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Catching the ‘golf bug’, as cliché as it sounds, is a very familiar feeling for those who have become hooked on our great game, however catching the bug for working in golf is slightly less common, yet that is exactly what happened for PGA Institute graduate Tom Keane though, who now works in a role he loves at RACV Cape Schanck Resort.
After playing the game on and off throughout his teenage years, Keane’s true passion in golf was realised when he took up a job working at Centenary Park Golf Course in Melbourne’s South.
“It came to a thing of like, ‘Oh man, I really want to start working in golf now’,” Keane said of starting at Centenary Park in 2022.
“So, I decided in 2023 that is what I wanted to do, and that year I started doing the Diploma of Golf Management at the PGA Institute.”
In his time at Centenary Park, Keane became particularly fascinated in the golf operations and management side of the industry.
“Running the operations area was sort of the main thing, and working in the pro shop and communicating with the customers was something I really loved,” he said.
A little Googling and chatting with his colleagues in the industry led Keane to the PGA Institute, and particularly the Diploma of Golf Management (now Diploma of Golf Business and Management).
With a career in the industry front of mind for Keane, his time at the PGA Institute helped refine that dream, and indeed make it reality.
“The best thing about the Institute was tour teacher, the trainer, Glenn (Burbidge), who was just the best,” said Keane.
“He’s just so knowledgeable on all kind of areas of the golf industry.
“I learned heaps about how to operate social groups and running big days, managing big days, managing finance and stuff — which was the thing I was most stressed about.”
Another aspect of the PGA Institute which Keane credits a lot of his learnings to is the diversity of his fellow students.
“I was really lucky because the class that I was in was actually with a lot of the international students as well as some local students, so you got a good perspective of what golf is to different cultures,” he said.
“So that was actually really awesome that in class I was learning about different cultures with students from different areas such as Indonesia and Hong Kong.”
Since graduating from the PGA Institute late last year, Keane has landed his dream role at RACV Cape Schanck, where he is enjoying tackling new challenges every day.
“I have taken on a lot more leadership stuff than I had at Centenary Park,” he said.
“My role is mostly in the golf operations area, so helping run the pro shop and managing stock.”
“The best thing at Cape Schanck is having more responsibility running some competitions and running corporate events and social events with members and guests that come into the hotel.”
From Warren Young and Jack Donaldson at Centenary Park to Glenn Burbidge at the PGA Institute, to now Andy Smith at Cape Schanck, Keane feels lucky that he has had great mentors throughout his journey, and although he is loving his current role, he is excited to always keep learning.
For information on the education opportunities available through the PGA Institute, visit pgaigi.com
Victorian Ben Henkel had shared two wins in this year’s adidas PGA Pro-Am Series but he made sure the next success was a solo victory at the Cohuna Stuart Appleby Pro-Am on Thursday.
A spectacular 7-under-par 65 on the country Victorian course gave Henkel a two-shot margin over two of Australia’s most experienced touring professionals, Matt Griffin and Marcus Fraser, as well as fellow Victorian Bradley Kivimets and NSW’s James Gordon.
A joint winner at Clermont and Maryborough in Queensland over winter, Henkel has been in solid form throughout 2024 with 12 top-10 pro-am finishes and he started the new Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season with a tie for ninth at last month’s PNG Open.
HOW THE WINNER’S SCORE UNFOLDED
After starting his round on Cohuna’s eighth hole, Henkel went on a run of three straight birdies on nine through 11. Although he dropped a shot at the long par-4 14th, he was -5 by the time he rolled in birdie number six for the day on the first.
Another birdie on the fourth and then an eagle on the 465m par-5 fifth sent the 23-year-old clear of the field, with a bogey on his second last hole only reducing the winning margin.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
Henkel said: “It feels great. Obviously most of these events don’t have playoffs and you really want to go out and win by yourself. Getting it done in an event solo, and shooting a good number to win by a couple, is a great feeling.
“Everything in my game has been really solid and I’m coming off some good results. Hitting the ball well off the tee was important here. It’s a pretty tight golf course. I also holed a couple of crucial par putts to keep the momentum going.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
65: Ben Henkel
67: James Gordon (NSW), Bradley Kivimets, Marcus Fraser, Matt Griffin
68: Ruben Lai, Harry Goakes, Andrew Kelly
69: Jake Fullerton, Steven Jones
(Vic players unless noted)
NEXT UP
The majority of the field that played at Cohuna will contest the 67th cluBarham Border Open at cluBarham Golf and Sports Club this weekend with 18 holes on both Saturday and Sunday.
