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Qualifiers for the PGA Professionals Championship National Final will compete for a record prize purse when it is played at The Heritage Golf and Country Club in November.
The PGA Professionals Championship of Tasmania on April 11 will mark the start of the state qualifiers, leading players from each state to advance to the $100,000 National Final from November 11-13.
In a further boost to the PPC, Heritage Golf and Country Club has extended its role as host venue for the next three years having first staged the National Final in 2023.
“We are very proud of our course and facilities here at The Heritage Golf and Country Club and are equally proud and excited to be staging the PGA Professional Championship over the next three years,” said PGA Professional and Heritage Golf and Country Club Operations Manager, Michael Dean.
“This event, coupled with the Heritage Classic, allows us to showcase what we have achieved and reinstates our position in the industry as a top-class tournament venue.
“We are big advocates for women in golf, so are excited to be a part of an event that recognises women PGA Professionals equally to the men.”
In addition to the support of The Heritage Golf and Country Club, the prize money increase from $65,000 last year to $100,000 in 2025 is only possible thanks to partnerships with Club Car, Acushnet and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners.
While they spend the majority of their working lives improving the golf experience for others, PGA of Australia CEO, Gavin Kirkman, believes it is important to reward Members who maintain a passion for playing themselves.
“PGA Professionals are the lifeblood of the golf industry so it is only fitting that our Members are afforded the opportunity to compete for a national championship,” said Kirkman.
“The support of our partners, including The Heritage Golf and Country Club, has allowed us to increase total prize money, and the leading two men will qualify for the BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland in November.
“The establishment of the Women’s PGA Professionals Championship last year was a welcome addition and I hope to see that grow in the years to come.”
PGA Professionals Championship schedule
Friday April 11
PGA Professionals Championship of Tasmania
Riverside Golf Club
Monday April 28
PGA Professionals Championship of North Queensland
Mirage Country Club
Monday June 16
PGA Professionals Championship of Victoria
Portsea Golf Club
Friday June 20
PGA Professionals Championship of South Australia
Mt Osmond Golf Club
Monday June 30
PGA Professionals Championship of Western Australia
Cottesloe Golf Club
Tuesday July 1
PGA Professionals Championship of NSW/ACT
Castle Hill Golf Club
Tuesday July 29
PGA Professionals Championship of South-East Queensland
Nudgee Golf Club
November 11-13
PGA Professionals Championship National Final
Heritage Golf and Country Club
Teen phenom Cooper Moore is hunting a piece of history after charging into a share of the lead on day two of the Wallace Development New Zealand PGA Championship.
On the back of a round of 5-under 67 in challenging conditions on Thursday, Moore took full advantage of the calmer, warmer weather in Friday’s second round to shoot 6-under 66 to be 11-under through 36 holes at Hastings Golf Club.
He shares top spot with fellow Kiwis Tyler Hodge (64) and Chang Gi Lee (66) and in-form Queenslander Anthony Quayle (66), a two-time winner on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
The quartet have a one-stroke advantage from overnight leader Austin Bautista (69) with another Kiwi, Cameron Harlock, sitting in sixth place at 9-under after a round of 5-under 67.
But all eyes will be on the 16-year-old Year 12 student from Christchurch in Round 3 as he seeks to become the youngest winner on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia in the modern era.
Inspired by the deeds of countryman Kazuma Kobori on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia last season, Moore is currently weighing up whether to attend college in the United States next year or begin his professional career closer to home.
A win this weekend by the reigning New Zealand Amateur champion – the second youngest in championship history – would guarantee a two-year winner’s category before he even joins the pro ranks.
“I’ve got a decision to make soon if I want to go to college or if I want to try and make it as a pro on the Aussie Tour, I guess,” said Moore, who discussed his options with world No.138 Daniel Hillier during a practice round ahead of last week’s New Zealand Open.
“It’s pretty cool what Kazuma has done. I’ve played with him probably the last three years and looked up to him, same as Dan. Seeing what he’s done was pretty cool.”
Second at The R&A Junior Open last July, Moore just missed the cut in his NZ Open debut at Millbrook Resort but suddenly looks very comfortable at the professional level.
Starting Round 2 from the 10th tee, Moore turned in 2-under and then reeled off three birdies in four holes after the turn. After a bogey at the par-4 fifth, he responded by hitting hybrid from 212 metres into the par-5 sixth, going on to convert the eagle chance from 35 feet.
Played as a non-Tour event in 2024 at Hastings Golf Club, Lee was paired with Moore 12 months ago and was stunned to learn his tender age.
