The return to Toukley on the New South Wales Central Coast saw Peter Lonard, Nathan Green and Andre Stolz tee it up along with reigning Vic Open champion Dimitrios Papadatos also taking the opportunity to play an event close to home.

Rain that has battered the east coast for months returned during the round but did nothing to sink the hopes of Millar, who navigated his way around the twisting Toukley layout bogey-free in his round of four-under 68.

It was enough for a one-stroke win from Corey Fairchild, Millar full of praise for the ability of the course superintendent and his staff to be able to stage a tournament under the circumstances.

“I was always love playing at Toukley,” said Millar.

“Obviously some tough conditions in terms of some weather that came through and in the lead-up with the course being hammered with rain but what a fantastic job to get the course in the condition they did.

“I thought it was really, really good.

“Great golf course Toukley. I haven’t been back there for quite some time and really happy to see an event back on the calendar there and I think the members had a great day.”

Given the low-lying nature of the golf course there was very little run in the wet conditions, Millar showing impeccable control to be the only player not to register a single dropped shot.

“I played pretty well actually,” Millar added.

“A couple of chances with the ball hanging on the edge of the hole that a lot of guys would have had or taking a piece of the hole and not dropping.

“The pleasing thing was that I didn’t really put myself in a position where I looked like making a bogey from memory.

“It was quite pleasing from that respect.”

The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series stays on the Central Coast on Friday, moving to the picturesque Shelly Beach Golf Club for the Coca-Cola Shelly Beach GC Pro-Am.

Click here for final scores and prize money.

The redesign by OCM Golf Course Design has received rave reviews but the 49 players contesting the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series event discovered that it is a layout infused with subtle threats.

The PGA Professional at Cardinia Beaconhills Golf Links in Melbourne’s south-east, Higgins visited Lonsdale Links a week out and used all that accrued knowledge to pilot his way to a round of even-par 70 and a one-stroke win.

“I kept it on the fairway all day and managed to hole a couple of good putts,” said Higgins.

“It’s definitely a course you need to know and a game here last week proved invaluable.”

Higgins took advantage of the early start to reach two-under through 16 holes, a bogey-bogey finish necessitating a lengthy wait to see whether it would hold up through the afternoon.

The 5,500-metre par 70 got the players thinking with the firm greens, tight fairways and difficult pins wit Higgins’ score remaining untouched.

Wade Lowrie made a late charge with three birdies in his final four holes but his round of one-over 71 ultimately fell one stroke short.

The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series is also on the Central Coast of New South Wales for Friday’s Coca-Cola Shelly Beach Golf Club Pro-Am.

The rolling, picturesque layout welcomed 47 PGA Professionals with perfect weather conditions and a golf course that was presented superbly given the recent rain in the region.

The putting surfaces in particular proved to be very much to the liking of Kelly who three times recorded back-to-back birdies, including his final two holes to seal his latest victory on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series.

The Victorian finished two strokes clear of Jack Deftereos-Brennan, David Diaz, Bradley Kivimets and Ben Eccles who shared second place at four-under.

“It was great to have a bogey-free round,” said Kelly, pictured with Anglesea Golf Club President Mike Grossman (left) and Tour Coordinator Andy Rogers (right).

“The greens were in great nick and I just felt comfortable all day.”

Half of Kelly’s six birdies came at the Anglesea par 5s, picking up shots on three of the four three-shotters, yet another player in the field went two better.

Michael Bainbridge picked up three strokes on one hole, making a rare albatross two at the 455-metre par-5 18th in his round of two-over 75.

Click here for final scores and prize money.

Grierson (pictured, left) and South Coast bomber Lincoln Tighe (pictured, right) finished locked together at 14-under in the two-round adidas PGA Pro-Am Series event, Grierson’s rounds of 66-64 consisting of 14 birdies and zero bogeys.

Tighe (67-63) eagled the par-5 18th and bogeyed the par-4 first both days to match Grierson’s total, the evergreen Matthew Millar (68-63) just one shot back in outright third position.

The 36-hole tournament serves as the final competitive hit-out before the start of the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia next week in Kalgoorlie and a timely shot of confidence for the joint winners.

