The 26-year-old Assistant Professional from Mount Coolum fired a 5-under 67 to lead the field by two shots ahead of Royal Hobart’s Matt Docking who began with a 69.

Despite the wet weather on Monday, King (pictured today) still managed to get a full practice round in, and was happy with how the conditions turned around for the better.

He was runner-up at Yarra Yarra in this tournament last year.

“I enjoyed the course, the greens rolled awesome,” he said.

“I managed to hole a few putts and birdie three of the par threes, which really helped gain a few on the field.”

Part of the winning Four Nations Cup team this year, King said that tournament had helped coming into this week.

“It was good to have some sort of competitive golf before I teed it up this week. That team environment of golf is fun, which definitely helped and lifted my spirits.”

King has been at Mount Coolum since he was a junior, a place he truly loves.

“I started out there washing the carts. When I graduated school I got a job in the shop, started my traineeship there and now I’m the Assistant Pro,” he said.

Defending champion Scott Laycock was one of those who struggled in round one, carding a 78.

The top two finishers in this 54-hole event receive a start in the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland next month.

Docking, 42, is the Head PGA Professional at Royal Hobart but not for long; he is going home to Swan Hill on the Murray in a fortnight with his family to take up a position as Director of Golf at Murray Downs Country Club.

He made a bomb for birdie on the first green to set the tone. Adding another three birdies on the front nine he took a share of the lead but battling a ‘stinger’ in his right hand, he gave back shots at the 10th and the 17th before scrambling a par from left of the 18th green to post his 3-under.

Docking is originally Victorian and has played plenty of golf on the Murray. “It’s a homecoming of sorts for me. I’ve spent a lot of time on the Murray and I can’t wait.”

Three rounds will be played on the Jack Nicklaus-designed St. John course, with recent rain making the tough layout play slightly longer this week.

Defending champion Scott Laycock (pictured) will be hoping to make it three wins in six years, with the Royal Hobart Golf Club Teaching Professional receiving an automatic exemption into the National Final.

Captain of this year’s winning Four Nations Cup team, Laycock will be joined by teammates TJ King and Jayden Cripps in the championship, all in terrific form on the back of their win.

Other players to watch this week are:

Scott Laycock (Assistant Professional – Royal Hobart GC)

•        Defending champion (from last year at Yarra Yarra GC) and winner of the 2018 PPC (Hamilton Island GC)

•        Didn’t play in the Australian PGA Championship last year as a result of his win, owing to a clash of dates with his honeymoon

•        Former Japan Tour Winner and PGA TOUR (US) player

•        Australian captain and representative in the winning Four Nations Cup this year.

Chris Duke (Director of Golf – Nudgee GC)

•        Winner of the 2016 PPC (Hamilton Island GC)

•        Moved from South Australia to Queensland in 2022 and now employed at the venue for the Queensland PGA Championship

Matt Docking (Head Professional – Royal Hobart GC)

•        Winner of the 2014, 2015 and 2017 PPC (Hamilton Island GC)

•        Recently announced he is returning to his former club of Murray Downs CC as the Director of Golf

TJ King (Assistant Professional – Mt Coolum GC)

•        Runner-up in 2022 PPC (Yarra Yarra GC)

•        Two-time Australian representative in the 4 Nations Cup

•        Multiple pro-am winner

Ethan Andrews (Assistant Professional – Marangaroo Golf Course)

•        Leading Qualifier from the PGA Professionals Championship of WA

Darren Spencer (Head Professional – Ulverstone Golf Club)

•        Winner of the 2001 and 2002 PPC (Royal Pines Resort)

•        Multiple pro-am winner

Scott Barr (Teaching Professional – Collier Park Golf Course)

•        Former Asian Tour player

•        Multiple pro-am winner

Euan Walters (Assistant Professional- Riversdale Golf Club)

•        Former US Tour player

•        Winner of the 2004 Jacob’s Creek Open on the Nationwide Tour

The full field can be found HERE.

