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Lucas Herbert will carry the hopes of Ripper GC fans into the final day as a Mexican standoff looms at the top of the leaderboard at LIV Golf Adelaide.
A shower greeted players as they teed off at The Grange Golf Club in Round 2 on Saturday but it was the blustery winds that confounded many and made shot selection and iron play so challenging.
The Australian Open champion by five strokes more than six years ago at The Lakes Golf Club, Mexico’s Abraham Ancer produced the round of the day to join countryman Carlos Ortiz and England’s Sam Horsfield at 9-under par and in a three-way tie at the top.
Ancer shot 5-under 67 on Saturday to put his Fireballs GC team within one of Majesticks GC (10-under) in the team competition, defending champions Ripper GC fighting back late to narrow the margin to nine strokes with one round to play.
“I love this kind of golf,” said Ancer.
“Definitely not a bomber’s paradise. As you can tell, I’m not gifted with a ton of distance, but I love to move the ball around and play with my trajectory, and I love that.
“In Australian golf you can do that. You have multiple types of ways to get the ball in the hole, and I truly enjoy that.
“That’s why I feel like I’ve played good in the past, and I have a lot of confidence here.”
Tied for fourth in the season-opener in Riyadh, Herbert will start Sunday’s final round as one of six players in a share of ninth at 3-under par and within six strokes of the lead.
With The Grange able to take shots back as quickly as it gives them up, it is by no means an insurmountable deficit for the in-form Herbert.
The Victorian shot 67 in the final round to win the NSW Open last November and was tied for fifth at the Australian Open, form that should instil a sense of confidence to adopt the role of pursuer on Sunday.
Starting at the par-4 fifth, Herbert took two early steps back with bogeys on five and eight but headed to the back nine with momentum after making birdie at the par-5 ninth.
Birdies at 13, 16 and 18 saw the 29-year-old play the back nine in 3-under par but dropped another shot with a bogey at the par-4 second.
With his team in desperate need of a lift, Herbert birdied his final hole for a round of 2-under 70.
If their fans were holding onto a glimmer of hope, the Ripper GC boys sent them home buoyant as all four picked up a shot on their final hole of the day.
Marc Leishman (70) made four birdies in his final five holes to end day two in a tie for 20th, captain Cam Smith (73) got up-and-down for birdie at the par-5 seventh and Matt Jones (71) ended Round 2 with birdie at the par-5 13th.
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
Individual
T1 Carlos Ortiz (Torque GC) -9
T1 Sam Horsfield (Majesticks GC) -9
T1 Abraham Ancer (Fireballs GC) -9
4 Joaquin Niemann (Torque GC) -6
5 Jon Rahm (Legion XIII) -5
Australians
T9 Lucas Herbert (Ripper GC) -3
T20 Marc Leishman (Ripper GC) -1
T29 Cameron Smith (Ripper GC) +1
T35 Matt Jones (Ripper GC) +2
T48 Wade Ormsby (Iron Heads GC) +6
Team
1 Majesticks GC -10
T2 Legion XIII -9
T2 Fireballs GC -9
7 Ripper GC -1
A spirited showing from Victorian Lucas Herbert was the highlight for defending team champions Ripper GC as Englishman Sam Horsfield claimed the outright lead on day one of LIV Golf Adelaide at The Grange Golf Club.
Part of a four-way tie late in Round 1, Horsfield of Majesticks GC separated himself from the pack with a late bogey at the par-5 13th in a bogey-free 6-under 66.
The Australian Open champion in Sydney two years ago, Chilean Joaquin Niemann shares second with fellow Torque GC teammate Carlos Ortiz at 5-under par with another Australian Open winner from South America, Mexico’s Abraham Ancer, tied for third with major champions Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau at 4-under 68.
“The Australian crowd is really good. They kind of like me a little bit, I think, and you can feel the energy,” said Niemann.
“There’s a few guys following around, really energised, enjoying my shots, enjoying when I was making a putt.
“That gets me going.”
At 1-under par, Herbert is the best of the Ripper GC quartet who find themselves 11 shots back and in a tie for ninth in the team competition.