Yamba’s Reilly Wunderlich has claimed the biggest win of his career thanks to a 2&1 victory over Conor Whitelock in the 36-hole Pampling Plate Final on Thursday.
Completing a marathon week at Caboolture Golf Club where he played a total of 137 holes in just four days, Wunderlich took advantage of a strong start to build an early lead and then hold off Whitelock’s late fightback.
The fact that Whitelock slept through his alarm and only arrived at the golf course 13 minutes before the match began may have worked in Wunderlich’s favour.
He won the opening hole to go 1 up before Whitelock squared the match again by winning the third hole.
But with wins at the fourth, seventh, 10th and 11th holes Wunderlich was soon 4 up, his lead never dropping below two holes until midway through the afternoon round.
Originally from Ballina but now undertaking the Membership Pathway Program at The Brisbane Golf Club, Whitelock won the 29th hole to get back to 1 down but Wunderlich responded by winning the next hole to return to a 2-up advantage.
The pair would halve the next five holes for Wunderlich to clinch a 2&1 victory and his second major title in the past month having won the Queensland Foursomes Championship with Jack Wright, who served as his caddie on Thursday.
“It’s so good to finally get an individual win off the back,” said Wunderlich, pictured with tournament host Marge Pampling.
“Been knocking on the door for a while now, so good to get it finally over with.”
In an all-New South Wales Northern Rivers final, Wunderlich admitted that it was a somewhat bittersweet victory given he and Whitelock grew up playing junior golf together.
“It’s certainly a lot harder to beat one of your good mates,” he added.
“Obviously you still want to beat him but it’s a lot harder to do it to one of your good mates and make them feel so bad.”
Whitelock was endeavouring to complete the Pampling Plate double having won Monday’s 36-hole Pro-Am qualifier.
Although disappointed to fall just short in the final, Whitelock leaves Caboolture proud of his performance.
“Obviously not the finish that I wanted, but I’m still very chuffed to be a finalist in this event in my first year here,” said Whitelock, who played 124 holes after contesting last week’s NSW/ACT Associate Championship at Tura Beach Country Club.
“I couldn’t really imagine it going too much better without winning.
“Obviously sleeping through the alarm didn’t help, getting here 13 minutes before the tee time.
“Got off to a rough start and trying to claw back, just couldn’t quite get there but was close in the end.”
Brisbane’s Gary Bruyeres is content to play second fiddle to his son, William, but wants to make his own mark when the PNG Senior Open begins at Lae Golf Club on Friday.
The past two PNG Senior Open winners, Peter Senior and Chris Taylor, are in the field for the $80,000 54-hole championship along with the Order of Merit champions for the past seven years, Andre Stolz and Brad Burns.
With a lone top-20 finish this season, Bruyeres is realistic about his prospects of winning but hopes to add to Will’s PNG Open triumph on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia last month in the country of his birth.
Gary’s parents first met playing golf in Goroka so the family connection to PNG runs deep, a connection he hopes to honour with a good showing in Lae.
“Hopefully I don’t ride his coattails because I want to be my own player,” Bruyeres said.
“I’ve had all Dad’s trophies here from when he played in Port Moresby so each day (during the PNG Open) I’d take a photo of one and I’d send it to him the night before.
“I think that gave him a bit of perspective of where he was and what PNG meant to the family.
“I was born there and spent a lot of time there working as an engineer so, to me, it’s one of those feelings when you go there of, I’m home.”
After moving to the Gold Coast at the age of five following the passing of his father in a car accident in PNG, Bruyeres continued his golf development at Burleigh Golf Club.
He hoped to pursue a PGA traineeship only to lose two fingers on his right hand in an accident that curtailed that dream.
It’s now been eight years since Bruyeres earned his PGA Legends Tour card and subsequently turned professional, his best result a runner-up finish at the Victor Harbor Legends Pro-Am in 2018.
A second operation on his right knee last year kept him off the golf course for six months but Bruyeres is excited about the prospect of playing more tournaments as his work life winds down.
“I was in a wheelchair for 14 weeks last year because of the knee so you lose a lot of strength and getting that back has been difficult,” he added.
“I’m looking forward to playing better golf. I’ve got no aspirations of winning the PNG Senior; there are too many young fellows out there now who just hit the ball further and harder and faster.
“But I’ll be competitive in my own mind, which is the best part about it.”
