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Aussies Abroad: Eagle-eye Davis top-10 at Honda Classic


It sank the hopes of some yet an eagle at the par-5 18th hole at PGA National has propelled Cameron Davis to a top-10 finish at The Honda Classic in Florida.

One of the International team’s best performers at last December’s Presidents Cup in Melbourne,  Sungjae Im benefited from late stumbles from Tommy Fleetwood and Brendan Steele to claim his first PGA TOUR title with Davis four shots further back in a tie for eighth.

It is Davis’s second top-10 finish of 2020 and culminated in spectacular fashion.

With the great Jack Nicklaus in the TV commentary tower, Davis holed his pitch shot from 31 yards to eagle the 72nd hole and a final round of 2-under 68, a result that is projected to move him up to 80th in the FedEx Cup standings.

Tied for 14th entering the final round, Davis showed he was dialed in with a wedge to tap-in range for birdie at the par-4 first and picked up two further shots with birdies at three and four but at an exacting golf course gave two back at five and seven to make the turn at 1-under for the day.

A bogey at the start of the ‘Bear Trap’ – the par-3 15th – saw Davis fall back to even par on his round until his incredible finish where he claimed the only eagle of the final round at 18.

Kiwi Danny Lee and Matt Jones both made positive progress on Sunday with rounds of 70 and 71 respectively but finished well down the leaderboard in a tie for 47th.

In somewhat familiar territory Harrison Endycott recorded his best finish on the Korn Ferry Tour with a top-25 result at the El Bosque Mexico Championship in Guanajuato.

After two years on the PGA TOUR-Latinoamerica tour, Endycott has partial status on the US secondary tour in 2020 and has been making steady progress, making the cut in each of his three events to date and finishing tied for 24th in Mexico.

Sitting just outside the top 10 going into the fourth and final round, Endycott made the turn in 2-under to stay within reach of the leaders but faltered with a double-bogey at 10, two further birdies and two bogeys adding up to an even-par round of 72.

Veteran Mark Hensby recorded his best finish in the US since June 2017 with a tie for 29th, the foundation of which was a stunning opening round of 6-under 66 that included birdies at six of his first eight holes of the tournament.

It was a challenging week for the Aussie contingent in Europe as Maverick Antcliff’s tie for 47th was the pick at the Oman Open, Queenslander Scott Hend the only other Australian to feature in all four rounds.

PGA TOUR
The Honda Classic
PGA National, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

T8           Cameron Davis  70-67-73-68—278             $US204,750
T47         Danny Lee           70-73-73-70—286             $18,573
T47         Matt Jones         70-73-72-71—286             $18,573
T61         Cameron Percy 69-74-74-73—290             $15,470
MC         Tim Wilkinson    69-81—150
MC         Greg Chalmers  75-77—152

Korn Ferry Tour
El Bosque Mexico Championship
El Bosque Country Club, Guanajuato, Mexico

T24         Harrison Endycott            72-68-70-72—282             $US5,600
T29         Mark Hensby     66-70-74-73—283             $4,341
MC         Brett Drewitt     74-73—147
MC         Steven Bowditch              74-74—148

Oman Open
Al Mouj Golf, Muscat, Oman

T43         Maverick Antcliff              72-71-72-70—285             €8,431
T67         Scott Hend          70-72-72-77—291             €3,113
MC         Jason Scrivener 73-72—145
MC         Jake McLeod      73-73—146
MC         Travis Smyth      71-75—146
MC         Min Woo Lee     77-76—153


Warwick Golf Club Head Professional Sam Eaves has made a hole-in-one at the 213 meter par-3 13th at Millbrook Resort in an exciting final round at the 101st New Zealand Open.

While Lucas Herbert leads the way on the course, Eaves made the shot of the day on the back-nine with a stunning 4-iron shot onto the green.

Landing just short of the hole, his yellow Titleist ball kept rolling to find the cup and take the Queenslander to -3 for the day and 10-under overall with five holes still to play.

