Want to recieve exclusive news, videos, tournament highlights, golf important tips and more ?
Want to recieve exclusive news, videos, tournament highlights, golf important tips and more ?
Despite admitting his score could be substantially better, David Micheluzzi shares the lead at the 2024 Sandbelt Invitational on 3-under with amateur Kayun Mudadana ahead of the final round at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club.
Signing for a 2-under 69 at Woodlands Golf Club on Wednesday, 2022/2023 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner Micheluzzi will be chasing a second triumph at Royal Melbourne after claiming the Master of the Amateurs at the famed course in 2018.
Micheluzzi admitting that if things were to go his way tomorrow it would be extra special due to his relationship with tournament host and 2006 US Open winner Geoff Ogilvy.
“It would also be really cool if I did, because Geoff has been a mentor, how he’s helped me out quite a bit, but he’s helped me out more than people know it with turning pro and what to expect,” Micheluzzi said.
“To have a major champion like him giving that advice. You can’t pay for that kind of stuff, that experience. So that would mean the world if I did get up … it would be sick.”
The Sandbelt Invitational itself is designed around the same concept of experienced players interacting with younger ones across men and women from both pro and amateur ranks.
Some, like Mudadana, clearly comfortable in the environment, where parts of the learning is through conversation while also visually from the likes of Richard Green, who fired the equal low round of the day.
The left hander’s 65 only matched by Cameron John, with Green at 1-under for the tournament and one shot back of fellow Victorian Matias Sanchez after his 1-under round at Woodlands.
Green continuing to knock the rust off his game after only playing nine holes with his dog for company since ending his tremendous 2024 PGA TOUR Champions campaign, where he came agonisingly close to a win.
“I’ve had good coaching over the last probably five or six years with Darrell Brown, and we’ve worked on a lot of things that have squared my golf swing up,” Green said of his impressive play despite a break.
“As opposed to prior to that I was all over the place. My game’s up and it’s down and it’s up and it’s down. Whereas my game’s more on an even keel and a lot closer to playing really well.
“To win would be great for my confidence going into next year and in some way wouldn’t surprise me with how I’ve played this year, to be honest.”
Perhaps surprising some as co-leader through 54-holes, Mudadana is certainly not planning on making way for Micheluzzi, Green or Sanchez, who as a Royal Melbourne member would love to lift the trophy on Thursday.
A New South Wales Golf Club member who has been spending his time on the driving range with the course closed for renovations, Mudadana looked likely to lead on his own with 18 holes to play until the closing stages of his 1-under 70.
“I was playing good. I was 5-under through 15 and hit a bit of a shocking tee shot of 16 and made triple,” Mudadana said.
“Just worrying about playing good golf and sort of enjoying the course. It’s been a lot of fun when you’re just not really worrying about it and yeah, just that’s how I sort of play it,” he added when asked about the names he sits ahead of that includes a congested group behind Green.
Sandbelt local Matt Griffin, 36-hole leader Ryan Peake and NSW Amateur winner Declan O’Donovan, who was tied for the lead until a triple-bogey at the 18th, all at even par and sharing fifth.
Cam John the next best at 1-over and one in front of American-based amateur Niall Shiels Donegan and one of Woodlands’ favourite sons Steve Allan.
Amateur Annika Rathbone in a share of 11th at 4-over and leading the women’s contingent, with Amelia Harris and Shyla Singh two shots back and Tour player Karis Davidson on 7-over trying to claim the women’s trophies.
Harris getting a good window into what the field faces tomorrow as they attempt to deny Micheluzzi another win after playing the third round with the man who shot 59 in preparation for this event.
Preparation that alongside Micheluzzi’s assessment of his week so far provides an ominous warning for his competition.
“I really, almost every day this week, felt like I should have been five or six (shots) better every round, which speaks volumes of all the swings, changes and the confidence I’ve got in all my swing changes.”
Full scores available at www.sandbeltinvitational.com
Fresh off his best Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia finish of the season at the Gippsland Super 6, West Australian Ryan Peake has taken the halfway lead at the Geoff Ogilvy hosted Sandbelt Invitational.
Moving to Yarra Yarra Golf Club from Commonwealth, Peake emerged best from another tough day on the Melbourne Sandbelt when the wind blew and he signed for a 2-under-par 68 to reach 4-under overall.
