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Golf NSW and Jack Newton Junior Golf, alongside industry partners Golf Management Australia (GMA), the PGA of Australia (NSW) and the NSW Golf Course Superintendents Association (NSWGCSA) have celebrated an incredible year of outstanding achievements across the state.
By Kass Rogan
The 2024 NSW Golf Industry Awards took centre stage at the illustrious Crown Barangaroo last night, celebrating the outstanding contributions of individuals, clubs, and professionals over the past year.
Eighteen prestigious awards were presented, spanning playing performance, volunteer service, coaching, and club management.
Among the honourees were Ella Scaysbrook and Declan O’Donovan, who were named the 2024 Golf NSW Male and Female Players of the Year, respectively, while Massey Park and Mollymook took home top honours as the Metropolitan and Country Clubs of the Year for their exceptional impact on the sport in their respective communities.
Rising Stars: Declan O’Donovan and Ella Scaysbrook, the Golf NSW Male and Female Athletes of the Year
Declan O’Donovan from Avondale Golf Club continued his impressive trajectory, earning the Male Player of the Year award after an outstanding year, including wins in the NSW and Avondale Amateurs.
O’Donovan topped his year off by representing Australia in October in the Nomura Cup in Vietnam.
Ella Scaysbrook from the Australian Golf Club lived up to her reputation as one of Australia’s brightest golf talents by picking up several victories throughout the year, including a WPGA Tour win at Bathurst, the Rene Erichsen Salver and the Bowra & O’Dea Women’s 72-hole classic in Western Australia.
A highlight of Scaysbrook’s year was being selected for the first-ever Australian Junior team to take on the USGA in Wisconsin in June
Volunteer of the Year: Bruce McMullen Of Uralla Golf Club
Bruce McMullen has been a cornerstone of Uralla Golf Club for almost 30 years.
Elected to the Board of Directors in 2001, Bruce served for 10 years, including six as Vice Captain and two as Vice President. His passion for growing the club, mainly through youth engagement, led him to launch junior coaching clinics in 2003, a program that continues to thrive today.
Bruce’s background as a teacher and his commitment to continuous learning earned him PGA Professional coaching status. His Sunday morning clinics attract both young and old, fostering a multigenerational connection within the club. His dedication to junior development has extended beyond Uralla, as he regularly takes groups to tournaments across New South Wales, often at his own expense.
Bruce’s influence is evident in the increasing number of juniors who return to the club as adults. He has inspired young and senior golfers alike, fostering a love for the game that spans generationsand ensuring the ongoing growth and sustainability of Uralla Golf Club.
Service to Golf in NSW Award: Greg Hohnen of Killara Golf Club
Greg Hohnen’s 50-year career at Killara Golf Club is a testament to his dedication and influence. Starting as an Assistant Professional in 1973, Greg became Head Professional in 1995.
Hohnen’s mentorship has shaped the careers of many aspiring PGA professionals, with his guidance extending beyond technical skills to professional ethics and personal growth. His approachable teaching style has helped countless golfers improve their game, from beginners to seasoned players, earning him a beloved reputation at Killara.
Greg’s contributions to golf in NSW have inspired future generations and left a lasting legacy on the golfing community.
Metropolitan Club of the Year- Sponsored By Australian Super: Massey Park Golf Club
Massey Park Golf Club, known for its inclusive environment and financial performance, received the 2024 Metropolitan Club of the Year award. The club reported a significant profit increase, installed a 70kW solar system to boost sustainability, and introduced a range of successful participation programs for juniors and women.
Country Club of the Year: Mollymook Golf Club
Mollymook Golf Club secured the Country Club of the Year award for its financial and membership growth. The club also completed an $8 million renovation of its Beachside Clubhouse and set a record for rounds played.
Future is Bright: Celebrating Excellence Across All Categories
Other winners on the night included the Jack Newton Junior Golf (JNJG) Junior Club of the Year, The Rock Golf Club, which was lauded for its extensive junior development programs.
