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On a day where there was no shortage of low scoring at Warragul Country Club, it is Victorian Ben Henkel who stands tall above the rest atop the Gippsland Super 6 leaderboard after day one.
After playing the last six years without a glove, Henkel decided to give it a go in a practice round earlier this week and has kept it on today, helping him on his way to an opening course record 8-under 62.
The Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia rookie holds a one shot lead over fellow youngsters Jason Hong and Corey Lamb tied second, before a large group of players sit tied fourth at 6-under.
Among the group is Sydneysider Jye Pickin, who has been lingering around the top of the leaderboard in several Tour events this season but has been unable to breakthrough for a win as yet in his debut year.
Beginning his day on the tenth at Warragul, Henkel got into his work early with a birdie at 11 followed by an eagle at the par-5 12th. Two further birdies had him turn in 5-under, with the course record already in his sights.
A bogey at the fairly straight-away first halted the scoring, but only momentarily, as Henkel resumed his charge immediately storming home with four more birdies at three, four, six and nine.
“Been playing really solid lately, hitting a lot of greens, a lot of fairways, just waiting from them to drop and today they started to,” he said.
“Every time I went for a shot I was on the good side of the green and I think that’s pretty important around here. You can be pretty shortsighted on some of those slopes.
“Had a good caddie, good local caddie Max who helped me with a few things.”
Courtesy of the junior pro-am on Tuesday afternoon, Henkel found a last-minute caddie in Warragul junior Max, who provided some insightful advice on the interesting layout.
Rising through the amateur ranks with professional golf always on the horizon, Henkel’s ascension was dramatically altered following a car accident in 2019.
Suffering a fractured vertebrae, Henkel was sidelined from golf for 12-months, the sport becoming a distant priority throughout recovery. He is certainly making up for lost time now.
Having missed the cut at the Vic PGA at Moonah Link last week, the same venue he was successful at during Qualifying school earlier in the year, Henkel was quick to shift his focus to this week.
“It’s my first time here, so I came down and played Monday and Tuesday, just get two 18s in and see the place. Felt pretty comfortable standing on the 10th tee to start the day.”
It has been an interesting first year on Tour for Henkel. He played well in his debut at the PNG Open for a top-10 finish, but since then it has been a lot of middle of the road results.
“It’s been really great, really challenging,” Henkel said of his first year on Tour. “The kicking in the bum that I needed has been playing around that cut line for most of the events.
“Being around the bubble has been hard but it’s been good too, it’s made me a bit hungrier to play well and be up the top of the leaderboard.”
With Lamb and Hong just one back, and Pickin and co. within touch too, there are plenty of players all vying for the same glory at Warragul, a first Tour win.
Lamb is perhaps the man who desires it the most. After finishing runner-up three times, and twice this year, he knows it’s not far away.
“Just got to keep playing solid and then in the match play anything can happen,” said Lamb.
For Hong, while hungry for that first win all the same, the trophy would come with the added bonus of playing rights, which is gold for the Sydneysider who has just returned from college golf in the States.
“The dream is to get a win this week and then set myself up for January and the rest of the season through to the next,” said Hong.
“If not, I’m just going to have to keep Monday-ing in and yeah, just kind of go from there. But Q School in April, that’s the biggest thing.”
Victorian John Wade has brought a more than year-long winless drought to an end in emphatic fashion with a three-stroke victory at the Living Choice Australia Legends Pro-Am at Headland Golf Club.
As the 2024 PGA Legends Tour draws to a close with its final Sunshine Coast swing, Wade went bogey-free in a round of 6-under 66, three clear of Roland Baglin (69) with six players sharing third at 2-under.
Wade’s most recent Legends Tour win dates back all the way to September 2023 at Magenta Shores Golf and Country Club, a cooperative putter finally bringing Wade some joy.
“The form’s been pretty ordinary,” confessed Wade, who also received the Glenn Joyner Memorial Jug for his win.
“The putter helped me out a lot today. I haven’t been holing any putts, let alone hitting the ball badly, but today I managed to keep the round going with some good par saves. Made a few birdies and kept a nice clean card for a change.”
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
Signs were good early for Wade that a change of fortune may have been imminent.
