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Promising players from across the globe are starting to understand what young Australian golfers have known for some time: the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia is now a direct pathway to the top echelons of professional golf.
The past three Order of Merit champions – David Micheluzzi, Kazuma Kobori and Elvis Smylie – are all now domiciled on the DP World Tour and played major championships within months of the Australasian season coming to a close.
In a further boost to the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia’s international awareness, the first Qualifying School to be held in the US will see an increase in the American flags that populate leaderboards throughout the Summer of Golf.
Starting with next week’s PNG Open at Royal Port Moresby Golf Club, here are seven players under the age of 25 who will hope to use the 2025-2026 season as a launching pad for their professional careers.
Harrison Crowe
A familiar name to Australian golf fans whose victory at The National Tournament to close out the 2024-2025 season was his second on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia. Winner of the 2022 Asia Pacific Amateur Championship in Thailand, Crowe won the NSW Open the same year, the first player to win it and the NSW Amateur in the same year in more than 80 years. Has the pedigree to contend in the season’s biggest events having finished eighth on the 2024-2025 Order of Merit.
Phoenix Campbell
Like Crowe, Phoenix Campbell is a two-time winner on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, having won back-to-back Queensland PGA championships at Nudgee Golf Club. He birdied the par-3 18th on his way to winning as an amateur in 2023 and then backed that up by defeating Jak Carter in an enthralling playoff for his first professional win in 2024. Finished 2024-2025 season 21st on the Order of Merit.
Quinn Croker
A graduate of the Future Tour following some outstanding performances as an amateur across the 2023-2024 season, Croker’s best finish last year came in the final event, a tie for third at The National. Possessing incredible length and a soaring ball flight, the tall Queenslander is poised to be one of the breakout players of the coming season.
Jimmy Zheng
Kiwi countryman Kazuma Kobori delivered the blueprint as Jimmy Zheng seeks to turn medallist honours at Qualifying School in April into a DP World Tour card or better in the season ahead. An Economics graduate from Duke University, Zheng was an All-ACC Academic Team selection three years running and was fifth at the 2024 Western Amateur won by… Kazuma Kobori. Received the Bledisloe Cup as low amateur at the 2020 New Zealand Open… three years before Kobori achieved the same.
Jayce Hargrove
One of eight players to earn status for the 2025-2026 season via the international Final Qualifying School held in Georgia in July. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University after transferring from Texas Tech, the Texan-born Hargrove won the Silver State Amateur and was runner-up at the Easter Amateur during the 2022 season.
Samuel Espinosa
As a product of Pedrana in Spain where he and his family were friends with the Ballesteros family, Espinosa spent time with Seve Ballesteros as a youngster and was coached in his early days by Seve’s brother, Vicente. Espinosa represented his homeland at the Toyota Junior Golf World Cup in 2019 and then embarked on a very successful college career in the US, including a third-place finish at the 2022 NCAA Division II championships. Was tied 16th at Qualifying School in Georgia to earn limited status and is entered for both the PNG Open and NT PGA.
Scotty Kennon
Joins the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia on the back of Monday qualifying for a PGA TOUR debut at last week’s Wyndham Championship. Kennon won the Drive Chip and Putt Championship at Promontory Nicklaus Golf Course in Utah in 2014 and he and his older brother Jackson and sister Cassie filled their spare time as kids caddying at acclaimed Bandon Dunes Resort. Kennon finished tied 13th at Qualifying School in the US after completing his fourth year at Wake Forest University No.27 in the PGA Tour University rankings.
The All Whites were on site for his RBC Canadian Open win, the Kiwi contingent was strong at The Open at Royal Portrush and now New Zealand No.1 Ryan Fox is looking forward to something of a home-town crowd at the BMW Australian PGA Championship in November.
Led by world No.34 Fox, the top three Kiwis on the Official World Golf Ranking all confirmed on Tuesday their places at Royal Queensland Golf Club from November 27-30, a tournament no New Zealander has won since Greg Turner in 1999 at Victoria Golf Club.
Ten years later, Fox made it all the way to the semi-finals of the Australian Amateur at Royal Queensland and this year makes his return to the BMW Australian PGA for the first time since 2022.
