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Christine Shin’s dreams of representing Australia and of becoming a fully qualified PGA Professional are a step closer thanks in part to the Women in Golf Scholarship.
The Women in Golf Scholarship was founded in 2021 with the intention of increasing the representation of women within the ranks of PGA Professionals and to promote women into leadership positions within the golf industry.
In the short time since it was established, it has already produced a number of success stories.
Having completed the MPP at Barnwell Park Golf Club in Sydney, Sarka Seifertova is employed as a PGA Teaching Professional at Education City Golf Club in Qatar while Nicole Martino was last year named PGA Management Professional of the Year for her contribution at The Western Australian Golf Club and represented the PGA of Australia at the 2022 Women’s PGA Cup.
A recipient in 2023, Shin is one of four to be awarded the Women in Golf Scholarship this year along with Nina Bohan (Toowoomba Golf Club), Julie Crafter (South Lakes Golf Club) and Aleisha Weidmann (Melville Golf Centre).
Each receive partial scholarships to assist their progress through the Membership Pathway Program, of which Shin is in her third year at Terrey Hills Golf and Country Club in Sydney.
Born with congenital deafness, Shin’s path has presented more challenges than most, yet she has overcome them all.
Eager to pursue playing opportunities and advance inclusive programs through coaching once she has completed the MPP, the Women In Golf Scholarship has played an important role in her development.
“As someone with a hearing impairment, effective communication is especially important in my role as both a coach and aspiring professional,” Shin said.
“The scholarship has allowed me to invest in developing these skills, helping me to connect more confidently with players, students and colleagues.
“Beyond the practical support, the scholarship has also given me the freedom to focus on my growth and learning without the constant stress of financial pressure.
“It’s bringing me one step closer to becoming a fully qualified PGA professional – ready to contribute meaningfully to the sport and help make golf more inclusive, accessible, and inspiring for others, especially women and people with disabilities.”
After learning of golf’s place within the Deaflympics just last year, Shin set her sights on representing Australia at Tokyo this November.
She was recently selected in the first Australian golf team to contest the Deaflympics from November 15-26 where Shin will have to compete without the use of her cochlear implants.
“Competing in the Australian Deaf Championship back in 2019 was the first time I played without my Cochlear implants, and it was a truly eye-opening experience,” she said.
“It felt different at first, but it also helped me grow as an athlete. I became more attuned to body language, timing, and staying focused in the moment.
“Training without my cochlear implants has now become an important part of my preparation for the Deaflympics.
“Beyond the competition itself, I’m inspired by the sense of community the Deaflympics fosters.
“It’s a space where barriers are broken and athletes with hearing impairments are celebrated for their talent and determination.
“I’m especially driven by the opportunity to inspire others – particularly women and those with hearing loss – to chase their goals and challenge perceptions.
“For me, this is about more than sport; it’s about proving that hearing impairment is not a limitation, and I’m proud to take this step forward.”
The PGA Women in Golf Scholarship Fund is proudly supported by PGA of Australia partners Acushnet and Callaway.
Courtesy of his now famous win at the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sports, Ryan Peake gained winners category status on the Asian Tour, and makes his debut as a Tour member at this week’s GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship in South Korea.
Peake, who also gained DP World Tour status thanks to his second-place Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit finish, will likely play as much as he can in Asia before that European status comes into effect at the BMW Australian PGA Championship later this year.
It marks the beginning of the next chapter for the left-handed West Australian, whose comeback story of resilience and perseverance has been well documented, and one which is likely to crescendo at The Open Championship at Royal Portrush in July — another spoil from his win at Millbrook.
Peake is joined by a host of his fellow countrymen, including Travis Smyth, and last week’s Legends Tour champion Scott Hend, who his always out to prove he can still mix it with the young guys.
Staying in Korea, the Ripper GC boys are ready to take on the inaugural LIV Golf Korea. The Rippers currently sit third on the season-long team standings, in great position to successfully defend their 2024 title.
The LPGA Tour heads to Black Desert in Utah for the first time, with seven Australians playing, many keen to shake off a lacklustre week at the Chevron Championship. While the PGA TOUR’s CJ CUP Byron Nelson, which has been a happy hunting ground for Australians in the past, heads back to TPC Craig Ranch.
Round 1 tee times AEST
PGA TOUR
THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson
TPC Craig Ranch, McKinney, Texas
10:01pm Ryan Fox (NZ)
10:45pm* Karl Vilips, Cam Davis
11:51pm Harrison Endycott
3:22am* Aaron Baddeley
Recent champion: Taylor Pendrith
Past Aussie winners: Peter Thomson (1956), Bruce Devlin (1969), Adam Scott (2008), Jason Day (2010, 2023), Steven Bowditch (2015).
