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The inaugural Men’s World Sand Greens Championship will tee off at Binalong in New South Wales on September 27, with Australia’s best professional golfers competing for a $140,000 purse.
Proudly supported by Destination NSW, the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency, the 36-hole championship at Binalong Community Club in the NSW Southern Tablelands is a first for professional men’s golf in Australia and globally.
General Manager of Golf at Golf NSW Olivia Wilson said the concept of a men’s professional tournament on sand greens was a first in Australia and sure to attract a lot of interest, adding that the style of play required to compete on sand surfaces took some adjusting.
“Sand greens golf plays an important part in Australia’s golfing landscape, especially in rural communities, and it will be great to showcase this side of our game,” she said.
“Playing and putting on sand is quite a different experience for many players. There are fundamental differences between landing approach shots and knowing how to ‘smooth’ a putting line.
“If a player has doubts on what to do, plenty of locals will be ready to offer free advice on the correct way to chip, smooth a line, and even hole a putt,”
Ms Wilson added that fans of the sport who were curious about golf on sand greens could tune into the live broadcast on 7Plus, courtesy of the Channel Seven network and the Sports Entertainment Network, SEN, to catch the action live.
“It’s great to have the final round of any tournament live, but with many people curious about playing and putting on sand surfaces, we expect the broadcast to be well received.”
PGA of Australia General Manager of Tournaments and Global Tour Relationships Nick Dastey said the Men’s World Sand Greens Championship would be an exciting opportunity to showcase this distinct style of playing golf.
“Australia’s unique environment offers a variety of terrain and weather conditions across its vast landscapes,” he said.
“Playing on sand greens will present a distinctive challenge for a professional event, one that will undoubtedly highlight the creative talents of our players.
“The World Sand Greens Championship will be a great way to kickstart what is sure to be a huge Summer of Golf on the 2024/25 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.”
Binalong Golf Club has a long and rich history. Founded in 1857, the club’s original nine-hole layout was carved through the middle of a now-defunct horse racing track.
At 500 metres above sea level, the 18-hole, par-72 course is considered one of the best examples of a sand greens layout in regional New South Wales.
Located 37km north-west of Yass, about one hour from Canberra and three hours from Sydney, Binbalong is a hub for sporting activities and an integral part of the surrounding community.
Host Venue: Binalong Community Club
Dates: September, 27-29
Prize Fund: $140,000
Tournament Format: 18 Hole Pro-Am (day one) followed by 36 Hole Championship (day two and three)
Website: https://www.golfnsw.org.au/events-champs/mens-world-sand-greens/
TV Broadcast: Final round Sunday, September 29, LIVE on 7Plus
The Men’s World Sand Greens Championship is supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
Brett Rankin defied some of the toughest conditions of the year in the adidas PGA Pro-Am series to go back-to-back at the Brisbane River Golf Club Pro-Am today.
The Queenslander’s 1-under-par 65 was the only round of par or better on a day dominated by strong westerly winds that wrecked many of his rivals’ scorecards.
West Australian Deyen Lawson took runner-up honours at 1-over, with Ed Donoghue (Vic), Jay Mackenzie (NSW), Kyle Michel (Vic) and Brady Watt (WA) a further shot back.
Rankin’s victory was his third for 2024.
HOW THE WINNER’S SCORE UNFOLDED
The 2023 winner started his round with a bogey on the par-4 second but soon bounced back with an eagle on the dogleg 314m par-4 fourth after deciding to go with a driver off the tee following a pre-round inspection of the hole on Google Earth.
“I just pumped a driver over the fence and the trees and houses,” he said. “I hit it exactly where I wanted but it was still a bit of guesswork to be honest.
“I thought it’d be near the green somewhere but walking down the fairway Jay Mackenzie, one of playing partners, told me I’d hit it to 12 feet.
“It was a good way to bounce back from a bogey.”
Birdies at the 11th and 13th moved Rankin to -3 before he handed back his last shot of the day at the short par-4 17th.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“The key to playing well here is just embracing the quirkiness of the golf course,” Rankin said.
“Embracing that it’s going to quite difficult and it’s going to throw some challenges at you.
“I feel like I can play difficult conditions quite well. I can be patient golfer and I like to plot my way around the course.
“I’m very happy to shoot under par. I said to my mates before the round that you could potentially see someone shoot even-par or over par win this.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
65: Brett Rankin (Qld)
67: Deyen Lawson (WA)
68: Ed Donoghue (Vic), Jay Mackenzie (NSW), James Mee (Qld), Kyle Michel (Vic)
69: Toby Walker (Vic), Brady Watt (WA)
NEXT UP
The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series heads to the Gold Coast for the Panasonic Air Conditioning Burleigh Pro-Am on Tuesday
Christopher Wood broke clear from a big group of challengers to score a one-shot win in the Breakers Beach Resort Vanuatu Virginia Pro-Am today.
