Dating back to 1913 and with an honour roll that boasts Tasmanian legend Peter Toogood, Frank Phillips, David Graham, Stewart Ginn and Mike Clayton, the Tasmanian Open returned to a professional event in 2023 that incorporates the Women’s Tasmanian Open and the Tasmanian Inclusive Championship.

On the professional side, defending champion Alex Edge and former Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia winners Jordan Zunic, Zach Murray, Will Bruyeres (pictured), Aaron Pike and Simon Hawkes are among those to have entered the event that marks the start of the 2025-2026 Pro-Am Series.

It shapes as the strongest field of professionals to contest the Tasmanian Open in more than 30 years, opening the door to local amateurs to pit their skills against some of the best in the country.

“The return of professionals to the Tasmanian Open two years ago has once again elevated the status of our state Open,” said Golf Tasmania Event and Operations Manager, Stuart Eaton.

“Not only is it a great opportunity for golf fans to watch some of the stars of the PGA Tour of Australasia up close, it is a rare opportunity for our top amateur players and promising juniors to play alongside such high-calibre players.

“The popularity of the Tasmanian Inclusive Championship continues to grow and we would love to see our largest ever field for the 2025 championship at Launceston Golf Club.”

Played as a purely amateur event between 1993 and 2022, Mathew Goggin (1994), Cameron Percy (1996, 1997), Geoff Ogilvy (1998) and Brendan Jones (1999) all won in Tassie before embarking on highly successful professional careers.

In more recent years, Zunic (2013), Jarryd Felton (2014) and Anthony Quayle (2015) won as amateurs, professionals welcomed back into the fold at the 2023 championship.

That year it was another amateur, Toby Walker, who came out on top, Edge becoming the first professional winner since Hawkes in 2016 when he edged Caleb Bovalina and Kyle Michel by a shot at Launceston 12 months ago.

Edge’s defence won’t be easy, however, as Launceston welcomes the strongest field of professionals since it was last played as a professional event in the early 1990s.

In addition to past champions Zunic and Hawkes, Murray and Pike both have multiple wins to their credit on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, Bruyeres won the season-opening PNG Open and Brady Watt, Kyle Michel, Tim Hart and Matias Sanchez have all contended deep into tournaments the past two years.

Entries for Men’s Tasmanian Open, Women’s Tasmanian Open and Tasmanian Inclusive Championship close on March 29.

The Men’s and Women’s Tasmanian Opens are supported by the Tasmanian Government through Events Tasmania and the City of Launceston.

A field featuring multiple Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia players descended on Lynwood Country Club in Sydney’s west for the two day event where Dillon Hart, Christopher Wood, Josh Armstrong, Samuel Slater, Scott Arnold and James Conran emerged victorious.

Somewhat remarkably, none of the six eventual winners had shared the lead after Round 1, before finishing on a 36-hole total of 3-under 141, with Hart authoring the biggest second round swing by improving his score by five shots for a 68.

HOW THE WINNING ROUNDS UNFOLDED

In windy conditions with penalising rough punishing wayward driving and greens rolling 11-feet on the stimpmeter, it was about minimising mistakes, with all six winners still having their moments during the final round.

For Hart, he mixed five birdies with one bogey, his most important birdie coming at the par-3 17^th having dropped a shot two holes earlier, while Wood got off to an up and down start with back-to-back birdies to start the round negated by a double bogey at the fifth. The Queenslander making three birdies on the back nine, including at the 18^th to join the winning group.

Armstrong’s length off the tee would have felt like a weapon as he reached the closing stretches, with two par-5s in the last three holes, but the Concord Golf Club member could only manage pars having also bogeyed the 15^th.

Queenslander Slater is another with prodigious length, and used it on his way five birdies in his first 10 holes, but the par-5 16^th saw him go from 5-under with victory on his own in his sights back to 3-under.

Now spending 40 hours a week in a Pro Shop, Arnold saved his best for last to get a share of the spoils having matched every one of his three birdies with a bogey throughout the final day. Arnold birdieing the 18^th for a second day in a row to join the large winners’ picture.

