Birdies on his final two holes secured Page, who only turned pro last year, a one-shot win over a group of three NSW professionals – Bryce Hohnen, James Conran and Robbie Minns.

Page secured his Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia card at Qualifying School at Moonah Links in April and has had a best finish of equal eighth at the Heritage Classic in his rookie Tour season to sit 65^th on the Order of Merit.

After missing out on qualifying for this week’s New Zealand Open, a pro-am victory with soothe some of that disappointment ahead of the Tour finale at The National in a fortnight.

Like Page, Hohnen and Minns posted their 66s in the morning wave, while Conran’s 5-under was the best of the afternoon field.

HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED

Starting his round on the second hole in the morning shotgun start, Page had five straight pars on one of the layout’s most testing stretches of holes before gaining some momentum with birdies on the seventh and ninth.

It was a late charge that secured his win, with the Victorian picking up four shots in his last five holes, including back-to-back birdies on the par-5 18th and first.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAID

“I had a quick look at the course with a mate when we drove up on Monday. It’s a lovely course with some great views,” Page said of the beachside course.

“I missed a couple of putts early but got it going late then drained a few nice 10-footers to keep things rolling.”

LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN

65: Nathan Page

66: Bryce Hohnen, Robbie Minns, James Conran

67: Sung Park, Luke Parker

68: William Bruyeres, Andrew Richards, Arthur Barakat, Alexander Simpson, Dillon Hart, Gavin Fairfax, Patrick Joseph

NEXT UP

The 2023/24 adidas PGA Pro-Am Series reaches its conclusion in Victoria next week with events at Northern, Keysborough, Eynesbury and Geelong.

After making a rare appearance on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series at Waratah on Wednesday, Bridges found form in familiar territory at Toukley.

His 7-under 65 was five clear of Josh Clarke (70), Jonathan Pepper (70) and Gavin Fairfax (70) and is particularly well timed given he will marry Alexa this weekend.

“Managed to get a couple of days off. Played Waratah yesterday where I crumbled coming home but was able to get the win today,” said Bridges, who played regularly on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia from 2015-2018.

“Got my wedding coming up on Saturday so was able to get a couple of dollars to pay off the nice, cheap wedding that’s about to happen.”

HOW THE ROUND UNFOLDED

The Newcastle native wasted little time in making an impression on the leaderboard in the afternoon wave.

He birdied his opening hole – the par-4 18th – and then expertly navigated his way around the twisting, tight Toukley layout.

Bridges made it two-from-two when he birdied the par-5 first and then went one better when he made eagle at the par-5 fourth.

His lone bogey of the round came at the par-4 fifth but he made further birdies at seven, nine, 12 and 17 to win by five, capping off a spectacular round with a 50-footer for birdie on his final hole to better Mitchell Brown’s previous course record of 66 by one.

WHAT THE WINNER SAID

“Everything just went my way today.

“I hit it really well and holed heaps of putts. When I put myself in a bad spot I was able to get away with it. And capped it off at the last with a nice 50-footer to shoot seven (under).

“It’s tight off the tee and you’ve got to shape your shots off the tee. I was able to get myself in the middle of the fairway on pretty much every hole. If I was off the fairway I was only just off.

“I was able to get myself in play and then give myself good chances and managed to hole them.

“It all lined up for me.”

LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1          Clayton Bridges            65
T2        Josh Clarke                   70
T2        Jonathan Pepper          70
T2        Gavin Fairfax                70
T2        Aaron Townsend          70
T6        Michael Smyth             71
T6        Dylan Grogan              71
T6        Larry Austin                 71
T6        Alexander Simpson      71
T6        William Bruyeres          71
T6        Anthony Choat            71
T6        Robert Hogan              71

NEXT UP

There is a double booking of adidas PGA Pro-Am Series events on Friday with the Hahn Shelly Beach Golf Club Pro-Am on the NSW Central Coast and the De Bortoli Heidelberg Golf Club Pro-Am in Melbourne.

An ace at the 144-metre par-3 third was the major highlight in Richards’ round of 7-under 64, good enough to finish one clear of Victorian Nathan Page (65) with Josh Clarke (66) and Aiden Didone (66) sharing third.

With his driver wayward for much of the round, Richards leant on his wedge play to post a score in the morning wave, including a perfectly executed pitching wedge at the third hole.