Photo: Scott Laycock on his way to victory at last year’s championship.

Tied with Coolangatta’s Jack Wright after 18 and 36 holes, Taylor was a runaway six-stroke leader heading into Thursday’s final round.

That lead was cut to just two after just three holes but Taylor leant on his putter on the back nine to complete a four-stroke win with a final round of 3-over 76.

The champion at the NSW/ACT Associate Championship last month, Wright shot even par on Thursday for an even-par total to finish outright second, Indooroopilly’s Dylan Knox (77) third at 3-over.

“I had head noise,” Taylor conceded of his shaky start.

“Dylan birdied the first and the second to be 2-under and I was 1-over through two. My mind was racing early but I got it back together and the back nine was solid.

“I holed a lot of good putts down the stretch that I had to hole and putting has been what has held me back in recent times.

“It was good to hole some putts down the stretch when the pressure was on.”

Hailing from Casino in Northern New South Wales, Taylor is now in the third year of the Membership Pathway Program.

He started the program under Lang Doolan at Wentworth Falls Country Club and credited Doolan for providing the entry point towards becoming a PGA Professional.

“If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be doing the program,” said an emotional Taylor.

Although he has had few opportunities to play of late, Taylor confided in those closest to him that he felt his game was positioned to produce something special.

“I’ve been saying to all my mates at home, my dad, that my game is close and I could feel something around the corner. It’s good to get it done,” he added.

“I work hard when I’m at home. I put the work in. Not as much as I’d like but I feel like I do the right practice.

“Any of the boys at home see me on the practice fairway and know I’m working on my game when I am home.”

Taylor also praised a Windaroo Lakes layout that plays to his strengths as it produced yet another thrilling championship climax.

“It’s a great championship course because anything can happen on any hole. There’s no easy stretch out there,” said Taylor, this year’s championship the fifth staged in the City of Logan.

“My game suits this course. I rely on my short game a lot. I’m always working on chipping and pitching and you need to chip it and pitch it well around here to score.”

Left to rue a third round of 5-over 78, Wright remained philosophical regarding another outstanding performance in a big event.

“Although disappointed not to win, if you told me at the start of the year I would win the NSW Championship and finish second in the Queensland Championship, I would certainly take it,” said Wright.

“I played a lot of golf with Riley as juniors so I’m thrilled that he won.”

Final scores

Tied with Jack Wright for the first two days, Taylor responded to a front nine of 2-over 38 with five birdies on the back for a round of 2-under 71 and 7-under total through 54 holes.

He is the only player in the 90-strong field to be under par in each of the first three rounds after Wright dropped seven shots off the lead with a round of 5-over 78 on Wednesday.

Pampling Plate runner-up Dylan Knox (Indooroopilly Golf Club) is the only other player in red figures through three rounds but faces a daunting task to rein in Taylor over the final 18 holes.

A far different looking scorecard to his bogey-free 70 the day before, Taylor credited a brilliant tee shot at the par-3 11th for sparking his back-nine birdie barrage.

“I got off to a bit of a shaky start,” conceded Taylor, who had four bogeys and two birdies on the front nine.

“Made a soft par on one and then I just had a few bad breaks with lies and left the ball in the wrong positions to make pars and give myself looks at birdies on the front.

“I made a good birdie on six from an awkward lie but on 10 I said to Chaz, my caddie, ‘Let’s just play golf.’

“I hit a really good shot into 11 to about two feet and made birdie there. That kicked it off on the back nine.”

Knox played his way into contention with the equal-best round of the day, a 3-under 70.

One-over through eight, Knox also made his move on the back nine at Windaroo Lakes, playing his final 10 holes in 4-under to earn a spot in the final group.

“Riley has a big lead but you never know,” said Knox.

“I had a red-hot putter on the back nine. To have 3-under on that back nine on this course is very satisfying.

“I have been playing well finishing second at the Pampling Plate and riding the wave while it is flowing.”

