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A player looking to return to the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Tour winner’s list after a lengthy absence and another who has been so close to a breakthrough first victory over the summer are the joint leaders at the halfway mark of Webex Players Series Victoria.
The former is Queensland’s Jake McLeod (62-66) who is back in contention for the second straight tournament after finishing equal fifth at Webex Players Series Perth a fortnight ago.
The latter is NSW’s Corey Lamb (63-65) who appears to the next in line to be a first-time winner on Tour, with three runner-up finishes and a third placing in the past 18 months.
At 12-under-par at Rosebud Country Club, the duo lead Andrew Campbell (64-66) by two shots.
The two leading women, last week’s Drummond Golf Melbourne International winner, WA’s Abbie Teasdale (65-66), and Welsh visitor Lydia Hall (64-67), share fourth place with Queenslander Blake Proverbs (66-65) at 9-under.
McLeod, whose last win on Tour came in 2018 when we went on to claim that season’s Order of Merit title, started the second round with a one-shot lead and built that to five by the time Lamb teed off for his afternoon round.
His 66 in much more favourable conditions than Thursday’s windswept afternoon included seven birdies to take his two-day total to 13, plus an eagle.
However he slipped up with three bogeys on day two, including two very unexpected ones on par-5s.
“I did a good job today. Played pretty nicely for the most part,” McLeod said.
“I just feel like I’m hitting the ball so nicely and haven’t really put myself into any trouble, which has been good.
“I think the weather is looking good, so it’ll probably be a little easier on the weekend.”
Finished by lunchtime, McLeod was expecting someone in the chasing group to catch him later in the day and Lamb achieved just that by holing a lengthy birdie putt on his second last hole, the par-3 eighth.
“Today was pretty average, I thought,” the former NSW and Queensland Junior Amateur champion said.
“I sort of got away with a few shots that I probably shouldn’t have.”
“I’m good mates with ‘Clouds’ (McLeod), so it’ll be a fun day tomorrow, I’m sure.”
Third-placed Campbell, another player who has been on many leaderboards in the past two seasons without finishing with the trophy on Sunday, has had just one bogey in the windy conditions – at the par-4 12th – today.
Hall kept her status as the leading woman, this time sharing the honours, after bouncing back from a double-bogey at the par-4 sixth with a run of three consecutive birdies to finish the front nine.
In just her third pro event, Teasdale completed her second nine today in just 31 strokes to move into contention.
Also in the mix at 8-under-par, four shots back, is 50-year-old Queenslander Michael Wright (65-67) who is getting himself ready for a new PGA Champions season after a solid debut campaign last year which saw him finish 54th in the Charles Schwab Cup standings with two top-10 finishes.
This week will be his last start for the summer on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia before he heads back to the United States.
“It’s always good to come back and play in your home country and especially against the young guys because I’ve been playing with geriatrics all year,” Wright joked.
“It was real challenging actually the last two days with the wind being so strong. It was a little bit stronger yesterday than today, but it was definitely a challenge.
“I’m really happy with the way I’ve been playing in the wind.”
LPGA Tour-bound Cassie Porter birdied three of her last four holes to safely make the weekend play at 3-under following a day two 68.
Thailand’s Colcheva Wongras climbed into the top 10 with the low women’s round of the day, a 5-under 65, while Victorian amateur Jazy Roberts and former Athena champion Grace Lennon carded 4-under 66s. Roberts shares eighth place, while Lennon climbed to T41.
The father-daughter duo of Peter and Chloe Wilson, at 2-over and 17-over respectively, both missed the halfway cut which came at 2-under-par.
TV COVERAGE: Webex Players Series Victoria is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
*All times AEDT.
Round 3: Saturday 3pm-6pm (Fox Sports 503/Kayo)
Final Round: Sunday 1pm-6pm (Fox Sports 503/Kayo)
Harry McMillan knows that the world of golf is now open to him after completing the Membership Pathway Program by being named the 2024 PGA of Australia Associate of the Year.
