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Vernon Sexton-Finck has discovered just how brutal Hamilton Island Golf Club’s back-nine can be in a polarising opening round at the 2019 PGA Professionals Championship.
The West Australian was on track to post a new course record through 13 holes at the Peter Thomson-designed course following five birdies and an impressive eagle at the par-5 5th hole.
After encountering trouble and recording a bogey at the 15th, a long tee shot at the scenic par-3 16th resulted in the first of consecutive double-bogeys that took him back to 2-under for the lead of the tournament.
“The first 13 holes are really solid and then the back-nine here and the finish is just so tough,” Sexton-Finck said.
“I guess I was just trying to make as many birdies as I could at the start and get as many under par as I could because I knew that the stretch at the end was going to be challenging and sure enough it was.
“It’s just Hamilton Island I guess and that’s what happens.”
Finck will build on the confidence gained across the front-nine as he looks to increase a one-shot lead over the final two rounds.
“I know I dropped five shots in the last four holes but I can take a lot of confidence out of today,” he said.
“Just one bad shot per hole on those last few and you just get punished so badly out here.”
Sexton-Finck’s return to competition golf after a winter hiatus at the TX Civil & Logistics WA PGA Championship has paid dividends at the Hamilton Island event where a win could see him earn a place in the field at the season-ending Australian PGA Championship on the Gold Coast.
“I played the WA PGA leading up to this and played reasonable that week. I was pretty rusty but it was nice to play on the weekend as well there. I certainly haven’t been grinding or hitting a lot of balls,” he said.
“That’s pretty much why I entered; otherwise I wouldn’t have played a competition round since about June. I just wanted to try and at least play four rounds in a tournament event.”
Playing alongside Sexton-Finck was reigning champion Scott Laycock, who is within striking distance at the top of the leaderboard at 1-under the card.
The Royal Hobart Golf Club Assistant Golf Professional was pleased with his three birdies and two bogeys in an opening round he feels was reminiscent of last year’s performance.
“I played just as well today. I hit a couple of ordinary shots early but I had a few chances as well that I didn’t make. All in all I’m happy with the result,” Laycock said.
“We all played really nicely,” Laycock added of his playing group including Sexton-Finck, Sam Eaves and Josh Lane.
“We had our struggles here and there but all in all we dragged each other along. Vernon was playing fantastic golf and just a couple of bad breaks and it snowballs here.”
Increasing winds caught out more than one player across the first 18 holes but in particular provided an extra test at the tricky 16th hole.
“It’s challenging. It just doesn’t let up. We both hit reasonable shots on the par-3 16th and ended up long in the hazard,” he said.
“It’s difficult when you’re the first to hit how the wind’s going and that was more down wind. It went from the north-east to the north-west. There were a couple of tricky bits from 11 through 16.
“You need to be accurate, you need to know where the wind is and if it caught us like that and you get a gust and it helps your ball go into the hazard then it’s disappointing but it is what it is.”
Round two of the 2019 PGA Professionals Championship begins at 7:45am on Wednesday at Hamilton Island Golf Club.
To view opening round scores click here.
For round two tee times click here.
Jason Scrivener and Scott Hend will share in the $US8 million bounty on offer at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship after qualifying in vastly different circumstances at the penultimate event of the European Tour season.
Entering the week 59th in the Race to Dubai rankings, Scrivener signalled his intentions with an eagle at his very first hole of the Nedbank Challenge at Gary Player Country Club on Thursday and carried that momentum through the remaining 71 holes.
His opening round of 3-under 69 was his best for the week but four sub-par rounds kept the 30-year-old West Australian in contention until the very end.
Three birdies in his opening five holes on Sunday put a maiden European Tour title well within reach but a back nine of 1-over 37 – and a red-hot Tommy Fleetwood – saw Scrivener finish tied for third, equal to his best finish on the European Tour.
Fleetwood – who had to get past Swede Marcus Kinhult in a playoff to claim his first win since the 2018 ABU Dhabi HSBC Championship – took home a cheque for €2.26 million, adding to the cash he and Gavin Green won from Scrivener and Hend in a practice round earlier in the week.
