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The future of Australian golf will be on show as the next wave of PGA of Australia Trainees compete at this week’s Rich River Trainee Classic.
Dozens of Trainees will compete at the Rich River Golf Club in Moama, New South Wales on 21-24 January.
It is 33rd year the event has been staged at Rich River, maintaining its title as the longest standing four-round tournament at one venue in PGA of Australia history.
The Rich River Trainee Classic, established in 1988, provides opportunities for Trainees to develop their tournament playing skills against their peers from all over Australia and provides an ideal platform for Trainees looking to pursue a career as a professional golfer on the worldwide golf tours.
The tournament has seen winners including Australian Masters Champion Rod Pampling, NSW PGA champion Tim Wood, Jacobs Creek Open champion Euan Walters, Queensland National Coach Tony Meyer and current ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia player Jack Wilson.
After last year’s nail-biting finish, won by Frazer Droop, this year promises to be another enthralling battle with the two runners-up returning to go one step further.
Travis Tatt, from Ballarat Golf Club, and Brayden Petersen, from Asquith Golf Club, will join 78 other PGA Trainees all vying to etch their names on the prestigious trophy.
The Rich River Trainee Classic is a unique event with women Trainees competing alongside the men for the same prize purse and title. A total of seven women will battle the men this year in an attempt to take out the Championship.
Once again the field sees 30 new first year Trainees out to prove their ability in their first four-round event as Trainee Professionals.
Along with their campaign to bring home the winner’s cheque at the end of the week, Trainees will be provided the opportunity to out-drive each other in the Doug Fraser Long Drive Competition on Monday evening, with the winner walking away with $500.
The longest drive competition is held in honour of the long-serving Rich River member and tournament volunteer, Doug Fraser, who before his untimely passing, was the driving force behind the running of the Rich River Trainee Classic.
Play commences on the new East Course layout today.
Follow the live scores on the PGA Tour of Australia App or at pga.org.au.
Scott Hend and Zach Murray have elevated themselves into the top 50 in the Race to Dubai following strong showings at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the first of the European Tour’s eight Rolex Series events for 2020.
The start of the desert swing that traditionally signified the beginning of the European Tour season, 1997 Australian Open champion Lee Westwood led from the front to win by two shots from fellow Englishmen Tommy Fleetwood and Matthew Fitzpatrick along with France’s Victor Pereze.
With three birdies in his opening four holes, Hend threatened to make a Sunday surge from his starting position of 14th on the leaderboard but stalled with back-to-back bogeys at five and six.
A 2-under back nine with birdies at 12 and 18 recovered those earlier dropped shots and saw the Queenslander finish in a tie for 17th and 43rd in the season-long points race.
Playing on invitation in Abu Dhabi, Murray began his European Tour rookie season in fine style with a closing 3-under 69 and tied for 21st.
An opening round of 5-under 67 was the ideal start to his maiden European campaign and the Wodonga native held his composure over the closing 36 holes, playing the weekend in 5-under with just four bogeys to move up 50 places to 46th in the Race to Dubai.
Hong Kong Open champion Wade Ormsby played all four rounds under par to finish tied for 51st while Jason Scrivener was unable to maintain the pace after an opening 66, ultimately ending the week tied for 59th.
The European Tour this week moves on to the Omega Dubai Desert Classic where Hend, Ormsby, Scrivener, Lucas Herbert, Daniel Gaunt and Kiwi Ryan Fox are currently in the field.
European Tour
Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship
Abu Dhabi GC, Abu Dhabi, UAE
T17 Scott Hend 69-70-69-69—277 €79,838
T21 Zach Murray 67-72-70-69—278 €65,379
T51 Wade Ormsby 71-71-70-71—283 €26,403
T59 Jason Scrivener 66-74-74-71—285 €17,602
T67 Lucas Herbert 69-69-76-75—289 €13,515
MC Ryan Fox 74-71—145
He’s taking a longer path than originally intended but Ryan Ruffels’ dream of playing on the PGA TOUR is back on track after an impressive finish at the season-opening Great Exuma Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour.
