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One of Australia’s best young talents, Elvis Smylie, has grabbed a cherished berth in the Open Championship at Royal Troon later this month.
The 22-year-old Queenslander played his way into the field via qualifying at Royal Cinque Ports in the UK overnight.
Needing to finish top-four, he carded 67-74 to finish tied-second and secure his place in what will be his first Open, and his first major championship.
“Just saying that I’ve qualified for The Open gives me goosebumps,” he said afterward. “The last time I went to The Open was at Royal Troon in 2016, when I was 14-years-old. Going there as a spectator eight years ago and now going back as a competitor – I don’t know what to say. I just can’t wait for the experience.
“I’ve already FaceTimed my dad (Peter) ho’s back in Australia and he said he’s going to book a flight over. My mum (Liz) is already over here commentating on Wimbledon so everyone’s going to come and watch me at Troon. I’m very excited.”
Twelve Australians played across four venues of qualifying but Smylie was the only one to pass through.
The left-hander is a former Australian Boys Amateur champion and has had some good results on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia since turning pro in 2021, despite not managing his first professional victory.
There are now six Australians in the field for Royal Troon from 18 July – Smylie, Cam Smith, Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott, Jasper Stubbs and Jason Day. There are four New Zealanders – Mike Hendry, Kazuma Kobori and Ryan Fox and Daniel Hillier.
PHOTO: Elvis Smylie celebrates at Royal Cinque Ports. Image: Getty
Globally renowned premium automotive leader BMW will become the title partner of the Australian PGA Championship.
The collaboration will see the BMW Australian PGA Championship, one of Australian golf’s two majors, join BMW’s suite of premium global tour tournaments alongside the DP World Tour’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, BMW International Open in Munich, the PGA TOUR’s penultimate playoff tournament – the BMW Championship – as well as the BMW Ladies Championship on the LPGA Tour.
Locked in for Royal Queensland Golf Club on November 21-24 this year, the BMW Australian PGA Championship stands as one of the premier tournaments on the Australian sporting calendar with its vibrant party hole and spectacular golf, attracting record crowds as Min Woo Lee won the 2023 title in his unique style.
Thanks to the co-sanctioning agreement between the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tour, this year’s BMW Australian PGA Championship will again feature a world-class field, pitting the best of Australia’s professionals against an international contingent of contenders.
Same tournament, new title partner 😎@bmwau | #AusPGA pic.twitter.com/qnOLsYOa2e
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) July 1, 2024
It will once again be the opening tournament of the DP World Tour season and enjoy its fourth consecutive year at Royal Queensland, the host venue of the 2032 Olympic Games golf competition.
Min Woo Lee, one of the rising superstars in world golf, has already confirmed he will return to defend his title.
PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said that with BMW’s commitment to excellence and innovation, the partnership promises to elevate the championship to a new level.
“We are delighted to welcome BMW as the title partner of the Australian PGA Championship,” Kirkman said.
“BMW has had a wonderful influence on Australian golf and our PGA Championship for many years and this title partnership takes its commitment to the next level.
“The company’s commitment to excellence and innovation perfectly aligns with our values, and we are confident that this partnership will contribute to the continued success and growth of the championship.”
BMW Australia CEO Wolfgang Buechel said: “BMW has had a longstanding involvement in golf around the world for more than 40 years, and we are excited to extend our partnership with the Australian PGA for such a prestigious Australian tournament, welcoming incredible Australian talent home for the season’s first major event.
“From the US via Europe to Asia and Australasia, you will find BMW wherever golf is played and enjoyed through all major markets worldwide.
“This is BMW’s first golf title partnership in the Southern Hemisphere and builds on our existing relationship as the official automotive partner of the PGA, Golf Australia and the WPGA.
“In partnership with the PGA, BMW will create captivating experiences across Australia, where future-defining innovation meets a sustainable society and a shared ambition to grow and create unforgettable memories and moments.
“The BMW Australian PGA Championship will be a great platform to promote our electric future via our range of BMW fully electric vehicles that will be on course at Royal Queensland.”
Guy Kinnings, CEO of the DP World Tour, added: “We are delighted BMW have joined as title partner of the Australian PGA Championship. Over the past 35 years, the DP World Tour have developed an extremely close working relationship that continues to drive strong value to BMW’s global engagement in sport.