“I hit a pitching wedge,” Richards said of the club selection that yielded his ace.

“I was in between clubs; had 9-iron and then switched back to the pitching wedge and gave it a good hit.

“I couldn’t see it, couldn’t see where the hole was exactly but it landed about eight feet behind it and spun back in.”

Pick it out of the hole and pose.

Congrats to Andrew Richards on his hole-in-one on the 144m 3rd hole at Waratah Golf Club in today's Waratah Pro-Am.#adidasPGAProAmSeries pic.twitter.com/Egx0F3bn4X

— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) February 28, 2024

HOW THE ROUND UNFOLDED

Two bogeys in his opening five holes gave little indication of the fireworks that were to follow.

Starting his round from the 10th tee, Richards made bogey at 10 and 14, offset slightly by a birdie at the par-5 12th.

A birdie on 16 allowed the 27-year-old to make the turn at even par and then he unleashed a scoring blitz on the Waratah Golf Club front nine.

Birdies at one and two were trumped by the ace on three, adding further birdies on five, seven and nine for a front nine of 7-under 28 and a breakthrough win.

Nathan Page had a hot streak in the middle of his round of 6-under 65, peeling off five birdies in six holes around the turn to snare outright second.

WHAT THE WINNER SAID

“The course was soft but you could tell that the greens were going to be spinning but they held up really well all day.

“I hit a lot of good wedges today. Early on I hit some pretty bad drives so I would pitch it out and then pitch it close.

“I only hit one fairway on the par 5s and I made par on that one.

“Just wedging it close and being tidy around the greens.”

LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1          Andrew Richards          64
2          Nathan Page                65
T3        Josh Clarke                   66
T3        Aiden Didone              66
5          Nathan Miller               67
T6        Jason Perkin                 68
T6        Jayden Cripps              68

NEXT UP

The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series remains in the NSW Hunter Valley on Thursday for the Great Northern Toukley Pro-Am at Toukley Golf Club before returning to Melbourne on Friday for the De Bortoli Heidelberg Golf Club Pro-Am at Heidelberg Golf Club.

The Head PGA Professional at Yarrambat Park Golf Course, Gillard’s pro-am starts have been infrequent yet his recent form has raised the possibility of returning to Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School in April.

Winner of the Maffra Pro-Am on December 11 and runner-up at Settlers Run on January 5, Gillard’s 6-under 65 in the morning round at Cardinia Beaconhills Golf Links would hold up all afternoon as Alex Edge (66), Kyle Michel (66) and Wade Lowrie (66) all got within one. Cameron Kelly and Lachlan Armour would round out the top five with rounds of 4-under 67.

HOW THE ROUND UNFOLDED

Starting his round from the 11th tee, Gillard was quick out of the blocks.

He birdied his second hole and then added two more at 14 and 15 to be 3-under after five.

A dropped shot at 16 was quickly forgotten with birdies at 17 and 18, heading to the front nine at 4-under par.

A second bogey at the par-3 second threatened to suck the life out of a round that showed so much promise early but he steadied with birdies at three and seven, separating himself from the field with a closing birdie at the par-5 10th.

WHAT THE WINNER SAID

“I haven’t been playing that much but when I have been playing I’ve been hitting it really straight, which is a nice change, and the putter has been running a little bit hot.

“It’s been really nice for everything to be clicking.

“I did not touch a club at all (over Christmas). The 5-under at Settlers Run was a surprise and it’s a surprise again today.

“I really worked on my game last year and didn’t get the results that I wanted. It’s just shining through now.

“Q School is definitely on the radar. Haven’t made my decision just yet though. Need to see how things align with that but it’s definitely an option.

“I wouldn’t mind seeing a little bit more of this form before I dive more deeply back into it.

“It’s very nice to be able to turn up and actually post a nice score and enjoy your day.”

LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1          Brock Gillard                65
T2        Wade Lowrie                66
T2        Alex Edge                    66
T2        Kyle Michel                   66
T5        Cameron Kelly              67
T5        Lachlan Armour           67

NEXT UP

The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series heads north into New South Wales on Wednesday for the 35 Latitude Waratah Pro-Am at Waratah Golf Club in Newcastle.

While McLellan banked his birdies before the weather turned foul, Michel was forced to play catch-up.

