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They’ve slept under his Florida roof, travelled on his private jet and now Wes Hinton and Kayun Mudadana will share centre stage with Cameron Smith at this week’s Queensland PGA Championship at Nudgee Golf Club.
The first of four events that Smith will play on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia this summer, the Queensland PGA Championship has been elevated significantly by The Open champion’s presence.
No one will have a better view for the first two rounds, though, than Hinton and Mudadana, this year’s Cameron Smith Scholarship recipients.
As this year’s scholarship winners, Hinton and Mudadana spent a week with Smith in September, honing their games under his tutelage in Florida before watching the Queensland legend in action at LIV Golf Chicago.
The pair played three rounds with Smith while they were in the US and now get a taste of what it’s like to play inside the ropes with thousands of golf fans watching every shot they hit.
“Playing golf with Cam before this is really beneficial because we were both really nervous to play with him because Cam’s going to see every single shot we hit,” said Hinton, a Brisbane native who plays out of Keperra Country Golf Club.
“If he hits a bad shot, he’s going to see it and you don’t want to hit bad shots in front of him.
“But now that that’s happened, you’re more used to it. It’s accepting that you will hit bad shots and you’ve just got to live with it.
“There’s going to be a lot more nerves. It’s going to be about trying to accept that, turn those nerves into excitement.
“It’s a privilege to be playing under that sort of pressure.”
Estimating that the biggest crowd he has played in front of is “maybe 20 people”, Mudadana is ready to embrace any pressure that accompanies such an illustrious grouping.
“I don’t really get too distracted by it, I just try to play my best,” said Mudadana, a member at New South Wales Golf Club in Sydney. “Just to show them how good I can be.
“I don’t really get too nervous by it.”
While they now get to see Smith go to work inside the ropes, both Hinton and Mudadana said their greatest takeaway from their time with the three-time BMW Australian PGA champion was his intention during practise… and how he disconnects in his down time.
“When Cam is practising, he’s very engaged in his practise – more than anyone in the whole world I’ve heard,” said Hinton, who won the Cameron Smith Junior Classic at Wantima Country Club in 2022.
“When he’s practising , he’s fully involved in it and then he gets away from the game. But when he’s there, he’s training better than anyone.”
“Watching how he practises and uses his time and just what he does besides golf to distract him from golf,” said Mudadana of what he observed. “Not always just being a hundred per cent golf.
“It was pretty cool to watch what he does in an off week and practise even at the tournament. How he prepared for it was pretty cool.”
Both have tried to find that balance since returning to their home clubs while at the same time honing some of the short-game wizardry that Smith shared during their time together.
They’re shots that might come in handy as they seek to turn two rounds with their idol into two further bonus rounds on the weekend.
“I thought maybe he might be pretty serious when he wants to practise and we’d have to do our own thing, but he really taught us and took us on board,” said Mudadana.
“He gives back a lot to Golf Australia’s junior golfers, which is really good. Not many other guys do that.”
“He was very active in helping us learn,” added Hinton.
“When we went out to the chipping green, he would come out and check in, give us some tips.
“He helped mine and Kay’s technique a lot, how to hit certain shots, how to play out of the rough and stuff like that. Short game tips was definitely the most helpful.”
A whopping six Australians will join New Zealander Steve Alker in the finale of the PGA Champions in Phoenix next week after they played their way into the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.
The Australian contingent will be double the number who made it into the tour championship in 2023 when Steve Stricker won the 36-player final.
Australians will represent 16 percent of the field in the $US3 million climax to the seniors’ season at Phoenix Country Club from 7 November.
This year’s group is headed by lefty Richard Green (ranked No. 6 in the standings) and the big finisher was Victorian Cam Percy, who shot a closing 68 in today’s Simmons Bank Championship, at one point moving into a share of the lead.
Percy’s T5 finish lifted him from 40th in the standings and outside the qualifiers for the tour championship to No. 36, meaning that he will take the last remain spot in the Schwab Cup.
Percy, who is in his first season on the Champions tour, was 7-under for the day standing on the 15th tee but an errant tee shot took away his chance of unseating Padraig Harrington at the top. Bogeys at the 15th, 16th and 17th saw the 50-year-old tumble a few spots.
