Want to recieve exclusive news, videos, tournament highlights, golf important tips and more ?
Want to recieve exclusive news, videos, tournament highlights, golf important tips and more ?
Unheralded. Under-appreciated. Under the radar. Unperturbed. You might win a bet if you ask your golf mate to name the lone Aussie to win on the PGA TOUR in 2024, but Cam Davis is chasing trophies, not public recognition.
Yes, he would have dearly loved a Presidents Cup appearance at Royal Montreal having been part of the Internationals team two years prior, but Davis achieved a special career milestone with a second PGA TOUR title this year at the Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club.
With putts repeatedly burning the edge of the hole and a lasered second shot into the par-5 14th that somehow dribbled into the water late on Sunday, it looked as though the golf gods would conspire against Davis.
Fellow Australian Min Woo Lee (69) made a back-nine charge to earn a share of the lead at 18-under but made bogey on the final hole when his approach shot finished in the rough behind the green and he was unable to get up-and-down for par.
Davis, too, needed to scramble from the rough on 18 for a 2-under 70 to claim the clubhouse lead at 18-under, Akshay Bhatia’s par miss on the 72nd hole handing a stunned Davis a treasured win.
The fact that it came at the same venue as his first win three years earlier was another element of serendipity for the 29-year-old New South Welshman who now spends the majority of his year in Seattle.
In his winner’s press conference, Davis revealed how at the suggestion of his wife, Jonika, Davis had undertaken two weeks of hypnotherapy in the lead-up to his one-stroke victory.
Read: https://pga.org.au/news/aussies-on-tour-davis-stunned-by-second-pga-tour-title/
Davis was also part of one of the most compelling storylines for Aussies in 2024 after he and Adam Scott faced off in a playoff at US Open qualifying at Springfield, Ohio.
It took three holes for Davis to best one of his childhood heroes, threatening to bring to an end Scott’s streak of 91 consecutive majors.
Scott ultimately received an exemption by the USGA on the Monday of the tournament, his record now standing at 93 majors and counting.
Such was Josiah Gilbert’s performances playing for Auburn University in the NCAA in 2024, there is a tug-of-war taking place in Gilbert’s mind as to which country he will represent during his professional career.
Gilbert’s US college season was highlighted by a historic NCAA Division 1 championship for Auburn, the first in the school’s history,
He was twice named SEC Golfer of the Week and won the Valero Texas Collegiate Individual Champion title. In addition, Gilbert claimed the individual gold medal at the Spirit International where he partnered Kai Komulainen as Australia finished third in the men’s competition.
Born in Queensland, Gilbert grew up in Perth and established himself as one of the state’s most promising juniors.
Early in the COVID pandemic, Gilbert’s American parents decided to return to their home country, in part to help foster their son’s ambitions in golf.
Such has been his success, the 20-year-old dual citizenship holder is now weighing up where to pledge his allegiance.
Photo: Courtesy Auburn University
Holding off a group of home favourites desperate to win the Stonehaven Cup, American Ryggs Johnston scored the biggest win of his professional career at the 2024 ISPS HANDA Australian Open at Kingston Heath today.
Holding off a group of home favourites desperate to win the Stonehaven Cup, American Ryggs Johnston scored the biggest win of his professional career at the 2024 ISPS HANDA Australian Open at Kingston Heath today.
The first American champion since Jordan Spieth claimed his second title in 2016 added his name alongside a list of illustrious countrymen that includes Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gene Sarazen.
Johnston (65-68-68-68) was a three-shot winner at 18-under, with West Australian Curtis Luck finishing as runner-up after a final round 4-under 68. His weekend tally of 11-under coming after a 71-68 start.
Luck held the lead late in his round, however after three weeks of consecutive golf, the man from Cottesloe admitted he was running out of steam, and bogeys at 17 and 18 ensued.
Victorians Marc Leishman and Jasper Stubbs shared third place at 14-under, after both, like Luck, looked to threaten at certain points on Sunday.
Johnston, Luck and Leishman claimed the three 2025 Open Championship spots and can start planning for Royal Portrush,, Stubbs missing out due to Leishman having a better world ranking.
Having not won a four-round event since his high school days, Johnston gained his DP World Tour status just weeks ago through Qualifying School, and has now solidified his position.
“Getting a win and hopefully getting into more tournaments and just knowing that I’ve secured pretty legit status now, it’s great,” the 24-year-old said.
Having a look at the Stonehaven Cup while the media spoke with women’s winner Jiyai Shin, Johnston was able to take in the plethora of who’s who in golf that is etched into the Stonehaven Cup.