“Is that how old he is? Sixteen? Oh, wow. Yeah, I didn’t know that,” said Lee, who has just one bogey through 36 holes and spent much of 2024 playing the Korean PGA Tour.
“He’s obviously a really good golfer and he’s improved a lot since then, too.
“You could see he was really, really good, but he’s just doing his thing and playing well almost every week, it seems like.”
With exceptional playing surfaces and perfect weather, players were free to go on the attack on day two.
Queenslander Tim Hart’s best-of-the-day 8-under 64 elevated him inside the top 10 after starting the day tied for 81st, Hodge matching that to join the four-way tie at the top as both fell one shot shy of the course record.
A total of 15 players shot rounds of 6-under or better on Friday, 52 players making the cut that fell at 3-under par.
Photo: Simon Watts/bwmedia.co.nz
He may not play often but when he does Michael Choi is invariably tough to beat at the Bendigo Bank Dingley Village Community – Keysborough Golf Club Pro-Am at Keysborough Golf Club.
With a young family, Choi is now an infrequent visitor to the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series but he continued his love affair with Keysborough with a superb 7-under 66 and two-stroke win.
It is Choi’s third win at Keysborough in the past decade as Jake Hughes (68) settled for second and Toby Walker shot 4-under 69 to snare third.
Turning point
Even par after starting birdie-bogey, Choi’s round gathered momentum around the turn.
He moved into red figures with birdie at the par-5 16th and then peeled off four on the trot from the par-4 18th, closing the deal with further birdies at seven and 10.
Quick quotes
“This course just fits my eye and I enjoy coming out here every year,” said Choi.
“Always just have good vibes when I’m out here so it was nice to get another win under the belt.
“I had a birdie on the first, bogey on the second, and then had a really good patch.
“I think it was like maybe four birdies in a row in the middle of the round and then a couple late.”
Leading scores
1 Michael Choi 66
2 Jake Hughes 68
3 Toby Walker 69
4 Nathan Page 70
T5 Ryan Haywood 71
T5 Daniel Gill 71
T5 Ben Ford 71
T5 Peter Vassiliadis 71
T5 Michael Isherwood 71
T5 Jack Harrison 71
T5 Matthew Griffin 71
Next up
De Bortoli Heidelberg Golf Club Pro-Am at Heidelberg Golf Club on Friday, March 14.
February 28
Page turns it on at Yarrambat
Victorian Nathan Page refused to let an early double bogey hold him back as he completed a commanding victory at the Ray White Doreen Pro-Am at Yarrambat Park Golf Course.
Drawing inspiration from Harrison Crowe’s 9-under 63 in Round 1 at the New Zealand Open that also included a double bogey, Page bounced back from his early stumble to shoot 8-under 64 and win by five strokes.
“I was just taking inspiration from Harry Crowe yesterday with a double and shoot nine (under),” said Page.
Toby Walker, Max Charles, Ed Donoghue and Wade Lowrie shared second at 3-under par but there was no catching Page at the top of the leaderboard.
Turning point: With birdies at his opening two holes, the double bogey at the par-3 fifth dropped Page back to even par. He was back at 2-under with birdies at seven and nine but it was the birdie on 10 and eagle at the par-5 11th that separated Page from the pack. That he backed that up with another eagle just four holes later made it a simple procession to the clubhouse over the closing holes.
Quick quotes
“I wanted to get going early and did, but then I copped a pretty gnarly double bogey down five.
“I was hitting it all right off the tee and managed to get that going and didn’t make any more mistakes, which was good.
“Had the two eagles (on the back nine). They were playing slightly downwind when I played those par 5s, which helped a little bit. Kind of cut the corner. I had 9-iron and sand wedge in and stuck it pretty close.
“Didn’t make too many errors after that fifth hole and was able to bring it home nicely.”
Final scores
1 Nathan Page 64
T2 Toby Walker 69
T2 Max Charles 69
T2 Wade Lowrie 69
T2 Edward Donoghue 69
Next up: Bendigo Bank Dingley Village Community – Keysborough Golf Club Pro-Am at Keysborough Golf Club, Thursday, March 6.
January 22
Gordon takes crown at King Island
A few days out of the shop paid off for Corowa Golf Club PGA Professional James Gordon who claimed the Hewison Private Wealth King Island Pro-Am.
Played across the spectacular Cape Wickham Golf Links and Ocean Dunes Golf Course over two days, the King Island Pro-Am sees Professionals bring a team of amateurs for an unforgettable experience hosted by the team at Air Adventure Golf Tours.