Now employed as an Assistant Professional at The Lakes Golf Club where he was offered an opportunity to begin the MPP after writing a letter, McMillan scored 69 in his final exam and finished with a playing average of 0.63.
Nominated for the award by his supervising Professional, Russell Skennerton, McMillan received the majority vote by the Vocational Members Council and has been lauded as a worthy recipient.
For McMillan, his PGA credentials represent the necessary grounding to build a career in golf.
“You’re always a little bit surprised when you receive such high praise and recognition is awarded to you,” said McMillan.
“It was just nice recognition for the efforts given at The Lakes, both with the assignments, playing well in the four-rounders this year and helping out around The Lakes both with member events and then helping with the juniors where I can.”
In putting forth the nomination, Skennerton highlighted the ways in which McMillan has positively contributed to The Lakes over the past three years.
“Harry has an outstanding work ethic and he always puts the business first before any personal needs that he has,” Skennerton wrote.
“He is always willing to stay back or work an extra shift where needed.
“He accepts responsibility for jobs that go way beyond his scope as an Associate Member.”
Introduced to golf by his father growing up in Coffs Harbour on the New South Wales North Coast, McMillan was a talented soccer player and cricketer.
It wasn’t until the age of 16 that he made golf his priority and saw a way to make a career in the sport through the Membership Pathway Program.
And he didn’t have to look far for inspiration.
Good friend Bill Stocks completed the MPP at Bonville Golf Resort south of Coffs Harbour and after stints at Cape Kidnappers and Kauri Cliffs in New Zealand is now working at prestigious Southampton Golf Club in New York.
“We’re lucky in that the PGA of Australia is so highly regarded amongst other countries such as the US, throughout Europe and Asia,” said McMillan.
“It’s pretty cool to be able bounce around the world off the back of being a PGA Member. And I think having The Lakes Golf Club as an employer for the past four years will go a long way, too, if I was to explore opportunities over there.”
Although he has aspirations to move into management roles at golf clubs in future, McMillan first wants to scratch the itch of seeing whether he can play on Tour.
Winner of the Wagga Wagga Associate Pro-Am and 12th at the PGA Associate National Championships in November, McMillan will attend Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School in April buoyed by how his game has developed through weekly matches over the past three years of the MPP.
“As a player, I’ve certainly become a lot more consistent through the program,” he added.
“Having to play majority of Mondays, different golf courses, different conditions each week, learning to adapt and know your game a little more rather than just playing at your home club week in, week out and then trying to go and win an amateur event or even professional events.
“It’s good just having something to play each week and just your game, develop your skills a little bit.
“The reason I went down the MPP path instead of putting all your eggs in the one basket, being able to get in and secure a PGA Membership as a Vocational Member.
“You can then explore management roles down the track, whether that’s immediately after or in 10 years’ time.
“That’s the advantage of doing the Membership Pathway Program.”
Defying the strong afternoon winds that hit Rosebud Country Club, Queensland’s Jake McLeod surpassed his own expectations to take the outright lead after round one of Webex Players Series Victoria.
McLeod thought early on that a 2-under-par score that would leave him five shots behind the morning leaders would be a pleasing result given the difficult conditions he was facing.
He ended up smashing that mark, posting an 8-under-par 62, including playing the last six holes in 5-under, to lead NSW-based trio Corey Lamb, Harrison Crowe and Nathan Barbieri by a shot.
It’s the second consecutive Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia event that McLeod has led after round one. He ended up finishing equal fifth at Webex Players Series Perth at Royal Fremantle.
“Once we got to about hole eight, (the wind) started pumping. It was pretty crazy out there,” the former Order of Merit champion said.
“I was only a couple under at that time and I was just hoping to finish a couple under, to be honest, in that wind.
“I never really hit any trouble. It was pretty much every fairway, most probably 16 greens or something, so that was very impressive in that sort of wind, being able to control the ball like that.”