The pair both finished the day with rounds of 2-under 68, along with Ryan Lynch (69) the only three players in the field to break par.

PNG Open champion Lachlan Barker (71) and Victorian Andrew Kelly (71) were tied fourth at 1-over par, one clear of Jose De Sousa (72) and Jack Murdoch (72).

HOW THE ROUND UNFOLDED

Starting from the fifth tee, Michel bogeyed each of his opening two holes. He got back to even par with birdies at 13 and 14 and then moved into red figures with a birdie at the par-4 17th.

He dropped back to even par again with a bogey on 18 but took advantage of the par-5 third and short par-4 fourth to match McLellan’s score of 2-under.

McLellan began his round from the ninth tee and quickly made an impression on the leaderboard.

Three birdies on the trot from the par-5 11th and a fourth at the tricky par-4 16th had him 4-under through seven holes.

The weather turned not long after, McLellan only faltering at the 18th and fourth holes on his way into the clubhouse.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAID

Kyle Michel: “I got off to a bit of a slow start, starting bogey-bogey, but managed to claw it back with a couple of birdies right before the really bad weather came in this afternoon.

“Managed to hold it together and knew that I had a couple of easier holes coming in and managed to finish off with a couple of birdies to get to 2-under.”

Brad McLellan: “I started on the ninth hole today and had a couple of pars to start. Birdied 11, 12, 13 and 16 and was just hanging on from there.

“The weather started to get pretty wild at about 16. It was raining sideways for most of the rest of the round so had a couple of bogeys coming in but managed to hold it together.”

LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN

T1        Kyle Michel                   68
T1        Bradley McLellan          68
3          Ryan Lynch                  69
T4        Lachlan Barker              71
T4        Andrew Kelly                71

NEXT UP

The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series resumes on Monday, January 15 with the PK Community Foundation Pro-Am on the North Course at Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club.

Setting a new tournament low, Wood’s round of 7-under 65 was two strokes to the better of Brock Billard (67) and Brett Coletta (67) with a group of five players finishing a further stroke back at 4-under.

The Victorian PGA champion at Moonah Links three years ago, Wood has come out of the Christmas break with intent for the second half of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season.

With the season to resume next week at the Heritage Classic, the Brisbane native will take confidence from a win built on the work he has put in since the ISPS HANDA Australian Open.

“I had a week off after the Aussie Open and I wanted to come out and play well in these pro-ams and get off to a good start into the second half of the season,” said Wood.

“I didn’t get off to a great start last year for the second half of the season so I wanted to pull my finger out and not have such a long break.

“Put the work in and obviously it has paid off today.”

HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED

Starting his round from the 14th tee, it was not until midway through his round that Wood began to make an impression on the leaderboard.

A birdie at his opening hole was encouraging and he followed it with a second two holes later at the par-5 16th.

Three pars preceded a dropped shot at the par-3 second but birdies at four, six and seven put him in contention for his first adidas PGA Pro-Am Series win since victory at his home club in November at the Bartons/BMD Wynnum Pro-Am.

A birdie at the par-5 ninth saw Wood draw level with Gillard’s morning total of 5-under, pulling clear with further birdies at 10 and 13.

WHAT THE WINNER SAID

“It was a round that I kept building on as the round went on.

“I didn’t really get off to a great start but just stayed in the round and capitalised on the holes that I should have birdied and made some good pars.

“Playing this event the past three or four years, the scoring hasn’t really been that great.

“That is obviously a testament to how tough the course can play, generally.

“It is a long course so with a round like today it’s going to give me a lot of confidence for next week and the weeks to follow.”

LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN

1          Christopher Wood      65
T2        Brock Gillard                67
T2        Brett Coletta                67
T4        William Bruyeres          68
T4        Ben Wharton               68
T4        Darcy Boyd                  68
T4        Andre Lautee               68
T4        Andrew Kelly               68

NEXT UP

Next stop on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series is the Geelong BMW Lonsdale Links Pro-Am at Lonsdale Links.

The first adidas PGA Pro-Am Series event for 2024 was also Boyd’s first since rolling his ankle and having to withdraw during the final round of the WA Open at Joondalup Resort in October.

Such was his limited preparation – which included marrying long-time partner Danni Vasquez on December 9 – Boyd didn’t consider that good play in the club comps back home warranted entry into the $40,000 event.