“It’s just really cool to be in that group,” he said. “I’m just pretty honoured to be able to put my name on it now too and I’ll cherish this moment forever.”
Johnston made his intentions clear early, pouring in a putt from off the first green for eagle, and backing it up with a birdie the third.
A trio of bogeys and another birdie had the American turn in 1-under, and at that point as the leaderboard tightened, a healthy group still had chances.
It was the back nine where Johnston made the championship his own however, coming home in 3-under with the wind and the rain intensifying, and playing for the most significant result of his young career took serious grit.
“On 14, I kind of hit it right again and wasn’t in a great spot and I got myself out of trouble and made a nice 12-15 footer for birdie there,” said Johnston of the defining moment for him.
“Then made a longer one on 15 and that’s kind of when I was really like, all right, you can win this tournament.
“It was definitely a little stressful. The weather was kind of up and down. It was really nice for 15 minutes and really bad for 15 minutes.
“I knew I was right in it and then when I walked up to 17 green, I finally saw the leaderboard and saw I had a three-shot lead and then I could take a little bit of a breath.”
Runner-up Luck said: “The finish wasn’t ideal, but at the end of the day I was not really hitting balls three months ago, so I don’t think I can complain too much.
“I’ve been pretty rusty the four events I’ve played down here in Australia and I think that probably showed down the stretch and I was doing my best to clinging on, but it got the better of me.
“I think I make it pretty hard on myself quite often, so if I could clean up those areas, yeah, I still believe absolutely 100 percent that I could be right up there with the best.”
After being in the lead for most of the tournament, home favourite Lucas Herbert (74) wound up in six-way share of fifth at -12. His challenge fell away with three bogeys and no birdies on the back nine, leaving the Ripper GC team member a frustrated man as he walked off 18.
Joining Herbert in the group six shots back were defending champion Joaquin Niemann (72), BMW Australian PGA winner Elvis Smylie (72) and fellow Aussie Harrison Crowe (71), Asia-Pacific Amateur champion Wenyi Ding (72) and a charging Kiradech Aphibarnrat (68).
Smylie made a mini run with three straight birdies on the front nine but couldn’t find his Royal Queensland magic over the closing nine.
However, the 22-year-old consolidated his lead at the top of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia standings before he heads off to the Nedbank Challenge on the DP World Tour.
Meanwhile, after his runner-up finish at the PGA, Cam Smith ended his Summer of Golf by finishing equal 39th at 3-under.
With his Australian Summer of Golf campaign over, Cam Smith has expressed his desire to repeat the visit back home again on the 2025/26 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
Smith’s run of four tournaments, which was hugely appreciated by everyone connected with Australian golf, started at the Queensland PGA at Nudgee, continued at the Ford NSW Open at Murray Downs and BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland and ended at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open at Kingston Heath.
Although a win proved to be elusive, with two runners-up finishes the best results, he did thrill the crowds with his golf, helping to build crowd figures, broadcast ratings and media coverage.
“I would love to,” Smith said today when asked if would repeat this year’s well received longer return to the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
“I think I’ve got to take that as it comes. As everyone knows now we’re expecting (a baby in March), so I think that’s going to have a big thing to do with it, which was really part of the reason why I wanted to do it this year.
“But we finish (LIV Golf) again in the middle of August, so there’s no reason that I can’t play at least one or two more again.
“I’ve loved doing it … so whether it’s the same two (Tour events) or a different two, I don’t really know, but yeah, I would love to do it again.”
Smith signed off with a birdie at the last of his 288 holes for the Australian summer, posting a round of 71 at Kingston Heath for an Open tally of -3 and a tie for 41st, well short of his goal to win the Stonehaven Cup for the first time.
After an opening round of 65 at Victoria Golf Club, he had moved to 11-under midway through his second round before a back nine of +5 put a severe dent in his chances.
“I guess that back nine on Friday really just kind of hurt and it was kind of hard to get over. I was frustrated and angry that whole night. Got a terrible sleep, up all night thinking about it,” he said.
“I feel like I did a lot right, particularly the three weeks before this, and yeah, when you have nine holes like that, when it kind of comes out the blue like it did, it’s just really frustrating, particularly the spot I was in.
“I didn’t really need to do too much more to be in the golf tournament, so it’s just really frustrating.”
With low scoring aplenty on day one of the ISPS HANDA Australian Open across both Kingston Heath and The Victorian golf clubs, it was Lucas Herbert who stood tall above the rest.