With work commitments and knee surgery limiting his Legends Tour appearances to just 21 in the previous two seasons, Bruyeres hopes to expand his playing schedule this season and into next year.
“When I first started, I travelled everywhere and then work commitments kicked in,” Bruyeres said.
“This year I’ve been able to negotiate a new contract and the knee’s getting better and I’m getting stronger, so I’ll be putting more time out in more tournaments.
“New South Wales I think is the next step after PNG so I’ll spend a bit of time down there playing.”
As for keeping up with his son, Bruyeres is more than content to revel in William’s success.
“He was 14 when he beat me for the first time,” Bruyeres recalled.
“It was at Logan City. It was in the first round of the club championships. I shot a 69. He shot a 68, so I remember it like it was yesterday.
“And I was the proudest person in that golf club.
“Then he took the No.1 Pennant spot off me and I became No.2 and, as a father, that’s what you want. You want them to succeed.”
Victorian David Micheluzzi has adopted the mindset employed by F1 superstar Max Verstappen to play his way into contention for the season-ending DP World Tour Playoffs.
In his first full season on the DP World Tour, Micheluzzi currently sits 63rd in the Race to Dubai rankings heading into this week’s Omega European Masters in Switzerland.
The 28-year-old earned his DP World Tour card by virtue of winning the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit in 2022/2023 and is on the verge of becoming an entrenched member of the Tour.
The top 70 players in the Race to Dubai rankings following the Genesis Championship in Korea (October 24-27) qualify for the first leg of the DP World Tour Playoffs, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
The top 50 after that event advance to the DP World Tour Championship, a spot well within Micheluzzi’s reach given his recent run of form.
Sitting outside the top 115 cut-off to keep his card for much of the season, Micheluzzi vaulted from 120th to 57th with a runner-up finish at the BMW International Open in Germany.
On the back of that result he also climbed to a career high of 204th in the Official World Golf Rankings, taking a page from the Verstappen performance book as a way of pushing even further.
“I don’t know if this is why I started to play a lot better but in recent times idolising Max Verstappen,” said Micheluzzi, a self-confessed rev-head, on the Tee It Up podcast.
“A lot of people don’t like him but if you look at him and see what he actually does, he races non-stop.
“Not many people know that he does sim racing – he does everything in racing – and he’s just hardcore.
“He won’t sugar-coat anything and that’s what I like about it. ‘I want to step on your throat.’
“I’ve adopted that kind of mentality. What is that mentality? Just doing your job and being better at it.”
Seventeen years since Brett Rumford was victorious at the stunning Crans-sur-Sierre layout, Micheluzzi is joined in the field by fellow Aussies Jason Scrivener, Haydn Barron and Andrew Martin.
The 10 Australians in the field will be looking to solidify their place inside the top 72 of the Charles Schwab Cup standings at the PGA TOUR Champions’ Ascension Charity Classic in Missouri while there are seven Aussies in action at the Asian Tour/Japan Golf Tour co-sanctioned Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea.
With just four events left in the season Cassie Porter can inch closer towards an LPGA Tour card at the Epson Tour’s Guardian Championship while Kelsey Bennett (22nd) and Stephanie Bunque (27th) can push their claims for a Ladies European Tour card at the Rose Ladies Open on the LET Access Series.
Photo: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images
Round 1 tee times
DP World Tour
Omega European Masters
Crans-sur-Sierre GC, Crans Montana, Switzerland
5:10pm David Micheluzzi
5:20pm Haydn Barron
5:30pm Andrew Martin
9:50pm* Jason Scrivener
10:30pm Sam Jones (NZ)
Defending champion: Ludvig Aberg
Past Aussie winners: Graham Marsh (1972), Brett Rumford (2007)
Prize money: $US3.25 million
TV times: Live 9:30pm-2:30am Thursday, Friday; Live 8:30pm-1:30am Saturday, Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Asian Tour/Japan Golf Tour
The 40th Shinhan Donghae Open
Ocean Course at Club72, Korea
9am Wonjoon Lee, Anthony Quayle
9:40am* Brad Kennedy
12:50pm* Brendan Jones
1:20pm* Kevin Yuan
1:40pm Travis Smyth
2:20pm* Junseok Lee
Defending champion: Koh Gun-taek
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: KRW1.4 billion
TV times: Live 2pm-6pm Thursday, Friday on Fox Sports 503; Live 1pm-5pm Saturday on Fox Sports 505; Live 1pm-5pm Sunday on Fox Sports 507 and Kayo.
