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After a windswept final round he described as “super, super tough”, New Zealand’s Josh Geary clinched the 2025 Vic Open at 13th Beach Golf Links, his first Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia title in almost 12 years.
The leader after rounds two and three, Geary would never have thought a closing 6-over-par 78 to finish on 13-under-par would be good enough. But it was, by four strokes over West Australian Connor McKinney.
Only three men shot under-par rounds on Sunday – two-under-par 70s from McKinney, New Zealand’s Kerry Mountcastle, who took equal third, and local favourite Ben Eccles, who soared to a share of eighth.
Former Vic Open champion Michael Hendry (74) and NSW’s Austin Bautista (79) also had a share of third.
The afternoon of unyielding, buffeting winds from the Southern Ocean blew the scoring average for Sunday to 76.5 shots.
“It’s the hardest round of golf I’ve had to play,” the new champion said.
“It’s hard enough trying to close out a tournament, let alone in those conditions which meant literally you can make any score from anywhere.
“If you’d asked me if I shot 78 tomorrow if I’d still have a four-shot margin, I’d tell you you’re dreaming, but that’s just how hard it was.
“I’m super happy, obviously, and stoked to get it done.”
It was always going to be extremely difficult for Geary to match his near-faultless first 54 holes, a double-bogey on his final hole of the Creek Course on Friday were his only dropped shots in rounds of 64-65-68.
He bogeyed the first hole on Sunday but was impressively under par for the day after back-to-back birdies at the fifth and sixth.
It was at the par-four eighth, playing as the toughest hole of the day at almost a shot over par, where Geary’s round threatened to unravel – a penalty drop after a wayward approach shot into the greenside bush and three putts leading to a triple-bogey.
But a bounce-back birdie on No.9 ensured he would take a five-shot lead into the final nine holes of the tournament.
As his potential challengers fell away, the 2013 WA Open champion only had to avoid a catastrophe. Five bogeys on the way to the clubhouse didn’t create too many concerns.
“Even when you got downwind, you couldn’t hold the greens. You’d have a sand wedge and 180 metres and it’s going through the back of the green,” Geary said.
“I was just trying to keep it out of the real trouble.”
McKinney’s 70 allowed him to climb from a tie for 23rd overnight to second place, his best finish on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, just surpassing his tie for second at the 2023 WA Open.
The Scottish-born West Australian turned in 3-under 33 and finished his round with a total of four birdies.
Defending champion Brett Coletta (Vic) closed with a 72 to end in a share of 18th place.
The next Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia tournament is Webex Players Series Sydney, starting on Thursday, February 20.
The ultra-steady play of New Zealander Josh Geary has him in the box seat to win the 2025 Vic Open at 13th Beach Golf Links on Sunday.
A two-shot leader at the start of the third round, Geary adopted a conservative approach and played exceptional bogey-free golf in difficult, windy conditions to record a 4-under-par 68.
Chasing a first Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia victory since the 2013 WA Open, he moved to 19-under for the tournament and a four-stroke advantage over NSW’s Austin Bautista (69).
NSW Amateur champion Declan O’Donovan (71) showed great resilience after a tough start to stay in the hunt at 14-under, while another shot behind is the Queensland duo of Kade McBride and Aaron Wilkin, who both posted 4-under 68s.
Thanks to birdies on the fourth, 10th and 13th holes, Geary was as many as five shots up before a late rally from Bautista slightly improved his chances of winning on Sunday.
“I’m really happy with the way I handled myself today,” Geary said after closing his day with a birdie at the last.
“My long game hasn’t been great, so a lot of times I played quite conservative, but you sort of could today.
“It was windy enough for 4-under to be a good score and to keep the bogeys off the card was good.
“Got a bit loose near the end but it was just hard. It was very hard.”
Back in contention for the first time in more than a year, Bautista has been in a similar mindset to the leader.
He’s had just one bogey and one double-bogey in the first 54 holes, the double coming on the par-4 14th on Saturday, but he bounced back with birdies on 15 and 17.
Bautista has been adopting the “when it’s breezy, swing easy” approach to playing in the winds on the Bellarine, which proved to be a real challenge late on day three and will be a factor again in the final round.
“I’ve focused really hard just on just tempo and transition and noticed a big difference,” the 2023 Webex Players Series South Australia champion said.
