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With a new season of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia getting underway in Port Moresby on Thursday, not many players can say they are in as rich a vein of form as Brett Rankin right now.
The Queenslander leads the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series Order of Merit list and enters this week at the PNG Open hot off a playoff win at the North Coast Open at Coffs Harbour in his last start, but he says he still has room to grow.
“My iron play has been a bit average the last few weeks and I didn’t feel it was that great last week either, but I’m driving the ball really well and I’m putting well,” Rankin said.
Also in his favour this week is the experience he has gained across previous trips to PNG, including a victory at the Morobe Open, the 36-year-old admitting the Tour’s most northerly stop can be a bit of a shock to the system – even in winter.
“I’m feeling quite comfortable and pretty confident … I’ve played well in PNG in the past,” he said.
“I think the biggest battle is just where you are, and the heat. You have to go in with a strong mental game and just accept it’s different.
“If I just go off and play my game, I’ve had good results here in the past, there’s no reason why I can’t have more good results.”
Rankin successfully went back to Q-school this year to improve his category after finishing outside the top-50 on last season’s Order of Merit, and says that has been a positive springboard heading into this year.
“Last year it was a pretty frustrating season. I actually felt like it was one of my best ball striking seasons, but I just was nowhere with the putter,” he said.
“To play at Moonah Links, I haven’t really played well there in the past, so to play well there and basically know that I’ll get every start, or I should get most starts anyway, is very encouraging.
“I’ve basically got a full schedule, so I’m just excited to get back into playing the Tour season and having a crack.”
While his most recent win grants him entry into the New South Wales Open, Rankin has another big event in his sights.
“The Australian Open is probably the one I’m really looking forward to,” he said.
“I love Kingston Heath, and I love Victoria Golf Club, and I love the Sandbelt”.
The PNG Open, with a field of 108 professionals and amateurs, starts on Thursday morning, and is the first event of the 2024/25 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season. Follow the live scores HERE.
Queensland’s Katelyn Must been selected as captain of a five-strong Australian team that is targeting a top-three finish in the Women’s PGA Cup in Oregon in October.
A teams competition for women PGA Professionals from around the world who are not regular Tour players, the Women’s PGA Cup sees Australia take on PGA teams from the United States, Canada, Sweden, Great Britain and Ireland, and South Africa.
This is the third edition, with the hosts USA taking out the previous two cups in 2019 and 2022 and favourites to complete a hat-trick at Sunriver Resort with a team laden with former LPGA players.
The Australian team was decided after state rounds culminated in a national two-day qualifying final at Sandhurst Club, and has three players with previous Women’s PGA Cup experience – captain Must, Royal Canberra Golf Club teaching professional Lisa Jean and Barham Golf Resort general manager Sienna Voglis.
They are joined by former Athena champion Grace Lennon, who works as a teaching professional at Melbourne Golf Park, and Jessica Cook, who is an assistant professional at Maroochy River Golf Club.
A PGA of Australia member for the past 12 years, Must is looking forward to a new experience as captain of her country.
“When I was told I was going to be captain, I was gobsmacked. I’m extremely honoured to be the captain and represent all the women who are PGA of Australia members,” Must said.
“Our team is doing a lot of work on and off the golf course to get ready. We’ll have the best preparation possible, have had great support already and then we’ll see how we go in the US.
“Hopefully we can get a top-three finish. That would be a great achievement, especially considering the calibre of players in the other teams, and would be a step up from what we have achieved previously in this event.”
Conceived by then PGA of America president Suzy Whaley, the Women’s PGA Cup is a 54-hole strokeplay competition with the best three individual scores counting to the team’s daily total.
“This event celebrates the women of the PGA,” PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said.
“The players are all women who make their living working in golf and promotes the versatility of what is available to women who take up a career in a golf as a PGA Professional.”
The Australian Women’s PGA Cup team has been supported by adidas, Callaway and Uswing Golf Sunglasses.
Team Australia:
Katelyn Must: Captain
The lowdown: Must is the online creator for Professional Golf Services, she has been a PGA Member since 2012 and is captain of the 2024 Women’s PGA Cup Team. This will be Must’s second Women’s PGA Cup, competing too in 2022. As a player, Must has competed in multiple ISPS HANDA Australian Opens including at Sydney last year, and still plays in some WPGA Tour of Australasia events.