Tickets and hospitality packages are available at ticketek.com.au
A two-time winner on the PGA TOUR this season, Fox’s commitments in the US creates uncertainty around playing the New Zealand Open early next year. The 38-year-old is therefore hopeful that Kiwi golf fans will again be out in force when he tees it up at RQ.
“There always seems to be a bunch of random Kiwis at events,” said Fox, who broke through on the PGA TOUR at the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic in May.
“You can hear the New Zealand accent from a mile away and at The Open at Portrush this year, it was unbelievable how many Kiwis were over there for that.
“I feel the love every week. I know there’s a pretty strong Kiwi contingent up in Queensland and hopefully there’s a few Kiwis fly over to watch the PGA as well.
“It’ll feel a little bit like playing at home maybe, just with some slightly better weather than we get the end of November.”
With his future now secure in the United States, Fox will have a significant break back home in New Zealand at the completion of the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
It will ensure that he arrives at Royal Queensland in November fresh and primed to accumulate some early points on the DP World Tour season, a far cry from when he last stepped straight off a plane from Dubai to play the 2022 BMW Australian PGA.
“I’ve always wanted to play the events at the end of the year. It just hasn’t worked that well the last couple of years,” said Fox, the 2019 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner.
“I did it in ‘22 after a really big year and was absolutely cooked and struggled early ’23, not having enough of a break.
“Obviously Brisbane’s a great city, Royal Queensland’s a great golf course and I’m looking forward to coming back and giving it a crack at the end of the year.”
With Adam Scott confirming his place in the field last week and defending champion Elvis Smylie also locked in, Fox knows his potential status as the highest-ranked player in the field will count for little.
He is also aware of the recent success of his fellow Kiwis on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, including 2023-2024 Order of Merit winner Kazuma Kobori and recent tournament winners Tyler Hodge (NZ PGA), Josh Geary (Vic Open), Nick Voke (Webex Players Series Sydney) and Kerry Mountcastle (Gippsland Super 6).
“We’ve obviously got a lot of really good players at the moment,” said Fox.
“It was great to see Josh Geary get a win earlier this year, Kazuma’s obviously playing great and played great on the DP World Tour this year.
“Dan Hillier is another one, Mike Hendry is still carrying the flag nicely, Kerry’s turned himself into a great young player so we’ve got a lot of chances.
“It’s been 26 years (since Turner’s win) so hopefully we can change that this year. I’ll certainly be giving it my best crack and I’m sure all the other Kiwis in the field will be doing the same.”
Photo: Stuart Franklin/R&A/R&A via Getty Images
The BMW Australian PGA Championship is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland, and Brisbane City Council via Brisbane Economic Development Agency.
The very best of New Zealand men’s golf are en route to the BMW Australian PGA Championship with two-time PGA TOUR winner Ryan Fox to lead a resurgent Kiwi assault at Royal Queensland Golf Club.
The winner of the Canadian Open and Myrtle Beach Classic in 2025, Fox will return to Australia for the first time since 2022, joining fellow Kiwis Daniel Hillier and Kazuma Kobori as confirmed contenders for the Joe Kirkwood Cup from November 27-30.
The trio have a combined 31 victories worldwide in professional events, two Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit titles and will be trying to break a 26-year drought for New Zealanders at the BMW Australian PGA Championship.
Tickets and hospitality packages are available at ticketek.com.
Enjoying a career-best year, Fox’s Official World Golf Ranking has climbed to No.34 and he is currently ranked No.32 in the PGA TOUR’s FedEx Cup standings.
His list of 19 wins worldwide includes three Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia titles – the 2014 WA Open, 2015 Queensland PGA and 2019 World Super Six – on the way to becoming NZ’s long-time No.1 men’s professional and an established star on the DP World Tour and now the PGA TOUR.
Fox said: “It’s going to be a great Summer of Golf in Australia and being part of it at the BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland is something I’m very much looking forward to.
“I had some good success on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia in my very early days on Tour which helped to give my career a nice kick along. Winning one of the big tournaments like the PGA would be a real highlight.