A winner on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series three years ago at the Leeton Pro-Am, Gordon returned Stableford scores of 39 and 43 points for an 82-point total and seven-point win over Lachlan Wood (75) with Charlie Robbins (74) third.
Turning point
Leading by one point after day one at Cape Wickham, Gordon had a less than auspicious start to Round 2 at Ocean Dunes. Admitting that he “nearly missed my first tee shot of the day”, Gordon dropped a shot on his opening hole but made birdie on 18 and then eagled the par-5 first to build a hefty advantage.
Quick quotes
“The view on every hole is postcard material,” said Gordon of Cape Wickham.
“Every hole is different and what a stunning finish! Wind direction certainly changes the way you play each hole!
“The first hole tee shot (at Ocean Dunes) is daunting when you can see the green 500 metres away sitting on the ocean but another superb golf course with ocean views on nearly every hole. “Very fair for the members and certainly a challenge for the professionals.”
Leading scores
1 James Gordon 39-43—82
2 Lachlan Wood 38-37—75
3 Charlie Robbins 34-40—74
4 Ashley Hall 31-42—73
5 Ryan Lynch 33-39—72
6 Ben Ford 34-36—70
Next up
Melville Glades BYOG Pro-Am at Melville Glades Golf Club, February 6
January 5: Mee’s record-breaking win at Lonsdale Links
Queenslander James Mee will take winning form into the second half of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season after claiming the Geelong BMW Lonsdale Links Pro-Am.
A course record round of 8-under-par 62, which included two eagles and six birdies, gave Mee a one-shot victory over Austin Bautista (NSW) and a pair of Victorians, Ashley Hall and Andre Lautee.
It was a nice confidence boost for Mee who will head to this week’s Webex Players Series Perth hosted by Minjee and Min Woo Lee keen to improve on his 93rd position on the 2024/25 Order of Merit.
His only top-20 so far in his rookie season came in his opening event, the PNG Open.
Turning point
With Lautee waiting in the clubhouse after a morning round of 63, Mee needed a fast finish to take the winner’s cheque at Lonsdale. It came across the 11th to 13th holes, where the Queenslander went eagle-birdie-birdie to move to -8 for the day.
A par on his final hole, the par-3 14th, sealed his third adidas PGA Pro-Am Series win.
Quick quotes
“I came down here on Thursday to play these three pro-ams (Settlers Run, Portsea and Lonsdale Links) before the Tour season starts up again. I didn’t finish off too well at the end of last year.
“I wanted to get some reps in after Christmas because I didn’t touch a club for a couple of weeks.
“It all really started for me on my second hole, the 16th, where I hit a driver on a hole I probably wouldn’t go for if I’d known the course. I hit on to about 15 feet and rolled in the putt for eagle. That kickstarted the round.”
Leading scores
1 James Mee 62
T2 Andre Lautee 63
T2 Austin Bautista 63
T2 Ashley Hall 63
T5 Michael Choi 65
T5 Steven Jones 65
7 Matt Dowling 66
Next up
The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series takes a short break before the three-day Hewison Private Wealth King Island Pro-Am at Cape Wickham Links and Ocean Dunes Golf Course on January 19-21.
January 4: Wood wins by one at Portsea
Queenslander Chris Wood enjoyed more success on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula with a one-stroke win at the $40,000 Peninsula Sotheby’s Portsea Celebrity Pro-Am at Portsea Golf Club.
Winner of the 2020 Victorian PGA Championship at Moonah Links, Wood had six birdies and an eagle in his round of 7-under 64 to finish one clear of Victorian Andrew Kelly.
Eager to make a quick start to the new year on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, Wood’s win is the ideal preparation for next week’s Webex Players Series Perth tournament at Royal Fremantle Golf Club.
“I generally have a bit more of a break and come out of the blocks pretty slow in the new year,” said Wood.
“I wanted to get the clubs in hand and put a bit of work in and the last couple of days have been nice.”
Turning point
Level with the best of the morning wave with a birdie on 16 and eagle at the par-5 third, Wood made his move around the turn at Portsea Golf Club.
Starting with a birdie at the par-4 sixth, Wood added four more on the trot from the par-5 eighth to race out to 8-under before his lone bogey of the day at the short par-3 12th.
Quick quotes
“I got off to a bit of an adventurous start,” said Wood.
“Teeing off on 16, I hit my tee shot straight into a divot and then hit the next shot about 10 or 15 metres.
“I then chipped in for birdie so it was sort of the golfing gods paying me back there.”
