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Victorian Cameron John has completed the Broome clean sweep, taking out the Carpet Paint & Tile – Broome Furnishings Broome Pro-Am at Broome Golf Club.
Days after shooting 68 to win the WS6 Broome Invitational, John had rounds of 68-69 for a two-round total of 7-under to win the $40,000 Pro-Am by two strokes.
Defending champion Peter Cooke and veteran Scott Barr led John by two after Round 1, John falling behind further with a bogey at his opening hole on day two.
A winner on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia last year, John would catch fire in the mid-point of his round as Cooke and Barr both fell back with rounds of 1-over 73.
Turning point
Starting his round with a dropped shot at the par-3 seventh, John hit back instantly with a birdie at the par-5 eighth.
He fell to 1-over on his round with bogey at the par-4 14th but would unleash a run of five birdies across six holes to take the tournament by the scruff of the neck.
The birdie blitz began at the par-5 17th and included further birdies at 18, two, three and four to build enough of a lead that a closing bogey would be inconsequential.
Quick quotes
“There’s no better feeling than winning,” said John.
“After last week, I fell a little bit too far behind in the Order of Merit with Braden (Becker) ending up being the one who beat me.
“I just set myself a goal to win either the Super 6 or win this one and to obviously come away both is pretty awesome.
“With the upcoming wedding and everything, the cheque’s definitely going to go to good use, that’s for sure.”
Leading scores
1 Cameron John 68-69—137
T2 Peter Cooke 66-73—139
T2 Tim Hart 70-69—139
T2 Scott Barr 66-73—139
5 Joseph Owen 70-70—140
T6 William Bruyeres 73-71—144
T6 Daniel Fox 72-72—144
T6 Adam Hatch 76-68—144
T6 Braden Becker 75-69—144
Next up: Attention for the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series now centres on Queensland, beginning with the final round of the Bolt Off Clermont Pro-Am on Sunday.
June 15
Becker fires 62 to win Roy Hill Golf Classic
The sand scrapes and spinifex were no match for Braden Becker who shot 10-under 62 in Round 2 to win the Roy Hill Golf Classic at Port Hedland Golf Club by three strokes.
Winner of the Spalding Park Open in May, Becker is trying to complete the north-west portion of the Western Australian swing of the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series and began Sunday’s second round five strokes off the lead.
After Will Bruyeres set the pace on day one with 6-under 66, Becker had just the one birdie in his first five holes before unleashing a run of six straight to surge into the lead.
He further distanced himself with birdie at the par-3 17th and closed with two more in his final three holes to finish three clear of great mate Cameron John (65) with Bruyeres (71), Jordan Doull (66), Adam Hatch (67) and Daniel Fox (69) tied third.
“Putter was hot, 21 putts today,” said Becker.
“On the sand, if you can get the putts to start online and you can judge the speed easy enough, they go in pretty easy.”
Turning point
Stuck in neutral with four pars in succession from the par-4 fifth, Becker’s round ignited with a birdie at the par-5 ninth.
Few players on tour can keep pace with Becker when he runs hot, a total of 10 birdies ensuring the runner-up in 2022 and 2024 left Port Hedland the champion.
“I holed a really nice putt on the ninth green, that was definitely the start of the run,” said Becker.
“I hit it really close from the bush on 10, hole a good 15-foot putt on 11, holed a 20-foot putt on the next hole, had a 12-foot putt on the next and holed a 15-foot putt on the next hole.”
Quick quotes
“I’ve been trying to do, what would you call it, the north-west crown,” said Becker.
“Port Hedland was the one that kept slipping by.
“I’ve had a few seconds up here; one year I came second and they put my name on the board!
“It was really, really nice to finally have my name up there legitimately.”
Leading scores
1 Braden Becker 71-62—133
2 Cameron John 71-65—136
T3 William Bruyeres 66-71—137
T3 Adam Hatch 70-67—137
T3 Jordan Doull 71-66—137
T3 Daniel Fox 68-69—137
Next up
Broome Golf Club is the next stop on the WA swing, hosting the non-Order of Merit WS6 Broome Invitational on Tuesday followed by the $40,000 Carpet Paint & Tile – Broome Furnishings Broome Pro Am starting Friday.
June 12
Dobbelaar’s unexpected Karratha bonus
Queenslander Louis Dobbelaar will target a spot on the DP World Tour after receiving an unexpected bonus for his Bennco Karratha Pro-Am victory at Karratha Country Club.
In addition to the lion’s share of the $35,000 prize purse, Dobbelaar received a $5,000 bonus to put towards fees associated with a qualifying school.
While his sights are set on adding to his 2023 NZ PGA Championship win on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia this summer, Dobbelaar now has the option of playing his way onto the DP World Tour through qualifying school.
“My coach and I, we haven’t really spoke that far,” Dobbelaar admitted.
“We were planning just to do Australia, but I know that my game’s ready to go overseas and I probably would orientate it more towards the DP World (Tour).”
Trailing veteran Scott Barr by one after Round 1, Dobbelaar surged to the front with an early run of three straight birdies.
He would drop shots at both 15 and 16 but birdie at the par-5 third and eagle at the par-4 fourth would build enough of a buffer to post 3-under 70 and 7-under total, one clear of Barr (72), Andrew Kelly (71) and Matias Sanchez (69).
Turning point
After making eagle at his second hole of the tournament – the par-5 12th on day one – it would be another eagle in Round 2 that separated Dobbelaar from the field.
With Barr playing steadily in the group behind, Dobbelaar’s birdie on three and eagle on four would see him pick up two strokes on his closest challenger.
Quick quotes
“I just made an eagle on the fourth hole, the driveable one here, and I saw that I was a couple, maybe three shots clear at that time,” said Dobbelaar.
“At that point I did check (the leaderboard) a couple times then on in.
“I missed a couple of short putts coming home, which wasn’t great, but kind of snuck over the line and got it done.”
Leading scores
1 Louis Dobbelaar 69-70—139
T2 Andrew Kelly 69-71—140
T2 Scott Barr 68-72—140
T2 Matias Sanchez 71-69—140
5 Tim Hart 72-69—141
6 Adam Hatch 74-68—142
Next up: The northern leg of the WA swing continues on Saturday with the $30,000 Roy Hill Golf Classic Pro-Am at Port Hedland Golf Club.
May 22
Breakthrough win for Tan at Sun City
Rookie professional Silvester Tan scored his first career win in the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series thanks to a round of 6-under-par 66 at the Peet – Yanchep Golf Estate Sun City Pro-Am on Friday.
Playing in just his fifth pro-am after turning pro following the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School – Final Stage in April, Tan beat Braden Becker by a single stroke, denying his fellow West Australian a third win of the WA swing in 2025.
It was the second victory in as many days for Tan, a former WA State Team member and graduate of Drake University in the US, who combined with veteran Brett Rumford to win the WA PGA Foursomes Championship at Nedlands on Thursday.