With Tour winners such as Tom Power Horan, Matthew Griffin, Austin Bautista and Zach Murray teeing it up alongside AFL stars Christian Petracca and Angus Brayshaw, NRL star Ryan Papenhuyzen and TV and radio personality Andy Lee, it was Boyd who stole the show with a clutch par putt on the final hole for a round of 7-under 64.

“I was umming and aahing whether to come down because it was my first event and I hadn’t really played any competitive golf for three months,” Boyd revealed after securing his first adidas PGA Pro-Am Series win.

“I’d been playing all right at home but I wasn’t sure whether I should come back and compete against such a solid field to start.

“It’s paid dividends.”

HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED

After fellow New South Welshman Lucas Higgins set the morning mark with a round of 6-under 65, Boyd burst out of the blocks.

Par at the opening hole was followed by four straight birdies to suddenly draw within two of the lead with 13 holes still to play.

Birdies at eight and 11 saw Boyd draw level with Higgins but the pair soon had company, Power Horan also posting a score of 6-under 65.

Power Horan saw a birdie try slide by on his final hole to stay at 6-under as Boyd traded a birdie on 13 with a bogey on 14.

A brilliant approach to eight feet to set up birdie at the par-4 17th would prove crucial, Boyd rolling in the four-footer for par on 18 to send his wife and caddie into raptures.

Darcy Boyd for 64 and the win at the @Portseagolfclub Celebrity Pro-Am
And…… this happens with his wife of just a few weeks Danni watching on#adidasPGAProAmSeries pic.twitter.com/BVAbrAIz0m

— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) January 3, 2024

WHAT THE WINNER SAID

“I actually had pretty good speed control today and I was conscious of the fact that it might get away from me after the hole,” Boyd said of his winning putt.

“Still blasted it through a bit but I putted well inside six feet all day.

“I was on a bit of a roll this year. Got my Tour card and life was going well. Made the cut at the WA Open and was going well in the fourth round and then rolled my ankle on the left side and didn’t play for three months.

“That was pretty heartbreaking considering I committed fully to golf this year. I gave up my job and we’ve been travelling and trying to play as much as we could. I felt like I was starting to kick some goals.

“It’s not an over-use injury, it’s not something that you really see coming, it was just a bit unlucky.

“This one is pretty special to get it done, first one back out of the blocks.

“Danni’s a superstar. She was so good today, she was so positive. It’s pretty easy to put things in perspective when you’ve had some bad luck over the last 18 months.”

LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN

1          Darcy Boyd                  64
T2        Lucas Higgins              65
T2        Tom Power Horan        65
T4        Aiden Didone              66
T4        Cameron John              66
T4        Michael Wright            66
T4        Matt Jager                    66

NEXT UP

The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series moves up into Melbourne on Friday for the 2024 Harcourts Langwarrin Pro-Am at Settlers Run Golf & Country Club.

Leading by two after a 6-under 66 on day one, Fairfax found the Traralgon layout trickier in Round 2.

One-over through his first four holes, Fairfax responded with consecutive birdies at five and six but would par his next 12 holes for a round of 1-under 71.

That opened the door for Bruyeres who bounced back from a double-bogey at his opening hole in Round 2 to post 4-under 68 and match Fairfax’s total of 7-under par.

From there the pair headed for a playoff, Fairfax’s par at the first extra hole enough to secure the outright win.

“It was tough. It wasn’t the start I had yesterday,” Fairfax conceded.

“I was 1-over through two so a bit of a slow start but I managed to hit a good shot at the fifth, the par 3 and then got one back on the par 5 after it, too.

“From there I hit a lot of greens but not close enough to make any birdies. Just hung in there. Hit a good drive down the last but didn’t get up and down but lucky enough to get up in the playoff.”

HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED

As Fairfax struggled to find the decisive birdies to hold the challengers at bay, Bruyeres made his charge with one of the best rounds on day two.

He dropped to five shots back of Fairfax when he made double-bogey at his opening hole, the par-4 17th, but headed to the first tee on the back of a birdie on 18.

He played the front nine in 3-under thanks to birdies at four, seven and eight and then closed with two birdies in his final four holes to match Fairfax, the pair finishing one clear of Matt Millar (69).

Neither player found the fairway with their tee shots in the playoff – Fairfax missing left, Bruyeres right – but it was Fairfax who recovered best.