PGA TOUR Champions
Ascension Charity Classic
Norwood Hills Country Club, St Louis, Missouri
Australasians in the field: Steven Alker (NZ), Steve Allan, Stuart Appleby, David Bransdon, Greg Chalmers, Richard Green, Mark Hensby, Rod Pampling, Cameron Percy, John Senden, Michael Wright.
Defending champion: Steve Flesch
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US2.1 million
TV times: Live 5am-8am Saturday, Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Challenge Tour
Big Green Egg German Challenge
Wittelsbacher Golfclub, Neuburg an der Donau, Germany
10:10pm Hayden Hopewell
Defending champion: Francesco Laporta
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: €270,000
PGA TOUR Americas
Fortinet Cup Championship
TPC Toronto (North Cse), Caledon, Ontario
3:04am* Grant Booth
3:15am Harry Hillier (NZ)
Defending champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US225,000
Epson Tour
Guardian Championship
Capitol Hill Golf Club, Prattville, Alabama
Australasians in the field: Cassie Porter, Fiona Xu (NZ), Amelia Garvey (NZ), Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, Su Oh
Defending champion: Cydney Clanton
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US262,500
LET Access Series
Rose Ladies Open
The Melbourne Club at Brocket Hall, England
Australasians in the field: Kelsey Bennett, Stephanie Bunque, Momoka Kobori (NZ), Wenyung Keh (NZ)
Defending champion: Chiara Tamburlini
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: €70,000
Legends Tour
Legends Open de France
Le Touquet Golf Resort (La Forêt Cse), France
Australasians in the field: Scott Hend, Michael Campbell (NZ), Michael Long (NZ)
Defending champion: Adilson da Silva
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Ballina’s Conor Whitelock is on track to complete the Pampling Plate double after earning a place in the final against fellow Northern Rivers product Reilly Wunderlich at Caboolture Golf Club on Thursday.
Winner of Monday’s 36-hole Pro-Am to qualify as the No.1 seed, Whitelock needed 19 holes to move past Justin Morley in Wednesday morning’s quarter-final and then edged Campbell Jones 1 up in their afternoon semi-final.
Wunderlich was also taken to the 18th hole in both the quarter-finals and semi-finals, defeating Ben Hollis 1 up in the morning matches and then advancing to the final with a 1 up win over Zach Ion.
Whitelock and Wunderlich will now face off in Thursday’s 36-hole final in the Pampling Plate’s 20th anniversary, the two former junior combatants ready to put friendship aside for one gruelling day.
“I grew up playing junior golf with Reilly so I know him really well,” said Whitelock, who recently transferred to The Brisbane Golf Club to continue the PGA’s Membership Pathway Program.
“We’re good mates. We go back to 2013 or 2014 playing Northern Rivers District Golf Association junior events.
“I’m excited to play him tomorrow, it should be fun.”
“Played a lot of junior golf with Conor,” confirmed Wunderlich, who last month won the Queensland Foursomes Championship with fellow Associate Jack Wright.
“Me and him have been pretty good mates for a long time, so should be a good day.”
It took a strong comeback for Wunderlich to fight his way back from 3 down with six holes to play and defeat Ion on the 18th hole.
“Zachy was 3 up with five or six to play so I had to get going a bit and put the foot down,” added Wunderlich, a second year Associate at Yamba Golf and Country Club.
“I’ve always felt that I’ve played pretty well in matchplay.
“My attitude towards matchplay is obviously pretty good. I feel like I hit the ball well and putting is also a strong part of my game.
“If I do that then I go low.”
To add the Plate to his win on Monday would be a remarkable performance from Whitelock who has been receiving treatment for thyroid cancer the past 18 months.
“I’ve just kept myself in the game really,” was Whitelock’s summation of his week to date.
“I’ve only had one water ball this whole week and I’ve putted pretty well.
“I haven’t had any three putts and I’ve just struck the ball nicely all week which has kept me in the game.”
The 36-hole final begins at 7am on Thursday morning with Ion and Jones to face off in the consolation final from 11am.
Swing changes with coach Chris Gibson enabled Lucas Higgins to navigate strong winds and blow the rest of the field away to take out The Lion Richlands McLeod Pro-Am at McLeod Country Golf Club.
Eleven players finished within one stroke of each other in challenging conditions on Tuesday but no one got within three strokes of Higgins, who shot 6-under 65 to claim his first adidas PGA Pro-Am Series win of the year.