Prize money: $US 9.9million
TV times: Live Thursday and Friday 9:45pm-9am Fox Sports 503 and Kayo. Saturday and Sunday 10:30pm-8am Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
LPGA Tour
Black Desert Championship presented by Greater Zion
Black Desert Resort, Ivins, Utah
11pm* Robyn Choi, Sarah Kemp
11:44pm* Cassie Porter
12:06am* Minjee Lee
12:17am* Steph Kyriacou
12:50am Fiona Xu (NZ)
1:01am* Karis Davidson
4:26am* Gabi Ruffels
4:37am* Hira Naveed
5:43am* Grace Kim
Recent champion: Inaugural event
Prize money: $US 3million
TV times: Live Friday 8am-11am Fox Sports 506 and Kayo. Saturday 8am-11am Fox Sports 505 and Kayo. Sunday and Monday 8am-11am Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Asian Tour
The 44th GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship
Namseoul Country Club, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
7:52am Junseok Lee
8:03am Ryan Peake
8:36am Jed Morgan
8:58am Sungjin Yeo (NZ)
9:09am Maverick Antcliff
12:41pm Nick Voke (NZ)
1:14pm Wonjoon Lee
1:25pm Travis Smyth
1:58pm Aaron Wilkin
2:31pm Scott Hend
Recent champion: Kim Hong-taek
Past Aussie winners: Mike Clayton (1984)
Prizemoney: KRW1,300,000,000
TV times: Live Thursday, Friday and Saturday 2pm-6pm Fox Sports 503 and Kayo. Sunday 1pm-5pm Fox Sports 506 and Kayo.
LIV Golf
LIV Golf Korea
Jack Nicklaus Golf Club, South Korea
Australasians in the field: Cameron Smith, Lucas Herbert, Marc Leishman, Matt Jones, Danny Lee (NZ).
Recent champion: Inaugural event.
TV times: Live Friday, Saturday and Sunday 7Plus.
Japan Golf Tour
The Crowns
Nagoya Golf Club Wago Course, Japan
Australasians in the field: Michael Hendry (NZ), Brad Kennedy.
Recent champion: Ren Yonezawa
Past Aussie winners: Peter Thomson (1969, 1972), David Graham (1976), Graham Marsh (1977, 1981), Greg Norman (1989), Peter Senior (1993), Roger Mackay (1994), Brendan Jones (2011).
Prizemoney: ¥110,000,000
PGA Tour Champions
Insperity Invitational
The Woodlands Country Club, Texas
Australasians in the field: Steven Alker (NZ), Steve Allan, Stuart Appelby, David Bransdon, Greg Chalmers, Richard Green, Mark Hensby, Rod Pampling, Cameron Percy, Vijay Singh (FIJI)
Recent champion: Scott Dunlap
Past Aussie winners: Nil.
Prizemoney: US$ 3million
TV times: Live Saturday 2:30am-5:30am Fox Sports 505 and Kayo. Monday 5am-8am Fox Sports 507 and Kayo.
PGA Tour Americas
Diners Club Peru Open
Los Inkas Golf Club, Lima, Peru
10:15pm Grant Booth
2:40am Charlie Hillier (NZ)
Recent champion: Stuart Macdonald
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prizemoney: US$ 225,000
Korn Ferry Tour
Tulum Championship at PGA Riviera Maya
PGA Riviera Maya, Tulum, Mexico
3:30am Rhein Gibson
4:40am* Harry Hillier (NZ)
Prizemoney: US$ 1million
Epson Tour
Reliance Matrix Championship presented by Epson
Spanish Trail Country Club, Las Vegas
1:50am* Amelia Garvey (NZ)
4:50am* Su Oh
Recent champion: Inaugural event
Prizemoney: US$ 250,000
Australia will provide its fourth captain of the International Team at the Presidents Cup with major winner Geoff Ogilvy to take on the role at Medinah in the United States in 2026.
The former US Open champion follows David Graham (1994), Peter Thomson (1996, 1998, 2000) and Greg Norman (2009, 2011) as Aussie captains of the Internationals.
Ogilvy, 47, played on three consecutive International Teams (2007, 2009, 2011), where he amassed a 7-6-1 record.
He also served as a captain’s assistant in the last four iterations of the event. The Australian owns eight career PGA TOUR victories, in addition to winning two of Australia’s biggest titles – the 2008 Australian PGA and 2010 Australian Open.
“The Presidents Cup has been a significant part of my career. I am honored to now take on the role of Captain of the International Team for the 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club’s Course #3, a place that means a great deal to me,” Ogilvy said.
“Since Ernie Els debuted the shield in 2019, the International Team’s spirit has intensified and grown as we have rallied around this symbol, which embodies our shared ambition and unifies both players and fans.
“I intend to carry that momentum forward, just as the captains before me have, to build strong support for our international players in the lead-up and throughout the event.”
Ogilvy’s golf course design firm, OCM, oversaw the renovation of Course #3 – a two-year project that delivered a much larger scale to match the topography of the property. The course, now punctuated by larger greens, scale bunkering and wider fairways, along with a new routing, re-opened to play in the summer of 2024.