Fast becoming the talismanic figure within the Ripper GC team, Herbert gave the Adelaide golf fans something to cheer with birdies at the 222-metre par-3 third and the par-4 fifth, where he holed his bunker shot after coming up short with his approach.
A double-bogey at the par-5 seventh sent Herbert back to even par on his round before the 29-year-old responded with birdies at eight and 10.
A dropped shot at 12 was countered by a birdie at 13 before a bogey on his penultimate hole saw Herbert drop to 1-under on his round.
It was a day of frustration for Herbert’s Ripper GC teammates with Cameron Smith making birdie at the last to shoot even-par 72, Marc Leishman one stroke further back with 1-over 73 and Matt Jones tied for 48th at 3-over 75.
The only other Australian in the field, Iron Heads GC substitute and Adelaide local Wade Ormsby, shot 7-over 79.
Struggling to find the fairways on Friday, Smith conjured one of the shots of the day on his way to an unlikely birdie at the par-4 11th.
Out in the trees alongside the corporate hospitality, Smith hooked a punch shot through the trees that found its way to the putting surface, the 2022 Open champion somewhat dumbfounded when the putt dropped for birdie.
Smith hit just four of 14 fairways in his round, fighting gallantly to get back to square by day’s end.
The highlight of Round 1 came inside the first 20 minutes when 4Aces GC’s Patrick Reed made a hole-in-one at ‘The Watering Hole’, the par-3 12th.
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
Individual
1 Sam Horsfield (Majesticks GC) 66
T2 Carlos Ortiz (Torque GC) 67
T2 Joaquin Niemann (Torque GC) 67
T4 Dustin Johnson (4Aces GC) 68
T4 Abraham Ancer (Fireballs GC) 68
T4 Bryson DeChambeau (Crushers GC) 68
Australians
T20 Lucas Herbert (Ripper GC) 71
T28 Cameron Smith (Ripper GC) 72
T37 Marc Leishman (Ripper GC) 73
T48 Matt Jones (Ripper GC) 75
54 Wade Ormsby (Iron Heads GC) 79
Team
1 Torque GC -8
T2 Legion XIII -6
T2 Fireballs GC -6
T2 4Aces GC -6
T9 Ripper GC +3
It was the site of their stunning team win in a playoff last year, and the Ripper GC team are back at the Grange Golf Club ready to defend at LIV Adelaide.
Hot off his tied-fourth last week in Riyadh, Victorian Lucas Herbert will be hoping for a dream breakthrough performance on home soil.
“Personally, I think our worst player is better than every other team’s worst player,” Herbert said.
“Some weeks, some guys will play the No. 1 spot, and some guys play the No. 4 spot. Cam’s the standout player, but then there just doesn’t feel like a weakness on our team. It feels like we’re all pretty solid player who are pretty consistent, week in and week out.”
All the Ripper GC team members will be eager to impress the Australian crowds, however without an individual win in season 2024, captain Cam Smith will be wanting to prove a point early this year.
Elsewhere, Danny List is making his PGA TOUR debut at The Genesis Invitational, thanks to being chosen by tournament host Tiger Woods as this year’s Charlies Sifford Memorial Exemption recipient.
List joins TOUR regulars Adam Scott, Jason Day, Cam Davis and his close friend Min Woo Lee at Torrey Pines.
Four Australasians are teeing it up on the LET this week in Saudi Arabia, with last season’s Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner Kazuma Kobori caddying for sister Momoka.
PGA TOUR
The Genesis Invitational
Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Cse), San Diego, California
4:14am* Adam Scott
4:36am Min Woo Lee
4:47am Cam Davis
4:58am* Jason Day
5:31am Danny List
Recent champion: Hideki Matsuyama
Past Aussie winners: Robert Allenby (2001), Adam Scott (2005, 2020), Aaron Baddeley (2011)
Prize money: $US20m
TV times: Live 4:30am-12pm Friday, Saturday; Live 5am-11am Sunday; Live 5am-10.30am Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
LIV Golf
LIV Golf Adelaide
The Grange Golf Club, Adelaide
Round 1: 12:45pm ACDT shotgun start Round 2: 11:45am ACDT shotgun start
Round 3: 11:35am ACDT shotgun start
Recent champion: Brendan Steele
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US20m
TV times: Live 1pm-5pm Friday on Channel 7; Live 12pm-5pm Saturday on 7Mate; Live 12pm-5pm Sunday on Channel 7.
