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Tim Hart’s fast start has proved crucial as he added the Coca-Cola Murwillumbah Pro-Am to his string of recent victories on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series circuit.
Despite the regular deluges it has received in 2022, the Murwillumbah Golf Club was in fantastic shape for the 71 professionals who took to the fairways on Thursday.
As such the scores were low, with Hart needing to jump out of the blocks to edge his way in front.
The winner at Ocean Shores a day earlier, Deyen Lawson and Kyle Michel both posted rounds of six-under 65 to give the afternoon groups something to chase.
A bogey-free round of seven-under 64 looked to be enough for Jason Norris to claim the win, only for Hart to swoop late with an eight-under par 63 and a one-stroke victory.
The Brisbane native who won at Bulimba last week began his round with an eagle at the par-5 11th but it was a stretch of seven birdies in the space of eight holes around the turn that ultimately proved the difference.
“My irons were really solid today,” said Hart. “They played a key role in the score.
“I also hit my wedges nicely and putted excellent.”
Lawson and Michel held on to finish one back of Norris in a tie for third and Brett Rankin snared outright fifth position with a round of five-under 66.
The next event on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series schedule is the two-day Ray White Yamba Pro-Am starting Saturday.
Click here for final scores and prize money.
A seven-under showpiece guided Deyen Lawson to a one shot victory at the Carlton & United Breweries Ocean Shores Pro-Am in northern New South Wales on Wednesday.
Ocean Shores Country Club was in exquisite condition and the near-perfect weather created a stellar environment for low scoring and prolific winner on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series Lawson took full advantage with his round of 65 including eight birdies.
“I started with 3 straight birdies so the cards dealt nicely there,” said Lawson.
“I putted really solid, the greens rolled great. I also hit some really nice wedge shots along with my solid iron play for the day.”
Brett Rankin, a multiple winner in this year’s series, once again showcased his superb form with six birdies in his round of 66 to claim runner-up honours, while Damien Jordan rounded out the top three with a 67.
Winner of Monday’s Breakas Beach Resort Vanuatu & Merlo Coffee Virginia Pro-Am in Brisbane, Cooper Ecclestone, was a shot further back from Jordan to finish in fourth.
The next event on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series is the Coca Cola Murwillumbah Pro-Am on Thursday 28th July.
Click here for final scores and prize money.
Two-time PGA National Trainee of the Year Cooper Eccleston has fired a brilliant seven-under 64 to earn his first adidas PGA Pro-Am Series win at the Breakas Beach Resort Vanuatu & Merlo Coffee Virginia Pro-Am in Brisbane.
With the sun shining and the course presented in exceptional condition players found it hard to believe that the Virginia Golf Club layout has received 2.3 metres of rainfall to date this year.
Winner of the 2018 Tony Hollands Funerals Queensland PGA Trainee Championship and National Trainee of the Year in 2018 and 2019, Eccleston has struggled to assert himself on the main tour since becoming a full-time professional.
He finished tied for fourth at the NT PGA in May and held off a strong field to taste victory for the first time at Virginia.
Playing in the morning field, Eccleston went bogey-free to set the mark early, prolific winners Deyen Lawson, Brett Rankin and Tim Hart all coming up one stroke short with rounds of six-under 65 in the afternoon wave.
“It was a great day out with stress-free birdies on the par 5s,” said Eccleston, who birdied all three of the par 5s.
“I didn’t miss too many shots but when I did, I managed to get it on the green or in a good area for par.
“Luck also comes into play as I chipped in for birdie on the eighth,” he added. “If it didn’t hit the pin I was probably chipping again.”
Young guns Matt McLean and James Macklin finished their day with scores of five-under 67 to be tied for fifth, just two shots back of Eccleston.
The next event on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series is the Carlton & United Breweries Ocean Shores Pro-Am on Wednesday.
Click here for final scores and prize money.
He’s dominated tournaments with his length yet Tim Hart had to rely on his short game to take out the Belle Property Bulimba Pro-Am.