Peake leading by one from amateur Declan O’Donovan, with Asian Tour player Kevin Yuan and overnight co-leader Kayun Mudadana at 2-under before a trio of Victorian pros in David Micheluzzi, Matias Sanchez and Harry Goakes round out the under par scores on 1-under.
Battling through fatigue one of the challenges for Peake as he reaches the Christmas break after travelling around Australia and beyond, with the left hander also having to overcome two bogeys at the second and third on Tuesday.
“I think obviously a lot of guys were happy to finish last week. Everyone’s just mentally fatigued. They’re worn out,” Peake said.
“Myself, this is the first year I’ve had a category, so it’s the first year I’ve been able to play that massive run of summer events. I’m getting tired, but when I got the opportunity to play I was like, ‘Well I can just push my body a little bit more’.
“It’s top courses that you never want to turn down to play, but I think it’s going to be the perfect warm down for me as well because it’s a little bit more of a relaxed event.”
Noting the atmosphere of the unique event where male and female professionals and amateurs compete alongside one another, Peake spoke after his round of trying to instil confidence in the amateurs as well as enjoying the Sandbelt region having not fully appreciated the famed courses first time around.
“When I came into this week, honestly, I just wanted to embrace the Sandbelt,” he said.
“I took it for granted when I was younger, so I wanted to come out and just observe the architecture.
“At the start of the year, I was working as a greenkeeper at Royal Perth doing some of Michael Clayton’s redesigns out there. So actually getting to see that side of things … they have a vision of what it looks like, so being a part of that as well now is just quite cool to actually soak it all in and know exactly know it’s all about.”
Hailing from Avondale Golf Club in Sydney’s north, O’Donovan might not be quite looking at the venues as much as Peake as he continues a special summer that included playing the opening two rounds of the Ford NSW Open with Lucas Herbert and Cam Smith as the reigning NSW Amateur champion.
Speaking of the learnings from that week, O’Donovan’s opinion of this week and further chances to gain insights from more experienced players in a competitive environment falling exactly into line with the goals of Ogilvy and fellow tournament creator Clayton.
“It doesn’t change at all,” O’Donovan, who had the equal low round of the day (65) with Goakes, said of his goal entering this week. “I mean probably even I’d have even more of a feeling of wanting to win because there’s bigger names than most amateur events.
“There’s a tonne of guys that I want to beat this week, but I think if I just focus on what I’m doing, I worry about other scores later on.”
It was a similar thought for his fellow Sydney amateur Mudadana who admitted he didn’t even look at the leaderboard after leaving the course on Monday, before following up his 5-under first round with a 3-over 73 to sit in a tie for third.
“The last year I’ve really learned how to just grind it out and even if you’re having not the best day, sort of have an okay score,” Mudadana said.
“Being low amateur is definitely a good goal. I’d really hope to get that and hopefully play some good golf. But yeah, playing alongside the pros, just trying my best to play as good as them, if not better, is really good opportunity here.”
In his first year as a pro, and after a tough run on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, Goakes is enjoying the chance to play competitive golf on the Sandbelt where he grew up as a Royal Melbourne member. His round of 65 including nine birdies and even a par with a dreaded shank on the 13th.
Two shots further back on 1-over is amateur Amelia Harris, who leads the women’s contingent of both pros and amateurs having first come to prominence at this event in 2021 when 14 years old and playing with Peter Fowler.
Yarra Yarra member Harris one in front of adidas Australian Amateur winner Shyla Singh with Karis Davidson another shot back on 3-over.
“Obviously I’m trying to win. That’s the goal that everyone else has, but have fun as well and do my best because all the best amateur girls are here,” Harris said.
“I knew it was going to be a tough week, so hopefully a couple good days. The next couple days will be good and see where I end up.”
Those next couple of days will see the tournament head to Woodlands Golf Club for the first time on Wednesday before the conclusion on the West Course at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club, where Peake’s Sandbelt appreciation could go to another level if he continues with the play that has delivered the 36-hole lead.
Full scores at www.sandbeltinvitational.com
Bringing together men and women from both professional and amateur ranks, the Sandbelt Invitational saw the younger brigade take centre stage on day one at Commonwealth Golf Club on Monday of the Geoff Ogilvy hosted event.