“Brisbane is also close to home so lots of friends and family will hopefully get the chance to come out which should make for a really enjoyable week.”
Bound for the PGA TOUR if he continues his 2025 form on the DP World Tour, Hillier has seven professional victories on his resume, including the 2023 British Masters, and is currently 13th on the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai standings.
Hillier almost secured a second DP World Tour title earlier this year, finishing as the runner-up in the Dubai Desert Classic.
Like Fox, Kobori is a past winner of the Order of Merit and Player of the Year titles on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, claiming the honour for the 2023/24 season when he won three tournaments in his rookie year as a professional.
Kobori has consolidated his position on the DP World Tour, recently posting a season-best third place at the BMW International in Germany.
PGA of Australia Nick Dastey General Manager of Tournaments & Global Tour Relationships said he was delighted the top three Kiwis on the Official World Golf Ranking had signed on for this year’s BMW Australian PGA Championship.
“Having Ryan, Daniel and Kazuma in our field, representing the best of New Zealand men’s golf, is a huge plus for this year’s tournament,” Dastey said.
“Ryan is in the middle of the best year of his career, proving once again what an outstanding competitor he is by winning twice against the best in the world on the PGA TOUR.
“His presence is going to add tremendous interest, especially from Kiwi golf fans who will get to see their No.1 back on his home tour, the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
“Likewise, Daniel and Kazuma have already had great results in 2025 and would no doubt love to add the BMW Australian PGA Championship to their list of achievements.
“We haven’t had a Kiwi winner since Greg Turner in 1999, but with these three great contenders in the field, plus the other New Zealand pros who will join them from our Tour, you definitely can’t discount it this year.”
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said fans were ecstatic about the world-class talent coming to the iconic Royal Queensland fairways.
“As Australia’s lifestyle capital, Brisbane is proud to welcome some of New Zealand’s top golfing talent as part of this much-loved event,” Cr Schrinner said.
“Hosting the Australian PGA Championship isn’t just a sporting highlight – it’s a major economic win for our city, creating more to see and do for residents and visitors.
“With thousands of visitors expected to attend the tournament, our lifestyle precincts will be buzzing with people ready to support local businesses and explore everything Brisbane has to offer.”
The BMW Australian PGA Championship is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland, and Brisbane City Council via Brisbane Economic Development Agency.
One of Australia’s most decorated golfers, and fan favourite, Adam Scott has today confirmed he will return home in 2025 as one of the headliners for the BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club from November 27-30.
The first Australian to win The Masters at Augusta National, Scott is a two-time winner of the Kirkwood Cup in his home state of Queensland but has yet to win at Royal Queensland, where he was a junior member.
“Australia will always be home and returning to compete in front of the passionate and knowledgeable fans is always a nice way to end the year,” Scott said today.
“It is always exciting to play in Queensland, and especially at RQ where I spent time developing my game.”
Currently on track to join Jack Nicklaus as the only players to contest 100 consecutive major championships, with the 2026 US Open the potential century celebration, Scott returns home having recorded top-10s in his last appearances at Australia’s two major events – the BMW Australian PGA and Australian Open.
Tied for sixth at the 2023 PGA Championship, Scott was in the mix late on Sunday for a second Australian Open crown, with more silverware in his home country in Scott’s sights as he seeks to add to his 28 official wins worldwide.
He will also contest this year’s Australian Open at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club.
“It is an honour to have both the BMW Australian PGA and Australian Open on my resume, and I would love nothing more than to win again at home in front of family and friends,” the 44-year-old said.
“Both trophies have honour rolls full of the biggest names in not just Australian golf, but world golf, and anytime you can have success at the end of the year always makes for a nice break and sense of satisfaction.
“The Summer of Golf at home has been a constant talking point on Tour recently, and it will be great to have a truly international field showcasing our world-class courses and players.”
Joined as a confirmed starter for the BMW Australian PGA Championship by defending champion Elvis Smylie, Scott will make his 17th appearance in his home state event where he owns nine top 10s and claimed the title in 2019.
“Adam has always been one of the great supporters of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, and it is a huge boost for both tournaments that he will be teeing it up in 2025, starting at the BMW Australian PGA Championship,” PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said.
