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PGA TOUR member Victor Perez heads a group of DP World Tour winners and rising stars who have been added to the fields for the Summer of Golf’s two majors, the BMW Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane and ISPS HANDA Australian Open in Melbourne.
The six Europeans will take on the best of Australian golf, including Jason Day, Cam Smith, Min Woo Lee, Cam Davis, Lucas Herbert and Marc Leishman across the two tournaments which are co-sanctioned by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tour.
The BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club from November 21-24 will kick off the 2024/25 DP World Tour schedule and will be followed by a visit to the famous Melbourne Sandbelt for the ISPS HANDA Australian Open (November 28-December 1).
The first contingent of DP World Tour names who have booked their flights to Australia includes Perez, England’s Jordan Smith, German Yannick Paul, Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Danish young gun Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen and former Ryder Cup player Nico Colsaerts (Belguim).
They will play in both the Open and PGA while 2024 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship winner Wenyi Ding, from China, will make his DP World Tour debut as a professional at Royal Queensland.
Perez said: “Australia is one of the best golf destinations in the world. You often hear players on both the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour talking about the tournaments and courses down there and how good the golf is.
“I played the BMW Australian PGA Championship in 2017 but not at Royal Queensland and I am yet to play an ISPS HANDA Australian Open so I can’t wait to get to Australia, enjoy the world class golf courses and see what both Brisbane and Melbourne are like away from the course.
“These two events have great histories, great lists of champions and I’d love to get my name on one of those trophies. But it’s going to be tough against the Aussies.”
Smith, who finished fourth in the Andalucia Masters at the weekend, is currently ranked No.13 on the Race to Dubai standings and is a former champion at the Portugal Masters and Porsche European Open.
“With the two Australian tournaments being the start of the 2024/25 DP World Tour, I’d love to get off to a hot start by challenging at both the PGA and Open and maybe getting a win in either of them,” Smith said.
“I know the Aussie fans love their sport. I’m expecting big crowds, lots of sun and three courses that are going to provide a proper test of our games.
“Kingston Heath, Victoria and the Melbourne Sandbelt in general are world renowned so I can’t wait to tackle both courses while Royal Queensland is definitely growing in reputation and profile amongst the DPWT players who have played it in recent years.
“Throw in the great atmosphere the BMW Australian PGA Championship has become known for and no doubt we are in for two great weeks in Australia”
Yannik Paul’s resume includes the 2022 Mallorca Golf Open with his 2024 campaign highlighted by a runner-up finish at the French Open earlier this month.
A frequent visitor to Australia and 2016 Ryder Cup representative, Rafa Cabrera-Bello climbed to as high as No.16 on the Official World Golf Ranking and has four DP World Tour victories on his record, the latest being the 2021 Open de Espana.
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen has climbed inside the world top 100 this year on the back of three wins and a runner-up placing on the Challenge Tour and a recent T4 finish at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on the DP World Tour.
Wenyi Ding, a professional for just a few weeks, is regarded as one of the best young prospects in world golf and will be making his first visit to Australia since finishing runner-up to Australia’s Jasper Stubbs at the 2023 Asia-Pacific Amateur at Royal Melbourne. He went on to capture the 2024 AAC title in Japan in October.
A regular visitor to Australia, Colsaerts has won three DP World Tour events and returned to prominence this year with a runner-up placing at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
PGA of Australia General Manager of Tournaments & Global Tour Relationships Nick Dastey said: “The ISPS HANDA Australian Open and BMW Australian PGA Championship gain huge benefits from the strong contingent of international players who come to Australia annually thanks to our partnership with the DP World Tour.
“They add to the depth of our fields, providing the best of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia with the chance to challenge themselves against proven tournament winners.
“And their presence helps us to gain extra exposure to international audiences for our tournaments, our Tour and our partners.”
The remaining DP World Tour players to be included in the fields for both the PGA and Open will be finalised in coming weeks.
The 2024 ISPS HANDA Australian Open and BMW Australian PGA Championship will be broadcast on Fox Sports and Kayo, as well as the NINE Network/9NOW.
For BMW Australian PGA Championship tickets, go to ticketek.com.au
The Australian PGA Championship is supported by the Queensland Government, through Tourism and Events Queensland’s Major Events Program and Brisbane City Council, through Brisbane Economic Development Agency.