For its continued success, the PSC Insurance Brokers Wagga Wagga Pro-Am was named PGA NSW/ACT Tournament of the Year for 2024.
David Sommerville of Bankstown Golf Club received the NSWGCSA Superintendent of the Year Award.
Stuart Fraser, CEO of Golf NSW, said the awards night was a resounding success and highlighted the level of excellence found in our sport across the entire State.
“These awards honour the very best of our golf community.
“We are deeply grateful for their contributions which ensure that golf in our state continues to grow, innovate, and inspire future generations.
“Each of these honourees has not only excelled individually but has also played a pivotal role in strengthening the fabric of our sport across NSW.
“The dedication displayed by not only the winners but all of the finalists sets a standard that others can aspire to, and we are fortunate to have such passionate people building the future of our great game,” Mr Fraser said.
The complete list of winners is:
PGA NSW Awards:
GMA NSW:
NSWGCSA:
JNJG:
Junior Club of the Year: The Rock Golf Club
A full photo gallery of all award winners is available to view here
Playing together for the first two rounds of the Nova Employment Australian PGA Senior Championship, 36-hole leader Andre Stolz and Jason Norris look the likely main players in Sunday shootout at Richmond.
Defending his maiden PGA Legends Tour title, Norris sits at 10-under after a 6-under 63 put him two shots adrift of leader Stolz on 12-under, with a well-credentialled pack in a tie for third on 7-under.
Mat Goggin set to join Stolz and Norris in the final group after a Saturday 64 took him into the five-way tie at 7-under with Peter Lonard, overnight leader David Fearns, last week’s NSW Senior Open winner David McKenzie and 12-time winner in 2024 Chris Taylor.
Early in the day, it looked as if Stolz might run away as he seeks to win the title for a second time after triumphing in 2020 and prepares to head to the PGA TOUR Champions qualifying school next month.
Birdieing the first, Stolz made two more on the trot from the third, before another shot against par at the sixth as he prepared to make the turn.
Norris also 4-under for the day before the pair dropped shots at the tricky par-3 ninth as the win began to swirl and the greens firmed up in the afternoon sun of Sydney’s north west.
“Funny day,” was Stolz’s overall assessment.
“Trying to predict again, the wind was sort of up and down a little bit again today, so of course it blew hard on the tough holes.”
Norris managed to get his dropped shot back immediately at the next, but it was more trouble for Stolz when his tee shot clipped a branch that sent the ball left and into the penalty area at the par-4 10th.
Nearly saving par with a great chip, Stolz got moving in the right direction again at the par-3 11th when holing out from the greenside bunker.
The Queenslander birdieing the next before chipping in again for bridie at the next par-3, the 14th, as Norris, who described his swing of late as “an octopus in a phone booth”, tried to keep pace with his fellow winner at Richmond.
Matching birdies came at the par-5 15th for Norris and Stolz, with the latter benefitting from caddie, and head professional at Richmond, Nick Barnham’s local knowledge.
Preparing to hit a hybrid for his second, Stolz was talked into less club to find a gap right of the green that led to an up-and-down birdie as they headed for the new home three-hole stretch that Stolz played a role in laying out this year.
It was three straight pars for both to close, as they watched the third member of the group Adam Henwood, a close friend of Norris since junior golf, come to life and ensure he landed inside the cut line that fell at 5-over. PGA TOUR winner John Senden making the cut on the number and first off on Sunday alongside evergreen Peter Senior.
Stolz noting his improvement on the slower than expected putting surfaces as part of his run to a two shot lead with 18-holes to play.
“My speed was definitely better,” he said.
“I had a good talking to myself and I sort of did some extra putting, I thought the practise green today matched more the course, whereas yesterday morning maybe hadn’t quite got to roll it or anything yet.
“My speed felt definitely better today.”
Also trying to gauge the ball’s reaction on approach shots as the greens firmed up during the second round, Stolz knows that despite his lead, Norris and the group at 7-under, and even David Bransdon and Mike Harwood on 6-under, can make up ground early at Richmond.