The two-day event is played at the nine-hole par-3 Bulimba Golf Club in Brisbane and it was Michael Sim who led by two after the opening round.
With sunny skies a welcome sight the scoring improved markedly on day two with Hart coming home in eight-under 46 for a total of 11-under and a two-stroke win.
A prolific plunderer of adidas PGA Pro-Am Series events, Hart continues to develop all aspects of his game.
He showed impressive consistency in winning the 54-hole Ian Weigh Toyota Rockhampton Pro-Am and then used his improving wedge game to finish two clear of Sim at Bulimba.
“It’s really good to see my short game is up to the challenge. I never thought it was the strongest part of my game,” Hart conceded.
“My putter got on fire. I didn’t miss many greens and I couldn’t see a putt miss.
“Being able to continue to get the score and results here is very satisfying.”
It wasn’t as straightforward as the final result may have looked.
Hart played the first six holes of his second round in even par but had eight birdies in his final 12 holes to clinch the win.
There was little more Sim could do as he followed up his round of five-under on Friday with four-under on Saturday to finish solo second.
“It’s such a unique event for us to play in and it’s something I try very hard not to miss,” said Sim.
“Timmy obviously played awesome today; great to see him defend.”
There was one consolation for Sim who took out the $500 shootout after the round.
Douglas Klein’s round of seven-under 47 earned him outright third place with Warrick Betts finishing at six-under and outright fourth.
The next event on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series is the Breakas Beach Resort Vanuatu & Merlo Coffee Pro-Am at Virginia Golf Club on Monday 25 July.
Click here for final scores and prize money.
Two laps around the nine-hole par-3 Bulimba Golf Club has yielded a two-stroke lead for Michael Sim at the Belle Property Bulimba Pro-Am in Brisbane.
Given the nature of the Bulimba Golf Club layout – the longest hole measures just 102 metres – the Bulimba Pro-Am is one of the more unique events on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series but it was by no means a pushover on day one.
Just 16 players in the 59-strong field broke par through the first 18 holes with Sim’s round of six birdies and a lone bogey for a five-under 49 giving him a handy edge leading into Saturday’s second round.
Conditions again made scoring challenging as cool, wet and windy conditions made for a trying day yet Sim finished in a blaze of glory, making birdies at four of his final six holes to sit two clear of Warrick Betts.
“It’s an interesting little track around here,” said Sim. “You only need three or four clubs in the bag but it’s no snack.”
Despite a bogey on his opening hole, Betts is in a share of second place thanks in no small part to a hole-in-one at the 92-metre 17th, a feat that comes with a year’s worth of beer courtesy of Heads of Noosa Brewing.
“It was a great shock to find out when I finished,” said Betts. “I’ve never won something like this before.
“The hole-in-one really helped boost the score.
“It was a great day. Luckily we avoided most of the heavy rain.”
Level with Betts at three-under is defending champion Tim Hart and Howeston Pro-Am winner Brett Rankin.
The second round starts at 8am Saturday with the leaders teeing off at 2pm.
Click here for scores and Round 2 draw.
Like the Brisbane winter weather Deyen Lawson’s scorecard had a bit of everything yet was enough for a share of victory at the TruHealth Solutions Windaroo Lakes Pro-Am.
Despite the rain that regularly lashed the course, Windaroo Lakes was in superb condition, the tight, twisting layout offering up birdie opportunities for those able to execute.
Douglas Klein continued his recent good form with a bogey-free round of five-under 67 but Lawson’s scorecard was decidedly more colourful.
Starting from the ninth tee in the afternoon wave, made a superb start yet a host of bogeys amongst a chip-in eagle from the back pf the green at the par-5 third kept Lawson from separating himself from the field.
By day’s end his scorecard featured eight birdies, an eagle, five bogeys and just four pars as he matched Klein’s total of five-under to be declared joint winners.
“I started three-under through five and then lost it on the back nine, my first nine holes,” said Lawson, who played his final six holes in four-under par.
“But I hit some really nice irons and holed some putts.