Mat Goggin flexed his muscles late today to set up a classic New South Wales Senior Open finale on Sunday.
There were a host of big-name moves in a scintillating second round, with Tasmanian Goggin’s seven-under-par 65 getting the Thurgoona Country Club Resort crowd buzzing.
It’s the proverbial “promoter’s dream” after Goggin’s closing birdie earned him a share of the lead alongside Victorian Euan Walters, who fired his own great 67 hours earlier to reach 9-under.
Overnight leader Scott Barr, endured a mixed bag in his second-round 71, but recovered to reach 8-under, one clear of big-name trio David McKenzie, Peter Lonard and red-hot Queenslander Chris Taylor, locked on seven under.
Also within striking distance at 6-under and 5-under respectively are Terry Pilkadaris and the legendary Peter Senior, all but ensuring an action-packed third and final round.
Goggin, on his PGA Legends Tour debut, hit some towering drives to take advantage of Thurgoona’s par-5s, but possibly could have gone even lower had his putter been remotely warm.
“I drove it really well and did what I needed to, getting it up and down when things went a bit astray with the mid-irons,” Goggin said.
“I haven’t been playing a lot, so I’m pretty happy to be in the mix. It’s always tough to win any professional golf tournament and I’ve given myself a chance.”
Walters looked set to blow the field away early when he leapt from the blocks with four birdies in the opening seven holes to assume the lead before cooling on the back nine.
“It’s been a battle this year, but I still love the fight and just lately it’s started to feel better, so hopefully I can keep it going tomorrow,” Walters said.
Barr struggled for momentum after his opening 65 and feared the worst when he hooked his drive on the 18th (his ninth) out of bounds.
The resultant double-bogey sent him tumbling off the leaderboard, but the West Australian journeyman showed great resolve after another bogey on the tough third, chipping in for eagle on the long fourth hole to spark a late rally that yielded two more birdies.
“I think you’ve got to look at the big picture, I’m still right in the hunt and hopefully things work out, I get off to a good start and roll in a couple of putts tomorrow,” Barr said.
“There’s a lot of people around me, so you’re going to have to play your best golf to get away with one tomorrow.”
All of the big names hot on their heels had moments of magic, with Pilkadaris having a rollercoaster back nine alongside Goggin and Lonard.
He birdied 11, almost holed out for eagle on 13 and then chipped in for eagle on 14 to race to 8-under.
He then stumbled with three straight bogeys from 15 before a long range birdie on the last steadied the ship.
McKenzie and Lonard looked ominous at times, while Senior didn’t have a lot of luck around the greens and Queenslander Taylor, already the winner of 12 PGA Legends Tour events this year, is enjoying the best form of his career and continues to lead the putting stats regularly.
All in all, it’s tough to pick a winner on what is sure to be a fascinating Sunday afternoon of golf.
Scott Barr has taken the first-round lead at the New South Wales Senior Open with a stunning 7-under-par 65 at Thurgoona Country Club Resort.
The West Australian (pictured) was at his determined best in the morning half of the field, the only player in the to remain bogey-free on a day that was perfect for scoring.
Despite entering the tournament somewhat under the radar, Barr’s experience on the Thurgoona course is proving valuable. He finished 15th in 2022 while battling a wrist injury and was runner-up to Adam Henwood last year.
Off to a solid start early, Barr came alive on the back nine, dialling in a string of brilliant wedges to set up birdies on the 10th, 11th, and 17th holes. However, his birdie on the challenging third hole and clutch par saves on the 16th and 18th allowed him to keep his momentum.
“I feel like I know the course a bit now, the lines off the tees you learn a little bit more each time, and I feel like I know the shots required around here a bit more.
“There were three or four situations out there when I was happy to walk away with a par, where I managed to hole out to keep the round rolling.”
“Is it unfinished business? Yeah, sort of, but it would just be nice to win,” a delighted Barr said post-round.
Barr sits two shots ahead of Victorian David McKenzie, who posted a 5-under 67. The Victorian recovered from a difficult start, rallying with six birdies in his final seven holes.
“I’ve actually been playing well for a while but haven’t really gotten any reward for my good shots, so it was good to see a few go in there at the end,” McKenzie said after his round.