“Any time you play good golf it always gives you a lot of confidence,” said Grierson, whose best finish last season was a tie for 21st at the WA Open.

“I’ve been working quite hard and it’s nice to have something to play again.”

Tied with Neven Basic and Jordan Mullaney at the start of day two, Grierson showed exceptional control off the tee to dominate the Woodville par 5s.

He birdied all five of the three-shotters in his second round of eight-under 64, some wedge game wizardry paving the way for a number of birdie looks.

“I drove it really well. Such a tight golf course here and quite short as well so my wedge play was really good,” said the Forbes junior.

“With the rough and the trees being so close to the middle of the fairway, keeping it in play was crucial. Keeping it in the short stuff and having a lot of wedges in.

“The greens were quite slow so making sure you were in the right spots chipping into the green.

“I was really happy not to make a bogey for the two days. That’s always nice and shows your game is in a pretty good spot.”

Winner at Griffith earlier this year, Brendan Smith took fourth spot with a two-day total of 12-under par, one shot clear of Mullaney and James Conran.

Click here for final scores and prize money.

A new addition to the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series, the $30,000 Elders Insurance Murray River Classic will be played at Wodonga Golf Club and Howlong Golf Club from October 26-27 with Marcus Fraser confirming that he will be a certain starter.

Born and bred in Corowa, Fraser was an outstanding amateur and has enjoyed a highly successful professional career. He has seven professional victories to his name including three on the DP World Tour.

Fraser triumphed in the Gippsland Super 6 tournament last January and is expecting to see some familiar faces in the gallery when he tees it up at Wodonga on October 26.

“The upper Murray region is blessed with some of the best country golf courses in Australia so it’s great that we get the chance to play them,” said Fraser.

“To be able to play around the area where I grew up is going to be a thrill.

“I’m sure there’ll be plenty of my old school mates who’ll come out for a look.”

Fraser is not the only big name in an impressive first-up field.

Fellow three-time European Tour winner Richard Green, 2019 NSW Open champion Josh Younger and 2021 TPS Sydney champion Andrew Martin will also tee it up for the honour of being the first winner of the Murray River Classic.

Unique in that it will be played across two golf courses, the Murray River Classic is supported by Wodonga Council and the Federation Council, a collaboration that will bring top-quality golf to the region.

“It’s really great to be bringing top level golf back to the upper Murray region,” said Heath McLeod, PGA of Australia Tournament Coordinator.

“The support and cooperation from both the Wodonga Council and the Federation Council has been nothing short of superb, not to mention the two golf courses.

“Our field is looking really strong already so it’s going to be a great chance for local golfers to come out and see some of the best Australian talent on display in their own backyard.”

Wodonga Mayor Kev Poulton said the council was delighted to welcome top-level golfers to the city.

“As a leading sporting community we love hosting players of all abilities,” Cr Poulton said.

“Having a PGA event in our city is not only terrific news for golf fans, it’s also a great opportunity to continue the ongoing recovery of our visitor economy in the wake of Covid-19.”

In a final round nail-biter, the 23-year-old from Murwillumbah in the NSW Northern Rivers prevailed by two shots from overnight leader David Bransdon with rounds of 64 and 69, to finish at 11-under-par. 

In a tie for third, a further shot back was the group of Jordan Mullaney, Josh Clarke, Coffs Harbour’s Andrew Campbell and Higgins’ final round playing partner, Jay Mackenzie.

The win is Higgins’ first tournament victory after collecting an impressive four pro-ams since turning professional in April last year.

Fittingly for Higgins, the win came on the course his father, David, played as a child.

“Dad played all his junior golf here at Muswellbrook, so it was a real thrill to have him on the bag caddying for me this week, too,” a victorious Higgins grinned.

Higgins fared best on a day when most of the leading contenders made bright starts. Birdies on the third, sixth and eighth holes saw him quickly catch, then overtake, first-round leader Bransdon and turn for home with a two-shot buffer.