From beneath a tree but with a clear shot to the green, Fairfax hit his second to 10 feet behind the hole.

Believing Bruyeres would make his par putt, Fairfax ran his birdie try six feet past the hole, making the come-backer to claim victory.

WHAT THE WINNER SAID

“I was just hoping that my ball was going to be OK,” Fairfax said of his wayward tee shot in the playoff.

“I knew Will was headed off right and had some sort of shot and managed to hit a pretty good recovery shot.

“Walking down I was just praying for some kind of break. I got half a break with a clear shot to the green from under a tree and managed to put that on. Had a fair run at the first putt and left a little bit too much meat on it coming back but managed to make the one coming back to seal it up.”

LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1          Gavin Fairfax                66-71—137
2          William Bruyeres          69-68—137
3          Matthew Millar            69-69—138
T4        Alexander Simpson     68-71—139
T4        Andrew Kelly               68-71—139
T4        Adam Burdett              69-70—139
T4        Josh Younger               68-71—139

NEXT UP

The final adidas PGA Pro-Am Series event before the Christmas break is on Saturday with The Middle of Everywhere Yarram Pro-Am at Yarram Golf Club. The season will resume on January 3 with the Peninsula Sotheby’s Portsea Celebrity Pro-Am.

Wet weather again impacted the Gippsland swing of the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series but four players dealt with it best.

Matt Dowling, Finlay Bellingham, Brock Gillard and Ben Paine all posted 4-under 68 to share the victory, all four doing so in a variety of different ways.

It was a breakthrough win to remember, in particular, for Dowling, who turned pro back in 2011.

“Very bizarre. Not how I pictured it,” said Dowling.

“Camping by the first tee in Gippsland, got my first win that way after being a pro for a few years and not even being close.”

It was a timely win too for Paine, who had been struggling for confidence in recent weeks.

“It’s good to be back playing some decent golf when I was pretty close to quitting three weeks ago,” Paine admitted.

HOW THE WINNING ROUNDS UNFOLDED

Two in the morning, two in the afternoon and none better than a 68.

Bellingham and Paine were out in the morning wave and had contrasting ends to their round, Bellingham making birdie on 18 while Paine made bogey at each of his final two holes, including a three-putt at the last.

Gillard began his round with a birdie and finished it in the same manner while Dowling was left to thank the stars he slept under the night before for a stroke of good fortune.

Playing the par-4 ninth, Dowling caught such a flyer with his second shot that it hit the Maffra Golf Club clubhouse, which is considered out of bounds.

Thankfully for Dowling, his ball bounced back in bounds into a garden bed from which he was entitled to a free drop.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAID

Matt Dowling: “I woke up and I was floating. Definitely an interesting night. Massive thunderstorm rolled through at about 4am. Woke up dry, but not ideal.

“I hit it pretty good but got very, very lucky on the ninth hole. I got a bit of a flyer and got a nice break off the clubhouse into a garden bed and made an up-and-down for a four. That calmed me down quite a lot actually because I was getting a bit frustrated but that helped me to keep the mind quiet the rest of the day.”

Brock Gillard: “Definitely had the driver going today, which is probably the difference from my rounds lately. Got the ball in play and the putter was pretty rock solid today too.

“I changed coaches back in May and while there’s been a lot of good stuff it hasn’t shown up on the scorecard but things are moving in the right direction.

Finlay Bellingham: “I birdied the first two par 5s. I was hitting the driver pretty poor – didn’t hit many fairways – but scrapped it around. Holed a few putts and hit my irons really well.

“I made a poor double-bogey followed by a three-putt bogey but brought it home well. Hit a good shot on 16, the par 3, and finished with a birdie on 18.”

Ben Paine: “Coming off yesterday where I bogeyed my last four to have 1-under I was pretty keen to have a good round.

“I played the par 5s pretty well and hit a few close wedge shots coming in.

“Unfortunately I bogeyed my last two again and three-putted the last but all up it was a pretty solid day.”

LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
T1        Finlay Bellingham         68
T1        Ben Paine                     68
T1        Brock Gillard                68
T1        Matt Dowling               68
5          Adam McLean              69

NEXT UP

The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series breaks new ground on Tuesday with the inaugural Sporting Legends Sale Pro-Am at Sale Golf Club.