Other contenders include Peter Lonard (4-under), a two-time Australian Open champion, alongside Legends tour rookie Terry Pilkadaris and the evergreen Eaun Walters.
Three players – Chris Taylor, Murray Lott and Grahame Stinson – are at -3, while another rookie, Mat Goggin, runner-up at the 2008 Australian Open, heads a group of seven at -2.
Fifty professionals plus ties will make the all-important final round after tomorrow’s second round, with Sunday’s finale broadcast LIVE nationally on the 7PLUS digital platform.
Jeff Guan has provided a detailed account of the sickening injury that has cost him complete vision in his left eye and derailed his promising career.
One of Australian golf’s brightest young talents, Guan suffered a serious fracture to his left cheekbone and eye socket after being struck by a ball during a pro-am late last month, just a week after making his debut on the US PGA TOUR.
In a heartfelt statement (below), Guan explained the sequence of events leading to the accident, describing how a routine moment on the course turned into a nightmare.
“As my group teed off on the third tee, I drove up to my playing partner’s ball,” he recalled.
After playing his shot, Guan turned toward the cart and was putting his club back in his bag when disaster struck.
“The instant ringing and pain rushed to my head, and I dropped to the ground.”
The severity of the injury was immediately apparent. Guan was rushed to Moruya Hospital and then later airlifted to Canberra for emergency treatment.
Guan underwent two surgeries in quick succession, with specialists at the Sydney Eye Hospital working tirelessly to save his damaged eye.
The injury is complex. Besides the loss of sight, multiple fractures occurred around the lower eye socket, extending into the cheekbone and forehead. Guan will likely require more surgery in the coming months to repair some of the damage.
After weeks in intensive care in unimaginable pain and anxiety about his future, Guan revealed that despite a brief glimmer of hope when his eye pressure stabilised, he had already lost complete vision in his left eye.
The road to recovery will be long and uncertain, with an estimated six to 12 months of healing required. Doctors have told the 20-year-old he cannot even think about swinging a club for at least six months.
The accident has left the Golf Australia Rookie Squad member reeling both physically and emotionally, as the realisation his years of dedication and dreams of a career on tour are now in jeopardy.
“I was utterly distraught… It has come at a tremendous cost and has significantly affected me and my family.
“How in the world am I supposed to recover, return, and be the same player I was?” Guan said in his statement.
Despite the uncertainty, Guan expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support he received from family, friends, and the golfing community.
“I don’t think I would be where I am right now without all the encouragement,” he said, adding that he remains determined to overcome this trauma with his characteristic resolve.
“I will be back,” he vowed. And if Guan’s renowned perseverance is any indication, this story is far from over.
An Australian Sports Foundation fundraising page has been established to help Jeffrey. All donations to ASF projects are tax-deductible.
Donate here – Support for Jeffrey Guan
Jeff Guan Statement:
As most of you are aware, I was hit in the left eye with a golf ball during a pro-am last month.
Many of you want to know what happened, as there has been very little good news over the past four weeks. I have been waiting for the assessment report on my eye to release information.
I remember this: As my whole group teed off on the third tee, my playing partner and I (whom I shared the cart with) hit our drives on the right-hand side of the fairway.
I drove up to his ball, and he hit his second shot (about 30 metres behind my ball).
After he had hit, there was no sign of anyone or anything on our side behind us, so I drove us to my ball. It took roughly 45 seconds for me to prepare and execute my shot.
As I turned towards the cart to put my club away, that was when I was struck.
The instant ringing and pain rushed to my head, and I dropped to the ground. Voices sounded pretty muffled, and the next thing I knew, I was in an ambulance being transported to a hospital with skin patches containing high doses of Fentanyl.
I was taken to Moruya Hospital for scans, then airlifted to Canberra for immediate treatment whilst also being assessed by an eye specialist.
I had my first surgery that night; I was in unbearable pain, and anxiety about my future was swirling in my mind.
A day later, I was transferred to the Sydney Eye Hospital to undergo another surgery, more tests and further treatment.
The best eye specialists and nurses were arranged for my immediate appointment. After the second surgery, I spent the next two weeks in intensive care. This stay was critical to make sure my eyeball was stable.
My eye pressure was way too high to be in any state of ordinary, and I had lost vision completely in my left eye.