A blemish free 8-under 63 early today at Victoria was good enough to secure a one-shot day one lead over Japanese amateur Rintaro Nakano and American Ryggs Johnston, who were both at Kingston Heath for round one.
There are four players tied fourth at 6-under, all of whom played at Victoria on day one. The 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith and last season’s Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner Kazuma Kobori are joined by Finland’s Oliver Lindell and American Jordan Gumberg, who had the low afternoon round.
Despite grabbing the lead, Herbert, a Victorian who played much of his teenage golf on the Sandbelt, still felt like he could have got more out of his day.
“I felt like there was a lot of shots left out there, I feel like that with every round of golf, to be fair,” Herbert said with a smile.
“I didn’t really think I holed that many putts, just hit it quite nicely. Got it into the right spots.
“Probably got a couple of lucky breaks here and there where shots that maybe weren’t the best didn’t get punished the way they could have.
“Look, if that’s the worst round of the week, I’d be pretty happy.”
Starting on Victoria’s 10th hole, in the shadow of the Peter Thomson statue, Herbert opened his account with three pars but was quickly able to take advantage of his length with birdies at 13, and the famous short par-4 15th.
Back-to-back birdies at the 17th and 18th, both par-5s, had the NSW Open champion turn in 4-under, keeping up with Smith ahead of him who was making birdies for fun around the turn.
Herbert kept the foot on the pedal on his second nine, making yet another birdie on the short first, before the scoring finally paused.
Not for long though, with a further birdie at six, before a stunning eagle at the par-5 ninth put an exclamation mark on a near-perfect opening day.
“Slightly pulled my tee shot there, just down the left. Kind of got a little lucky it didn’t bounce and get into that thicker stuff,” Herbert said of his finishing hole.
“To put it up there pretty close and then to roll it in for the eagle, just put a nice finish on the end of that round.”
Having held him off at Murray Downs two weeks ago, Herbert knows that Smith will be the one to watch out for in the chasing pack.
“He will be the guy to beat this week I’d imagine,” Herbert said. “He’s been in some great form, he’s obviously finished, I think third, second, second in the last three events.
“I’ll be shocked if he’s not pushing me pretty hard on the weekend or I’m pushing him pretty hard on the weekend to win the Stonehaven Cup.”
Smith is keen to get one back on his Ripper GC teammate after the NSW Open, but says it’s going to be no easy feat, and isn’t counting out another Victorian either.
“I know he (Herbert) is playing really good golf and there’s a ton of other guys as well,” said Smith
“Leish is playing really good. His caddie Matty was saying how good he’s hitting it, so it’s going to be a good weekend.”
Leishman started with a 3-under 68 at Victoria. Meanwhile American Harry Higgs is well in touch after a 5-under 66, with the PGA TOUR player happy to find the consistency that was lacking in Brisbane.
A surprise bolter on day one is the 21-year-old Japanese amateur Nakano, who won the 2023 Japanese Amateur Championship and has played one US PGA TOUR event.
He was at -8 before bogeying the par-4 final hole at Kingston Heath.
Last week’s BMW Australian PGA champion Elvis Smylie opened his Open account with a 1-under 70, after fighting back from being 3-over early.
Cameron Smith says he can’t even begin to imagine what it would feel like to win the ISPS HANDA Australian Open this week for the first time.
He’s been dreaming of it for so long, even before his first appearance in the tournament as a baby-faced amateur in 2012 at The Lakes. He has come close; beaten in a playoff by Jordan Spieth in 2016, but he has never lifted the Stonehaven Cup.
Despite misgivings about the softness of the courses this week – he has long been an advocate for preparing hard and fast green complexes in the Melbourne sandbelt – he is still hellbent on adding his national Open to a building list of victories this week.
He calls the Australian Open “the one I’ve wanted for so long”, and he means it.
“If I thought about tournaments that I haven’t won, probably this one and the Masters are the top two,” said Smith. “Hopefully I can knock them both off shortly. That would be the dream.”
Smith played in the pro-am today at Kingston Heath alongside ISPS HANDA ambassador Scott Morrison and made plenty of birdies. He’s in a good space and “pretty pumped” that his beloved Brisbane Broncos have signed superstar Ben Hunt for 2025.
His first duty in the media centre was to judge a lookalike competition, which left him a little bemused. “It’s not really a great look. I think my wife and my Mum are probably the only two who think it’s good, but it’s funny.”
