluzzi.
A three-shot leader after Round 3 at Cobram Barooga, there was no such stumble on Sunday, the 22-year-old moving up to seventh on the Order of Merit.
Realistically, Kobori is fourth among those to have played the minimum four events required to be eligible for the Order of Merit and now has one of the three DP World Tour cards in his sights.
“I might just be outside top 10 but definitely a step in the right direction,” said Kobori prior to the Order of Merit update.
“Really just want to get that top three for the DP World Tour card and hopefully get rookie of the year as well.
“That’s one of my goals at the start of the season, even though I started later than the other guys.”
Kobori moved up six spots into the No.1 position on the Rookie of the Year standings after his win, edging past fellow New Zealander and Gippsland Super 6 champion Kerry Mountcastle with Josh Greer, Chris Crabtree and Connor McKinney rounding out the top five.
The Order of Merit race continues this week with the Webex Players Series Victoria at Rosebud Country Club, Kobori one of six of the current top-10 all eager to advance their positions.
Order of Merit (after Webex Players Series Murray River)
1. Min Woo Lee 1,044 (2)
2. David Micheluzzi 359.40 (5)
3. Ben Eccles 353.30 (11)
4. Adam Scott 326.67 (2)
5. Jak Carter 321.59 (11)
6. Marc Leishman 314.93 (2)
7. Kazuma Kobori 297.51 (6)
8. Kerry Mountcastle 278.20 (12)
9. Austin Bautista 277.01 (11)
10. Lachlan Barker 273.94 (11)
Must play minimum of four events to be eligible for the Order of Merit
Kiwi Kazuma Kobori has buried the demons of a final round collapse at the Victorian PGA Championship to complete a two-stroke victory at the Webex Players Series Murray River at Cobram Barooga Golf Club.
Admitting that his three-stroke overnight lead made for a restless night’s sleep, Kobori conquered hot and blustery conditions at Cobram Barooga’s Old Course to close with a 3-under par round of 68 and 21-under total.
That was enough to hold off a spirited charge from Singapore’s Shannon Tan (65) in her maiden event as a professional with older sister Momoka Kobori (68) tied for third with Aussie pair Aaron Wilkin (68) and Andrew Martin (69).
Although Kono Matsumoto (8-iron, 134 metres) and Zach Murray (pitching wedge, 151 metres) both made hole-in-ones at the par-3 ninth on Sunday, low scores were the exception to the rule.
Tan and Jake McLeod returned the day’s best with rounds of 6-under 65, Kobori having to adjust his pre-round strategy of patience being his greatest virtue.
“At the start I did think I was going to just try and take advantage of the par 5s and hang on but soon realised that Shannon was moving up pretty quickly,” Kobori conceded.
“That strategy changed pretty quickly.”
Congratulations Kazuma Kobori the 2024 #WebexPlayersSeries Murray River Champion 🏆 pic.twitter.com/UijJAiTS3G
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) January 21, 2024
After a birdie at the par-5 first, a poor chip at the par-4 second was the first squeeze of pressure placed on the 22-year-old.
With Ashley Lau in tight at the back pin, Kobori was forced to stare down a 15-foot putt for par to keep his advantage from all but disappearing.
“That one was big because Ashley hit it in close and I was like, She’s probably going to make that,” said Kobori.
“I flubbed my chip and I was like, we can’t have a two-shot swing this early in the round.
“Holed that, gave it a wee fist pump so that was nice and then went from there.”
Birdies at six and 10 ensured Kobori had a three-shot buffer for much of the afternoon.
A three-putt for bogey on 11 – just his fourth bogey of the week – briefly gave Tan and others a glimpse at the top of the leaderboard, his birdie from the fringe on 12 restoring a two-shot advantage with six to play.
Six pars would prove to be enough, sister Momoka joined by fellow Kiwi Hanee Song and young South Australian Jack Buchanan in showering her younger brother in champagne.
“It was just nerve-wracking because I had that experience at Moonah, blew a six-shot lead,” Kobori said of his final round of 77 at Moonah Links in November.
“But I realised that it doesn’t change my life. It’s just another round of golf and having that experience freed me up today to be able to unleash on every single shot.”
Sunday’s win is Kobori’s second on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia having won the 2019 New Zealand PGA Championship as a 17-year-old amateur.
It was that experience that he drew upon to earn his first victory as a professional.
“It does feel like a lifetime ago because a lot has changed since then but it’s something that I still draw confidence from too,” said Kobori, who turned professional at the Queensland PGA Championship last November.
“I’ve done it once, why can’t I do it again.”
Making his first appearance in the Webex All Abilities Players Series, Wayne Perske shot rounds of 80-71 to win the Murray River leg by seven shots from defending champion Cameron Pollard.
In the Webex Junior Players Series, Nicholas Horvath produced two superb rounds of 70-68 for a 4-under total, six clear of Shepparton junior Bailey Goodall with Australian Amateur runner-up Amelia Harris third.
Photo: Candice High
Kiwi rookie Kazuma Kobori will try to fend off the threat posed by big sister Momoka and Tour winners Andrew Martin and Aaron Wilkin to complete a maiden win as a professional at the Webex Players Series Murray River.