Ladies European Tour
PIF Saudi Ladies International
Riyadh Golf Club, Saudi Arabia
5:09pm Stephanie Kyriacou
5:57pm Momoka Kobori (NZ)
6:09pm Kirsten Rudgeley, Hira Naveed
Recent champion: Patty Tavatanakit
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US4.5m
TV times: Live 9:30pm-1:30am Thursday, Friday; Live 9pm-1am Saturday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
PGA TOUR Champions
Chubb Classic
Tiburon Golf Club, Naples, Florida
Australasians in the field: Steve Allan, Stuart Appleby, David Bransdon, Greg Chalmers, Richard Green, Mark Hensby, Rod Pampling, Cameron Percy, Michael Wright.
Recent champion: Stephen Ames
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US1.8m
TV times: Live 4am-7pm Saturday on Fox Sports 506; Live 7am-9:30am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.
HotelPlanner Tour
NTT DATA Pro-Am
Fancourt Golf Estate, George, South Africa
Australasians in the field: Hayden Hopewell, Haydn Barron, Sam Jones (NZ)
Recent champion: David Ravetto
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: R7m
Danny List makes his PGA TOUR debut this week at The Genesis Invitational, thanks to being chosen by tournament host Tiger Woods as this year’s Charlies Sifford Memorial Exemption recipient.
Having grown up largely outside of Australia in Ghana and later in the UK, List’s time on Australian shores as a child is often overlooked.
With an Australian father, List harnessed his game in Perth, and says it was in Western Australia where he first began to take his game to new heights.
“Golf in Australia was where I really could get a good taste of what competition golf was,” List said at Torrey Pines today.
“I learned what proper conditions would be like and learning how to play in the wind and various things.
“Australia is, I feel like it’s perfect conditions for any golf course. You can keep the greens fast, you can get it windy, you can get all sorts of different conditions.
“Being from Perth, I also worked a bit with Ritchie Smith in the past and he had taught me a lot. He really played a big role in me being able to advance in the game of golf.”
List joins a quartet of Australians in the field this week, among them close friend and fellow West Australian, Min Woo Lee, who his also under the tutelage of Smith.
“Min Woo is a good mate of mine, I’ve known him for a long time,” he said. “We were just chatting, talking a little bit of smack, and then I got to say hi to Scotty and J Day too, they were really, really good to me.”
Public golf facilities represent the entry point for many beginners looking to take their first steps into playing golf. Those first steps can often be tentative.
‘What do I wear?’ ‘What do I do?’ ‘Who can help me to get started?’
These are questions swirling around the minds of many first-timers who walk into a golf facility, and why Anne-Marie Knight ensures the environment they find at The Pat GC in Adelaide is a welcoming one.
A PGA Professional for the past 17 years after an accomplished playing career, Knight has seen thousands of potential golfers come through the public driving range formerly known as West Beach Park Golf to see if the golf bug bites.
Through her friendly nature and carefully structured programs, Knight’s coaching calendar is booked out weeks in advance as she converts curiosity into committed golfers.
“It is a lot more relaxed at a public facility, so they are more comfortable in that environment,” Knight said of beginners getting started.
“I’ve always had a philosophy that I need to make my environment friendly and open and be engaging.
“You are often the first person that they run into when it comes to their decision whether they want to take up golf. If you’ve got that friendly nature where they do feel welcomed, then you can present a range of programs that they may be interested in.”
While there are some who start golf with the intention of advancing to club membership, there is a growing population of golfers motivated more by the social element that is available.
In conjunction with West Beach Parks, Knight has developed a range of beginner programs designed to meet the market in how they want to participate in golf.