While many in the field have shied away from using driver in order to find the narrow, twisting fairways, Taylor won’t change his approach despite the advantage he will take into the final round.

“The game-plan’s not going to change. I’m going to play my own game and see what happens,” said Taylor, who is in Year 3 of the Membership Pathway Program.

“I know a lot of the boys have said how tight it is to hit driver but I find that a lot of the holes suit how I hit it.

“Not so much trying to hit it long but I feel comfortable in hitting driver in play around here.”

Matching Knox for round of the day were interstate pair Rhys Tonkin (Keysborough Golf Club) and Brad Doherty (Castle Hill Country Club).

“Was great to get back into contention with a few good-length birdie putts which kept the momentum going,” said Doherty, who is in a tie for fourth with Dylan Gardner (72) and Jack Harrison (71).

“We have seen some big leads over the past few years evaporate around this the Windaroo Lakes layout so the final day will be interesting.”

The final round of the Queensland PGA Associate Championship will begin at 10.40am on Thursday with the final group teeing off at 11.50am.

The 2023 championship marks the fifth year in succession that it has been held in the City of Logan.

Round 3 scores

Players were greeted by conditions more conducive to low scores yet it was again Taylor (pictured) and Wright who led the way.

The pair followed up their rounds of 2-under 71 on day one with matching rounds of 3-under 70 to sit five-strokes clear of third-placed Joe Kim (Concord Golf Club) and six clear of Douglas Chow (RACV Royal Pines Resort).

Currently based at Murwillumbah Golf Club, Taylor is in the process of moving back home to Casino where he will continue the Membership Pathway Program while Wright is in Year 1 of the program at Coolangatta-Tweed Heads Golf Club.

They will play together in the final group with Kim and Chow at 12.40pm AEST on Wednesday, Wright excited at the prospect of renewing their junior rivalry.

 “I’ve played a lot of golf with Riley. We’re both from the North Coast of New South Wales so played heaps of junior golf with him,” said Wright, who won the NSW/ACT PGA Associate Championship at Tura Beach Country Club last month.

“He’s such a great guy so look forward to playing with him and try and play my best.”

Taylor went bogey-free in Tuesday’s second round, relying on his short game to keep a clean card early in his round.

“I got off to a bit of a shaky start so I had to rely on my short game today,” said Taylor.

“I missed a few greens early but managed to get those up and down and build from there.

“I chipped the ball really well today when I missed the greens so that’s a confidence boost heading into tomorrow.”

Taylor came into the tournament without having touched a club since the Pampling Plate at Caboolture but believes he has found the formula for success at Windaroo Lakes.

“I’ve been aggressive when you can be aggressive and played smart when the holes get a bit tighter,” he added.

“Just keep it the same and try and keep the ball below the hole.

“It will be much the same of that tomorrow.”

Defending champion Bailey Arnott bounced back from a 79 in Round 1 with the best of the day in Round 2, his 4-under 69 elevating him to a share of fifth at the halfway mark.

Arnott had an eagle and four birdies on Tuesday, all despite being without the use of his driver from the second hole onwards.

After damaging the face of his driver with his opening tee shot Arnott reverted to a 3-iron for the remainder of his round, admitting that it may have helped to unlock scoring opportunities on the twisting layout.

“It was a blessing in disguise,” said Arnott.

“At this course you don’t necessarily need a driver and it just shows that you when you are forced not to take driver what can happen.”

Round 3 begins at 10.30am tomorrow with the leading group hitting off at 12.40pm.

Round 2 scores

Round 3 draw

Returning to the City of Logan for the fifth time, only three of the 90 Associates from across the country broke par on day one, Wright and Murwillumbah Golf Club’s Riley Taylor both posting rounds of 2-under 71.

Maroochy River Golf Club’s Andrew Johnston defied the tricky conditions to turn in 5-under but stumbled on the back nine, the third player to go under par with a round of 1-under 72.