Sun City Country Club was also the site of Tan’s win in the WA Amateur Championship earlier in the year before he ventured to Q School.
Turning point
Tan was level with Becker on 5-under-par until he birdied his final hole at Sun City, the 455m par-5 fourth.
His winning round included seven birdies with a solitary bogey at the par-4 12th.
Quick quotes
Tan said: “It (winning) feels good. I’ve put a lot of work in so it’s nice to see a round like this come together.
“I’ve played plenty of golf here. I won the State Am here a couple of months ago so I saw the course plenty when I played then.
“I kind of started pretty slow. It was wet and windy but stayed in it and hit a few good shots, made a few putts coming in, and picked up a bit of momentum.”
Leading scores
1 Silvester Tan 66
2 Braden Becker 67
T3 Josh Greer 70
T3 Brody Martin 70
T5 Louis Dobbelaar 71
T5 Dale Howie 71
T5 Aaron Dobson 71
T8 Simon Houston 72
T8 Connor McKinney 72
T8 Joseph Owen 72
Next up
The North Queensland swing of the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series starts with the Mercedes-Benz Tropics Golf Club Pro-Am at Tropics Golf Club in Townsville on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.
May 18
Becker breaks duck at Spalding Park
More than a decade of trips north to Geraldton finally got their reward as Braden Becker stormed home to claim the $50,000 Spalding Park Open at Spalding Park Golf Club.
Trailing Andrew Crabb by four strokes heading into the third and final round, Becker and great mate Cameron John were the only players to break 70 on Sunday, both posting 5-under 67 as Becker finished at 12-under for a one-stroke win.
In a field laden with Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia winners, Becker unleashed a stunning run of six birdies and an eagle across eight holes to edge Tim Hart (71) by one, Lachlan Aylen (70) and Daniel Fox (71) sharing third.
A visitor to Spalding Park since his days as a trainee, Becker was beyond thrilled to wear the Spalding Park Open champion’s jacket.
“I think that’s maybe 11 years I’ve been coming up to the Spalding Park Open but I’ve been up here to Geraldton maybe 13 or 14 times for different events,” said Becker.
“I just love it up here. The greens are fantastic; you just can’t fault them.”
Turning point
Becker was 1-over on his round, 6-under for the tournament and trailing Hart by four when he arrived at the par-5 ninth.
An eagle there would spark a run that included six birdies in his next seven holes and a four-stroke lead as he walked off the 16th green.
Hart’s birdie on 16 and a double-bogey by Becker on 17 quickly reduced the advantage to one, par at the par-4 finisher enough to hold on for victory.
Quick quotes
“I felt like the breeze was going to die at some point, so I thought if I hang in there, we’ll see how we go through the turn,” said Becker.
“There’s always a couple of birdies through that middle section on the par 5s into the 11th.
“Fortunately, I made eagle on nine and then birdie on 10, birdie on 11 where I holed a good putt.
“Thirteen is probably one of the harder tee shots, second shots, just very punishing, and I hit it to five foot and made birdie there.
“That really settled me and then I saw the leaderboard and I was still tied for the lead at that point, so I just thought, I’ve just got to keep going.
“Hit a great shot into the par 3 and holed a good 20-footer; super happy with that one.”
Leading scores
1 Braden Becker 69-68-67—204
2 Tim Hart 70-64-71—205
T3 Lachlan Aylen 68-69-70—207
T3 Daniel Fox 71-65-71—207
5 Cameron John 70-71-67—208
6 Deyen Lawson 68-71-70—209
Next up
Haydn Barron and Curtis Luck are among those entered for the WA PGA Foursomes Championship at Nedlands Golf Club on Thursday followed by the Peet – Yanchep Golf Estate Sun City Pro-Am at Sun City Country Club on Friday.
May 13
Bogey-free Brereton wins Wembley Pro-Am
Four birdies in his final six holes has propelled Darcy Brereton to a second win of the year at the GMW & Radlink Wembley Pro-Am.
Victorious on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series last month at Yenda, Brereton held off a field laden with Tour talent with a superb round of 8-under 64 at Wembley’s Old Course.
The 30-year-old finished two strokes clear of a seven-player logjam that included Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia winners Andrew Martin, Cameron John and Daniel Fox along with DP World Tour winner Marcus Fraser, Andrew Kelly, Lachlan Aylen and Alex Edge.
Turning point
Starting from the par-4 ninth hole, Brereton was 1-under through his first six holes but headed to the front nine 3-under after birdies at 15 and 17.
He moved to 4-under with birdie at the par-5 first but it was his late charge of four birdies in five holes from the par-4 third that separated Brereton from the pack.
Leading scores
1 Darcy Brereton 64
T2 Andrew Martin 66
T2 Alex Edge 66
T2 Cameron John 66
T2 Andrew Kelly 66
T2 Daniel Fox 66
T2 Marcus Fraser 66
T2 Lachlan Aylen 66
Next up
There are tournaments across three states on Friday highlighted by Round 1 of the $50,000 Mitchell and Brown Spalding Park Open. The single-round pro-ams being played Friday are the Hahn Shelly Beach GC Pro-Am and the inaugural Pacific Harbour Pro-Am at Pacific Harbour Golf Course on Bribie Island.
May 12
Double success for in-form Sanchez
Riding an improved putting game, Matias Sanchez has become a back-to-back champion in the adidas PGA Pro-Am series after claiming the Toro Australia – TQUIP Pro Am at The Western Australian Golf Club.
The winner of the Sanwell Cottesloe Open at the weekend, Sanchez shot a round of 6-under-par 64 to earn a one-shot margin over Daniel Fox (WA) and Tim Hart (Qld).
The Victorian’s hot streak in WA has included breaking the Cottesloe Golf Club’s course record with a 63 on Saturday.
Turning point
After starting his round on the ninth hole, Sanchez set up his latest victory with a run of four birdies in five holes on the back nine. Back-to-back birdies on the sixth and seventh completed the job.
Quick quotes
Sanchez said: “I just came out here and just tried to play my best golf and fortunately enough it was good enough.
“I’m just trying to be as free as possible out there and not try to think too much out there about what can go wrong or what might happen. I guess all you can do is just hit the shot that’s required so that’s what I was really trying to do.
“I’ve always been thought my putting was the best part of my game and it’s probably let me down the last two or so months, three months. It’s nice to see that it’s sort of coming back because the first half of last season it was really, really strong.”
Leading scores
1 Matias Sanchez 64
T2 Daniel Fox 65
T2 Tim Hart 65
T4 Jordan Doull 66
T4 Connor McKinney 66
T4 Samuel Slater 66
T4 Cameron John 66
9 Cory Crawford 67
Next up
The WA swing continues with the GMW & Radlink Wembley Pro-Am on the Old Course at Wembley on Tuesday.
May 12
Sanchez’s 63 sets up Cottesloe success
Matias Sanchez produced the third course record of the week in the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series on the way to winning the Sanwell Cottesloe Open at the weekend.