Eaves has made the most of the impromptu trip to Queenstown after pre-qualifying in Queensland on Monday for his fourth New Zealand Open start.

Eaves will take home an extra $NZ5,000 while three charities will also receive a Hyundai car thanks to his efforts.  

For live scores from the final round of the 101st New Zealand Open visit pga.org.au.

Watch the NZ Open live on Kayo and the full replay on Fox Sports 506 from 6pm AEDT.


Lucas Herbert is within reach of a second professional title in the space of two months after a stunning 6-under par third round at the 101st New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport.

The 24-year-old Victorian sits tied for the lead at -15 alongside Korea’s Joohyung Kim with just 18 holes to play at Millbrook Resort following a round of seven birdies and a lone bogey at the challenging par-5 13th.

A lead-securing birdie from Herbert at 17 was quickly matched by Kim on the 18th to tie the lead through 54 holes.

“I started off quite nicely and got that little three-birdie run through the middle and got myself in a nice position but then straight after that I felt like I really battled my golf swing for a few holes and hit some errant ones,” Herbert said.

“To fight back like I did and make some really good swings sort of 15, 16, 17 and even 18 there to hit it in the middle of the green, I was really proud of that because I think we’ve got a bit of work to do on the range to get ready for tomorrow.”

Fuelled by Queenstown’s famous Fergburgers the Bendigo local will draw on the confidence gained following January’s European Tour win when he takes to the first tee at 12:30pm NZT on Sunday.

“Tomorrow is going to be a different story. I don’t think I’ve ever been as ready as I am right now to go and do it. I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

“I think that win in Dubai is really going to help me out given I hadn’t done it before. That gives me that confidence that I can get it over the line and beat everyone.

“I’ll just try and channel that tomorrow. Some good positive thoughts from a month ago about that and whatever happens, happens.”

Keenly aware of the talent surrounding the top of the leaderboard, round one and two leader Kim will adopt an aggressive approach as he aims to go low on Sunday.

“I played really well today. I played well off the tee and my approach to the green but I did leave a lot of shots out there on the greens to be honest,” Kim said.

“You can’t have all day that it goes your way. I am still in the hunt. I have myself a really good chance for tomorrow. It’s is going to be fun to be honest.

“Playing with Lucas is going to be really enjoyable. Obviously he is a European Tour winner so it is going to be where ever it goes, whether I win or lose tomorrow I am going to enjoy myself and give it everything.”

With loved ones in town for the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and Asian Tour co-sanctioned tournament a win close to home would tick yet another career box for Herbert.

“Given that family and friends are all here this week too that would be awesome. My dad hasn’t seen me win yet so that would be pretty cool,” Herbert said.

“To get a win on the Australian Tour, as much as it’s not in Australia it would be good to prove back home that I can play as well as overseas.”

Queensland’s Brad Kennedy remains in the hunt for a second New Zealand Open title following a 5-under 66 third round at Millbrook Resort to sit in outright third place and two shots off the lead.

American Chan Kim and Novocastrian Nick Flanagan are tied three shots back at 12-under the card in fourth place.

The shot of the day, however, came from South Australia’s Wade Ormsby on the 17th when his approach shot found its way into the hole for eagle.

Entry is free for the final round of the 101st New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport which will tee off at Millbrook Resort tomorrow.

Photo: PhotosportNZ


South Korean teenager Joohyung Kim has shown maturity beyond his 17 years as he battled against increasing winds and a challenging The Hills layout to reclaim the lead of the 101st New Zealand Open.

Kim’s overnight benchmark of 7-under, set in round one of the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and Asian Tour tournament, was quickly eclipsed by Victorian Ben Eccles who started round two with an eagle in benign morning conditions.

Steady play and a 4-under round featuring five birdies and a lone bogey was all it took for Kim to return to the lead at 11-under.

“I played really well. With the tough conditions today it wasn’t very easy,” Kim said.

“We got three, four club winds, swirling every single time so it was tough but I managed myself really well and I hope to keep going through the weekend.