Norris hoping to recreate his final round charge of 2023 on Sunday as he seeks to become the tournament’s first back-to-back winner since Orville Moody in 1986 and 1987.
“I’ll try and play aggressive, whereas I felt like I lost the aggressiveness today, I was a bit nervy with some shots,” Norris said.
“Last year I was so good in the last round where I just played aggressive the whole way, so I didn’t care about anyone else and that’ll be the goal again tomorrow.”
Stolz also only focused on tomorrow only, but still considering how victory might alter his lead up plans to his American sojourn with a new category for the winner earning them a spot at the BMW Australian PGA Championship in two weeks.
“Just see how it fits in with everything,” he said of the potential start.
“I played at RQ (Royal Queensland) there a few times. If we could play off the normal members tees, I’d be quite happy to go.”
Rounds two and three of the Nova Employment Australia PGA Senior Championship will be broadcast LIVE on Fox Sports and Kayo.
Moore Park Golf Collective, comprising Golf Australia, PGA of Australia, Golf NSW and Moore Park Golf Club, today announced an ambitious initiative to transform Moore Park South into a vibrant, world-class recreational and golf facility.
The alternative proposal, submitted to the NSW Government during its consultation process in April 2024, supports a growing Sydney and allows for the retention of the much-loved and always busy 18-hole golf course by maximising un-used and under-utilised open space for active and passive recreation and active transport.
The proposal, a testament to the Collective’s commitment to diversity, equality, inclusion and a vision for an innovative and sustainable future, will see several public spaces added to the area, including:
● An adventure playground
● A nature play space
● A dog park
● BBQ and picnic facilities, a fitness trail and terracing located in the best position with spectacular city views
● A football oval
● A skate park and seating
● Half courts and a futsal court
● A BMX pump track and riding zone
● An athletics precinct
● 3 kms of well-connected walking, running and cycling paths
● New environmental spaces for Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub regeneration
● A multi-level 500-space car park cleverly built into the landscape
● A reduced par-68 18-hole public golf course allowing local, state and national competitions to continue
● Mini golf course, a practice putting green and a practice chipping area
● A shortened high-tech driving range with more bays
The bold, city-shaping vision for world-class recreational and golf facilities for a growing Sydney is achieved by transforming undeveloped parkland, enhancing golf, and connecting people to destinations.
Jared Kendler, Leader of Save Moore Park Golf said: “We have been working to ensure the alternative proposal aligns with the Premier’s vision to establish Moore Park South as a vibrant recreational destination for all.”
“By enhancing existing infrastructure and revitalising un-used and under-utilised areas, the initiative aims to create a park that caters to diverse recreational interests in a financially sustainable way that solves the many challenges in the broader precinct.”
“This exciting master plan delivers a minimum of 15 hectares of quality and connected recreational space for play, exploration, relaxing, walking and sports activities for people of all ages and as such is a win/win/win for the Government, the people of Sydney and the visitor economy,” said Mr Kendler.
Damien de Bohun, General Manager of Clubs and Facilities Golf Australia, Stuart Fraser, CEO Golf NSW, and Jared Kendler, Leader of Save Moore Park Course, unveiled the proposal designed to accelerate the Premier’s vision for upgraded infrastructure and more recreational space while preserving the iconic and highly utilised Moore Park Golf Course.
Damien de Bohun, General Manager of Clubs and Facilities, Golf Australia said the proposal prioritises the preservation and enhancement of Moore Park Golf Course, positioning Moore Park South as a park for everyone and the home of public golf in NSW.
“Not only does the proposal incorporate innovative features such as protected recreational areas and well-connected walking, running and cycling tracks, it also offers a 500-space carpark to accommodate the growing influx of visitors and overflow parking for major events in the area,” Mr de Bohun said.