At one point late in the afternoon, nine professionals were tied for the lead, with another eight players, including Wood, just one stroke behind.
The turning point came on the 444m par-5 13th hole, the Queenslander’s second last hole of the day, where an eagle lifted the 33-year-old to the eventual winning total of 5-under-par to secure his third adidas PGA Pro-Am Series victory for 2024.
William Bruyeres continued a memorable week by sharing second place with Lucas Higgins at -4. After making a rare albatross with a hole-in-one at Howeston on Wednesday, Bruyeres today holed his second shot at the 383m par-4 second.
But while Wood made three on the 13th, Bruyeres, playing in the group behind, made a six to cost him the chance of victory.
A group of six players shared third on 3-under 68, including two winners from earlier this week in the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series Brisbane swing, Nathan Barbieri and Jack Murdoch.
HOW THE WINNER’S SCORE UNFOLDED
Starting his round on the 15th, Wood made a fast start with two birdies in his first four holes and was 4-under for the day before bogeys arrived on the seventh and ninth.
He steadied with a birdie on the 10th before holing the crucial eagle from four metres on 13.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
Christopher Wood: “I think the big thing for me today was that I drove the ball well and kept it in play which gave me a lot of opportunities to attack the pins. I know the greens really well around here so I knew what the putts were doing.
“You need to take advantage of the par-5s and birdie the short par-4s. There’s a lot of holes where you just have to take your par and move on.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
66: Chris Wood (Qld)
67: William Bruyeres (Qld), Lucas Higgins (NSW)
68: Shae Wools-Cobb (Qld), Dylan Gardner (Qld), Jack Murdoch (Vic), Andrew Campbell (NSW), Nathan Barbieri (NSW), Blake Proverbs (Qld)
NEXT UP
The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series heads to the western suburbs of Brisbane for the Brisbane River Golf Club Pro-Am on Monday.
Photo: Christopher Wood with Virginia Director of Golf Brett Maxwell
It is still early days in the professional career of Jye Pickin, yet the former amateur standout already seems comfortable playing for a pay cheque, as shown in his victory today at the Northbridge Golf Club Pro-Am.
Having spent time playing events on the adidas Pro-Am Series in Queensland in recent weeks, and with a pro win already to his name at the Wyong Open, Pickin triumphed with a 2-under 62 around the tight course on Sydney’s North Shore.
The only player to break par on Friday, Pickin finished three in front of six players on 1-over-par that included Northbridge Golf Club’s very own Head Professional Clinton Russell.
HOW THE WINNING SCORE UNFOLDED
Starting his day on the 14th hole in the afternoon wave, Pickin made an early birdie at the par-3 15th before giving the shot back at the par-4 18th.
Pickin then really got going on the front nine, where his approach of finding the narrow fairways around the hilly waterside venue paid dividends with a first birdie coming at the 261-metre par-4 fourth hole.
The Charlestown product went further under par with another birdie at the sixth before dropping a shot at the next, with his birdie at the ninth taking him back to 2-under-par, where he remained over his final four holes to claim his first adidas Pro-Am Series title.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“The golf course was set up awesome. To be honest. I knew coming out here that it was going to be tight off the tee and to put my ball in play all day. I feel like I did that really well.
“The tough par-3s on the front nine, I got it on the putting surface and managed to roll one put in, so I felt that was definitely getting one shot ahead there. And then towards the end of the round I just kept focused on hitting the fairway and hitting the greens, which you have to do around here. It’s such a tight course off the tee.”
“I feel like if I can keep playing well and keep progressing in my own game, I just want to compete, that’s the biggest thing. I love golf and I love competing, I’ll play as much as I can. The Pro-Ams between the regional opens through Golf NSW and then into the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, which I am looking forward to.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
62: Jye Pickin (NSW)
65: Carl Matthews (NSW), Mitchell Gannon (NSW), Darcy Boyd (NSW), Lincoln Tighe (NSW), Clinton Russell (NSW), Trent Britton (ACT)
66: Dylan Thompson (NSW)
NEXT UP
The adidas Pro-Am Series resumes next week, with the Brisbane River Golf Club Pro-Am on Monday followed by Panasonic Air Conditioning Burleigh Pro-Am on Tuesday.
Queenslander Chris Taylor has made it yet another PGA Legends Tour win today at the Provincial Distributors Legends Pro-Am at City Golf Club in Toowoomba.