“If I can do what I did for the past two days, then I will be fine. Putting the ball in play, not giving myself too much nerves, that will be the key.”

As play returns to Millbrook Resort for the final two rounds Kim will lean on advice passed on from the game’s best as he aims to improve even further.

“I’ve been working really hard and it’s nice that the scores are as good as how much I work,” he said.

“I’m just trying to learn. I’m very fortunate that the guys, the veterans have been really nice to me and tell me how to play golf, how the best play so I think that really helps.”

Eccles’ hot start was the key to a consistent round that saw the 25-year-old end the day in outright second place as he chases a second ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia title.

“Yesterday I played awesome; in those conditions as well it just all came together. This morning I got off to a fast start – eagle, birdie, birdie. It awesome, it’s an amazing feeling and hopefully I can keep going,” said the 2015 NSW Open champion.

“The rough is up this year, which is going to make it interesting over the weekend. You’ve really got to take advantage of the par 5s, that’s something that I’ve done the last couple of days – a couple of eagles and a couple of birdies.

“I just wanted to keep enjoying it, that’s been the main thing for me this week. The last couple of years I haven’t enjoyed it a hell of a lot out in Europe, a bit of a mindset shift in the last few months has been where I think this golf has come from.”

A missing suitcase and ill-fitting borrowed clothes were quickly out of mind for Lucas Herbert when he took to The Hills on Friday morning.

Light winds made for kind scoring conditions and Herbert capitalised on the back-nine. A -4 round took the Bendigo local to a score of 9-under and a share of third place alongside Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert.

“I think my suitcase is just flying in at the moment. It will be good to get back into some familiar clothes tomorrow,” Herbert laughed.

“I had to wear some wet weather pants today because I think my pants are about that far too short so it’s been an interesting one.”

Despite winning his first professional tournament at the European Tour’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic in January this year Herbert shied away from suggestions he would be a threat on the leaderboard come moving day.

“Ben Eccles has won a Professional event as well so I don’t know that it’s going to be that much of an intimidation factor. Hopefully I can just go out there and play some good golf and sort of let that speak for itself,” he said.

Kieran Muir is the top Kiwi on the leaderboard following a blistering 65 on the Millbrook course.

Sitting alone in fifth place at 8-under the card, Muir leads a logjam of Australasian golf’s biggest names tied for sixth including Michael Hendry, Wade Ormsby, Brad Kennedy and Nick Flanagan.

Seventy-seven Professionals will progress to the weekend after the second-round cut was made at 60 players plus ties. Forty amateurs will also tee it up in the pro-am format from Saturday.

Photo: Photosport NZ


Korean teenage superstar Joohyung Kim has shot 7-under 64 in round one of the 101st New Zealand Open, presented by Sky Sport, to lead by one shot over Australians Wade Ormsby, Brad Kennedy and Ben Eccles.

The 17-year-old seemingly mastered the challenging winds that hounded the Queenstown’s Millbrook Resort early in the day before closing out his round with a birdie on the 18th.

“I managed myself really well and gave myself lots of good chances and made some good putts too,” Kim said.

“I’ve been very fortunate to play well and I’ve also been working very hard. It’s nice to know that I can still post a good round after a month’s break.

“For tomorrow, I just have to play without any expectations and play the way I did today. A lot will also have to depend on the wind too.”

Queensland’s Brad Kennedy lead the way at The Hills course where he fired seven birdies, three bogeys and a lone eagle at 17 for a 6-under 66 opening scorecard to sit one shot behind Kim.

“It had everything. I thought it was going to hail there at one stage even,” Kennedy said of the weather.

“It was a totally different breeze to what we’re used to. Fourteen was down breeze, 15 was into the breeze so it was a totally different golf course. Luckily I didn’t even have a practice round this week so I just went from what I knew and it was a whole new experience.

“(It) actually caught me a couple of times so to get in the clubhouse with as many birdies as I had; it was a good fun round of golf.”