“With golf one of the most popular organised sports in Australia in 2024, this plan addresses the significant demand for golf facilities and ensures that Australia’s busiest 18-hole public golf course remains available and accessible to people from all walks of life, contributing to improved physical and mental health and wellbeing,” he said.
Creating significant employment opportunities in management, events, retail and hospitality, Moore Park Golf Course is also home to a thriving golf academy, where PGA of Australia professionals conduct more than 77 lessons per day, including group classes for children and new Mums and Bubs sessions.
Stuart Fraser, CEO of Golf NSW, said Moore Park Golf Club has been a key community asset for over 100 years.
“Golf NSW believes the alternate proposal provides a win-win solution for the NSW Government and a growing Sydney by offering a multitude of recreational activities, whilst continuing to service the massive demand for publicly accessible golf via an 18-hole course,” Mr Fraser said.
“The proposed recreational hub will truly be the heartbeat of the precinct, and golf industry stakeholders welcome the opportunity to maximise the recreational benefits of the site for the community,” he said.
The Collective is also working to build climate resilience and biodiversity by creating revegetation areas throughout the course for the critically endangered Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub (ESBS). Undertaken with IndigiGrow, a social enterprise from First Hand Solutions Aboriginal Corporation, sustaining people, land and culture through the propagation and growing of native plants, the initiative will promote environmental sustainability and continue conservation efforts.
The Collective encourages residents of Zetland, Waterloo, Redfern, Surry Hills, Kensington, greater Sydney and beyond to support the initiative by signing the Save Moore Park Golf Course petition at www.savemooreparkgolfcourse.com.auto establish Moore Park South as a premier sports and recreation precinct, enriching the lives of Sydneysiders for generations to come.
Many of the names at the top of the congested leaderboard after day one of the Nova Employment Australian PGA Senior Championship were as expected. However, they all sit behind the lesser known first round leader, David Fearns.
Hailing from Queensland, but a longtime Sydney resident and owner of Golf Traders in the city’s Inner West, a hot putter saw Fearns open with a 7-under 62, with a one shot advantage over Order of Merit leader Andre Stolz and Mike Harwood, who is headed for semi-retirement.
Stolz and Harwooda shot in front of the evergreen Peter Lonard chasing his first Australian PGA Senior Championship and Andrew Welsford, with PGA TOUR Champions player David Bransdon and last week’s NSW Senior Open winner David McKenzie part of a six way tie for sixth on 4-under.
Bransdon and McKenzie’s opening 65s matched by 12-time winner this year Chris Taylor, Terry Pilkadaris, Lucien Tinkler and defending champion Jason Norris.
Teeing it up on the PGA Legends Tour more than any other player, with 62 starts in 2024, Fearns first round started with a missed birdie putt at the par-5 first, before the story changed quickly from there.
“It was sensational,” said Fearns surmising his day that included four consecutive birdies from the second.
“It was just one of those days with the putter. I haven’t putted that well for five years.”
A working putter is just part of the equation to success at Richmond, which is in its 10th year of hosting the over-50s version of the Australian PGA Championship and requires straight driving, with Fearns combining both in his eight birdie, one bogey round.
“I still enjoy playing pro-ams. I love it, but I just love playing golf,” Fearns said.
“I think for me now, over the last few years, it’s definitely been about the putter, the ball striking has still been, never changed, hasn’t changed. But today I’ll just holed a lot of putts.”
The putter will need to stay hot over the weekend given the quality of the chasing pack, especially 2020 champion Stolz, who is prepping his game to head to the final stage of PGA TOUR Champions qualifying school next month.
Without a bogey on his card, Stolz looks dangerous at course he played a role in a change of layout to a tougher finishing stretch, while also accommodating the new party hole eighth.
“I was a bit worried about the forecast with the strong westerly blowing and it was actually really weird today. The wind was sort of switching back and forwards,” Stolz said.
“So that’s sort what made it tricky, but it didn’t really start blowing hard until towards the end. I just found the greens really slow. I was a bit spooked.
