Part 3: 14 shots that defined the 2023/2024 season - PGA of Australia

Part 3: 14 shots that defined the 2023/2024 season


The National Tournament presented by BMW is into the weekend as we move towards crowning the final champion of the 2023/2024 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season. As we prepare to see who will claim the final title, we are counting down 14 shots that defined this season.

Here are numbers six to four.

6. DANIEL GALE – Final Round, NT PGA

Seeking to end a win-drought of nearly 2000 days, Daniel Gale knew he needed a hot start to the final round at the Tailor-Made Building Services NT PGA Championship.

Chasing overnight leader Andrew Kelly, Gale birdied the first hole then was left with just a sand wedge to the par-5 second.

The New South Welshman’s second shot clipped a branch that sent it into trees near the green, with a third shot to even allow a birdie putt requiring all his touch and skill. Gale delivering to setup a Sunday stroll toward his first of two wins in the season.

“It was in a very, very tricky spot and I hit this bump and run from in the trees to about five feet and rolled that in for birdie,” Gale said.

“That was good to get that one out of the gates.”

5. JOAQUIN NIEMANN – Final Round, Australian Open

Chile’s Joaquin Niemann seemed to fall in love with the 18th hole of The Australian Golf Club on Sunday of the Australian Open, where ultimately, he would be crowned the champion after playing the par-5 three times.

Niemann made a miraculous birdie in regulation from the fan village alongside the final hole, before missing an eagle chance on the first play-off hole with Hoshino.

Going down 18 one last time, this time in drizzling rain, Niemann showed his class with a pure iron shot to 10 feet. The champion poured in the right to left putt for an eagle three to clinch the Stonehaven Cup.

“There are good names here. I saw Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Greg Norman, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player – a few good men,” Niemann said.

“It means a lot. I wanted to win so bad for a long time. The last one I have is in Riviera.”

4. JAK CARTER – Third Round, CKB WA PGA

It was another hole-in-one and car, this time in the desert, where South Australian Jak Carter was simply hoping to make a good swing to get his third round of the CKB WA PGA back on track.

Following a double bogey six, Carter was looking for a bounce back at the par-3 17th of Kalgoorlie Golf Course, his 8-iron from 178 metres doing just the trick after finding the front of the green and rolling into the hole for a one.

“I walked up to the next hole, the par-3 17th and was standing there thinking, ‘Just swing this good here. Let’s just see what we can do’,” Carter said.

“Stepped up and hit an 8-iron that I thought was short. I hit it and was like, It’s a bit short. Go, please go. Then I’ve seen it land and thought, This thing is on target.

“Rolled straight up, bang, straight in the hole. Then everyone’s just gone mental. It was absolutely crazy.”


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