PGA TOUR Commissioner Joel Monahan said: “Geoff Ogilvy is the perfect captain to lead the International Team into Chicago in 2026, drawing on both his great history with the Presidents Cup and a vast knowledge of Medinah.
“Geoff will capitalise on the upward trend of the International Team, where we have seen a passionate level of support from players and fans over the years.
“With his pedigree as a major champion and experience in the team room, Geoff was primed to take on this role for the 16th edition of the event.”
Brandt Snedeker was named captain of the defending champion United States team.
There were plenty of players on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia who definitely trended in the right direction in season 2024/25.
Here’s a look at some of our biggest improvers in the top 20.
Cory Crawford (pictured above) – up 118 to No.13
The highlight of Crawford’s summer was a one-shot win at the Vic PGA Championship at Moonah Links in December, his first on Tour in more than seven years. In a consistent run in the first half of the 2024/25 season, the 32-year-old had top-20s in five consecutive events. He added a tie for seventh at Webex Players Series Victoria after the Christmas-New Year break.
Tyler Hodge – up 101 to No.20
With thoughts of retirement from Tour life in his head, the New Zealander produced the best result of his career with a win at the Wallace Development NZ PGA Championship at Hastings. His other big point hauls came with an 11th at the Ford NSW Open and share of eighth at the Heritage Classic.
Ryan Peake – up 79 to No.2
The West Australian’s thrilling one-shot win at the NZ Open presented by Sky Sport was one of the big highlights of 2024/25. It changed his life. Less than 12 months after playing in the Tour Q School, the lefthander earned a winner’s category on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and Asian Tour and a 2025/26 DP World Tour card. He also had five other top-10s on his summer record.
Jack Buchanan – up 65 to No.6
In his second year as a professional, Buchanan was one of the stars of the first half of the 2024/25 season, beating Jordan Doull in a playoff for his first Tour win at the CKB WA PGA Championship presented by TX Civil & Logistics before coming from behind to claim Webex Players Series South Australia in front of a home crowd. He also produced a T5 finish at the Ford NSW Open and a season-ending T6 at The National Tournament.
James Conran – up 64 to No.15
Conran came close to his first Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia title last August, finishing as runner-up to Will Bruyeres in the PNG Open. When he next made it into contention at the Heritage Classic, he completed the job, producing a fantastic wedge shot on the final hole to set up a tournament-clinching birdie and a one-shot margin over Nathan Page.
Jack Thompson – up 60 to No.16
The South Australian cashed in at the NZ Open presented by Sky Sport, coming within a shot of forcing a playoff with Ryan Peake after closing with a brilliant 63 at Millbrook. That result came after a T9 at Webex Players Series Sydney and gives him plenty of confidence for an Asian Tour campaign in 2025.
Corey Lamb – up 53 to No.9
The phrase “knocking on the door” was made for Lamb who was equal second at Webex Players Series SA and the Ford NSW Open and third at the Gippsland Super 6. He was also well in contention at Webex Players Victoria before finishing tied for 11th. A place inside the top 10 on the Order of Merit represented a huge jump for the NSW pro who came through Qualifying School last April.
Elvis Smylie – up 30 to No.1
Two victories, including an Aussie major, plus another five top-10 finishes made it a season to remember for the young Queenslander who now has a DP World Tour card and a position in The Open Championship at Royal Portrush. Smylie also produced arguably the shot of the year – an approach in near-gale force winds to inside a metre, setting up a birdie to clinch the Bowra & O’Dea Nexus Advisernet WA Open at Mandurah Country Club.
Blake Proverbs – up 24 to No.17
The Queenslander was one of 13 first-time winners on Tour this season, triumphing in a playoff against Jason Norris at Webex Players Series Murray River. Earlier in the season, he again showed his linking for Nudgee Golf Club with a tie for third at the Queensland PGA Championship after being a joint runner-up in the same event 12 months earlier.
Harrison Crowe – up 18 to No.8
A victory at the season-ending National Tournament was a just reward for a strong season from the former Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion and GA Rookie Squad member. He fired in the big events with a T5 at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open, T7 at the Ford NSW Open and T8 at the BMW Australian PGA Championship. His bogey-free 68 in strong winds to close out the win at The National was one of the rounds of the season given the circumstances.
He may not have a win to his name yet in 2025 yet Lucas Herbert’s consistently strong performances for Ripper GC have finally made his claim to No.1 spot undeniable.
Winner of the Ford NSW Open during the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season and tied for fifth at the Australian Open, Herbert shot a stunning 10-under 61 in the final round at LIV Golf Mexico City to finish tied for second.
With Min Woo Lee taking the week off in Las Vegas and Hannah Green missing the cut at the Chevron Championship, Herbert’s third top-five finish of the year elevates him to top spot in this week’s Power Rankings.