The most frustrated would be David Bransdon and Steve Allan, who finished 38th and 39th in the standings with only the top 36 graduating.
Green, Percy and No. 2 ranked Alker will be joined in the Charles Schwab Cup from November 7 by Greg Chalmers (28), Mark Hensby (29), Rod Pampling (33) and Stuart Appleby (34).
Elsewhere in the world it was another good week for the red hot Hannah Green, who finished strongly in the LPGA Tour’s Maybank Championship with a 65 to be tied-sixth behind Ruoning Yin of China.
Green has won three times on the tour this year and last week was at an equal career-high No. 5 in the world rankings.
Min Woo Lee’s T27 at the Zozo Championship on the PGA Tour did his quest for more world ranking points no harm and he is one of two Australians (with Adam Scott) to qualify for the next phase of the DP World Tour beginning in Abu Dhabi next week.
David Micheluzzi was the best placed of the other Australians to reach the playoffs and his T22 finish in South Korea over the weekend left him at No. 73 in the rankings, just outside the 70 who automatically play in Abu Dhabi next week. It leaves him waiting on any last-minute withdrawals from the DP World Tour field in Abu Dhabi to earn a spot in the playoffs.
PHOTO: Cam Percy sneaked in as 36th qualifier in the 36-player Schwab Cup field. Image: Getty
Results
PGA TOUR
Zozo Championship
Accordia Golf, Narashino Country Club, Japan
1 Nico Echavarria 64-64-65-67—260 $US1.53m
T27 Min Woo Lee 69-69-69-65—272 $57,035
T65 Ryan Fox (NZ) 72-70-68-71—281 $15,725
LPGA Tour
Maybank Championship
Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club
1 Ruoning Yin 67-67-66-65—265 $US450,000
T6 Hannah Green 71-69-68-65—273 $81,887
T18 Gabriela Ruffels 69-66-71-71—277 $36,661
T46 Grace Kim 67-73-73-69—282 $11,869
T51 Hira Naveed 70-75-68-70—283 $9,916
Q-Series – Qualifying Stage
Venice, Florida
T1 Mimi Rhodes 70-71-68-65—274
Failed to advance to Final Stage
T53 Caitlin Peirce (a) 71-73-72-70—286
T66 Su Oh 74-70-69-74—287
T80 Kelsey Bennett 73-73-73-69—288
T88 Amelia Garvey (NZ) 71-72-71-75—289
T111 Jess Whitting 74-74-74-70—292
T121 Lion Higo (a) 75-71-73-74—293
T128 Claire Shin (NZ) 74-70-77-73—294
T154 Maddison Hinson-Tolchard 74-78-76-69—297
T154 Jennifer Herbst 76-72-70-79—297
T166 Sarah Yamaki Branch 75-75-74-75—299
DP World Tour
Genesis Championship
Jack Nicklaus Golf Club, Incheon, South Korea
1 Byeong Hun An 67-66-71-67—271 €628,388.68
T14 Jason Scrivener 72-71-68-67—278 €49,208.38
T22 David Micheluzzi 70-68-71-70—279 €40,105.98
T22 Daniel Hillier (NZ) 68-71-68-72—279 €40,105.98
MC Haydn Barron 77-73—150
MC Sam Jones (NZ) 77-76—153
MC Tom Power Horan 79-75—154
Asian Tour
International Series Thailand
Thai Country Club, Bangkok
1 Lee Chieh-po 64-65-67-63—259 $US360,000
T7 Nick Voke (NZ) 67-66-67-64—264 $44,380
T7 Maverick Antcliff 63-64-69-68—264 $44,380
T12 Jed Morgan 63-68-67-67—265 $27,900
T19 Marcus Fraser 69-67-65-65—266 $21,800
T19 Kazuma Kobori (NZ) 67-65-67-67—266 $21,800
T19 Travis Smyth 65-67-66-68—266 $21,800
T31 Jack Thompson 69-67-66-66—268 $14,625
T39 Wade Ormsby 67-67-69-66—269 $12,060
T47 Ben Campbell (NZ) 65-70-68-68—271 $9,000
T54 Zach Murray 66-68-70-68—272 $7,300
T64 Aaron Wilkin 69-67-71-69—276 $5,400
T67 Andrew Dodt 67-69-70-73—279 $5,000
MC Todd Sinnott 69-68—137
MC Harrison Crowe 68-69—137
MC Sam Brazel 72-65—137
MC Kevin Yuan 69-68—137
MC Lachlan Barker 70-69—139
MC Scott Hend 74-66—140
MC Justin Warren 70-70—140