“The effort of our overseas based players to return home after a long year is highly appreciated, and after again contending at the majors in 2025, I am sure Adam will be targeting another of our biggest trophies in Australian golf.”
Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tim Mander said: “We’re thrilled to again be hosting Australia’s oldest professional golf tournament in 2025, an event that always assembles world-class fields, attracts massive galleries and further cements Queensland’s reputation as a premier destination for major sporting events”.
Minister for the Environment and Tourism Andrew Powell said: “Last year’s tournament welcomed tens of thousands of people to the manicured lawns of the Royal Queensland Golf Club, making an economic contribution of more than $15 million. We can’t wait to see what the 2025 tournament holds.”
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said: “Adam Scott’s return to the world-class Royal Queensland fairways will make this November’s Championship truly unmissable, especially for Queenslanders.
“The Australian PGA Championship is shaping up to be a major highlight on our sporting calendar, drawing fans from near and far to enjoy not just the action on the green, but everything Brisbane has to offer.
“As Australia’s lifestyle capital, Brisbane is the perfect backdrop for this blockbuster event, which is set to deliver millions of dollars in economic benefits for our restaurants, hotels and tourism operators.”
Tickets for the BMW Australian PGA Championship and men’s Australian Open are on sale now at www.ticketek.com.au
The BMW Australian PGA Championship is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland, and Brisbane City Council via Brisbane Economic Development Agency.
The PGA of Australia has joined the golf world in mourning the passing of groundbreaking jewellery magnate and golf visionary, Sir Michael Hill.
The driving force behind Michael Hill Jewellers passed at the age of 86 following a battle with cancer and will be remembered not only for his jewellery empire, but for channelling his passion for golf and his homeland into the resurrection of the New Zealand Open.
Now one of the marquee events on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia schedule, the New Zealand Open was first staged at The Hills golf course near Queenstown in 2007 and Sir Michael was pivotal in its evolution into its current pro-am format.
Its success over the past decade has made it one of the most popular events each summer, for both professionals and their amateur playing partners alike, drawing titans of industry and sporting superstars from across the globe to tee it up in Queenstown.
The CEO of the PGA of Australia, Gavin Kirkman, shared his condolences on the passing of such an important figure for golf in the Asia-Pacific region.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Sir Michael,” Mr Kirkman said.
“The success of the New Zealand Open on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia owes so much not only to his generosity, but the spirit in which he gave it.
“I have no doubt that the growing stature of the New Zealand Open on the global stage has been inspirational to young golfers in New Zealand and to those professionals currently playing around the world.
“He has left an indelible mark on everyone who has had the good fortune to play the New Zealand Open over the past two decades and The Hills golf course that Sir Michael so lovingly created was a magnificent venue for the 10 occasions that it hosted and co-hosted the New Zealand Open.
“Sir Michael’s legacy will live on through the New Zealand Open and through the players he impacted along the way.”
A keen student of the violin who founded the Michael Hill International Violin Competition, Sir Michael spoke in a 2009 interview with Australian Golf Digest on not just his passion for golf, but why the New Zealand Open held such an important place in his heart.
“What is really great is being able to give something back to two extremely difficult things, golf and music,” Sir Michael said.
“That is a very odd combination and, just as important, with the New Zealand Open we are giving back to the community. To New Zealand and Australasia really, because I think our Australasian ties are becoming more and more important.”
With parents who were avid golfers, Sir Michael took up the sport at a young age and quickly turned his hand to course design.
He mowed 18 greens at the family’s property north of Whangarei and created holes using baked bean tins, the Red Star Golf Club soon becoming a popular hangout for fellow young golfers in the region.
“Looking back now it’s quite funny,” he added.
“The local boys would come along and would have to pay 1-and-6 to be a member and we had tournaments, just chipping and putting.
“It’s funny how these things come back later in life.”
Photo: Sir Michael Hill (right) with 2016 New Zealand Open champion Matthew Griffin and the late Mr Ishii, founder of Millbrook Resort. Credit: Photosport NZ
The NSW Open Regional Qualifying Series, a series of six $50,000 36-hole tournaments across the State, is ready to roll.