PGA TOUR rookie and Puerto Rico Open winner Karl Vilips also moved up the rankings courtesy of his tie for fourth alongside Michael Thorbjornsen at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
10. Kelsey Bennett (Last week: 10)
Holds onto 10th spot despite cooling her heels back home in Mollymook ahead of the Aramco Korea Championship next month. Tied for eighth and tied for third in her two most recent starts, Bennett sits 16th on the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit.
9. Marc Leishman (8)
A winner at LIV Golf Miami, Leishman was tied 30th at LIV Golf Mexico City as Ripper GC finished two shots back in second place in the teams event.
8. Stephanie Kyriacou (9)
Continues to solidify her place within the upper echelon of the women’s game. On a day in which only four players broke 70, Kyriacou’s even-par 72 in the final round saw her climb into a tie for 30th at the Chevron Championship in Texas.
7. Elvis Smylie (6)
Began the final round of the Hainan Classic just two strokes off the lead but three bogeys on the trot early on the front nine on Sunday cruelled any hopes of a second DP World Tour win. A closing 2-over 74 saw Smylie drop into a tie for 16th after he was tied for 15th at the Volvo China Open.
6. Minjee Lee (5)
The only Aussie ever in the mix at the first LPGA major of the year. Lee began the final round of the Chevron Championship five strokes off the lead in a share of 10th but shot 74 in the final round, finishing tied for 14th.
5. Jason Day (4)
Tied for eighth at The Masters and holding steady at No.32 in the Official World Golf Ranking, Day’s next start is likely to come at next week’s Truist Championship at The Philadelphia Cricket Club.
4. Hannah Green (3)
Missed the cut at the Chevron Championship for the third consecutive. A tie for ninth at the JM Eagle LA Championship is one of three top-10 finishes this season.
3. Karl Vilips (7)
It’s either feast or famine for ‘Koala Karl’. The Puerto Rico Open winner had missed three cuts and finished tied 54th at RBC Heritage before teaming up with former Stanford University teammate Michael Thorbjornsen to finish tied fourth at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Moves up to 53rd on the FedEx Cup standings.
2. Min Woo Lee (1)
Took to the socials to whip up support for sister Minjee ahead of the Chevron Championship in his week off. Will skip this week also before teeing it up at the Truist Championship in Philadelphia.
1. Lucas Herbert (3)
Dating back to his win at the Ford NSW Open and tie for fifth at the Australian Open, no Aussie has put themselves in contention more than Herbert in 2025. Shot 10-under 61 to finish tied for second at LIV Golf Mexico City, his third top-four finish in six starts on LIV Golf this season. A win beckons.
The Australian Golf Power Rankings is a subjective list developed with input from members of the Australian Golf media team.
Twenty-six years after his first, Queenslander Scott Hend has claimed the 17th win of his professional career at the Barbados Legends event at Apes Hill in Barbados.
Hend’s second win on the European Legends Tour – his first was in his Tour debut at the WINSTONgolf Senior Open shortly after turning 50 in 2023 – came courtesy of a spectacular finish.
One of the most well-travelled players in professional golf history with more than 700 starts worldwide, Hend’s first win was at the 1999 South Australian PGA Championship.
Four shots back at the start of the final round in Barbados, Hend tore through the field with a barrage of birdies.
He played the back nine in 5-under 30 for a round of 7-under 64 and 11-under total to banish the painful memory of last year’s playoff defeat to Peter Baker in the same event.
That is one of five runner-up finishes for Hend on the Legends Tour the past two years – he was also second at the 2024 New Zealand Open – making this latest trophy one to savour.
“Second’s nice, because you get paid, but first is better because nobody really remembers second,” said Hend, typically matter-of-factly.
“I love collecting trophies, whichever tour they’re on. I’ll take a trophy at any point in time and it’s great to be back in the winner’s circle again.”
Sparked by a three-putt from close range for bogey at the par-4 fourth, Hend birdied three of his final four holes on the front nine to turn in 2-under and just two strokes off the lead.
The 51-year-old picked up shots at 11 and 12 but it would be a trio of birdies between the 15th and 17th holes that would ensure a two-shot win from England’s Greg Owen.
“It’s nice to redeem after last year’s loss to ‘Bakes’ in the playoff,” said Hend.
“You can lose a playoff in any tournament and feel like the golf course sort of suits you. This morning, I woke up and thought, It’s a bit windy, if I can try and go out there and get my score to double digits (under par), I might get lucky.
“I looked at the board when we came through nine and saw that I was one or two shots behind through nine holes.
“I thought that if I could get out there and try and post something … funny things happen in golf tournaments in the final round.”
While Hend broke his run of runner-up finishes, the Ripper GC boys had two in one day at LIV Golf Mexico City.
Captain Cameron Smith had led the way the first two days but it was Lucas Herbert who charged to a tie for second with a scintillating 10-under 61.
Herbert’s heroics weren’t quite enough to carry Ripper GC to a second straight team win, finishing second to the Jon Rahm-led Legion XIII.