Higgins’ lead soon evaporated, however, with Bransdon slotting back-to-back birdies. Sadly for the Victorian, it was to be as far as his challenge would go. The veteran dropped a shot on 13, and when Higgins rolled in a birdie on the par5 15th to Bransdon’s bogey, the tournament was effectively over, much to a relived Higgins’ delight.

“It’s a nice feeling to play a bit more of a formal tournament and get it done,” Higgins said post-round.

“I just kept hitting it solid and I made the putts that I needed to to keep the momentum.

“I didn’t quite hit it as well on the back nine, and it was a case of steer the ship home a bit, but there were some nerves.

“I was only one shot ahead with four to go, but then suddenly I was three ahead with three to go, so that gave me a bit of breathing room.”

With win number five on the domestic scene, and with a place in the PLAY TODAY NSW Open secure, Higgins said the prize money would be a welcome and timely boost to his plans for the remainder of the year. 

“I’ll play most of the regular season here and hopefully get into the Open and PGA in late November. After that, I’m looking at Asian Tour School at the end of the year, so this prize money certainly helps get me over there; that’s the goal.”

Final Scores

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Winner Lucas Higgins, runner-up David Bransdon and Coffs Harbour-based professional Andrew Campbell have booked their place in the 2023 PLAY TODAY NSW Open.

Although disappointed to have not secured the win, Bransdon was still pleased to know his position in next year’s Championship was locked away.

“It was tough. I didn’t play so good and didn’t hole a lot today,” Bransdon said.

“I would’ve been borderline to get into the NSW Open so it’s nice to have it, especially towards the end of the tour season.”

After shooting the low round of the day, a six-under par 66, Campbell was equally thrilled to know his place in the 92-year-old Championship was also secure.

“I’ve played a few (NSW Opens) already, but it’s good to lock in a spot. I played some solid golf today shooting six-under, so hopefully I can take that into the rest of the year and into next year’s Open.”

The day one leader with a round of five-under 68, Lawson found himself with company at the top of the leaderboard late in the second round.

With just two holes to play there were five players tied for the lead at six-under, Lawson joined by Matt Millar, Cohuna Pro-Am champion Kyle Michel, Murray Open winner Tom Power Horan and Lachlan Armour.

Millar (67) was the first to reach seven-under when he birdied his penultimate hole, the par-5 seventh.

With the pressure on Lawson (71) responded with a birdie of his own at his final hole, the par-3 18th, to send one of the most enthralling tournaments in Border Open history to extra holes.

Lawson and Millar first headed to the short par-4 ninth where Lawson hit his tee shot into the greenside bunker after the laser-accurate Millar found the fairway.

Millar hit his approach shot to 25 feet and watched on as Lawson played a brilliant bunker shot to tap-in range and a certain birdie.

Millar’s birdie putt looked in all the way, took a late move toward the left side of the hole before sneaking in to send the playoff to a second hole.

The pair moved to the 165-metre par-3 10th where again Lawson took the upper hand.

Millar pulled his tee shot left of the green and when Lawson hit the green 20 feet from the hole it looked like a two-putt par would be enough to clinch victory.

But you don’t win as often as Millar has over the years without an ability to recover.

The Canberran hit his chip shot from back-left of the green to just five feet, putting the pressure back on Lawson to convert his birdie opportunity.

He was left in a state of disbelief when his putt dived left of the hole at the last second but the same would happen to Millar just moments later, allowing Lawson to take the win.

“I thought my birdie putt on the second playoff hole was in but it broke to the left a lot late and that is exactly what happened to Matt’s par putt,” said Lawson.

“I enjoyed playing a course that was firmer than what we’ve been playing on recently. It was nice to see the ball bounce on the fairways.

“It was great to have my coach (Darrell Brown) on the bag for the last two days too.”  

Like Lawson, Millar enjoyed the opportunity to play on a firm golf course given the rain that has fallen throughout NSW this year.

“The golf course was fantastic and it was great to be able to play the ball off the deck given we haven’t been able to do that for so long in NSW,” said Millar.

The next event on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series schedule is the $50,000 Tweed Coast Open at Coolangatta-Tweed Golf Club from September 22-23.

Click here for final scores and prize money.