Leading scores
1 Chris Wood 64
2 Andrew Kelly 65
T3 Todd Sinnott 67
T3 Brendan Smith 67
T3 Darcy Brereton 67
Next up
Geelong BMW Lonsdale Links Pro-Am at Lonsdale Links, Sunday, January 5.
January 3: Wright triumphs at Settlers Run
Heading into his second season on the Champions Tour in the US, Wright went bogey free in his round of 6-under 66, two clear of Victorian Jack Harrison (68) as nine players finished tied for third at 3-under par.
Starting with a birdie at his opening hole, the short par-4 17th, Wright methodically went about building his round, closing it out with a sixth and final birdie at the par-5 16th.
Turning point
Level with the best of the morning scores at 3-under through 10 holes, Wright made birdie at the 481-metre par-5 ninth and then picked up a further shot at the par-3 11th to build a handy buffer heading into the final few holes.
Quick quotes
“I started off by hitting it into about 12 feet on the 17th hole and rolled that in, so that was a nice start,” said Wright.
“Managed to put another five (birdies) on the card in patches throughout the round and kept the bogeys off the card. It’s always good to not have a bogey and then to finish with a birdie was nice, too.”
Leading scores
1 Michael Wright 66
2 Jack Harrison 68
T3 Cameron Kelly 69
T3 Tim Walker 69
T3 Michael Choi 69
T3 James Mee 69
T3 Ruben Lal 69
T3 Josh Younger 69
T3 David Micheluzzi 69
T3 Douglas Klein 69
T3 Chris Wood 69
Next up
Peninsula Sotheby’s Portsea Celebrity Pro-Am at Portsea Golf Club, Saturday, January 4.
A lesson in wedge-game wizardry from former world No.16 Nick O’Hern has propelled Austin Bautista to a two-shot lead on day one of the Wallace Development New Zealand PGA Championship.
The immaculately presented Hastings Golf Club was buffeted by wind and showers on a cool Thursday in Bridge Pa, yet Bautista got off to a hot start in a round of 7-under 65.
Order of Merit hopeful Anthony Quayle continued his run of good form with a 5-under 67 to sit in second spot alongside Andrew Evans, Victorian Kyle Michel and 16-year-old New Zealand Amateur champion, Cooper Moore.
Three-under through five holes with four birdies and his only bogey of the day, two-time Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia winner Bautista birdied three of the four par-3s, his best coming at the 179-metre par-3 eighth when he hit 6-iron directly into the teeth of the wind to 15 feet.
The New South Welshman shot 3-under on the back nine with birdies at 11, 12 and 16, revealing that a pro-am pairing with O’Hern at the Vic Open highlighted the area of his game that needed extra attention.
“He said he was rusty, but he was putting his wedges inside of mine consistently from 100 (metres) in,” said Bautista.
“I can admit it when I need to get better in an area, so I asked him what I needed to work on.
“He very generously gave me a call to really hone in on improving that area from 125 and in. And it was night and day.
“I immediately saw improvement and immediately saw how to practise the correct way.
“Nick said, ‘If you’re going to beat the best, you need to be world-class in this area’. He really helped me in what I need to work on so I can consistently put the ball close to the hole with the scoring clubs.”
Tied for third in brutal conditions at the Vic Open, Bautista is getting more comfortable with a grip change he instituted almost a year ago and is benefiting from an adjustment to his putting setup made by Titleist fitting technician, Alex Dudley-Bateman.
“It’s as good as I’ve seen it ever,” Bautista said of his current run of form. “And it’s been consistent for probably four to five months now.
“I had to get honest and realise the thing that I was not doing correctly.
“This is where I should be. I’m exactly where I need to be.”
With five top-five finishes this season, Quayle is again poised to add to his wins at the 2020 Queensland Open and 2022 Queensland PGA.
He shot 5-under in the morning wave and was joined late by Evans, Moore and Michel two shots off the lead.
Hailing from Christchurch, Moore continues to impress. Second at The R&A Junior Open in Scotland last July, Moore only just missed the cut in his New Zealand Open debut a week ago and closed with three birdies in his final five holes on Thursday to sit two back of Bautista.
Moore became the second youngest winner in NZ Amateur history last November. The youngest, Queenslander and 2023 NZ PGA champion Louis Dobbelaar, is one of six players at 4-under par.
Two players withdrew due to injury on day one, Victorian Andrew Martin unable to continue after playing nine holes while West Australian Josh Greer withdrew after completing his round.
As the seriousness of the threat of Cyclone Alfred hit home for the players at the cancelled Australian WPGA Championship, a logical question for professional golfers served to remind again how the golf industry and community comes together in support.