The first event of the year on the PGA TOUR’s secondary tour featured high winds and high scores over the opening two rounds, former PGA TOUR winner Tommy Gainey shooting 67-69 over the final two rounds to win by four shots.
Following a hard-earned 74 in the first round, Ruffels moved inside the top 10 on the leaderboard with rounds of 69-70 but had to fight back late to end the week tied for 11th at the Greg Norman-designed Sandals Emerald Bay layout.
A birdie at the par-4 opening hole was countered by a bogey at the next, a further dropped shot at the par-4 seventh for the second day in succession sending the 21-year-old to the back nine 1-over on his round.
Further bogeys at 11 and 13 saw Ruffels slide further down the leaderboard but he responded in impressive fashion, picking up shots at the par 5s at 15 and 18 to sign for a 73 and establish a strong platform from which to build for the season ahead.
Sydney’s Jamie Arnold was the only other Australian to make the cut while Kiwi Steven Alker shot 70 in the final round to move up 23 spots and into a tie for 34th.
Korn Ferry Tour
The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic
Sandals Emerald Bay, Great Exuma, Bahamas
T11 Ryan Ruffels 74-69-70-73—286 $US12,378
T34 Steven Alker 71-77-75-70—293 $3,510
T44 Jamie Arnold 77-72-72-74—295 $2,730
MC Brett Drewitt 73-77—150
MC Steven Bowditch 73-78—151
MC Curtis Luck 80-75—155
MC Brett Coletta 74-84—158
It’s the realisation of a boyhood dream yet Zach Murray is maintaining a philosophical approach ahead of his European Tour debut.
Murray has accepted a tournament invitation to play this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Abu Dhabi Golf Club and boasts a 2020 European Tour card by virtue of finishing second on the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.
It’s what he has been working towards since watching the European Tour on TV as a kid yet in 12 months as a professional Murray has learned that the game is a greater test of your mentality than of your skill.
Admitting that the travel associated with professional golf poses issues for a person prone to homesickness, the 22-year-old who hails from Wodonga uses regular chats with mentors Ken and Rachel Little to maintain perspective.
He knows there will be difficult days on tour and others that will be celebrated – such as his New Zealand Open triumph last March – but that no matter the score he shoots his worth as a person doesn’t change.
“We’re all out there trying to shoot the best score we can, and there’s obviously that part where you’ve got to be so mentally strong. But what does mentally strong mean? It’s a huge answer to that question,” Murray muses.
“That’s sort what have I’ve been trying to work on, what triggers me to get into the right mental space, and I’m slowly getting there.
“I’m working with a guy, Ken Little and his partner, Rachel. We talk every day.
“It’s never about the golf, it’s just about being the best human you can be, because at the end of the day we are all human.
“There are going to be times where I’m going to be crappy, I’m going to swear and whatever, but the majority of the time I’m trying to remain calm, focused and just try and enjoy it the best as I can.
“I think that’s what I’m trying to work on, is just believe in myself. I know I’m a good player and I’ve won before, but sometimes you just have to believe in yourself.
“It’s only human to do that. I’m not afraid of those thoughts, it’s just what happens.”
It’s rare insight from one so young in both age and experience in professional golf.
Ranked as high as No.19 in the world as an amateur, the lanky, languid Murray turned professional shortly after claiming the 2018 Nexus Risk TSA Group WA Open.
Further success followed soon after.
He earned a full Asian Tour card at Qualifying School, claimed the Blitz Golf event at Glenelg and shot 8-under in the opening round on his way to a two-stroke New Zealand Open victory, the first wire-to-wire winner since Sir Bob Charles in 1954.
It positioned him well early for a tilt at the Order of Merit title and while he couldn’t make up the necessary ground on Ryan Fox at the Australian PGA, Fox’s established status in Europe provided Murray with a way in.