After a regulation par at the first, the 56-year-old peeled off three straight birdies from the par-5 second.
A birdie at the par-5 eighth saw Wade turn in 4-under, further birdies at 11 and 17 – and none of the big numbers that have plagued him in recent weeks – saw him post a number in the morning that proved unassailable for the afternoon wave.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I hadn’t been here for a few years and last time I was here it was firm and fast. I thought the greens were amazingly firm today, even after all the rain last night,” said Wade.
“They’ve done some good work with the bunkering off the tee around that 230, 240 mark, so you need to keep it out of those, hit a lot of greens and just keep the damage to a minimum, which I haven’t been doing lately.
“I’ve just been having way too many big numbers, so I’m really, really pleased.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 John Wade 66
2 Roland Baglin 69
T3 Matthew King 70
T3 David Hill 70
T3 Guy Wall 70
T3 Russell Swanson 70
T3 Mark Boulton 70
T3 Michael Craig 70
NEXT UP
The penultimate event of the season is the ever popular Sunshine Coast Masters at Twin Waters Golf Club starting Thursday with the season finale, the Queensland Senior PGA Championship, to follow at Maroochy River Golf Club from Monday.
Emerging cult hero Corey Lamb knows that a first professional win is not a matter of if, but when, and there’s no time like the present.
Those that have been following Lamb’s journey, first through the amateur ranks and now on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, have a growing sense of expectation that a breakthrough is imminent.
With two runner-up finishes already this season at Webex Players Series South Australia and alongside Cameron Smith at the Ford NSW Open, it is a view the Hunter Valley product shares.
His consistent season continued last week with a top-10 finish at the Victorian PGA Championship, solidifying his place inside the top 10 of the Order of Merit.
Currently sitting in seventh position, Lamb is the highest-placed player in this week’s Gippsland Super 6 field and likes his chances at Warragul Country Club.
“I know I can do it, it’s just a matter of it happening,” said the 23-year-old.
“Warragul really suits me. I like the greens and it’s pretty short. I mean, I chip and putt really good, so I think if I can get it around the greens, I should go well.”
Admittedly a little tired coming into his fifth event on the trot, Lamb says the confidence he has found in his game this season has allowed him to conserve energy when required.
“I did a lot of good practice before the season started and I was pretty confident in my game,” he said.
“I’m playing really well, so it’s been good to not have to play as much. If you’re struggling, you need to do a more practice, but I’m sort of getting away with not doing as much.
“I know my game well enough, so it’s all about just recovering and being ready come Thursday.”
Despite playing well in Warragul last year, Lamb missed out on advancing to the Sunday medal match play, an opportunity he is eager not to miss out on again this time around.
“I’ve always loved match play and I’ve actually played really good when I have played match play back in my amateur days,” he said.
In 2019, Lamb took out the Queensland Boys Amateur and the NSW Junior Championship in consecutive weeks, but a maiden professional win has eluded him.
His consistency is carrying him forward though, and Lamb knows that if he keeps banging the door down, eventually it will give way.
“The process is just keep doing what I’m doing and everything will come when it wants to.”
Jason Day will seek to bring 2024 to a close with a successful title defence as a host of fellow Aussies look to secure status on a variety of tours for 2025.
Day will team up again with Kiwi Lydia Ko at the Grant Thornton Invitational in Florida, the duo paired with women’s world No.1 Nelly Korda and American Tony Finau for the opening round at the Tiburon Golf Club.
Not only do Day and Ko have positive memories to call upon from their victory of 12 months ago but both had previously won at the venue.
Ko is a two-time winner of the CME Group Tour Championship, an official stop on the LPGA, while Day was on the winning team in the 2014 edition of what was then the QBE Shootout consisting only of PGA TOUR golfers.
The pair are among four teams that have carried over from 2023 with the format remaining the same. A traditional fourball takes place on day one, day two sees teams play foursomes and then on the final day a modified fourball is played where each player tees off and then plays their partner’s ball for the remainder of the hole.
While it is fun and games in Naples, elsewhere in Florida Rhein Gibson and Kiwi pair Harry Hillier and Tim Wilkinson are seeking to play their way onto the PGA TOUR in 2025.