The Victorian professional’s record round on the Perth layout came on Saturday, a 9-under-par 63, highlighted by two eagles, which set up a three-stroke lead to take into the final day of the 36-hole event.
Sanchez lost the outright lead early on Sunday when Queenslander Louis Dobbelaar started with four straight birdies, but he managed to post a 3-under-69 to finish with a two-shot margin over Dobbelaar and Curtis Luck (WA), the duo shooting matching rounds of 67-67.
The 26-year-old’s course record was the third so far in the West Australian swing, following on from 63s by Hayden Hopewell at the South West Open at Bunbury and Braden Becker at the Kwinana Pro-Am.
Turning point
Searching for his first adidas PGA Pro-Am Series victory since 2023, Sanchez looked like he was losing his grip on the title on Sunday when he made a double-bogey on the par-5 14th and followed up with a bogey on the par-4 15th.
But he turned the event back in his favour by making a two at the short par-4 16th, his tee shot ending up just five feet from the hole.
Quick quotes
Sanchez said: “A three-shot lead can get mowed down pretty quickly so I just had to stay focussed on making birdies and hitting the best possible shots.
“It was pretty up and down most of the day. I didn’t hit the ball as good as yesterday but yesterday was pretty amazing. It’s hard to beat what happened yesterday.
“It’s nice to get a win. I haven’t really won in a while and it’s nice to see the game’s coming together.”
Leading scores
1 Matias Sanchez 63-69 – 132
T2 Louis Dobbelaar 67-67 – 134
T2 Curtis Luck 67-67 – 134
T4 Andrew Kelly 69-67 – 136
T4 Jason Scrivener 69-67 – 136
T4 Cory Crawford 68-68 – 136
T4 Cameron John 66-70 – 136
T8 Joseph Owen 69-68 – 137
T8 Jarryd Felton 69-68 – 137
Next up
The WA swing continues with the Toro Australia – TQUIP Pro Am at Western Australian Golf Club on Monday followed by the GMW & Radlink Wembley Pro-Am on the Old Course at Wembley on Tuesday.
May 9
Becker sets new course record at Kwinana
Braden Becker has played at Kwinana Golf Club a countless number of times but he’s never produced a competition round like he did at the Dunning’s Kwinana Pro-Am on Friday.
Capitalising on an “absolute hot start”, the West Australian set a new course record of 9-under-par 63 to capture the club’s adidas PGA Pro-Am Series title by three shots over Deyen Lawson.
How the record unfolded
Becker made a tap-in eagle on the 459m par-5 first before following up with a birdie from eight-feet at the second.
He then almost aced the par-3 third and picked up another birdie at the fourth to be 5-under-par through four and with thoughts of a sub-60 round in his mind. He turned in 30 after a birdie at the ninth and added in another three birdies on the back nine.
All up, Becker was -5 on the par-5s for the day.
Quick quotes
“I reckon I’ve played the pro-am here every year since 2013 and apart from that I’ve played here a bunch of times because I only live 20-25 minutes away,” Becker said.
“I enjoy playing with the members here. They’re a great group of members.
“After that hot start, I was thinking ‘the course record is definitely on and hopefully we can get to that magical break 60 number’.
“The greens were just so perfect out there. It’s always a pleasure to play here for that reason.”
Leading scores
1 Braden Becker 63
2 Deyen Lawson 66
T3 Lachlan Aylen 67
T3 Daniel Fox 67
5 Max Ford 68
T6 Jordan Doull 69
T6 Andrew Kelly 69
T6 Dale Howie 69
T6 Adam Hatch 69
T6 Louis Dobbelaar 69
T6 Sam Slater 69
T6 Cory Crawford 69
T6 Jason Norris 69
Next up
The Sanwell Cottesloe Open will be played over two rounds at Cottesloe Golf Club this weekend.
May 7
Zach’s max reward at Secret Harbour
Brisbane’s Zachary Maxwell is eyeing a fast start to the upcoming Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season after a one-stroke win at the TenGolf Group Pro-Am south of Perth.
Played over two days at The Cut Golf Course and Secret Harbour Golf Links, Maxwell compiled consecutive rounds of 3-under 69 to finish one shot clear of Sydney’s Nathan Barbieri (71-68) with Lachlan Aylen (70-70) and Deyen Lawson (71-69) sharing third.
Maxwell’s only previous adidas PGA Pro-Am Series win was a lucrative one last July, pocketing close to $15,000 after taking out the Optilease Redcliffe Pro-Am.
The 25-year-old had two top-20 finishes during the 2024-2025 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season and will seek to build on that at the 2025 PNG Open in August.
“It’s really good just to top the funds up and go home and focus on training,” said Maxwell.
“Not work as much and just get ready for Papua New Guinea and start the Australian season off.”
Turning point
The only player to break 70 in Round 1 at The Cut on Tuesday, Maxwell began day two ahead by a single stroke from a group of five players.
That advantage soon disappeared with a bogey at his opening hole before Maxwell responded with birdies at 16 and 17.
One-under on his round when he reached the par-5 11th, Maxwell gave himself a look at eagle before tapping in for the first of two closing birdies.
“It was a very pivotal moment of the round,” said Maxwell.
“We checked the live scores and I had to really show up and hit a good golf shot.
“I hit a really, really good 3-wood in there tight for eagle. Unfortunately lipped out the putt, but it was a very comfortable birdie and helped me finish the round off.”
Quick quotes
“It was quite beautiful being able to play those two courses,” Maxwell said of playing The Cut and Secret Harbour in consecutive days.
“Being a Queenslander, but it’s very good to come over here to Perth and appreciate some of these beautiful courses.
“I’m very grateful to not only be able to play them, but get a win while doing so.
“This is going to be my last pro-am before the season starts.
“I’ll go home and play the close ones and Rockhampton but my main focus will be going to Papua New Guinea and being very ready for that one.”
Leading scores
1 Zachary Maxwell 69-69—138
2 Nathan Barbieri 71-68—139
T3 Lachlan Aylen 70-70—140
T3 Deyen Lawson 71-69—140
5 Tim Hart 70-71—141
T6 Scott Barr 71-71—142
T6 Caleb Bovalina 70-72—142
Next up
Dunning’s Kwinana Pro-Am at Kwinana Golf Club, Friday, May 9
May 4
Hopewell equals course record to triumph in Bunbury
Back home from competing on the European Challenge Tour, West Australian Hayden Hopewell tied the Bunbury Golf Club’s course record to win the South West Isuzu South West Open on Sunday.
A brilliant 9-under-par 63 in the final round, the best score of the day by four strokes, gave Hopewell a two-shot margin over NSW’s Nathan Barbieri to earn the second win of his career on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series.
Fresh off his victory at the Axedale Pro-Am in Victoria, Andrew Martin led at Bunbury Golf Club after an opening 65 on Saturday but the Victorian had to settle for third place after closing with a 71.