“The idea behind “Bucket and Bubbles” was to get that entire practise range full of women hitting golf balls, feeling comfortable in that environment and to have fun,” explains Knight, the PGA South Australia Coach of the Year – Game Development in 2024.
“Women take up golf for different reasons, and they like the idea of that social aspect.
“It’s not always the beginner player, but certainly it’s a great foundation for those that want to give it a go. They’ve got an hour-and-a-half of coaching and having a champagne and mixing with other women.
“Whether that feeds into playing at other clubs or feeds into my other programs, it is another little pathway that you can provide.
“You just want to grow the game and allow people to experience the game and to decide how they want to be involved in the game.”
The Pro Will Know. To find a PGA Professional to help you get more out of golf, click here.
Golf fans across the nation will be able to watch the 2025 Australian WPGA Championship live on the 9Network, and Fox Sports available on Foxtel and Kayo.
By Alanna Mullan
In what is a major coup for the new standalone women’s golf event set to be hosted at Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club on March 6-9, the 9 Network, Foxtel and Kayo will showcase 10 hours of action-packed golf during the final two days of play. The domestic rights compliment the global reach provided through the event’s Tour co-sanctioning partner in the Ladies European Tour (LET).
The 9Network has been the free to air home of Australia’s major golf tournaments including the BMW Australian PGA Championship and the Australian Open for last three years, alongside Foxtel and Kayo who have helped to drive the largest amount of Australian golf on television in the sports history as the broadcast partner of the Australian majors, the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and WPGA Tour of Australasia.
The Saturday and Sunday of the 2025 Australian WPGA Championship will be broadcast live from 12pm-5pm AEDT on 9GEMHD and 9Now, and on Fox Sports available on Foxtel and Kayo.
PGA of Australia and Golf Australia’s Chief Commercial Officer, Michael McDonald, said:
“We’re excited to have both the 9Network and Foxtel group simulcast the 2025 WPGA Championship,” McDonald said.
“Our broadcast partners understand the unprecedented growth and demand for golf across the country, and we are excited to showcase more elite women’s golf to our fans through this broadcast.
“We are excited that Grace Kim will headline an elite field from Australia and around the world tackling the sensational The Palms golf course layout at Sanctuary Cove, and we look forward to showcasing Gold Coast golf through the broadcast.”
The 2025 Australian WPGA Championship will be played at Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club on the Gold Coast from March 6-9.
The Gold Coast Festival of Golf will also be held as part of the event, combining the thrill of the game with an unforgettable festival atmosphere. Featuring live music, pop-up bars, dedicated participation zones, interactive experiences, plus golf and lifestyle displays showcasing the latest and greatest in golf.
Tickets to the 2025 Australian WPGA Championship are now available via Ticketek and are just $15 or adults, with kids 17 and under free.
The 2025 Australian WPGA Championship is supported by Experience Gold Coast and the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland.
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) confirmed today that the New Zealand Open will join the Open Qualifying Series offering one entry into the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush
The entry will go to the winner (or leading non-exempt player) of the 104th New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport later this month.
Tournament Chairman John Hart is delighted that the hard work put in has seen the New Zealand Open join the Open Qualifying Series and hopes we will see another Kiwi on golf’s biggest stage.
“This certainly signals that our event has continued to grow in stature on the world stage and we are delighted that the R&A have opened the door for us to be a part of the Open Qualifying Series. This has been one of the tournament goals for some time, and it’s great to see it now come to fruition” said Hart.
“My thanks to Golf New Zealand, the R&A and our Tour partners for all their efforts in making this happen.
“This will act as extra motivation for our Kiwi professionals to not only win the New Zealand Open but then to make their mark at Royal Portrush next year. We certainly hope that this is the year that sees another Kiwi winner.”
Sir Bob Charles, the only New Zealander to have won The Open Championship, commended the tournament on this achievement.
“I’m very pleased that the R&A have recognised the growth that the New Zealand Open has achieved in recent years, and I have no doubt that the winner will cherish this opportunity to tee it up at Royal Portrush next year,” said Charles.
Golf New Zealand CEO Jeff Latch is thrilled by the announcement, calling it a defining opportunity for the sport in this country.