After finishing 88th on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List, Gibson had to come through Second Stage to earn a spot at PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry while Hillier was exempt by virtue of finishing top 10 on the PGA TOUR Americas Fortinet Cup Points List. Wilkinson is exempt by virtue of a medical category.
The top five finishers and ties at Q-School’s Final Stage will earn 2025 PGA TOUR membership while the next 40 finishers and ties will earn guaranteed starts on the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour.
In Saudi Arabia, 12 Aussies are among the 93 competitors vying for the single spot on offer at LIV Golf Promotions.
Winners on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia this season, Jack Buchanan and Phoenix Campbell are among the Aussie contingent that also includes Wade Ormsby, Jed Morgan and Daniel Gale.
Pre-qualifying is currently underway for Final Stage of Ladies European Tour Qualifying School next week in Morocco, Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, Justice Bosio, Kristalle Blum and amateurs Abbie Teasdale and Belinda Ji all hoping to join Kelsey Bennett in the final field.
After the completion of the final round was delayed a day due to rain, the LPGA Q-Series wrapped on Wednesday with Australia’s Robyn Choi missing out on retaining her card by a single stroke.
Tied for 19th entering the final round, Choi dropped three shots prior to the suspension of play on Monday but returned to post 1-over 73 and finish tied for 27th, the top 25 and ties earning full status for 2025.
Round 1 tee times AEDT
PGA TOUR
PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry
Dye’s Valley Course and Sawgrass Country Club, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
1:10am Rhein Gibson
1:10am* Tim Wilkinson (NZ)
2:10am* Harry Hillier (NZ)
2023 champion: Harrison Endycott
Past Aussie winners: Harrison Endycott (2023)
TV times: Live 5am-9am Sunday; Live 4am-8am Monday on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo.
Grant Thornton Invitational
Tiburón Golf Club, Naples, Florida
2:45am Jason Day/Lydia Ko (NZ)
2023 champions: Jason Day and Lydia Ko (NZ)
Past Aussie winners: Jason Day and Lydia Ko (2023)
TV times: Live 5am-8am Saturday; Live 6am-9am Sunday; Live 5am-8am Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
LIV Golf
LIV Golf Promotions
Riyadh Golf Club, Saudi Arabia
Australasians in the field: Maverick Antcliff, Travis Smyth, Jak Carter, Brett Rankin, Jed Morgan, Nick Voke (NZ), Ben Campbell (NZ), Wade Ormsby, Daniel Gale, Jack Buchanan, Phoenix Campbell, Will Bruyerers, Brett Coletta, Matthew Griffin.
2023 champion: Kalle Samooja
Past Aussie winners: Nil
TV times: Live on 7 Plus
Scott Barr bounced back from the heartbreak of a near miss at PGA TOUR Champions Q School to share victory with Brad Kennedy at the Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club Legends Pro-Am hosted by Adam Scott and Peter Senior.
Both Barr and Kennedy made the mad dash from Arizona to tee it up at Sanctuary Cove, Barr having fallen just one stroke short of securing full PGA TOUR Champions status for 2025.
He and Kennedy both shot rounds of 5-under 67 on The Pines Course at Sanctuary Cove to edge Lucien Tinkler (68) by a shot, Barr thankful for a good night’s sleep for his fourth win of the PGA Legends Tour season.
“I felt like I’d probably go OK today if I could get some sleep last night, which I did,” said Barr.
“My game’s really good and hopefully I get some opportunities next year.
“I’m going to have to make them happen but I’m confident where I’m at.”
Kennedy finished tied for 26th at Q School and was grateful for a win at the golf club that he calls home.
“Being a local boy at Sanctuary Cove, I was very familiar with the pins, and there were some really tough, tricky pins out there today,” said Kennedy. “It was nice to see them tuck a couple.
“Actually hitting into the water on 17 and making bogey got me motivated to get myself started and I made four in a row after that.
“It was nice to come and play out here and support Pete and Adam and also the members of Sanctuary Cove and tie for the win.”
HOW THE WINNING ROUNDS UNFOLDED
With the Sanctuary Cove greens holding their firmness despite the quantity of rain in south-east Queensland in recent weeks, both Barr and Kennedy took time to adjust.