MC Danny Lee (NZ) 71-71—142
MC Douglas Klein 71-72—143
MC Deyen Lawson 76-71—147
Ladies European Tour
Hero Women’s Open
DLF Golf and Country Club, New Delhi
1 Liz Young 74-73-67-72—286 $US55,534.65
T2 Momoka Kobori (NZ) 72-73-72-70—287 $21,380.84
10 Kirsten Rudgeley 72-72-73-74—291 $8,515.31
PGA TOUR Champions
Simmons Bank Championship
Pleasant Valley Country Club, Massachusetts
1 Padraig Harrington 67-65-67 – 199 $US 365,000
T5 Cam Percy 69-66-68 – 203 $104,250
T12 Steve Allan 69-70-66 – 205 $45,425
T12 Steve Alker (NZ) 62-70-73 – 205 $45,425
T12 Rod Pampling 70-64-71 – 205 $45,425
T16 Richard Green 69-67-70 – 206 $37,950
T24 Michael Wright 73-66-71 – 210 $23,575
T26 Stuart Appleby 70-72-69 – 211 $18,716
T34 David Bransdon 74-69-69 – 212 $14,145
T34 Mark Hensby 70-71-71 – 212 $14,145
T50 Greg Chalmers 73-71-77 – 221 $6900
Legends Tour
Sergio Melpignano Senior Italian Open
San Domenico GC, Italy
1 Thomas Gogele 64-66-67—197
T18 Michael Long (NZ) 71-73-65—209
T40 Michael Campbell (NZ) 71-73-71—215
Five-time European Tour winner Mike Harwood and four-time PGA Legends Tour Order of Merit winner Brad Burns are among the greats of Australian golf who will play the inaugural Deniliquin Legends Pro-Am.
Presented by Edward River Council in collaboration with the Deniliquin Golf Club, Harwood and Burns will be joined on Tuesday by former PGA Tour of Australasia winners Scott Laycock and Euan Walters, 2021 Australian PGA Senior champion, Guy Wall.
It is the first in a three-year commitment with players to vie for a share of the $12,500 prize purse.
The Pro-Am format will see some 140 participants take to the Deniliquin layout with spectators encouraged to take advantage of free entry and the live onsite broadcast from 2QN Radio.
“We are thrilled to be hosting this PGA Legends Tour Pro-Am event here in Deniliquin,” said Gary Arnold, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Edward River Council.
“As a proud sporting region, what better way to promote our fantastic town, local businesses and facilities than with a premier sporting event such as this.”
Sophie Kelly, General Manager of the Deniliquin Golf Club, reiterated the importance of the event for the region.
“With the generous funding support from Edward River Council, we can attract key events such as the Pro-Am and ensure they become regular events on the golfing calendar that people return to again and again,” said Ms Kelly.
“I have no doubt that players and spectators will want to come back to Deniliquin once they experience everything that the club and the town has to offer.”
A course-record round of 8-under 62 has earned South Australian Jack Buchanan a second victory of the season at the Webex Players Series South Australia hosted by Greg Blewett at Willunga Golf Course.
Ten strokes off the lead after 3-over 73 on day one and five back when he teed off on Sunday, Buchanan played his final 48 holes in 17-under par for a 14-under total.
After a wait of more than an hour, it would prove to be more than enough, finishing three clear of Victorian Phoenix Campbell (64), Hunter Valley’s Corey Lamb (68) and Kathryn Norris (69), who chipped in for birdie on the final hole to cap the best week of her young career.
Norris and overnight leader Brett Rankin (73) both made steady starts playing in the final group before faltering around the turn.
Norris made bogey at both nine and 10 as Rankin made double-bogey at 10 and bogey on 11.
