One of the oldest events on the Australian golf calendar, the Vic PGA celebrated its 100th anniversary last year.

With names on the trophy such as Peter Thomson, Ossie Pickworth, Peter Senior, Stuart Appleby and Marc Leishman, the Vic PGA is a championship many covet on their resume.

Players will be competing for a $250,000 prize fund and will be playing across both the Open and Legends courses at Moonah Links.

Two out of the last three champions will be in the field, with Andrew Martin and Chris Wood looking to become multiple Vic PGA winners.

Defending champion Martin had a positive return to Australian golf last week in Warragul after a few months making the most of overseas exemptions.

Martin defeated Austin Baustista in Round 1 of the match play section at the Gippsland Super 6 before going down somewhat unexpectedly to South Australian rookie Jack Buchanan in Round 2.

After finishing third on last year’s Order of Merit, Martin will spend the majority of 2024 playing on the DP World Tour, and most recently played at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.

The Victorian finished 13th at Warragul Country Club and was a strong contender in the stroke play section.

The Vic PGA champion in 2020, Wood started hot in Gippsland but failed to make it to the match play section on the Sunday, finishing in a tie for 31st.

Wood’s best finish this season is third at the PNG Open and with consistent golf in the last few weeks will be looking to add to his success at Moonah Links.

“The game is heading in the right direction, so hopefully come up with a gameplan this afternoon/tonight and put that in play and see how we go for the week,” said Wood.

“Finishing bogey-bogey on the Saturday (at Warragul) to miss the match-play really stung a bit, but there were a lot of positives out of last week.

“Each year we come back to Moonah the courses are always pretty similar, but I feel its a bit more lusher this year.

“It’s definitely thicker, so its going to be a bit more penalising I feel, so definitely keeping it on the fairway will be a premium.”

HOW TO FOLLOW

For live scoring and the latest news visit www.pga.org.au. Exclusive content and tournament updates will also be posted regularly on the PGA Tour of Australasia’s social media channels.

Instagram: @pgatouraus

Twitter: @PGAofAustralia

Facebook: @PGAofAustralia, @PGATourAus

Official hashtag: #VicPGA

HOW TO WATCH

Watch the final two rounds of the Victorian PGA Championship live and free on Kayo Freebies, and on Fox Sports on Foxtel. Click HERE for Kayo Freebies.

Round 3: Saturday: 4pm-7pm AEDT

Round 4: Sunday, 2pm-7pm AEDT

RECENT CHAMPIONS

2022: Andrew Martin

2021: Blake Windred

2020: Chris Wood (Feb 2021)

2019: Campbell Rawson

2018: Aaron Pike

2017: Damien Jordan

2016: Ashley Hall

2015: Aaron Townsend

COURSE RECORD

Open Course: 62, Jim Herman (2010 Moonah Classic)

Legends Course: 62, Cameron John, Dimi Papadatos (2020 Vic PGA)

COURSE DESIGNER

Open Course: Peter Thomson, Mike Wolveridge and Ross Perrett

Legends Course: Ross Perrett

PLAYERS TO WATCH

David Micheluzzi, 2022/2023 Order of Merit winner

Kerry Mountcastle, 2023 Gippsland Super 6 winner

Andrew Martin, 2022 Vic PGA winner (defending champion)

Chris Wood, 2020 Vic PGA winner

Austin Bautista, 2023 Webex Players Series SA winner

Dimitrios Papadatos, four-time PGA Tour of Australasia winner