The $25,000 two-day pro-am on the New South Wales Mid North Coast drew a high quality field, a number of whom travelled down after playing the NT PGA Championship.

Martin and Hart both played at Palmerston Golf and Country Club, Martin playing all four rounds while Hart missed the cut in his first start on the PGA Tour of Australasia.

Hart trailed Queensland’s Harrison Wills (68) and New South Welshman Apostolos Tsolakis (68) by two shots after the opening round at Port Macquarie Golf Club before strong winds on day two put the squeeze on scoring.

Hart and Martin were the only two players in the field to complete both rounds under par, Hart following up an opening round of 2-under 70 with a 1-under 71, Martin leaving it late to post the equal best score of Round 2 – 2-under 70 – to join Hart at 3-under.

Level with Hart at 3-under through 16 holes, Martin made what looked to be a costly bogey on 17 but leant on his stellar wedge play to make birdie at the 506-metre par-5 18th playing directly into the wind.

“Seventeen was a really bad bogey from 90 metres out with a wedge,” Martin said post-round.

“I wasn’t too happy standing on the 18th tee.

“Straight back into the wind, I probably hit my drive better today than I did yesterday and I was 50 metres behind where I was in the first round.

“I was 50 metres out for my third, straight into the breeze and I hit a really good pitch close enough for a tap-in.”

If it was his finish that sealed a share of victory, it was Martin’s work around the turn in Round 2 that put him in position to win.

One-over on his round after bogeys at seven and eight, Martin made eagle at the par-5 10th and then added a birdie at the difficult par-4 11th to move back into red figures for the day and the tournament.

“Once I did that I did glimpse at the leaderboard,” Martin said of picking up three shots in the space of two holes.

“I didn’t take much notice of it until then but thought I’d better have a bit of a look. I hit a couple of wayward drives after that so maybe I shouldn’t have.

“I struggled to get the right wind direction for a lot of the round but the putter was pretty good today which was probably my saving grace.”

After earning his card at Q School, this is Hart’s fourth adidas PGA Pro-Am Series win of the year and a confidence-boosting bounce-back after his missed cut in the Northern Territory.

“It’s nice to turn that around and come down here and get a win today,” said the Gold Coaster.

“I knew it was going to be a grind. We knew the wind was coming in early so tried to get away OK, play safe and plot my way around.

“The ball-striking was pretty good to be able to control it in the wind out there and just stayed consistent with the putter.

“Managed to hole a few putts here and there and sure enough it came off.”

The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series continues to move south with the Kew Country Club Pro-Am on Thursday to be followed by the two-day Hawks Nest Beachside Pro-Am starting Friday.

Final scores and prizemoney

Sponsored by Belle Property, the Bulimba Pro-Am is one of few played on a nine-hole par-3 course, players taking two trips around the layout.

The trio of winners was befitting the unique tournament with former PGA TOUR player Michael Sim, veteran Mark Harrison and prolific All Abilities winner Lachlan Wood all posting rounds of 4-under 50 to share the spoils.

Following on from his recent wins at the Optilease Redcliffe Pro-Am and the Queensland PGA Foursomes Championship with Jack Munro, Sim had to fire late to match the mark set by both Harrison and Wood.

Two birdies in his final three holes brought Sim level but he needed to convert an eight-foot par putt on the last to finish tied at the top.

“I actually hit a close shot into the first and missed it,” revealed Sim, pictured with Bulimba Golf Club General Manager Neil Harrington and Mark Harrison.

“I made the turn in 1-under and felt like teeing the ball up. We don’t hit many lob wedges and sand wedges off a tee and just felt like the ball was going a little further.

“I got that going on the back nine, made a couple of putts late and got up-and-down on the last for par.”

The Golf Operations Manager at Maryborough Golf Club, it was a rare adidas PGA Pro-Am Series appearance for Harrison.

He estimated that his last win was some 15 years ago in Western Australian but produced four birdies in the space of five holes to match the best of the day.

“I just made sure to hit the greens and kept it in play,” Harrison said.

“Didn’t miss many by too far – might have had to only chip one – and the others I just putted from just off the green.

“Think I started with nine straight pars and just kept it pretty patient.”

The Bulimba Golf Club has bounced back spectacularly after the course and clubhouse were inundated by floods a couple of years ago.

With strong support from the local community, General Manager Neil Harrington and Assistant Manager Emily Holden have overseen a clubhouse renovation and brought the course back to wonderful condition for one of the players’ most popular stops of the season.

Final scores and prizemoney

Hailing from Narrabri an hour north of Gunnedah, Matt Stieger knew what to expect from the Gunnedah layout while Will Bayliss, a first year PGA Associate at Pymble Golf Club, was coming in blind.

It mattered little by day’s end as the pair posted rounds of 4-under 66 to finish one clear of James Grierson (67) and Luke Ryan (67).