Conran also needed birdie at the last to reach 3-under and victory, with the New South Welshman coming home strongest of the winning six. Double bogey at the sixth was mixed with eight pars on the front nine before Conran made four birdies in seven holes to finish his competitive year.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAID

Scott Arnold: “I think the course in great nick, and it’s set up pretty well for sort of an event like this, so it is pretty scoreable. There was a bit of wind yesterday and a bit of wind today and the pins are a bit tricky so it sort of made scoring a bit tough but I’m really pleased with how I played considering I’m spending 40 hours a week in a shop now and not really doing any practise.”

Josh Armstrong: “Very ready for a break. I feel like I’ve been playing okay. It’s sort of been frustrating because I’ve been making a lot of silly decisions, but definitely a little bit of that yesterday. But I did that up a little today and played pretty solidly all day. I’ve got good memories here. I spend a lot of time out here. I always enjoyed coming back.”

James Conran: “I mean, Lynwood is always enjoyable to play. It’s always in pretty good condition. The greens are pretty true. It’s just been a bit of a bother with the wind the last two days and the heat, but the course presented itself pretty good.”

Dillon Hart: “Just found some form in my swing. Made an adjustment with the coach and yeah, started to find ball striking, which sort of led into some putting stuff that’s come off as well and starting to build a conference with it.”

Samuel Slater: “The big goal for me is actually getting a Tour category for next year. That’s the main thing I’ve been focusing on. So playing these Pro-Ams and playing well in Tour events as well. So hopefully we can get a couple more decent results on the board.”

Christopher Wood: “Definitely nice to have a win in the last event of the year. To be honest, the year’s been a bit slow, but it was nice to sort of play well the last couple of weeks and finish it off here with a win.”

LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
T1      Dillon Hart    141
T1      Christopher Wood      141
T1      Samuel Slater              141
T1      Josh Armstrong          141
T1       Scott Arnold             141
T1       James Conran              141
T7       Joseph Owen           142
T7       Nathan Barbieri            142
T7       Andrew Richards         142

NEXT UP

The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series is now in its Christmas and New Year break and returns to action on January 3 at Harcourts Langwarrin Pro-Am @ Settlers Run.

Players the calibre of Lachlan Barker, Austin Bautista and Ashley Hall teed it up at Eastwood but Gold Creek Country Club Associate Lachlan Chamberlain blitzed the field with a superb round of 5-under 67.

It was four strokes clear of Barker, Ruben Lal and Lachlan Aylen while eight players shared fifth place at even par.

Chamberlain walked the course with good friend Matt Millar 12 months ago and said the prolific adidas PGA Pro-Am Series winner has been pivotal in his development as a player.

“He is a big help,” said Chamberlain. “Just being able to play with him a little bit back home and chat to him about what he kind of does and how he goes about things.”

HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED

Second group off the first tee on Tuesday morning, Chamberlain started out with two pars and then made back-to-back birdies at three and four.

He dropped a shot at the long par-3 eighth but got that one back and then some with a birdie on 10 followed by eagle at the par-5 12th.

A second bogey at the par-5 13th was a slight setback but he rebounded with birdies at 16 and 18 to set a mark that the afternoon groups would never threaten.

WHAT THE WINNER SAID

“This is the second time I’ve been here,” said Chamberlain.

“The first time I was here I just went for a walk around watching last year.

“So the first time I’ve played here and really enjoyed the course. It’s in very good condition considering the few bits of rain they’ve got here and there and played well today.

“Managed to hit the ball where I needed to and made a couple of good putts.”

LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1          Lachlan Chamberlain    67
T2        Ruben Lal                     71
T2        Lachlan Aylen               71
T2        Lachlan Barker              71
T5        Alexander Pitty             72
T5        Toby Walker                 72
T5        Caleb Bovalina             72
T5        Jayden Cripps              72
T5        Harvey Young              72
T5        Ryan Lynch                  72
T5        Luke O’Sullivan            72
T5        Ashley Hall                   72

NEXT UP

The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series has a short break now before resuming on Thursday, December 12 with the AB Comsure Invitational at Ryde-Parramatta Golf Club.