Grace Lennon
The lowdown: This is Lennon’s first Women’s PGA Cup. She works as a Teaching Professional at Melbourne Golf Park and has been a PGA Member since 2020. Lennon was a star amateur who was once part of a team with Minjee Lee and Su Oh who took out the Queen Sirikit Cup, but after finding life on tour was not for her, completed the Bridging Program (now known as the Tour Articulation). Lennon showed everyone she still has the competitiveness and game when she took out the 2023 Athena, and will be a valuable asset to the team.
Lisa Jean
The lowdown: Jean was a part of the inaugural Women’s PGA Cup Team in 2019, and is currently the Head Teaching Professional at Royal Canberra Golf Club. She has been a PGA Member since 2011, and turned pro in 2004. As a player, Jean competed on the Ladies European Tour for six years before injury sent her into early retirement. Tied for the final team spot on the last hole of qualifying, Jean made a clutch birdie to secure her spot on the 2024 team. That experience and level-headedness will be vital in Oregon.
Sienna Voglis
The lowdown: Also a part of the inaugural Women’s PGA Cup Team in 2019, Voglis is the General Manager at Barham Golf Resort and has been a PGA Member since 2015. Voglis was recognised as Management Professional of the Year at the 2023 Victorian PGA awards. Holding steady in the playoff for the last spot on this team, Voglis demonstrated she still has the nerve to perform under pressure.
Jessica Cook
The lowdown: After originally just missing out in the qualifying playoff, Cook secured the final spot on the team after Jenna Hunter was forced to pull-out through injury, this is Cook’s first Women’s PGA Cup, who is the Assistant Professional at Maroochy River Golf Club. Cook is the youngest member of the team and the youngest team member to ever represent Australia. At just 25, Cook has only been a full PGA Member since early 2024.
The 2024 Women’s PGA Cup will take place at Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, Oregon from 1–5 October, 2024.
Jack Wright and Reilly Wunderlich are the new Queensland PGA Foursomes Championship titleholders thanks to a final-hole birdie at Kooralbyn Valley today.
Wunderlich, from Yamba in New South Wales, hit the duo’s final approach shot of the day – at the 337m par-4 11th hole – to inside a metre from 90 metres out giving Wright, from the Gold Coast, a virtual tap-in to post the only even-par round of the event.
Their 72 gave was one shot clear of two teams – Michael Sim/Jack Munro and Tiger Boontang/Yevin Samararatne.
“It was a battle. We got off to a good start and then had to grind a few tough bogeys out,” Wunderlich said.
“To hit it to about a foot on the last to get the win was pretty special.”
Inclement weather in the Gold Coast Hinterland forced the event to be cut from 36 holes to just 18.
HOW THE WINNERS’ ROUND UNFOLDED
Starting their round on the 12th, Wright and Wunderlich moved to 1-under with a birdie at their second hole, the par-5 13th.
They were -2 following a birdie on the first before hitting trouble with a trio of bogeys on the third, fourth and fifth. Five straight pars steadied the round before the title-winning birdie came at the 11th.
LEADERBOARD
72: Jack Wright/Reilly Wunderlich
73: Michael Sim/Jack Munro; Tiger Boontang/Yevin Samararatne
74: Stephen Klease/TJ King
75: Barrie Manning/Neville Hogan; Christopher Crooks/Zach Ion; Kane Streat/Corey Jeucken
David Bransdon has posted his best finish so far in his rookie season on the PGA TOUR Champions, finishing in a share of eighth at the Boeing Classic in Washington.
The NSW professional fired rounds of 67-72-71 to finish alongside fellow Australian Richard Green (68-73-69) at 6-under-par, five shots behind the winner, Canada’s Stephen Ames.
It’s the third top-10 of the season for Bransdon who has moved up to 48th place in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, while Green, the owner of six top-10s in 2024, has consolidated his fourth position.
Queenslander John Senden produced the low round of the tournament on the final day, a 7-under-par 65, to climb 39 places into a share of 13th.
On the PGA TOUR, all three Australians – Min Woo Lee, Cam Davis and Aaron Baddeley – and Kiwi Ryan Fox didn’t make it through to the final 36 holes as England’s Aaron Rai claimed the Wyndham Championship title.