Barr began his round with a bogey at the par-4 second while Kennedy took seven holes before registering his opening birdie at the par-3 16th.
A bogey followed at the par-5 17th but he responded with a superb birdie at the par-4 18th.
It would be the first of four in succession that would position Kennedy toward the top of the leaderboard.
Barr had no problems finding early birdies, making four in seven holes after his dropped shot on two.
He moved to 4-under with a birdie at the par-4 15th and then closed with a birdie at the first to tie Kennedy’s 5-under total.
WHAT THE WINNERS SAID
“It actually played beautifully. The course was fantastic,” said Kennedy.
“It’s been in this good a shape for the last two or three months, so I’m pretty spoilt out here to be able to practise and use the facility.”
“We had some nice sunshine here and there, but the course was stunning,” added Barr.
“The greens were firm today, which I was surprised when we started out. You got the big bounce off the green, so just had to make an adjustment.
“The pace was good though and even though we had rain, the course was magnificent.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
T1 Brad Kennedy 67
T1 Scott Barr 67
3 Lucien Tinkler 68
4 Adam Henwood 69
T5 Peter Lonard 70
T5 Terry Pilkadaris 70
T5 David Bransdon 70
NEXT UP
The PGA Legends Tour now moves north for the three-event Sunshine Coast swing to close out the season, starting with the Living Choice Australia Legends Pro-Am at Headland Golf Club.
With just one event to be played before the Christmas break, this week’s Gippsland Super 6, there has been plenty of recent movement on the all-important Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.
The top-three players at season’s end will receive DP World Tour cards for the following season, an opportunity that can quickly transform one’s career as David Micheluzzi – 2022/23 Order of Merit winner – has shown this year.
The clear frontrunner is Elvis Smylie at 1247.56 points, courtesy of wins at the Bowra & O’Dea Nexus Advisernet WA Open and the BMW Australian PGA Championship, he is well clear of Cameron Smith in second at 735.68.
Smith will more than likely not be returning to the Tour this season, and so while he has a solid base, others below him should be able to chip away and chase him down in the new year.
Ford NSW Open winner Lucas Herbert, who sits in third at 717.06, however will be returning for the Webex Players Series Murray River in late January to add to his tally.
Two-time Tour winner this season, Jack Buchanan sits in fourth 620.11, and while he is not in Gippsland this week, the South Australian will be back post-Christmas eager to make a push for one of the DP World Tour cards on offer early in his professional career.
Curtis Luck and Marc Leishman, who both play most of their golf internationally are in fifth and sixth position respectively, largely due to solid performances in the Aussie majors. Corey Lamb is sitting in seventh at 374.14, and with no one else above him on the standings in the field this week, has a clear run to move up before Christmas.
Finishing tied-second at both the Webex Players Series South Australia and Ford NSW Open, Lamb returned to the pointy end of the leaderboard last week at the Vic PGA finishing seventh.
A breakthrough win feels just around the corner for Lamb, and if it comes this week in Warragul, the man from the Hunter Valley would make some serious inroads towards finishing amongst the top-three.
New South Wales young gun Harrison Crowe is eighth at 323.58, and having only played four events, will be a favourite to keep climbing in 2025 having returned to his home circuit after spending the year playing primarily on the Asian Tour.
Just below Lamb and Crowe in ninth is Anthony Quayle, who came back from a seven-shot penalty at last week’s Vic PGA to finish in third.
Having only played five events this season, Quayle has quickly amassed his 322.17 points, plenty coming from his stunning week at the BMW Australian PGA Championship where a closing 63 had him finish in a tie for third.
In his first season as a professional, Jasper Stubbs has made a great start, currently sneaking inside the top-10 at 307.03. The Victorian’s share of third at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open helping him along nicely.
A large group of players sit just outside the top-10, and with Lamb and Quayle the only players from the top bunch in the field at Warragul, some notable movement could have occurred when the Order of Merit is updated on Monday morning.
For Jake Newbery, the key to engaging kids in golf is to show them just how fun the sport is, something that comes naturally to him.
Announced at the PGA Awards during BMW Australian PGA Championship week as the 2024 MyGolf Deliverer of the Year, Newbery credits his grandfather for introducing him to the game and fostering his love of the sport from a young age.