“This is a massive moment for golf in New Zealand. To have a direct pathway from Queenstown to The Open at Royal Portrush is huge – not just for the players, but for the prestige of the event itself.
“It reinforces our place on the global stage and provides a dream opportunity for a rising star to compete for the Claret Jug.”
As per official Open Qualifying Series criteria, the tournament winner or leading player not already exempt at the New Zealand Open in Queenstown next year will earn a place at the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush to be held on July 13-20.
The New Zealand Open tees off at Millbrook Resort in Queenstown between February 27 and March 2. For more information, please visit nzopen.com.
The stars are coming out to play as our Aussies continue to exert their influence on the world stage.
A three-time winner last season, Hannah Green had her first top-five finish of the new LPGA year at the Founders Cup in Florida as NSW Open champion Lucas Herbert kicked off the LIV Golf season with a tie for fourth in Riyadh.
The chef, Min Woo Lee, brought the heat to the 16th hole at the WM Phoenix Open on his way to a tie for 12th as Kelsey Bennett continued her strong form on home soil with a tie for fourth at the Vic Open.
There are Aussies in the mix everywhere you look, and they’re just getting started.
10. Anthony Quayle (Last week: 8)
Handled the hurricane that swept through 13th Beach better than most on Sunday, climbing into a share of 12th courtesy of a round of 1-over 73. Remains seventh on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit and in the hunt for one of three DP World Tour cards at season’s end.
9. Min Woo Lee (New entry)
Quietly building into his work in 2025. Tied for 17th in his first two starts in Dubai and at Pebble Beach, Lee brought his world-renowned showmanship to the WM Phoenix Open. He sent the crowd into a frenzy with a near ace at the par-3 16th on Saturday on his way to a tie for 12th.
8. Lucas Herbert (New entry)
Led the charge for Ripper GC in the LIV Golf season opener in Riyadh. On the back of his NSW Open and tie for fifth at the Australian Open, Herbert was in the hunt for a first LIV Golf individual win right up until the final hole, ultimately finishing in a tie for fourth.
7. Kelsey Bennett (10)
Kelsey’s climb up the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking is set to continue after the 2025 Ladies European Tour rookie was tied for fourth at the Vic Open. Has finished inside the top seven in each of her past four starts on the WPGA Tour of Australasia.
6. Elvis Smylie (5)
A second straight missed cut on the DP World Tour for the BMW Australian PGA Championship. Due to return to the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia where he continues to lead the Order of Merit at the New Zealand Open in a fortnight’s time.
5. Minjee Lee (7)
Rounds of 68-69 across the weekend saw Lee finish in a share of 28th at the Founders Cup in Florida. On the back of a top-five finish first up at the Tournament of Champions, it is another building block in a bigger and better 2025 campaign.
4. Jason Day (4)
Skipped the WM Phoenix Open after finishing tied for 13th at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Holds his spot at No.32 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
3. Adam Scott (3)
Like Day, took the week off ahead of this week’s Genesis Invitational. At No.24, remains Australia’s highest-ranked player on the Official World Golf Ranking.
2. Cam Davis (2)
Producing a level of consistency on the PGA TOUR befitting his talent. The New South Welshman missed the WM Phoenix Open after earning a share of fifth with an all-world birdie on the 72nd hole at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
1. Hannah Green (1)
Giving every indication that she intends to follow-up her three-win season last year with more of the same in 2025. Tied for 20th in the LPGA season opener, Green was tied for fourth at the Founders Cup. Her next event will be the defence of her HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore starting February 27.
The Australian Golf Power Rankings is a subjective list developed with input from members of the Australian Golf media team.
It took just two starts for Hannah Green to earn her first top-five finish of the LPGA Tour season as Lucas Herbert opened his year on LIV Golf with a tie for fourth at LIV Golf Riyadh.
In the mix on the back of rounds of 65-66 in rounds two and three, Green endured a frustrating final day on the greens to post 2-under 70 and secure a share of fourth at the Founders Cup in Florida.