Boasting six top-six finishes since the start of August, Higgins was thrilled to finally get across the line.
“I was really struggling with my swing maybe a few months ago and we just really tried to make it simple,” said Higgins.
“Just trying to really enjoy my golf again and not put too much pressure on myself.
“Go back to hitting fades, hitting it a lot better and giving myself a lot more looks.”
Veteran Steven Jeffress joined Sam Slater, Brett Rankin and Jake McLeod in a share of second with rounds of 3-under 68, one clear of Scott Barr, Dillon Hart, Riley Taylor, Zach Maxwell, Peter Martin, James Mee and Alex Simpson.
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
With two birdies and two eagles in his first nine holes, Higgins wasted no time in climbing to the top of the leaderboard.
His first birdie came at the par-4 fourth and then Higgins converted an eagle opportunity at the par-5 seventh.
He added a birdie at the par-5 ninth and then made it two eagles in the space of four holes at the par-5 10th to reach 6-under par as others struggled to make inroads.
Higgins’ lone dropped shot came at the par-4 13th but got back to 6-under with birdie at the short par-3 18th.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I hadn’t played here in a while, so I was just trying to figure out where I was going,” said Higgins.
“I hit it really, really solid in the wind and just gave myself a lot of good looks.
“Took advantage of a couple of the par 5s downwind and holed a couple of nice putts which got me the win.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Lucas Higgins 65
T2 Steven Jeffress 68
T2 Samuel Slater 68
T2 Brett Rankin 68
T2 Jake McLeod 68
NEXT UP
Either end of the New South Wales border hosts adidas PGA Pro-Am Series events on Thursday with Marcus Fraser and Matthew Griffin headlining the Cohuna Golf Club Stuart Appleby Pro-Am as Higgins returns to his home course for the Coca-Cola Murwillumbah Pro-Am.
Australia’s Min Woo Lee will achieve his aim of a maiden appearance in the Presidents Cup in Montreal later this month, after he was added to the International team.
International captain Mike Weir chose the 26-year-old Lee as one of six discretionary selections.
It brings to three the number of Australians on the 12-man International team to play the USA later this month, with Adam Scott and Jason Day automatically qualified on world rankings.
The top six after the BMW Championship were guaranteed starters, and Lee, who was ninth-placed, was widely tipped to be included as one of the top young players in the world.
Another who was in that group just outside, Cam Davis, missed out on selection despite being an International team member in 2023 in North Carolina. He will count as one of the most unlucky players to be left out.
Weir said: “As one of the most popular players on the PGA TOUR, Min Woo is going to be an incredible addition to the International Team and our passionate fans in Montreal. He is one of the best drivers of the golf ball, and I can’t wait to let him cook at the Presidents Cup in a few weeks.”
Lee, who also made his Olympic Games debut this year, is fired up. “What I can bring to the International Team is flair and hopefully some good golf. I’ve been playing pretty solid this year. Being on the International Team is very special and obviously being the home side, it’ll be massive to play good in front of the fans.”
Weir chose three Canadians (Corey Conners, Taylor Pendrith, Mackenzie Hughes), South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout, South Korea’s Si Woo Kim and Lee to round out his team.
The Presidents Cup is at Royal Montreal from 26 September.
INTERNATIONAL TEAM
Hideki Matsuyama
Sungjae Im
Adam Scott
Tom Kim
Jason Day
Byeong Hun An
Corey Conners
Taylor Pendrith
Mackenzie Hughes
Christiaan Bezuidenhout
Min Woo Lee
Si Woo Kim
US TEAM
Scottie Scheffler
Xander Schauffele
Collin Morikawa
Wyndham Clark
Patrick Cantlay
Sahith Theegala
Sam Burns
Russell Henley
Keegan Bradley
Brian Harman
Tony Finau
Max Homa
PHOTO: Min Woo Lee is likely to get the fans engaged at Royal Montreal. Image: Getty
They needed extra holes but Dylan Knox and Justin Morley have kept alive their hopes of a maiden Pampling Plate victory in an enthralling day of matchplay competition at Caboolture Golf Club.
Both Knox and Morley finished outside the top eight Associates who received a first round bye on Tuesday morning so endured a gruelling day before booking their place in the quarter-finals on Wednesday morning.
Knox accounted for Jordan Hampson 5&4 in Round 1 as Morley recorded a dominant 7&6 win over Ben Scholl.
The afternoon matches would go beyond the 18 regulation holes as Damon Stephenson and James Bonnor pushed their opponents all the way.