Hopewell is currently on a break from the Challenge Tour where he is ranked 47th on the Order of Merit as he strives for a DP World Tour card for 2025/26,
Turning point
Starting his round from the 10th tee, the former Bunbury junior made his run early, making five consecutive birdies from the 11th hole. An eagle at the par-5 second propelled him to 8-under for the day through 11 holes.
His only dropped shots for the day came with a double-bogey at the par-3 seventh, but he then birdied the eighth and ninth to see off Barbieri’s challenge.
Quick quotes
“Today was a special round,” the 23-year-old said.
“I hit it solid and the hole just felt like a bucket. I was seeing every putt and they were just dropping. It was quite uncanny at times.
“I was stoked to finish off the round by holing a nice putt on the last to tie the course record. It was on my mind. Being a junior here for a bit, it holds a special place in my heart.”
Leading scores
1 Hayden Hopewell 70-63
2 Nathan Barbieri 67-68
3 Andrew Martin 65-71
4 Jason Scrivener 69-68
T5 Braden Becker 69-69
T5 Cameron Kelly 67-71
T5 Daniel Fox 70-68
T5 John Boulton 69-69
9 Scott Strange 70-69
Next up
The TenGolf Group Pro-Am will be played The Cut Golf Club and Secret Harbour Golf Links on Tuesday and Wednesday (May 6-7)
May 1
Perkins, Dobbelaar share the title at Bunbury
Queenslanders Louis Dobbelaar and Blaike Perkins kicked off the Western Australia swing of the 2025 adidas PGA Pro-Am Series by sharing the title at the Urban Quarter Dunsborough Lakes Pro-Am on Thursday.
Rounds of 6-under-par 66 gave the duo a one-shot margin over PGA Legends Tour member Scott Barr (WA) in a field full of Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia talent.
For Perkins, it was his first pro-am series title, while the joint win continued a resurgence of form for Dobbelaar, who regained his Tour card at the recently completed Qualifying School at Moonah Links.
Turning point
Perkins rattled off five birdies in six holes on the back nine but was brought undone by going out of bounds which led to a double-bogey on the par-4 18th, his 12th hole of the day.
However a three on his final hole, the par-4 sixth, ensured he kept a share of top spot.
Meanwhile, Dobbelaar, who started on his round on the 14th, had seven birdies and a sole bogey in his round. He birdied the back-to-back par-fives on the back nine, 12 and 13, to get to 6-under.
Quick quotes
Perkins said: “I was flying at 6-under through 10 and then hole 18 hit me. I knew I had to get a few more birdies then to catch Louis and made a really nice short putt on the last there to tie him. It’s my first pro win so I’m pretty stoked about it.”
Dobbelaar said: “I got off to a good start and played the tough holes well. Hit the ball really nice and had a lot of opportunities during the day. It’s great to play a course in really nice conditions like here at Dunsborough Lakes. It was a bit of a treat.”
Leading scores
T1 Louis Dobbelaar 66
T1 Blaike Perkins 66
3 Scott Barr 67
4 Braden Becker 68
T5 Jordan Doull 69
T5 Cameron Kelly 69
T7 Cameron John 70
T7 Tim Hart 70
T7 Aaron Pike 70
Next up
The WA swing reaches Bunbury Golf Club for the South West Isuzu South West Open over 36 holes this weekend.
One of only two bogey-free rounds of day two has catapulted Victorian Richard Green into the mix for a senior major breakthrough at the Kaulig Companies Championship at Firestone Country Club in Ohio.
Heavy ground led officials to play preferred lies for the second straight day, Green and fellow Aussie Michael Wright taking full advantage to move into the top 10 at the halfway point.
Incredibly, Green and Wright were the only players in the field without a blemish on their cards in Round 2, Green posting 3-under 67 as Wright matched the low round of the day, a 4-under 66.
The pair are now in a tie for sixth at 2-under par, three back of New Zealand’s Steven Alker (67), American Tim Petrovic (66) and Argentine Ricardo Gonzalez (68).
It is a familiar position for Green who finished runner-up twice in senior majors last year among five for the season, a first Champions Tour win proving elusive for the 54-year-old.
Starting Round 2 with a birdie at the par-4 10th, Green turned in 2-under courtesy of a birdie at 18, keeping his card clean with an impeccable short game that saw him get up-and-down each of the four times he missed the green.
Wright needed to make par saves just twice as he hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation to climb 23 spots up the leaderboard.
Tied for seventh at Firestone 12 months ago – his best result in a senior major – Wright made just one birdie in his opening 11 holes on Friday but picked up shots at 12, 15 and 17 to book a later tee time alongside Retief Goosen and KJ Choi.
Queenslander Rod Pampling was the only other Aussie to go sub-70 in Round 2, making birdie at three of his final five holes to make a late charge into a tie for 30th.
Round 2 Australasian scores
T1 Steven Alker (NZ) 68-67—135
T6 Richard Green 71-67—138
T6 Michael Wright 72-66—138
T9 Mark Hensby 69-70—139
T14 Cameron Percy 69-71—140
T21 Steve Allan 71-71—142
T30 Rod Pampling 75-68—143
T30 David Bransdon 72-71—143
T52 Stuart Appleby 73-73—146
T58 Greg Chalmers 73-74—147
T65 John Senden 77-72—149
Round 3 tee times AEST
1:30am Rod Pampling, David Bransdon
2:12am Steve Allan
2:12am* Stuart Appleby
2:23am* Greg Chalmers
2:33am Cameron Percy
2:44am Mark Hensby
2:54am* John Senden
3:05am Michael Wright
3:15am Richard Green
3:26am Steven Alker (NZ)
* Starting from 10th tee
Aussie duo Cameron Percy and Mark Hensby were among just nine players who broke par on day one of the Kaulig Companies Championship at Firestone Country Club in Ohio.
Percy and Hensby both shot rounds of 1-under 69 to start the third senior major championship of the year, two strokes off the lead jointly held by Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen (67) and Argentine Ricardo Gonzalez (67).
Tied for 11th in this event 12 months ago, Percy returned to Firestone on the back of a tie for seventh at the Senior PGA Championship, his best result to date in one of the senior majors.
A bogey at the first was something of an inauspicious start for the 51-year-old Victorian but he hit back soon after with birdie at the par-4 fourth.
He turned in even par after cancelling out a bogey at six with birdie at the par-3 seventh and then moved into red figures with birdie at the par-4 10th.
Birdie at the par-4 14th briefly gave Percy a glimpse at the top of the leaderboard before a dropped shot at the par-4 17th saw him end the day two off the lead.
Hensby is also in the mix after a round consisting of three birdies, two bogeys and 13 pars, including eight of nine on the back nine.
Making his fourth start in the event, Hensby was 1-under early courtesy of birdie at the par-4 third but turned in even par after bogeys at six and nine along with a birdie at the par-3 seventh.