A quarter-finalist at the British Amateur in 2017, Murray estimates that he has watched the official film of the 2016 Open Championship and the extraordinary duel between Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickeslon at Royal Troon more than 50 times but knows homesickness will never truly go away.
Fortunately for Murray his girlfriend Amy’s family hails from south London, a base that this year will serve as his home away from home.
“I’ve always struggled going away from home. I just haven’t travelled that well,” Murray explained.
“Winning the New Zealand Open obviously gave me the financial leg-up just to be able to take a mate or take my girlfriend with me and it made last year basically possible.
“Two years ago I didn’t really want to travel overseas and play golf just because I just got super anxious about it.
“It just runs in the blood a little bit. I’ve done a huge amount of work on that and while I don’t think it’s any better than it ever was, it’s just that now I’ve got people around me to keep me comfortable.
“That’s just how life will be. And I love my golf, but I don’t love it enough to drive myself into the ground, because life’s too short to be stressing about that all the time.”
Other Australians in the field in Abu Dhabi are Hong Kong Open champ Wade Ormsby, Scott Hend, Jason Scrivener and Lucas Herbert along with Kiwi Ryan Fox.
It’s been 587 days since Greg Chalmers last played a PGA TOUR event and now another crucial countdown begins.
This week’s The American Express at the Stadium Course at La Quinta in California is the first of seven events Chalmers can play on a medical extension, an extension granted on the basis of a back injury he thought could have ended his playing career.
When Chalmers shot 80-79 at the FedEx St Jude Classic in June 2018 he not only missed the cut, he finished dead last among those to complete 36 holes.
It was the last straw in his efforts to play on despite crippling back pain, pain that would later be diagnosed as arthritis in his spine and every joint in his lumbar spine as well as a torn ligament in Chalmers’ spine that went undiagnosed for more than six months.
Such was his despair the two-time Australian Open and Australian PGA champ enquired with coaches around his home in Dallas about the possibility of moving into a coaching role but arrived home over the summer a reinvigorated 46-year-old, a top-five finish at the Australian Open followed by a tie for 15th at the Australian PGA Championship.
In order to regain full status on the PGA TOUR Chalmers needs to earn 244.707 FedEx Cup points in the seven events available to him – the winner this week receives 500 – and is hopeful that he can play his way into a fuller schedule at least by the end of the year.
“I’ve got seven starts left on a medical and that’s my expectation right now, play my seven,” Chalmers explained.
“Depending on when I finish, though, and how I play, I could get four or five more starts in Reno, for example, or Barbasol or John Deere.
“There are some events that will pop up along the way so I could get 10 to 12 starts, which starting in January, you’re looking at maybe two starts a month, which wouldn’t be too bad for me after having 18 months off.
“Depending on how I go, I’m exempt into the Playoffs to get your card back on the Korn Ferry Tour, so I’ve got those three playoff events placed on previous performance.”
In addition to enhanced physical performance, Chalmers is also seeing the benefits of working with Bradley Hughes, a former Aussie tour player with a burgeoning reputation as an instructor.
Bringing Brendon Todd back from the abyss has elevated Hughes’s status as one of the hottest instructors in world golf and has Chalmers striking the ball as well as he ever has.
“For me, there was always a lot of room for improvement [with my ball-striking] and he came to me in Dallas at my home club,” Chalmers said.
“In two rounds we played together I shot 9-under with no bogeys and I was very pleased and excited.
“I said, ‘Mate, that’s the best I’ve ever hit it.’ Now, he’s a great ball-striker and to him, he said, ‘It looks kind of normal to me.’
“But for me it was really exciting.
“I told him, ‘Look, I don’t have time to rebuild the ark, I have a shorter window here, can you help me with my ball-striking without me taking years to get that done?’ He said, ‘Absolutely. I’ve taken a look at what you’re doing, I think I can help you.’
“It’s pretty simple stuff but very effective. Getting better use out of my feet and my groundwork, and then better position with my hands and path with the club through the ball.