Earning his card at Q School at Moonah Links in April, Siporin shot even par 72 at Friday’s IK Harrison Pro-Am at Elanora Country Club to be declared joint winner with New South Welshman Jay Mackenzie (72).

In Australia since the WA PGA Championship at Kalgoorlie, Siporin has missed all five cuts to date but hopes to use his Elanora win as a springboard into the rest of the season.

“I’m hoping I’ve turned a little bit of a page here,” said the California native.

“What made me come down was just the chance to play on a tour somewhere else.

“I’d heard that the Australian tour is an up-and-coming and developmental tour with good players and decent purses. I just wanted to explore the world and see a new place and meet new people and played different tracks.

“I came out here and made the trip and making lasting memories. That’s what it’s about.”

Siporin had three birdies and three bogeys in his even-par round, Mackenzie’s round consisting of a lone birdie at two and a single bogey at the short par-3 17th.

The pair finished one stroke clear of a group of seven players at 1-over 73 including Monash Country Club Head Professional, Torie Blakemore.

HOW THE WINNING ROUNDS UNFOLDED

When Mackenzie began his round with a bogey on 17, a winning speech at presentations was the furthest thing from his mind.

It took just three holes to get back to square with the card courtesy of a birdie at the par-5 second and then Mackenzie peeled off 14 straight pars to close out his round.

Starting from the par-4 14th, Siporin was 2-under on his round after birdies at 16 and two but made bogeys at four, nine and 10 to drop to 1-over. The short par-4 13th would be Siporin’s final hole, successfully finding the birdie that would tie the lead.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAID

Siporin: “The course was just magnificent. I hadn’t seen it before teeing off today and it far exceeded all expectations that I had coming into it. It was great. It was challenging, it was fair. The pin locations were good, it’s a great track. Glad I came out here and played some good golf.”

Mackenzie: “It was a good day. I played with a couple of nice guys and Anthony Choat, which was nice. Chipped and putted well. Probably didn’t hit the ball the best, but chipped and putted good so that kept me in it.”

LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
T1        Jay Mackenzie              72
T1        Matthew Siporin          72
T3        Andrew Richards          73
T3        James Grierson            73
T3        Torie Blakemore           73
T3        Joseph Owen               73
T3        Jayden Cripps              73
T3        Anthony Choat            73
T3        Aaron Maxwell             73

NEXT UP

The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series is at Pymble Golf Club on Monday for the NSW/ACT PGA Foursomes Championship and then heads to Melbourne on Tuesday for the Eastwood Golf Club Pro-Am.

Asquith Golf Club welcomed a strong field on Thursday, Simpson’s form at the NSW Open where he finished tied for second behind Herbert and level with Smith holding up in a round of 6-under 64.

He was one of three players to post 64, joined on the winner’s podium by fellow New South Welshman Aaron Townsend and West Australian Joseph Owen.

As he eyes a return to the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia at next week’s Victorian PGA Championship, Simpson was happy to see his Murray Downs form carry over.

“It’s definitely a massive boost of confidence, being able to hold my own in that company and have a nice result there,” said the 41-year-old.

“I felt that today. Just feeling good about my game and that things are heading in the right direction.

“Looking forward to playing the tour events for the remainder of the season and finishing as high up as I can there and see what happens.”

Victorian Aiden Didone (65) finished one shot back to grab solo fourth as five players returned scores of 3-under 67.

HOW THE WINNING ROUNDS UNFOLDED

Three-under through 10 holes, Simpson needed a late surge to join Townsend and Owen at the top of the leaderboard.

His round began with a par at the par-4 16th and with six birdies and a bogey, Simpson was 5-under with three holes to play.

Simpson made birdie at the par-5 13th but dropped a shot at the par-3 14th, an eighth and final birdie at the par-5 15th getting him to 6-under.