“With this partnership in Australia, it brings together a truly iconic brand and iconic golf tournament, popular with golf fans and players alike across the world. The BMW brand stands for luxury, innovation, and sportiness – all values that closely match our own, with both the DP World Tour and PGA of Australia benefitting significantly from partnering with such a respected partner of the game of golf.”
As well as being title partner of the BMW Australian PGA Championship, BMW is committed to supporting the future of Australian professional golf with its existing Australian golf partnership with the PGA of Australia and Golf Australia covering the broader Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, WPGA Tour of Australasia and the Australian Open.
The company also currently has partnerships with LPGA Tour star Grace Kim and DP World Tour player Elvis Smylie.
Tickets for the BMW Australian PGA Championship are available now via Ticketek
A bounce-back birdie on the final hole was double cause for celebration as Jay Mackenzie took out the Blackwater Pro-Am and the 2024 Onsite Rental Group Mining Towns Series at Blackwater Country Club.
Without a win on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series since victory on his home course in Ballina almost 12 months ago, Mackenzie had been consistent throughout the Mining Towns Series without notching a win.
He was top five at both Tieri and Emerald but put it all together at Blackwater, his second round of 8-under 64 and two-round total of 12-under enough to edge Darcy Boyd (67) and Ben Henkel (67) by a shot.
With a total score of 37-under par, it was also enough to finish one clear of Henkel in the 10-round accumulative Mining Towns Series, Mackenzie breaking 70 in each of his final nine rounds.
“Probably the first guy in 15 years to beat Tim Hart,” said the laconic Mackenzie of the five-time reigning champion who had to settle for third in 2024.
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
Mackenzie began the second round trailing both Boyd and Henkel by two shots but a run of four straight birdies from the fourth hole elevated his presence on the leaderboard.
Four birdies in the space of six holes on the back nine gave Mackenzie a comfortable two-shot cushion but victory would not come easily.
His first and only bogey of the tournament came at his penultimate hole – the par-4 18th – which sent Mackenzie to the first hole needing birdie to win.
A good drive at the 355-metre par 4 gave the New South Welshman sand wedge in, dialling it in to set up the birdie putt that he duly converted to win by one.
Playing together in the final group, Boyd and Henkel could both have matched Mackenzie’s 12-under total but had to settle for a pair of pars in their final two holes.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I haven’t played like that for a while,” said Mackenzie.
“Just didn’t make many mistakes. One bogey and I guess 13 birdies.
“I think I had maybe a two-shot lead at some point and then I was like, Oh yeah, just make another birdie and that should be enough.
“I was a bit dirty after the bogey but I knew what was going on.
“I was pretty comfortable (playing the last). I felt pretty good. I don’t really get that nervous. I almost fell asleep, actually.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Jay Mackenzie 68-64—132
T2 Darcy Boyd 66-67—133
T2 Ben Henkel 66-67—133
T4 Brendan Smith 67-69—136
T4 Nathan Page 70-66—136
T6 William Bruyeres 69-69—138
T6 Dylan Gardner 70-68—138
T6 James Conran 71-67—138
NEXT UP
The Queensland swing of the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series heads coastal on Wednesday for the two-day JRT Group Emu Park Pro-Am which will be followed by a new event in 2024, the Biloela Pro-Am at Biloela Golf Course.
The tournament had a new name but the winner was the same as Andre Stolz claimed the first Australian PGA Senior 9-Hole Championship at Town of 1770 Golf Course just north of Bundaberg.
The picturesque locale has become a popular stop on the PGA Legends Tour, the tight, tree-lined nine-hole layout presenting an exacting test in shot-making.
Expanded to a three-round championship for the first time this year, Stolz employed the same strategy that carried him to a one-stroke win over two rounds 12 months ago.
Tied with Victorian Mark Boulton heading into the final round, Stolz closed with a round of 2-under 32 for a 7-under total and one-shot win from Brad Burns (32) and Murray Lott (32).
“This course will give you some nightmares but it’s an amazing course,” said Stolz.