Following an early morning player meeting on Tuesday at Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club, where the combined WPGA Tour of Australasia and Ladies European Tour (LET) field was advised to leave the Gold Coast area, the search for a place to practice began.
As WPGA Tour of Australasia CEO Karen Lunn, PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman and LET staff addressed the players, the PGA of Australia network was already being mobilised to assist.
With the majority of the 80 or so European Tour players, and even interstate WPGA Tour members, set to play next week’s Australian Women’s Classic in Coffs Harbour, and the Women’s NSW Open in Wollongong, the New South Wales region was the target.
The PGA membership of the state not disappointing, with a formal list of 10 clubs and PGA professionals being provided to players as a potential temporary home base, while others headed to other parts and no doubt similar generosity of facility use.
“When I spoke with the playing group around the cancellation of the Australian WPGA Championship, I mentioned that we are a member organisation and that our PGA members would support visiting golf professionals,” Kirkman said.
“We wanted to ensure the players, especially internationals, felt safe during what is set to be a challenging, uncertain period and that while in Australia they are considered part of our PGA and WPGA family alongside the more than 3,000 members.
“This was as our team was starting the conversations with PGA members around New South Wales asking for their assistance, but I was beyond confident anyone that could help, would. It is so heartening to see that proven true, which serves as a reminder of how our industry comes together quickly and immensely during a time of need.”
Although extensive, the list of clubs provided and the associated PGA member deserves to be recognised for their generosity and support that will not only help the players to prepare for the two weeks of co-sanctioned events, but also remind global players why Australia is a special place to visit and play.
Port Macquarie Golf Club – via Head Professional James Single
Forster-Tuncurry Golf Club – via Head Professional Jason Wood
Nelson Bay Golf Club – via General Manager David Lulham and Director of Golf Duard Nel
Magenta Shores Country Club – via General Manger Paul Riley
Horizons Golf Club – via Director of Golf Vince Owen
Kew Country Club – via Head Professional Luke Garel
Hawks Nest Golf Club – via Head Professional Andrew McCormack
Newcastle Golf Club – via Head Professional Andrew Bowles
Tamworth Golf Club – via Head Professional Brock Sampson
Kooindah Waters – via Director of Golf David Stretton
For 21 of the LET players, a familiar landing place was Magenta Shores, where they contested the Women’s NSW Open last year.
The generosity for those headed for the Central Coast of New South Wales extending beyond practice facilities and course access, with the gym and pool facilities able to be used, and those players being billeted out to residents. A common theme for all the supporting clubs, whose members will get an up close look at some of the best talent in women’s golf over the coming days.
“All of us in professional golf know how quickly plans can change, and that finding suitable locations to practice and play on short notice is no easy task. To see the support of golf clubs and facilities and PGA members around New South Wales has helped to remind everyone just what an amazing industry we are in,” Lunn said.
“It was obviously crushing to make the decision to cancel the Australian WPGA Championship in the interest of safety for players, staff, fans and more, especially given how amazing every element of the event looked on the ground. However, the silver lining of support and readiness to act has helped to soften the blow and will only serve to encourage our LET visitors to return again next year.”
Golf Australia is pleased to announce the appointment of Rick Kulacz as the new High Performance Manager (HPM) for Western Australia.
Kulacz, a former Golf Australia Rookie Squad member himself and two-time winner on the Asian Tour, brings valuable competitive experience to the role.
He will join the Golf Australia team in early March and undergo several months of integration with the High Performance team before officially commencing in the Golf WA role after the Australian Interstate Teams matches which take place in Perth early May.
Brad James, General Manager of High Performance at Golf Australia, expressed enthusiasm about the new appointment.
“We are excited to have Rick as part of the team and, more importantly, having a full-time role delivering a program that we feel the athletes, both amateur and professional, will benefit from.”
The appointment represents an increased commitment from Golf Australia, which will provide enhanced financial and resource support for the Western Australian high-performance program.
“We are determined to continue the success that WA has had in producing exceptional people and athletes like the current crop of world-class golfers in Hannah Green, Minjee Lee, and Min Woo Lee – alongside rookie athletes such as Kirsten Rudgeley,” added James.
This strategic appointment reinforces Golf Australia’s dedication to developing elite talent across the country and particularly in Western Australia, which has become known for producing world-class golfers.
The lessons learned from his short stint on the PGA TOUR 20 years ago will fuel Brendan Jones’s rookie season on the PGA TOUR Champions starting Friday.
Jones will make his senior tour debut at the Cologuard Classic just two days after turning 50 having earned a 2025 card at Qualifying School in December.