“It’s led to better ball-striking and that’s important for me. If I can strike it even marginally better with my short game, it’s going to see some good results.
“I’m excited about the future.”
Played for almost 20 years as the Bob Hope Classic, Chalmers’ best result in the California desert pro-am came in 2011 when he was tied for 11th, Bruce Devlin (1970) the only Australian victor in the tournament’s history.
The other Aussies in the field this week across the three courses are John Senden, Aaron Baddeley, Cameron Percy, Cameron Davis, Rhein Gibson along with Kiwi pair Danny Lee and Tim Wilkinson.
See below for all the Aussie tee times on the PGA TOUR, European Tour and Asian Tour this week.
Round 1 tee times (AEDT)
Asian Tour
SMBC Singapore Open
Sentosa Golf Club, Singapore
10.40am Marcus Fraser, Hiroyuki Fujita, Amir Nazrin
10.40am* Andrew Dodt, Yosuke Asaji, Phachara Khongwatmai
10.50am Terry Pilkadaris, Danny Chia, Daijiro Izumida
11am Michael Hendry, Jack Harrison, Ryuji Masaoka
11.10am Jake Higginbottom, Joshua Shou, Chan Shih-chang
11.20am David Bransdon, Jyoti Randhawa, Yosuke Tsukada
11.40am Won Joon Lee, Danthai Boonma, Nicklaus Chiam (a)
12pm David Gleeson, Hung Chien-yao, Jeongwoo Ham
12.20pm* Aaron Pike, Taewoo Kim #1468, Marc Ong
12.30pm Josh Younger, Inhoi Hur, Malcolm Kokocinski
3.20pm Daniel Nisbet, Taehee Lee, Poom Saksansin
3.30pm* Travis Smyth, Aman Raj, Naoki Sekito
4.10pm* Adam Bland, Todd Baek, Janne Kaske
4.30pm* Matthew Griffin, Thitiphun Chuayprakong, Tatsuya Kodai
4.50pm* David Micheluzzi, Eric Sugimoto, Koki Shiomi
5.20pm Dylan Perry, Tomoyasu Sugiyama, Wee Jin Low (a)
European Tour
Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship
Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Abu Dhabi
2.50pm Jason Scrivener, Andy Sullivan, Scott Jamieson
3pm Scott Hend, Chris Wood, Richard McEvoy
3.20pm Zach Murray, Zander Lombard, Ashley Chesters
3.30pm* Lucas Herbert, Guido Migliozzi, Julien Guerrier
7.25pm* Wade Ormsby, Marcus Kinhult, Steven Brown
8.15pm Ryan Fox, Alvaro Quiros, Thomas Aiken
PGA TOUR
The American Express
Stadium Course, La Quinta, California
Stadium Course
4.10am* Greg Chalmers, Troy Merritt
4.30am Cameron Percy, Ricky Barnes
5.10am Aaron Baddeley, James Hahn
La Quinta Country Club
4.30am Tim Wilkinson, David Hearn
5.30am* Rhein Gibson, Wes Roach
Nicklaus Tournament Course
4.40am John Senden, Peter Malnati
4.50am Danny Lee, Robert Streb
5.30am* Cameron Davis, Doug Ghim
* Starting from 10th tee
The pain of falling short at the Australian PGA Championship three weeks ago has driven South Australian Wade Ormsby to a commanding win at the Asian Tour’s season-opening Hong Kong Open at the Hong Kong Golf Club.
Champion in 2017, Ormsby joins legendary figures Peter Thomson, Greg Norman and Frank Phillips as the only Aussies to win the Hong Kong Open on multiple occasions and he did so by leading from the front from day one.
A blistering start to the tournament where Ormsby birdied four of his opening seven holes gave him a share of the lead, a lead he would extend to as many as five shots over the following 65 holes before claiming a four-stroke victory.