In a boost to the economies of several important regional centres across NSW, the tournaments also provide an opportunity for Australia’s best up-and-coming talent to secure their place in the 2025 Ford NSW Open.
This year’s series will kick off at Teven Valley, with formalities beginning on July 24. The pro-am will be followed by 36 holes of championship golf on the 25th and 26th.
The second stop will be Lismore Workers from July 27-29, followed by South West Rocks Country Club from July 30 to August 1.
The North Coast Open at Coffs Harbour will host the fourth tournament from August 4 to 6 in what should be an exciting finale of almost two weeks of golf.
After a brief break, the series heads to Catalina Club Batemans Bay for the penultimate tournament from September 17-19, eventually concluding at Queanbeyan Golf Club from September 21-23.
Stuart Fraser, CEO of Golf NSW, said six regional centres should receive a timely economic boost again.
“The NSW Open Regional Qualifying Series brings plenty of much-needed dollars to regional New South Wales,” Mr. Fraser said. “Competitors are in town for up to three nights at each centre, filling motels, eating at restaurants, and enjoying some of the State’s best hospitality.”
“Not only do locals witness some of Australia’s best golfers, but the tournaments are a significant economic boost for the surrounding areas,” Mr. Fraser added.
With a $50,000 purse on offer at each (professionals only), the top three placegetters (professional or amateur not otherwise already qualified) at each tournament will also secure a start in the Ford NSW Open, played over 72 holes from November 13-16 at the Vintage Golf Club in the NSW Hunter Valley.
Ripper GC’s Lucas Herbert won last year’s Ford NSW Open at Murray Downs in fantastic fashion by three shots from his Ripper GC teammate and former Open Champion Cameron Smith, Sydneysider Alex Simpson, and Branxton’s Corey Lamb.
The Regional Qualifying Series has become a popular addition to the Australian domestic golf scene, with many of the country’s top players participating.
Graeme Phillipson, General Manager of Operations, Golf NSW, said the six-tournament $300,000 series would again bring several of the sport’s best golfers to regional NSW.
“All of the tournament fields contain some fantastic names,” Mr. Phillipson said.
“Players like Jordan Zunic, a former New Zealand Open Champion, Marcus Fraser, who represented Australia at the Rio Olympics, and Deyen Lawson, a regular on the Asian Tour, are all competing over the next few weeks.”
Defending his title at the North Coast Open is Queenslander Brett Rankin, who used his victory last year to springboard himself onto the Asian Tour for 2025.
“Results like his regional qualification and his subsequent win in the World Sand Greens title certainly helped Brett to one of his best years on tour,” Mr. Philipson added.
Teven Valley: July 24-26
Lismore Workers: July 27-29
South West Rocks Country Club: July 30 – August 1
Coffs Harbour – North Coast Open: August 4-6
Catalina Club Batemans Bay – South Coast Open: September 17-19
Queanbeyan Golf Club: September 21-23.
The Ford NSW Open Regional Qualifying Series is proudly supported by the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
New Yorker Chris Malec will tee it up alongside Rory McIlroy at the Australian Open in December after a last-minute decision to enter paid the ultimate dividend at the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School in Georgia.
Marking the first time that the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia offered a Qualifying School outside Australia, the 72-hole qualifier at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club ended in unfortunate and dramatic fashion.
Malec (68) and Patrick Healy (67) finished level at the top of the leaderboard at 8-under par, a playoff needed to determine who would be crowned medallist and exempt into every event of the 2025/2026 season.
Malec and Healy were on the green at the second playoff hole when Healy realised that he had a 15th club in the bag, having returned a second putter to his bag prior to the playoff in preparation to leave the golf course.
A 34-year-old journeyman with limited starts on the Korn Ferry Tour and Canadian Tour stretching back a decade, Malec had a good look at birdie on the second playoff hole, stunned when Healy conceded defeat due to the rules infraction.
“I feel for him. Really, I do. It’s just an unfortunate thing,” said an emotional Malec.
“I really wanted to hit that birdie putt. It’s OK. I’ll take the result.”