Trailing by five through 54 holes, Minjee Lee was unable to mount a final round charge at the Chevron Championship in Texas, Karl Vilips partnered Michael Thorbjornsen to a tie for fourth at the Zurich Classic and Harrison Endycott made a welcome return to form with a top-10 finish on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Photo: Marianna Massey/Getty Images
Results
LPGA Tour
The Chevron Championship
The Club at Carlton Woods, The Woodlands, Texas
1 Mao Saigo 70-68-69-74—281 $US1.2m
Won on first hole of sudden-death playoff
T14 Minjee Lee 71-69-72-74—286 $104,783
T30 Stephanie Kyriacou 74-71-73-72—290 $48,689
T40 Cassie Porter 74-71-73-73—291 $36,286
T44 Gabriela Ruffels 72-74-70-76—292 $28,741
T52 Lydia Ko (NZ) 73-72-75-73—293 $22,215
T59 Grace Kim 74-70-77-73—294 $18,639
MC Hannah Green 73-77—150
MC Hira Naveed 78-74—152
PGA TOUR
Zurich Classic of New Orleans
TPC Louisiana, Avondale, Louisiana
1 Andrew Novak/Ben Griffin 62-66-61-71—260 $1,329,400 each
T4 Karl Vilips/M Thorbjornsen 64-70-61-68—263 $347,588
T32 Cam Davis/Adam Svensson 61-72-61-78—272 $38,456
MC Ryan Fox/Garrick Higgo 64-74—138
PGA TOUR Champions
Mitsubishi Electric Classic
TPC Sugarloaf, Duluth, Georgia
1 Jerry Kelly 62-67-67—196 $US300,000
3 Steven Alker (NZ) 68-67-65—200 $144,000
T21 Mark Hensby 70-68-73—211 $22,200
T26 Cameron Percy 71-67-74—212 $17,400
T31 Stuart Appleby 73-72-68—213 $13,800
T36 Greg Chalmers 70-75-69—214 $10,425
T36 Richard Green 74-68-72—214 $10,425
T44 Steve Allan 72-70-73—215 $7,200
T44 John Senden 70-72-73—215 $7,200
T65 Brendan Jones 73-74-72—219 $2,400
T71 David Bransdon 73-76-72—221 $1,580
LIV Golf
LIV Golf Mexico City
Club de Golf Chapultepec, Mexico
1 Joaquin Niemann 68-64-65—197 $US4m
T2 Lucas Herbert 68-71-61—200 $1.875m
T5 Cameron Smith 64-66-72—202 $750,000
T17 Matt Jones 68-67-75—210 $255,000
T30 Marc Leishman 69-71-74—214 $162,500
T41 Danny Lee (NZ) 76-69-73—218 $128,800
WD Ben Campbell (NZ) 73
DP World Tour
Hainan Classic
Blackstone Course, Mission Hills Resort Haikou, Hainan Island, China
1 Marco Penge 68-71-65-67—271 €382,588.89
T16 Jason Scrivener 73-68-70-69—280 €29,763.17
T16 Elvis Smylie 68-68-70-74—280 €29,763.17
T36 Danny List 73-70-70-71—284 €15,303.56
MC George Worrall 72-75—147
MC Daniel Gale 78-71—149
MC Brett Coletta 79-78—157
Korn Ferry Tour
Veritex Bank Championship
Texas Rangers Golf Club, Arlington, Texas
1 Johnny Keefer 63-61-66-64—254
T10 Harrison Endycott 62-66-65-67—260
MC Harry Hillier (NZ) 67-67—134
MC Rhein Gibson 72-65—137
Epson Tour
IOA Championship
Morongo Casino Resort and Spa, Beaumont, California
1 Briana Chacon 67-71-66—204 $US33,750
T31 Robyn Choi 69-71-75—215 $1,888
T41 Su Oh 73-72-72—217 $1,219
Japan Golf Tour
Maezawa Cup
MZ Golf Club, Chiba
1 Takanori Konishi 67-64-65-67—263 ¥40m
3 Michael Hendry (NZ) 63-65-69-69—266 ¥13.6m
T47 Brad Kennedy 70-67-66-73—276 ¥462,000
PGA Tour Americas
KIA Open
Quito Tenis y Golf Club, Quito, Ecuador
Reduced to 54 holes due to rain
1 Jay Card III 66-63-71—200
T13 Grant Booth 68-67-70—205
MC Charlie Hillier (NZ) 73-69—142
Korea PGA Tour
Woori Finance Championship
Seowon Valley CC, Paju, South Korea
1 Taehoon Lee 69-70-70-70—279 KRW300,180,108
Won on first hole of sudden-death playoff
T37 Changgi Lee (NZ) 69-76-72-72—289 KRW8,284,970
MC Wonjoon Lee 74-72—146
MC Sungjin Yeo (NZ) 72-75—147
MC Junseok Lee 76-78—154
Legends Tour
Barbados Legends Hosted By Ian Woosnam
Apes Hill, Barbados
1 Scott Hend 69-69-64—202
T17 Michael Campbell (NZ) 71-75-66—212
T54 Michael Long 81-72-73—226
A family entrenched in military service is driving PGA Academy Professional Scott McDermott to seek support in expanding a Melbourne-based golf program for military veterans into a national initiative.