Jason Day, who didn’t play following his Olympic Games campaign, remains the leading Australia on the FedEx standings at No.26, while Cam Davis (No.44), Adam Scott (No.46) and Min Woo Lee (No.62) are also safely through to the first Playoffs event, the St Jude Championship, which features the top 70 players.
Last week’s Korn Ferry Tour, Karl Vilips, jumped from 15th to 13th, on the secondary tour’s points list with a T21 finish in the Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Woodhouse.
Meanwhile, Olympians Hannah Green and Minjee Lee will make their next appearance at the AIG British Open at St Andrews on Thursday week after Green just missed the medals in Paris
Olympic Women’s Golf
Le Golf National, France
1 Lydia Ko (NZ) 72-67-68- 71 – 280
T4 Hannah Green 77-70-66-69 – 282
T22 Minjee Lee 71-74-71-71 – 287
PGA TOUR
Wyndham Championship
Sedgefield Country Club, Greensboro, North Carolina
1 Aaron Rai (Eng) 65-65-68-64 – 262 – US$1.422 million
MC Ryan Fox (NZ) 67-71 – 138
MC Min Woo Lee 69-71 – 140
MC Cam Davis 69-73 – 142
WD Aaron Baddeley 71
ASIAN TOUR
International Series England
Foxhills Country Club (Longcross Course), Chertsey, UK
1 Peter Uihlein (US) 71-69-61-63 – 264 – US$360,000
T30 Travis Smyth 69-72-70-69 – 280 – $15,433
T30 Ben Campbell (NZ) 69-72-69-70 – 280 – $15,433
T43 Kazuma Kobori (NZ) 69-72-73-68 – 282 – $10,875
T51 Sam Brazel 70-71-73-70 284 – $8050
T55 Wade Ormsby 68-73-74-70 – 285 – $7100
T55 Jordan Zunic 71-71-71-72 – 285 – $7100
T62 Scott Hend 68-72-82-65 – 287 – $5800
73 Aaron Wilkin 69-71-74-81- 295 – $4000
MC Nick Voke (NZ) 69-74
MC Jack Thompson 73-70
MC Jed Morgan 70-74
MC Deyen Lawson 70-75
MC Maverick Antcliff 70-76
MC Jeff Guan 73-74
MC Kevin Yuan 78-69
MC Todd Sinnott 76-71
MC Andrew Dodt 73-74
MC Justin Warren 78-71
MC Harrison Crowe 74-76
MC Douglas Klein 77-73
MC Zach Murray 74-79
MC Lachlan Barker 77-77
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
Boeing Classic
The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge, Washington, USA
1 Stephen Ames (Can) 71-67-67 – 205 – $US330,000
T2 Steven Alker (NZ) 66-72-68 – 206 – $161,333
T8 Richard Green 68-73-69 – 210 – $58,080
T8 David Bransdon 67-72-71 – 210 – $58,080
T13 John Senden 73-73-65 – 211 – $39,600
T13 Stuart Appleby 71-70-70 – 211 – $39,600
T18 Rod Pampling 74-67-71 – 212 – $26,229
T18 Michael Wright 72-69-71 – 212 – $26,229
T44 Greg Chalmers 69-74-73 – 216 – $8140
T44 Mark Hensby 72-71-73 – 216 – $8140
T44 Steve Allan 72-73-71 – 216 – $8140
T68 Cam Percy 77-71-75 – 223 – $2068
T68 Vijay Singh (Fiji) 74-76-73 – 223 – $2068
KORN FERRY TOUR
Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Woodhouse
The Club at Indian Creek, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
1 Matt McCarty (US) 69-67-67-67 – 270 – $US180,000
T24 Karl Vilips 68-72-71-68 – 279 – $8616
T29 Brett Drewitt 71-68-70-71 – 280 – $5930
MC Rhein Gibson 75-68
WD Dimi Papadatos 71
CHALLENGE TOUR
Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by the R&A
Newmachar Golf Club, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
1 Brandon Robinson Thompson (Eng) 67-67-62-66 – 262 – €46,720.20
T25 Hayden Hopewell 72-67-67-71 – 277 – €2,598.81
T36 Elvis Smylie 70-67-72-70 – 279 – €1,868.81
MC Connor McKinney 71-72
MC Sam Jones (NZ) 77-68
LET ACCESS SERIES
Ahlsell Nordic Golf Tour
Ahlsell Trophy by Destination Jonkoping
Gränna Golfklubb, Gränna, Sweden
1 Patricia Isabel Schmidt (Germany) 69-67-70 – 206
T15 Munchin Keh (NZ) 72-71-72 – 215
T22 Kelsey Bennett 74-69-73 – 216
T35 Stephanie Bunque 74-71-73 – 218
T44 Kristalle Blum 72-71-77 – 220
Matt Millar has made it two wins in three starts and four regional titles, with a come-from-behind victory in the $50,000 NSW Open Golf Regional Qualifier at Teven Valley Golf Club.