As torturous as that final day in Arizona may have been, it has provided arguably Australian golf’s most under-rated career with a second shot to make it in America.
Jones had won three of his 15 career Japan Golf Tour titles when he played the then Nationwide Tour in 2004, winning the LaSalle Bank Open on his way to a sixth-place finish on the moneylist.
That secured status on the PGA TOUR for the 2005 season, where Jones admits he lost sight of what had got him there in the first place.
“My game was pretty good then, but I did everything wrong,” said Jones, who finished tied second at the BC Open that season but narrowly missed out on retaining his card.
“I was an absolute novice, a rookie that just thought that you had to do things differently now that you’d made the PGA TOUR.
“I’ve had a lot of years to think about my performances in 2005, 2006. I could have extended my time in the US for who knows how long if I had have just done it my way that I’d done to that point.
“When I got there, I was practising more, I was playing more, and I was just burnt out by May. I was thinking, Well, I can’t take time off because I’m sliding down the moneylist each week. I’ve just got to keep working at it. And for me, that’s not the way I’ve played my best golf.
“If I could go back, I’d change a lot of things about the way I approached it, but going over there now, I’m more experienced.”
As the latest Aussie to join the PGA TOUR Champions, Jones not only brings experience but relative youth to the over-50s circuit.
Although plagued by injuries the past decade, Jones is in the type of physical shape that would be the envy of most 50-year-olds.
He knows that two decades on, his best chance of tasting success in the US against some of the greats of the game may come in his rookie year.
“The Japan Seniors is always a fallback for me but I just thought now’s the time to do something that I probably didn’t see myself doing,” Jones admitted.
“I never had this real desire to play there, but now that I’m 50 and, if I played well, it was an option and now it’s come to fruition.
“It’s exciting again. Getting beat up by these young kids on tour, it’s not a lot of fun when you’ve been one of those guys beating up on the young kids.
“I’m going to be playing with the guys that I watched on TV growing up, which is going to be pretty cool. But also at the same time, I’m a fresh 50 and raring to go.
“These guys have been doing it for years and years and years so it’s going to be fun, The people that I’ve spoken to have said it’s such a fun tour to play.”
Jones is one of 11 Aussies in the field for the Cologuard Classic while we have a four-pronged attack teeing it up at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
The Ripper GC boys are back in action at LIV Golf Hong Kong and Minjee Lee will seek to continue her good form at the Blue Bay LPGA in China.
Photo: Hannah Peters/Getty Images
Round 1 tee times AEDT
PGA TOUR
Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard
Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Orlando, Florida
11:50pm Min Woo Lee
12:40am Jason Day
1:35am Cam Davis
3:35am Adam Scott
Recent champion: Scottie Scheffler
Past Aussie winners: Rod Pampling (2006), Marc Leishman (2016), Jason Day (2017)
Prize money: $US20m
TV times: Live 11:30pm-10am Thursday, Friday; Live 12am-10am Sunday; Live 11pm-9am Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Puerto Rico Open
Grand Reserve Golf Club, Rio Grande, Peurto Rico
10:40pm Aaron Baddeley
11:24pm Karl Vilips
Recent champion: Brice Garnett
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US4m
TV times: Live 2am-5am Friday, Saturday on Fox Sports 507; Live 6:30am-9am Sunday; Live 5:30am-8am Monday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.
LPGA Tour
Blue Bay LPGA
Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course, Hainan Island, China
10:48am Cassie Porter
10:48am* Fiona Xu (NZ)
11:43am* Minjee Lee
3:07pm Karis Davidson
3:51pm Hira Naveed
Recent champion: Bailey Tardy
Past Aussie winners: Minjee Lee (2016)
Prize money: $US2.5m
TV times: Live 3pm-8pm Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
DP World Tour
Joburg Open
Houghton GC, Johannesburg, South Africa
3:50pm Danny List
5:30pm* Kazuma Kobori (NZ)
Recent champion: Dean Burmester
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: ZAR20.5m
TV times: Live 10pm-3am Thursday, Friday; Live 9:30pm-2am Saturday; Live 8:30pm-1:30am Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
LIV Golf
LIV Golf Hong Kong
Hong Kong Golf Club, Fanling, Hong Kong
Australasians in the field: Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert, Matt Jones, Ben Campbell (NZ), Danny Lee (NZ)
Recent champion: Abraham Ancer
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US20m
TV times: Live from 5pm AEDT Friday, Saturday, Sunday on 7 Plus.