As Australia and New Zealand observe ANZAC Day on Friday in honour of the servicemen and women who have served and those currently deployed, McDermott’s ‘Fairways to Resilience’ golf program is nearing its one-year anniversary.
Initially inspired to develop the program after seeing the impacts of war on his father, brother and uncle – and having witnessed the positive influence golf has had on All Abilities athletes he has coached – McDermott has structured a program that is as strong in social connection as it is in straightening wayward tee shots.
Developed initially with the support of the Department of Veterans Affairs and now sponsored by Frankston RSL, a pilot program with 16 participants last year highlighted the benefits received by those who took part.
Seventy-five per cent of respondents to a post-program questionnaire reported that they felt more socially connected than they did eight weeks prior and 87.5 per cent said that they would continue to play golf to support their well-being.
“If this program were to continue, I would jump at the opportunity to continue as I see the benefit in not only learning and improving on a new skill, but in also supporting my mental health,” said one respondent.
“I need this in my life to help me with my issues,” wrote another.
Given what he has seen not only the past year but through the lived experience of his family dating back to his great grandfather’s service in World War I, McDermott knows the good such a program could do on a national scale.
“All three of my family members who have gone through the military and who are still alive have some level of impact in their life that has been quite dramatic,” McDermott explains.
“Probably the reason why I didn’t end up going down that track because I saw what it does, but at the same time I thought, How can I help these people?
“It’s a holistic approach to developing individuals’ social skills, community skills, getting back out in the community and participating. Being around people who have lived experiences very similar to their own.”
In addition to golf skill development and shared rounds of golf, coffees after each session are built into the program.
It is that development of a self-sustained support network where McDermott sees the greatest potential impact.
“As a golfer, we know how social this game is, we know how good it is for your physical and mental health and we have studies to support that,” he added.
“The responses to that initial questionnaire spoke about connecting with people, making new friendships and being part of a community. If they have a bad day, there is someone they can reach out to with a shared or very similar experience.
“That’s potentially reducing someone’s suicidal thoughts and reducing those by giving them a platform where they can make friendships, develop relationships and feel comfortable.”
To go national, McDermott needs two things.
He wants to build a comprehensive program structure that provides fellow PGA Professionals the toolkit and background to deliver it themselves… and he needs funding.
The number of spots McDermott can currently offer is limited by sponsorship but he hopes support by organisations such as DVA and the Australian Defence Force could open the door for thousands of military personnel to take part.
“I knew what they needed. They wanted social connection and they wanted to start playing golf and the only reason it hasn’t grown further is due to funding,” he said.
“Federal funding would allow us to offer it around the country and for other PGA Professionals to get involved.
“When I talk to people from Frankston RSL, the DVA, people in Canberra, they all love it. They say it’s phenomenal and to keep doing what you’re doing.
“But until we can find that federal funding, the program will remain localised and we’ll be restricted in how many military personnel we can offer it to.”
Queensland’s Cassie Porter will make her first appearance in a major with the ringing endorsement of a fellow Aussie with major championship pedigree at The Chevron Championship starting Thursday night in Texas.
Of the seven Australians to tee it up in the first LPGA major of 2025, Porter is the only one who has to manage major debutant nerves.
But after earning promotion to the LPGA Tour in 2025 via the Epson Tour, the 22-year-old has made a quick transition to the highest echelon in women’s golf.
Her place in the field this week was secured with a fourth-place finish at the Blue Bay LPGA in China, a result that world No.5 Hannah Green believes is an indicator of even bigger things to come.
“I played a practise round with Cassie a couple of weeks ago when we played in Phoenix and she was kind of saying she’s a little bit of a homebody like myself and how to manage things when it comes to schedules,” said Green, the 2019 KPMG Women’s PGA champion.
“It’s obviously great that she’s had a good finish so early in the year so she can at least know what events she’ll get into and what she won’t.
“Chevron is a great course. There is a lot of water and I’m sure she’s kind of used to that playing in Queensland and Sydney.
“She hits a long ball and that will be really beneficial in any major championship. Hopefully having her coach Dan (Morrison) on the bag, if she’s in some tricky moments, that will be able to give her some clarity and some help out there.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the Aussie girls play well this week.”
Porter has the honour of being the first of the Aussies away tonight, teeing off at 10:59pm Thursday night alongside Thai pair Ariya Jutanugarn and Chanettee Wannasaen.
As the women take centre stage, there is a strong Australasian presence at the DP World Tour’s Hainan Open in China, there are nine Aussies contesting the Mitsubishi Electric Classic on the PGA TOUR Champions and Karl Vilips will partner former Stanford teammate Michael Thorbjornsen and Cam Davis has teamed up with Adam Svensson as he returns to the Zurich Classic of New Orleans for the first time since 2019.