A joint winner yesterday at Toowoomba Golf Club, Taylor managed to claim the top prize all alone today, shooting a 4-under 65 to finish one shot ahead of Victorian Euan Walters.
HOW THE WINNING SCORE UNFOLDED
Taylor had no trouble finding scoring opportunities at City Golf Club today, carding six birdies, three on each nine.
A bogey at five, and another late on his last hole, 18, Taylor’s only blemishes.
That last bogey, while likely annoying, did not cause Taylor any problems taking home the winnings.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I had a good day with the putter for a change,” said Taylor.
“I probably could’ve wedged it a bit closer than I did so it was probably lucky I had the right distance all day and holed a few from 20-30 feet.
“Just one of those days I had a good day out with the putter, and enjoying Toowoomba.
“I’ve been working on a few things in my swing lately and it seems to be paying off.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
65 Chris Taylor (QLD)
66 Euan Walters (VIC)
67 David Crawford (NSW)
68 Murray Lott (QLD), Stephen Woodhead (QLD), Marcus Cain (QLD), Andre Stolz (QLD)
NEXT UP
The PGA Legends Tour stays in Queensland, heading to the Paul King Memorial Legends Pro-Am at Wynnum Golf Club on Monday.
Will Florimo continued a memorable week in the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series when he shared top spot with fellow Queenslander Jake McLeod and Victorian Jack Murdoch at the Zigcrete Constructions Windaroo Lakes Pro-Am today.
The trio finished on 5-under 67 to head a packed leaderboard which featured 15 players within two shots of the lead.
Like Murdoch, who won for the first time in almost two years in the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series despite finding the water twice early on, Florimo’s round came in the morning wave as he continued the form that achieved a debut victory at his home club, Pacific, on Monday.
HOW THE WINNERS’ SCORES UNFOLDED
McLeod, who hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation, looked to be in the box seat to take an outright win for the first time since his victory at Mt Coolum last July after going bogey-free through 16 holes. However, a bogey on his 17th hole, the par-4 eighth, dropped him back to 5-under.
The highlight of the former NSW Open champion’s day came on the first. An eagle on the 505m par-5, where he holed out from around three metres following a seven-iron approach, moved him to -3.
Murdoch’s morning round started with two early bogeys after he was forced to take penalty drops on both the par-4 14th and 16th holes, but he then collected seven birdies, including on his final two holes – 12 and 13.
Playing in the group ahead, Florimo was at -3 when he became to the par-5 12th where an eagle propelled him to the joint lead.
WHAT THE WINNERS SAID
McLeod: “I hit it good today which was nice – first time in, I don’t know, a long time. I’ve been doing some work with my coach for the last three weeks so it was nice to see that paying off.”
Murdoch: “It was a little bit of a rough start, the first swing of the day went straight in the water. Made bogey and then two holes later, another one went in the drink. I probably played three of the hardest holes first up and then gave myself plenty of chances after then.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
67: Jack Murdoch (Vic), Will Florimo (Qld), Jake McLeod (Qld)
68: Matthew Millar (ACT), Edward Donoghue (Vic), James Mee (Qld), Gavin Fairfax (Qld), Andrew Kelly (Vic)
69: Connor McDade (Vic), Darcy Brereton (Vic), Cameron John (Vic), Aaron Townsend (NSW), Josh Armstrong (Qld); Dylan Gardner (Qld), Tim Hart (Qld)
NEXT UP
The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series has two events on Thursday. The Brisbane swing continues with the Breakas Beach Resort Vanuatu Virginia Pro-Am, while in Sydney, the Northbridge Golf Club will stage its Pro-Am.
In-form Nathan Barbieri earned his fifth win for 2024 thanks to a bogey-free 5-under-par 66 at the Howeston Pro-Am in Brisbane today.
Barbieri held off three players – Matt Millar, Cameron John and James Conran – by a single stroke as he continues to build towards the new Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season which begins with the PNG Open in August.
The winner of Final Stage of Qualifying School in April has converted that form into two adidas PGA Pro-Am Series victories in Western Australia, the WA PGA Foursomes Championship, plus a runner-up finish in last week’s Redcliffe Pro-Am.
He’s now climbed to No.3 on the National Pro-Am Order of Merit for 2024.
John and Conran threatened to match Barbieri’s 66 as they came to the end of their rounds.
John, the winner of The National Tournament presented by BMW on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia earlier this year, played his final six holes in 6-under-par, while Conran birdied the 12th, 14th, 15th and 16th.
Millar’s round included six birdies and two bogeys.