Fast out of the blocks with consecutive birdies at one and two and an eagle from 15 feet at the par-5 fourth, Buchanan soon gained the ascendancy.
Playing six groups ahead of the final group, the 22-year-old kept the foot to the floor.
Despite a dropped shot at eight, he made the turn in 5-under and then added another birdie on 10.
Jack Buchanan claims victory at the 2024 @Webex Players Series @southaustralia after setting a new course record 🏆#WebexPlayersSeries pic.twitter.com/udvwvQB2zw
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) October 27, 2024
He assumed the outright lead with a birdie on 13 to get to 13-under, only to fall back to 12-under with a three-putt bogey at the par-3 14th.
It would be just a slight stumble as Buchanan responded with birdies at 15 and 16 to reach 14-under, making two superb par saves on both 17 and 18 to set a mark that would remain unmatched.
It is Buchanan’s second win in three weeks on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, his win a fortnight ago at Kalgoorlie proving crucial down the stretch at Willunga.
“I think it made a huge difference,” Buchanan said of the confidence he gained from his win at Kalgoorlie.
“I said to my caddie, Patty, on 16 after I hit that iron shot, I said, ‘Kal’s made a big difference to me.’
“Just a little bit of self-belief and knowing that you can actually do it when you need to.”
Conceding that he was not in the best frame of mind when he bogeyed four of his final six holes on Thursday to be 10-strokes off the lead going into Round 2, Buchanan knew he needed a good start to the final round to be any hope.
“Five shots back, I didn’t really know,” added Buchanan, who now moves into top spot on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.
“I said to my caddie, if we start off hot, you never know. That’s kind of what I did and just ran with it.
“I wasn’t overly happy (after Round 1) to be fair. Just a couple of three-putts. I feel like I lost my concentration a bit but hit it flawless since then.
“Just strived to play as good as I could every day.”
Two weeks after his historic G4D Tour win in Spain, Steve Alderson made it consecutive Webex All Abilities Players Series South Australia victories at Willunga, finishing three strokes clear of Wayne Perske with Tom Ryan one shot further back in third.
“I had a lot of local people wanting me to do well and just back up what I did in Spain,” said Alderson.
“I just didn’t want to crash and burn and just be like a one-hit wonder basically.
“It was quite tough coming down the stretch for me. My brain was in overload. I found it hard to hold back the tears on the last couple of holes, but had a big enough lead which helped to just to get the job done.”
In the Webex Junior Players Series South Australia event, Kooyonga Golf Club’s Malachy Marshall added to his SA Boys’ Order of Merit win with a seven-stroke victory over Billy White.
Queenslander Brad Burns defied a bad back to become the inaugural winner of the B&C Plumbing Griffith Legends Pro-Am today.
He toured the Giffith Golf Club layout in three-under-par 68 to score a three-stroke win and earn his second PGA Legends Tour title for October.
Worried about how his back was feeling, Burns was concerned about his ability to finish the 18 holes. But the worst of the pains only arrived with five holes remaining and by that time he had established a handy advantage.
WA’s Peter Mitchell and Queensland’s Peter Brown shared second spot at even-par.
HOW THE WINNER’S SCORE UNFOLDED
Burns played front nine in 3-under 33, picking up birdies at the second, eighth and ninth.
He birdied the par-3 11th before his only bogey for the day at the long par-4 12th.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
Burns said: “It was very tricky out there. The greens are quite small and firm but absolutely pure.
“This is one of the finest courses in country New South Wales. The superintendent here does a great job.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
68: Brad Burns (Qld)
71: Peter Brown (Qld); Robert Mitchell (WA)
72: Guy Wall (NSW); Christopher Taylor (Qld); Brendan Chant (WA); Grahame Stinson (NSW); Michael Harwood (Vic)
73: Mark Boulton (Vic)
NEXT UP
The PGA Legends Tour stays in country New South Wales for the Deniliquin Legends Pro-Am presented by Edward River Council at Deniliquin Golf Club on Tuesday.
Adapting to parenthood and a new putter has put Brett Rankin in position for a drought-breaking victory at the Webex Players Series South Australia.
The Queenslander had five birdies in a bogey-free round of 5-under 65 to reach 11-under, one shot clear of Kathryn Norris (64), Ben Eccles (65), Chris Fan (68) and Jake Meenhorst (69).