Bogey-free in the final round and with Healy playing in the group ahead, Malec had to make par on the final hole to force a playoff.
He can now look ahead to a summer playing golf Down Under including starts in DP World Tour co-sanctioned events at the BMW Australian PGA Championship and the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne Golf Club, an unfathomable thought even a week ago.
“It is just so hard for me to wrap my head around that I have to plan my way over to Australia now,” said Malec.
“This was kind of a spur-of-the-moment sign-up. I signed up last minute. I just heard about it and felt like it was a good opportunity and here I am and it worked out.
“I’ve been kind of grinding my way along on all these other mini tours, fell short in Canada Q School and honestly, the cash was running low.
“I just kind of believed that I was playing well, although my results weren’t there.
“I’m just grateful that I came and it worked out.”
While devastated at the manner in which the playoff ended, Healy is one of seven players who receive a category for the upcoming Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season that starts with the PNG Open at Royal Port Moresby Golf Club from August 14-17.
The other players to receive a category are Dustin White (71), Harrison Davis (68), Jayce Hargrove (70), Ty Gingerich (71), Jaron Leasure (71) and New South Wales amateur Hamish Murray (74).
Texas teenager Lucky Cruz has the backing of NBA legend Stephen Curry as he tries to earn status for the 2025/2026 season of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
To be staged at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club in Valdosta, Georgia from July 15-18, 52 players from the United States, Canada, Spain, India, New Zealand and Australia have signed up for the first Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School held internationally.
A veteran of 201 starts on the PGA TOUR, 46-year-old Kiwi Tim Wilkinson is the most recognisable name to have entered yet with his youthful exuberance and distinctive hairstyle, Cruz may be the standout on course.
At 16 years of age, Cruz became the youngest player in North America to earn status on a professional tour when he qualified for the Gira de Golf Professional in Mexico in February.
Two years earlier, Cruz came to the attention of four-time NBA champion Curry.
A passionate golfer who won the celebrity-laden American Century Championship at Lake Tahoe last year, Curry established the UNDERRATED Tour to provide playing opportunities for under-represented minorities within golf.
The Curry Cup brings together the top 24 girls and boys from the UNDERRATED Tour, Cruz catching the eye of Curry when he took out the 2023 Curry Cup.
“He’s a gamer,” Curry told Golf Digest of the now 17-year-old.
“He’s a super talented young golfer who has got a flair about him and a presence about him.
“He’s a competitive kid and the sky’s the limit for him in the game of golf.”
In addition to his Curry Cup win in 2023, Cruz also won the boys 14-15 years division of the Notah Begay III Junior Golf National Championship, finishing 13 strokes ahead of Tiger Woods’s son, Charlie.
It is the first time that the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia has gone global in providing direct entry to a tour that has proven itself to be a pathway to the DP World Tour, Korn Ferry Tour and, eventually, the PGA TOUR.
Tour Development Manager for the PGA Tour of Australasia, Kim Felton, says players such as Cruz are exactly those this initiative is trying to target.
“Golfers globally are now recognising the pathway offered by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and we are thrilled that a talent such as Lucky wants to come and play our tour,” said Felton.
“We understand that Australia is a long way to come for Q School so our intent with this qualifier in Georgia is to align with our vision and attract more international players to Australia. The opportunity of international pathways to other major tours is also a huge benefit for them to make the journey and compete on our Tour.
“The top three on the Order of Merit at season’s end earn status on the DP World Tour and our past three Order of Merit winners have each played two majors in the months that followed.
“Ryan Peake is the perfect example of our pathway. Ryan attended Q School in April last year and in November this year will be a playing Member of the DP World Tour.
“Not only are we providing opportunities for these players to advance their professional careers, I’m confident that Aussie golf fans will love seeing those who qualify playing Down Under this summer.”
Six players will earn playing rights for the 2025/2026 season with the top spot being exempt into all events, including the BMW Australian PGA Championship, the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne Golf Club and the New Zealand Open.
Kinderlou Forest Golf Club, a quality course and well-known as a stern test of golf, hosted the South Georgia Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour between 2007-2014 and has been used as a host venue for Second Stage of PGA TOUR Q School.