Round 1 tee times AEST
LPGA Tour
The Chevron Championship
The Club at Carlton Woods, The Woodlands, Texas
10:59pm Cassie Porter
11:54pm Gabriela Ruffels
12:05am* Hira Naveed
3:59am Stephanie Kyriacou
4:10am* Hannah Green
4:21am* Lydia Ko (NZ)
4:32am* Minjee Lee
4:43am* Grace Kim
Recent champion: Nelly Korda
Past Aussie winners: Karrie Webb (2000, 2006)
Prize money: $US8m
TV times: Live 1am-5am, 8am-10am Friday, Saturday; Live 4am-8am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.
PGA TOUR
Zurich Classic of New Orleans
TPC Louisiana, Avondale, Louisiana
10:39pm* Karl Vilips/Michael Thorbjornsen
10:52pm Cam Davis/Adam Svensson
4:10am Ryan Fox (NZ)/Garrick Higgo
Recent champions: Rory McIlroy/Shane Lowry
Past Aussie winners: Cameron Smith and Jonas Blixt (2017); Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman (2021)
Prize money: $US9.2m
TV times: Live 10pm-8am Thursday; Live 10:45pm-8am Friday; Live 10:30pm-8am Saturday, Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
PGA TOUR Champions
Mitsubishi Electric Classic
TPC Sugarloaf, Duluth, Georgia
Australasians in the field: Steven Alker (NZ), Steve Allan, Stuart Appleby, David Bransdon, Greg Chalmers, Richard Green, Mark Hensby, Brendan Jones, Cameron Percy, John Senden.
Recent champion: Stephen Ames
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US2m
TV times: 12pm-1:30pm Saturday on Fox Sports 503; Live 5am-8am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 507 and Kayo.
LIV Golf
LIV Golf Mexico City
Club de Golf Chapultepec, Mexico
Australasians in the field: Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman, Matt Jones, Lucas Herbert, Ben Campbell (NZ), Danny Lee (NZ)
Recent champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US20m
TV times: Live from 5am Saturday, 4am Sunday, Monday on 7 Mate.
DP World Tour
Hainan Classic
Blackstone Course, Mission Hills Resort Haikou, Hainan Island, China
9am Jason Scrivener
9:50am* Elvis Smylie
10:20am George Worrall
1:50pm* Brett Coletta
2:10pm Daniel Hillier (NZ)
2:30pm Kazuma Kobori (NZ)
3:30pm Danny List
3:30pm* Daniel Gale
Recent champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US2.55m
Korn Ferry Tour
Veritex Bank Championship
Texas Rangers Golf Club, Arlington, Texas
11:13pm Rhein Gibson
4:27am Harrison Endycott
4:49am* Harry Hillier (NZ)
Recent champion: Tim Widing
Past Aussie winners:
Prize money: $US1m
Epson Tour
IOA Championship
Morongo Casino Resort and Spa, Beaumont, California
Australians in the field: Robyn Choi, Su Oh
Recent champion: Juliana Hung
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US225,000
Japan Golf Tour
Maezawa Cup
MZ Golf Club, Chiba
9:20am* Brad Kennedy
10:55am Michael Hendry (NZ)
Recent champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: ¥200m
PGA Tour Americas
KIA Open
Quito Tenis y Golf Club, Quito, Ecuador
2:10am Charlie Hillier (NZ)
3:30am* Grant Booth
Recent champion: Thomas Longbella
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US225,000
Korea PGA Tour
Woori Finance Championship
Seowon Valley CC, Paju, South Korea
8:10am* Changgi Lee (NZ)
8:50am* Junseok Lee
1:30pm* Wonjoon Lee
2:20pm* Sungjin Yeo (NZ)
Recent champion: Lim Seong-jae
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize Money: KRW1.5b
Legends Tour
Barbados Legends Hosted By Ian Woosnam
Apes Hill, Barbados
Australasians in the field: Michael Campbell (NZ), Scott Hend, Michael Long (NZ)
Recent champion: Peter Baker
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Kids who had never previously picked up a golf club have helped to reignite Jade Longstaff’s passion for coaching and instilled a determination to advance the game in the Northern Territory.
Now based at Alice Springs Golf Club, Longstaff’s transition from the Membership Pathway Program into a career as a PGA Professional has been a circuitous one.
Shortly after completing the MPP, Longstaff and her partner embarked on an eight-month trip around Australia, stopping to play golf courses along the way.
Longstaff also took time to offer the occasional golf lessons, including at Katherine Country Club three hours south of Darwin.
Yet when Longstaff’s partner was offered a job in Alice Springs, she didn’t immediately seek to return to the golf industry.
Challenges Longstaff faced while completing the MPP gave her cause to consider other potential careers.
She had stints as a flight attendant and working in the Northern Territory Police Force call centre, but when the chance to work under Justin Speirani at Alice Springs was offered late last year, Longstaff jumped at it.