“It’s just extremely tight and I can get a little wayward, so it’s pretty nerve-wracking on a few tee shots out there.
“I’ve sort of played this course with handcuffs on and it’s worked for me the last couple of years.”
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
Both 36-hole leaders began their third rounds with a bogey at the par-3 first but it would be Stolz who rebounded best.
He birdied the par-5 second and picked up another at the par-4 fourth as Burns and Lott both made their moves.
Stolz took advantage of the short par-4 eighth to keep his head in front, providing enough of a cushion for par to be enough at the par-5 ninth.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“It’s an extremely tricky hole,” Stolz said of the closer.
“It’s a tough green to go at in two. You’ve got to hit two amazing shots and if you miss the green to the side, it runs down the rough there and you can have a chip there where you can barely get it on the green.
“I hit a great second shot down there but unfortunately didn’t make my birdie putt.
“I thought that might cost me, but lucky enough to still finish one in front.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Andre Stolz 31-32-32—95
T2 Brad Burns 31-33-32—96
T2 Murray Lott 33-31-32—96
T4 Euan Walters 36-31-30—97
T4 Jason Norris 32-34-31—97
T6 Nigel Weldon 33-31-34—98
T6 Adam Henwood 33-31-34—98
NEXT UP
The PGA Legends Tour moves further north in its winter swing in Queensland, Andre Stolz and Nigel Lane the defending champions at the two-day JRT Yeppoon Legends Pro-Am at Yeppoon Golf Course starting Thursday.
An emotional Cam Davis has credited two weeks of hypnotherapy for the sudden form reversal that has yielded a second win at the PGA TOUR’s Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit.
Three years after holing a bunker shot on the 71st hole and emerging victorious from a three-man playoff for his breakthrough win, Davis could not hide the enormity of his second victory at Detroit Golf Club, the first player with multiple wins at the event.
With putts repeatedly burning the edge of the hole and a lasered second shot into the par-5 14th that somehow dribbled into the water, it looked as though the golf gods would conspire against Davis.
Fellow Australian Min Woo Lee (69) made a back-nine charge to earn a share of the lead at 18-under but made bogey on the final hole when his approach shot finished in the rough behind the green and he was unable to get up-and-down for par.
Davis, too, needed to scramble from the rough on 18 for a 2-under 70 to claim the clubhouse lead at 18-under.
He did that with a superb chip from right of the green and then looked on in shock from the range as American Akshay Bhatia (72) three-putted for the first time all week on the 72nd hole to hand the Aussie a one-shot win.
Ranked 77th in the FedEx Cup standings entering the week and without a top-10 finish all season, Davis was at a loss to explain a form reversal that resulted in victory.
“From where I was a couple of weeks ago to today, just completely different person,” said the 29-year-old from Sydney.
“This is a little emotional actually. I wouldn’t wish what happened to Akshay on anyone, but I’ve done a lot of grinding to kind of get myself out of a hole and just all of a sudden to do that, it’s pretty good.”
Dub (again) in Detroit 🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/RW37jg41tG
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 30, 2024
While he described his playoff win over countryman Adam Scott at US Open qualifying as a “little shining moment”, Davis revealed that it has been his recent visits to a hypnotherapist that has unlocked his love for the game again.
At the urging of his wife, Jonika, Davis began seeing a hypnotherapist two weeks ago and is adamant in the role that it has played in earning a long-awaited second win.
“My career trajectory was not where I wanted it,” added Davis, who has been working with Canadian-based coach Ralph Bauer for the past year.
“It’d been a long time since I’d won and I felt like I wasn’t playing anywhere near good enough golf to keep up with the best players in the game.
“We’ve only been working together for a couple of weeks and I’ve gone from almost disliking the game to feeling like I’ve got a bit of that magic back, so it’s made a huge difference.
“I can entirely put it down to fact that my team’s had my back through every dark day I’ve had over the last couple of couple of months to Grace, who’s helped me through it all and got me back on a really good path.
“I’ve got a lot of people to thank, but definitely the biggest turnaround has happened with the hypnotherapy.”
In addition to the 1-2 finish in Detroit, there were Aussies in contention across the globe this past week.