Low scores were there to be had late in the day at the Millbrook layout where both Wade Ormsby and Ben Eccles charged home for a share of second place.

Named as a reserve for the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour co-sanctioned tournament just yesterday, the late call up was a welcome surprise for the Victorian.

“It’s pretty awesome. I said to my best mate who’s caddying for me that I just want to enjoy the week whether I get in or not,” Eccles said.

“We got in yesterday morning so it’s a big bonus and to play like I did today was just awesome.”

Dying winds and a favourable breeze aided Ormsby’s birdie quest on the way to a bogey-free round of 6-under the card.

“I felt like we could have gotten the wrong side of the draw there pretty quickly so it was just a matter of hanging on early,” said Ormsby, who finished runner-up at the 2006 New Zealand Open in Auckland.

“I made some great up and downs on two and three and it was just a matter of hanging on. I started making some birdies back downwind there on seven, eight, nine.

“So that got a bit of momentum going and then I played nice around the back. The game feels pretty good, I putted nicely so I’m happy.”

Recent European Tour winner Lucas Herbert sits within two strokes of the lead alongside Terry Pilkadaris and Japan Golf Tour duo Kazuki Higa and Tatsuya Kodai.

Reigning champion Zach Murray completed his opening round at Millbrook Resort at 3-under the card after a bogey, followed by a double, reduced his 6-under lead.

Kiwi star Ryan Fox enjoyed a competitive start to round one but his total was also reduced to a final card of 2-under.

The New Zealand Open is broadcast live in Australia on Fox Sports Australia and Kayo Sports. For broadcast details click here.

For round one results visit pga.org.au.

Photo: Photosport NZ


Leading Kiwi golfer Ryan Fox will have Steve Williams on his bag and Shane Warne alongside him as he chases a New Zealand Open title in Queenstown this week.

Still rubbing his eyes after travelling home from an impressive share of 29th place at the WGC-Mexico Championship, the European Tour player doesn’t need to look far for inspiration as he tries to tame The Hills and Millbrook courses during the 101st edition of the Open, presented by Sky Sport.

Fox and renowned Kiwi caddy Williams, the former bagman to Tiger Woods, have teamed up for the past four Opens.

“Steve offered his services four years ago and I feel pretty privileged that he wants to do that,” Fox said.

“He’s seen arguably the best golf that anyone’s ever played through that mid-2000s period with Tiger and I can certainly learn a lot off him. It’s been good fun the last couple of years and I know the New Zealand Open is missing off his resume and it would be nice if we could both tick it off one of these years.”

The New Zealand Open sees 156 professionals paired with amateurs in a Dunhill Links-like format and, after playing with his father Grant in recent years, Fox will be joined on the tee by childhood hero and Australian cricket great Warne.

Fox grew up trying to imitate Warne’s ferocious leg breaks and has gone on to play alongside him regularly on the golf course.

“I know a Kiwi playing with an Aussie might not be good luck but it’s worked really well in the Dunhill Links,” Fox said.

“It’s cool to be able to call him a mate now and I can go and have a bit of fun on the golf course with him. Hopefully it’s good karma this week. It’s worked well before and we have a lot of fun on the golf course and hopefully we can keep that mentality this week.”

It’s fair to say Fox hasn’t returned home just to bank a few air miles.

He’d love an Open title amongst his career accomplishments and feels like his game is good enough to do just that.

“I played well in Victoria a couple of weeks ago and I felt like everything was pretty good last week. I’m in some of the better form I’ve been in coming into this tournament, but golf’s a funny game and sometimes that doesn’t mean much.”

While Fox is one of the biggest hitters in the game, he knows Sunday’s champion will be crowned with a putter.

“When you look at the scoring for the past few years, it’s been up around 20 and higher. You don’t shoot those kind of numbers without holing a lot of putts. You are going to have to putt well to contend this week and I feel like I’ve been doing that reasonably well the last couple of weeks.”