Paired together for the first time in a Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia event, the talented Kobori siblings shot 64 and 66 respectively to both sit inside the top five with one round to play at Cobram Barooga Golf Club.
On a day in which West Australian Jess Whitting won a $93,000 BMW for a hole-in-one and Victorian Matias Sanchez matched Tom Power Horan’s course record with a 9-under 62, the younger Kobori surged to the top of the leaderboard.
He was four shots clear when he made his eighth birdie through 12 holes but played his final three holes in 1-over. At 18-under par through 54 holes he is three clear of Martin (68) and Malaysian Ashley Lau (63).
Momoka Kobori is in a share of fourth with Wilkin (64), Singapore debutant Shannon Tan (63), Barooga local Steffi Vogel (66), Zach Murray (66) and Michael Hendry (69) a shot further back at 13-under.
Although disappointed not to turn a blistering start into an almost unassailable lead, Kazuma will start Sunday exactly where he wants to be.
“If you gave me 64 at the start of the day without hitting a single shot, I would have taken it,” said the 2023 Australian Amateur and 2019 NZ PGA champion.
“That being said, 8-under through 12, I kind of wanted a few more.
“I don’t know actually how many shots clear I am but pretty happy. There’s still a lot of golf to play.”
Moving day brought the goods at #WebexPlayersSeries Murray River 📈
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) January 20, 2024
We're set for a big final round at Cobram Barooga Golf Club
📺 Catch all the weekend action LIVE on @FOXSportsAUS , available on @Foxtel & @kayosports@WPGATour
He also knows all too well what his sister is capable of.
The reigning Women’s NSW Open champion shot 66 in the final round of the Taranaki Open on the Charles Tour in 2020 to run down her younger brother, and has him in her sights yet again.
“I’ll be trying,” Momoka warned.
“I’ve always been a fan of this format, being able to compete against the guys.
“It’s a cool opportunity. It’s a pretty unique opportunity. While we’re both here it’s good to enjoy it and make the most of it for sure.”
ACE ALERT 🚨
— WPGA Tour of Australasia (@WPGATour) January 20, 2024
Jess Whitting has won a brand new BMW i4 eDrive35 with a hole in one on the 164m 3rd hole at Cobram Barooga Golf Club !@bmwau#WebexPlayersSeries Murray River pic.twitter.com/jmJLR4S7BK
Yet there are contenders beyond the Kobori clan.
Lau was 6-under through her first six holes as she played her way into contention, somewhat shocked to see her name near the top of the leaderboard as she played the 18th hole.
A decorated player at the University of Michigan, Lau earned status at WPGA Tour Qualifying School a week ago and is making an instant impression in her first visit to Australia.
“I was telling my parents before the tournament started that I’m really, really nervous playing against the guys because I feel like there’s a different standard, girls and guys,” said Lau.
“Playing good out here gives a sense of accomplishment that hard work is paying off.
“Played well at Qualifying but never thought I would be in contention.
“Happy to be in the position that I’m in right now. Just want to go out and have fun and play some good golf tomorrow.”
The Queensland PGA champion in 2022, Wilkin had eight birdies Saturday in his round of 7-under 64, Martin making birdie at each of his final two holes to keep his hopes alive of a third PGA Tour of Australasia win.
Saturday also saw the opening round of the All Abilities and Junior Players Series events.
Coffs Harbour’s Cameron Pollard leads Wayne Perske by one in the All Abilities while Shepparton’s Bailey Goodall posted 2-under 69 to lead Nicholas Horvath by one in the Junior tournament.
The second leg of the Australian Long Drive Series was conducted at the close of play on Saturday, New Zealand’s Chris Charlton winning the final against Jordan Bovalina with a blow of 340 metres.
He is loath to use the word ‘cured’ but a Christmas bonus from doctors has given Kiwi Michael Hendry cause to look forward, including a guaranteed start at this year’s Open Championship.
Hendry qualified for the 2023 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool but was forced to withdraw when he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia last April.
Entering the third round of the Webex Players Series Murray River played in honour of Jarrod Lyle just one shot off the lead on Saturday, Hendry has spoken publicly for the first time about his latest results and the exemption issued by the R&A to take his place in the field for The Open at Royal Troon in July.
After a six-month fight for his life, Hendry’s return to the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia last October has been punctuated by trips back to New Zealand for biopsies. A phone call while on holiday with his family over Christmas has given him renewed hope that he is winning the battle.
“Prior to getting that news, I was expecting to have to get a bone marrow transplant. Thinking about whether it was going to work, how long have I got,” said Hendry, who was told that no cancer cells were visible in his latest biopsy.
“You get that news and then all of a sudden it’s, shit, maybe I can think about two, three, five, 10 years down the track and where I want to be.
“I don’t want to speak too soon but things are looking really positive.”
“I would’ve loved to have played this year but my goal is to be there again.”