On a day in which he hit just 10 of 18 greens in regulation, Hensby’s scrambling was exceptional, getting up-and-down six of eight times, his birdie at the par-4 14th putting him in a tie for sixth alongside Percy.
Richard Green and Steve Allan are the next best of the nine-strong Aussie contingent, tied for 17th after rounds of 1-over 71.
Green bogeyed the final hole to drop outside the top 10 late while Allan recovered from a wild start to also post 1-over.
Pars were on hiatus for Allan to start Round 1, making double-bogey at the first, two straight birdies and then a three-hole stretch on the bogey train to be 3-over through six holes.
Two pars and a birdie at the par-4 eighth saw Allan head to the back nine 2-over, birdies at 14 and 17 elevating the 2002 Australian Open champion to within four strokes of the lead.
Round 1 Australasian scores
T3 Steven Alker (NZ) 68
T6 Cameron Percy 69
T6 Mark Hensby 69
T17 Richard Green 71
T17 Steve Allan 71
T29 Michael Wright 72
T29 David Bransdon 72
T36 Stuart Appleby 73
T36 Greg Chalmers 73
T56 Rod Pampling 75
T68 John Senden 77
“Want to go play?”
It’s a sentence all but guaranteed to elicit excitement in any kid, and the foundation behind the junior golf boom that is happening at Belmont Golf and Bowls Club.
The coastal layout south of Newcastle long played an important role in elite amateur golf as host venue of the Lake Macquarie Amateur up until 2016, yet their junior numbers had waned.
PGA Professional Andrew Walkley joined Lake Macquarie Golf Schools at Belmont just over five years ago. In that time, he has been a part of rebuilding Belmont’s junior base from 25 just a few years ago to the current number of around 150.
To help achieve that increase, Walkley went looking for a way to not simply coach kids, but to get them on the golf course playing the sport they were showing an interest in.
“There’s a big disconnect between being on the range and chipping and putting to actually playing golf,” said Walkley, the 2024 NSW PGA Coach of the Year – Game Development, in a recent PGA ACE Webinar on game development initiatives.
“Because Belmont is such a busy facility, it’s difficult to get the kids on the weekend, especially out onto the golf course.
“Last year, I took the opportunity to start a junior development program that asked the kids who came to the Sunday clinics whether they wanted to go further with their golf and come to golf on a Tuesday afternoon as well.”
Those who double up with a second session on a Tuesday alternate each week between skill development and precious time on the golf course.
And if Walkley senses they would prefer to play, he gives them more game time.
“They’re really enjoying that experience of getting out on the golf course and actually playing the game, rather than just standing on the range and hitting one ball after another,” he added.
“It just takes their enjoyment to another level.
“It’s important for the kids to be exposed to that from an early age.
“I know when I was a kid all I did was play. I never practised.
“With sports psychology and coaching development, it has gone the other way but playing the game’s the true art of playing golf.”
Key to providing a positive environment in which the juniors can foster their love of the game is clear communication with club executives and members.
After identifying Tuesday afternoons as a generally quiet period where the membership would be least impacted, Walkley said the support for the program has been overwhelming.
“We try to make sure that if any of the members come out for nine holes, we guide them to go the other way, so the juniors don’t feel as though they are holding anyone up,” Walkley added.
“With two groups of five or six kids, we might only play a couple of holes in an hour. Sometimes we’ll even play as a group of 12 if we just want to have some fun.
“We make sure we get that space and the club’s well on board with that.
“They can see that golf is developing and that junior golf is developing as well.”
To find a PGA Professional running a junior program near you, visit pga.org.au/find-a-pga-pro
To watch the full game development webinar with Andrew Walkley, Andrew Thomas and Anne-Marie Knight, click here
They purposefully paired up at the American Family Insurance Championship a fortnight ago and now Cameron Percy and David Bransdon will tee off together in Round 1 of the Kaulig Companies Championship.
Formerly known as the Senior PLAYERS Championship and to be played at Firestone Country Club for the seventh straight year, 10 Australians will contest the third senior major of 2025 starting Friday.
Including Bransdon and Percy, eight Aussies have been paired together for the opening two rounds with Brisbane boys Michael Wright and John Senden to tee off at 12:10am Friday AEST, followed 11 minutes later by Bransdon and Percy.
A couple of country boys in Stuart Appleby and Mark Hensby will tee off at 12:42am while Victorians Richard Green and Steve Allan are in the same group off the first tee at 1:13am.
Rounding out the Aussie contingent this week are Rod Pampling (12:21am) and Greg Chalmers (12:42am), the influx from Down Under not going unnoticed each week on the PGA TOUR Champions.
“You hear all the time, ‘Not another Aussie’ when you’re going into the equipment truck or the gym,” said Wright, who is in his second year on the over-50s circuit.
“I took a few little mini Aussie flags over with me this year and I plant them all over the gym and put them in the equipment truck, just to stir them up.”
A journeyman who had never played on an international tour until earning his Champions Tour card in dramatic fashion in late 2023, Wright has been pleasantly surprised by the reception he has received, and not just from his fellow Aussies.
“The biggest thing that shocked me over here was how welcoming they were,” Wright said.
“I thought they’d just sort of snub me a bit, but they’ve done the opposite.
“Fred Funk went welcomed me. He almost took me under his wing, Freddy. I’m starting to talk quite a bit now with Bernard Langer; Stewart Cink’s a really nice guy.
“They’re all really good guys, to be honest. I think they’ve just left their ego at the door.”
While legendary figures Peter Thomson (1984), Bruce Crampton (1986, 1987) and Graham
Marsh (1999) have all finished runner-up, only one Australian has ever won the Kaulig Companies Championship, Stewart Ginn in 2002.
Like the seniors, there is a strong group of Australians contesting the third women’s major of 2025, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Texas, as Adam Scott and Jason Day dust themselves off after going four rounds with Oakmont Country Club to back up for the Travelers Championship, the final Signature Event of the PGA TOUR season.
Photo: David Berding/Getty Images
Round 1 tee times AEST
KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco, Frisco, Texas
10:27pm* Robyn Choi
10:38pm* Grace Kim
11:28pm Lydia Ko (NZ)
11:44pm* Hira Naveed
11:50pm Minjee Lee
3:54am Cassie Porter
4:27am Stephanie Kyriacou
4:49am Gabriela Ruffels
5:28am* Hannah Green
5:33am Karis Davidson
Past champion: Amy Yang
Past Aussie winners: Hannah Green (2019)
Prize money: $US12m
TV times: Live 1am-5am Friday, Saturday; Live 1am-8:30am Sunday; Live 1am-8am Monday on Fox Sports 505 and Kayo.