“I remember when I’m playing well, that is the tempo. It’s just funny when you start playing bad, you’re just trying to hit it so hard.”
In his first start on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia this season, Wilkin’s 68 included birdies on three of his last four holes to get him into the mix for his second Tour title.
“Hit it very well in the wind. Had a lot of chances, but also had to save a few for par, so I sort of just hung in there,” the former Queensland PGA champion said.
“It’s great to be in contention. That’s why I’ve come back and played.
“I love this golf course and the tournament set-up is really, really cool. I’m going to have to produce a pretty good one tomorrow by the looks of it but you never know.”
First-round leader McBride described his 68 as “about as bad a score as I could have shot out there today”.
“It’s always nice to have a chance. That’s all you want. And then you’ve just got to make sure the cards fall your way,” the Queenslander said.
The big morning moves came from Victorian Todd Sinnott (64) and Tasmania’s Simon Hawkes (66) who both moved to 11-under-par and a share of seventh.
After making the halfway cut on the number, Sinnott’s bogey-free round included just 31 strokes on the back nine, while Hawkes collected seven birdies with just the one dropped shot.
Defending champion Brett Coletta (72) made it through to Sunday’s play at 4-under.
LIVE SCORES: www.golf.org.au; www.pga.org.au; www.wpga.org.au
TV COVERAGE: The Vic Open is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
Kiwi Josh Geary’s preparation for another New Zealand Open tilt later this month may just include victory at the 2025 Vic Open.
Rounds of 64-65 on the first two days at 13th Beach Golf Links have handed Geary a two-stroke lead over NSW amateur Declan O’Donovan (65-66) as he tries to secure his first Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia title since the 2013 WA Open.
Not that there hasn’t been success in recent years. The 40-year-old has won the Order of Merit on the Charles Tour in his homeland the past two seasons, including claiming four event titles.
“My plan was to come over here and get ready for the New Zealand Open in a few weeks and the New Zealand PGA,” Geary said.
“I wasn’t feeling great about the way things felt coming into this week and, to be honest, some of the long stuff’s still pretty rough. But I managed to get it around and the scoring clubs are really sharp.”
Geary played 35 holes without a bogey across the Beach and Creek courses the past two days.
He was leading by five shots when he made double-bogey on his final hole, the par-4 18th on the Creek, when he missed the green to the right.
Two chips later, he was facing a bogey putt that lipped out.
“It all kind of turned to custard on one hole. To be honest, it was kind of coming,” said Geary.
“I had a few loose ones out there so it wasn’t that surprising.
“It just would’ve been nice to have it earlier on and finish on a better note. It always makes lunch taste a bit off.
“I’ve got a pretty poor history over on the Creek course. It was nice to get a good score there today, regardless of the last hole.”
Playing in his eighth Tour event as an amateur, O’Donovan has continued the form that took him into the last group of the final day of the Australian Amateur Championship at Commonwealth Golf Club followed by successfully defending his NSW Amateur title and then claiming the Avondale Amateur.
He played in the final group in Round 3 of the Queensland PGA Championship last November and has made just one bogey through 36 holes at 13th Beach.
“I’m not going to change anything,” the 21-year-old said of his plans for the weekend.
“My mate (Sean Ryan) and I have been doing a really good job. We’re just focusing on my processes and trying to stay away from the result as much as possible and I think I’ll just try to have as much fun as I can.”
Sharing third place at 12-under-par are two former Tour winners, South Australian Lachlan Barker (66-67) and NSW’s Austin Bautista (65-67).
With just one bogey across the two days, Bautista is delighted to be back in the mix at the weekend. The Sydney professional has endured a difficult run, with just one top 10 on Tour since his victory at the 2023 Webex Players Series South Australia.
“This is where I want to be. I mean, this is why I play golf,” Bautista said of his lofty position on the leaderboard.
“You want to be in the mix and be in contention. So yeah, definitely very excited about it.
“I’ve been working really hard. It’s definitely not just one thing with golf. I find that it’s not by chance you have good golf that comes out of nowhere.”
Overnight leader Kade McBride (Queensland) followed up his opening 62 with a second round of 1-over 73 in the afternoon wind on the Beach course to sit at -9-under overall.
Defending champion Brett Coletta (Vic) safely made the weekend play with rounds of 69-71, but is 11 shots from the lead. Order of Merit No.4 Jack Buchanan (72-69) is 12 behind.