“The putting green was really slow, beautiful condition, but it was slow, and my first putt today, I ran it about eight feet by and I was like, ‘Oh, they’re quick’. And then I’ve left seven putts, short in the jaws.”
For Harwood, who has decided this week at Richmond will be his last 54-hole event ahead of playing occasional one and two day Pro-Ams to “live happily ever after” it was an impressive bogey free day as the wind picked up for the afternoon field.
The Victorian’s 6-under 63 powered by his straight driving.
“I didn’t miss a fairway and I played good. Just only hit one bad shot. Bit of a surprise but happy,” Harwood said.
“This is my last three round event, so I was pretty keen to play well in it.”
Always likely to play well here, Lonard’s new short game improvement he spoke of pre-tournament didn’t show up at first but was part of a tidy 5-under 64 that included an eagle at the par-5 15th.
“Kind of … the first chip and putt I had did was the worst chip I’ve ever seen, which is the way it works I suppose. But outside of that it was pretty good,” Lonard said of his short game.
“Nice little 5-under, actually played pretty good. Probably left a few out there, but I played okay without going crazy. But 5-under is always a nice way to start.”
Catching fire in the middle of his round, Canberra’s Welsford missed a makeable chance on the par-3 eighth, before he capitalised at the next following another good short iron and got on a run that saw him tied for the lead through 15 holes, before he admitted “the neck tightened” and he bogeyed 16 and 17.
Making his over-50s debut at this event last year, before heading to Champions Tour qualifying school and keeping his card, Bransdon’s experience of playing alongside major winners has given him an extra edge he is looking to use this week.
“It’s been a bit whirlwind from this time last year,” Bransdon, who has lost weight thanks to a Keto diet and cutting out bread, said.
“I hadn’t been to Q School yet for Champions Tour, I was just sort of finding my feet with the senior golf and I played okay here and I played good in a bunch of the good stuff in the Pro-Ams.
“But it all led to Q School in a matter of weeks and then getting through and keeping my card basically.
“It is confidence. That’s what it gives me. I can compete with the best guys over-50 in the world, so if that means I’m one of the favourites here, I’m more than comfortable with that.”
Rather than worrying about favouritism, or the potential spot at the BMW Australian PGA Championship in two weeks via a new category like Bransdon, Fearns is keeping his eye firmly on what is in front of him.
“Tomorrow I’ll try and do exactly what I did today … one shot at a time.”
Rounds two and three of the Nova Employment Australia PGA Senior Championship will be broadcast LIVE on Fox Sports and Kayo.
Australia’s golf venues have been given a new roadmap to help maximise the benefits that golf can bring to the community.
Headlining this new report is a live dashboard, built for general managers, facility operators, and landowners, who can now enter their own data and generate their own venue’s community benefits report.
The report also includes 10 themes to help all of golf’s venues across the country become the best version of themselves, whether it be golf courses, short courses, driving ranges, indoor simulator venues, or mini golf.
Last year, the Australian Golf Industry Council (AGIC) unveiled a groundbreaking report that revealed golf provides $3.3 billion in total annual benefits to the Australian community, economy and environment.
In the year since, the AGIC, which comprises the key national bodies of the golf industry in Australia, including the PGA of Australia, Golf Australia and the WPGA Tour of Australasia, has worked hard to take the report to the next level.
The result is an in-depth new report, titled “Maximising the Community Benefits of Golf”, published today.
AGIC Chair Karen Lunn is excited for venues around the country to put the report’s findings into practice.
“This report builds what was outlined last year – that golf is making a huge contribution to Australians in a number of ways every year,” Lunn said.
“We are now focussing on helping our clubs, facilities, landowners and operators, to build that contribution to even higher levels.
“The report will help all golf venues around our country understand the benefits they contribute from their own venue and in doing so work on areas that will maximise these benefits even further to create a healthier, happier and more sustainable community.”
A key point of last year’s report is that golf is big, different from other sports in positive ways, and is changing with new venue types attracting a more diverse player demographic.