Norris matched Cory Crawford for the round of the day and will play alongside Rankin in the final group, seeking to join Hannah Green, Sarah Jane Smith and Min A Yoon as women to have won a Webex Players Series event.
She will first have to hunt down Rankin, who made birdies at 10, 12 and 17 to edge ahead as he seeks a second Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia victory to go with his 2019 NT PGA Championship win.
Winner of the World Sand Greens Championship at Binalong Golf Club last month, Rankin was top six at both the PNG Open and WA PGA Championship thanks in part to a new LAB putter that has been in the bag for the past six months.
“I really struggled the last two seasons with the putter and then last year was a bit of a process of adapting to having a newborn,” said Rankin, who had wife Nicole and daughter Dakota in the gallery on Saturday.
“It was just trying to find the right times to practise, how much time I could practise. Some tournaments I felt like I was a bit underdone and then I just really struggled with the mental aspect of the putting.
“I made a significant change around March this year. I’ve gone to an arm-lock (grip) and a LAB putter and it’s done wonders.
“I’m picking up about 2.5 shots per round putting and it shows. That’s 10 shots and I’m shooting 10 to 15-under every tour event now.
“Ball-striking, I’ve been pretty strong for a few years now, but the putting is definitely the turning point for me.”
Like Rankin, Norris has added confidence to her ability to fly the flag for the WPGA players entering the final round.
Not only that, after a career-low 64, she has belief that her game is good enough to beat the boys on Sunday.
“If I play like I did today and hole some putts, which obviously is tricky out there, I can definitely be in the mix,” said Norris, who caddied for her partner Jordan Doull in the final group at Kalgoorlie a fortnight ago.
“It’s obviously there. See how I handle it and see what goes my way.
“I’m sure a lot of the girls will be cheering me on because it is hard work. We don’t hit it that far. And even with our head starts, we’re still struggling to keep up with the men.
“I’m sure I’ll have some backing.”
A high five to cap off an eagle finish 🦅#WebexPlayersSeries | #TheChaseIsOn pic.twitter.com/wOIFf4XOKM
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) October 26, 2024
The 2023 champion at Kalgoorlie, Eccles re-entered the conversation with a stunning finish.
After turning in 3-under, Eccles dropped a shot at the par-4 15th but holed a 12-footer for birdie at the par-3 16th and then chipped in from just short of the green for eagle at the par-4 18th for a 65 and just a one-stroke deficit.
“I feel pretty good about where I’m at,” said Eccles.
“Head’s in a good space so it was nice to play obviously that way and finish that way.
“The game felt pretty good all day to be honest.”
Willunga local and defending champion Steve Alderson (75) has a two-stroke lead in the Webex All Abilities Players Series SA event while Billy White (72) and Malachy Murphy (72) share a four-stroke lead over the field in the Webex Junior Players Series SA tournament.
The final round will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo from 1pm-6pm AEDT on Sunday.
Kiwi pair Kerry Mountcastle and Jake Meenhorst have surged to the top of the leaderboard at the halfway mark of the Webex Players Series South Australia at Willunga Golf Course.
Mountcastle (pictured) became the latest player to match the course record of 7-under 63 while Meenhorst came home with five birdies in his final seven holes for a 6-under 64 to join his countryman at 9-under par.
They have a one-stroke lead from Round 1 leader Chris Fan (69) and last year’s runner-up Andrew Campbell (67) with Quinn Croker (66), Jasper Stubbs (68) and veteran Matt Millar (65) a further shot back in a tie for fifth.
A total of 52 players made the cut of 1-under, Kathryn Norris the best of the four WPGA Tour players who advanced to the weekend at 4-under.
Winner of the Gippsland Super 6 last summer, Mountcastle is a familiar face on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia while Meenhorst is kick-starting his professional golf career having spent four years at the University of Tennessee.
Starting Round 2 on the back nine, Mountcastle had the course record at his mercy when he went out in 6-under 28.
He holed a putt from eight feet to begin with a birdie on 10, converted from six feet at 11, holed 20-footers for birdie at both 14 and 15 and then stiffed his approach into the par-4 16th to make it three straight.