The NSW/ACT PGA Associate champion at Tura Beach, Wright is amassing one of the most impressive seasons by a first year Associate in the program’s history.

He boasts nine wins already this year and had three birdies and a lone bogey to start his quest for the Queensland title.

“I felt like I didn’t really have it early and grinded well, made a couple of good up-and-downs,” said Wright.

“I had a couple of soft bogeys but then I started to work things out and it was pretty good for the rest of the round.”

Although many of the field have prior knowledge of the twisting Windaroo Lakes layout, Wright found the right formula in his first start in the championship.

“You’ve just got to find fairways and hit greens in the right areas,” he added.

“You can’t just go blasting away at the green, you’ve got to find the right areas and leave yourself some good putts because the greens are pretty tricky and they’re fast as well.”

He has something of a surprise for company at the top of the leaderboard in Taylor.

Currently in the process of moving back to his home-town of Casino, Taylor has also had recent surgery, making practice something of a luxury.

“Since the Pampling Plate I haven’t really touched a club,” said Taylor, who had five birdies and three bogeys in his round on Monday.

“I’ve done the bare necessities in terms of practice but I’ve had a few things going on in my personal life.

“I haven’t really done much practice, just little drills here and there.

“Having played here last year I knew that I couldn’t go above the hole today so I played short of the hole and uphill putts for most of the day.”

Johnston had four birdies in succession from the sixth hole to burst clear of the pack, admitting that the putts didn’t fall like they did on the front.

“It just clicked. All the numbers were just the right numbers and all the putts just rolled in,” Johnston said of his front-nine charge.

“Turned front nine in 5-under and then the back nine tightened up a bit. Left a couple of putts short and didn’t have that luck that I had on the front nine.

Round 2 will begin at 7am Tuesday morning.

Round 1 scores

Round 2 draw

A field of 92 players drawn from across the country will compete for the Carnegie Clark Cup at Windaroo Lakes Golf Club, the fifth time the championship has been hosted by the City of Logan.

In the third year of the Membership Pathway Program under his dad, Tom, at Caloundra Golf Club on the Sunshine Coast, Arnott knows his defence won’t come easy.

A strong field of first year Associates led by nine-time winner Jack Wright (Coolangatta Tweed Heads Golf Club) and a host of interstate challengers will ensure compelling competition over the coming four days.

And Arnott knows he will need more than happy memories to hold them at bay.

“It was a thrilling finish last year, holing that long putt on the 72nd hole,” said Arnott, who won by two strokes from Sheradyn Johnson (The National Golf Club) in 2022.

“The memories of the Windaroo layout are positive so I am hoping for another great week.

“I have been building throughout the year and feel I am coming into some form at the right time.”

Among Wright’s 2023 wins was last month’s NSW/ACT PGA Associate Championship at Tura Beach Country Club while Dylan Gardner (Pelican Waters) is a perennial contender in the big events.

Leading the interstate charge is Joe Kim (Concord Golf Club), the New South Welshman currently fourth on the National Average rankings with -1.50 under par over 34 rounds.

Other players to watch include Baxter Droop (Yarrawonga Mulwala Resort), Liam Reaper (The National Golf Club) and recent Pampling Plate winner, Lachlan Wood (Hervey Bay Golf Club).

As the history of the Queensland Associate Championship at Windaroo Lakes continues to grow, Head Professional Tanner Jackson said the club is thrilled to once again be hosting Associates from across Australia.

“We absolutely love having the Queensland PGA Associate Championship here,” said Jackson.

“All the members get behind the event and we have a great group of club sponsors who support it.”

City of Logan Mayor Darren Power said the championship was a welcome part of the city’s event calendar.

“Logan is a sport-loving city and we look forward to welcoming the event once again,” Cr Power said.

“I’m sure we will witness another great year of competition and I wish all players the very best.”

Play begins at 7am AEST Monday morning at Windaroo Lakes Golf Club.