Owen, too, needed a final flurry to earn just his second adidas PGA Pro-Am Series win in his rookie season.

Owen had just one birdie in his first nine holes but had four birdies, a bogey and an eagle at the par-5 first to finish at 6-under.

There was just a lone bogey in Townsend’s round of 64, three successive birdies from the par-5 eighth crucial in joining Owen and Simpson at the top of the leaderboard.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAID

Simpson: “The conditions were pretty conducive to low scoring. I thought it was pretty soft and the greens were rolling nicely. Managed to roll a few in early and just kept it going.”

Owen: “I had never played here so I thought I was going to play it fairly conservative and just build my way into the round, which I did. “Got hot late where I made a few birdies in a row and eagled one, which was my third last hole. It was a slowish start and then got hot at the end, which got me up there leaderboard.”

Townsend: “It’s a fun golf course to play. I got off to a nice start, made a couple of birdies early, but I just hit the ball in play a lot. I made a couple of nice putts early and that’s what you need, to see the ball go in. The greens were fantastic. Tiny bit slow, but that’s probably expected for the hot weather we’ve had but they rolled incredibly well.”

LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
T1        Aaron Townsend          64
T1        Joseph Owen               64
T1        Alex Simpson               64
4          Aiden Didone              65
T5        Alex Edge                    67
T5        Andre Lautee               67
T5        Luke Malcolm              67
T5        Dean Mulley                 67
T5        Jay Mackenzie              67

NEXT UP

The Sydney swing continues on Friday with the I.K. Harrison Elanora Pro-Am at Elanora Country Club and then on Monday Pymble Golf Club hosts the NSW/ACT Foursomes Championship.

A day after Ed Donoghue broke through for his maiden success on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series at Traralgon, this time it was Zinyo Garcia (NSW) earning his first title, shooting a 4-under-par to sit alongside Matt Millar (ACT) and Alex Edge (NSW).

The trio was two shots clear of their nearest rivals.

While it was victory No.1 for Garcia, Millar’s pro-am win count now sits in excess of 50 in the past 10 years alone.

Edge’s victory added to his Tasmanian Open title in April.

HOW THE WINNER’S SCORE UNFOLDED

Garcia came into the event a bit under-prepared after making a late commitment to the final leg of the Gippsland swing.

However made a fast track with three birdies in his first four holes. He ended up with a tally of eight birdies for the day, including two to close out his round to claim a share of top spot.

Miller’s round featured five birdies, including going back-to-back twice at the third and fourth and eighth and ninth as he posted a front nine of 33. The back nine had just the one birdie at the par-4 13th.

Meanwhile Edge was 1-over through his first five holes before picking up shots on the fifth, eighth, ninth, 10th and 12th.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAID

Garcia said: “It feels pretty good because it’s been a bit tough of late. The game feels like it’s there but the scores haven’t been really showing it. The course is on a great bit of land, the land is really good and it’s a club that’s volunteer run. It’s absolutely amazing really. If anyone is down this way, I’d recommend playing it.”

Edge said: “I kept it in play all day and that gave me some chances. It was nice to come back and play here again. There’s a bit of emphasis on where you need to hit your next shot from and I enjoy that type of golf rather than trying to bludgeon it everywhere.”

Millar said: “It’s exciting to get a win again. It’s been a bit up and down the last few weeks or so. It’s always a pleasure to come back to Yarram. They do a wonderful job here. A lot of golf courses could take note of what they do here as a group of volunteers. It’s just amazing.”

LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN

68: Matthew Millar (ACT); Zinyo Garcia (NSW); Alex Edge (NSW)

70: Jack Chrystie (Vic); Toby Walker (Vic)

71: Rick Kulacz (WA)

72: Dean Mulley (NSW); Darren Bowman (Vic); Samuel Slater (Qld); Anthony Choat (Vic); Alexander Simpson (NSW); Tom Ryan (Vic)

NEXT UP

The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series welcomes a new event at Hidden Valley Golf and Country Club, north of Melbourne, on Sunday.