The €343,555 prize money won by Scrivener represents the biggest individual pay day of his career but it was the 517 Race to Dubai points that could yet prove to be most significant.
Scrivener’s jump of 24 spots to 35th was second only to Belgian Thomas Detry and elevated him into the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai for the first time in his career.
“A big goal of mine at the start of the year was to get to Dubai,” Scrivener said following his closing 2-under 70.
“Pretty happy with that and looking forward to that.
“To be honest I haven’t had any time to really think about it. I haven’t even got the flights booked.
“Just going to take it as it comes. Feel like I’m playing well enough to contend and yeah, just looking forward to it.”
After missing last year’s season finale Hend is also headed to Dubai yet was forced to endure a nervous wait before his place in the field was confirmed.
Sitting 46th in the rankings heading to Sun City, Hend’s opening round of 5-over 77 put him on the back foot but it was two holes around the turn of his final round that put his spot in Dubai in the greatest jeopardy.
Starting from the 10th tee, Hend began his round with back-to-back birdies but hit a snag with bogey at the par-4 17th and then double bogey at the 18th.
Three dropped shots became five in the space of three holes when he made another double at the first but a crucial birdie at the par-5 ninth saw him end the week tied for 48th.
When the final calculations were completed the Queenslander was in 50th position by less than four points to scrape into the field for Dubai, admitting later on Twitter that “lots of guys could have made the result different. The numbers fell my way this time.”
The Nedbank Challenge did represent the end of the European Tour season for Kiwi Ryan Fox who dropped three spots in the Race to Dubai rankings to finish the year in 57th position
Nedbank Golf Challenge hosted by Gary Player
Gary Player CC, Sun City, South Africa
T3 Jason Scrivener 69-70-71-70—280 €343,555
T48 Scott Hend 77-73-70-74—294 €22,228
57 Ryan Fox 74-75-74-74—297 €15,423
Fifty PGA Professionals from around the country will converge on Hamilton Island Golf Club next week for the 2019 PGA Professionals Championship.
Staged at one of the most picturesque yet challenging golf facilities in the country, Hamilton Island will play host to Australia’s leading Vocational PGA Professionals including those who are Teaching Professionals, Golf Operations Managers, Head Professionals and General Managers at their respective clubs.
Featuring in the field is defending champion and Royal Hobart Golf Club Assistant Professional Scott Laycock who is hoping his luck will continue when he returns to the Whitsundays next week.
“The golf course is stunning and features some of the most spectacular scenery that you can find on a golf course though there is not much margin for error, especially on the back-nine so hopefully I can stay out of trouble during the week,” Laycock said.
“I was really pleased to get it done last year as much for my own self-belief than anything else. You don’t often win in this game we play and therefore it is really satisfying when you do.
“I am really enjoying my role at Royal Hobart Golf Club and while we are there for a tournament next week, it is a great place to spend some down time away from the golf course.”
Although Laycock was exempt into the tournament as defending champion, the remaining 49 competitors earned their place in pre-qualifying events throughout the year.
There is more than just the lion’s share of $55,000 in prize money on offer, however, with the two leading PGA Professionals also gaining a start in the Australian PGA Championship alongside Cameron Smith, Adam Scott and the big-hitting Cameron Champ in December.
Stuart Hergt, Chief Operating Officer at the PGA of Australia, is confident that the two that win their way through to the Australian PGA Championship will hold their own against the world’s best.
“Our PGA Professionals set the benchmark around the world for their ability to combine their playing ability as well as teach, administrate and manage the game of golf and therefore we know they will do us proud at our national championship,” said Hergt
“They deserve all of the accolades they receive from their respective facilities and club members and the week at Hamilton Island allows the PGA as an organisation to celebrate their achievements and contribution to the game.”
The 2019 field is full of experience including former champions Craig McLean (2013) and Chris Duke (2016) as well as previous runners-up Sam Eaves (2017) and Vernon Sexton-Finck (2015).
Others who will likely feature at the pointy end of the tournament are NSW leading qualifier Josh Lane, former Japan Golf Tour player Wayne Perske and Yarra Bend Teaching Professional James Hartley.