Lamb, Crowe and Barbieri all played in the benign morning conditions, as did the leading woman, Lydia Hall from Wales, and another New South Welshman, Andrew Campbell, who finished with 6-under-par 64s.
With two T2s and a third place on his record this season to be seventh overall on the Order of Merit, Lamb is the highest ranked player on the season long points list in the field this week and he played like it today with seven birdies and no bogeys on his card.
Playing his first event for 2025, the 23-year-old rattled home with four birdies in his closing six holes.
Lamb was quick to sing the praises of his new Callaway Elyte driver which kept him on the short grass on all but one occasion after a pre-event tweak worked almost to perfection.
“It is pretty elite,” he said.
“I didn’t really like it on Tuesday and then Coops (Daniel Cooper), the Callaway guy, put it down a degree (from 10.5 to 9.5 degrees) and it come out a lot better. I thought ‘Why not give it a go? I mean, I love new stuff, so it was, why not?’.”
“I feel comfortable hitting it.”
Crowe, who had top-10s at both the BMW Australian PGA Championship and ISPS HANDA Australian Open, is also chasing the benefits a strong Order of Merit finish can bring and has committed to playing the rest of the local Tour season.
“I had a really, really lovely break over Christmas,” he said.
“I think I had about three or four weeks off the clubs, so definitely come back very refreshed for sure.”
Barbieri hit 16 out of 18 greens in his bogey-free 63 on one of his favourite courses on Tour to visit.
“A lot of people think this is my home track,” Barbieri said.
“I’m obviously from Sydney, so this is my home track in Melbourne, I think. I don’t mind this joint. It suits my game well and everything sort of falls together here which is nice.”
Former Ladies British Masters champion Lydia Hall may be from much further away from the Mornington Peninsula, around 17,000km in fact, but doesn’t mean the Welshwoman doesn’t feel at home.
“Australia is always a place that I love to come to,” Hall said.
“Last year was a bit scrappy on the European Tour, but I managed to finish it off with a nice win at Duntryleague. So the form has been good and I played solidly today.
“I absolutely love playing with the guys. They’re so aggressive with their golf and there’s so much to be learned and respected from their game.
“I did pretty well a couple of years ago here. I think it was in the last couple of groups and finished sixth to 10th. So I’ve had good memories from this course.”
Another person right at home at Rosebud, the three-time club champion James Marchesani, threatened to go very low on day one, turning in six-under-par 29.
Playing alongside his brother Anthony, the reigning Rosebud club champion, Marchesani’s momentum stalled with a bogey on his 10th hole, the par-4 first, and he eventually came home in 1-over 36 to post a 5-under-par 65. Anthony carded a 1-over 71.
Reigning Vic Open champion Ashley Lau and West Australian Abbie Teasdale, who won the Drummond Golf Melbourne International last week, are the second highest-placed women, at 5-under.
Peter and Chloe Wilson created history when they teed off, becoming the first father-daughter combination to play professionally in the same Tour event, Peter eventually taking the family honours with a 68 to Chloe’s 78.
TV COVERAGE: Webex Players Series Victoria is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
*All times AEDT.
Round 3: Saturday 3pm-6pm (Fox Sports 503/Kayo)
Final Round: Sunday 1pm-6pm (Fox Sports 503/Kayo)
Japanese golf sensation Ryo Ishikawa will headline a strong contingent of players from Japan competing in the New Zealand Open when the tournament tees off of on February 27 at Millbrook Resort in Queenstown.
The New Zealand Open, presented by Sky Sport, will see Ishikawa join 2024 New Zealand Open Champion Takahiro Hataji as the headline players from the Japan Golf Tour.
Ishikawa, 33, has enjoyed a storied career both on the PGA Tour and the Japan Golf Tour, with 21 professional victories to his name and a reputation for his impressive ball-striking and calm demeanour under pressure.
“I’m excited to visit New Zealand and compete in the Open,” Ishikawa said.
“I have heard a lot about the tournament and the courses at Millbrook Resort from the other players on tour who have played in the event, and everything I have heard has been really positive.”