Richard Green remains in the hunt as the US Senior Open was forced into a Monday finish due to dangerous weather while Grace Kim paired with American Auston Kim for a tie for fifth at the LPGA Tour Dow Championship.
David Micheluzzi rebounded from some indifferent form of late for a top-10 finish at the Italian Open, Rhein Gibson shot 63 in rounds two and four to be tied for eighth on the Korn Ferry Tour and Cassie Porter is projected to move to second on the Epson Tour Race For The Card after a tie for seventh at the Dream First Bank Charity Classic.
Photo: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
Results
PGA TOUR
Rocket Mortgage Classic
Detroit Golf Club, Detroit, Michigan
1 Cam Davis 68-66-66-70—270 $US1.656m
T2 Min Woo Lee 68-68-66-69—271 $616,400
T67 Ryan Fox (NZ) 71-67-76-71—285 $19,412
T72 Aaron Baddeley 68-70-72-76—286 $18,768
MC Tim Wilkinson (NZ) 74-70—144
MC Harrison Endycott 74-71—145
PGA TOUR Champions
US Senior Open
Newport Country Club, Newport, Rhode Island
Round 4 to be completed Monday due to dangerous weather
1 Hiroyuki Fujita 63-66-67—196
3 Richard Green 63-67-69—199
T8 Steven Alker (NZ) 71-67-67—205
T14 Cameron Percy 70-65-70—205
T25 Mark Hensby 75-63-74—212
T25 Michael Long (NZ) 72-69-70-68—279
T40 Greg Chalmers 72-70-70—212
T45 Stuart Appleby 67-74-71—212
T57 Michael Wright 68-72-73—213
T60 Mathew Goggin 66-73-77—216
MC Rod Pampling 67-78—145
MC Richard Lee (NZ) 73-73—146
LPGA Tour
Dow Championship
Midland Country Club, Midland, Michigan
1 Atthaya Thitikul/Ruoning Yin 64-66-66-62—258 $US364,572 ea
T5 Grace Kim/Auston Kim 67-61-69-65—262 $60,177
T17 Hira Naveed/Sofia Garcia 69-64-70-62—265 $19,206
T27 Lydia Ko (NZ)/Danielle Kang 71-62-72-63—268 $9,322
MC Gabriela Ruffels/Esther Henseleit 69-65—134
MC Stephanie Kyriacou/Olivia Cowan 68-66—134
MC Robyn Choi/Minji Kang 71-64—135
MC Sarah Kemp/Alena Sharp 74-65—139
DP World Tour
Italian Open
Adriatic Golf Club Cervia, Milano Marittima, Italy
1 Marcel Siem 69-68-66-71—274 €516,774.24
Won in sudden-death playoff
T10 David Micheluzzi 70-68-69-70—277 €45,141.75
T10 Sam Jones (NZ) 72-68-68-69—277 €45,141.75
MC Haydn Barron 70-73—143
MC Jason Scrivener 74-71—145
MC Daniel Hillier (NZ) 70-77—147
Ladies European Tour
VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open
Golfpark Holzhausern, Switzerland
1 Alice Hewson 68-69-65—202 €45,000
Won in sudden-death playoff
T19 Kelsey Bennett 71-68-69—208 €4,230
T34 Kirsten Rudgeley 66-72-72—210 €2,385
T43 Momoka Kobori (NZ) 72-72-68—212 €1,656
T56 Whitney Hillier 69-73-75—217 €1,110
MC Amy Walsh 77-80—157
Korn Ferry Tour
Memorial Health Championship
Panther Creek Country Club, Springfield, Illinois
1 Max McGreevy 63-66-62-69—260
T8 Rhein Gibson 69-63-69-63—264
MC Brett Drewitt 69-72—141
Challenge Tour
Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge
Golf PGA France du Vaudreuil, Le Vaudreuil, France
1 Joel Moscatel 71-67-66-70—274 €43,200
Won in sudden-death playoff
T10 Jeff Guan 69-65-72-73—279 €5,670
T29 Andrew Martin 74-68-73-68—283 €2,160
T50 Hayden Hopewell 71-71-76-68—286 €1,096.20
MC Tom Power Horan 74-76—150
MC Connor McKinney 78-73—151
Epson Tour
Dream First Bank Charity Classic
Buffalo Dunes Golf Course, Garden City, Kansas
T7 Cassie Porter 69-73-68—210
T14 Amelia Garvey (NZ) 69-71-71—211
T22 Maddison Hinson-Tolchard 70-72-71—213