PGA TOUR
Travelers Championship
TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Connecticut
10:30pm Min Woo Lee
11:10pm Jason Day
12:05am Adam Scott
12:45am Ryan Fox (NZ)
2:10am Cam Davis
Past champion: Scottie Scheffler
Past Aussie winners: Greg Norman (1995), Marc Leishman (2012)
Prize money: $US20m
TV times: Live 9:30pm-8am Thursday, Friday: Live 10pm-8:30am Saturday; Live 9:30pm-8am Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
PGA TOUR Champions
Kaulig Companies Championship
Firestone Country Club, Akron, Ohio
12:10am* Michael Wright, John Senden
12:21am David Bransdon, Cameron Percy
12:21am* Rod Pampling
12:42am Stuart Appleby, Mark Hensby
12:42am* Greg Chalmers
1:13am Richard Green, Steve Allan
1:34am Steven Alker (NZ)
Past champion: Ernie Els
Past Aussie winners: Stewart Ginn (2002)
Prize money: $US3.5m
TV times: 10:30am-12pm Friday; 10am-11:30am Saturday on Fox Sports 503; Live 6am-8am Sunday on Fox Sports 506; 1:30pm-3:30pm Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Ladies European Tour
Tipsport Czech Ladies Open
Royal Beroun Golf Club, Czech Republic
Australasians in the field: Kirsten Rudgeley, Momoka Kobori (NZ), Kelsey Bennett, Amelia Garvey (NZ), Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, Amy Walsh
Recent champion: Marta Martin
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: €300,000
Korean PGA Tour
68th KPGA Championship
A-One Country Club, Yangsan
8:20am* Changgi Lee (NZ)
8:40am* Matthew Griffin
9:15am* Wonjoon Lee
1pm Sungjin Yeo (NZ)
1:20pm Junseok Lee
Recent champion: Jeon Ga-lam
Past Aussie winners: Andrew McKenzie (2008), Matthew Griffin (2014), Wonjoon Lee (2019)
Prize money: KRW1.6b
Korn Ferry Tour
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open
Crestview Country Club, Wichita, Kansas
10:20pm Rhein Gibson
5:05am Harry Hillier (NZ)
Past champion: Taylor Dickson
Past Aussie winners: Jeff Woodland (1992), Bradley Hughes (2004), Mathew Goggin (2011)
Prize money: $US1m
HotelPlanner Tour
Blot Play9
Golf Bluegreen de Pléneuf Val André, Pléneuf, France
4pm* Hayden Hopewell
9:20pm* Sam Jones (NZ)
Past champion: John Parry
Past Aussie winners: Scott Arnold (2015)
Prize money: $US1m
Epson Tour
Island Resort Championship
Sweetgrass Golf Club, Harris Michigan
Australasians in the field: Su Oh, Jess Whitting
Past champion: Soo Bin Joo
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prize money: $US225,000
Tim Elliott has booked his place in two major events this summer after navigating wet and windy conditions at the Victorian PGA Professional Championships at Portsea Golf Club.
A prolific winner on the PGA Legends Tour for more than a decade – including recently besting the likes of Jason Norris and Scott Barr at the Cottesloe Senior Invitational – Elliott birdied his final two holes in a round of even-par 71 and a one-stroke win.
A regular on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia since graduating from the Membership Pathway Program, Lachlan Armour had earlier surged to the lead on the back of three straight birdies late in his round.
But disaster would strike on his final hole, making a triple bogey at the par-4 14th to finish tied second with David Tapping with matching rounds of 1-over 72.
By virtue of his win, Elliott not only earns a spot in the PGA Professionals Championship National Final at The Heritage Golf and Country Club from November 11-13, he is also exempt into the Vic PGA Championship at Moonah Links Resort and the Australian PGA Senior Championship at Richmond Golf Club. Armour and Tapping also receive invites to the Vic PGA.
A field of 74 PGA Professionals teed it up at Portsea with the top 15 to advance to the National Final.
Sheradyn Johnsonwas one of five players who finished tied 14th but secures a spot at the National Final as the highest-finishing woman in the field.
Qualifiers for National Final: Tim Elliott, David Tapping, Lachlan Armour, Shane Johnson, Simon Angliss, Alex Pitty, Matthew Howell, Levi Burns, Ben Ford, Ben Murphy, Daniel Defilice, Matt Voglas, Nick Dastey, Michael Isherwood, Jack Chrystie. Reserves: Finlay Bellingham, Kevin Conlong.
For 63 holes of the US Open, Adam Scott had Australian golf fans on the edge of their collective seats.
After contending deep into the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, Scott again showed that a second major championship remains within reach at the US Open.
Tied for the lead early in the back nine at Oakmont Country Club, missed fairways ultimately caught up with Scott as he dropped five shots in his final five holes to fall out of the top 10.
This week, the women are in major mode with the likes of Hannah Green, Minjee Lee and Stephanie Kyriacou hunting victory – and a Power Rankings boost – at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
10. Kelsey Bennett (New)
Bounced back from two missed cuts and a tie for 39th with a tie for 10th at the Hulencourt Women’s Open. Her fourth top-10 finish of her rookie season on the Ladies European Tour saw Bennett climb to 20th on the LET Order of Merit and seven spots on the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking.
9. Stephanie Kyriacou (6)
Faded over the weekend at the Meijer LPGA Classic. At 39th is the third-highest ranked Australian in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking.
8. Minjee Lee (7)
A tie for 14th at the Meijer LPGA Classic was Lee’s seventh top-15 finish from 11 starts on the LPGA Tour this year. Arguably Australia’s in-form player in the women’s game despite world ranking dropping to No.24.
7. Min Woo Lee (5)
Missed cut at the US Open at Oakmont a continuation of Lee’s struggles since winning the Texas Children’s Houston Open in April.
6. Jason Day (8)
Continued his strong season in the majors with a tie for 23rd at the US Open. Tied for eighth at the Masters before a missed cut at the US PGA Championship, Day’s 67 in Round 2 at Oakmont was one of the best of the day. Best US Open result since he was tied 21st in 2019.
5. Karl Vilips (4)
After failing to make the field for the US Open, the Puerto Rico Open champion may be left on the sideline again this week, currently an alternate for the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands.
4. Hannah Green (2)
Was Australia’s best at the US Women’s Open with a tie for 12th but an opening round of 75 kept Green from contending at the Meijer LPGA Classic. The 2019 KPMG Women’s PGA champion did shoot 68 in rounds two and four to finish tied 36th.
3. Marc Leishman (3)
Carried the momentum through from US Open qualifying and a tie for 10th at LIV Golf Virginia to impress in his first major championship since 2022. After 2-under 68 in Round 3, began the final round at Oakmont tied for 11th but, like many, struggled in the awful conditions.
2. Adam Scott (10)
The 44-year-old found himself in the hunt for a second major with nine holes to play for the second straight major championship. The 2013 Masters champ was part of a five-way tie for the lead early in the back nine Sunday at Oakmont but tangled with the dense rough too often to finish tied 12th.
1. Lucas Herbert (1)
Will be chomping at the bit when the LIV Golf season continues next week at LIV Golf Dallas. Boasts three top-five finishes on LIV Golf in 2025 to go with victory at the International Series Japan on the Asian Tour.