The 2012 NSW PGA champion, Stieger has tasted success previously at Gunnedah, winning in 2015 and finishing second in 2018 and 2019. He again revelled in being back among familiar faces on a course he knows well.

“I was fortunate enough to win this Pro-Am a few years ago so it’s always good to come back home and show my face,” said Stieger.

“There’s obviously a bit more pressure when everyone knows who you are so it’s good to come out and put together a win.

“Some of these holes, you stand up on the tee and look down the fairway and it doesn’t even look like there’s fairway there because it’s so tight.

“Growing up around here and playing around here was awesome and certainly gave me a little bit of local knowledge today.”

There was no such local knowledge for Bayliss who relied on stellar iron play and a hot putter to match Stieger’s tally.

Formerly based out of Manly Golf Club, Bayliss started the Membership Pathway Program at Pymble this year and was thrilled to test his game against seasoned tour players.

“It feels really good. Happy to be out here and to be given the opportunity as a first-year trainee to be able to play these pro-ams,” said Bayliss.

“Absolutely love having the ability to come out here and compete with these guys. Hopefully I can go on with it in the future.”

The small, saucer-style greens found on country courses may not be what Bayliss is accustomed to but Bayliss took to the Gunnedah putting surfaces with aplomb.

He played the four par 3s in 2-under par with a mix of good iron play and some lengthy birdie putts.

“The irons were on today so I was able to go at some pins that I wouldn’t normally go at,” said Bayliss.

“Mind you, if you just get it on the green here you’re going to have some 20-footers and I was able to hole a couple of those which helped to keep the momentum going.

“It was nice to hole a couple of putts and if I missed the green I was able to get up and down which certainly helped the score.”

The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series now has a short break before resuming with the 36-hole Better Homes Port Macquarie Pro-Am at Port Macquarie Golf Club from August 22.

Final scores and prizemoney

A highly-coveted championship won by the likes of Ian Baker-Finch and Jeff Woodland, Terry and John Price, Jeff Senior and Peter McWhinney and Ryan Haller and Wayne Perske, 100 PGA Professionals competed across three divisions over two rounds at the acclaimed Kooralbyn Valley layout.

In addition to the Foursomes Championship, there were trophies and prizemoney on offer for the leading two PGA Associates and the leading two over the age of 50 for the senior champions.

A two-time former winner with Matt Ballard in 2015 and 2018, Sim’s second victory in succession with Munro makes it four in total and a strong representation on the perpetual trophy.

“There are a lot of great names on that trophy and therefore to see mine on there a number of times is a great feeling,” said Sim.

“Foursomes is a tough game though I have been thankful I have had really good partners who are great communicators. I think that is a key to a good partnership.”

Sim and Munro were tied with Brenton Fowler and Mitch Dunbar after morning rounds of 1-under 71 but they separated themselves from the field with a 3-under 69 in the afternoon to finish five clear of Gavin Fairfax and Brett Rankin (75-70).

David Merriman and Don Edwards won the Queensland PGA Senior Foursomes Championship after rounds of 73 and 75 with Dylan Knox and Jordan Rooke taking out the Queensland PGA Associate Foursomes Championship by one stroke from Bailey Arnott and Josh Holbrook.

“There were some tough pin positions out there today and when combined with a really long course, it is pleasing to have been able to put a couple of solid rounds together,” said Merriman.

Knox and Rooke are both first year PGA Associates, Rooke playing Kooralbyn for the very first time.

“It isn’t an easy layout to play when you haven’t played here before,” Rooke admitted.

“Dylan guided me around the course nicely and we managed to keep the big numbers off the scorecard.”

The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series now moves to New South Wales, starting with the Gunnedah Kelaher Industrial Pro-Am at Gunnedah Golf Club on Friday.

Final scores and prizemoney

Chasing his first adidas PGA Pro-Am Series win of the year, Fairfax was the best of the morning wave with a round of 5-under 67, Hart making his run late to earn a share of victory, his second in the space of three days.

A regular visitor to the iconic Kooralbyn Valley west of the Gold Coast, Fairfax got a rude shock when he pulled into the car park yet got out to a hot start.

A birdie at his opening hole – the par-4 16th – was the ideal way to warm into his round, adding two more at one and four to be 3-under through seven holes.

A bogey at the dramatically downhill par-3 fifth was a slight setback Fairfax countered with birdies at seven and eight, two further birdies in his final three holes helping to set a score that no one would better.

“It was a fresh start because I played in the morning. I remember getting here and looked at the thermometer on the car and it said 4.5 degrees. She was fresh,” said Fairfax, pictured second from left, with Mark Cooper (Power’s), Kooralbyn Valley Operations Manager Jeremy Parry, Kooralbyn Valley owner Peter Huang and Hart.

“I made a couple of birdies in the first few holes which was nice. Couple of decent saves during the round which kept the momentum going and managed to get a decent score in the end.”

One of the form players on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series, Hart was even par through nine holes after starting his round with a birdie at the par-5 fourth.