A nervous start and a chasing pack that included Open champion Shane Lowry, US Presidents Cup representative Tony Finau and reigning Asian Tour No.1 Jazz Janewattananond applied some early pressure to Ormsby but a crucial up-and-down at the eighth hole and birdies at 11 and 17 ensured the walk down 18 would be one to savour.
Playing in the final group with good friend Adam Scott and Nick Flanagan, Ormsby bogeyed his final two holes to finish tied for third at the Australian PGA on the Gold Coast in December and admitted that making amends was important to start his 2020 campaign.
“Going through what I went through three weeks ago, that kind of hit me pretty hard,” Ormsby told Asian Tour Media of his PGA disappointment.
“I didn’t even want to know the game for three or four days.
“But to come back and do what I’ve done this week, like I said, proud of myself and proud of my team.
“I’ve been working my guts out the last 14 to 15 months trying to take my game to the next level. And like I just said, Australian PGA three weeks ago, losing that one really hurt me so I put a few changes in place.
“I worked out over the break and to come back here and get the win so soon, can’t put it into words really.”
A three-putt bogey on the 72nd hole gave Ormsby a nervous wait before breaking through for his maiden European Tour title in Hong Kong little more than two years ago with a one-stroke win.
However, a superb iron shot to four feet at the 17th hole on Sunday restored Ormsby’s four-shot buffer and left only the treacherous tee shot at 18 to navigate on his way to the title and a well-earned beer presented greenside by good friend Marcus Fraser.
“It’s still nerve-racking coming down the stretch,” Ormsby explained.
“That 18th hole, it can do anything to you. But I got the tee-shot in play and hit a weak iron shot into it… Four on the card and won by four, so I’m very happy.
“You’ve always got to play the Hong Kong Golf Club the same way. The wind obviously changes but you still try and fly it to the same spot.
“The game plan was the same. When you get in front there’s no point in changing that, no point trying to play defensive. The guys had to come and catch me basically.
“I have three wins on the main tours in my career and this is my first wire-to-wire. I’m very proud of my play this week.
“I was hoping to win this season but to do it in week two of the year in my first event is special and it will be one I’ll remember forever.”
The winner’s cheque for $US180,000 propels Ormsby to the top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit and with winning momentum heading into the European Tour’s desert swing.
In a strong showing for the Australian contingent, David Gleeson continued his resurgence with a tie for seventh alongside Terry Pilkadaris with Travis Smyth starting his Asian Tour season on a positive note with a tie for 13th.
Next stop on the Asian Tour schedule is the SMBC Singapore Open to be held at the Sentosa Golf Club from Thursday where Australia’s Japan Golf Tour regulars can take advantage of the co-sanctioned opportunity.
Asian Tour
Hong Kong Open
Hong Kong Golf Club, Hong Kong
1 Wade Ormsby 65-66-66-66—263 $US180,000
T7 David Gleeson 66-71-67-68—272 $21,200
T7 Terry Pilkadaris 68-69-64-71—272 $21,200
T13 Travis Smyth 66-68-69-70—273 $14,175
T28 Andrew Martin 72-68-65-71—276 $8,950
T41 Marcus Fraser 69-69-69-72—279 $5,758
T47 Scott Hend 70-71-70-69—280 $4,700
T47 Jason Norris 70-68-71-71—280 $4,700
T65 Sam Brazel 71-70-74-71—286 $2,900
MC Josh Younger 72-71—143
MC Daniel Fox 75-68—143
MC Jake Higginbottom 73-72—145
MC Daniel Nisbet 76-69—145
MC Gareth Paddison 75-71—146
MC Denzel Ieremia 78-68—146
MC Aaron Pike 73-73—146
MC Andrew Dodt 76-71—147
MC Adam Blyth 71-77—148
Queensland golfer Peter Senior has claimed his second title at Glenelg, 41 years after his breakthrough victory as a professional in the South Australian Open.
The 60-year old used his experience and deep well of skills to conquer Victorian Ruben Lal, 32 years his junior, in a playoff for the Golf Blitz crown.