Australian golf rising star Elvis Smylie has today locked in the defence of his BMW Australian PGA Championship title.
This year’s championship, co-sanctioned by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tour, will again be hosted by Royal Queensland Golf Club from November 27-30.
The 23-year-old from the Gold Coast provided one of the major highlights of last season’s Summer of Golf when he held off three-time champion Cameron Smith to win the Joe Kirkwood Cup for the first time.
It propelled Smylie onto the world stage by earning him status as a full-time member of the DP World Tour and he went on to claim the 2024/25 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit title.
“Winning the Joe Kirkwood Cup for the first time was a huge honour and definitely the highlight of my career so far,” Smylie said.
“I have some great memories of that final Sunday. It meant so much to win at home in front of my family and friends in one of Australia’s most important championships.
“Being a BMW ambassador just made it even more special. “Although there’s still a lot of this year to play out, I can’t wait to get back to RQ and try to do it all again.”
PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said: “Elvis played some spectacular golf at Royal Queensland last year, especially down the stretch when he had one of our game’s greats in Cam Smith playing alongside him and trying to chase him down”.
“It’s been very rewarding to see his progress since then, winning our Order of Merit for the first time and going on to play successfully internationally, including at his first US PGA Championship where he made the cut at his first attempt of a US Major and he now has The Open Championship to come.
“We look forward to seeing Elvis back at Royal Queensland where I’m sure he will be determined to get his name on the Kirkwood Cup for the second time.”
Wolfgang Buechel, CEO of BMW Group Australia – the title partner of the Australian PGA Championship – said: “BMW has a long and proud association with Elvis, and it has been delightful for us to witness his remarkable rise in world golf.
“We look forward to his return to the BMW Australian PGA Championship in 2025, where our entire team will be there to cheer him on.
“We also look forward to again be the title partner of the BMW Australian PGA Championship – an event that continues to go from strength to strength and perfectly complements our partnerships with the PGA, Golf Australia and the WPGA.”
Minister for Sport and Racing and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tim Mander said:“Elvis Smylie’s win last year was a standout moment for Queensland and Australian golf, you could see how much it meant to him to lift the Joe Kirkwood Cup on home soil.
“It’s no surprise he’s eager to return and defend his title, and I’ve no doubt fans will turn out in force to see if he can do it again.”
“Now in its fifth consecutive year at Royal Queensland Golf Club and just 15 minutes’ drive from Brisbane, the BMW Australian PGA Championship continues to deliver for Queensland. It brings in thousands of visitors, fills hotels and restaurants, and showcases our state as a premier destination for world-class sporting events.”
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said: “Brisbane is excited to host this world-class event for the fifth straight year in 2025, bringing thousands of passionate fans back to Royal Queensland Golf Club.
“Elvis Smylie is the first big name confirmed to compete, but certainly won’t be the last – promising fans another thrilling Championship.
“Brisbane is Australia’s lifestyle capital, and this event is a hole in one for our city, boosting our economy as visitors pack our hotels, restaurants, and local attractions.”
The BMW Australian PGA Championship is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland, and Brisbane City Council via Brisbane Economic Development Agency.
The Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia today announced its schedule for the first half of a bumper 2025-2026 season that will offer a record total of around $7 million in prizemoney across 10 events.
The two Australian majors, the BMW Australian PGA Championship and Australian Open, will both offer substantially increased prize purses this season, reflecting the growth and increased interest in both tournaments, co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour.
The BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club from November 27-30 will offer $2.5 million, the most in the event’s 121-year history, an increase of $500,000 on 2024.
Meanwhile, the Australian Open at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club on December 4-7, where Grand Slam winner Rory McIlroy will be the headline act, will offer a minimum of $2 million in prize money.
To kick off the 2025/26 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season, former Queensland PGA champion and 2024 BMW Australian PGA third placegetter Anthony Quayle hit a commemorative tee shot at today’s launch at Nudgee Golf Club which will host the first event of back-to-back weeks in Brisbane for the Tour in November.
Quayle is headed to the DP World Tour next season after gaining one of the cards on offer to the top-three finishers on last year’s Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.