He is in the fourth week of his home stretch which has netted near-misses in the Queensland PGA, the NSW Open and last week’s BMW Australian PGA Championship, runner-up to Elvis Smylie at Royal Queensland and also at Murray Downs behind Lucas Herbert.
Asked what had been missing in the chase for a win, he put it simply: “Probably just not holing the putts that I needed to hole. I mean you have to putt good, no matter what tour you’re playing on to win golf tournaments. We all witnessed how good Elvis putted that last day, and it was awesome to watch. That’s what you need to win golf tournaments and that’s probably it to be honest. Everything’s been solid, it just hasn’t glued for four days in a row yet.”
Marc Leishman has spoken about the heavy expectation on the top Australian players when they come home to domestic tournaments, which is also in Smith’s mind.
“This one is quite special,” he said. “I’ve been wary about that coming into the last couple of years. As time goes on, you’re almost wasting one more chance. It’s something you have to be careful of for sure, but sometimes the added pressure and motivation is a really good thing. For myself, I’ve probably worked harder than I’ve ever worked the last six weeks because of this, and it’s put my game in a really good spot.”
Given that Melbourne has had severe storms and heavy rain in two of the past three days – the afternoon pro-am players were sent scurrying from the course and Minjee Lee and Hannah Green who flew in today had to leave without even practicing – Smith is expecting a different type of golf this week.
Unless the wind gets up, scores are likely to be low. “It’s going to play more like an American golf course,” he said. “You can land it at the pin and kind of fire away, which is again, not the reason we love golf down here.”
PHOTO: Cameron Smith entertains during the pro-am at Kingston Heath today. Image: Daniel Pockett
All the action from Cam Smith’s second round at Nudgee.
And we’re away
Cam Smith’s second round is underway at the 2024 Queensland PGA Championship.
After a 5-under 67 in round one, Smith is still one shot back of leaders Phoenix Campbell, amateur Billy Dowling and Declan O’Donovan.
Solid start in front of huge crowds at Nudgee
Starting on Nudgee’s front nine today, Smith has begun his day with three solid pars and remains at 5-under for the championship.
Here we go on the fourth
Smith has piped his drive over the water on the fourth which sets him up to reach the par-5 in two.
With long way left in, Smith launched driver off the deck for his second, finding the reeds left of the green.
A masterful chip on gives him a 10-foot look at his first birdie of the day.
The birdie attempt just slides by and Smith taps in for par. No harm done through four holes.
Drama on the fifth
Smith’s tee shot has found the pond to the right of the fifth fairway and he has had to go back almost 40m to take a drop.
Coach and caddie for the week, Grant Field works hard to get a number for Smith who is now left with a 3-wood in from tight rough.
Smith’s 3-wood has gone long left of the green and he now lies three.
Chipping up from the back of the green, Smith left himself 12-feet for par which he missed, tapping in for bogey.
1-over on his day, Smith drops back to 4-under for the championship, now 3-shots back of the leaders.
More trouble on the sixth
Smith’s tee shot on the par-4 sixth found the left rough, and then his second lies left of the green in the light rough, requiring another up and down for par.
A clutch chip leaves Smith with a tap-in par, limiting the damage.
Crowds are out in force watching the Queenslander
Photo: Dylan Evans
Back in business on the seventh
After a monster drive on the par-4 seventh, Cam finds himself pin high off the green with just a pitch over the bunker left in.
Just clearing the bunker, Smith has left himself with 15-feet for birdie.
Another one just slides by on the left, Smith taps in for a stress-free par.
Almost an ace on the eighth
Smith’s tee shot on par 3 8th dances around the hole before coming to rest six feet away, one of his best looks at birdie so far today.
It’s in! Smith gives the crowd something to cheer about as he rolls in his birdie putt on eight to get back to even on his round.
Scrambling again on the ninth
After his drive found the bark chips left of the ninth fairway, Smith’s second has come up 15m short of the green, requiring another clutch up and down to save par.
After a decent approach, Smith has 6 feet left for his par.
Another par putt slides just by on the left edge as Smith makes the turn 1-over on his day, and 4-under for the championship as a storm is brewing behind him over Brisbane.
How about these shots from Dylan Evans.
Highs and lows to start the the back nine
After a birdie to get things going on the tenth, Smith was forced to take his shoes and socks off to play his second from the water on the 11th.
After a decent recovery, Smith missed the 12-footer for par, tapping in for bogey and giving his gained shot straight back.