Twice Senior, pulling his own clubs, had to survive the cutthroat closest the pin shootout to even qualify for the four-man final in the unique competition.
But he then put his deft touch on display against his far younger opponents.
“It’s pretty exciting,” Senior said.
“It is always good to win, no matter what it is.
“I fly under the radar because no one expects me to win.
“I didn’t feel any pressure in the final, it was just a short shot into the green.
“It would have been different if it had been a five or six iron into the green, but a sand iron I can handle.
“I’ve played two of these Blitz tournaments now and enjoyed every moment.”
NSW player Aaron Townsend failed to progress beyond the second round, but pocketed $12,000 as the leading money earner in the three tournaments.
Jordan Zunic and Brett Rankin set the pace in the opening nine-hole round at five under par. West Australian star Hannah Green, a major winner last season, was untroubled in moving into the next round with two under.
However, she narrowly missed a putt on the sixth and final hole in the second round to be knocked out of the title race.
Zunic also wasted his first round, ending his day with three over in the second round.
Lal led the scoring in the three-hole third round with two under, two shots clear of his nearest rival, to confirm his spot in the four-man final.
Senior, Brett Rankin and Peter Wilson then negotiated a shootout to secure a berth, only for Rankin and Wilson to be knocked out at the first trip down the playoff hole.
Forced to play the hole again, Lal’s putt slid by the cup and Senior took advantage to sink his short attempt.
“It was a pleasure to play alongside Peter,” Lal said.
“He is a legend of Australian golf and to be in the playoff with him, I’m happy with that.
“I felt the pressure, but it is all about how you handle it. And I felt I did okay.”
Young gun Zach Murray claimed the Blitz Golf title in Curlewis, while Aaron Townsend secured the crown at Hope Island.
Aaron Townsend has won the 2020 Blitz Golf Pro-Am at Hope Island tournament following a three-hole playoff.
The New South Wales golfer defeated a field of 31 male and 8 female professional golfers in a mixed-gender knockout tournament considered to be golf’s equivalent to T20 cricket.
Townsend, 38, was pushed to the wire in three playoff holes before sinking the tournament-winning putt, taking his tournament winnings over $12,000.
“I feel really fortunate to be standing here with the trophy,” the Newcastle resident said.
“I had more shots today than any other player in the final having it through each round via the shootout.
“I really like the format of Blitz Golf, it puts you under pressure all day which puts us in great stead for the GPA Australasia Tour events next month.
“This (win) puts me in a great position leading the Blitz money list heading into Glenelg.”
Townsend outplayed the legendary Peter Senior on his home course to take home the trophy and a tournament prize purse worth over $11,000.
Townsend’s prize was the largest of the tournament, pushing him ahead of Zach Murray and Brett Rankin on the money board podium heading into the Blitz Golf final in South Australia tomorrow.
To be played at the Greg Norman-designed Sandals Emerald Bay Golf Club, The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic marks the start of the Korn Ferry Tour season for the fourth straight year with six Aussies and Kiwi Steven Alker to begin their quest for PGA TOUR promotion. Australians and golfers from around the world have pledged […]
To be played at the Greg Norman-designed Sandals Emerald Bay Golf Club, The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic marks the start of the Korn Ferry Tour season for the fourth straight year with six Aussies and Kiwi Steven Alker to begin their quest for PGA TOUR promotion.
Australians and golfers from around the world have pledged donations to the bushfire recovery efforts by way of birdies and eagles and stunned by the devastation in his homeland, Florida-based Ruffels will add his efforts to the cause.
“I’m planning on doing a donation through the Bahamas event for birdies and eagles,” Ruffels told the Golf Channel’s Morning Drive program.
“I’m not exactly sure what that’s going to be just yet – I’ve got to think about that the next couple of days – but it’s horrible to see what’s going on.
“I’ve seen so many pictures from back home, where I lived and grew up playing golf and how many people and animals are affected, it’s horrible to see.