With his wedge-game dialled in, Mountcastle hit his second shot to 18 to three feet for his sixth birdie but traded two bogeys with three birdies on his back nine to post 7-under.
“Finally hit a few good golf shots,” said Mountcastle, who has finished tied 33rd and tied 35th the past two weeks.
“I’ve been close the last couple of weeks. Hit some good shots but then followed up with some really bad ones.
“Just haven’t been able to get anything going but managed to capitalise on those good golf shots today.”
Just two Kiwis leading the charge in @southaustralia 🤩🇳🇿#WebexPlayersSeries | #TheChaseIsOn pic.twitter.com/Bh0cBtKOyJ
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) October 25, 2024
Playing on the same limited category that Mountcastle used to great effect 12 months ago, Meenhorst is seeking to make the most of every opportunity.
He made the cut at last week’s WA Open and now finds himself in a share of the lead in his fourth start for the season.
“It was kind of a little monkey on the back, missing some cuts out here,” Meenhorst said of making the cut at Mandurah Country Club.
“Once I got the first one, I feel like I kind of belong out here now.
“It’s been pretty awesome posting some good numbers this week.”
Conceding last year’s runner-up finish to Austin Bautista was the one that he let get away, Campbell again finds himself in position to push for a maiden PGA Tour of Australasia title.
One-under through 16 holes on Friday, Campbell pulled to within one of the lead with two closing birdies and is now ready to take advantage of the chance that eluded him a year ago.
“One of the biggest takeaways for me was I just learned how to win a golf tournament, even though I didn’t,” said Campbell.
“Lots of good memories and I’ve definitely grown a lot as a golfer in a year’s time from going through that.
“Just going to keep putting myself in position and I know something will come my way soon.”
Norris only narrowly missed the cut at her home club a week ago and could have been within one of the lead if not for costly double-bogeys each of the first two days.
“You feel like you should be birdieing most of the holes and then it just gets you every now and then,” Norris said.
“You just so quickly can make a mistake and all of a sudden it bites you.
“Just trying to iron out the mistakes and take my pars when I need to and then cash in on the other holes.
“Definitely into the weekend, just play steady and wait for the opportunities to arise.”
The main field will be joined by competitors in both the Webex All Abilities Players Series and the Webex Junior Players Series on Saturday, a junior to join two pros in each of the final 12 groups.
The final two rounds are broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo with Round 3 coverage to begin at 3pm AEDT and the final round 1pm on Sunday.
Photo: David Brand
With the PGA Legends Tour’s biggest and richest tournaments looming, Peter Lonard is in ominous form.
After sharing top spot at both Shelley Beach and Sapphire Coast earlier this month, the three-time Australian PGA champion fired a 7-under-par 62 to claim today’s Blackheath Centenary Year Legends Pro-Am in the NSW Blue Mountains.
Lonard’s round included eight birdies in a warning shot to his fellow over-50s that he is ready for the $150,000 NSW Senior Open at Thurgoona, starting on November 1.
He finished two clear of Victorian David McKenzie.
HOW THE WINNER’S SCORE UNFOLDED
In the afternoon field, Lonard’s steady three-par start at Blackheath Golf Club was followed by a run of seven birdies in his next nine holes.
Four straight pars ended any chance of posting a 59 to match what the Sydneysider achieved last year at Rich River, but he did manage a closing birdie to finish off a back nine of 30.
His only bogey was thanks to a three-putt from around seven metres at the seventh.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“It wasn’t my greatest moment. I think my playing partners nearly fainted. I thought it was the end of my day at that stage but we got going again,” Lonard said of his sole dropped shot.
“It was a good day. The course was in magnificent condition.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
-7: Peter Lonard (NSW)
-5: David McKenzie (Vic)
-4: Anthony Summers (Vic)
-3: Nicholas Robb (NSW); Mike Harwood (Vic); John Wade (Vic), Mark Boulton (Vic)
-2: Chris Taylor (Qld); Adam Henwood (Vic)
-1: Guy Wall (NSW)
NEXT UP
The PGA Legends Tour welcomes two new events – the B&C Plumbing Griffith Legends Pro-Am at Griffith Golf Club on Sunday and Deniliquin Legends Pro-Am presented by Edward River Council at Deniliquin Golf Club on Tuesday.