Millar sizzled around the Teven Valley layout in an incredible 7-under par 51 to finish at 8-under-par from fast-finishing Queenslander Gavin Fairfax (-6). Jack McLeod (NSW) and William Bruyeres (QLD) finished in a tie for third at 5-under.
In a sign of how competitive play was at Teven, nine players tied for fourth at 4-under. The group included Blake Proverbs, Tim Hart, James Mee, Max Ford (a), Jayden Cripps, Nathan Barbieri, Austin Bautista, Andrew Evans and Jay Mackenzie.
Overnight leaders Daniel Gale and Aaron Townsend were in the mix for most of the day. However, both stumbled and never recovered, Townsend with a horror stretch of five holes where he dropped four shots midway through his round. After turning for home in the lead at 7-under, Gale couldn’t get going on the back nine, dropping four shots to finish at minus three.
Millar, though, was sublime. Starting on the fifth, he rolled in birdies on the seventh and 10th to get to 3-under. The fireworks started when the Canberran peeled off five straight birdies from the 14th to the 18th to grab a share of the lead for the first time.
It looked like Millar was set to steamroll the field from there. But, he almost saw it disappear with a near disaster at the par-four second (his 15th): a double-bogey out of nowhere.
It was his only mistake, and in a true sign of his professionalism, Millar immediately birdied his next two holes to erase the snafu just as quickly as he made it.
“It was a misjudgment from me. I hit that club the last two days and got nowhere near the water, but I can’t be too upset,” he said.
“I gave myself a bit of an uppercut on the next tee and made a birdie, then made another at the short par-4 (fourth)
“I think I shot 21 on the nine par-3s today; I played really well and was thrilled with the way I bounced back,” Miller said post-round.
The win was the record fourth NSW Regional Open/Regional Qualifying tournament since the series’ inception in 2021.
Miller admitted that he could not have imagined that he would walk away with two wins from three starts this week, especially following his recent back surgery.
“If I’m honest, no way.
“Did I think the courses suited me? Of course. But with the quality of the field and the amount of tournament golf I have played, I would’ve been over the moon if I had won one. But two? It feels amazing.”
Locking up the Regional Qualifying Positions were Gavin Fairfax, Jack McLeod and William Bruyeres.
It will be a first NSW Open after a well-credentialed amateur career in Sydney circles for McLeod.
LEADERBOARD
-8: Matt Millar (ACT) 57-51
-6: Gavin Fairfax (Qld) 57-53
-5: Jack McLeod (NSW) 56-55; William Bruyeres (QL) 56-55
NEXT UP
The next event on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series is The Powers Lager Kooralbyn Valley Pro-Am on Tuesday following the Queensland PGA Foursomes Championship at the same venue on Tuesday.
The Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season gets underway with the PNG Open, starting on Thursday
Victorians David McKenzie and Roland Baglin shared top spot at the Centenary Legends Pro-Am today after the final seven holes at Gailes Golf Club played a crucial role in determining the final leaderboard.
Trailing McKenzie by three shots after the opening round at neighbouring Wolston Park, Baglin played holes 12 to 18 at the 1955 Australian Open venue in an impressive 5-under-par to haul in the leader who could only manage +1 over the same stretch.
Baglin (64-70) and McKenzie (61-73) finished on 6-under-par for the 36 holes, two clear of a group of four players – Queensland’s Andre Stolz and Nigel Lane, Victoria’s Euan Walters and NSW’s David Crawford.
McKenzie’s share of first was his first title on the PGA Legends Tour since 2022, although his starts have limited by the time he spends on the PGA TOUR Champions where he’s had six starts this year to take his career total to 131.
Baglin now has seven PGA Legends Tour wins on his resume.
HOW THE WINNERS’ SCORES UNFOLDED
McKenzie led by a shot after shooting a 6-under-par 61, which featured five birdies and an eagle, at Wolston Park on Thursday.