Knox would ultimately get the better of Stephenson on the second extra hole while Morley was forced to a third extra hole before finally accounting for Bonnor.
For Knox, he needed to birdie both the 19th and 20th holes to get beyond Queensland’s No.1-ranked Associate and into the final eight.
“That was pretty full-on,” said Knox, the 2023 runner-up.
“Twenty holes, pretty knackered. I pulled a LAB putter out of the boot of my mate’s car this morning and just put it straight into play. I don’t think I’m ever taking it out now.
“Putting was really solid. I knew I had to put it close playing against Damon so I’m pretty proud of myself that I held on there.”
Morley’s victory over Bonnor was even more miraculous given he was 3-down with just four holes to play and facing an early exit.
“What a marathon that was,” Morley said.
“I hadn’t really had anything drop all day so was just hanging in there and playing steady.
“I made an awesome putt for birdie on 15, the par 5, which got me back to 1-down. Made a really good par on 17 to get back to square and then on 18 missed a seven-footer to win it and then went to extra holes.
“James was in really close on the 19th but I managed to finally get one to drop from about 25-30 feet which was huge. I needed that more than anything.”
The extra-time thrillers were just two of four matches that went the distance on Tuesday afternoon.
All four featured a standard of golf worthy of a final but it was Jack Wright and Ben Hollis who joined Knox and Morley in the quarter-finals.
Wright edged Jordan Rooke 1 up while Hollis won the final hole to complete a 2 up win over Adam Teale.
Joining those four in the quarter-finals are the No.1 qualifier from Monday’s strokeplay, Conor Whitelock, Zach Ion, Campbell Jones and Reilly Wunderlich.
Following a bye in Round 1, Whitelock defeated Rylee Johnson 4&2, Ion defeated Stacey Edwards 6&5, Jones advanced with a 5&4 win over Jaime Lansi and Wunderlich completed a 3&2 win over Josh Holbrook.
Quarter-final draw
6:40am Dylan Knox v Campbell Jones
6:47am Zach Ion v Jack Wright
6:54am Ben Hollis v Reilly Wunderlich
7:01am Justin Morley v Conor Whitelock
Ballina product Conor Whitelock has produced his best golf of the year to secure the No.1 seed for the matchplay section of the Pampling Plate at Caboolture Golf Club.
Whitelock, who recently transferred from Ballina Golf Club to continue the Membership Pathway Program at The Brisbane Golf Club, shot matching rounds of 3-under 68 in the 36-hole qualifier to finish four clear of Ben Hollis with Zach Ion third at 1-under.
The top 24 players now advance to the matchplay section of the 20th edition of the Pampling Plate with Whitelock and the top eight qualifiers to receive a bye in the first round on Tuesday morning.
Whitelock will play the winner of the Minami Inoue v Rylee Johnson match in Round 2 full of confidence after a day in which every aspect of his game was at its best.
“Everything really worked together today,” said Whitelock.
“Putting, chipping, driving, just stuck it close as well, too.
“So that definitely helps throughout the day.”
Without a win to date this season, the commanding victory is the latest in a run of good news for Whitelock.
Diagnosed with thyroid cancer 18 months ago, Whitelock has been receiving treatment as he pursues his career as a PGA Professional and recently received some positive results.
“I’ve been dealing with that behind the scenes,” Whitelock shared,
“Obviously affecting my performance and all that with therapy and all that, but we’re getting through it now.
“I’ve had some good results lately, but this win has definitely improved the confidence.
“Hopefully I can come back to where I was before that diagnosis.”
Starting Round 1 from the 15th tee, Whitelock was 2-under after just three holes.
There was a slight stumble when he bogeyed the par-4 first but he got that shot back and then some with an eagle at the par-5 third.
A bogey at his final hole meant that Whitelock shared the best score of Round 1 with Ion and Josh Holbrook but, as the temperature gauge nudged 35 degrees, he would take control of qualifying early in Round 2.
After opening with three pars, Whitelock peeled off four birdies on the trot and, despite a late double-bogey, maintained a healthy advantage throughout.
“I was doing live of scoring and had a quick look at the leaderboard and I saw I was about four or five in front,” said Whitelock.
“Then I made a double and then made a birdie straight after that, which helped settle the nerves there.
“But I did know I had a bit of a lead out there, so it was comforting.”
Round 1 of matchplay begins at 6:40am on Tuesday with the top eight to join the fray in Round 2 from 11:39am.