Live scores

The awards night is the perfect chance to celebrate the extensive contribution of PGA Professionals across the state whose tireless dedication helps to grow the game every day.

Winners will be named in four categories – Coach of the Year; High Performance Coach of the Year; Game Development Club Professional of the Year; and Management Professional of the Year.

A fifth category, PGA State Tournament of the Year, will also be awarded on the night.

The winners of each will also become eligible to win the national awards in their respective categories at the PGA Awards Night, held in conjunction with the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship in November.

The full list of nominee finalists is below:

PGA Coach of the Year – High Performance

Zach Churcher – Pioneer Golf Performance Centre

Ben Paterson – Avondale Golf Club

Khan Pullen – Golf NSW

John Serhan – St. Michael’s Golf Club

PGA Coach of the Year – Game Development

Bryce Alexis – Liverpool Golf Club

Jason Laws – Jason Laws Golf Academy

Jeremy Ward – Oatlands Golf Club

Grant Kenny – Thornleigh Golf Centre

Paige Stubbs – Castle Hill Country Club

PGA Club Professional of the Year

James Macdonald – North Turramurra Golf Course

David Northey – Concord Golf Club

Jeremy Ward – Oatlands Golf Club

Lee Hunt – Bankstown Golf Club

Luke Ryan – Gunnedah Golf Club

Rodney Booth – Club Catalina

PGA Management Professional of the Year

Stewart Hardiman – Hurstville Golf Course

Ben Russell – Long Reef Golf Club

Sam Howe – Oatlands Golf Club

James McDonald – North Turramurra Golf Course

Robert Hurley – Magenta Shores Country Club

Tristan Morey – Thornleigh Golf Centre

PGA NSW Tournament of the Year

PSC Insurance Brokers Wagga Wagga Pro-Am

B&C Plumbing Griffith Charity Pro-Am

Cowra Motors Pro-Am

Better Homes Port Macquarie Pro-Am

Hawks Nest Beachside Pro-Am

Tickets to the event can now be purchased via the NSW Golf Industry Awards Night webpage on Eventbrite (click here).

He knew they might be nervous. He suspected some apprehension. He expected them to be anxious about trying a sport for the first time.

So he played into it.

Stickling presented himself in the most professional way possible and took them straight to the practice bunker to show them how a PGA Professional played arguably the most feared shot among newcomers to the game.

And duffed it. Barely moved it six inches.

Deliberately, of course, but Stickling wanted to do two things: Release the tension and show that bad shots happen to every golfer at any level.

“Once I start to laugh, they all laugh and then I tell them that it doesn’t matter who you are, at times you’re going to hit a bad shot,” Stickling shared.

“All of a sudden that big sense of stress that you can feel is gone because everyone is laughing.

“I did that at the start of every lesson.”

With her two children at an age where time was more available, Natalie McQuillan signed up for the Get Into Golf program at Forster in June.

With no prior history in the game, McQuillan said the atmosphere created by Stickling and members at the club made her entry into golf one of fun and enjoyment.

“I was a little bit shy because I was unsure of the skill level of everyone else but the club was very welcoming and Craig made sure we were all relaxed and ready to have fun,” McQuillan said.

“He’s a really good teacher. He makes everyone feel really comfortable and explains things really well.

“By the end of the six-week course we all had the basic skills of the game and enough confidence to organise a social game on a Saturday.

“It also gave us some of the etiquette and a sense of feeling more comfortable at a golf course.”

A former board member of the PGA of South Africa, Stickling has recently joined New South Wales Golf Club as Director of Golf. He says programs such as Get Into Golf are crucial in establishing a pathway into the game.

He previously ran Get Into Golf and junior programs alongside Evan Droop at Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort and says such entry points help to dispel any myths that people may have.

“It’s about coming out and socialising, being in nature, getting some exercise and having fun,” adds Stickling, who sourced financial support from Wiseberry Real Estate in Forster to sponsor the first 25 women to sign up for the program.