The New Zealand Open is the only national Open in the world to be played as a pro-am, has grown in stature over the years, attracting golfers from around the world.
It is co-sanctioned by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and the Asian Tour.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ryo Ishikawa and all of the Japanese players to this year’s New Zealand Open,” said Tournament Director Michael Glading.
“I first spoke to Ryo in Japan a few years ago, and have never given up on bringing him to New Zealand. He really is an icon in the golfing world, and I know that will certainly add huge excitement to the field.
“It’s an honour to have such a prestigious golfer participate, and we can’t wait to see what he brings to the tournament.”
The 2023 New Zealand Open champion, Brendan Jones, another big golfing figure in Japan, was equally excited to have Ryo come and play the New Zealand Open.
“I have played many competitive rounds with Ryo in Japan, and know what a great player and fine person he is. I have told him many times about how much he would enjoy playing in Queenstown, and am delighted that he has decided to now see for himself. I know he will love it,” Jones said.
Joining Ishikawa in the field will be several rising stars and accomplished players from Japan, including a return by the No.6 ranked player in Japan, Ryosuke Kinoshita, who recorded nine top-10 finishes on the Japan Golf Tour in 2024.
In addition, Mikumu Horikawa and Taihei Sato who both finished top 25 in Queenstown last year will join the field.
Overall the strongest Japan Tour field on record brings nine of the top 20 ranked players from 2024 to New Zealand, a sure sign that Hataji’s victory in 2024 has fuelled the flame of the New Zealand Open in the land of the Rising Sun.
New Zealand Open 2025 – Japan Golf Tour Invitations
The 104th New Zealand Open will tee off at Millbrook Resort in Queenstown between February 27 and March 2. For more information, please visit nzopen.com.
The ink is still drying on his DP World Tour card yet Elvis Smylie has unveiled his ambition to play his way onto the PGA TOUR inside 12 months.
Guaranteed a place on the DP World Tour for the next two seasons by virtue of his BMW Australian PGA Championship triumph at Royal Queensland, the 22-year-old is now eyeing off one of the PGA TOUR cards given to the top 10 on the Order of Merit at season’s end.
Currently sixth heading into this week’s Ras Al Khaimah Championship where he spent Tuesday playing nine holes with fellow Aussie Jason Scrivener and Kiwi pair Ryan Fox and Daniel Hillier, Smylie knows the opportunity in front of him.
“I’m really looking forward to keeping the momentum going,” Smylie told DP World Tour Media.
“I played OK last week in my first Rolex Series event in Dubai. Looking to build on some good momentum here in the Middle East.
“You obviously want to build on some great momentum and at the end of the year, there’s 10 cards up for grabs on the PGA TOUR.
“So that’s very much a goal of mine to try and get in the top ten in the Race to Dubai and getting off to a fast start definitely helps.
“That win back in December in Australia, back home in Brisbane, was life-changing for me, to be able to have the chance now to compete on the DP World Tour for two years and compete against some of the best players in the world.
“It’s only going to help my game moving forward and just being able to travel to some amazing places around the world.”
Helping Smylie make the transition to the top echelon of professional golf is another Aussie looking more and more established on the DP World Tour.
Now in his second year in Europe by virtue of winning the 2022-2023 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit, David Micheluzzi was tied for eighth in Dubai and has become a valuable ally for Smylie.
“Dave Micheluzzi is a good mate of mine and he’s a real bubbly personality,” he said.
“As much as you are competing against them on tour, you’re also competing against the golf course, so whenever I get off the course, I’ll always try and hang out with ‘Micha’ and some of the other Aussies as well.”
Scrivener is the first of the Aussies to tee off this afternoon at 2:10pm AEDT with Micheluzzi off at 3:30pm and Smylie at 7:05pm.
There’ll be a special competition within the competition when the Wilson family creates a world first at Webex Players Series Victoria, starting on Thursday.
Long-time Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia member Peter Wilson will play alongside, and against, his daughter Chloe, who is one of the newest members of the WPGA Tour of Australasia just four years after taking up golf.