With the help of two birdies on his first nine holes at Gailes, he maintained the lead for the majority of the second round, only handing over a share to Baglin when he bogeyed the par-4 17th.
Coming off a 3-under 64 at Wolston Park, Baglin picked up a shot on his first hole of day two, the par-4 18th and moved to 6-under overall with birdies at the first and second.
Bogeys on the third and fifth, plus a double-bogey on the eighth, threatened to end his challenge before he reeled off birdies on 12, 14, 15 and 16.
WHAT THE WINNERS SAID
McKenzie: “I hit it a lot more crooked today so I didn’t have a lot of clear shots at greens. The golf course today was fantastic as was Wolston Park yesterday. You can tell they’ve been working hard to produce golf courses that are top quality.”
Baglin: “It was a funny sort of day. Got out of the blocks early and was 3-under after three so I thought ‘okay we could be on here’. I then handed a few back quickly but managed to birdie a few at the end. I holed a kilometre of putts today. It was one of those days when the putter kept working.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
-6: Roland Baglin (Vic) 64-70; David McKenzie (Vic) 61-73
-4: Andre Stolz (Qld) 65-71; Nigel Lane (Qld) 65-71; David Crawford (NSW) 67-69; Euan Walters (Vic) 63-73
-3: Scott Ford (NSW) 62-75; David Diaz (Vic) 63-74; Adam Henwood (65-72)
-2: Stephen Woodhead (Qld) 66-74; Brendan Chant (WA) 66-74; Craig Goodall (Qld) 63-77
NEXT UP
The PGA Legends Tour has a Townsville double next week at Rowes Bay (August 12-13) and Tropics (August 15-16).
Webex Players Series South Australia hosted by Greg Blewett is returning to Willunga Golf Course as part of a busy schedule of tournaments for the first half of the upcoming 2024/25 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season.
Starting from the PNG Open (August 15-18), 10 tournaments will be contested through to the end of the year, highlighted by the two Australian major championships co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour, the BMW Australian PGA Championship and ISPS HANDA Australian Open.
The ground-breaking Webex Players Series, featuring its format of men and women on the same course, vying for the same title, will kick off at Willunga on October 24-27.
Two of South Australia’s best touring professionals, Lachlan Barker and Kristalle Blum, are looking forward to taking on a quality field at home.
Blum, the No.1 South Australian in the women’s world rankings, will be playing in the event for the first time, while reigning PNG Open champion Barker, who grew up near the Willunga course, will be looking to improve on his T36 placing from last year.
Another five Webex Players Series events will be held in the New Year, including the debut of Webex Players Series Perth hosted by Minjee and Min Woo Lee at Royal Fremantle GC in January.
Austin Bautista will return as the defending champion in South Australia after producing a storming finish to win the inaugural event in the picturesque McLaren Vale region.
PGA of Australia’s General Manager of Tournaments & Global Tour Relationships Nick Dastey said the second Webex Players Series South Australia would build on the success of its debut year.
“We’re delighted to be returning to Willunga in October and having Greg Blewett once again as our host,” he said.
“We had a great tournament in 2023, with a finish that came down to the 72nd hole, and fantastic feedback from everyone involved.
“Our players not only loved the course, they really enjoyed being able to explore the McLaren Vale wine region and the Fleurieu Peninsula when they weren’t competing.”
SA Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison said: “It is terrific to see this tournament return to the world-class McLaren Vale wine region, bringing professional golfers to South Australia and the Fleurieu Peninsula, while spotlighting the region to a national audience.
“We heard wonderful feedback about the Willunga Golf Club and its proximity to some of our state’s best tourism offerings following last year’s inaugural event, and I look forward to seeing professional golf return to the region this October.”
Member for Mawson Leon Bignell said: “Our region has so much on offer including world class wineries, restaurants and beaches and I look forward to welcoming the PGA, golfers and fans back to Willunga to experience it all again in October.
“We saw a really successful tournament last year when the Webex Players Series made its way to South Australia for the first time and we can’t wait for it to be repeated in year two.”
Webex Players Series South Australia will be broadcast on Fox Sports on Foxtel and Kayo.
Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia 2024 schedule
August 15-18: PNG Open at Royal Port Moresby Golf Club ($200,000).