“Whatever I can do, whether small or large, I’d love to and I’m going to.
“Hopefully everyone in pro golf and everywhere else gets behind it as well.”
Still just 21 years of age, Ruffels is entering his fifth year as a professional having already experienced many of the highs and lows that life on tour can throw at you.
Given seven sponsor invitations to PGA TOUR events in each of his first two years on tour, Ruffels has had to go back and plot a new path to the top of world golf.
Having fallen to 1,339 in the world at the end of 2018, Ruffels logged a total of seven top-10 finishes on the Canadian and Latin America tours last year and enters 2020 ranked No.609 in the world and with starts in each of the first eight events on the Korn Ferry Tour.
“It wasn’t easy. I turned pro, played pretty well but probably didn’t give myself enough credit for what I did early on,” Ruffels said of his early entry into the pro game.
“I was pretty hard on myself when I didn’t get to the PGA TOUR right away so I had to go back and play a few different tours, find my feet again and get some confidence back.
“I’m starting to do that and now I’m hopefully able to keep moving up the rankings and get back to where I want to be and competing at a high level.”
As difficult as his struggles were, Ruffels had some high-profile support in his corner in fellow Aussie Jason Day.
Like Ruffels, Day was touted for big things at a young age and the 2015 US PGA champion has proven to be a valuable sounding board through Ruffels’ down times.
“It’s been fantastic. He’s been one of the biggest roles in my professional career so far,” Ruffels said of Day’s influence.
“Any chance that he’s gotten to help me out whether it be to play with him at Zurich, get me into a tournament or reach out for practice rounds… We practiced quite a lot in the desert over the winter too.
“Anything he can do he does and he doesn’t have to do that. But he chooses to and for a young guy like me that’s trying to become what he is I guess, it’s very special and something that I appreciate a lot.”
Joining Ruffels at the Great Exuma Classic are fellow Aussies Jamie Arnold, Steven Bowditch, Brett Coletta, Brett Drewitt and Curtis Luck.
Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith have started a campaign to raise money for the Australian bushfires relief effort.
With the support of other Australian tour players and the PGA Tour, Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith have vowed to kick in money for each birdie or eagle they make this week at the Sony Open in Hawaii, with the PGA Tour matching up to $125,000.
Leishman has vowed to donate $500 a birdie and $1000 an eagle this week.
Supporters of his have added to this taking it up over $800 a birdie and $2,000 an eagle.
Leishman’s Begin Again Foundation has also vowed to match general donations up to $5,000.
“I am calling on my fellow TOUR pros to join the cause and create enough support so we can maximize the donations from the Presidents Cup and TOUR itself as well,” Leishman said.
“This is a global crisis and a cause close to my heart.”
Smith was quick to jump on board, rallying to his nations cause. He will also pledge $500 a birdie and $1000 an eagle this week.
His uncle from Tumbarumba, a town not far from the nation’s capital in Canberra, lost his house, tractors, horses and most of his farm. Smith had him flee to his Florida home.
“People all over Australia are doing it tough at the moment and if we can help in some small way hopefully that keeps some of the morale a little higher,” Smith said.
Smith and Leishman aren’t the only Australian golfers vowing to help out as they can.
Lucas Herbert and Sarah Kemp are among others who will all be donating money across the next few months of golf.
“Watching these fires burn in my home country of Australia is devastating,” Kemp said.
“During the ISPS HANDA Vic Open and ISPS HANDA Australian Open, I will be donating $40 for every birdie and $20 per birdie during the Australian Ladies Bonville Classic and Women’s NSW Open to the Australian Red Cross disaster relief and recovery.
“My parents almost lost their house two months ago. Fortunately, only part of their back fence was burnt. So many other Australian residents haven’t been so lucky.”
Herbert has offered to match Kemp’s philanthropy at next month’s Vic Open.
To support the Australian Red Cross, visit https://bit.ly/2ZTF0PZ