Among those to miss the halfway cut at -3 were Order of Merit No.8 Corey Lamb (71-75) and two-time Vic Open champion Dimi Papadatos (73-75).
The final two rounds will be played on the Beach Course.
The leading group will tee off at 2pm on Saturday.
LIVE SCORES: www.golf.org.au; www.pga.org.au; www.wpga.org.au
TV COVERAGE: The Vic Open is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
Kade McBride narrowly missed the chance to join his good friend and housemate this week, Jake McLeod, as a course record holder on the Creek Course at 13th Beach Golf Links today, but will be content with the title of first-round leader at the 2025 Vic Open.
Finding his best form again after a patchy start to the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season, McBride shot a bogey-free round of 10-under-par 62 that he described as “10 out of 10 stuff” to lead New Zealander Josh Geary by two shots.
McBride and McLeod, who holds the Creek record on 61 alongside Ryan Ruffels, are sharing a house at nearby Ocean Grove this week with fellow Queenslanders Louis Dobbelaar and Anthony Quayle – the quartet combining for 25-under the card on Thursday.
McLeod was tied for third at 7-under 65 through day one and Dobbelaar and Quayle were also well placed at 4-under as the field took advantage of benign morning conditions on the Bellarine Peninsula.
It’s not expected to remain calm tomorrow, especially in the afternoon when gusts up to 50 kph are forecast. A repeat of today where 18 players shot 66 or better is unlikely.
McBride won’t be too worried about the weather forecast, however, as he revels in being back in contention after being equal sixth here last year.
“I know Jake McLeod has the course record here at 11-under-par because he talks about it pretty regularly and I’m staying with him this week as well,” McBride said.
“I was thinking about it. ‘I was like, I can’t wait to break Jake’s course record’.”
McBride’s birdie putt on his final hole, the par-4 ninth, to shoot 61 hit the edge from around five metres away.
“I hit a really good putt and it looked like it was in until about the last two feet and then slid a couple feet by,” he said.
‘”That was one of the better rounds of golf I’ve played in terms of the golf shots throughout the day and holing putts – it was all 10 out of 10 stuff.”
“(But) I’m going to say nothing to Jake because he’s still got the wood over me.”
McLeod’s 65 continued his positive start to 2025 which has seen him lead the three Webex Players Series events – Perth, Victoria and Murray River – at various stages without being able to clinch a drought- breaking win.
McLeod and his team have spent time reviewing his near-misses and the Queenslander remains upbeat about coming so close to his first win since 2018.
“Been in contention the last few weeks, which was nice,” McLeod said.
“It’d obviously be nice to get the job done, but it’s always good putting yourself up there as much as possible. Hopefully (I) can get one of those soon.”
“I don’t think I did a very good job in Rosebud at all, but I thought I did a good job on Sunday in Perth and last week at Cobram it was just one of those days. I felt like I played good on the Saturday again, and then the Sunday the putts hit the edges instead of going in for me, which was how it goes sometimes.
“I think I’m getting better in those situations.”
Geary’s 64 on the Beach Course was the best score in the afternoon and the best on the layout which will host the final 36 holes.
He came home in 6-under-par 30 including birdies on his final three holes.
Defending champion Brett Coletta shot a 3-under-par 69 on the Creek course.
LIVE SCORES: www.golf.org.au; www.pga.org.au; www.wpga.org.au
TV COVERAGE: The Vic Open is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
Fresh from clinching the 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit title, John Catlin from the United States will lead the strongest Asian Tour field to date at this year’s New Zealand Open.
The New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport, is set to take place at the prestigious Millbrook Resort from February 27 to March 2. Last month it confirmed players will be competing for a share of the NZD $2 million prize pool.
Catlin, who secured his maiden Order of Merit victory last season, was in sensational form throughout the year, with a string of standout performances that saw him hit the top spot in the rankings. Victories at the International Series Macau presented by Wynn and the Saudi Open presented by PIF, along with six other top-10 finishes meant he claimed the season-long Merit title ahead of Kiwi Ben Campbell.
“I’m incredibly proud to have secured the Order of Merit title last year. The consistency I was able to achieve was arguably the best patch of golf in my career so far,” Catlin said.
“I’m really excited to be coming back to Queenstown for the New Zealand Open. It’s a tournament I’ve always wanted to win, and the competition this year will be as strong as ever. The course at Millbrook Resort is stunning, and I’m excited to return.”