I couldn’t do much; sleeping was difficult, let alone walking or eating. Any activity that required energy meant I was in excruciating pain.
It wasn’t until the third week that I received the news that my eye pressure suddenly decreased towards the norm, and the eye looked much more stable.
Though this was the first piece of positive news, my doctors told me that my injury was severe, with several fractures around the eye socket, and recovery would take at least six months to a year.
During my nights in hospital, I almost drowned in thoughts about the injury and my future in the sport. Not only was I utterly distraught by the news I had received, but the whole situation made me very depressed and somewhat angry.
As you can imagine, this whole situation not only came at a tremendous cost but has also significantly affected me and my family emotionally and mentally.
The thought of all my years of hard work and training, plus my family’s sacrifice, had just been thrown out the window.
The frustration is unbearable. Why did this happen?
How in the world am I supposed to recover, return, and be the same player I was, or even better?
I had no idea. I was devastated and felt so lost.
It didn’t help that I was in constant pain, and the days spent in the hospital felt endless.
Fortunately, I have been lucky enough to have a huge support group around me, and I can’t thank all of them enough for the support I have received in recent weeks.
I wouldn’t be where I am right now without all the encouragement and assistance I have received.
As a kid, I have always had a lot of perseverance and persistence.
I will continue to work hard and do my best to achieve my dream.
These four weeks have been the toughest of my life, but I am stronger mentally and will be ready to conquer any obstacle in the future.
Again, I can’t thank everyone enough who reached out to help rebuild my strength physically and emotionally.
I will be back.
Much love, always, Jeff.
One of the new young stars of world golf, South African Aldrich Potgieter, and American crowd favourite Harry Higgs are locked in as two of the first overseas entrants for next month’s BMW Australian PGA Championship,
Potgieter (pictured) will play his first professional tournament in the country where he developed his game while Higgs comes to Australia for the first time on the back of two Korn Ferry Tour wins this year to regain his PGA Tour status.
They will be joined by another KFT winner this year, Chilean Cristobal Del Solar, who has been inspired to play in Australia by countryman and reigning Australian Open champion Joaquin Niemann.
Just 20-years-old, Potgieter is headed for the PGA Tour in 2025 after a huge year on the Korn Ferry Tour (KFT) in 2024, including becoming the youngest winner in the Tour’s history, beating the record held by Jason Day, when he won The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic in January.
Although he was born in Mossel Bay on South Africa’s Southern Cape, Potgieter moved to Perth with his family when he was a child, eventually becoming a member of Golf WA’s High Performance Program.
A member at the Joondalup course, he won the South Australian Junior Masters by nine shots in 2020, the 2021 WA Amateur and was second in the 2021 Australian Boys’ Amateur before, at just 17, becoming the second youngest winner in the history of the British Amateur Championship.
The two-shot win in The Bahamas, thanks to a closing 65, was followed by two other top-10 finishes to see Potgieter finish 29th in the end-of-season standings.
“Growing up in WA, I always enjoyed watching the big tournaments each summer every year in Australia,” Potgieter said.
“I can’t wait to get to Royal Queensland and experience everything about the BMW Australian PGA Championship. There’s plenty of the guys I came through the amateurs with who are now professional who I’m looking forward to catching up with.
“And then there’s the challenge of going up against players like Jason Day, Cam Smith, Min Woo Lee and Cam Davis.”
The affable Higgs, who has won twice on the KFT in 2024, has been a popular figure on the PGA Tour where his best results have included two runner-up finishes and T4 at the 2021 US PGA Championship.
“Australia has always been on the destination list for Kailee and I,” Higgs said.
“We love travelling and seeing new parts of the world.
“It’s all worked out for me to come down to play both of the Aussie majors this year which I’m sure is going to be a great experience.
“It will be a real honour to play in both the Australian Open and Australian PGA in front of the Aussie fans.”
Del Solar’s 2024 highlight was a four-shot victory in The Ascendent, his fifth worldwide success.
“Seeing my great mate Joaquin (Niemann) play so well in Australia last year and hearing from him how much he enjoyed the country, the golf courses and the atmosphere of the events, made it an easy decision to come down and experience it for myself,” he said.