With the Webex Players Series events offering the unique format of men and women competing on the same course for the same trophy and prize money, it’s the first time that father and daughter professionals have teed it up as rivals.
Chloe, 20, made her pro debut at last week’s Drummond Golf Melbourne International at Latrobe Golf Club, finishing tied for 26th, while Peter has played 246 Official World Golf Ranking events since in 2002, including winning the 2012 WA PGA Championship.
“It’s going to be fun,” Peter said. “I’ve never competed against my daughter before in a pro event so there’s a first time for everything in this game.”
But it’s definitely not the first time the duo has gone head-to-head on the golf course, with family matches a regular event.
Chloe has yet to win one of those but with her game quickly improving, she came very close earlier this month at Woodlands Golf Club, leading by a shot coming to the last hole only to record a bogey while her determined dad birdied to keep his streak alive.
“I don’t want her to beat me,” Peter laughed.
“And it’s tricky this week because we always play together and I’m advising her on shots, but this week I can’t because we are opponents in a professional tournament. It’s going to be really tricky in that area.
“I think it’s a two-shot penalty if I said, ‘Chloe, you need to hit a little left or right shot here’. I can’t say anything.”
Although she’s been around golf all her life, Chloe hadn’t shown much interest in following her dad’s sporting career until she was 16, preferring dancing instead.
But when she did start swinging the club there was a clear intention – turn pro inside five years.
“Ever since I was little, I was always caddying for my dad at all these pro-am events,” Chloe said.
“I guess I was somewhat learning the game without even playing, which was quite cool.”
Peter recalls: “She goes, ‘Dad, I’m going to play golf now and I’m going to be a professional in five years.’ And I’m like, ‘Chloe, you haven’t even got any golf clubs.’
“So that’s where it started back in 2020. And she did, which is amazing.”
Chloe’s goal to turn pro was achieved at the WPGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School at the end of 2024 where she finished tied 33rd.
“I have to remind her that she’s quite good,” said Peter, whose son Keefer represented Australia in skateboarding at the Paris Olympic Games.
“She’s only been playing four or five years, so some of the mistakes she makes are like, ‘Chloe, you’ve only been playing four years, so you don’t really know how to do everything.’
“I’m very proud of her. Very proud of all my kids. My son was in the Olympics and my daughter (Aaliyah) only just missed out on being in the Olympics. I’m proud of all my kids.”
Still very much in the development phase of her career, Chloe is approaching her four-round professional tournament debut with a mixture of nerves and excitement.
Having her dad alongside will help and she’ll be quickly on the phone to her mum if she does finally manage to be the “low Wilson”.
“I’m excited,” she said.
“It’s not like something everybody gets to do, get to play a professional tournament with their dad and competing against each other. I’ll just enjoy it and try to beat him.
“I’ll definitely be nervous on the first tee, that’s for sure. Very nervous. But then I think once you’ve done your first tee shot, you kind of relax and you’re like, OK, I can just play golf now.”
The Wilsons tee off in the first round at 1.35pm on Thursday with Queenslander Tim Hart completing the group.
Jason Day is closing in on the type of form that produced one of the greatest seasons by an Australian golfer as he chases a third victory at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.
In an extensive pre-tournament interview Day gave his thoughts on a diverse range of topics, including:
It was 10 years ago that Day won at Torrey Pines for the first time, the first of what would be five PGA TOUR titles in 2015, including the 2015 US PGA Championship.
Not since Karrie Webb won five times on the LPGA Tour in 2006 had an Aussie enjoyed such success in a single season on a major tour, Cameron Smith’s historic three-win season in 2022 the only one to come close since.
On the back of a tie for third at The American Express – his best result since finishing tied for second at The Open in 2023 – it has given the 37-year-old cause to believe that his best is tantalisingly within reach.
“I feel like I’m preparing myself for another run,” said Day, a winner at Torrey Pines for a second time in 2018.