Fox gets his tournament underway with an early morning round at The Hills, playing in the same group as 2014 New Zealand Open winner Dimitrios Papadatos.

Photo: Photosport NZ


Forty-eight hours ago Zach Murray was still in Mexico having just played in perhaps one of the biggest tournaments of his career.

Fast forward to Wednesday in New Zealand and the Victorian has touched down in Queenstown ready to defend his New Zealand Open title at the picturesque Millbrook Resort and The Hills.

Similarly to last year, Murray will take to the first tee on Thursday with just a few hours spent on the course but the lack of preparation is no curveball for the jovial 22-year-old.

“I landed in this morning and it’s been a pretty big day and a half for me but I’m feeling pretty good. I just had a nice pie from the bakery in Arrowtown so that’s fixed me up pretty good,” Murray laughed.

“I’m super excited. I’m playing here (Millbrook) tomorrow but playing at The Hills on Friday and going down the 18th (it will be) the next time I’ve been down there since last year so that’ll be pretty cool.

“I am going to be a little bit tired so there’s probably going to be a bit of frustration that could potentially happen so it’s just all about trying to do the best I can off the course and recover and just do all the one per centres as well as trying to enjoy the week.”

A strong few rounds at last week’s WGC-Mexico Championship were marred by food poisoning for an eventual T48 finish for Murray.

Despite ‘running out of gas’ by the final round he insists the experience of playing alongside the world’s best will prove invaluable ahead of the NZ Open.

“I played with Tommy Fleetwood on the last day and it was nice to see how they play compared to my game plan. My game plan is probably quite conservative compared to theirs,” he said.

“Obviously last week, I get a lot of confidence from that and then I think I’ve said it all along this is one of my favourite places in the world, Queenstown, and coming here I was really excited.”

Like many in the 152-player field, Murray describes the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and Asian Tour tournament, played in partnership with the Japan Golf Tour, as a must-play on the schedule.

The European Tour player, who earned his card courtesy of his first-place result on the Australasian Tour’s Order of Merit in 2019, will be joined by some familiar faces on the tee at Millbrook Resort including 2019 amateur partner Scott Heitcamp and Australasian PGA Professional Matt Guyatt.

“Obviously the expectation is to come back and play well and my game is in good shape,” added Murray, who will begin his championship defence at 8:36am (NZDT) on Thursday.

“I’ve got a lot of family and friends over this week and it will just be nice to get out there and play. I’m playing with the same amateur partner as I did last year, Scotty, so I’m looking forward to that as well.”

If victorious again in 2020, Murray will receive the winner’s share of the $NZ1,400,000 prize purse, Official World Golf Ranking Points and status on both the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and the Asian Tour.

The 101st New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport is played from 27 February to 1 March 2020 at Millbrook Resort and The Hills in Arrowtown, New Zealand.


A funny thing happened on the way to Oman.

Granted entry into the European Tour’s Oman Open this week by virtue of his tie for third at the co-sanctioned ISPS HANDA Vic Open, Travis Smyth travelled to the Arabian Peninsula by way of Los Angeles where he rubbed shoulders with Hollywood royalty.

In America to spend time with his girlfriend – “It was my turn to go make the trip over and see her” – Smyth was invited by California-based golf professional Jon Levitt to play a skins game at Brookside Golf Club in Pasadena.

They were joined by Hollywood A-lister Adam Baldwin, whose back catalogue of work including films such as Full Metal Jacket, Predator 2, Independence Day and The Patriot only became apparent to Smyth after they had finished their round.

“My girlfriend is from Chicago but it’s too cold to play golf there right now so we thought LA was a good fit,” Smyth said of his American stopover.

“I’ve got some friends there and played some golf.

“Jon Levitt had a skins game going and invited me along but I didn’t know Adam Baldwin before playing with him.

“I played with him and didn’t even realise he was a famous actor. He told me he was an actor but I didn’t really ask him how famous he was.

“It wasn’t until I saw his Twitter account and how many followers he has did I think, Geez, he must be a big deal.