MC Amy Chu 69-78—147
MC Soo Jin Lee 71-78—149
Korean PGA Tour
Biz Play-Wonder Club Open
Club 72 Country Club (Sky Cse), Korea
1 Heo In-hoe 66-68-68-65—267
T7 Junseok Lee 67-67-67-71—272
T52 Sungjin Yeo (NZ) 64-71-72-74—281
T69 Kevin Chun (NZ) 70-70-76-69—285
PGA TOUR Americas
ATB Classic
Northern Bear Golf Club, Strathcona County, Alberta
1 Frederik Kjettrup 68-68-67-69—272 $US40,500
T8 Grant Booth 70-68-72-68—278
T33 Karl Vilips 65-73-74-72—284
MC Harry Hillier (NZ) 72-74—146
LET Access Series
MoreGolf Mastercard Open
Varbergs Golf Klubb, Sweden
1 Kajsa Arwefjall 70-69-67—206 €6,400
T10 Belinda Ji (a) 70-69-77—216 ——-
T32 Hanee Song (NZ) 73-75-74—222 €484
MC Wenyung Keh (NZ) 76-75—151
MC Munchin Keh (NZ) 76-76—152
A patient Richard Green admits he may need some assistance to rein in tournament leader Hiroyuki Fujita heading into the final round of the US Senior Open at Newport Country Club.
Green bounced back from back-to-back birdies early in Round 3 to shoot 1-under 69 on Saturday in Rhode Island, his 54-hole total of 11-under putting him three strokes back of Fujita (67) and one behind American Steve Stricker (66).
A birdie at the opening hole was the ideal start to moving day for the Victorian left-hander but two poor iron shots at the par-3 fifth and par-4 sixth led to consecutive bogeys.
Five back of Fujita standing on the 14th tee, a perfect tee shot followed by a wedge to four feet got Green back to even par on his round. He hit a fairway wood to the back edge of the par-5 16th to set up an eagle chance with eight feet of break from left to right.
That putt finished four feet under the hole, Green converting to keep his hopes of a maiden senior major alive.
But he knows, given that Fujita has made just one bogey through 54 holes, that the pressure of a major championship will need to play its role in the final round.
“He’s going to take some beating if he plays like that tomorrow,” said Green, who played in the final group with Fujita in Round 3.
“It’s going to take a good round from the guys coming from behind to catch him.
“You never know in the pressure of a US Open at the end of the week what might happen, but I’ll just play my game and see where it ends up.”
Green sees red! 🐥
— USGA (@USGA) June 29, 2024
A sweet approach on No. 14 by lefty Richard Green 🇦🇺 sets up a birdie that moves him into a tie for second place. pic.twitter.com/bWoIgyXykz
Top 10 in both fairways hit (13/14) and greens in regulation (14/18) in Round 3, it was a more challenging day on the greens for the 53-year-old, who had 32 putts on day three.
Fellow Australian Cameron Percy didn’t need the putter at all to start his third round, holing a bunker shot for eagle at the par-5 first.
He would sign for an even-par 70 by day’s end to sit in a tie for eighth, the Victorian left to rue a number of careless mistakes through his round.
“I threw away a lot of shots today, which is annoying,” admitted Percy, now nine shots off the lead.
“I don’t know how long it took us, but just took us a long time and a lot of concentration.
“When you’re 50 and have to concentrate, it’s frustrating.
“It’s the sort of course where I feel like if you shoot 7 or 8-under, then you can maybe win if the other guy can drop back a little bit.
“It’s going to be hard to win. I’m a long way back now.”