Playing at Hamilton Island Golf Club immediately following the professionals will be the Hamilton Island Amateur Golf Championship where amateurs will get the full tournament experience.
Both the PGA Professionals Championship and Hamilton Island Amateur Golf Championship will begin with a pre-tournament pro-am on Monday 18 November before round one kicks off on Tuesday.
For the full list of competitors in the 2019 PGA Professionals Championship, click here. Further information on the Hamilton Island Amateur Golf Championship can be found via the Hamilton Island Golf Club.
Scott Hend is not the type of personality to look over his shoulder.
Those who follow the globe-trotting Queenslander on Twitter will know he is an open book constantly looking forward, rarely wasting time glancing in the rearview mirror.
Yet as he prepares to tee it up in this week’s Nedbank Challenge at Sun City in South Africa, Hend could be forgiven for thinking that amidst the South African jungle he is one of the hunted.
The penultimate tournament of the European Tour season will determine which 50 players will advance to the $US8 million DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, a tournament Hend played three years in succession from 2015-2017 but missed last year when he finished 93rd in the Race to Dubai rankings.
Winner of the Maybank Championship in Malaysia back in March, the 46-year-old sat comfortably inside the cut-off until a mid-season slump where he banked Race to Dubai points just once in nine starts.
A tie for 28th at the WGC-HSBC Champions tournament was followed up by a tie for 36th at last week’s Turkish Airlines Open to provide a timely injection of points to sit 46th on the points race and a handy buffer to those in pursuit.
For Hend to be prevented from adding a trip to Dubai to his international schedule in 2019 five or more players beyond the top 50 cut-off would need to finish top 10 at Sun City, two of whom are players Hend knows all too well.
West Australian Jason Scrivener teamed up with Hend in a practice round on Tuesday but got dusted by Tommy Fleetwood and Gavin Green, Scrivener in need of at least a top-10 result to force his way into the DP World Tour field from his current position of 59th.
Kiwi Ryan Fox is the only other Australasian player in the field at Sun City and like Scrivener needs a strong result to earn a spot in Dubai.
Top-25 in three of his past four starts, Fox enters the Nedbank Challenge 54th on the Race to Dubai rankings, a top-20 finish this week potentially enough to move him into the top 50.
The trio don’t have great records at Sun City, Scrivener’s tie for 16th 12 months ago the only top-40 result either have recorded the past five years.
Nedbank Challenge tee times (AEDT)
6pm* – Scott Hend, Tom Lewis, Jordan Smith
6.33pm* – Ryan Fox, Nicolas Colsaerts, Richie Ramsay
6.44pm* – Jason Scrivener, George Coetzee, Shubhankar Sharma
* Starting from 10th tee
Kiwi Ryan Fox’s hopes of playing his way into the $US8 million DP World Tour Championship have been given a further boost with a late flurry of birdies at the European Tour’s Turkish Airlines Open in Antalya.
As Englishman Tyrrell Hatton used floodlights to complete a four-hole, six-man playoff and clinch the fourth European Tour title of his career, Fox and West Australian Jason Scrivener both edged closer towards the top 50 on the Race to Dubai standings.
The top 50 following this week’s Nedbank Challenge in South Africa will tee it up in the European Tour’s season-ending event at the Jumeirah Golf Estates from November 21 with Scott Hend the only Aussie currently inside the cut line in 46th position.
Winner of the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth event in February, Fox went into the Turkish Airlines Open 56th on the Order of Merit, moving up two spots with a tie for 21st given a late boost in the final round.
Thrust into contention at the halfway mark courtesy of a 7-under 65 in the second round, Fox continued to plunder birdies on the back nine on Sunday, picking up shots on four of his final six holes to sign for a closing 4-under 68.
The 32-year-old played the back nine over the four days in 13-under par to complete the 72 holes at 13-under, the same score as good friend Scrivener.
Like Fox, Scrivener can play his way into the season finale in Dubai after moving up two spots to be 59th heading into the penultimate event of the year.
Two shots off the lead through 36 holes following rounds of 68-66, Scrivener’s third round of 1-over 73 was marred by a double bogey at the par 3 fifth to drop to a tie for 25th.