PGA TOUR Champions
Cologuard Classic
La Paloma Country Club, Tucson, Arizona
Australasians in the field: Steven Alker (NZ), Steve Allan, Stuart Appleby, David Bransdon, Greg Chalmers, Mathew Goggin, Richard Green, Mark Hensby, Brendan Jones, Rod Pampling, Cameron Percy, Michael Wright.
Recent champion: Joe Durant
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US2.2m
TV times: 6pm-7:30pm Saturday; Live 9am-11am Sunday; Live 8am-11am Monday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.
Korn Ferry Tour
Astara Chile Classic presented by Scotiabank
Prince of Wales Country Club, Santiago, Chile
9:55pm* Rhein Gibson
3:52am Harry Hillier (NZ)
Recent champion: Taylor Dickson
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US1m
Epson Tour
Atlantic Beach Classic
Atlantic Beach Country Club, Atlantic Beach, Florida
11:52pm* Robyn Choi
4:16am* Su Oh
5:44am* Caitlin Peirce
Recent champion: Briana Chacon
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US250,000
Louis Dobbelaar has opened up for the first time on the struggles that have plagued him the past two years, the moment he hit rock bottom and why he returns to the New Zealand PGA with more self-belief than at any other time in his career.
Still just 22 years of age, Dobbelaar has endured a dip in the trajectory that had him pointed towards a prosperous career on golf’s international stage following his Wallace Development New Zealand PGA Championship triumph in 2023.
He won the 2016 NZ Amateur at Royal Wellington Golf Club as a 15-year-old, in so doing becoming the youngest winner in the championship’s history.
The trans-Tasman double was complete when Dobbelaar claimed the Australian Amateur in 2021 and, shortly after turning professional that same year, he earned playing rights on the PGA TOUR’s Latin America tour.
Highlighted by a third-place finish at the 2021 Australian PGA Championship, Dobbelaar had four top-five finishes in his first 12 months on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and then broke through two years ago with a maiden professional win at Gulf Harbour Country Club.
What happened next is not only a cautionary tale but a reminder of the reality young players accustomed to winning must face.
“You get a bit of a taste of success but what came after that was a little bit of a false sense of where I was at and maybe a bit of complacency,” concedes Dobbelaar.
“When you do have a nice amateur career and you are in contention a lot and you maybe have a few trophies, you just think it’s going to be this slow, constant progression and the graph keeps trending upwards.
“You’ve got to go back a couple steps every now and then. Not that you want to, it’s just all part of it.
“Maybe I have run off a bit of confidence in my past when I’ve been doing well. It’s just been an easy thing to keep doing, but playing poorly took a toll on me mentally.
“I’ve had to really take a step back from my emotions with the game and stand out on the golf course naked to a degree, embarrassing yourself a few times to kind of work through it.
“You’ve got to hit some rock bottoms and ask some hard questions.
“That’s something that can be so hard with your ego on the line.”
‘My head was getting the best of me’
Two key elements conspired to derail the momentum of one of Australia’s most promising young professionals.
Dobbelaar’s physical development convinced him that he had to play the game differently. As the boy matured into a young man, there was a temptation to use his more muscular frame to hit the ball harder. Make the ball fly further.
He also ventured down a path where Dobbelaar evaluated his game by how his swing looked on video, not by how many shots it took to get the ball in the hole.
“A couple of little technical things that I probably hyper-fixated on that probably didn’t need the amount of attention I was giving it,” Dobbelaar reflects.
“That took my focus away from playing good golf.”
In the 12 months after his NZ PGA win, Dobbelaar made 18 starts, missed nine cuts and didn’t have a single top-25 finish.
That trend continued to start the 2024-2025 season, walking off after shooting 81 in Round 2 of the Queensland PGA Championship at Nudgee just six months ago his breaking point.
“My head was getting the best of me. I just couldn’t be present and play golf,” he added.
“I was just all over the shop. I had a couple sit downs with my psychologist (Jonah Oliver) and identified some stuff that actually needed attention.
“I was driving myself nuts and every swing meant more than just a golf score.
“Most guys go through something similar as a pro, but that was the first time I’d ever experienced it with a game that I just love so much.”
‘Believing more than ever’
No longer trading on confidence accumulated as a star amateur, Dobbelaar has sought to build belief to become the professional he has proven he can be.
He has drawn inspiration from the way the past two Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winners, David Micheluzzi and Kazuma Kobori, have identified and owned who they are as players.
As he prepares to tee it up at Hastings Golf Club on Thursday morning alongside last week’s NZ Open winner, Ryan Peake, and the 2024 NZ PGA champion, Pieter Zwart, Dobbelaar is a believer once again.
“I’m believing more than I ever have,” said Dobbelaar, who was tied for 11th at Webex Players Series Sydney a fortnight ago.