The Australian Golf Power Rankings is a subjective list developed with input from members of the Australian Golf media team.
A late bogey and a 15-year-old amateur conspired to deny Queensland’s Justice Bosio a maiden professional win at the Amundi Czech Ladies Challenge.
Defeated in a playoff on the LET Access Series two starts back, the Caboolture product held a narrow, one-stroke advantage late in Sunday’s final round.
She dropped a shot at the par-4 16th, two-putted for par at the par-5 17th and then got up-and-down for par at the final hole to join England’s Gemma Clews, Austria’s Katharina Muehlbauer and teenage French amateur Alice Kong in the playoff.
It would need just one extra hole as Kong denied the three professionals with a birdie from 13 feet.
Despite the disappointment of not winning, Bosio earned a three-way share of the winner’s prize money and the crucial Order of Merit points.
Given her other runner-up finish, Bosio now leads the LET Access Series Rookie of the Year standings and has climbed to fifth on the Order of Merit, the top seven last season earning promotion to the Ladies European Tour.
There was an Aussie top 10 again on the Ladies European Tour this week with Kelsey Bennett tied 10th at the Hulencourt Women’s Open in Belgium.
It is the fourth top-10 finish of Bennett’s rookie season and elevates her to 20th on the Order of Merit.
There were a host of Aussie women jockeying for positions near the top of the leaderboard early at the Meijer LPGA Classic in Michigan.
Karis Davidson led and there were six Aussies inside the top 11 through 36 holes, Davidson’s tie for seventh the best by week’s end and her best ever finish on the LPGA Tour.
Adam Scott began the final round of the US Open with high hopes of a second major championship only to fade late with a 9-over 79 while Scott Hend grabbed a share of 10th at the Costa Navarino Legends Tour Trophy.
Results
US Open
Oakmont Country Club, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
1 JJ Spaun 66-72-69-72—279 $US4.3m
T12 Adam Scott 70-70-67-79—286 $348,967
T19 Ryan Fox (NZ) 72-73-73-69—287 $242,532
T23 Jason Day 76-67-72-73—288 $161,132
T38 Marc Leishman 71-75-68-77—291 $90,408
T64 Cam Davis 74-73-82-73—302 $42,351
MC Cameron Smith 75-73—148
MC Min Woo Lee 77-72—149
LPGA Tour
Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give
Blythefield Country Club, Belmont, Michigan
1 Carlota Ciganda 69-67-69-67—272 $US450,000
T7 Karis Davidson 66-70-71-69—276 $75,376
T14 Gabriela Ruffels 67-71-73-67—278 $38,877
T14 Minjee Lee 67-70-72-69—278 $38,877
T24 Grace Kim 65-73-71-72—281 $26,616
T36 Hannah Green 75-68-72-68—283 $16,039
T44 Cassie Porter 68-70-74-72—284 $12,095
T54 Stephanie Kyriacou 70-68-76-72—286 $7,755
72 Sarah Kemp 69-73-75-73—290 $5,859
MC Robyn Choi 69-76—145
MC Hira Naveed 74-77—151
MC Fiona Xu (NZ) 75-77—152
Ladies European Tour
Hulencourt Women’s Open
Hulencourt, Belgium
1 Darcey Harry 71-68-68-68—275 €45,000
3 Amelia Garvey (NZ) 71-70-72-66—279 €18,000
T10 Kelsey Bennett 67-71-71-74—283 €6,300
T17 M. Hinson-Tolchard 70-71-71-73—285 €4,788
MC Kirsten Rudgeley 74-74—148
MC Momoka Kobori (NZ) 73-76—149
MC Amy Walsh 79-77—156
MC Wenyung Keh (NZ) 76-84—160
Japan Golf Tour/Korean PGA Tour
Hana Bank Invitational
The Heaven Country Club, South Korea
1 Shaun Norris 66-69-69-66—270 ¥27,352,000
Won on second hole of sudden-death playoff
MC Michael Hendry (NZ) 72-69—141
MC Brad Kennedy 72-72—144
MC Junseok Lee 72-73—145
MC Sungjin Yeo (NZ) 73-78—151
Epson Tour
Great Lakes Championship
The Highlands, The Heather, Harbor Springs, Michigan
1 Riley Smyth 72-66-66—204 $US37,500
T23 Su Oh 71-70-72—213 $2,634
MC Soo Jin Lee 77-74—151
MC Jess Whitting 82-80—162
HotelPlanner Tour
Raiffeisenbank Golf Challenge
Kaskáda Golf Resort, Brno, Czech Republic
1 Palmer Jackson 65-67-67-64—263 €48,000
MC Jye Pickin 75-74—149
MC Hayden Hopewell 86-72—158
LET Access Series
Amundi Czech Ladies Challenge
Panorama Golf Resort, Kacov, Czech Republic
1 Alice Kong (a) 74-71-70—215 ——
Won on first hole of sudden-death playoff
T2 Justice Bosio 73-71-71—215 €5,115
T26 Abbie Teasdale 77-69-75—221 €630.90
T26 Stephanie Bunque 73-71-77—221 €630.90
T26 Kristalle Blum 76-75-70—221 €630.90
T44 Belinda Ji 76-74-76—226 €363.38
Legends Tour
Costa Navarino Legends Tour Trophy
Costa Navarino, Greece
1 Peter Baker 67-67-66—200
T10 Scott Hend 68-69-73—210
T14 Michael Campbell (NZ) 73-69-69—211
T50 Michael Long 73-75-75—223
In the end, even “old-man-par” would have fallen just short as too many tussles with Oakmont Country Club’s gnarly rough denied Adam Scott a career-defining second major at the US Open.
Shortly before heavy rain forced a 99-minute suspension of play in the final round, Scott had drawn level with 54-hole leader Sam Burns on the top of the leaderboard at 2-under par.
As Mother Nature and Oakmont applied a squeeze that at one point pushed every player in the field over par, five players – including Scott – were tied for the lead as the final group walked from the 12th green.
It was a moment for Scott to lean on experience gleaned from 96 consecutive major starts but missed fairways at 14 and 15 and two hacks from deep stuff right of the 16th green saw the 44-year-old drop four shots in three holes and suddenly out of contention.
In a chaotic finish in fading light, 34-year-old American JJ Spaun shrugged off bogeys on five of his first six holes to finish birdie-birdie and win at 1-under-par, holing the longest putt made by anyone all week on the 72nd hole, a 64-foot-five-inch roll into golf immortality.
Admitting that he didn’t adjust to the condition of the golf course after the rain delay, Scott said that missed fairways were fatal as he finished with 9-over 79 and tied for 12th.
“I hadn’t done that all week really. Then I did, and I paid the price and lost a lot of shots out there,” Scott said.
“Couldn’t recover. Conditions were just tough. They were tough at the start. Then once the fairways were soaked, it was very hard controlling the golf ball.
“It was borderline unplayable. The water was like so close to the surface. Like the shot I hit on 11, it’s bizarre. I just don’t know. It was like an aquaplane on the ground.