Tied for 20th in the season-opener with new caddie David Buhai on the bag, Green is content with her first two weeks of the 2025 season but is headed home to Perth for a training block with coach Ritchie Smith ahead of the defence of her HSBC Women’s World Championship title in Singapore.
“I don’t typically play these events,” said Green of the slight change to her schedule.
“I’ve made the trip over, so it’s nice to have had some good results, but also see what I need to work on to get ready for Singapore for a title defence.
“I’m going to try and catch up with my coach as much as possible. Try and see him at home before we both head on the road.
“I think I need to play a little bit more while I’m home. I felt like when you’re on the range you always hit it good, when you’re on the putting green. Just experience some wind or whatever it may be.
“Trying to play a little bit more before I get to Singapore is probably my goal.”
Herbert is also headed home to Australia this week with a focus on both individual and team success at LIV Golf Adelaide before playing the NZ Open in Queenstown.
The 29-year-old shot 64 in Round 2 under the lights at Riyadh Golf Club to play his way into the final group for Round 3.
He endured a rollercoaster round that included one eagle, five birdies, three bogeys and one double bogey at the 10th that seemingly took the win out of reach.
A brilliant second shot set up eagle at the par-5 13th which Herbert followed up with three consecutive birdies at 15, 16 and 17.
Trailing 2022 Australian Open champion Adrian Meronk by two playing the final hole, Herbert took an aggressive approach but made bogey to drop to a tie for fourth.
With all four scores now counting, it was a strong start to Ripper GC’s team title defence, the quartet of Herbert, Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman and Matt Jones earning a spot on the podium.
Photos: James Gilbert/Getty Images (Green); Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images (Herbert)
Results
PGA TOUR
WM Phoenix Open
TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Cse), Scottsdale, Arizona
1 Thomas Detry 66-64-65-65—260 $US1.656m
T12 Min Woo Lee 70-66-68-67—271 $195,500
T63 Ryan Fox (NZ) 72-66-71-72—281 $19,964
DP World Tour
Commercial Bank Qatar Masters
Doha GC, Doha, Qatar
1 Haotong Li 69-67-67-69—272 €409,592.05
T25 Daniel Hillier 71-70-70-74—285 €21,804.75
MC Kazuma Kobori 73-71—144
MC Danny List 77-68—145
MC David Micheluzzi 75-71—146
MC Daniel Gale 74-74—148
MC Jason Scrivener 76-74—150
MC Elvis Smylie 74-78—152
LPGA Tour
Founders Cup presented by US Virgin Islands
Bradenton Country Club, Bradenton, Florida
1 Yealimi Noh 68-64-63-68—263 $US300,000
T4 Hannah Green 70-65-66-70—271 $86,932
T28 Minjee Lee 70-72-68-69—279 $15,923
T39 Gabriela Ruffels 72-68-73-68—281 $10,122
T48 Lydia Ko (NZ) 74-68-70-71—283 $6,595
T48 Fiona Xu (NZ) 70-70-72-71—283 $6,595
T48 Stephanie Kyriacou 70-72-69-72—283 $6,595
T56 Hira Naveed 70-68-72-74—284 $5,887
MC Karis Davidson 72-74—146
MC Cassie Porter 74-81—155
LIV Golf
LIV Golf Riyadh
Riyadh Golf Club, Saudi Arabia
1 Adrian Meronk 62-66-71—199 $US4m
T4 Lucas Herbert 68-64-70—202 $900,000
T6 Marc Leishman 67-68-68—203 $534,500
T15 Ben Campbell (NZ) 68-69-69—206 $292,500
T25 Wade Ormsby 68-72-69—209 $185,000
T25 Cameron Smith 67-72-70—209 $185,000
T33 Matt Jones 74-68-69—211 $145,572
T33 Danny Lee (NZ) 68-74-69—211 $145,572
Team Scores
1 Legion XIII 50-under
T2 Ripper GC 39-under
T2 Rangegoats GC 39-under
PGA TOUR Champions
Trophy Hassan II
Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, Rabat, Morocco
1 Miguel Angel Jiménez 70-69-69—208 $US400,000
2 Steven Alker (NZ) 69-70-71—210 $220,000
T9 Richard Green 76-71-70—217 $60,000
T14 Scott Hend 71-73-74—218 $42,550
T14 Greg Chalmers 72-71-75—218 $42,550