Five birdies in a final round of 4-under 68 saw the 30-year-old move four spots up the leaderboard and with his hopes of qualifying for Dubai very much intact.
Hend produced a consistent week to move up four spots to be 46th on the Race to Dubai standings while Wade Ormsby’s season in Europe appears to be over, his tie for 38th in Turkey placing him as third alternate for the Nedbank Challenge.
The Challenge Tour in Europe wrapped up with the Challenge Tour Grand Final in Spain, Kiwi Josh Geary unable to force his way into the top-15 who earn promotion to the main tour in 2020 with a tie for 27th.
European Tour
Turkish Airlines Open
The Montgomerie Maxx Royal, Antalya, Turkey
T21 Ryan Fox 73-65-69-68—275 €51,777
T21 Jason Scrivener 68-66-73-68—275 €51,777
T36 Scott Hend 69-68-72-70—279 €33,342
T38 Wade Ormsby 72-68-69-71—280 €29,723
European Challenge Tour
Challenge Tour Grand Final
Club de Golf Alcanada, Port d’Alcúdia, Mallorca, Spain
T27 Josh Geary 74-71-73-72—290 €3,425
Tom Power Horan has stormed home to win the inaugural Gippsland Super 6 by one stroke in an electric third and final round at Yallourn Golf Club.
Power Horan battled against West Australian Brady Watt for the duration of the tournament with the duel reaching a climax during the final nine holes.
The 26-year-old faulted with bogeys at 11 and 13, which swung the momentum into Watt’s favour. But Power Horan responded with a birdie at 15 and a stunning 25-foot putt on the 17th to move two shots clear.
A bogey on the last was one of only six for the tournament that was reduced to 54 holes due to multiple downpours and flooded greens that forced lengthy suspensions in play.
“I’m really relieved,” an elated Power Horan said.
“It was a 25-footer and I just hit it and it went in so it was really nice to have a two-shot cushion on the last which proved critical, but it was really great to hole it.”
“I really didn’t think we were going to get it done today. I didn’t think we were going to play at all but we did and everything was managed really well to finish in the end.
“I was a bit nervous to start with but it was ok in the end.”
Following multiple play delays throughout the four-day tournament, the third and final round was played into dying light after a 4pm shotgun start.
The tumultuous four days provided a challenge for all on course however in completing the three rounds an official winner was able to be crowned.
Starting 2019 without a card on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, Power Horan is now exempt into all PGA Tour of Australasia events until the end of the 2020 season, including the Australian PGA Championship.
“I was planning on pre-qualifying for the rest of the tournaments this year. I was literally just hoping to finish top-10 so I could get a start at the next event so it’s a bit different now,” he said.
“It’s really good and unexpected. I entered these two tournaments, this and the Vic PGA, trying to see how I’d go and I did not expect this at all so it’s nice.”
After returning to the course on Sunday morning to complete his second round, Watt began the third round with a slender one-stroke lead.
An eagle on the par-5 fifth extended the lead, but the sodden course quickly became challenging for the West Australian, who will look to gain momentum from his Gippsland Super 6 form.
“It was a big rush in the end but we all worked together and ran through the last 18,” Watt said.
“My game’s good. I’ve played a lot of good golf this year. This is my best result so far and I can take a lot of positives out of this week and will hopefully spur on for the remainder of the year.
“Tom played well, I’m just really happy for him. We’re a close-knit group, we all bond together. I’ve known tom for a lot of years and I know he’s had a year off but it’s good to see him play well and get the win.”
New Zealand’s Ryan Chisnall battled through illness to finish in third place at 8-under par.
Back-to-back rounds of 68 saw James Marchesani record yet another strong finish at 7-under the card while an in-form Taylor Macdonald rounded out the top-five at 6-under.
A number of big names featured in a tie for sixth place including Matthew Millar, Marcus Fraser, Campbell Rawson and Maverick Antcliff.
Power Horan will receive the lion’s share of the $125,000 prize purse as well as Official World Golf Ranking Points and a place in the NSW Open field later this month.
Brady Watt has concluded a split second round at Yallourn Golf Club with a birdie at the last to take the lead of the Gippsland Super 6.