“It’s a tough call, but we played. Everyone had to deal with it.”
It was a win Scott craved to deem himself worthy of Hall of Fame status.
The 2013 Masters champion hit his opening tee shot 302 yards into the left-centre of the fairway to set a positive tone, but he would hit just six more in the ensuing 17 holes.
After a bogey on one, Scott squandered a rare birdie chance from 12 feet on two and then dropped a shot on three to fall two back of Burns.
A thunderous drive of 341 yards and a fortunate drop from a sprinkler head beside the green gave Scott an eagle look at the par-5 fourth, the Queenslander unleashing a rare premature fist pump when his putt from 46 feet hooked below the front of the hole late.
A par putt from five feet at five was enough to join Burns at 2-under but a three-putt on six would be Scott’s third bogey in his opening six holes.
He came up two inches short of a birdie at the par-4 seventh and was waiting on the eighth tee when USGA officials suspended play at 4:01pm local time.
Upon resumption, Scott was confronted with one of the toughest shots on arguably golf’s toughest golf course, his tee shot at the 301-yard par-3 eighth nestling down deep in the rough to the right of the green.
An up-and-down from right of the ninth green saw Scott go out in 3-over, coming up six inches short of a much-needed birdie from 44 feet at the par-4 10th.
Despite an impressive putt from 14 feet for bogey, a dropped shot after traipsing through knee-high fescue rough behind the 11th green the first of four bogeys along with the double-bogey on 16 marking the beginning of the end.
Birdie chances from 21 feet and 38 feet would stay above ground at 12 and 13, Scott suffering at the hands of Oakmont once again when his tee shot on 14 became semi-buried near the front lip of the right fairway trap, leaving nothing but a sideways blast that travelled just 30 feet into the rough again.
Playing as a single after Canadian Corey Conners withdrew pre-round through injury, Kiwi Ryan Fox continued his hot run with a closing 1-under 69 to finish in a tie for 19th at 7-over par.
Jason Day shot 73 on Sunday to finish in a tie for 23rd, Marc Leishman (77) was tied 38th and Cam Davis – also playing as a single – making four birdies on the back nine in a round of 73 to be tied 64th.
Final Australasian scores
T12 Adam Scott 70-70-67-79—286
T19 Ryan Fox (NZ) 72-73-73-69—287
T23 Jason Day 76-67-72-73—288
T38 Marc Leishman 71-75-68-77—291
T64 Cam Davis 74-73-82-73—302
MC Cameron Smith 75-73—148
MC Min Woo Lee 77-72—149
Photo: Chris Keane/USGA
Adam Scott can cement his legacy as an icon of Australian golf and take a place among the game’s greats after playing his way into the final group for championship Sunday at the US Open.
Heavy rain that forced a late suspension of Round 2 made Oakmont Country Club somewhat more agreeable in Round 3, Scott shaking off “old-man-par golf” to match the low round of the day and trail 54-hole leader Sam Burns (69) by just one.
Scott’s 3-under 67 and a late bogey by American JJ Spaun (69) gives the 44-year-old Australian the opportunity to stare down Burns in the final group (4:15am AEST) and seek to add to his 2013 Masters triumph.
No other player inside the top 10 – or within seven shots of the lead – has a resume boasting a major title and Scott can significantly add to his if he joins a jaw-dropping list of US Open winners at Oakmont.
With a win, Scott would:
In shooting 67 on Saturday, Scott joined Curtis Strange (1994) and Shane Lowry (2016) as the only players to post 70 or better in each of the first three rounds of a US Open at Oakmont, doing so with a mix of thunderous drives and impeccable bunker play.
As needed to succeed in a US Open, Scott saved pars with exceptional bunker shots at six, eight and 15 and then converted a bunker shot to 14 feet into a birdie at the par-4 17th to join the leaders at 3-under.
Burns would also birdie 17 to reclaim the outright lead but will share the main stage with Scott in what shapes as a Sunday to remember.
“It would be super fulfilling,” Scott said when asked to ponder the possibility of a US Open victory.
“Everyone out here has got their journey. Putting ourselves in these positions doesn’t just happen by fluke. It’s not easy to do it.
“I really haven’t been in this kind of position for five or six years, or feeling like I’m that player. But that’s what I’m always working towards.
“It’s not that easy to figure it all out. But if I were to come away with it tomorrow, it would be a hell of a round of golf and an exclamation point on my career.”
A par putt from 16 feet came up three feet short after Scott just missed the green left with his approach at the par-4 first but he would get back to level par soon after with birdie at the 600-yard par-5 fourth.
Scott hit his second shot from 280 yards just inside 60 feet from the hole, putting down to four feet on his way to his first birdie of the day.
He missed a birdie chance from five feet at seven when his ball nibbled at the right edge of the hole and then two-putted from 50 feet to make pars at both nine and 10.
Another birdie opportunity from 10 feet slipped by at 11 before vintage Adam Scott emerged with iron shots to five feet at the par-3 13th and tap-in range at the par-4 14th, almost spinning his wedge from 97 yards back into the hole for eagle.
A birdie try from 22 feet at the par-3 16th died on the right side of the hole but his birdie on 17 and two-putt par from 53 feet on 18 secured Sunday’s final tee time.
Playing in his first major championship since 2022, Victorian Marc Leishman also has a late start (3:20am AEST) after posting 2-under 68 in Round 3.
A holed bunker shot for birdie at the par-3 eighth was the centrepiece of a round that was 4-under through 13 holes only to have Oakmont hit back with three straight bogeys from the 14th hole.
Like Scott, Leishman got up-and-down for birdie from the bunker right of the 17th green and is relishing the chance to showcase his game on the biggest stage.
“There’s nothing bad about contending in a major,” said Leishman, who needed 38 holes at Final Qualifying to book a spot in the field this week.
“It has been a while, but I’ve been playing some really good golf.
“Just happy to make the most of qualifying. Sometimes you can get in and you think it’s a done deal and away you go.
“Really wanted to make the most of getting in and doing that hard work, so hopefully a good round tomorrow will do that.
“Hopefully I can get off to a start like I did today and give (the leaders) something to look at.”
A near ace at the par-3 eighth was the high point of Jason Day’s round of 2-over 72, the 2015 US PGA champion to start the final round in a tie for 21st.
Final round coverage of the US Open is 1am-9am AEST on Monday morning on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo Sports.
Round 3 Australasian scores
T2 Adam Scott 70-70-67—207
T11 Marc Leishman 71-75-68—214
T21 Jason Day 76-67-72—215
T39 Ryan Fox (NZ) 72-73-73—218
67 Cam Davis 74-73-82—229
MC Cameron Smith 75-73—148
MC Min Woo Lee 77-72—149
Round 4 tee times AEST
9:52pm Cam Davis
12:20am Ryan Fox (NZ)
1:58am Jason Day
3:20am Marc Leishman
4:15am Adam Scott