Leading by three from a group including LPGA Tour player Karis Davidson and Asian Tour regular Kevin Yuan, New South Wales amateurs Ti Fox and Kayun Mudadana made light work of the high temperatures and strong winds to fire matching rounds of 5-under 67.
Aged 16 and 18 respectively, the pair seemed unperturbed by conditions veteran player David McKenzie told his amateur playing partners was “as hard as golf gets”. Fox going bogey-free around the redesigned host of day one as he did a few weeks ago at the NextGen Amateur Tour event, while Mudadana played his first 18 holes since winning the same event due to his home club New South Wales Golf Club being closed for renovations.
“I was definitely confident. I felt good pretty much all week coming into this,” Fox said.
“Had a couple low ones back at home and yeah, last month I was here I shot 5-under bogey-free and I’ve done it again. So quite happy with that.”
Alongside Davidson and Yuan, are rising Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia rookie Jordan Doull and his fellow West Australian Ryan Peake, as well as another amateur Max Moring on 2-under.
Playing alongside Mudadana in the first group of the day at 6:40am to avoid the afternoon heat, 2002 Australian Open winner Steve Allan and newly 18-year-old Queensland Amateur Sarah Hammett sit on 1-under alongside 2024 The National Tournament winner Cameron John, Sandbelt local Matt Griffin and yet another amateur in Morten Hafkamp.
“My group was really good today. Everyone played pretty well,” Hammett said.
“I think it was good to see other people make heaps of birdies and kind of give me more, I guess, not motivation, but to keep going and try and make some more birdies as well.
“The format as well, being able to play with some of the men is just such a different game. And yeah, just cool to see.”
Although all vying for the overall title, which features Brady Watt, Cameron Davis and Daniel Gale on the honour roll, the unique event also offers up trophies for each category, with Fox and Mudadana surely looking towards the main event as a first port of call.
“There’s a lot of good pros here, so being able to have some good scores and being up there with them is really good and good feeling,” Mudadana said.
The son of a golf professional, Fox seems comfortable in the company, but will be wary of the likes of David Micheluzzi on even par, even if he says he “used all the putts” on a 59 at home club Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club on Sunday.
The DP World Tour player not planning much of a Christmas break as he prepares for the European circuit’s Middle East swing early in the new year, while also paying his dues this week at an event that offers all the players a unique perspective of the game they have all dedicated their lives to.
“Last year I had Q School and I committed to this (Sandbelt Invitational) and found out Q School was on that same time and obviously went to Q School, so I didn’t get to play this event last year,” Micheluzzi said.
“So felt like I owed Geoff (Ogilvy) a favour in the nicest way possible. It’s always just been a great event.
“I played the first time they’ve held it and it’s always been great. And Geoff’s been very kind with me from amateur golf to professional golf. He’s helped me out a lot so it’s the least I can do for him.”
Micheluzzi sits alongside four others, including fellow Victorians Matias Sanchez, Connor McDade, Molly McLean and Patrick O’Connor.
The mixed group of players headed to Yarra Yarra Golf Club for Tuesday’s second round before Woodlands Golf Club hosts the third round and the five winners will be awarded the spoils on the famed West Course of The Royal Melbourne Golf Club.
Full scores at www.sandbeltinvitational.com
Three members of the North Warrnambool Eagles are hoping to erase the painful memories of a grand final defeat with victory at this week’s Scramble Championship Final at Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club.
The Warrnambool Golf Club team of Luke and Matthew Wines, Tom Batten, Ross Corbett and PGA Professional Ben Ford had a day out in Round 1 on Tuesday to lead by 1.1 shots.
Eynesbury-based Professional Ford picked up where he left off at the Regional Qualifying while Luke Wines proved deadly in his role as lead man on the greens, pouring in almost everything he looked at from inside 10 feet.
The Warrnambool team had six nett eagles in their round of 20.3-under par, putting them a little more than a stroke ahead of Kooindah Waters Golf Club (19.2-under) with Willunga Golf Club (18.2-under) a further shot back in third.
Just half a shot separates Ulverstone Golf Club (17.5-under), Moranbah Golf Club (17.1-under) and Bunbury Golf Club (17) but it is Warrnambool who leads the way.
Adamant they are here purely for the experience of playing in a Scramble Championship Final on the Gold Coast, there is motivation to win sitting just beneath the surface.
“We lost the grand final by a point. We don’t want to talk about that,” said Batten of their heartbreaking defeat to arch rivals South Warrnambool in September.