“I definitely think that not only is my body moving in the correct way, the correct direction, my swing’s moving in the correct direction and also my mind.
“I’ve actually struck it really nice over the last two weeks and I’ve putted poorly. If I can match those two things… but that’s just golf. When you feel like you’ve got one thing, the other thing goes missing.”
The self-confessed favourite club in his bag, the putter represents the key in Day winning on the PGA TOUR for a 14th time.
After ranking ninth in Strokes Gained: Putting in 2024, Day is currently 153rd from a small data pool.
For a player regarded as one of the greatest putters of the past 20 years, it is a statistical anomaly Day is eager to rectify.
“My putter by far because that’s the thing that I’m known for, even though I haven’t putted good the last few tournaments in a row,” said Day when asked to name the favourite club in his bag.
“It’s not the sexiest thing, you know what I mean? It’s not like hitting a drive like a Rory McIlroy or anything like that, but you hit a clutch putt down the stretch when you need to, nothing better than that because you need it.
“When all else fails and you have the putter going, it’s the thing that’s going to keep you in the game.
“That’s the reason why I love putting the most.”
Joining Day at Torrey Pines is Aaron Baddeley while on the DP World Tour the two most recent Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winners, David Micheluzzi and Kazuma Kobori, and this season’s leader, Elvis Smylie, are playing the Ras Al Khaimah Championship in the UAE.
There are nine Aussies teeing it up in the first Asian Tour event of the year in the Philippines and Hayden Hopewell begins his 2025 HotelPlanner Tour campaign in South Africa.
Photo: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
Round 1 tee times AEDT
PGA TOUR
Farmers Insurance Open
Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Cse), San Diego, California
5:07am Aaron Baddeley
5:40am Jason Day
Past champion: Matthieu Pavon
Past Aussie winners: Jason Day (2015, 2018), Marc Leishman (2020)
Prize money: $US9.3m
TV times: Live 4am-11am Thursday, Friday; Live 4am-12pm Saturday, Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
DP World Tour
Ras Al Khaimah Championship
Al Hamra GC, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
2:10pm* Jason Scrivener
3:30pm* David Micheluzzi
7:05pm Elvis Smylie
7:35pm Ryan Fox (NZ), Daniel Hillier (NZ)
8:25pm Kazuma Kobori (NZ)
Past champion: Thorbjorn Olesen
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US2.5m
TV times: Live 7:30pm-12:30am Thursday, Friday: Live 7:30pm-12am Saturday; Live 7pm-12am Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Asian Tour
Smart Infinity Philippine Open
The Manila Southwoods G&CC (Masters Cse), Philippines
9:45am* Denzel Ieremia (NZ)
10:35am* Jed Morgan
10:55am Lawry Flynn
2:15pm Brett Rankin
2:35pm Todd Sinnott
2:45pm* Nick Voke (NZ)
2:55pm Travis Smyth
3:05pm* Jack Thompson
3:15pm Maverick Antcliff
3:15pm* Aaron Wilkin
3:25pm Kevin Yuan
Past champion: Clyde Mondilla (2019)
Past Aussie winners: Norman Von Nida (1938, 1939), Bruce Crampton (1959), Frank Phillips (1960), Peter Thomson (1964), Rob Whitlock (1996), Adam Le Vesconte (2005), Scott Strange (2006), Marcus Both (2014)
Prize money: $US500,000
HotelPlanner Tour
SDC Open
Zebula Golf Estate & Spa, Limpopo, South Africa
9:20pm Hayden Hopewell
9:50pm Sam Jones (NZ)
Past champion: Rhys Enoch
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US375,000
Results
Korn Ferry Tour
The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club
The Abaco Club on Winding Bay, Great Abaco, The Bahamas
MC Harry Hillier (NZ) 77-65—142
MC Rhein Gibson 73-70—143
Director of Golf, Rodney Booth, has found the right balance of member play, visitor rounds and beginner programs for all ages to drive impressive growth at Catalina Country Club.