“There are tremendous mental and physical health benefits that come from it and that was really the main reason I wanted to run those programs at Yarrawonga and Forster.

“Often new people who come to a golf club are overwhelmed. They don’t know where to go, they feel uncomfortable so you need to make sure that they can get that welcome and positive experience from start to finish.

“People come to the golf club to spend their recreational time so they want to have fun and enjoy it.

“You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, just make it more accessible and easier for people to access the game in different ways.

“The whole idea was to get these ladies involved in golf and hopefully they will love it so much that they want to come back.”

The contrast is striking for the PGA Member of more than 20 years and now General Manager of the popular golfing hub in northern New South Wales.

Water and golf, right? You can’t live with too much and you can’t live without it.

Payne, 51, has embraced his new opportunity after 17 years in the United Arab Emirates where he transitioned from Head Golf Professional to General Manager at the Tower Links Golf Club.

The Brisbane-bred GM’s enthusiastic style is already proving a good fit with a club built around strong community links and a loyal player base in Moree.

“The course and the pro shop were metres under water in the big floods last year. This is a recovery story that beggars belief and built on a strong volunteer group and staff who have done an amazing job,” said Payne.

The culmination of that volunteer labour was on full display when the club last week hosted the two-day $25,000 LDC Moree Legends Pro-Am won by Euan Walters and Tim Elliott.

It was the first time that Moree Golf Club had hosted a PGA Legends Tour event and Payne was justifiably proud of the way the club not only presented the course but the welcome the field of Legends received.

“The 17th is a wonderful par 3, just 140 metres or so over the Mehi River to a postcard green framed by gums,” Payne said of the course’s signature hole.

“The course was in top shape and we were so excited to be able to show it off.”

Payne has only been in the GM’s job since March and admitted the sudden change of scenery hit him.

“It still spins me out. I’m seeing this green-ness again, the maturity of the gums, the sounds of kookaburras and galahs,” he said.

Payne’s golf journey began as a junior at Pine Rivers Golf Club in Brisbane before embarking on his PGA training at the now-defunct Gold Coast Country Club at Helensvale.

He picked up pro-am wins at Horton Park and Pioneer Valley on Queensland’s old “Troppo Tour” as well as Torquay in Victoria and Adelaide Shores more than two decades ago.

Jumping out of his comfort zone was a big attraction of the UAE. His exit strategy had a very Aussie flavour.

“I flew out the day after the 2005 Melbourne Cup. I’d bought a $20 mystery trifecta at the Hamilton Hotel (near Eagle Farm Racecourse) on race day,” Payne still recalls with a smile. “It got up – Makybe Diva and the placegetters – so I picked up $3,500.”

He packed his game for his first stint as head pro at Dubai Country Club because he was sharp enough to earn the UAE PGA Order of Merit three times and represent the UAE PGA in a team competition in Spain.

But the golf culture that comes so naturally to Australians was not always so obvious in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah near the mouth of the Persian Gulf.

“It was a wonderful set-up at Tower Links (one hour up the highway from Dubai International Airport). It was basically the private course of the Sheikh and everything was very well maintained on the edge of a mangrove reserve,” Payne said.

“Some locals would drive their Landcruisers onto the 17th fairway and set out a picnic rug for lunch during a comp. They had no concept it was a golf course.

“They saw it as a big green oasis. Like the guys who’d turn up with their falcons to train them, nothing was done disrespectfully.”

When the time came to return to Australia, Payne was made aware of an opportunity through an old mate and former Head Professional at Moree, David Wright.

He’s quickly connected to the community feel of Moree Golf Club and new Head Professional Darren Burger.

Working side-by-side with Burger, Payne is hoping to initiate a five-hole loop of night golf from shortened tees to the greens around the clubhouse.

“We see it as a way to get more ladies interested in the game with a casual 45 minutes on course with two or three clubs,” Payne said.