“My inspiration comes from being amongst golf,” he said.
“My grandfather was my sole inspiration into me being a part of the golf industry.
“I just fell in love with the sport and I love everything about it. I love showing kids just how much fun golf and our sport can be.”
Working out of KDV Sport on the Gold Coast, Newbery completed his PGA Membership Pathway Program at Keperra Country Golf Club.
KDV is a multisport facility, and the ethos of the MyGolf program fits in perfectly. MyGolf takes a fun above all approach, and incorporates a number of different games and sports.
“To get kids engaged, you’ve got to have energy,” said Newbery.
“You’ve got to have multiple different stations that they can go through and learn. You’ve got to ensure they understand it because if they can understand it, they’ll be able to do it.
“Show them how to have fun, and show the love of the sport.”
In his pursuit to unearth the next stars of the sport, and help pass on his love of golf to the next generation, Newbery says the MyGolf program has been transformative.
“The MyGolf platform is absolutely incredible,” he said. “Not only does it create links between parents and coaches, it gives parents the ability to see what’s going on in their local area and then get their child involved in the game.
“It’s so easy to use on the Golf Australia website. Honestly, I can’t recommend it enough. If you haven’t got it, get it.”
Newbery receives countless messages (see below) from parents praising him for helping their kids, but it is the instant feedback from his students that he cherishes the most.
“Their smiles are the most special. Seeing them hit a shot that they can’t hit. Seeing them make their first putt, making their first birdie, then they just go, ‘Wow! Did I just do that?’.”
Messages from parents included in Newbery’s nomination below:
In the fifth straight week of Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia events, the Gippsland Super 6 heads back to Warragul Country Club for the fourth time in the tournament’s six year history.
The last event on Tour for the year, players will be looking for a final Order of Merit boost before the Christmas break, and with a number of players taking up opportunities around the world this week, there is increased opportunity for serious movement.
None of this season’s Tour winners are in the field, paving the way for a maiden Tour winner come Sunday at Warragul. Last year’s champion Kerry Mountcastle is also not in the field this week, however two-time Gippsland Super 6 champion Tom Power Horan is back in region and will be hungry for a third title.
2023 CHAMPION: Kerry Mountcastle (NZ)
PRIZEMONEY: $200,000
LIVE SCORES: www.pga.org.au
TV COVERAGE: The Gippsland Super 6 is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
*All times AEDT.
Round 3: Saturday 3pm-6pm (Fox Sports 503/Kayo)
Final Round: Sunday 1pm-6pm (Fox Sports 503/Kayo)
FORMAT:
The Gippsland Super 6 starts out with 54 holes of stroke play event over three days before morphing into a final day of six-hole knockout matches culminating in a two-man finale.
A field of 120 competitors will play 18 holes on each of the first two days. After 36 holes, the leading 50 professionals and ties, plus any amateurs on the same score or better, will qualify to play the third round.
After 54 holes, the leading 24 players will qualify for the knockout section, which is contested via six-hole medal match play to determine a champion.
Medal match play means that all matches will go the distance with a winner determined on the sixth hole, or, the match will continue to the deciding knockout hole.
THE COURSE:
Designed by Syd Bennett in 1926, Warragul is one of the premier courses in the Gippsland region. Playing as a par-70 measuring 5,509 metres, Warragul’s standout feature is the serious elevation changes.
Bulit on a dramatic site, several holes play either down into steep gullies, or up and over interesting rises, with almost no flat holes on the entire property.
A unique feature at Warragul is the 176 metre par-3 finishing hole, which often provides a dramatic ending to the medal match play. In the event of a tie in the matches, a shorter tee measuring 100 metres is used as a knockout hole to determine the winner.
HEADLINERS:
Tom Power Horan – Two-time Gippsland Super 6 champion
Corey Lamb – Three top-10s this season and 7th on the OOM
Cameron John – 2024 winner of The National Tournament
Matias Sanchez – Three top-10s this season and 15th at the BMW Australian PGA Championship
Anthony Quayle – Third at both the BMW Australian PGA Championship and last week’s Victorian PGA
Jake McLeod – 2018 Order of Merit winner
After almost a decade in the police force, the PGA’s Membership Pathway Program offered the career change Luke Porritt needed.