“It’s golf season at the moment.
“We’re enjoying the experience, to be honest, but I think everyone would be joking if they didn’t say they wanted to come up here and win.”
There is an AFL connection in the Kooindah Waters team also, Wyong Lakes teammates Jordan Deeble, Lee Moore, Dean Smith and Mitch McDonald proving to be a formidable combination on the golf course, too.
They recruited Toukley Golf Club Professional Mitchell Brown prior to their Regional Qualifier win at Pacific Dunes and now find themselves in the hunt for a national title.
Crediting Lee ‘Pixie’ Moore for some long bombs in their six eagles and seven birdies on day one, Mitch McDonald also expects the competitive juices to amp up over the final two rounds.
“We saw it as having won already, just getting up here and being so looked after, playing and staying here,” he said.
“It just already feels like a win so we didn’t feel that much pressure.
“A lot of us have played sport most of our lives so we’re going to get on the tee and want to win anyway.”
The Willunga team led by PGA Professional Cameron Bickley had four eagles and 11 birdies to sit in third place while Ulverstone played the front nine in 11-under on their way to a 17.5-under par total.
Moranbah Golf Club’s Kyle Cherry had the honour of hitting the opening tee shot of the tournament on Tuesday only to have nerves take hold and miss the ball entirely.
Despite the ignominy of that moment, Cherry more than made it for up when it mattered, hitting the approach shot and draining the putt for a nett eagle on Moranbah’s final hole as they climbed into fifth position.
Two PGA Professionals have played on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia this season while one team boasts a two-time international winner in 2024 as teams descend on Sanctuary Cove for the 2024 Scramble Championship Final.
Nineteen teams have qualified for an unforgettable week of golf on the Gold Coast with three rounds on The Palms Course at Sanctuary Cove, accommodation at the InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort and nightly functions.
It is the most coveted week for club golfers across the country, one team to return home as national champions.
It has already been a summer of celebrations for Willunga Golf Club in South Australia’s McLaren Vale region.
Host to the Webex Players Series South Australia tournament, Willunga has been in the grip of ‘Spud fever’ with the success of Steve Alderson on the G4D Tour in Europe.
Alderson’s story captured the hearts of golf fans across the globe after he became the first person with autism to win a G4D event.
His winning run continued upon his return home when he took out the Webex All Abilities Players Series event at Willunga and then jetted off to Dubai where he won the nett division of the G4D Tour Series Finale.
Fresh off playing the Australian All Abilities Championship at Kingston Heath, Alderson is joined in the Willunga team by Robert and Sarah Perrau, Di Meyer and PGA Professional Cameron Bickley, who took on the tour pros at Willunga in October.
Another tour pr who has rubbed shoulders with some of the best players in the game is Kiama Golf Club’s Wil Daibarra.
Currently completing the PGA’s Membership Pathway Program, Daibarra won the PGA Associate National Final at Cobram Barooga Golf Club, a win that earned him a start at the BMW Australian PGA Championship.
Round 1 of the Championship Final begins on Tuesday. You can follow scoring each day here.
Scramble Championship Final teams
Kooindah Waters Golf Club, NSW
Mitchell Brown (PGA Professional), Jordan Deeble, Dean Smith, Lee Moore, Mitchell McDonald.
The Links Shell Cove, NSW
David Sadd (PGA Professional), Cos Scazzariello, Bronwyn Sparks, Lorraine Southwell, Darren Sparks.
Nudgee Golf Club, Qld
Stuart Irving (PGA Professional), Hayden Munck, Luke Madden, Mitchell Siebenhausen, Scott Gleeson.
Kiama Golf Club, NSW
Wil Daibarra (PGA Associate), Steven Cupitt, Paul Atkins, Alan Piper, Neil Boles.
Lithgow Golf Club, NSW
Gavin MacPherson (PGA Professional), Harrison Bender, Brandan Horner, Nathan Mitchell, Glenn Piggot.
Pacific Dunes Golf Club, NSW
Brayden Petersen (PGA Professional), Troy Lucas, Anthony Lucas, Andrew Lucas, Anthony Lucas Snr.
Fairbairn Golf Club, ACT
Gary Dowling (PGA Professional), Ben Maroney, Warren Smith, Shawn Eriksen, Brett Halliday.