“I looked up some of the movies he was in and didn’t realise he was quite a name in Hollywood.

“It was a good day. He’s a very down-to-earth guy and just fit in with the local guys we were with.”

Given Smyth’s rising star in the professional ranks, mixing with Hollywood heavy hitters seems somewhat apt for the 25-year-old’s current trajectory.

Currently 10th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit after finishing top-15 at both the Hong Kong Open and SMBC Singapore Open, Smyth admitted that it was a difficult choice to pick Oman this week over Queenstown and the co-sanctioned New Zealand Open.

“It was a difficult decision because not only is New Zealand Open an Aussie Tour event but Asian Tour as well and it would be great to make another jump on the moneylist,” said Smyth, who has been top-15 in each of his two NZ Open starts.

“But I just couldn’t turn down a European Tour start.

“I’ve paid my affiliate membership and I’m only going to get five starts to try and get my card so any extra starts I can get I’m definitely going to take.

“I’ll be asking for invites and hopefully I can get a couple more to hopefully secure a 2021 European Tour card.

“It does suck to not play New Zealand Open because I’ve done OK there before and feel that I can win there. It’s an amazing place and I’ve got some friends there and would have had a great week – it’s probably my favourite week of the year.

“But I had to come to Oman; I couldn’t turn it down and I’m pumped to be here.”

Paired with fellow Australian Jake McLeod for the opening two rounds at Al Mouj Golf in Muscat, Smyth is currently 58th in the Race to Dubai rankings courtesy of his top-15 finish at the Australian PGA Championship and third-place finish at the Vic Open.

Affiliate membership provides limited playing opportunities on the main tour, continued good play the key to solidifying status.

“I want to be top 10 here this week and get in the next event in Qatar,” Smyth explained.

“Hopefully play well and go on to Qatar next week and if not go back to Asia and play a run of events leading up to the Indian Open.

“Every part of my game feels good right now so if I can manage the conditions I’ll be fine.

“The golf course goes out and back along the coastline and you’ve got to control your ball really well. Every hole is off the left either down or into and then coming back it’s off the right down or into, depending on what the wind’s doing that day.

“It’s cross-breeze the entire time so if I can manage the left-to-right holes well I feel like I can do really well. That’s a shot I have struggled with in the past but hopefully I have some good numbers out there and can swing smoothly.

“If I can manage the left-to-right wind I should do really well.

“The greens are amazing. If the wind doesn’t get up people will be holing putts for sure.”


The European Tour Qualifying School will make its first appearance outside of Europe when Rosebud Country Club hosts a First Stage event in 2020.

European Tour hopefuls will tee it up in Australia from September 1-4, marking the first time in the European Tour Qualifying School’s 45-year history that an event will be staged in the country and outside of Europe.

Rosebud Country Club, based on the outskirts of Melbourne, will be the first event of the 2020 Qualifying School journey when it hosts Section A First Stage, which will see competitors play four rounds, with the leading players earning a place in Second Stage.

The club, which opened in 1964, boasts two 18-hole golf courses and has hosted an Australian PGA Championship (1976).

“We are thrilled to have a European Tour Qualifying School event in Australia for the first time. It is a historic moment for Qualifying School as we move to new venues across the globe, with the desire to play European Tour golf continuing to grow,” said Mike Stewart, European Tour Qualifying School Director.

“Australia has a famed history of producing world-class golfers and we have seen that already this season with Adam Scott, Lucas Herbert and Min Woo Lee already winners on the 2020 Race to Dubai. With a Qualifying School event in Australia, it provides golfers in the Asia-Pacific region the opportunity to earn their place on the European Tour.

“We are looking forward to working with Nick Dastey at the PGA of Australia, as well as Danny McGrath and his team at Rosebud Country Club, ahead of this exciting occasion for golf in this region.” 

Danny McGrath, Rosebud Country Club General Manager, said the club was thrilled to stage such a significant event.

“Rosebud Country Club is extremely honoured to be partnering with the European Tour to host the First Stage Qualifying School event, held outside of Europe,” McGrath said.