Bounce back on the 12th
After a perfect tee shot on the short par-4 12th, Smith was able to nestle his pitch to just outside a foot and converted the birdie putt.
He gets back to even on his day and 5-under for the championship, four shots back of leader Phoenix Campbell.
Riding the wave on the 13th
Smith bombs another drive to the front of the green on 13, leaving a perfect line in to back left pin.
Smith’s itch comes up 5 feet short of the hole, a good look at birdie to go under-par on his day.
BRUTAL! Smith’s birdie putt lips out hard the left edge, he taps it in for par.
Safely in the fairway on the 14th
Driving down the right side, Smith finds the fairway on the par-4 14th, setting up a strong chance to knock one close and set up another birdie.
After his approach trickled off a knob of the green on the right side, Smith faces a very tricky up and down to save par.
A flop shot left Smith 8-feet for par, his putt lipping out on the right side this time.
Tapping in for bogey, Smith’s round is back to 1-over, 4-under for the week.
Stroke of luck on the 15th
It looked as if Smith’s drive had found the water on the 15th, but it just hangs on, he was forced to pitch back to the fairway though.
Smith has managed to get his third up on the front edge of the green on the par-5, and has 18-feet for an outside birdie chance.
Just missing on the left side, Smith taps in for par, likely a relieving result after thinking his drive was in the water off the tee.
Go time on the 16th
Smith’s tee shot is in the perfect position down the left side of 16, opening up a great angle into the back right pin position.
Smith safely made par.
Finishing strong
Smith made a final birdie on the par-5 17th to get his round back to even, and finished with a par on the tough par-3 18th.
Starting and finishing his day at 5-under, Smith limited a lot of the damage today, however the overnight leaders both continued scoring, and Smith now finds himself five shots off the pace heading into the weekend.
The name at the top of the PNG Open leaderboard changed countless times on moving day, but Andrew Campbell has held onto the solo lead heading into the final round of the opening event of the 2024/25 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season.
After a day three 3-under 69, Campbell (NSW) is on top at 14-under, with William Bruyeres (QLD) and James Conran (NSW) tied second at 13-under.
PNG specialists Brett Rankin (QLD) and Peter Cooke (SA) find themselves at 12 and 11-under respectively, with New Zealander James Hydes joining Cooke in a share of fifth at 11-under.
Despite the battle for top spot playing out behind him, Tour veteran Anthony Choat had the highlight of day three, making a hole-in-one at the 153-metre par-3 18th at Royal Port Moresby, the ace pocketing the New South Welshman a cool AUD$19,000.
It comes just weeks after 46-year old Choat made his first ever hole-in-one at the Tin Can Bay Pro-Am, when it rains it pours!
Campbell got to work consolidating his 36-hole lead early, getting to 3-under on his day after six holes.
Bogeys at eight and nine brought Campbell back to the rest of the field as he made the turn though, as the name at the top of the leaderboard continued to update.
A flawless back-nine, with back-to-back birdies at 14 and 15, showed Campbell, and his quest for a first tour win was not going down without a fight.
“I’m feeling good,” said Campbell. “I played really solid again today, I just did me really well again, and that’s all I’m trying to do today and tomorrow.
“I had one (54-hole lead) last year, so I’ve been in this position before and I know what to expect tomorrow.
“I’m just going to go out there and again, do myself and go through my process to the best of my ability.”
With a lot of players within a few shots of his lead, Campbell knows that anything can happen on Sunday, and to expect someone to make a charge ahead of him.
“There’s a lot of good players out here, but like I said before, I just got to go through my process and stick to my game.
“I know what I can do and what I’m capable of doing around this course, so I’ll just, like I said, stick to my process and just keep doing my thing, play my own game and see what happens on 18.”
Bruyeres shot the equal low round of the day, a 7-under 65, rightfully earning him a share of second heading into the final round.
“I sadly had gastro yesterday, so I spent most of the night before the round up in the bathroom,” said Bruyeres.
“I felt horrible going on the course, and was really happy to shoot under par yesterday.
“I knew I was playing well and if I was healthy today I could go shoot something low, and I did.
“Momentum’s always a big thing, so to have a good start to the season’s always good.”
Plenty of low scoring was produced on day two of the PNG Open, but it is New South Welshman Andrew Campbell who sits alone atop the leaderboard at the halfway mark at Royal Port Moresby.
Searching for his first Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia win after a string of top-10s last season, Campbell was one of six players to card a 7-under 65 today to move to 11-under for the week, one shot ahead of James Conran (NSW).