Toowoomba Golf Club, Qld
Brenton Fowler (PGA Professional), Douglas Gibson, Andrew Woolfe, Ian Watson, Carl Humphrey.
Beaudesert Golf Club, Qld
Lachlan Ritson (PGA Professional), Adrian Paterson, Robert Rochford, Michelle Rochford, Ross Arandale.
Moranbah Golf Club, Qld
Joshua Bevan (PGA Professional), Daniel McGovern, Bransan Giffin, Christopher Cherry, Kyle Cherry.
Proserpine Golf Club, Qld
Roger Vandenberg (PGA Professional), Ian Dunn, Christopher Dunn, Gregory James, Darren Symons.
Laidley Golf Club, Qld
Todd Iffland (PGA Professional), Chris Frangi, Russell Lamb, Lachlan Heshusius, Danillo Livotto.
Willunga Golf Club, SA
Cameron Bickley (PGA Professional), Robert Perrau, Sarah Perrau, Di Meyer, Stephen Alderson.
Ulverstone Golf Club, Tas
Darren Spencer (PGA Professional), Glen Richardson, Andrew Woodward, Justin Tomlin, Mitch Ferguson.
Warrnambool Golf Club, Vic
Ben Ford (PGA Professional), Ross Corbett, Thomas Batten, Matthew Wines, Luke Wines.
Shepparton Golf Club, Vic
Russell Kelly (PGA Professional), Natise Vandenbroek, Cameron Kearney, Marcia Waters, Leanne Bailey.
Maffra Golf Club, Vic
Matthew Portelli (PGA Professional), Luke Clohesy, Peter Alcock, Clinton Gartung, Craig Alcock.
Nedlands Golf Club, WA
Andrew Gott (PGA Professional), Andrew Ogilvie, Ben Unbehaun, Bradley Lyon, Todd Farrell.
Bunbury Golf Club
Jason Chellew (PGA Professional), Nathan Hearn, Bailey Alexander, David Faulkner, David Eckersley.
With his Australian Summer of Golf campaign over, Cam Smith has expressed his desire to repeat the visit back home again on the 2025/26 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
Smith’s run of four tournaments, which was hugely appreciated by everyone connected with Australian golf, started at the Queensland PGA at Nudgee, continued at the Ford NSW Open at Murray Downs and BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland and ended at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open at Kingston Heath.
Although a win proved to be elusive, with two runners-up finishes the best results, he did thrill the crowds with his golf, helping to build crowd figures, broadcast ratings and media coverage.
“I would love to,” Smith said today when asked if would repeat this year’s well received longer return to the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
“I think I’ve got to take that as it comes. As everyone knows now we’re expecting (a baby in March), so I think that’s going to have a big thing to do with it, which was really part of the reason why I wanted to do it this year.
“But we finish (LIV Golf) again in the middle of August, so there’s no reason that I can’t play at least one or two more again.
“I’ve loved doing it … so whether it’s the same two (Tour events) or a different two, I don’t really know, but yeah, I would love to do it again.”
Smith signed off with a birdie at the last of his 288 holes for the Australian summer, posting a round of 71 at Kingston Heath for an Open tally of -3 and a tie for 41st, well short of his goal to win the Stonehaven Cup for the first time.
After an opening round of 65 at Victoria Golf Club, he had moved to 11-under midway through his second round before a back nine of +5 put a severe dent in his chances.
“I guess that back nine on Friday really just kind of hurt and it was kind of hard to get over. I was frustrated and angry that whole night. Got a terrible sleep, up all night thinking about it,” he said.
“I feel like I did a lot right, particularly the three weeks before this, and yeah, when you have nine holes like that, when it kind of comes out the blue like it did, it’s just really frustrating, particularly the spot I was in.
“I didn’t really need to do too much more to be in the golf tournament, so it’s just really frustrating.”
Joaquin Niemann wasn’t in a good mood after he bogeyed his first hole of the third round of the 2024 ISPS HANDA Australian Open.
But his outlook had changed completely 17 holes later when he holed a lengthy par putt to sign off on an 8-under-par 64 at Kingston Heath that has kept his title defence well and truly alive.
After being eight back from overnight leader Lucas Herbert, the Chilean will start the final round just two shots adrift of joint leaders Herbert and Ryggs Johnston.