“Our club has a proud member base and a strong history of supporting the PGA of Australia and its members. We are very excited to have the opportunity to showcase the first-class North course to the entrants and contribute to fulfilling a dream of qualifying to play on the European Tour in 2021.”

Nick Dastey, the PGA’s Tournaments Director Australasia, said hosting a qualifying event in Melbourne will give more Aussie golfers the opportunity to advance their careers onto the European Tour.

“We are really excited to work with our partners at the European Tour to bring the very first European Tour Qualifying School First Stage to Australia,” Dastey said.

“This is a great opportunity for our members along with the elite amateurs in this country looking to turn professional. The Rosebud Country Club is a fantastic facility and one that will be a fitting host for this ground-breaking event.

“The PGA of Australia has had a terrific and long-lasting relationship with Rosebud, which previously hosted the Australian PGA Championship and many Pro-Am events”.

The importance of First Stage was shown by Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Gonnet in 2019, as he progressed through all three stages to clinch the 28th and final European Tour card at Final Stage in November. American Kurt Kitayama won Section D First Stage in 2018 ahead of claiming his European Tour playing rights en route to his successes in Mauritius and Oman.

Jake McLeod (2019), Deyen Lawson and Nick Cullen (2018) are some of the recent Australians to earn their European Tour cards through Qualifying School.


Australia’s best young talent will have the opportunity to play their way into more of this country’s top tournaments after the announcement of an expanded Junior 6s Invitational series in 2020.

The brainchild of former Australian touring professional Ewan Porter, the Junior 6s Invitational launched in 2019 with Hayden Hopewell and Belinda Ji claiming the inaugural boys and girls titles respectively at Cronulla Golf Club.

Part of their reward for winning was entry into Australian professional events, an invitation Hopewell utilised to full effect by finishing tied for 10th at the PGA Tour of Australasia’s Gippsland Super 6 tournament and top 30 at the Emirates Australian Open along with making the cut at the AV Jennings NSW Open.

Now sponsored by adidas Golf and with ongoing support from Golf NSW, the PGA of Australia and Australian Ladies Professional Golf, the adidas Golf Junior 6s Invitational Race to Cronulla will see the best amateur golfers, 18 and under, male and female, from around the globe competing against one another, a world-first in amateur golf.

Having collected data from both men’s and women’s major professional golf tours around the world, women will play a golf course 86 per cent of the total yardage for men at each venue throughout the series with three qualifying events to be held in New South Wales and one each in Victoria and Queensland.

The Queensland qualifying event will be held at Emerald Lakes Golf Club on the Gold Coast and, in another world-first initiative for amateur golf, the 6s matchplay conducted under lights.

The overall boys’ and girls’ points race winner will be crowned after the two-day National Final at Cronulla Golf Club on October 6, along with the Norm Porter Memorial Boys and Girls champions and the Junior 6s National Final Match Play Winners.

“From the outset I wanted this to provide young golfers with a pathway to professional events and it’s exciting to see those opportunities expand in just our second year to a level that’s unrivalled in any amateur tournament in the Southern Hemisphere,” Porter said.

“Our inaugural boys champion Hayden Hopewell showed just how talented these kids are by finishing top 10 at the Gippsland Super 6 and then top 30 at the Australian Open.

“I’ve got no doubt that as we expand the series and provide access for even more kids we will see that pool of talent become even deeper and expose them to what it takes to succeed in professional golf.

“Given what we saw in our first year, let’s just say I’m glad I’m not still out there trying to keep up with these incredible young golfers.”

Open to male and female golfers 18 years or younger as at October 5, 2020 with a handicap of 6 or less, the National Final will feature fields of 36 boys and 36 girls. The winners of each qualifying series and the top 25 points getters from qualifying events not otherwise exempt gain entry and will be joined by five national/international invitees and the top boy and girl from Cronulla Golf Club.

For more information and registration details visit junior6sinvitational.com.au.


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