Catlin’s season also saw him take home the Kyi Hla Han Award for Player of the Year on the Asian Tour. It’s the second time he has won the award, and was the icing on the cake for an incredible season which included a 59 on day three in Macau. It was the first sub-60 shot ever on the Asian Tour.
“We are thrilled to welcome John back to the New Zealand Open,” said Tournament Director Michael Glading.
“His success last season was extraordinary, and it’s great that John is making his way back to Queenstown for the first time since 2020. He is definitely one to watch at Millbrook Resort.”
Catlin isn’t the only high-profile Asian Tour player heading to Queenstown, with seven of the top 12 in the 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit making the trip to Central Otago.
Queenstown’s own Campbell will be joined by the likes of Jazz Janewattananond (Thailand), M.J. Maguire (U.S.A.), Miguel Tabuena (Philippines), Taichi Kho (Hong Kong), Steve Lewton (England), Jbe’ Kruger (South Africa), Jeunghun Wang (Korea) and Travis Smyth (Australia).
Another feature of this year’s Asian Tour entries is the inclusion of Scott Hend, a close runner-up at the New Zealand Open last year, and Liang Wenchong, one of China’s most successful golfers with 21 wins worldwide.
“It’s great to have so many top players from the Asian Tour in the field this year, from such a wide variety of countries. This is a real feature of the Asian Tour and we are delighted to partner with them,” said Glading.
The 104th New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport will tee off at Millbrook Resort in Queenstown between February 27 and March 2. For more information, please visit nzopen.com.
New Zealand Open 2025 – Asian Tour Entries
Two-time winner Jack Buchanan is back on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia at the Vic Open this week with the goal of solidifying his lofty position on the Order of Merit.
The WA PGA and Webex Players Series South Australia champion sits in fourth place in the standings despite not banking any points in his last two starts and then missing Webex Players Series Victoria last month due to illness.
A return to the winner’s circle at 13th Beach Golf Links this week would lift the former Australian amateur representative above Lucas Herbert into third place and consolidate his hold on a DP World Tour card for the 2025/26 season.
“I’ve put myself in a really good spot now, so I just have to have a few good weeks,” Buchanan said of his approach to the rest of the Tour season.
“I really just have to find some form similar to the way it started and finish it off.
“I would say number one (on the Order of Merit) is the goal or just as long as I can play to my best ability and put in all the work that I can do, then that’s all I can do really.
“The game’s actually in a pretty good spot. I was a little bit unwell before, so I wasn’t able to play Rosebud.
“I Just need to get some more reps in, so hopefully this week will see some more results.”
Like Buchanan, former Queensland PGA champion Aaron Wilkin and 2021 Gippsland Super 6 winner Jack Thompson have made the trip from the International Series event in India last week to the Bellarine.
It’s the first Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia start for the season for Wilkin and Thompson who campaign on the Asian Tour.
Buchanan and Thompson missed the cut in India while Wilkin finished T57.
One of Australian professional golf’s oldest events, the Vic Open, returns to 13th Beach Golf Links on the Bellarine Peninsula this week with Brett Coletta and Ashley Lau defending their men’s and women’s titles.
The tournament that spawned the mixed-gender format celebrates its 12th year at 13th Beach in 2025 with men and women, professionals and amateurs, once again playing on the same course, but for separate trophies, with each purse worth $200,000.
And they’ll tackle two different courses – three rounds on the Beach and one on the Creek for those who make the halfway cut. Both are par-72 layouts at the mercy of the winds that come off the adjacent Southern Ocean.
Founded in 1958, the men’s Vic Open has an illustrious group of winners that includes the likes of major winners Peter Thomson, Kel Nagle, Gary Player, David Graham, Greg Norman and Ian Baker-Finch and, in recent years, Min Woo Lee, Michael Hendry and Dimi Papadatos.
Meanwhile, the women’s tournament, founded in 1988, can boast an equally impressive past champions list highlighted by Minjee Lee, Hannah Green, Celine Boutier and Jiyai Shin, the 2023 winner who headlines this year’s field.
Now based predominantly in Japan, Shin is trying complete a rare Australian Open-Vic Open double after triumphing in the national championship at Kingston Heath and Victoria in December, her last tournament appearance.
Her main competition this week may come from LPGA Tour star Jenny Shin, who now spends a good part of the year in Australia.