As she introduced herself to the Alice Springs members, it was an opportunity to conduct MyGolf clinics that reminded Longstaff why she wanted to coach in the first place.
“When the MyGolf Girls program came up, my boss, Justin, said, ‘That’s perfect for you’,” Longstaff said.
“I’ve been doing those every week and we’ve actually been getting quite a few junior girls.
“Most of them are quite young – like five or six years old – but we’ve had about 15 to 20 kids rock up each week and we’re like, Where have you come from?
“A lot of them have never picked up a golf club before. The parents see free clinics during the school holidays on Facebook and they come down and we have to start from the very basics.
“It’s kind of hard to tell whether they’re going to be the ones that continue golf or if this is just a free holiday activity, because none of the girls have ever come to our Tuesday junior clinics.
“That’s why I was so surprised when I got so many of them.”
But it’s not just the little ones who are inspiring Longstaff’s coaching progression.
As she establishes her presence at Alice Springs, Longstaff is still connected with those she worked with during her time at Darwin Golf Club where she had a lasting impact.
“I feel like it’s definitely brought me back,” Longstaff said of her work with juniors.
“Even the couple of Alice Springs members that I’ve coached, they’ve come back to me after they’ve won the comp a couple of times since then.
“I saw a member from Darwin who was playing the Alice Springs Open.
“I gave him a lesson probably two years ago and he said that ever since that lesson, he’s been able to get out of bunkers first try.
“That sort of feedback is what is keeping me coaching and that’s what has made my passion come back.
“The more I do it and the more positives I see out of it, the more I realise that this is where my heart is.
“I’m glad that I came back.”
It’s been a happy hunting ground in years past and three members of this week’s Power Rankings finished inside the top 20 at the LPGA Tour’s JM Eagle LA Championship.
The champion in 2019, Minjee Lee made it three top-10 finishes from six starts with a share of seventh, two-time defending champion Hannah Green was a shot further back in a tie for ninth as Stephanie Kyriacou climbed into a tie for 16th with a closing 68.
Three of the seven Aussies in the field for this week’s Chevron Championship, it offers a nice sense of momentum from which to build for the first of five women’s majors for 2025.
It was a strong return to the DP World Tour for recently-crowned Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner, Elvis Smylie.
Tied for seventh at the halfway mark, Smylie cemented his place inside the top 15 on the Race to Dubai ranking with a share of 15th as Cam Davis bounced back from five missed cuts with a tie for 13th at the RBC Heritage.
10. Kelsey Bennett (Last week: 10)
Currently back home to recharge after back-to-back top-10 finishes on the Ladies European Tour’s South African swing. Scheduled to return to play at the Aramco Korea Championship early next month.
9. Stephanie Kyriacou (9)
Likely to move even higher in the Rolex Women’s World Ranking from her current position of 46th courtesy of her tie for 16th at the JM Eagle LA Championship. Certainly one to watch at this week’s Chevron Championship.
8. Marc Leishman (6)
Will enter LIV Golf Mexico City this week full of confidence on the back of his breakthrough individual win at LIV Golf Miami.
7. Karl Vilips (5)
Entered the final round of RBC Heritage inside the top 30 thanks largely to a 6-under 65 in Round 2. The Puerto Rico Open winner shot 74 in the final round to drop to a tie for 54th. Has paired up with former Stanford University teammate Michael Thorbjornsen for this week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
6. Elvis Smylie (8)
Continues to look increasingly comfortable on the world stage. Smylie was tied for 15th at the Volvo China Open and remains in the hunt for the DP World Tour Rookie of the Year honour.
5. Minjee Lee (7)
Would have been in the mix late at the JM Eagle LA Championship if not for a run of four straight bogeys in Round 3. Ball-striking is at her usual lofty standard and her proficiency with the long putter improves week after week.
4. Jason Day (4)
Eight-under through 45 holes of the RBC Heritage, Day played the final 27 holes at Harbour Town Golf Links in 4-over to finish tied for 49th. After rising five spots on the back of his top-10 finish at the Masters, dropped one to now sit 32nd on the Official World Golf Ranking.
3. Lucas Herbert (2)
Will have a fire in the belly to emulate Marc Leishman’s win in Miami with a victory of his own at LIV Golf Mexico City this week. With two top-five finishes is currently 11th in the LIV Golf individual standings.
2. Hannah Green (3)
Began her year in earnest with a tie for ninth at the JM Eagle LA Championship. Now turns her attention to The Chevron Championship in Texas where she has missed the cut in her past two starts.
1. Min Woo Lee (1)
Perhaps suffering from something of a Masters hangover, finished tied for 61st at RBC Heritage. At No.25 in the Official World Golf Ranking remains our highest-ranked male player. Will take two weeks off before returning for the next Signature Event on the PGA TOUR, the Truist Championship in Philadelphia.
The Australian Golf Power Rankings is a subjective list developed with input from members of the Australian Golf media team.