Following an overnight rain delay, Watt resumed the second round from the sixth hole at 11:30am on Sunday to post birdies at 7, 9, 15 and 18 and close out a stellar round of 5-under 67.
The West Australian will begin this afternoon’s third round with a 9-under total in what will be a shotgun start at approximately 3:45pm.
“It was good to get a bunch of birdies at the end there. The birdie at the last was great, the green was kind of flooding but where the pin is it was good and I holed a nice 6-footer,” Watt said.
Rain began to pour in the Latrobe Valley throughout Watt’s final three holes and raised concerns that the tournament would be delayed once again.
Watt and playing partner Dale Brandt-Richards ran the final hole in speed-golf style in order to complete 36 holes while Watt hopes the weather will continue to hold off ahead of an exciting final round.
“It was pretty soggy out there in the end. The conditions were pretty consistent with how it’s been for the past four days. Hopefully we can get the third round in and we can all get it done.”
Victorian Tom Power Horan sits just one shot behind Watt at 8-under the card after finishing his second round on Friday.
Intermittent showers and gusting winds have caused havoc since Thursday, only allowing one and a half rounds of the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia tournament to be played.
Rules officials yesterday announced that the Gippsland Super 6 would be reduced to 54 holes of strokeplay in order to determine an inaugural champion on Sunday evening.
Round three of the Gippsland Super 6 will commence at approximately 3:45pm at Yallourn Golf Club. Live scores are available at pga.org.au.
Heavy rainfall and the prolonged delay in play have forced a change of the Gippsland Super 6 format.
UPDATE | The second round of the Gippsland Super 6 is back underway at Yallourn Golf Club.
Further rain overnight prevented play from starting at 7am as anticipated, however the course has cleared sufficiently for play to resume at 11:30am.
With the significant deluge rendering the Yallourn Golf Club unplayable, the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia event will now become a 54-hole strokeplay tournament.
A large portion of players, who are yet to complete the second round due to the constant downpour, will be required to resume on Sunday.
With weather permitting, the third round of the Gippsland Super 6 will be played as 18-hole strokeplay from a shotgun start with a reduced field following a cut to top 50 and ties.
At the conclusion of the round, the leader will be crowned the inaugural Gippsland Super 6 champion.
However, if any further rain delays occur on Sunday, it is possible that the Gippsland Super 6 tournament will be deemed complete at the conclusion of 36 holes of strokeplay.
If this is to occur, the leader will be determined the unofficial winner of the inaugural Gippsland Super 6.
PGA of Australia’s Tournaments Director Australasia Nick Dastey said he was disappointed the tournament has been forced to adapt to the trying conditions.
“It’s upsetting that we have been unable to bring to life the excitement that comes with the innovative Gippsland Super 6 format,” Dastey said.
“The volunteers and the staff at Yallourn Golf Club, as well as the players, have been unbelievably patient as we attempt to find a solution to return to the course in these challenging conditions.
“We believe changing the tournament to three rounds of strokeplay will still showcase the class of our players on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia to the region and will allow us to determine a winner.”
After posting rounds of 66 and 70, Tom Power Horan stands at the helm of the Gippsland Super 6 leaderboard with a total of 8-under.
Through six holes of his second round Brady Watt sits at 7-under the card, followed by James Marchesani at 3-under and DJ Loypur in fourth at 2-under par.
Round two of the Gippsland Super 6 is expected to resume at Yallourn Golf Club at 7am on Sunday morning.
For the current leaderboard visit pga.org.au.
UPDATE | Heavy rain has delayed the completion of round two at the Gippsland Super 6 at Yallourn Golf Club, with play postponed until mid-afternoon.
Following a tumultuous start to the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia tournament, rain has again suspended play on day three with a backlog of players still to complete the second round.
Many of the Gippsland greens are unplayable, with the significant rainfall flooding key parts of the course.
And with deluges predicted to continue across the weekend, it’s uncertain how the tournament’s format will be played out with the challenging conditions forcing the field away from the course.
Despite the frequent weather interruptions, Tom Power Horan, at 8-under, holds a slender one stroke lead at the halfway mark of the event over Brady Watt.