“It was my sister who encouraged me at the time,” says Porritt.
“She said there was no reason I couldn’t take a risk. Her advice stuck with me, it helped me to take the leap and I am so glad I did.”
Porritt was in a dark place when he and his sister shared that raw conversation.
After nearly a decade in the police force, Porritt was struggling with a range of mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, directly related to his work.
“I had a pretty bad time of it and, ultimately, I just needed to get out,” he reflects.
Thankfully for Porritt, golf – the game he grew up loving with his dad and grandpa as they played together on sand greens – provided hope and possibility in the form of a drastic career change.
For Porritt, that meant enrolling in the PGA’s Membership Pathway Program; the PGA’s accredited education program to help translate a passion for the game into a career as a PGA Professional.
“The timing all worked out really well,” Porritt explains.
“A job popped up in Thurgoona where I was at the time, and it was a chance to do something I had always had a passion for.
“Up until that point, I just didn’t think a career in golf was something I could do.”
Now in his third and final year as a PGA Associate, 34-year-old Porritt is thriving.
His is a busy schedule as he balances completing his education with his hours at Thurgoona Country Club, as well as finding time to practice and improve his own game.
“There is no doubt I’ve got a lot on, I am also a father of two now,” he laughs.
“But from where I was, I think being busy – and enjoying what is making me busy – is a really wonderful thing.”
At Thurgoona, Porritt is splitting his time between the shop, where he spends three days a week, and coaching. A nice split, he loves engaging with club members and already understands the role that a PGA Professional can play in enhancing golfer experience.
“I love building that connection and rapport with people around the club. I think it is a unique and special role in that way,” he adds.
To that end, he is eternally grateful to the club for being supportive of his journey. From the work opportunities to creating the time and space to continue improving his own game, Porritt has found a home at Thurgoona.
The practice is paying off, too.
Porritt has recorded two third-places finishes at the NSW/ACT Associate Championship and cites a start at the Victorian PGA as a highlight of his time as an Associate.
“I really do love playing and competing,” he says. “I am hoping to get some starts in Tour events next year and really keep that side of things going.”
Recognised for his hard work, improvement and outstanding results through his time in the MPP, Porritt was also named Victorian Associate of the Year in 2023.
“I am very proud of that to be honest. It is really nice to be recognised for your hard work.”
Although the hard work is far from over, Porritt could not be more content with the decision he made to look after his health and follow his passion. With a career as a PGA Professional waiting for him, the possibilities are many.
“I love coaching but would never rule out the idea of becoming a Director of Golf or General Manager in the golf industry,” he says.
“The chance to follow my passion is wonderful, and I am so grateful for the support of my wife, family and all the wonderful people at Thurgoona for helping to make it a reality.”
To explore the myriad of career opportunities available through the PGA of Australia, visit pga.org.au/education
Canberra-based Brendan Jones will return to Arizona for his PGA TOUR Champions debut after securing his 2025 Tour card in dramatic fashion at TPC Scottsdale.
Tied for fifth entering the final round of Final Stage of the Qualifying Tournament that distributes five Tour cards at the completion of 72 holes, Jones fell outside the top 10 with three bogeys in his opening eight holes.
With full status slipping away, Jones (pictured far right with fellow qualifiers Mark Walker, Felipe Aguilar, Soren Kjeldsen and Freddie Jacobson) conjured six birdies in his final 10 holes to finish tied for third at 14-under par.
A bogey on the final hole by American Dicky Pride ensured a playoff would not be required, fellow Aussies Andre Stolz and Scott Barr relegated to a tie for sixth as a result of Jones’s stunning finish.
Q-School drama on 18.
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) December 7, 2024
A closing bogey from Dicky Pride helped Aguilar, Jones and Walker earn their status and avoid a playoff. pic.twitter.com/sotFwLjSFh
Not due to celebrate his 50th birthday until March 3, Jones will miss the opening three events of the 2025 season before being eligible to debut at the Cologuard Classic in Tucson from March 7-9.
It continues Australia’s recent run of success at Champions Tour Q School after four secured status last year and two the year prior.