— Tony Webeck (@TonyWebeck) July 18, 2023
Privilege to be able to share an update on Michael Hendry's cancer battle ahead of @TheOpen for which he qualified to play in.@PGAofAustralia @GolfAust @golfnewzealand_ https://t.co/erUAZJUPeN
The significance of playing his way into contention on the eve of ‘Yellow Day’ at Cobram Barooga Golf Club with a second round of 5-under 66 is not lost on Hendry.
He trails Victorian pair Andrew Martin and Andrew Kelly by just one shot and is tied with fellow Kiwi Kazuma Kobori and Japan’s Kotono Fukaya.
Lamenting that he didn’t have anything yellow to wear, Hendry wants to add to the legacy of Jarrod Lyle that is celebrated regularly within Australian golf.
Born in Shepparton less than an hour from Cobram Barooga, Lyle was first diagnosed with leukaemia as a teenager.
His gregarious personality and ongoing fight endeared him to the golf world, defying the odds to play his way onto the PGA TOUR before passing in 2018 at age 36.
Hendry now has a unique perspective of the enormity of what Lyle was able to achieve.
“No one knows what Jarrod went through more than I do,” Hendry adds.
“Jarrod struggled through it and it kind of never went away. I’ve been fortunate that at this point it has gone away. Hopefully it will stay that way for my sake.
“I’m acutely aware of what Jarrod went through and to do what he did while he was alive and suffering, I know how hard that would have been for him.
“I know people are acutely aware of what he did but maybe they don’t appreciate just how hard it actually was for him.
“I don’t want to take anything away from Jarrod’s legacy but if I could add to his legacy by telling a story as well and being able to relate it back to what Jarrod went through, that would be a really cool thing.”
Photo: Candice High
Two players with extensive histories playing golf along the Murray River share the lead heading into Round 3 of Webex Players Series Murray River played in honour of Jarrod Lyle.
Saturday is ‘Yellow Day’ at Cobram Barooga Golf Club, players and spectators alike honouring the legacy of Jarrod Lyle by donning their best yellow attire for day three.
Andrew Kelly (63) and Andrew Martin (66) are tied at the top through 36 holes at 12-under par, one clear of Kiwi pair Michael Hendry (66) and Kazuma Kobori (66) and Japan’s Kotono Fukaya (68), the leading player among the WPGA Tour contingent.
Eighteen WPGA players made the cut which went out late to 3-under, a total of 51 players advancing to the weekend rounds where they will be joined by competitors in the All Abilities and Junior Players Series tournaments.
Kelly is spending the week commuting between Barooga and his parents’ house in Wangaratta little more than an hour away.
Tied for third at the NT PGA Championship in the second event of the season, the 36-year-old had five birdies in his first six holes on Friday morning.
He made the turn in 6-under and moved to 7-under with a birdie at the par-5 first. A dropped shot on two would be his only blemish of the day as he matched the low mark of the week set by Lincoln Tighe on Thursday.
Conceding that it is the best sustained period of golf he has ever produced on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, Kelly was grateful for a birdie early in his round that somewhat set the tone.
“Fifteen, the par 5, was playing a little longer today so I tried to lay up and I hit my lay-up into the trees,” said Kelly.
“I was pretty happy just to get it on the green and then holed a 10 or 12-footer down the hill for four.
“That’s when you kind of think, Things are going my way for sure. It’s not just good golf.
“As you start to get older you realise that’s just part of the deal.”
Runner-up to Sarah-Jane Smith 12 months ago, Martin (pictured) defeated Lyle at the Australian Amateur 20 years ago, the pair growing up just 90 minutes apart in Bendigo and Shepparton respectively.
Now a two-time winner on Tour with status on the DP World Tour this season, Martin admitted that victory this week would have a home-town feel to it.
“Not being far from where I grew up, I played a lot of junior stuff here, it’s close to home so it’s nearly a home game,” said Martin.
“I like playing up on the Murray. I don’t think they get enough recognition up here but the course this week is one of the best we have played all year, condition-wise as well.”
Making his first start of 2024, Martin said his opening tee shot in his round of 64 on Thursday helped him to settle into his work.
“Over the break I did a little bit of technique stuff and spent more time on the range rather than out playing. I did say to my coach last Friday that I just had to get out and play now,” he added.
“My driver was probably the one that let me down a little bit late last year so I saw the Titleist boys on Tuesday. It was feeling good, just wanted reassurance really.
“I started on 10 and when I hit my tee shot and it was a good one I was like, we’re sorted. It was just good to see.”
The Kobori siblings – who will play together in Round 3 – are separated by just one shot ahead of Round 3, younger brother Kazuma edging one clear of Momoka who is in a tie for sixth along with Austin Bautista (69) and South Australian Jak Carter (66).
Barooga local Steffi Vogel followed up her round of 65 on Thursday with 69 Friday to be in a tie for ninth, Malaysia’s Ashley Lau and part-time pro Brendan Smith each posting 7-under 64 to play their way into the top-20.
The final two rounds of the Webex Players Series Murray River will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo.
Round 3 coverage begins at 4pm on Saturday with the final round to be broadcast live on Sunday from 2pm-7pm AEDT.