For BMW Australian PGA Championship tickets, go to ticketek.com.au
The Australian PGA Championship is supported by the Queensland Government, through Tourism and Events Queensland’s Major Events Program and Brisbane City Council, through Brisbane Economic Development Agency.
An iconic Queensland restaurant will be recreated overlooking the 18th green at Royal Queensland Golf Club as an exciting new feature of this year’s BMW Australian PGA Championship.
Combining world-class golf with Brisbane riverside venue Tillerman Seafood Restaurant and Bar and prominent restaurateur Andrew Baturo, Tillerman on 18 will redefine the tournament’s off-course experience.
The 52-seat pop-up purpose-built restaurant will deliver a four-course menu comprising some of Queensland’s best and freshest seafood – available across two lunch sittings – over each day of the championship.
As well as enjoying unmatched views over Royal Queensland’s closing hole where the Joe Kirkwood Cup winner will be crowned on Sunday afternoon, all Tillerman on 18 guests will receive complimentary course entry and a reserved grandstand seat at the Dabble Party Hole to utilise pre or post-lunch.
Baturo, who is also a keen golfer, said: “Tillerman is excited and honoured to be pairing up with this year’s BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club.
“A premium seafood dining experience alongside this prestigious golfing event is a match made in heaven – or Queensland. Same thing really!
“November is my favourite time of the year to play disastrous golf and eat some delicious seafood.
“We can’t wait to see our regulars on the golf course and, of course, meet some new ’soon-to-be’ regulars at the 18th.”
Tillerman on 18 will showcase some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes, cooked to perfection by Tillerman Head Chef, Kevin Gallo.
“Start with blue swimmer crab and finger lime on warm brioche, then move onto your entree of Moreton Bay bug dumplings in our wonderful bisque,” he said.
“For mains, select the crispy-skinned Coral Coast barramundi swimming in Tillerman’s signature Meunière sauce.
“Tillerman on 18 will have everything that Tillerman on the river is known for – amazing, fresh seafood, incredible hospitality, resort-style interiors and, of course, iconic views.”
PGA of Australia Chief Commercial Officer, Michael McDonald said: “We’re always looking to innovate and grow the fan experience at the BMW Australian PGA Championship and we are delighted to welcome Andrew and the Tillerman team who will provide a fantastic dining experience with a real Queensland flavour.
“Whilst the golf is always front and centre, delivering a restaurant at a major event of this level has been high on our priorities for a while now.
“We know that many golf fans are also fans of high-quality dining experiences so Tillerman on 18 is a perfect offering for us.
“With 52 seats per sitting, we expect it to be exclusive experience like no other.”
Bookings for tables of two, four or six can be made across two sittings:
• Lunch Sitting 1: 11:30am – 1:15pm
• Lunch Sitting 2: 1:45pm – 3:45pm
Book your place here: https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=pgatill24
Photo: Andrew Baturo with Tillerman on 18 ambassador Katherine Galvin
Dabble, one of Australia’s fastest growing sports betting brands, is throwing one million dollars worth of extra excitement into the famous Party Hole at this year’s BMW Australian PGA Championship.
For the first time in Australian tournament golf history, it will be the lucky fans on site who will share the massive cash bonus if a player produces the perfect shot and makes a hole-in-one on the par-3 17th on Saturday, November 23.
Thanks to Dabble, the newest partner of the BMW Australian PGA Championship, the one million dollars will be up for grabs for the first ace on 17 during the tournament broadcast window, between 11am and 4pm (Qld time).
To be eligible to share in the million-dollar prize, fans must have a valid 2024 BMW Australian PGA Championship ticket for the day’s play, be 18 years of age or older and register via the QR codes at the Dabble Party Hole.
PGA of Australia Chief Commercial Officer Michael McDonald said: “There’s always an awesome vibe at the Party Hole and this new Million Dollar Hole-in-One promotion thanks to our new partner Dabble is going to raise the level even higher.
“You can only imagine the scenes at 17 if someone like Cam Smith, Min Woo Lee or Jason Day makes an ace on Saturday afternoon. It would be off the charts.
“Every shot on the Dabble Party Hole during the Million Dollar Hole-in-One on the Saturday afternoon is going to be huge. There’ll be thousands of expectant eyes on the ball every time someone tees off.