He says it would be “super nice” to put his name on the Stonehaven Cup for a second time to follow on from his playoff victory at The Australian last year.
“I knew I need to play well because I was way behind,” Niemann said.
“I think in the morning it was a little bit tougher so I took advantage of that. We’re back in it.”
The only bogey of Niemann’s round came at his opener, the par-4 10th. He then collected seven birdies to go with an eagle at the par-5 first.
“I got pretty pissed about that first bogey of the day. At the start of the day, you don’t really want to start with a bogey, especially if you want to move up on the leaderboard.
“Fortunately I made a great putt on 11 and that got me back into it.”
Among the other big movers were West Australian Curtis Luck who shot a 65 to claim to a share of eighth and Switzerland’s Joel Girrbach, who was out in the first group of the morning and carded a 65 of his own. They are both at 11-under, three back.
Lucas Herbert has kept his foot on the pedal to extend his lead at the halfway mark of the ISPS HANDA Australian Open at Kingston Heath but remains very wary of the challenge coming from his Ripper GC captain Cam Smith.
Thanks to a 6-under-par 66 which followed his first day 63 at Victoria Golf Club, Herbert sits at 14-under with a four-shot lead over American Ryggs Johnston (65-68)
A healthy group of six players are tied third at 9-under, headlined by last week’s BMW Australian PGA Champion Elvis Smylie, who produced one of the shots of the day from a fairway bunker to just a few feet to grab a final birdie on 18 to close out an 8-under round of 64.
Tied with Smylie are a string of internationals, with Americans Harry Higgs (68) and Jordan Gumberg (69) continuing their love of the Sandbelt, while DP World Tour players Oliver Lindell (69), Lukas Nemecz (66) and Matthew Southgate (68) are all well placed to try chase down Herbert.
Cam Smith is T16 at 6-under after a 72 today where he shot 5-under on the front nine before slipping up with three bogeys and a double-bogey on his back nine.
Playing in the afternoon sunshine at Kingston Heath today though, the attention was largely on three men – Herbert, Smith, and Smylie, as the wind whipped through Melbourne’s bayside region.
Not wanting to relinquish his overnight lead, Herbert got about scoring fast and early. Eagle, birdie, birdie had the NSW Open champion reach 12-under for the championship before some of the afternoon groups had even started to walk to the first tee.
The scoring slowed from the fourth though, and 12-under is where he would remain as he made the turn.
“I thought it was funny. I played pretty good yesterday, just didn’t really putt that well and then felt like I putted really well today, scrambled really well and the rest of the game was sort of off,” Herbert said.
“So it was kind of funny. It was like two days of polar opposites to have good scores.”
In the group ahead Herbert, two men were making a charge in Smith and Smylie.
Like Smith, Smylie turned in 5-under, but unlike the 2022 Open champion, he was able to keep the foot on the pedal to get himself back in the Open after a modest 1-under 70 at Victoria on day one.
“It felt like the whole group did a really good job at feeding off each other, momentum wise,” said Smylie.
“We holed a lot of putts on the front nine and the course was playing quite scoreable, so I felt like we did a really good job at capitalising on some of those.”
A Herbert bogey on 10, his first of the week, looked as if he may be heading down the Smith route, however the Bendigo boy shook it off quickly with a string of three birdies 13 through 15.
The pin on The Heath’s famous 15th was treacherously tucked in the front funnel, but as Herbert’s tee shot danced around the pin and he tapped in for birdie, it was clear he is a class above this week so far.
“Some tricky tee shots on that back nine and just to stay really positive with the swings I was making, I’m really proud of those last three or four holes there,” Herbert said.
“16 tee shot, not an easy one. The 18 tee shot not an easy one under the circumstances and I thought I handed them really, really well.”
Two weeks ago it was Herbert chasing Smith to claim the NSW Open at Murray Downs, and while he will start Saturday’s round 8-shots clear of the 2022 Open champion, Herbert is not counting him out. After all, he did it to Rory at St Andrews.
“I’m expecting him to make a run,” Herbert said. “I can’t shoot 72-72 this weekend and expect to win this golf tournament.
“There’s a lot of work still to be done, and I’m expecting these guys behind me to make a charge.”
With a first-round of 65 in the bank, and facing soft conditions on the Sandbelt, Cameron Smith has his sights on accumulating a 20-under-par total at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open.