The shot of the day came from Queenslander Will Bruyeres who aced the 279m par-4 third hole.
HOW THE WINNER’S SCORE UNFOLDED
Beginning his day on the 10th tee, Barbieri picked up a birdie on the par-5 12th hole before the highlight of his round, an eagle on the 247m par-4 14th where he hit the green with a three-wood.
He rounded out his opening nine with a birdie on the par-5 18th.
The New South Welshman’s second nine featured eight pars plus a crucial two on the par-3 sixth.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“It’s only my second time here and the last time it was blowing 50kph. It’s an interesting golf course,” Barbieri said.
“I played pretty good all day and didn’t really miss too many greens, holed a few putts here and there.
“Five-under won here last year so I knew it would be around that mark.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
66: Nathan Barbieri (NSW)
67: Matthew Millar (ACT), Cameron John (Vic), James Conran (NSW)
68: Samuel Slater (Qld), Chris Duke (Qld), Caleb Bovalina (Vic)
69: Zachary Maxwell (Qld), Lawry Flynn (Qld); Andrew Kelly (Vic), Christopher Wood (Qld), Lucas Higgins (NSW), Dylan Gardner (Qld)
NEXT UP
The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series continues its stay in the Brisbane region with the Zigcrete Constructions Windaroo Lakes Pro-Am tomorrow followed by the Breakas Beach Resort Vanuatu Virginia Pro-Am on Thursday.
It came with some unexpected nerves yet Will Florimo’s breakthrough adidas PGA Pro-Am Series victory at the Reside Communities Pacific Pro-Am could not have been more fitting.
Playing at Pacific Golf Club where he is a member and has played pennants in the past, Florimo shot 4-under 68 to edge another outstanding field by a single stroke, Edward Donoghue, Dylan Gardner and Brett Rankin sharing second with rounds of 3-under 69.
Florimo earned status for the upcoming Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season at Qualifying School in April and will start his campaign at PNG next month buoyed by a maiden win at his home club.
Despite the familiarity of the venue, Florimo admitted that he arrived at the course with a sense of expectation.
“I said to my wife this morning, I was actually a little bit nervous playing at home, which was weird,” he said.
“Obviously I’ve had a big year with Q School both here and Asia and obviously my first proper starts the last few weeks.
“This was probably the first one that I’ve actually had a little bit of jitters driving here this morning, so awesome to actually get it done.”
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
A birdie at the par-4 fourth was the ideal way for Florimo to start his round but he was back to level par one hole later after a dropped shot at five.
Five straight pars followed before Florimo unleashed a back-nine birdie barrage.
He made three straight birdies from the par-5 11th and closed out a back nine of 5-under 31 with two further birdies at 17 and 18.
Conscious of where he stood on the leaderboard playing his final hole – the par-3 third – Florimo hit his tee shot to the meaty part of the green, a three-putt bogey shaving his advantage to a single shot.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“It was playing different to probably what it normally does with how firm and ridiculously fast it is out there,” Florimo said.
“I felt like I knew where I needed to leave it to a lot of those trickier pins. Even 18, I played as a three-shotter par 5. I know that pin, that’s our pennant pin where it was, so I knew where I had to leave the wedge shot and left it 10 feet under the hole.
“Those sorts of ones was where I felt like I had a bit of an edge.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Will Florimo 68
T2 Edward Donoghue 69
T2 Dylan Gardner 69
T2 Brett Rankin 69
T5 Deyen Lawson 70
T5 Michael Sim 70
T5 Cameron John 70
NEXT UP
The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series stays in Brisbane on Wednesday for the Howeston Pro-Am at Howeston Golf Course before moving on to Windaroo Lakes on Thursday and Virginia on Friday.
Zach Maxwell will target a win on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia after bettering a tour-quality field at the $80,000 Optilease Redcliffe Pro-Am.
The Brisbane native and son of PGA Professional Brett Maxwell, Maxwell delivered a stunning start to his second round to take a stranglehold of the two-day tournament at Redcliffe Golf Club.
Established stars converged on Redcliffe for one of the richest tournaments on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series but Maxwell showed impressive composure to win by one, Nathan Barbieri (65) runner-up for a third time at Redcliffe.
Maxwell began the tournament with a 2-under 69 but played his first five holes in 5-under on Friday, the highlight a hole-in-one at the 134-metre par-3 13th, his fourth hole of the day.
He kept the foot to the floor with a birdie at three and eagle at the par-5 fourth to get to 10-under, enough of a buffer to absorb a bogey at the par-3 seventh and win by one.