T28 Mark Hensby 72-75-74—221 $19,800
T39 Rod Pampling 74-79-71—224 $12,250
T47 Stuart Appleby 80-74-73—227 $8,000
T53 Cameron Percy 78-69-81—228 $6,125
Ladies European Tour
Lalla Meryem Cup
Royal Golf Dar Es Salam (Blue Cse), Morocco
1 Cara Gainer 71-70-69—210 €67,500
Won in sudden-death playoff
MC Momoka Kobori (NZ) 79-71—150
MC Maddison Hinson-Tolchard 76-75—151
Korn Ferry Tour
Astara Golf Championship
Country Club de Bogota, Bogota, Colombia
1 Kyle Westmoreland 70-64-61-70—265 $US180,000
T13 Rhein Gibson 68-65-68-70—271 $17,583
T26 Harry Hillier (NZ) 64-72-69-68—273 $7,476
HotelPlanner Tour
Cell C Cape Town Open
Royal Cape Golf Club, Cape Town, South Africa
1 Jamie Rutherford 69-69-67-69—274 €57,282.65
T4 Sam Jones (NZ) 70-69-69-70—278 €13,010.57
T47 Hayden Hopewell 72-69-69-76—286 €2,204.57
MC Haydn Barron 77-70—147
After a windswept final round he described as “super, super tough”, New Zealand’s Josh Geary clinched the 2025 Vic Open at 13th Beach Golf Links, his first Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia title in almost 12 years.
The leader after rounds two and three, Geary would never have thought a closing 6-over-par 78 to finish on 13-under-par would be good enough. But it was, by four strokes over West Australian Connor McKinney.
Only three men shot under-par rounds on Sunday – two-under-par 70s from McKinney, New Zealand’s Kerry Mountcastle, who took equal third, and local favourite Ben Eccles, who soared to a share of eighth.
Former Vic Open champion Michael Hendry (74) and NSW’s Austin Bautista (79) also had a share of third.
The afternoon of unyielding, buffeting winds from the Southern Ocean blew the scoring average for Sunday to 76.5 shots.
“It’s the hardest round of golf I’ve had to play,” the new champion said.
“It’s hard enough trying to close out a tournament, let alone in those conditions which meant literally you can make any score from anywhere.
“If you’d asked me if I shot 78 tomorrow if I’d still have a four-shot margin, I’d tell you you’re dreaming, but that’s just how hard it was.
“I’m super happy, obviously, and stoked to get it done.”
It was always going to be extremely difficult for Geary to match his near-faultless first 54 holes, a double-bogey on his final hole of the Creek Course on Friday were his only dropped shots in rounds of 64-65-68.
He bogeyed the first hole on Sunday but was impressively under par for the day after back-to-back birdies at the fifth and sixth.
It was at the par-four eighth, playing as the toughest hole of the day at almost a shot over par, where Geary’s round threatened to unravel – a penalty drop after a wayward approach shot into the greenside bush and three putts leading to a triple-bogey.
But a bounce-back birdie on No.9 ensured he would take a five-shot lead into the final nine holes of the tournament.
As his potential challengers fell away, the 2013 WA Open champion only had to avoid a catastrophe. Five bogeys on the way to the clubhouse didn’t create too many concerns.
“Even when you got downwind, you couldn’t hold the greens. You’d have a sand wedge and 180 metres and it’s going through the back of the green,” Geary said.
“I was just trying to keep it out of the real trouble.”
McKinney’s 70 allowed him to climb from a tie for 23rd overnight to second place, his best finish on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, just surpassing his tie for second at the 2023 WA Open.
The Scottish-born West Australian turned in 3-under 33 and finished his round with a total of four birdies.
Defending champion Brett Coletta (Vic) closed with a 72 to end in a share of 18th place.
The next Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia tournament is Webex Players Series Sydney, starting on Thursday, February 20.