“Plenty of birdies to be had, just too many bogeys,” he conceded.
With two wins and four runner-up finishes Klein currently sits fourth on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series Order of Merit and kept the bogeys off his card despite the challenging conditions.
“The course was presented beautifully,” said Klein.
“It’s amazing to have these opportunities. It really helps hone in our skills and develop for our future events.”
Klein and Lawson both had their work cut out to match the best scores of the morning groups.
Victorian Matias Sanchez set the mark of four-under 68, his round highlighted by four birdies and an eagle at the par-4 sixth.
“Standing on the tee slightly downwind, I hit driver to 15 feet past the hole and rolled it in down the hill,” Sanchez explained.
“It was definitely a big help with only a few holes to go.
“I struck the ball nicely,” he added.
“With the rain and wind it made it quite difficult but I controlled my ball well and stayed out of trouble.”
Sanchez shared second position with fellow Victorian Peter Wilson with Brett Rankin (69) grabbing outright fifth a day after his win at Howeston.
The next event in the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series is the two-day Belle Property Bulimba Pro-Am starting Friday.
Click here for final scores and prize money.
Meadowbrook Golf Club Teaching Professional Matthew Rogers has used all his nous and experience to earn a share of victory at the Howeston Pro-Am in Brisbane.
Playing in the first group off the 10th tee at Howston Golf Course in the Redland Bay area, Rogers had five birdies in his round of four-under 67, Brett Rankin the only player in the 59-strong field to match him by day’s end.
A former host venue of the Queensland PGA Championship, Howeston Golf Course and the Weston family have been hosting events consistently since 1980 and once again put on a wonderful tournament.
Cool winds and passing showers kept scores in check as only five players managed to break par, Rogers relying on his course management smarts to record just the lone bogey in his round.
“I hit it really solid all day,” said Rogers, a former player on the PGA Tour of Australasia.
“I minimised my mistakes most of the day, even with a flushed flop shank which I lipped out for birdie.
“I played here quite a lot many years ago so it was familiar. It was great to be back and see some familiar faces.”
A three-time winner on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series already this season, Rankin also started his round from the 10th tee and made a hot start.
He was four-under as he turned to the front nine, closing with an even-par 35 to draw level with Rogers at four-under.
“It was great to be back,” said Rankin. “It’s great to see something like this run by a family for so long.
“My start helped a lot, being three-under through the first five holes.
“There was some trying conditions so it was great to get another win.”
Peter Wilson made an unfortunate bogey on his closing hole to finish one back in outright second, Peter Martin (69) and Deyen Lawson (70) rounding out the top five.
The next event on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series schedule is the TruHealth Solutions Windaroo Lakes Pro-Am on Thursday.
Click here for final scores and prize money.
Aaron Wilkin hopes to have unlocked something in his game that will take him all the way to the DP World Tour after a commanding win at the Optilease Redcliffe Pro-Am.
With $65,000 in prize money to be won Redcliffe Golf Club attracted a field boasting past and present DP World Tour players, which is where Wilkin will turn his attention later this year.
Still seeking a breakthrough win on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australia, Wilkin was in contention a number of times over the summer with his best finish a tie for third at the TPS Murray River event.
A three-time winner on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series last year, Wilkin shared the day one lead at seven-under with New South Welshman James Grierson but used an eagle at the par-5 fourth to separate himself from the field.
A bogey at his opening hole – the par-4 17th – elicited the best possible response from Wilkin who played the first four holes of the front nine in five-under on his way to a second round of six-under 65 and a four-stroke victory.
Wilkin finished inside the top-15 three times during the 2021/2022 season and can now set his sights on earing status on the DP World Tour later in the year.
“I had a great couple of days,” said Wilkin. “The way I controlled my golf ball yesterday and was able to capitalise today was amazing.
“It’s giving me a lot of confidence moving into the next few events and DP World Tour Q school at the end of the year.”
