The opportunity to prepare properly for a tournament obviously agreed with David McKenzie who has finished in a share of third at the PGA TOUR Champions Rapiscan Systems Classic in Missouri.

The event was McKenzie’s fourth start of the season but the first time he was not on the alternates list in the lead up to the week and he finally produced the sort of golf that earned him a place on the Tour last year.

Rounds of 69-71-69 were good for a 7-under total and a four way share of third, the result good not only for his confidence but also his prospects for next year.

He moved 38 places up the Charles Schwab Cup standings, the over 50’s equivalent of the FedEx Cup which is used to determine exemptions for next season.

McKenzie was 68^th to start the week but is now 30^th, the magic number at the end of the season in awarding cards for 2019.

It was an impressive final round from McKenzie who opened with a bogey at the par-5 first but refused to wilt.

He made an eagle at the par-5 6^th and two more birdies to the turn to get to 3-under for the day and well in the mix.

However, he couldn’t find any more birdies on the journey to the clubhouse and with nine straight pars finished one shot behind Billy Andrade and four behind Stricker in a four way tie for third.

For the second consecutive week David McKenzie got into the field off the alternates list on the Champions Tour but a poor opening round proved too much to overcome despite some good golf.

The 50-year-old has a status category that should see him earn several starts as the season goes on but he will also be among the alternates for several others, as he has been the past two weeks.

That makes it difficult to find a playing rhythm and an opening round 78 at the Toshiba Classic in California is evidence of that.

McKenzie followed up with rounds of 69-72 but in a low scoring event he was always going to be too far back to bother the leaders.

He eventually finished 6-over for the week and T65, a result he will be disappointed with given his form in limited starts in 2017.

After a late call up to the Champions Tour event in Arizona, David Mckenzie was having a good day out in the final round as he raced to 4-under through 12 holes to move up the leaderboard.

The 50-year-old Victorian was listed as an alternate for the Cologuard Classic at the start of the week but eventually got into the field and opened with a 2-under 71 to be mid field after 18 holes.

However, the Omni Tuscon National course got the better of him on day two as he gave both shots back to drop down the standings.

A hot start in the third and final round was encouraging but dropped shots at his 14^th and 16^th holes were costly, Mckenzie slipping from inside the top-40 to a share of 50^th place.

The tournament was his second start of the year and after a T24 finish in his first event he now sits 63rd on the Charles Schwab Cup table where the top-30 retain playing rights at the end of the season.

David McKenzie launched his Champions Tour career in style at the weekend with a final round surge to cap off a top-25 finish in his debut event as a Tour member.

The 50-year-old will be rueing a clumsy finish to his opening round when he dropped three shots in his last four holes to fall out of the top-10 but will be pleased with his week’s work overall.

McKenzie saved his best golf till the final round with four birdies against a lone bogey for a 3-under 69 which moved him 22 places up the leaderboard.

Scores of 72-70-69 left him on 5-under for the 72 holes and sharing 24^th place, which sees him 45^th on the year-long Charles Schwab Cup standings.

The top-30 at the end of the season retain playing rights and with the schedule about to get underway in earnest McKenzie will be looking to build on his solid start in coming weeks.

Fresh from securing a card for the 2018 PGA TOUR Champions season, David McKenzie returned home to win the 2018 Goonawarra Pro-Am by two shots.

The 2018 Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series teed off yesterday in bright and sunny conditions at the Goonawarra Golf Club in Melbourne’s west.

Scoring was subdued in the morning with only four players under par. Goonawarra Golf Club General Manager, and Victorian PGA Manager of the Year in 2016, Jeff Graham was disappointed to make a late bogey and finish at 1-under 71.

Young PGA Professional Cameron John made his first pro-am start since turning Pro late in 2017. He had a mixed day carding six birdies, however, three bogeys and a double on the 4^th hole saw him finish tied with Graham at 1-under the card. They were soon joined by Ruben Lal who was another one to finish with late bogeys.

Reigning Victorian Pro-Am Order of Merit winner Mitchell A. Brown was the pick of the morning players.  A front-9 of 2-under the card and an even par back-9 saw him post the clubhouse lead at 2-under 70.

The wind picked up in the afternoon and scoring became a lot tougher. Matt Jager was the first to challenge Brown. Starting his round slowly from the 8^th hole with a bogey, Jager soon got going with three birdies on the back-9. He then birdied the 2^nd hole to move one clear of Brown with five holes to play.

Jager’s round then got interesting, he made bogey at the 3^rd, eagled the 4^th, bogeyed the 5^th and birdied the 6^th but it was the bogey on the 7^th, his last hole that finally saw him finish tied for third with Graham, John and Lal from the morning and a shot behind Brown.

The eventual winner David McKenzie began his round from the 18^th hole and he got straight to work with a birdie before giving it back with a bogey on the 2^nd hole.  Two further birdies on the front-9 saw him make the turn at 2-under the card.