New Zealander James Hydes sits in third alone at 9-under, with Daniel Fox (WA) a further shot back at 8-under after a 65 of his own today.
West Australian Braden Becker heads up a strong group of players tied seventh at 7-under after an albatross on the par-5 first hole kickstarted an incredible 7-under 30 on his second nine.
Although he enjoyed a breakout season on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia last summer, including six top-10 finishes, a win eluded Campbell who ended the campaign in 14th on the Order of Merit.
“I got off to a good start and gave myself a lot of chances early,” Campbell said.
“Didn’t quite make that many putts but I managed to turn 1-under and then sort of just got on a run on the back nine.”
Starting his day on what has proved to be a more difficult back nine, the 34-year-old was able to capitalise on scoring opportunities in the latter part of his round, going 6-under on Royal Port Moresby’s front nine.
His surge up the leaderboard included seven threes in a row from the third to the eighth.
“Just really happy with where I’m at. I was putting it quite well and just hitting a lot of good shots, giving myself chances, which is the main thing you got to do around here,” he said.
“I feel like I’m in a great place with my game, a great place mentally, so just got to put myself in the fight. That’s all, I know I’m good enough to win.”
Second-placed Conran’s 65 included eight birdies with just the sole bogey at the par-4 seventh.
“I drove it in play for most of the day where you need to on those short par-4s, got it up next to the green and hit a few good chips and had tap-in birdies, then sort of just kept it going into the back nine,” said Conran.
“A good finish is pretty pivotal for me because I’m not actually a part of the tour this year.
“I’ve got a full membership category, so I don’t have that guaranteed start to each event. It’s nice to get a good week going here. I mean, a win would be great.”
Papua New Guinea amateur Morgan Annato fought hard today in his national open, carding a 1-under 71 to make the cut on the number at even-par.
Notable players to miss the cut included 2023 Webex Players Series South Australia winner Austin Bautista, as well as last year’s PNG Open runner-up Jack Murdoch.
It’s not often that the first reserve gets called up on the Thursday of a professional golf tournament due to the Prime Minister withdrawing, but that’s exactly what occurred today at the PNG Open and young Victorian Connor McDade made the most of the opportunity it created.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape, an avid golfer who played in his national Open in 2023, was unable to take his position in the field due to official duties, giving McDade, who was warming up waiting for his chance, his first start as a professional on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
The former Australian amateur representative took the opportunity with both hands and didn’t look back, carding a 5-under 67 at Royal Port Moresby Golf Club for a share of the lead as the 2024/25 Tour season got underway.
Joining McDade at the top of the leaderboard are fellow young gun Josh Greer (WA), William Bruyeres (Qld) and in-form Brett Rankin (Qld)
Four players – James Gibellini (Vic), Zachary Maxwell (Qld), Andrew Campbell (NSW), James Hydes (NZ) – share fifth position, just one back from the leaders.
The leading PNG player after day one is amateur Morgan Annato, who carded a tidy 1-over 73 on the opening day of his native open.
McDade’s score is made all the more remarkable by the fact that when he arrived at Royal Port Moresby at 6.45 this morning, he was not 100% sure he would be in the field, although there had been suggestions a vacancy may open up.
By 7am, PM Marape’s name had come off the timesheet and by 7.38am, McDade’s first tee shot was sailing down the 10th fairway.
“I mean, this is probably as good as this day could have gone for me,” McDade said post-round.
“There was a lot of uncertainty, but yeah, played really well and took it how it came so I’m happy.”
McDade took a while to getting going, making two early bogeys before reaching the turn at 1-over.
After missing out on a scoring opportunity at the par-5 first, McDade soon caught fire, collecting four consecutive birdies from holes three through six before making eagle at the par-5 ninth, his last hole.
As the first reserve, McDade could have been waiting all day for a player to withdraw, if at all, so admits the early tee time was a welcome surprise.
“I came a long way to come and play golf and was just waiting to see what happened for me,” he said.
“It was definitely an easier day than I thought it was going to be.
“I was kind of prepared to sit on the first and 10th tees for 12 hours, but it didn’t really work out that way. I was off the tee within an hour, so yeah, that was really lucky.”
Leading the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series Order of Merit, Rankin continued his good form with four birdies and an eagle in his 67.
Bruyeres snared seven birdies, including a run of three to start the front nine, while Greer cashed in late with four birdies in his last five holes.
Defending champion Lachlan Barker (SA) slipped to +4 after his first seven holes but fought back to shoot 1-over 73.