October 10-13: CKB WA PGA Championship presented by TX Civil & Logistics at Kalgoorlie Golf Course ($250,000)
October 17-20: Bowra & Odea Nexus AdvisernetWA Open at Mandurah Country Club ($175,000 min)
October 24-27: Webex Players Series South Australia hosted by Greg Blewett at Willunga Golf Course ($200,000)
October 31-November 3: Queensland PGA Championship at Nudgee Golf Club ($250,000)
November 14-17: NSW Open at Murray Downs Golf Resort ($800,000)
November 23-26: BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club ($2 million)
November 28-December 1: ISPS HANDA Australian Open at Kingston Heath Golf Club and Victoria Golf Club ($1.7 million)
December 5-8: Victorian PGA Championship at Moonah Links Resort ($250,000)
December 12-15: Gippsland Super 6 at Warragul Country Club ($200,000)
Photo: Kristalle Blum and Lachlan Barker at Coriole Vineyards
In just his second start on the PGA Legends Tour, Brad Kennedy has had his first victory, securing the Golf Car Parts & Repairs Brookwater Legends Pro-Am.
The winner of 13 tournaments worldwide became eligible for seniors tour golf when he turned 50 in June and he almost triumphed on debut, finishing in equal second at the Paul King Memorial at Wynnum.
Today, he shot a 5-under-par 67 at Brookwater Golf and Country Club to finish one ahead of Andre Stolz (Qld) and Euan Walters (Vic).
The Gold Coast professional, once ranked as high as No.101 on the Official World Golf Ranking, is about to head back to the Japan Golf Tour where he hopes to add to his three career titles.
He’s currently ranked 51st on the Japanese money list for 2024.
HOW THE WINNER’S ROUNDS UNFOLDED
Kennedy set up his round with a run of four birdies in five holes on his opening nine, the back nine at Brookwater.
He moved to 5-under for the day on the par-4 second before handing back his first shot of the day at the par-3 fifth.
With Stolz and Walters, playing on the other side of the course, closing to within a shot, the two-time New Zealand Open champion made a crucial birdie at the par-5 eighth.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I hadn’t played here for about 15 years so I was just trying to find my way around. There were a couple of tee shots that I wasn’t sure about so I was having to laser from tees to the corners.
“I played great today, only missed one green so it was a good day.
“This will be my last pro-am for a while. It’s back to Japan where the focus is on getting another win and hopefully I can stay on that tour next year.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
67: Brad Kennedy (Qld)
68: Andre Stolz (Qld), Euan Walters (Vic)
70: David Crawford (NSW), Scott Ford (NSW)
71: Nigel Lane (Qld), Tony Collier (Vic)
NEXT UP
The Legends will tackle the 36-hole Centenary Legends Pro-Am at neighbouring Wolston Park Golf Club and Gailes Golf Club will on Thursday and Friday before a Townsville double next week at Rowes Bay (August 12-13) and Tropics (August 15-16).
A sublime eagle-par finish to force a playoff, followed by a clutch birdie on the first extra hole has sealed the 2024 North Coast Open crown for Brett Rankin.
On a thrilling final day at Coffs Harbour Golf Club, where the lead changed hands several times, the Queenslander held his nerve when he needed it at the end, rifling a 7-iron from 168 metres to about 14 feet on the par-5 17th before binning the eagle putt to draw level at 9-under-par with clubhouse leader Cameron John with a hole to play.
“It was pretty close coming down the stretch,” a delighted Rankin (65-66) said.
“Walking off the 16th (green) I knew nine-under was in the clubhouse, so I knew birdie-birdie finish, or potentially an eagle, and who knows what was going to happen.”
“Luckily, I hit two quality shots into 17 and made a good 14-footer for eagle.”
After Rankin parred the last, the duo headed back down the 18th to decide the champion. John had earlier birdied the finale as the last of five straight birdies to finish with a second round 64.
Rankin only needed one hole in the end, making birdie to seal the tournament and the lion’s share of the $50,000 purse.
“You never know what could happen in a playoff,” Rankin added.
After playing peerless golf all day, John made it difficult to win from the outset of the playoff. Missing the fairway left from the tee, he was forced to hit a creative bump and run to get onto the front edge of the green.
Rankin, meanwhile, had put himself into the perfect position to attack from the tee. Thankfully for Rankin, John’s predicament meant the more conservative path home was all that was required.