“The Chase is On” from the PNG Open in August, with 10 tournaments locked in through to the end of the year, including the return of the Tailor-made Building Services NT PGA Championship at Palmerston Golf Course on August 28-31.
Outstanding golf courses making a reappearance on the Tour schedule is another highlight for the first half of the season.
There’s a return to the Mt Lawley Golf Club for the Nexus Advisernet Bowra & O’Dea WA Open for the first time since 2018 on October 16-19, the Perth club to showcase its acclaimed redesigned layout which opened for play in late 2023.
The Ford NSW Open is back at the Greg Norman-designed The Vintage Golf Club on November 14-17. Set in the vineyards of the Hunter Valley, The Vintage hosted the Open for four consecutive years from 2007 to 2010.
The ground-breaking Webex Players Series, featuring its format of men and women on the same course, vying for the same title, will have one event prior to the New Year with Willunga GC in the McLaren Vale region once again the venue for Webex Players Series South Australia hosted by Greg Blewett.
Another four Webex events will come in early 2026, including the second year of Webex Players Series Perth hosted by Minjee and Min Woo Lee at Royal Fremantle Golf Club in January.
Owned and operated by the PGA of Australia, the Tour will continue through to March when the Order of Merit champion will be crowned.
PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said the first half of the 2025/26 would be crucial for the professionals looking to follow the pathway available from the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia to the DP World Tour and eventually the PGA TOUR.
“The Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season is all about ‘the chase’ and we’re delighted our professionals will be chasing record prizemoney across the first half of the season,” he said.
“They’ll also be chasing titles, exemptions and opportunities to compete internationally.
“There is so much on the line for our players as they try to follow the pathway that has been created all the way to the PGA TOUR.
“We saw what was possible with Elvis Smylie winning twice on our Tour last year and going on to win the Order of Merit, earn his DP World Tour card and starts in two majors.
“Careers can be changed in just a few months.”
PGA of Australia General Manager of Tournaments and Global Tour Relationships Nick Dastey said: “We’re excited with what’s to come in the first half of the 2025/26 season with our best professionals visiting Papua New Guinea plus six of Australia’s states and territories.
“Once again, the Tour will be in both major metropolitan and regional areas with each event having its own unique flavour and the chance to see our game’s best up close.
“The quality of golf we witnessed last season was exceptional with close finishes a feature almost every week. We look forward to seeing who emerges as our frontrunners in 2025/26.”
The post-Christmas/New Year schedule of Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia events will be announced in coming weeks.
Challenger Chief Executive, Customer Mandy Mannix said: “We’re excited for the upcoming PGA Tour of Australasia season — it’s a fantastic stage for local talent to compete alongside the world’s best golfers.
“For Challenger, this partnership is about more than sport, it’s a way to connect with the community we serve, especially retirees who share a passion for golf and the lifestyle it represents.
“Supporting this Tour aligns perfectly with our purpose of helping Australians build financial security so they can enjoy a better, more active retirement.”
2025
August 14-17: PNG Open at Royal Port Moresby Golf Club, $225,000
August 28-31: Tailor-made Building Services NT PGA Championship at Palmerston Golf Course, $200,000
September 27-28: World Sand Greens Championship at Binalong Community Club $140,000 (Non-OOM)
October 9-12: CKB WA PGA Championship presented by TX Civil & Logistics at Kalgoorlie Golf Course, $250,000
October 16-19: Nexus Advisernet Bowra & O’Dea WA Open at Mt Lawley Golf Club, $200,000
October 23-26: Webex Players Series South Australia hosted by Greg Blewett at Willunga Golf Course, $200,000
November 13-16: Ford NSW Open at The Vintage Golf Club, $800,000 min
November 20-23: Queensland PGA Championship at Nudgee Golf Club, $250,000
November 27-30: BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club, $2,500,000
December 4-7: Australian Open at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club, $2,000,000 min
December 11-14: Victorian PGA Championship at Moonah Links Resort, $250,000
The BMW Australian PGA Championship is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland, and Brisbane City Council via Brisbane Economic Development Agency.