The Victorian completed an outstanding opening round of 6-under 66 on Friday morning to take a two-stroke lead before moving back to 5-under through nine holes in round two.
Horan Power’s opening round was particularly impressive in challenging conditions after returning to complete his final 14 holes following an overnight play suspension.
A birdie on the 5th kick-started a run of six from holes 5 to 18. Power Horan credits his incredible run to steady play in the rainy conditions.
“I just played really solid and tried to avoid the rain and getting wet and that was about it really. I just hit it really nice,” Power Horan said.
“We came back out on the 5th and I hit a 3-wood from about 230 to 15-feet and two-putted for birdie which was a nice start to the day after the delay.”
Shortly after Power Horan completed his first round, play was suspended for six hours due to heavy rain and flooded greens with three groups still to complete round one.
Players returned to the Yallourn Golf Club layout from 4pm to complete round one with round two resuming at 4:30pm.
Through nine holes of the second round Power Horan holds a one stroke lead at the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia tournament, which tonight has been suspended due to darkness.
The second round will again resume on Saturday morning with more than half the field to complete the round; however, further rain and blustery conditions are expected over the weekend.
“It started raining pretty hard on the last. I knew it was going to get delayed pretty quickly after, so it as nice to hit it close and hole it. It was a good way to finish,” Power Horan said of his opening round.
After completing his first round on Thursday, Brady Watt holds second place with a round of 4-under 68.
Brett Rankin climbed the leaderboard on Friday to sit tied in second place with a one and a half round total of 4-under.
Rankin, winner of the 2019 NT PGA Championship, said keeping his emotions in check and controlling what he was able to, was key to a successful round.
“I just tried to scramble my way around really. I forgot my umbrella this morning so I’m a bit wet and tired but you deal with whatever comes your way and block out all of the distractions, grind it out and stay patient with it,” Rankin said
“I’m very happy with the round and I finished really well so it was a good start to the tournament.”
Marcus Fraser also made the most of the turbulent conditions to sit two shots off the lead at 3-under the card.
The Gippsland Super 6 will recommence round two at approximately 7am on Saturday morning.
For the full Gippsland Super 6 leaderboard visit pga.org.au.
Peter Senior has claimed the Australian PGA Seniors Championship by one stroke in a thrilling come-from-behind victory at Richmond Golf Club.
Senior began the final round one shot behind overnight leaders Peter Lonard, Peter Fowler and reigning champion Michael Long but was able to remain composed in hot New South Wales conditions.
Five players see-sawed up and down the leaderboard across the final nine holes however birdies on holes 16 and 18 gave Senior a one-shot clubhouse lead.
Needing a birdie on the final hole to force a play-off, Peter Fowler’s drive found the greenside trap and when he failed to get up and down, the title and trophy belonged to Senior.
“I’ve been close on a couple of occasions and to win against the calibre of this field is amazing,” Senior said.
Senior’s final round of 5-under 65 was one of the best of the day to elevate the Queenslander to a winning total of 9-under par.
A winner of 23 ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia events, including two Australian PGA Championships, Senior is cemented as one of Australia’s golfing greats, a perennial crowd favourite and genuine nice guy.
“I still enjoy playing but I like to give back playing on the Legends, playing here at Richmond has been really fun,” he said.
“The guys on this tour are great and we have some fantastic tournaments.”
A final round of 5-under 65 catapulted Peter O’Malley up the leaderboard for a second place finish in the Ladbrokes Legends Tour tournament alongside Peter Fowler who held the lead of the championship with nine holes remaining.
Michael Long and Peter Lonard rounded out the top five in a tie for fourth place at 7-under the card.
In its fifth staging at Richmond Golf Club, the Australian PGA Seniors Championship is building momentum with the professional field growing in profile each year while local exposure continues to amplify.
“These tournaments really are something special, with spectators walking shoulder to shoulder with some of Australia’s golfing greats, it is an experience not to be missed,” explained David Barker, Senior State Manager of the PGA of Australia.
The Ladbrokes Legends Tour continues with a run of Sydney based tournaments this month with the next event commencing at Roseville Golf Club on Friday 8 November.
For the full leaderboard visit pga.org.au.