“That was really special, especially to have that in a ‘tourny’ round,” said Maxwell.
“I’ve been playing with the Tricolour Concreting guys who have been big supporters of mine for a long time so today was just really special and I’m really grateful.”
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
Four shots separated Maxwell from Round 1 leader Aaron Pike when Round 2 began but he made quick inroads on the deficit.
He made birdie at his opening hole, the par-5 10th, and then added a second in three holes at the par-4 12th.
The hole-in-one on 13 provided a sudden boost and he backed it up with a third birdie at the short par-4 14th.
Six straight pars through the middle of his round kept Maxwell within reach of the top of the leaderboard before his birdie on three and eagle at four propelled him to the front of the pack.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I have a little rule where when I make a birdie I’m allowed to look at the leaderboard,” said Maxwell.
“It gives some good incentive to keep the ego in check, I guess.
“Coming down the last nine holes, I was looking every hole. That’s the best part about the pro-ams and why it’s such a good pathway onto the tour, you get to create environments and create winning pressure.
“I’ve decided with my team to focus on the Aussie season and to only dabble with Asian Tour Q School.
“Being my first year with full status on the Tour, I’ll be keeping my focus here and also pursuing the Asian Tour Q School in Australia at the end of the year.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 Zachary Maxwell 69-64—133
2 Nathan Barbieri 69-65—134
3 Aaron Pike 65-70—135
T4 Douglas Klein 72-64—136
T4 Matthew Millar 69-67—136
T4 Gavin Fairfax 66-70—136
T4 Nathan Page 68-68—136
NEXT UP
Pacific Golf Club makes its return to the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series schedule on Monday with the Reside Communities Pacific Pro-Am to be followed by the Howeston Pro-Am on Wednesday.
Two-time runner-up Nathan Barbieri believes he has unlocked a winning formula ahead of the $80,000 Optilease Redcliffe Pro-Am at Redcliffe Golf Club starting Thursday.
The two-day event is one of the richest on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series schedule and has drawn a field to match.
Winners on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia such as Brad Kennedy, Deyen Lawson, Jordan Zunic and Daniel Gale have all returned from international tours to tee it up alongside established names including defending champion Michael Sim, Marcus Fraser, Matthew Millar, Sam Brazel and Aaron Pike and stars of tomorrow including Barbieri, Lawry Flynn and Cameron John.
Barbieri was just months into his professional career when he finished second to Doug Klein at Redcliffe in 2021.
Wins seemed a matter of formality, but it has taken the New South Welshman almost three years to find a formula for success.
Following the heartbreak of failing to retain full playing rights at the season-ending tournament at The National, Barbieri chose to attend Qualifying School a fortnight later to potentially improve his status.
He won, and although not an official tour event, claims it as his first as a pro.
“I count it as a win, I got paid for it,” he said on Wednesday.
It may prove to be a significant moment in his career, given not only did it solidify his place in the biggest events of the coming season but showed what it took to win as a professional.
And he didn’t stop there.
On a stint playing the Pro-Am Series in Western Australia, Barbieri teamed up with Josh Greer to win the WA PGA Foursomes Championship, edged Curtis Luck at the Cottesloe Open and shot 7-under to win the Sun City Pro-Am.
“It was a monkey off the back,” Barbieri admitted.
“Everyone believes they can do it and then once you do it, it’s a great feeling.
“It’s just the confidence it builds for yourself. You know you can do it and you just keep pushing.
“I was playing well at Cottesloe and then I sort of stalled a bit and I honestly said, ‘I’m not letting this happen again.’
“I’ve had it too many times. I just said in the back of my mind, I don’t want this to happen again. I just need to do this. I need to finish it off and get a win.”
Full of confidence in his game, Barbieri also arrives at Redcliffe with good thoughts about the golf course.
He fired matching 65s to finish one back of Sim last year and said the test that the course provides feeds into the way he likes to play the game.
“You’ve got to hit every shot, for sure,” said Barbieri, part of the John Serhan coaching stable.
“There’s nine holes right-to-left and nine left-to-right and there are a couple of tricky greens that are elevated.
“I just find it really enjoyable to play. You can get some low numbers and the field this year is as good as a Tour event so it should be good.”
Given the quality of field and that the start of the 2024-2025 season is now less than a month away, Barbieri is viewing this year’s Redcliffe Pro-Am as a platform to build on over the course of the year.
“I wasn’t going to originally go to Q School but sort of took a chance and backed myself and it came out good,” said Barbieri, who has entered to play the PNG Open from August 15-18.
“Hopefully this season’s a good one, maybe grab a couple wins and push for that Order of Merit spot.”