“We’ve seen holes-in-one on the Party Hole in previous championships, including by Curtis Luck last year. Hopefully we will see a repeat so everyone in the crowd can go home with extra dollars to their name.”
Over the past three years, Dabble has revolutionised the market with its socially-led product, combining features of Instagram, X and WhatsApp with a sports betting app. Dabble provides an innovative platform for their community who enjoy a more inclusive, social and engaging betting experience.
Dabble CEO Tom Rundle said: “At Dabble, we thrive on bringing our community together, whether it’s through shared bets or moments like this Million Dollar Hole-in-One.
“We believe that sport is best enjoyed when it’s social, inclusive, and packed with excitement. With a million dollars up for grabs for the crowd at the Dabble Party Hole, everyone’s part of the action, and if goes off, you better believe it’ll be an experience no one will forget!”
To be a chance of sharing in the million dollars, head to ticketek.com.au for your PGA tickets.
About Dabble
Formed in 2020, Dabble is one of Australia’s fastest growing online wagering brands, offering
markets across both sport and racing. By embracing social media functionality, Dabble creates
an immersive, social betting experience via a community of people who enjoy a more inclusive,
and entertaining betting experience.
Through this functionality, Dabble provides an innovative platform that allows their engaged
community of customers to interact, contribute content and ultimately share their experience
together.
Dabble’s social betting experience is enhanced via three innovative products that are not
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After recording matching 4-under-par opening rounds, Elvis Smylie and Lucas Higgins again signed for the same score, with 66 seeing them on top of a congested leaderboard at the CKB WA PGA Championship presented by TX Civil & Logistics heading into the weekend.
Sitting on a total of 10-under, Smylie and Higgins hold a two-shot advantage over Tom Power Horan who led for most of the day before the co-leaders surged past late Friday at Kalgoorlie Golf Course as they chase a first Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
Smylie’s second round was a case of more of the same, with his new putter that went into the bag in September helping him to four birdies on the par-5s having recorded three eagles on Thursday, while Higgins made his first bogey of Friday at the par-5 18th to make it a tie at the top.
“I played really well. I felt like today was a bit more of a solid round,” Smylie said.
“I didn’t have as many bogeys and the time that I did make the bogeys that were just kind of soft. But yeah, lots of good stuff, especially coming in on the back nine.”
Making birdies in bunches in the middle of his round, including six in seven holes starting at the par-5 sixth, Higgins will count himself a little unlucky at the last, but with a new mindset will hope to continue his recent good play.
Hitting his tee shot right at 18, Higgins’ attempt to extricate himself from the red dirt and trees that border Kalgoorlie’s fairways found wood before a sprinkler stopped his approach getting closer.
“It’s been really solid. Today was really good. Holed a few longish birdie putts, and then just holed a lot of six footers for birdie as well, and a couple of nice par saves in there,” Higgins said.
Arriving in good form, with a recent adidas Pro-Am Series win to his name, the New South Wales North Coast product, who represented both his home state and Queensland as an amateur, knows good golf and his adjusted approach will put thoughts of other future employment to the back of his mind.
“I think for me at the moment, I’m just trying to really just take it as it comes and just trying not to make dumb decisions,” Higgins said.
“I usually try not to just miss it on the wrong side and stuff like that, so I’ve really just been trying to do that. So if I have a bogey or two, I’m not following it up with a lot. I’m trying to just get myself a chance of birdie and make a putt or two and then get myself back in the round.”
Achieving that so far this week, it will make an interesting contrast to Smylie, who is taking a more aggressive approach since joining the Ritchie Smith coaching stable almost 12 months ago.
“Obviously I’ve been out here for, I think this is my third full year playing on this Tour now. So I’ve also used what other guys do as well, how they play and how aggressive they play,” Smylie said.
“I’ve played with winners on this Tour before, and I think the one thing that I’ve noticed is I’m pulling out the more aggressive club and stepping up and hitting the right shot rather than the comfortable shot.”
Planning to continue taking on the course over the final 36 holes, Smylie, as well as Higgins, will have plenty of pursuers from the chasing pack headed by three-time Tour winner Power Horan.
Powered by improved ball striking and a chip-in birdie, the Victorian signed for an eight birdie, one eagle round of 65, that was the equal low round of the day and is one in front of overnight leader Kyle Michel, Lincoln Tighe, Jordan Doull, Jack Buchanan and amateur Abel Eduard.