Photo: Jonathan Ernst/USGA
Australasian scores
3 Richard Green 63-67-69—199
T8 Cameron Percy 70-65-70—205
T8 Steven Alker (NZ) 71-67-67—205
T36 Michael Long (NZ) 72-69-70—211
T42 Mark Hensby 75-63-74—212
T42 Stuart Appleby 67-74-71—212
T42 Greg Chalmers 72-70-70—212
T51 Michael Wright 68-72-73—213
70 Mathew Goggin 66-73-77—216
MC Rod Pampling 67-78—145
MC Richard Lee (NZ) 73-73—146
The windswept nature of his home course held Richard Green in good stead as the Australian stayed just one shot back at the US Senior Open at Newport Country Club.
Co-leader after Round 1, Green faced much sterner conditions at the historic layout on Rhode Island but three birdies around the turn were key in a 3-under 67 and 10-under total.
That puts Green just one back of Japan’s Hiroyuki Fujita (66) as Steve Stricker (66) and Richard Bland (64) moved into a share of third.
One of the best rounds of the day saw Green’s fellow Victorian Cameron Percy (65) climb into a tie for ninth at 5-under, the pair calling on all of their vast experience playing in windy conditions in Melbourne.
Green’s home course is 13th Beach Golf Links on the Bellarine Peninsula and the left-hander used that grounding and a hot putter to enter the weekend outright second.
“It was much tougher conditions today with the wind,” said Green, who described his 63 in Round 1 as one of the best rounds of his distinguished career.
“Something we faced in the last couple of holes yesterday, but not for the whole round.
“There was some really testing shots out there today coming through 4, 5, 6 and early holes on the back nine, 10, 11, 12, 13. Some really, really tough, demanding shots.
“I was able to hit some good ones when I needed to and hang in there when I needed to. It was a much tougher feeling out there today.”
On to the weekend 💪
— USGA (@USGA) June 28, 2024
Here’s where things stand through two rounds at Newport Country Club 👇
Starting from the 10th tee, Green dropped to 6-under with a bogey at his opening hole but responded with birdies at 11 and 12 to get to 8-under.
A bogey on 15 saw Green fall back to even par for his round but three consecutive birdies from the 18th hole got him back to within one of the lead.
“Putting saved me at times and kept the momentum going,” said Green, who had 27 putts and ranked first in driving distance on day two.
“Golf’s difficult when you’re challenged and you’re under pressure all the time and you’re a little bit out of position in spots.
“If you can be steady and having good momentum going your way, it just sets you in a good frame of mind for the rest of the day.”
Percy charged up the leaderboard with seven birdies through 15 holes but was left to rue two bogeys on his final two holes to be six shots off the lead heading into Round 3.
“Going to go and find out what my irons are doing because my putting is really good,” said Percy.
“Just got to get my irons a bit sharper.
“The pins here are really nasty. If you’re just a little bit off, it’s not much fun.
“You’ve got to be really precise with your irons so got to work on that this afternoon.”
Seven Australians made the cut including Mark Hensby, who bounced back from a 75 in Round 1 with 7-under 63 in Round 2 thanks to a run of four birdies and an eagle in the space of six holes on the back nine.
Photo: Jonathan Ernst/USGA
Australasian scores
2 Richard Green 63-67—130
T9 Cameron Percy 70-65—135
T24 Steven Alker (NZ) 71-67—138
T24 Mark Hensby 75-63—138
T31 Mathew Goggin 66-73—139
T38 Michael Wright 68-72—140
T47 Michael Long (NZ) 72-69—141
T47 Stuart Appleby 67-74—141
T60 Greg Chalmers 72-70—142
MC Rod Pampling 67-78—145
MC Richard Lee (NZ) 73-73—146
Richard Green finds himself with a share of the lead at the close of play on day one of the US Senior Open Championship at Newport Country Club.
The Victorian, who finished runner-up at the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship just weeks ago, went bogey-free on day one, carding seven birdies to shoot 63 and grab a share of the lead with Japan’s Hiroyuki Fujita at 7-under.
“Started off very nicely. Felt the preparation this week has been set up really well to play on this golf course,” Green said.
“Today’s round, you know, proved itself. Hit the ball very, very well. A lot of work has been put in and it’s just nice to see to come to fruition.”
Senior golf debutant Mat Goggin is the next best Australian in a tie for fifth after an opening 4-under 66, the Tasmanian carding five birdies on his day and limiting the damage to a single bogey.
Stuart Appleby and Rod Pampling find themselves together in a share of 15th, both recording matching 3-under 67s on day one.