Although heartbroken by their near miss, both Stolz and Barr are eligible to play in open qualifiers in 2025. It is the same status that Greg Chalmers used to play his way into 20 events this year and ultimately finish 25th in the Charles Schwab Cup to secure full status in 2025.
Queenslander Cameron Smith has returned to the top 100 on the Official World Golf Ranking with a fourth top-three finish in his past five starts.
Teeing off an hour before the final group, Smith’s bogey-free final round of 9-under 62 saw him post 21-under par.
It would hold up all afternoon, the 31-year-old joining eventual champion Joaquin Niemann and American Caleb Surratt in a playoff.
“I think it was a bonus to even get in there, to be fair, sitting down for an hour and a bit,” said Smith, who climbed 21 spots to 80th in the world ranking.
“I was thinking my percentage of having a top five was very slim.
“It’s kind of lucky that there wasn’t any beers in the clubhouse because I would have had a few, I think.
“It’s a weird game sometimes, and you never really know what’s going to happen.”
BMW Australian PGA champion Elvis Smylie is second on the DP World Tour Race to Dubai rankings after finishing in a tie for 14th at the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa while Robyn Choi remains in the hunt to earn back LPGA Tour status at LPGA Q Series for the second straight year.
Medallist 12 months ago, Choi is in a tie for 19th entering the fifth and final round, the top 25 and ties to secure full status for 2025 where she intends to build on her 2024 performances.
“I feel like if I can just keep playing the way I am right now and get my card again, I think I can take some revenge,” said Choi.
“I feel like I’m a little bit more comfortable going into next year.”
Photo: Rudy Ramirez/PGA TOUR Champions
Results
Asian Tour
PIF Saudi International
Riyadh Golf Club, Saudia Arabia
1 Joaquin Niemann 65-66-65-67—263 $US1m
Won in sudden-death playoff
2 Cameron Smith 67-64-70-62—263 $412,500
4 Ben Campbell (NZ) 68-68-64-64—264 $235,000
T9 Matt Jones 67-66-68-67—268 $90,035.71
T17 Travis Smyth 66-66-68-69—269 $62,600
T22 Jak Carter 70-66-66-68—270 $50,500
T29 Brett Coletta 70-69-64-68—271 $41,600
T42 Lucas Herbert 68-69-67-70—274 $27,375
T50 Nick Voke (NZ) 68-68-73-66—275 $21,583.33
T50 Wade Ormsby 70-68-66-71—275 $21,583.33
MC Daniel Gale 72-69—141
MC Maverick Antcliff 71-70—141
MC Jed Morgan 70-71—141
MC Marc Leishman 70-72—142
MC Danny Lee (NZ) 74-73—147
PGA TOUR
Hero World Challenge
Albany Golf Club, Albany, Bahamas
1 Scottie Scheffler 67-64-69-63—263
T19 Jason Day 75-70-73-71—289
DP World Tour
Nedbank Challenge
Gary Player CC, Sun City, South Africa
1 Johannes Veerman 70-71-73-69—283 €969,273.82
T14 Elvis Smylie 71-72-73-72—288 €82,506.48
PGA TOUR Champions
Qualifying Tournament – Final Stage
TPC Scottsdale (Champions Cse), Scottsdale, Arizona
1 Søren Kjeldsen 64-65-65-66—260
T3 Brendan Jones 67-69-66-68—270
T6 Andre Stolz 69-70-66-66—271
T6 Scott Barr 67-67-67-70—271
T14 Mathew Goggin 69-68-67-72—276
T26 Brad Kennedy 71-68-71-69—279
T62 Dominic Barson (NZ) 73-70-74-74—291
Legends Tour
MCB Tour Championship Mauritius
Constance Belle Mare Plage, Mauritius
1 Peter Baker 70-62-68—200
T27 Scott Hend 68-75-69—212
T41 Michael Long (NZ) 75-71-71—217
T47 Michael Campbell (NZ) 70-80-69—219
LPGA Tour
LPGA Q-Series: Final Qualifying
Magnolia Grove Golf Course, Mobile, Alabama
Through four of five rounds. Top 25 and ties earn LPGA status
1 Chisato Iwai 67-69-68-62—266
T19 Robyn Choi 70-67-73-70—280