The former Open champion has made no secret of his desire to win his national open and he made a strong start at The Victoria Golf Club today, ending two shots behind leader Lucas Herbert.
His second round will be at Kingston Heath on Friday afternoon where a huge crowd is expected to see how low Smith can go.
“I mean if it stays like this, it probably would be close to 20-under if there’s no wind, which is crazy,” Smith said when asked post-round what score might win this week.
“Usually around here if you get off to a nice start, anywhere in those kind of high singles to maybe 10 or 11 under is a really good score.
“Hopefully it firms up a little bit and it’s a bit of a tougher test.”
After a sluggish start, Smith was +1 through his first four holes but he rattled off six straight birdies either side of the turn to move up the leaderboard.
Back-to-back birdies on his last two holes, the eighth and ninth at Victoria, left the Ripper GC captain in a good mood.
“I didn’t do really much wrong today,” he said.
“It was a bit of a slow start, obviously being so early, getting up so early.
“I think just a bit draggy there at the start and then finally woke up, the coffee worked and I got on a good roll there through the turn.
“I didn’t do too much wrong from probably the second or third hole.”
Playing with Smith, new BMW Australian PGA champion Elvis Smylie slipped to +3 after seven holes before fighting back to post a 1-under 70.
Australian Golf is toasting a new partnership with Australian drinks specialist Liquorland ahead of the highly anticipated 2024 ISPS HANDA Australian Open in Melbourne.
As part of an expanded three-year partnership, Liquorland, which has more than 800 stores across Australia, will be a major partner of Golf Australia and its flagship tournament, the ISPS HANDA Australian Open.
A standout feature of this partnership will be the Liquorland Lounge, a premium activation within The 19th fan experience zone at Kingston Heath Golf Club on Melbourne’s famed Sandbelt during this year’s ISPS HANDA Australian Open from November 28 to December 1.
Positioned overlooking the iconic 10th tee and fairway, the Liquorland Lounge in The 19th will set a new benchmark for fan experiences offering a vibrant fusion of golf, premium beverages and a buzzing social atmosphere. Guests can enjoy the official beverages of the tournament – from award-winning wines by James Busby to the renowned Canard-Duchêne from France’s idyllic Champagne region.
With daily highlights including a Canard-Duchêne sabrage ceremony by Chef de Cave Laurent Fédou, and freshly shucked rock oysters sourced from Flinders Oysters on Phillip Island, finished with a Canard-Duchêne Champagne mignonette, visitors will be able to treat themselves in style whilst enjoying all The Open has to offer.
Australia’s drinks specialist will also be a partner of the PGA of Australia, Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland and Australian WPGA Championship at Sanctuary Cove.
Michael McDonald, Chief Commercial Officer for PGA of Australia and Golf Australia said: “We are delighted to welcome Liquorland to Australian Golf’s family of partners as we continue to experience significant growth in both the professional and amateur sides of the game.
“We’re looking forward to collaborating with Liquorland to enhance our Summer of Golf, particularly with their upcoming Liquorland Lounge activation at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open.
“Their support will also assist with achieving our goals at both the PGA of Australia and Golf Australia where we are dedicated to enhancing the game.”
Coles Liquor Chief Executive Officer Michael Courtney said: “We’re proud to be a major partner of Australian Golf for the next three years. Golf is a sport that resonates with many for the social connection it brings to players and spectators alike. This partnership is a fantastic opportunity to marry our favourite drinks to an iconic celebration of sporting excellence as the temperature and tournament heat up.
“We look forward to welcoming visitors to our Liquorland Lounge at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open, where guests can raise a glass with the finest Champagne from Canard-Duchêne and the rich flavours of James Busby wines while enjoying the fine foods offered throughout the tournament.”
—
About Liquorland
Liquorland is a liquor retailer that launched in Australia in 1971. Its more than 800 national stores offer customers great value wine, beer and spirits for every occasion.
Driven to make shopping more convenient and accessible, Liquorland offers 30-minute Click & Collect and 90-minute Express Delivery via liquorland.com.au.
Customers can also earn Flybuys points for every dollar they spend in-store and online.
Liquorland supports the responsible consumption of alcohol and is a founding member of DrinkWise (get the facts DrinkWise.org.au). Liquorland is owned by Coles Liquor along with other national liquor retailers First Choice Liquor Market and Vintage Cellars.
