The rising stars of the world of golf will soon hit the
Gold Coast when the Australian PGA Championship tees off at RACV Royal Pines
Resort in December.

Teeing it up in Australia’s richest golf tournament, the
Australian PGA Championship, Australia’s hottest golfing talent Cameron Smith,
New Zealand’s emerging star Ryan Fox as well as young gun Americans Harold
Varner III and Peter Uihlein will all be aiming for the biggest win of their
careers.

Queenslander Cameron Smith has taken the golfing world by
storm this year, finishing tied fourth in his first major appearance at the US
Open which also secured him an invite to The Masters next year as well as his
2016 PGA TOUR card.

"I am really looking forward to competing in the
Australian PGA Championship in front of my friends and family," said Smith.

"I have spent a lot of the year competing overseas and
enjoyed every minute of the amazing opportunities I have been afforded but
there is nothing better than returning home and finishing my season on the Gold
Coast."

"If I could end the season by winning my first
Professional tournament, it would be even better."

Ryan Fox has also enjoyed a breakout year, forging a name
for himself in Europe. The two time PGA Tour of Australasia winner capitalised
on his opportunities competing on the European Challenge Tour, winning the Le
Vaudreuill Golf Challenge as well as making the cut at The Open.

Fox came heartbreakingly close to securing a full card on
the European Tour. He finished outside the top-15 players on the European Challenge Tour
automatically granted cards by less than €2000.

However there are always other ways onto the main Tour
and Fox is this week competing at the  final
stage of European Tour Qualifying School.

"The experience I have gained competing in Europe has
been fantastic. While it would have been good to already have my card sown up
for next year, I am looking forward to playing the Australian PGA Championship
as a European Tour co-sanctioned tournament," said Fox, who knows a win on the
Gold Coast would cement his status on the lucrative tour until the end of 2017.

"It’s an incredible opportunity to play a European Tour
co-sanctioned tournament in Australia. Hopefully by December I will already
have my card via Q-School but if I don’t, winning the Aussie PGA is another way
of securing it."

American Peter Uihlein will headline the young guns of
the European Tour heading to Australia.

The former number one amateur in the world, Uihlein has already
won on the European Tour at the Madeira Islands Open in 2013 with his 2015
season highlighted by four top-10 finishes. 
    

The Australian PGA Championship will be Uihlein’s second
time competing in Australia after he finished in the top-10 at the 2014 Perth
International.

"I loved playing in Perth last year so when I found out
the European Tour was coming back to Australia I jumped at the chance to play."

"I’m looking forward to playing on the newly re-designed
course in such an iconic Australian location."

Competing in Australia for the very first time is new PGA
TOUR graduate Harold Varner III who in 2015 finished 25^th on the
Web.com Tour money list.

Renowned as a big hitter, Varner is sure to entertain
fans at the Australian PGA Championship whilst also looking forward to
experiencing golf down under.

"I have always heard good reports about the quality of
Australian golf, there are a lot of Aussies competing on the Web.com Tour so
I’m looking forward to seeing for myself everything they have been talking
about," said Varner.

The
Australian PGA Championship will be played at RACV Royal Pines Resort from 3-6
December.

Australia’s richest golf tournament in 2015, the Australian PGA Championship is
being played for AU$1.75million and co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of
Australasia and European Tour.

Tickets for the tournament are now on sale at www.ticketek.com.au with
children 16 years and under admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult.

Discounts are also available for members of RACV and affiliated motoring clubs
as well as for Gold Coast residents.

Visit the Australian PGA Championship website at www.pgachampionship.com.au for
further details.

The Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland as well as the
City of Gold Coast and Gold Coast Tourism proudly supports the
Championship. /