In the men’s field, there are seven winners from this year’s Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, headed by two-time champion Jack Buchanan who sits in fourth place on the Order of Merit list.
Numbers seven through 10 on the OOM list – Anthony Quayle, Corey Lamb, Jordan Doull and Jak Carter – will also tee it up chasing valuable points as the season heads towards its conclusion in March.
One noticeable change for the players this week is the lengthening of the par-4 15th hole on the Beach Course, with the tees pushed back from where they have been in recent years. It now plays 342m for the men and 292m for the women.
LAST YEAR’S CHAMPIONS: Ashley Lau and Brett Coletta
PRIZEMONEY: $400,000
LIVE SCORES: www.golf.org.au; www.pga.org.au; www.wpga.org.au
TV COVERAGE: The Vic Open is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
*All times AEDT.
Round 3: Saturday 2pm-7pm (Fox Sports 503/Kayo)
Final Round: Sunday 1pm-6pm (Fox Sports 503/Kayo)
HEADLINERS
Jiyai Shin – 2024 ISPS HANDA Australian Open champion
Brett Coletta – 2024 Vic Open men’s champion
Ashley Lau – 2024 Vic Open women’s champion
Jack Buchanan – 2024 WA PGA and Webex Players Series SA champion
Jenny Shin – LPGA Tour member
Kelsey Bennett – 2024 The Athena champion
Matthew Griffin – 2024 Heritage Classic champion
Lydia Hall – 2012 Ladies British Masters winner
It took three extra holes as temperatures soared at Cobram Barooga Golf Club, where Blake Proverbs outlasted Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia veteran Jason Norris to claim his first Tour win at Webex Players Series Murray River.
Proverbs (64) began the day three shots back of overnight leader and fellow Queenslander Jake McLeod at 19-under, but produced his third straight sub-65 round to be tied with Norris at 23-under for the tournament. The pair breaking the 21-under-par tournament scoring record set by Kazuma Kobori last year.
Playing in the final group, eventual third place finisher Cholcheva Wongras had a putt on 18 to join the play-off, but as it slid by and she tapped in for par and 22-under, the chances of a third WPGA Tour of Australasia winner at Cobram Barooga were dashed.
West Australian youngster Adam Brady carded a final round 63 to finish alone in fourth position, his best finish on Tour to date, while next week’s Vic Open defending champion Ashley Lau posted a stunning 62 to finish in a share of fifth at 19-under with McLeod (71).
Four players finished tied-seventh at 18-under, including west Australian Ryan Peake who had a 62 of his own, as well as women’s amateur Lion Higo (66).
With two eagles and four birdies through 11 holes today, it looked as if Norris had done more than enough for his experience to carry him down the stretch.
With four birdies and an eagle of his own to start the back-nine, Proverbs playing in the group behind Norris wasn’t going down without a fight, however.
Both players bogeyed the tough par-3 16th, but while Norris was able to convert a short birdie on 17, Proverbs’ slid by from a similar distance.
Finding the right rough off the tee on 18, Norris was forced to hack out sideways. Pitching his third to 15-feet, he cooly rolled the par-saving putt in to post the clubhouse lead.
Needing a birdie to win, Proverbs’ lengthy attempt came up short, but the putt wasn’t in vein as it would end up helping him in the very near future.
Back down 18 for the first extra hole, Norris knocked it in close while Proverbs’ was in a similar position middle of the green. This time the putt had had just enough on it and curled in the front edge, but as the hospitality tent roars settled, Norris converted his close putt to match and back the players went to the 18th tee.
The second extra hole came and went quickly, both on the fairway, both on the green, both with two putts. Back to 18 tee they went again.
This time Norris again found the thick stuff to the right of the fairway and was forced to hack sideways again. With the adrenaline pumping, Proverbs’ wedge bounced off the hospitality tent but came back to 25-feet giving him the upper hand.
Norris did his best pitching it to 10-feet, but as his putt for a four slid by, Proverbs easily got down in two and the champion was finally decided.
“It felt really weird just having that little one footer, just knowing that that was for the win,” Proverbs said.
“I thought I’d be a lot more shaky, which I don’t know if it’s a good thing that I wasn’t, but no, it was a pretty good feeling to roll that last one in.”
Having played on the Tour for five years, Proverbs has had a number of close calls, with almost ten top-five finishes. An ever consistent presence, Proverbs was ecstatic to finally get one over the line.