Starting the day with birdies on his two opening holes, Green really got going after the turn, making three birdies on the bounce holes 10 through 12, before almost holing his second on 18, setting up one final birdie.
“Got a good drive down there. Able to get a wedge into the green,” he said of his closing hole.
“Had a good yardage to land it 135 yards in one bounce. The way the crowd reacted, it sounded like it hit the flag. Lucky enough to stop three feet away.”
Green revealed that the Newport layout and conditions play into his favour very well this week, drawing similarities to the Victorian courses he knows so well.
“Where I live in Melbourne, Australia, our conditions are very much the same. There’s not a day in the year where it’s not the blowing 25km/h. Same sort of surface, the coastal environment,” he said.
“I’m actually used to playing in those conditions. I practiced prior to starting my golf on the Champions Tour over here, practicing every day in these sort of conditions, so I’m used to it, I like it. The course suits my eye.
“I’ve had lower scores in my time, but from a feeling of how I feel on this golf course and the way I prepared and practiced and got my game into this shape, as good a round as I’ve ever had.
“Can’t ask for more.”
Photo: Kathryn Riley/USGA
Sarka Seifertova has never been one to shy away from a challenge. The Czech native and now Australian citizen has made a habit of testing her limits to get the most out of herself, both personally and professionally.
Born into a golfing family, Sarka’s father – himself a PGA Professional – owned and ran a driving range facility in the Czech Republic.
“I spent every day there from the age of five,” she recalls. “I got quite good and spent a couple of years in the national squad as a junior.”
A prodigious talent, Sarka fell out of love with the game when matters of performance began to take precedence over enjoyment. So, after a phone call to the national squad, she put the clubs down for a decade, and began the hunt for a different challenge.
“I wanted to move away from home; to go somewhere I would need to learn the language and test myself,” she says. “I came to Australia because it is so far away, and I couldn’t just go home when I got uncomfortable.”
After completing a Cert III in Fitness and working in restaurants Down Under, Sarka found her way back to golf, this time with a renewed perspective as a 25-year-old.
“I was working at Barnwell Park Golf Club in Sydney, and they encouraged me to join the Membership Pathway Program (to become a PGA Professional),” she recalls.
“I always had a dream to be a good player, but often in that early time in Australia, I felt a bit of an outsider – that I didn’t belong.
“That changed once I started teaching golf. I found that I really enjoyed it and found it very fulfilling.”
Since graduating as a qualified PGA Professional in 2023, Sarka has been dedicated to sharing the joys of golf with more women than ever before.
Having worked at the innovative GolfSpace facility in Sydney – where she was responsible for boosting female engagement – Sarka wanted to challenge herself further; accepting a role as Teaching Professional at Education City Golf Club in Qatar.
Home to three golf courses and a state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence that includes a 3D Gears system, Trackman technology and a SAM Balance Puttlab, Sarka feels at home.
“I fell in love with the facility immediately,” she says.
“There is so much practice space and even a fully private studio to allow for Muslim women to have lessons in privacy.”
It is an environment that allows Sarka to pursue what she describes as “a mission to help women feel more empowered through sport”.
The busiest of the teaching professionals in just her third month, Sarka ran a campaign targeted at women and girls in February, which reached more than 200,000 people.
“The main thing for me here is to get more local Qatari women through the door,” she says.
“We want to build a community of women golfers.
“Helping people to feel like they can belong, create connections and motivate each other, that is what it is all about.
“And if they want to go a step further and take the game more seriously, we have the resources here to help them do that, too.”
A noble mission, Sarka understands how it can feel on the other side and wants to ensure more people get a rewarding experience within golf.
“I remember how it felt when I was new to the game,” she adds.
“It can be intimidating, and I want to help people through that experience and instead let them dream on about what is possible in golf.
“At the moment, this makes my heart full, and it is my absolute priority.”
Applications for the next intake for the Membership Pathway Program open on Monday, July 1. For more information or to apply, click here.
A history-making quartet of Minjee Lee, Min Woo Lee, Jason Day and Hannah Green will represent Australia in Paris, with the four golfers selected by the Australian Olympic Committee today.