A crowd favourite in the VIP tent located on the 10^th tee, McKenzie knocked his tee shot inside seven feet but he missed the birdie putt to remain at 2-under. The day was getting hotter and so was McKenzie with birdies on 13, 14 and 15 to jump out to a clear lead with just two holes remaining.

Closing his round with two regulation pars, McKenzie signed for 5-under 67 and the win, his first in nine attempts at Goonawarra.

McKenzie thanked his amateur playing partners for sticking with him after being paired together in the same event for a number of years in a row.

“I played with Gary, Terry and Chris and I have played with them almost every year for the last several years,” said McKenzie.

“Usually it’s my first tournament of the year and I haven’t done any practice and they told me today that I’ve played a lot better than I usually do.

“I’d done some practice this time and I finally got a win for the boys so thank you.”

McKenzie was full of praise for outgoing General Manager and PGA Professional Jeff Graham who has accepted a position as General Manger at Bairnsdale Golf Club which he begins next week.

“I want to congratulate Jeff and the work that he’s done here. The way that the golf club has gone from the first pro-am here nine years ago is absolutely massive,” added McKenzie.

The Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series heads to the Bellarine Peninsula next weekend for the Maddie’s Day on the Purple Pro-Am at the Clifton Springs Golf Club.  The event is the first charity pro-am raising funds for the Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision Foundation.

David McKenzie has ended his 2017 season in style going wire-to-wire to take out the Sunshine Coast Masters at Twin Waters Golf Club.

It has been a big season for McKenzie who earned status on the PGA TOUR Champions for next year.

Courtesy of his win at Twin Waters Golf Club, he was also crowned the Australian Senior PGA champion, with the National Championship played in conjunction with the Sunshine Coast Masters.

McKenzie, who has only been part of the Ladbrokes Legends Tour since turning 50 in July, was never troubled by the chasing pack in the final round, finishing at 14-under par, following his 2-under par 70 in today’s final round.

McKenzie finished six shots ahead of Peter Senior, Michael Harwood continued on from his good play at Pelican Waters yesterday to finish in outright third.

“Today has really capped off what has been a busy, but rewarding period in my golfing career,” said McKenzie.

“It was never going to be easy out there today having some of Australia’s greatest chasing me, but after getting off to a good start I settled into my round well.

“I have really enjoyed my time on the Sunshine Coast this week. Both courses at Pelican and Twin Waters were in great condition and you can really see that this tournament is only going to go forward in future years.

“To also be known now as the Australian Senior PGA Champion is a real highlight and I am going to take a moment to have a look at some of the names I have joined on that trophy.”

Professionals will now make the drive up to the beautiful Sunshine Coast hinterland for the final event of the Labrokes Legends Tour, at the inaugural Maleny Legends Pro-Am.

Brad Burns holds a slender lead in the Order of Merit race over Peter Senior and Tim Elliott, though with Senior electing not to play at Maleny, the battle will be down to two, with Elliott requiring a first or second finish to win back-to-back Order of Merit titles.

David McKenzie has fired a sizzling 7-under 65 at the Twin Waters Golf Club today, to take a three shot lead into round two of the Sunshine Coast Masters.

McKenzie leads by three shots over David Merriman, while three players; Grant Kenny, Craig Warren and Peter Senior shot 3-under 69 at Pelican Waters to be in a share for third.

McKenzie, who recently secured conditional status on the Champions Tour for 2018, recorded five birdies and an eagle in his bogey free round.

“I got off to a hot start. I was 2-under after four holes and hitting it great. I missed a couple of opportunities late but I am very pleased with my opening round,” said McKenzie.

“The guys have been shooting some good numbers lately and it’s nice to be able to get in on the action.”

“It’s my turn to tackle Pelican Waters tomorrow, a course that I am yet to have played. It will no doubt present some challenges with club selection, though hopefully having driven around the course I will overcome any club selection issues.”

Although three shots back, 2015 Sunshine Coast Masters champion Peter Senior is comfortable with his position following the opening round.

“I got off to a pretty strong start and was 2-under after four holes, I just didn’t hit it close enough through the middle part of the round to keep the birdies coming”.

“You don’t have to be too far off the fairway here at Pelican Waters to find trouble. I am several shots back from David but I am comfortable with where I am at after the first round.”

“My family and I love coming to the Sunshine Coast and we have been looking forward to this all year so hopefully I can make it a memorable trip.”

This year’s Sunshine Coast Masters champion will also be crowned the Australian Senior PGA Champion, with Martin Pettigrew looking to defend the title he won at Mollymook Golf Club last year.

Professionals will now switch courses for their second round, before a 36 hole cut will take place, with the top-50 professionals plus ties, competing in the final round at Twin Waters on Friday.

For all the scores from the 2017 Sunshine Coast Masters, please click here.