Wilkin was the only player to finish ahead of Doug Klein in defence of his Redcliffe Pro-Am title, shooting 65 on Friday to join Sam Brazel (67) and Peter Martin (66) in a share of second at nine-under.
The co-leader with Wilkin after Round 1, Grierson could only manage an even par 71 in Round 2 to finish in a tie for with Simon Hawkes (67) at seven-under par.
Starting his round with birdies at two of his first three holes, Grierson edged ahead of Wilkin early but three closing bogeys in succession would see him tumble down the leaderboard.
A new initiative at Redcliffe in recent years as been the ‘Knockout Round’ for the leading eight players at the end of the tournament.
It is a one-hole match play format consisting of three rounds with Hawkes taking the victory from Wilkin who only just missed completing the double.
The professionals who didn’t make the top eight also had an opportunity to win extra cash in a 65-metre shootout.
Adding to the wonderful atmosphere created at the club, Redcliffe Golf Club managed to raise more than $2,500 for their junior development program.
The next event on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series schedule is the Howeston Pro-Am on Wednesday, July 20.
Click here for final scores and prize money.
Four birdies in his final five holes has earned Murwillumbah’s Lucas Higgins a three-stroke victory at the Kooralbyn Valley Pro-Am.
Cool conditions, strengthening wind and Desmond Muirhead’s acclaimed Kooralbyn Valley Golf Course layout provided the 48 professionals in the field with a stern test.
Only 11 broke par and no one went as low as Higgins, although it took until his final few holes to separate himself from the field.
Victorious at Wagga Wagga in March, the 23-year-old began his round from the 18th tee and went birdie-birdie out of the blocks for the best start possible.
The next 11 holes, however, yielded only an even par score – one birdie, one bogey – before Higgins hit the go button on his homeward journey.
Starting with a birdie at the par-5 13th, Higgins picked up three on the trot and then added a fourth in the space of five holes at the par-3 17th for a convincing win with a round of six-under 66.
“I hit my irons really solid and gave myself a lot of chances today,” said Higgins.
“My putter was on fire today. Just holed a bunch and at the right time.”
Brett Rankin was two-over through his first three holes but managed to claw his way back to three-under 69, securing a share of second along with Douglas Klein, Tom Power Horan, Tim Hart and Peter Wilson.
Anthony Choat, Deyan Lawson and Andrew Kelly were one shot further back in a tie for seventh at two-under 70.
The next event on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series schedule is the Optilease Redcliffe Pro-Am starting Thursday July 14, from 11am.
Click here for final scores and prize money.
Not even a late downpour could slow Sam Brazel as he recorded a one-stroke victory at the Coolangatta-Tweed Pro-Am on Tuesday.
Players in the morning field were welcomed to Coolangatta-Tweed Heads Golf Club’s West Course by ideal conditions, Jake Higginbottom taking full advantage to post four-under 68 and claim the early lead.
Brazel made good early progress with birdies at his second and third holes but significant rain from 3pm onwards not only forced a suspension of play but presented further challenge to those players trying to complete their rounds.
Chris Wood was one of a number of players who had to complete his round in near darkness as he snared third spot with an up-and-down at his final hole.
There were no such issues for Brazel, however, who went bogey-free in his round of eight-under 64 to earn his third adidas PGA Pro-Am Series win in recent weeks.
Brazel played his final eight holes in the rain but still managed to add three birdies before finishing just prior to the suspension of play.
“I had a great day out there,” said Brazel. “It was an absolute pleasure being back here.
“It’s a shame the rain put a dampener on things this afternoon but we got a result.”
Like Brazel, Tim Hart was forced to play in the trying afternoon conditions but also remained bogey free in his round of seven-under 65 and outright second position.
Wood’s up-and-down on his final hole in fading light secured outright third at six-under 66 with Higginbottom sharing fourth at four-under with Kyle Michel, Deyen Lawson, Michael Wright, Aaron Wilkin and Shae Wools-Cobb.
The next event on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series schedule is the Lawn Pride Kooralbyn Valley Pro-Am on Wednesday, July 13.