Minjee Lee will become the first Australian golfer to compete at three Olympics, Green returns for her second Games while Min Woo Lee and Day will both make their Olympic debut.
Minjee and Min Woo Lee also make history as the first siblings to compete in Olympic golf for Australia. The pair become the sixteenth Australian sister and brother pair to compete in the same sport at the same Games, a record which stretches back to 1920 with swimmers Lillian and Frank Beaurepaire.
The four players all qualified by virtue of their International Golf Federation Olympic ranking at the end of a two-year ranking period. Green and Minjee Lee finished the period ranked seventh and 11th respectively, while Day and Min Woo are Australia’s highest ranked male golfers at 27th and 36th respectively.
Green matched Australia’s best ever Olympic golf finish with a tie for fifth at Tokyo 2020, and has won two LPGA Tour events already this year. Minjee Lee has 10 career LPGA wins, Day 13 career PGA Tour wins, while Min Woo is the reigning Australian PGA champion and achieved a career-best world ranking of 31st in 2024.
Australian Olympic Team Chef de Mission, Anna Meares, welcomed the four athletes to the Team.
“Congratulations to Hannah, Minjee, Jason and Min Woo on earning your spot in the Australian Olympic Team for Paris,” Ms Meares said.
“This group has proven they can perform at a world class level on the international stage and I know they will represent Australia proudly in Paris.
“Minjee will make history twice, as the first Australian golfer to contest three Games and with her brother Min Woo as the first Australian siblings to compete in Olympic golf.
“Congratulations to each of the athletes, Golf Australia and everyone who has helped these athletes book their place on the Australian Olympic Team for Paris.”
The only brother-sister duo to win USGA championships – Minjee won the 2012 US Girls’ Junior and Min Woo the 2016 US Junior Amateur – the Lees will now join Australia’s rich history of Olympic siblings.
“Representing Australia at a third consecutive Olympic Games is truly an honour,” said Minjee.
“The past two Olympics have been among the greatest experiences of my career, and I have no doubt Paris 2024 will only add to that.
“Having my brother in Paris as part of the team will make it a fortnight that our family will treasure forever.”
“Now that it is starting to sink in, representing the Australian Olympic Team alongside my sister at Paris 2024 is actually crazy,” said Min Woo.
“Playing at the Olympics has been a goal of mine ever since Minjee qualified for the Rio Olympics in 2016. Now that it is here, I want to do the green and gold proud and will be doing everything I can to come home with a gold medal.”
Australia’s best performer in the Olympic golf competition in Tokyo three years ago, Green has accumulated two LPGA Tour wins this season and is currently Australia’s highest-ranked golfer at No.7 in the Women’s World Golf Ranking.
“I am so thrilled to be once again representing the Australian Olympic Team at Paris 2024,” said Green.
“Growing up in Perth, I never imagined that I could possibly win an Olympic medal but finishing fifth in Tokyo has been a major motivator the past three years.
“I can’t wait to get to Paris and do the green and gold proud.”
Paris will also mark the Olympic debut for Jason Day, a former world No.1 and the 2015 US PGA Championship winner.
At 36, Day is the veteran member of the squad and thrilled to be representing his country in the Olympic arena.
“I am so grateful for the opportunity to represent the Australian Olympic Team in Paris,” said Day.
“Throughout my career – whether on the PGA TOUR, in President Cups and World Cups – I have tried to represent Australia in the best way possible.
“I will wear the green and gold with pride in Paris and would love nothing more than to win a gold medal for Australia.”
Golf Australia CEO, James Sutherland, believes all four athletes will serve as wonderful ambassadors for Australian golf during their Paris 2024 campaigns.
“Golf Australia could not be more proud to put these four athletes forward to represent Australia at the Paris Olympic Games,” said Mr Sutherland.
“In Jason, Hannah and Minjee we have three major champions and, in Min Woo, our reigning Australian PGA champion and a likely major winner of the future.
“We are proud of golf’s place within the Olympic movement and I have no doubt that our Paris 2024 representatives will live up to the Olympic ideals during the two weeks of competition.”
The Golf competition will be held from Thursday 1 August to Saturday 10 August at Le Golf National venue in Guyancourt.