Power Horan hoping to use what he has learned over the past two years playing the DP World and Asian Tours to his advantage as he chases a fourth win.
“I think you definitely learn a lot off the course with the travel and overseas … and then the golf, you’re obviously seeing some of the best players in the world this year on DP (World Tour), which was great to see and sort of realise what good is,” Power Horan said.
Of the group another shot in arrears, Tighe would like to repeat his Friday start when he birdied his first three holes during a 5-under 67 that could have been better had his wedge game behaved slightly better.
“Just a couple of weak sand wedge shots that I’ve made bogeys with both days, so that’s sort of killing me,” Tighe said.
Noting the difficulty of backing up a low round, it was a grinding day for Michel, whose driver that played a key role in taking the first round lead finding the red dirt more often than he would have liked in a 1-under 71.
“Kind of felt myself on the red dirt a fair bit and yeah, just scrambled around, made it sort of still hold my fair share of putts, but I kind of a lot of par putts today, so still hung in there,” Michel said.
Eight players sit at 6-under, including plenty with experience like Tour winners Brett Rankin and Cameron John, while the cut fell at 2-under, with former WA PGA champion Jarryd Felton making the weekend in remarkable fashion after a hole-in-one at the par-3 fourth hole brought him back inside the mark before finishing at 3-under.
The CKB WA PGA presented by TX Civil & Logistics is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
Kyle Michel made the most of the lower scoring afternoon conditions at the 2024 CKB WA PGA Championship presented by TX Civil & Logistics, where he leads by one after an opening 6-under 66 at Kalgoorlie.
The Victorian making seven birdies on Thursday to move past Andrew Kelly, who led for much of the day. Kelly joined by Michel’s fellow afternoon players Cory Crawford and Charlie Robbins in equal second after 5-under 67s.
Starting on the 10th tee, Michel got straight into his first start of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season with back-to-back birdies at the par-4 and par-5 next before he dropped his lone shot of the day at the par-3 13th.
Michel resuming his birdie making at the 16th and 18th to turn in 3-under, before the 28-year-old birdied both front nine par-5s, as well as the par-4 fifth to sit atop the leaderboard.
The former amateur standout offering up a simple reason for his hot start.
“I just drove the ball really well. Just gave myself a lot of looks and seemed to roll in a few putts,” Michel said.
“I didn’t really find myself in much trouble, mainly on the fairway all day. That’s kind of the secret around here. You can give yourself some looks if you can do that.”
Finishing last season with a share of eighth at The National Tournament, Michel has kept his competitive edge sharp with events on the adidas Pro-Am Series and two Asian Development Tour starts.
The Shepparton product sharing 16th in Vietnam last month ahead of a busy stretch leading into Christmas as the season gets underway in earnest.
“Pro-Ams are great to keep your game sharp and everything, but you want to be playing the bigger events and I think everyone gets excited for the five or six month stretch from October through to March,” Michel said.
“Play a lot of golf and you feel like you can gain a bit of momentum if you’re playing well.”
For Kelly his first round was a mix of experience and the continuation of recent form on the Pro-Am circuit and at the World Sand Greens Championship in Binalong, where he shared runner-up honours after Brett Rankin pipped him in a play-off.
“I think it’s the experience. I looked at the book a little bit today, but I know most of the holes, none of the pin placements I’m not really familiar with,” Kelly said.
“I know most of the venues and that helps a lot.”
Unlike Kelly and Crawford, who notched two recent Pro-Am wins on the mid-north coast of New South Wales as he continues his return from a back injury, Robbins arrived in the West with less awareness of where his game might be.
The former contestant on Ninja Warrior spending more time cutting holes than playing them at Moonah Links before teeing it up at the WA PGA, where he tied for fifth last year.
“I think coming to somewhere where you’ve got good memories, really helped I think relax me knowing that I can do it if I just sort of let the golf take care of itself,” Robbins said.
“I haven’t been playing a whole lot of competition golf just the last month cause I’ve been working on ground staff, just dropped it back to a couple of days there so I can play a few more just club comps just to get some 18 hole rounds under my belt.”