A favourite spot on the New South Wales South Coast for holidaymakers, retirees and young families, the 27 holes at Catalina have long been a popular playground for those who live in the area or those just in for the weekend.
That can create its own challenges in balancing member demand with the opportunity of visitor green fees yet Booth and his team have embarked on a range of initiatives that maintains member satisfaction while welcoming new golfers to the facility.
The result has been an explosion not only in membership numbers and visitor rounds but introductory programs that have proven popular for all ages.
“We have cadets from the age of eight beginning their lifelong journey all the way up to 70-year-olds that have decided to take the game up for one of many reasons,” said Booth, who was named the PGA National Club Professional of the Year at the 2024 PGA Awards.
“Within this age gap, we cater for an array of individuals and groups ranging from schools, work organisations, community groups, people with physical or mental limitations as well as those that just want to give golf a try who haven’t up until now.”
At either end of the age spectrum, newcomers to Catalina are relishing the start of their journey in golf.
In an area popular among retirees, the junior base has more than tripled while the beginner ladies programs have proved so popular there are now as many as four sessions per week.
“Our junior program’s gone from around 30 juniors up to more than 100 now,” Booth added.
“Our beginner ladies engagement programs are really kicking some goals now. We’ve got three or four clinics a week and even membership’s just grown exponentially over the last three or four years.
“We’re putting through more than 200 people a day at the moment so it’s busy but having that personal contact as much as you can goes a long way.”
Key to Catalina’s success has been a focus on making sure that each experience, no matter how frequent, is an enjoyable one.
“We’ve got a great product at Catalina – the clubhouse, the facilities, the service, the golf course – so it is then about making that day-to-day experience one that they remember,” said Booth.
“Whether it’s a member that’s frequenting two or three days a week, a visitor that comes out once a year or those participating in our various programs, making sure that their time and their experience is worthwhile and they want to come back in again.
“If they walk out of the pro shop with a smile on their face and appreciating the journey, then my job’s partly done.”
A first win for 2025 was just out of reach as the Australian flag flew proudly on international leaderboards this past week.
Starting with David Micheluzzi’s share of the lead after a round of 7-under 65 on day one of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour through to Jason Day’s spirited showing at The American Express, the Aussie influence looks like being strong again this year.
As Kiwi and Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia regular, Daniel Hillier, finished second in Dubai, Micheluzzi, Jason Scrivener and Min Woo Lee were all top-15 after 36 holes at the Emirates Golf Club.
Back home, ahead of this week’s Webex Players Series Victoria, West Australian Abbie Teasdale showed her credentials with a playoff win at the Drummond Golf Melbourne International in just her second start as a professional.
10. Kirsten Rudgeley
Tuned up for her quest to win a maiden Ladies European Tour title in 2025 with a wonderful first-up showing at Webex Players Series Perth. After not touching her clubs over the Christmas-New Year break, Rudgeley showed up to Royal Fremantle and led by two after 54 holes before missing the playoff by a shot.
9. Jordan Doull
Rose 560 places in the Official World Golf Ranking on the back of his playoff win at Webex Players Series Perth. Runner-up at the WA PGA Championship, Doull is ninth on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit and second behind Jack Buchanan in both Rookie of the Year points and Total Number of Birdies for the 2024-2025 season.
8. Anthony Quayle
Has one of three DP World Tour cards in his sights after committing to the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia. Comes into this week’s Webex Players Series Victoria at Rosebud Country Club with four top-five finishes in his past five starts.
7. Cameron Smith
Still in pre-season mode with the start of the 2025 LIV Golf season a further two weeks away. The Ripper GC captain led his squad to the team title in 2024 but will be desperate for an individual win this year to fuel his tilt at the majors.
6. David Micheluzzi
Started the year with a bang. Co-leader after Round 1 in his maiden appearance at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, Micheluzzi book-ended his week with another 7-under 65 on Sunday to climb into a tie for eighth. Rose to a career high of No.192 in the Official World Golf Ranking and is growing in stature on the DP World Tour with every event.