“I knew where (John) was. There was no guarantee of a two-putt, so I thought the smartest play was to hit a wedge and skipping it in.
“I played it perfectly, and as soon as I hit it, I was like, ‘if that’s not good, then I’m not good enough.'”
And good enough it was, nestling just short of the flag, leaving Rankin almost the same putt he had in regulation for the win.
After John lagged his long-range birdie effort to about a metre, Rankin made no mistake with his 7-footer to claim victory.
Along with the win, Rankin, who had to return to Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School earlier this year, also sealed his place in the $800,000 NSW Open at Murray Downs Golf and Country Club from November 14-17.
A two-time winner on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series last week, Rankin said locking his spot up in the NSW Open this early in the Australian season would be a blessing, saying it would allow him to take some time off and rest up before the big events towards the end of the year.
“I can take a few weeks off now and rest up and get ready for the PNG Open,” he said.
“I plan to go to Asian Q School, so I’m looking forward to a big end of the year.
“My game’s in a good spot right now, so looking forward to it.”
Qualifying for the NSW Open alongside Rankin were Bathurst’s Dylan Thompson and Queenslander Sam Slater.
The NSW Regional Open Golf Qualifying Series is supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
NEXT UP
The next event in the NSW Open Golf Regional Qualifying Series will begin at Teven Valley Golf Course on August 9, with three more spots up for grabs in this year’s championship.
LEADERBOARD
-9: Brett Rankin (Qld)*, Cameron John (Vic)
-8: Kyle Michel (Vic), Andrew Kelly (Vic)
-7: Austin Bautista (NSW), Matias Sanchez (Vic), Blake Proverbs (Qld)
-6: Sam Slater (Qld), Dylan Thompson (NSW)
-5: Daniel Gale (NSW), Christopher Wood (Qld), John Lyras (NSW), Gavin Fairfax (Qld)
Rising Australian star Karl Vilips is in discussions with local golf authorities about a homecoming for the two major events of the summer.
Rookie professional Vilips, 22, said today he was keen to play the BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland and the ISPS HANDA Australian Open in Melbourne if he can fit them into his schedule.
By then, he might well be a PGA Tour player, such is the speed of his elevation.
And he will expect to hear the usual chants from the bleachers, the same ones he heard when he was walking up to the 18th green at Oakridge Country Club last Sunday as he secured his first professional win on the Korn Ferry Tour.
That’s the Koala Karl chant, which channels the nickname applied to Vilips since he emerged as a phenomenal child talent in Australia, and more recently his Instagram handle.
“I don’t see that changing anytime soon,” he said of the label. “It’s kind of who I’ve been my whole life. Walking up the 18th last week they’re announcing your name and I heard the Koala Karl chants. I couldn’t help but smile and laugh. It also helps that I could make a bogey and win!”
Vilips has lived in the US for some years having shifted there for high school, and his last competitive start in his home country was five years ago at the Junior Presidents Cup in Melbourne. But he hopes to change all that over the next few months.
“I’ve been looking into playing the Australian Open and the PGA, speaking with the Golf Australia team about that and I should have spots in those,” he said today. “I don’t know how a schedule looks for the PGA Tour. I hope that I have time to come back home.”
The BMW Australian PGA Championship is from 21-24 November this year in Brisbane, with Min Woo Lee one of the first big names to commit. It is followed from 28 November-1 December by the ISPS HANDA Australian Open at Kingston Heath and Victoria golf clubs in Melbourne.
Vilips, a golfing prodigy who grew up in Melbourne and Perth, is back on the Korn Ferry Tour this weekend having secured his first win at just his sixth start as a professional.
Having finished runner-up on the KFT the week before, he is now primed to pick up a PGA Tour card for 2025 by finishing inside the top 30 on the points list for that tour.
His Australian coach for the past four years is Col Swatton, for so long Jason Day’s mentor.
“He’s been able to teach me so much about the game and what it takes to improve on your own because obviously I don’t get to see him too much,” said Vilips.
He’s playing again this week on the Korn Ferry Tour, having won at his fourth start on the tour and just his sixth as a pro. He’s 15th on the points list, with the top 30 at season’s end in October picking up PGA Tour cards.
“The last two weeks have been a little bit surprising, being able to win so quickly,” he said.
PHOTO: Karl Vilips is a star of the future … and the now. Image: Getty