Photo: Peter Lonard with club professional Darrin Walden
American Richard Gilkey and Queenslander Terry Price produced the only under-par rounds at Springwood Country Club to share top spot at the Fidelity Capital Group Charity Legends Pro-Am.
They finished on 1-under-par 68, giving Gilkey his first win since 2020 and Price his second title for 2024.
With aspirations to play PGA TOUR Champions, Gilkey is a huge fan of the PGA Legends Tour with this result helping to ensure he has playing rights again next year.
“I’d love to keep coming here until I can’t walk and play this Tour. It’s a great Tour,” he said.
The joint winner at Hurstville on Wednesday, Stuart Ford (NSW), was part of a group of four players who finished T3 at 1-over-par.
HOW THE WINNERS’ SCORES UNFOLDED
Playing in the morning wave, Gilkey tackled the back nine first and offset birdies on the 11th and 15th with bogeys on 14 and 18.
Two birdies and a bogey followed on the front nine to have him well placed in the clubhouse watching what would happen with the afternoon field.
Price made a fast start, picking up a shot on his first hole, the short par-3 sixth. However, bogeys at seven, 11 and 13 had him at 2-over-par through his first 10 holes.
The recovery started with a three on the par-4 16th and he added in birdies on the second and fourth to make his way under-par for the day.
WHAT THE WINNERS SAID
Gilkey said: “This feels great. It’s been four years I think since my last win so I was kind of wondering ‘do I still have it’. This course is really tough. There’s no gimme holes out there. You can’t get loose and I played solid.”
Price said: “It was tricky out there today but I’m a bit surprised that score has been good enough considering what Andre Stolz did here last year which was a fantastic score. I had more like 4-under or 5-under in mind.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
-1: Terry Price (Qld); Richard Gilkey (USA)
+1: Mark Gibson (NSW); Mark Boulton (Vic); Guy Wall (NSW); Stuart Ford (NSW)
+2: John Wade (Vic); David McKenzie (Vic); Brad Burns (Qld); Andre Stolz (Qld); Mark Tickle (Qld); Peter Lonard (NSW); Steven Aisbett (NSW)
NEXT UP
The PGA Legends Tour’s Blue Mountains double continues with The Blackheath Centenary Year Legends Pro-Am at Blackheath Golf Club on Friday.
Photo: Richard Gilkey, sponsor Chris Crawley and Terry Price
Coolangatta-Tweed Heads Golf Club Associate Jack Wright has a date with Cameron Smith after his two-stroke win at the Queensland PGA Associate Championship at Windaroo Lakes Golf Club.
Nursing a one-shot advantage heading into Thursday’s final round, Wright held the likes of Adam Migur (69), Damon Stephenson (73) and Joel Mitchell (71) at bay with a near faultless 3-under 70 and 12-under total.
As champion, Wright is now exempt into next week’s Queensland PGA Championship at Nudgee Golf Club where Smith will play the first of four events this summer on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
Although focused intently on closing out the win at Windaroo Lakes, Wright conceded that pre-round his thoughts turned momentarily to the possibility of sharing the stage with the 2022 Open champion.
“At the start it definitely was,” Wright admitted.
“I just was very grateful to get the job done over the good players that were chasing me today.”
Seeking to add to his win at the 2023 NSW/ACT PGA Associate Championship, Wright surged to the lead with a superb 7-under 66 in Round 3.
With his nose in front, the second year Associate knew that minimising bogeys would be just as important as plundering more birdies.
Birdies at two of his opening three holes was the ideal start, staying ahead of the field with eight straight pars.
Back-to-back birdies at 12 and 13 further extended his advantage, enough so that his bogey on 14 would be just a minor inconvenience.
The son of long-time Queensland PGA Professional John Wright, Jack said a home state title is the highlight of his time in the Membership Pathway Program to date.
“Winning your home state championship is definitely sweeter,” said Wright.
“Obviously winning New South as your first win and getting that off the board was one of the best feelings ever. But to win your home state is probably one of my biggest goals in the program.”