It also showed that golfers are healthier and happier than the average Australian.
Underpinning the new report are fact-finding interviews with 15 venue operators, across a variety of golf courses, short courses, driving ranges, indoor simulator venues, and mini golf.
“The 15 venues who contributed to this engaging report were invaluable. The knowledge and experience they shared is extremely important in our quest to achieve our shared goal of more Australians playing more golf,” said Lunn.
“Golf is in an extraordinary time of growth, and together we can maximise the benefits the game brings our community as a whole to build a strong and resounding future.”
The 10 themes to success presented include:
The themes to success apply to venues in varying degrees, but all have been identified as the most important factors for maximising community benefits.
To learn more about the report, and for access to the interactive dashboard CLICK HERE.
Legendary coach Steve Bann and course architect Vern Morcom were inducted into the Victorian Golf Hall of Fame at the Victorian Golf Industry Awards.
Bann, a former touring PGA Professional who made his name coaching Stuart Appleby and Robert Allenby during his time as head coach of the Victorian Institute of Sport, remains a significant figure in the game.
He is a director of BannLynchMcDade working out of Yarra Bend in Melbourne and also is a teaching professional at Kingston Heath Golf Club.
Morcom, who died in 1976, is one of Australia’s greatest architects and was also the head greenkeeper at Kingston Heath for many years.
His work on Dr Alister Mackenzie’s bunkering plan for Kingston Heath from 1928 was his legacy project, but he also designed Spring Valley and dozens of golf courses around the country.
The awards were presented at Southern Golf Club, with Michael Moore from Rossdale Golf Club winning the Club Professional of the Year award and Metropolitan’s Brandon Rave the High Performance Coach of the Year. Scott McDermott from the PGA Academy was the Coach of the Year.
PHOTO: Steve Bann (left) has worked with many of Australia’s greats including Stuart Appleby. Image: Getty
Full list of award winners:
PGA Awards
PGA Victorian Club Professional of the Year: Michael Moore (Rossdale GC)
PGA Victorian Coach of the Year – High Performance: Brandon Rave (Metropolitan GC)
PGA Victorian Coach of the Year – Game Development: Scott McDermott (PGA Academy)
PGA Victorian Management Professional of the Year: Jeff Graham (Bairnsdale GC)
Golf Australia Awards:
Victorian Volunteer of the Year: David Smith (Ocean Grove & South Western Golf Association.
Victorian Inclusion Initiative of the Year: Yarrambat Golf Course/Belgravia Leisure
Victorian Golf Club of the Year: Lonsdale Links
Female Amateur of the Year: Jazy Roberts (Belvoir Park GC)
Male Amateur of the Year: Phoenix Campbell (Yarra Yarra GC)
Golf Management Victoria – GMV (GMA):
GMV Excellence in Management Award: Peter Busch (Green Acres GC)
Victorian Golf Course Superintendents Association – VGCSA awards:
VGCSA Superintendents Recognition Award: Colin Foster (Barwon Valley Golf)
Adam Henwood signalled he would be a player to watch at this week’s $150,000 Australian PGA Senior Championship by winning the final lead-up event at Moss Vale today.
A round of 5-under-par 66 got the job done for Henwood in the Moss Vale Legends Pro-Am, his sixth win of another productive year on the PGA Legends Tour.
The Victorian finished equal 10th in the NSW Senior Open at Thurgoona at the weekend and is primed to be a key contender in the second of the PGA Legends Tour’s “majors”, starting at Richmond Golf Club on Friday.
HOW THE WINNER’S SCORE UNFOLDED
Tackling the back nine first on the par-71 Moss Vale layout, Henwood was quickly to 3-under through his first six holes. He had made his way to -4 before bogeying the par-4 18th.
Another four birdies in the opening six holes, with a sole dropped shot on par-5 fourth, moved the Victorian to 6-under and the comfort of a three-shot lead.