“The last few events, in my eyes, have shown the calibre of player that I think that I am more so than I have probably ever in my career, which is exciting to me.
“Who knows if that means I’m going to play well or not, but I’ve been able to actually do the things that I believe I can do lately, which has been fun.”
The Wallace Development New Zealand PGA Championship tees off at 5:45am AEDT Thursday morning.
Australian Golf has announced the extension of its partnership with BMW Australia for a further term, solidifying the premium automotive leader’s commitment to the growth and promotion of golf in the country.
This extension builds upon the landmark partnership signed in 2022 when BMW became the first joint partner of Australian Golf, a successful collaboration that has seen BMW make significant contributions to the sport.
BMW’s involvement is highlighted by its ongoing title partnership of the BMW Australian PGA Championship for 2024 and beyond, alongside its partnerships with the Australian Open, Australian WPGA Championship, Webex Players Series and Vic Open.
BMW’s investment in Australia’s best golf talent is also evident in their list of current player ambassadors that includes reigning BMW Australian PGA champion Elvis Smylie, major winner Minjee Lee, former Australian PGA champion and PGA TOUR member Min Woo Lee, and LPGA Tour winner Grace Kim.
PGA of Australia and Golf Australia Chief Commercial Officer Michael McDonald recognised BMW’s significant role in the sport’s ongoing success, with significant growth occurring across all aspects of the game.
“BMW’s contribution to Australian Golf has been invaluable and it continues to expand,” he said.
“In 2022, BMW set new ground by becoming the first company to partner with all three national governing bodies – Golf Australia, PGA of Australia and WPGA Tour of Australasia – under the banner of Australian Golf.
“Their dedication and investment into our tournaments, players, members and our fans continue to make a tangible difference, and we are excited to continue this journey together.”
BMW’s involvement in Australian Golf aligns with its broader global strategy to support golf that embody precision, performance, and passion. This partnership also complements the BMW Golf Cup, the world’s largest amateur golf event, which takes place at a BMW dealer level globally and allows customers to compete for a place in the prestigious World Final.
In addition to the BMW Australian PGA Championship, BMW will continue its involvement in several other Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and WPGA Tour of Australasia tournaments including the Australian Open, along with a range of initiatives across other Australian Golf assets focussed on PGA Members, fans and participants of golf.
Wolfgang Buechel, CEO of BMW Group Australia, emphasized the brand’s commitment to the sport: “BMW is proud to continue its partnership with Australian Golf. Over the years, we have seen firsthand the incredible growth and passion for the sport in Australia.
“This extension reaffirms our commitment to excellence, innovation, and naturing the next generation of golfers, both on and off the course. We look forward to continuing to play a role in elevating Australian Golf to even greater heights.”
Photo: BMW Australian PGA champion Elvis Smylie with Wolfgang Buechel, CEO of BMW Group Australia,
The first of four PGA Institute Emerging Leaders sessions was held today at the PGA Learning Hub in Sandhurst, with 17 attendees gaining valuable communication insights.
The Emerging Leaders program was launched in 2024, and among a number of other offerings, the PGA Institute program is geared towards professional development through interactive workshops designed to empower the next generation of golf industry professionals.
Titled Mastering effective communication, program facilitators Colin Wilson and Chris Tankard from Key Business Advisors took the attendees through what the best forms of workplace communication might look like in their clubs and facilities.
Mitchell Wilson, the Assistant Director of Golf at Kingston Heath, said the workshop was a helpful refresh on some tactics that are often forgotten or overlooked.
“It was great to get out of the office and be with like-minded people and discussing things that affect us day-to-day,” he said at Sandhurst today.
“In the golf industry, not everyone’s there at the same time, so we’re just coming up with a few ways to make sure the message is getting across to all team members.”
Similarly, Devanique Rossouw who is the Swim School Coordinator at Sandhurst Club, is excited to take her learnings from today’s session back to her team.
“I absolutely loved it. It was really insightful,” Rossouw said.
“We learned a lot about communication styles, how to communicate with the team and your upline and your downline.
“Also strategies on how to implement good team culture and how communication plays a role. Communication is key.”
As part of the Golf Australia Emerging Leaders Scholarship Program, two attendees in Andrew Poppins from Sandy Golf Links, and Luke Sillay from The Vintage Golf Club, were fully funded to attend the workshop.
The next PGA Institute Emerging Leaders session, Strategic planning for success will be held in June, with two more later in the year.
There are still places available for the remaining workshops. CLICK HERE to learn more, and CLICK HERE to register.