5. Cam Davis
In typically understated fashion, Davis walked away from The American Express with a tie for 19th. Dating back to his second Rocket Mortgage Classic win last June, Davis has finished top 20 in six of his past 12 starts. Was enough to elevate Davis back into the top 50 in the world ranking.
4. Elvis Smylie
Although he dropped three spots to sixth on the DP World Tour Race to Dubai Ranking, the BMW Australian PGA champ showed he is ready to take his place among the elite of world golf. Shot 68 in the second round of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic to advance to the weekend in his first Rolex Series event.
3. Jason Day
Climbs to No.33 in the Official World Golf Ranking on the back of his tie for third at The American Express in California. Day was in the hunt until late in the final round but dropped shots at the 14th and 18th holes to finish three back of champion Sepp Straka. It was his best finish on the PGA TOUR since he was runner-up at The Open in 2023.
2. Adam Scott
Will next tee it up in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am after logging a tie for 39th at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour.
1. Hannah Green
Has another week at home in Perth before the three-time winner in 2024 begins her 2025 season at the LPGA’s Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in Florida.
The Australian Golf Power Rankings is a subjective list developed with input from members of the Australian Golf media team.
He’s the perennial tournament favourite yet James Marchesani has an old rival to contend with as younger brother Anthony returns to play the Webex Players Series Victoria at Rosebud Country Club.
The Marchesani name is etched across the honour boards at Rosebud, Anthony finally adding his following victory in the club championship last year.
Having spent a number of years on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia – including the first two editions of the Webex Players Series Victoria at his home course – Anthony took up a full-time job and regained his amateur status.
His club championship victory yielded an ‘Elite Amateur’ invitation to play this week, James not expecting Anthony to jump back on the bag for him on the weekend.
“He’ll be playing the weekend. I’ve got confidence in him there,” said James, who had Anthony caddie for him at the 2024 New Zealand Open.
“He’s actually playing some good golf at the moment, too, so it’d nice to see him do well for four days.
“He won club champs, which is his first, so he was pretty pumped about that. He always had to play against me and he wasn’t happy.
“It’ll be fun. It’ll be a fun week obviously at home. It’s always a good time with friends and fam, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Anthony’s last professional tournament was the 2022 Webex Players Series Victoria where he and James were paired for the opening two rounds.
Three years on, it is a pairing James would welcome once again.
“Since he’s gone full-time work, we haven’t played heaps together so hoping for a nice pairing,” said James, who was runner-up in 2023 and has not finished outside the top 20 in four starts at Rosebud.
“It’d be nice to play with him for a couple of days. We grew up playing together, we went to college together, we’d push each other along so it’d be fun if we did.
“I’m not asking for it but, if anyone’s listening, it would be fun.”
More than the renewal of a family-friendly rivalry, James has the opportunity to convert good form and home course advantage into a maiden win on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
The 34-year-old’s 8-under 64 was the equal-best of the final round at Webex Players Series Perth and earned him a tie for fifth.
It's raining birdies @RoyalFremantle 😮💨@JamesMarchesani | #WebexPlayersSeries
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) January 12, 2025
It is his best result since his near miss at Rosebud two years ago and cause to be confident heading back to such familiar turf.
“It’s nice to get some confidence in the game,” James added.
“Obviously I know Rosebud probably as good as anyone ever and have been close a couple of times.
“It’s nice to find a bit of form and then hopefully take that into Rosebud and just see what happens.”
Inaugural Webex Players Series Victoria champion Brad Kennedy returns to Rosebud again, joining six of the winners on tour this season.
Women seeking to replicate Min A Yoon’s triumph in 2023 include reigning Vic Open champion Ashley Lau, 2023 Women’s NSW Open winner Momoka Kobori and WPGA Tour of Australasia winners Cassie Porter, Kelsey Bennett and Lydia Hall.
The final two rounds of the Webex Players Series Victoria will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo. Coverage is from 3pm-6pm Saturday AEDT and 1pm-6pm Sunday AEDT.