Starting his Murray River campaign with a 1-over 71, Proverbs proceeded to post 62-63-64 to storm home.
“I actually played okay on day one, that’s the thing. I just got no putts to go in,” he said of Thursday’s round.
“Ever since then it felt good. Driver felt good, putter felt good. And the wedges, the wedges were pretty strong all week.
“I reckon I’ve only hit two bad chip shots over the week.”
As temperatures rose above 40 today, playing extra holes was less than ideal.
“I’ve never drank so much water in my life. I think I almost drowned myself out there.”
It’s likely Proverbs would’ve gone another 18 however if it meant he’d get his hands on his first Tour trophy.
Tom Ryan triumphed by ten shots in the All Abilities championship, redemption for the Victorian after finishing runner-up last week at Rosebud.
In the Juniors, Sophie Mann outlasted fellow Victorian Olive Spitty in another three-hole playoff.
After a “tools down” summer, Brett Coletta is looking forward to trying to defend a Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia title for the first time at the Vic Open next week.
The Victorian shot back-to-back 65s at the weekend on the Beach Course at 13th Beach Golf Links to capture the 2024 title – by two shots over Jordan Zunic – his second success as a professional.
This year, he heads the entries in a men’s field that includes six Tour winners from this season plus the likes of Matt Griffin, Michael Hendry, Anthony Quayle, Harrison Crowe and Zunic.
“It’s always nice to be able to defend,” Coletta said.
“I’ve only done it once – at Hunter Valley – and I wasn’t successful, but this has been on the radar. The Vic Open is always an enjoyable week.”
The 27-year-old played his first tournament for 2025 at Webex Players Series Victoria at Rosebud Country Club last week, finishing in equal 20th after rounds of 69-65-68-70.
Before then, he hadn’t teed it up competitively since a T29 performance at the Saudi International on the Asian Tour the week after the ISPS HANDA Australian Open.
“Honestly, for me it was just tools down,” Coletta said of his Christmas-New Year break,
“There were a couple of little things we need to iron out of my swing with my coach, Brandon (Rave).
“But to be honest, it was in a pretty good spot when I came back from Saudi. We did some really good work there and I’m really trying to get some good momentum moving forward into the busier part of the year, which is kind of towards the end of the year.”
The highest-ranked player in the men’s field is set to be Japan’s Ren Yonezawa, the world No.286 and two-time Japan Golf Tour receiving one of the tournament invites alongside countryman Shiso Go.
The tournament pro-am will be held on the Beach and Creek courses on Wednesday morning (7.45am tee off), with the Vic Open starting on Thursday morning.
Entry to the course is free and parking is available on site.
Lucas Herbert is set to return to Queenstown for the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport in what will be his fourth start on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia this season.
The event, which takes place at Millbrook Resort between February 27 and March 2, promises to deliver world-class competition, with Herbert among the top players gunning for a share of the NZ$2 million prize pool.
Herbert, part of the 2024 LIV Golf team championship winning Ripper GC, owns five professional wins, including the Bermuda Championship on the PGA TOUR, three victories on the DP World Tour and most recently the Ford NSW Open on his local Tour.
A runner-up in 2020 when finishing two shots back of fellow Aussie Brad Kennedy, Herbert is excited to be making his way back to world renowned region to contest a national Open.
“I’m absolutely stoked to be returning to Queenstown for the New Zealand Open,” Herbert said.
“It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve played, and since I last played at Millbrook Resort all I keep hearing is how the tournament is growing and getting better and better.
“The courses are challenging, the crowds are great, and the competition is always top-notch. I’m really looking forward to being a part of such a fantastic event and seeing if I can go one better.”
Herbert’s return to the New Zealand Open adds to a field already filled with top-tier professionals who will contest the pro-am format event that is co-sanctioned by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and Asian Tours and in partnership with the Japan Golf Tour.
“We’re thrilled to have Lucas heading back to Queenstown next month,” Tournament Director Michael Glading said.
“He is a very exciting player to watch, having come really close a few years ago and we know fans are going to be thrilled to see him in action. With Lucas joining an already competitive field, this year’s New Zealand Open is shaping up to be one of the strongest fields we have ever had.”
The 104th New Zealand Open tees off at Millbrook Resort in Queenstown from February 27 to March 2.