It would be a different par 5, however, the par-5 13th, that would turn his fortunes around.

Eagle there was followed by birdies at 17, 18 and two as Hart added to his recent wins at Pioneer Valley and Windaroo Lakes.

“The course was in great condition and I had a chance to get out there this afternoon and try and catch Gavin,” said the Gold Coast-based Hart.

“It was nice to get out there and do that.

“There was a sneaky eagle down there on one of the par 5s that got me going a bit. That got me to 2-under and gave me a chance for the last five to six holes to catch up.”

Fairfax and coach Richard Harris often use Kooralbyn Valley as a training base, Fairfax praising the presentation of the Desmond Muirhead layout.

“I play out here a fair bit actually,” Fairfax added. “Some Mondays I come out with my coach and we do a bit of work out here.

It’s the best I’ve seen it since I’ve been coming out here the past couple of years.”

Fairfax and Hart finished one stroke clear of Redcliffe Pro-Am winner Michael Sim (68) and Jayden Cripps (68), William Bruyeres rounding out the top five with a round of 3-under 69.

The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series is at Kooralbyn again Monday for the Queensland Foursomes Championship before moving south into New South Wales for the Gunnedah Kelaher Industrial Pro-Am at Gunnedah Golf Club on Friday.

Final scores and prizemoney

The first adidas PGA Pro-Am Series event to be played at Brisbane River Golf Club since 1996, 44 players teed it up at the par-66 layout but found its short, twisting holes a unique challenge.

The best score in the morning wave was 3-over par, giving Rankin cause for consideration before teeing off in the afternoon.

A Brisbane native, Rankin recalled playing the course with his primary school best mate, Wayne, and their two fathers at 11 years of age but came with a fresh approach after seeing the morning struggles on the leaderboard.

“I don’t remember the course at all. I remember the clubhouse and that’s about it,” said Rankin.

“It’s a golf course that you have to be very smart with. Being very strategic with your game-plan.

“I saw the scores this morning and saw that everyone was struggling a little bit. Thought maybe everyone was trying to be too aggressive.

“I played very smart today, hit a lot of irons off tees and just hit it where I could see it.

“I saw no one was really doing much so I thought if I kept it simple and made a few putts it might be enough to win the day.”

Rankin went bogey-free in his round of 4-under 62, enough for a two-stroke winner from Windaroo Lakes joint winner Aiden Didone (64) with Will Bruyeres (65) the only other player under par.

A former winner of the NT PGA Championship, Rankin will play the Power’s Lager Kooralbyn Valley Pro-Am on Sunday and the Queensland Foursomes Championship on Monday before heading to Palmerston Golf and Country Club.

“There’s not going to be a lot of rest before NT PGA but I’ll take a few weeks off after,” said Rankin, who returned to the top of the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series Order of Merit with his Brisbane River victory.

“The body’s pretty sore at the moment so I just want to try and get through NT, play good, rest up and then start looking after the body a bit.”

For the second event in succession there was also a hole-in-one at Brisbane River, Barrie Manning using 9-iron at the 130-metre par-3 16th, the ball rolling down off the bank on the left of the green, hitting the flag at decent pace and dropping in.

Final scores and prizemoney

The winding, challenging Windaroo Lakes layout south of Brisbane provided a stern test for the field of 58 players, drizzly conditions only adding to the challenge.

Didone was out in the morning wave and was the first to post 5-under 67, starting his round with seven straight pars before peeling off four straight birdies from the 10th hole to surge up the leaderboard.

“Started off a little slow, parred my first seven holes and then holed a nice long putt on my 10th hole to get me going,” said Didone, pictured left-to-right with sponsor Rob Bruhl from TruHealth Solutions, Hart and Windaroo Lakes Head Professional, Tanner Jackson.

“I went on a bit of a run from there with four birdies in a row.

“Few tough holes to finish but not bogeys today which was really good.”

It was a score that looked like it would hold up for the entirety afternoon until Hart stepped forward.

Having started from the 14th tee, Hart was 2-under and back in the pack with three holes to play.

A birdie at the par-3 11th bridged the gap somewhat but he arrived at the par-5 13th needing an eagle to match Didone’s 67.

“Needed a score on the final hole to win and I managed to do that, so really happy,” said Hart, a winner at Pioneer Valley earlier in the season and runner-up recently at both Grafton and Ocean Shores.

“I hit the ball pretty well but there are a few short game things that I would like to work on. Overall really happy.”

Brett Rankin and Jake McLeod continued their recent good form to earn a share of third along with prolific SParms PGA Legends Tour winner Brad Burns at 4-under 68, Alex Edge and Mitchell Dunbar tied for sixth at 3-under 67, Dunbar’s round bolstered by a hole-in-one with 7-iron at the 151-metre 11th hole.

On Friday the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series breaks new ground with the inaugural Brisbane River Golf Club Pro-Am.

Final scores and prizemoney