Six players sit one back of Kelly, Crawford and Robbins, with Elvis Smylie’s more aggressive mindset helping him to reach the 4-under mark after three eagles in his 68 as he approaches almost a year of working with coach Ritchie Smith.
“I’ve taken on a bit more of an aggressive attitude, especially towards the par-5s,” Smylie said.
“I feel like if I don’t at least be aggressive on those and go for the eagles, then I’m kind of losing shots.”
The first winner of the season, PNG Open champion Will Bruyeres, one of four players a further shot adrift at 3-under, while Ben Eccles opened his title defence with a 1-under 71.
The CKB WA PGA presented by TX Civil & Logistics is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
The Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia has announced its full schedule for the 2024/25 season with 19 tournaments to determine who comes out on top in the chase for Order of Merit glory.
Day one of the first Australian event on the schedule, the CKB WA PGA presented by Civil TX & Logistics, gets underway in Kalgoorlie today, following the season-opening PNG Open which was won by Will Bruyeres in August.
The nine events in 2025 will take the season total across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea to 19, one more than the 2023/24 Tour, with almost a million dollars in extra prizemoney available to the region’s best professionals.
The major highlight of the second half of the Tour is the NZ Open presented by Sky Sports which will be played at Millbrook Resort on February 27 to March 2, the 12th year the event will be held in its unique Pro-Am format with amateurs paired with professionals in a simultaneous ‘best-ball’ format.
The runaway success of Millbrook’s new 36-hole operation used to host the NZ Open has triggered significant investment into extensions and improvements at its driving range which will open in time to cater for the influx of Tour players.
The NZ PGA Championship, first played in 1909 and with a winners’ list that includes major champions Sir Bob Charles, Peter Thomson, Kel Nagle and Tony Jacklin, will follow on March 6-9 with negotiations in the final stages to lock in a venue on the North Island.
The NZ PGA was last part of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia in 2023 when Queenslander Louis Dobbelaar was victorious and a non-Order of Merit event this year with Pieter Zwart winning at Hastings.
The 2025 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia schedule will get underway with a new event, Webex Players Series Perth hosted by Minjee and Min Woo Lee, which will be played at Royal Fremantle Golf Club on January 9-12.
It will be the first of three consecutive Webex Players Series events where the players on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and WPGA Tour of Australasia come together in the tournament to play for the one trophy and share in the same prizemoney pool.
Rosebud Country Club will host Webex Players Series Victoria on January 23-26 before Webex Players Series Murray River in honour of Jarrod Lyle is played at Cobram-Barooga Golf Club on January 30-February 2.
The last of five Webex Players Series events for the 2024/25 season will be Webex Players Series Sydney to be played at Castle Hill Country Club for the second consecutive year.
There is a change in date for the Heritage Classic at the Heritage Golf and Country Club which has been switched from January to be the second last tournament of the season from March 20-23.
The season finale will again be The National Tournament at The National Golf Club on the Mornington Peninsula on March 27-30.
“With the Chase is On really heating up at the start of 2025, we’re looking forward to bringing our Tour to golf fans in WA, Victoria, NSW and New Zealand across nine great events,” PGA of Australia General Manager of Tournaments & Global Tour Relationships Nick Dastey said.
“There will be a huge amount at stake as the 2024/25 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia builds towards its conclusion.
“We’re looking forward to seeing who emerges as our Order of Merit champion and the players who lock in the DP World Tour cards available to our top three players by the time the last putt drops at The National.”
All of the 2025 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia events, apart from the NZ PGA, will be broadcast by Fox Sports on Foxtel and Kayo in Australia and Sky Sports in New Zealand.
2024/25 CHALLENGER PGA TOUR OF AUSTRALASIA 2025 DATES
Webex Players Series Perth hosted by Minjee and Min Woo Lee (January 9 – 12)
Webex Players Series Victoria (January 23 – 26)
Webex Players Series Murray River in honour of Jarrod Lyle (January 30 – February 2)
Tournament TBC (February 6 – 9)
Webex Players Series Sydney (February 20 – 23)
NZ Open presented by Sky Sports (February 27 – March 2)
NZ PGA (March 6 – 9)
Heritage Classic (March 20 – 23)
The National Tournament (March 27 – 30)
Photo: Reigning Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit champion Kazuma Kobori