While Henwood had a late bogey, Scott Barr (WA) made a charge with a run of six birdies in eight holes to draw within one but then parred his final two holes to settle for the runner-up slot.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
Henwood said: “I played really well apart from a lost ball and leaking a little bit of oil at the end. You’ve got to drive it good here so I just smashed the driver everywhere and hoped it hit a fairway. I only missed a couple and mostly smoked it into those tiny little gaps.
“There was some good stuff in there. Last week (at the NSW Senior Open) I played okay but I think had eight or nine three-putts for the week and only finished seven or eight back. If the putter fires up at Richmond, you just never know.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
66: Adam Henwood (Vic)
67: Scott Barr (WA)
68: Michael Isherwood (Vic); Chris Taylor (Qld)
69: David Sadd (NSW); Mike Harwood (Vic); David Fearns (Qld)
70: Brad Burns (Qld); Marcus Cain (Qld); David Van Raalte (NSW); Robert Mitchell (WA); Dominic Barson (NZ)
NEXT UP
The Australian Senior PGA Championship gets underway at Richmond Golf Club on Friday with live broadcast on Foxtel and Kayo across the weekend. Jason Norris is the defending champion.
David McKenzie was never in front – until it mattered most at the NSW Senior Open.
McKenzie, one of the most consistent golfers of his generation, stepped up at crunch time to birdie the final hole to win in Albury.
The Victorian carded a superb closing five-under-par 67 at Thurgoona Country Club to post 12-under, one clear of long-time leader Mat Goggin, who faltered with a pair of bogeys on the 16th and 17th holes.
Goggin put the disappointment of those errors behind him to notch his own closing birdie, which meant that McKenzie’s breathtaking approach to the final green proved the difference.
“At the time, you’re never really sure what’s going on around you, so in the end, even when I hit it into about a foot and a half, it still seemed a bit far away for my liking,” he joked of his near-perfect 9-iron from 136m.
“When I hit it, I thought it was left maybe 6-8 feet, but when everyone starts clapping and then starts roaring a bit, you know it’s within a few feet.
“It was closer than I thought actually – and I was really glad I didn’t have to make a 4-5 footer to win.
“They’re hard to win. I’ve had a lot of chances a lot of times and haven’t got it done. And the times I have won, I’ve won well and going away so it was good to get one in a close (finish).
“I’ve still got it sometimes – every now and again,” he joked.
“But it’s just a matter of making the putts when you need them. I made a few today and they were at the right times as it turned out.”
McKenzie jumped into calculations when he buried an eagle putt on the seventh hole, then made important birdies on 11 and 13 to pull level with Goggin who had started the day two clear of the Victorian.
But McKenzie appeared to have blown his chance when he couldn’t get up and down for par on the tough par-3 16th hole.
Goggin was surprised minutes later when his tee shot on that same hole came up short of the elevated green and trickled back towards the tee. His slightly thin chip shot eventually resulted in his own bogey.
But a missed par putt from 1m after a great bunker shot on the 17th proved the decisive moment.
“It was solid enough, just frustrating,” the Tasmanian lamented after a series of lost opportunities, particularly mid-round when some short-range chip shots didn’t have his customary polish.
“Saturday (65) was good, but I’ve just got to build on it because I haven’t been playing as much as I’d like and I’ve just got to take the positives… before the (upcoming) Champions Tour (Q-School).
“But that’s great for Macca… he’s been a good player for a long time.”
Scott Barr and Peter Lonard shared third another shot back with both having watched multiple chances slide narrowly past the cup on several holes.
Legendary Peter Senior loomed before lightning mid-round stopped play for 55 minutes, but he couldn’t maintain that momentum and finished at seven under in a share of fifth.
The closing day’s best round belonged to the mercurial Andre Stolz, who tore up the front nine in just 30 strokes but double-bogeyed the 10th immediately after the lightning break.
He bounced back with an eagle on the 14th and his closing 66 left him outright ninth at 5-under.
Low amateur for the week was New South Welshman James Swanson at 3-over.
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.
