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Brady Watt has concluded a split second round at Yallourn Golf Club with a birdie at the last to take the lead of the Gippsland Super 6.
Following an overnight rain delay, Watt resumed the second round from the sixth hole at 11:30am on Sunday to post birdies at 7, 9, 15 and 18 and close out a stellar round of 5-under 67.
The West Australian will begin this afternoon’s third round with a 9-under total in what will be a shotgun start at approximately 3:45pm.
“It was good to get a bunch of birdies at the end there. The birdie at the last was great, the green was kind of flooding but where the pin is it was good and I holed a nice 6-footer,” Watt said.
Rain began to pour in the Latrobe Valley throughout Watt’s final three holes and raised concerns that the tournament would be delayed once again.
Watt and playing partner Dale Brandt-Richards ran the final hole in speed-golf style in order to complete 36 holes while Watt hopes the weather will continue to hold off ahead of an exciting final round.
“It was pretty soggy out there in the end. The conditions were pretty consistent with how it’s been for the past four days. Hopefully we can get the third round in and we can all get it done.”
Victorian Tom Power Horan sits just one shot behind Watt at 8-under the card after finishing his second round on Friday.
Intermittent showers and gusting winds have caused havoc since Thursday, only allowing one and a half rounds of the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia tournament to be played.
Rules officials yesterday announced that the Gippsland Super 6 would be reduced to 54 holes of strokeplay in order to determine an inaugural champion on Sunday evening.
Round three of the Gippsland Super 6 will commence at approximately 3:45pm at Yallourn Golf Club. Live scores are available at pga.org.au.
Heavy rainfall and the prolonged delay in play have forced a change of the Gippsland Super 6 format.
UPDATE | The second round of the Gippsland Super 6 is back underway at Yallourn Golf Club.
Further rain overnight prevented play from starting at 7am as anticipated, however the course has cleared sufficiently for play to resume at 11:30am.
With the significant deluge rendering the Yallourn Golf Club unplayable, the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia event will now become a 54-hole strokeplay tournament.
A large portion of players, who are yet to complete the second round due to the constant downpour, will be required to resume on Sunday.
With weather permitting, the third round of the Gippsland Super 6 will be played as 18-hole strokeplay from a shotgun start with a reduced field following a cut to top 50 and ties.
At the conclusion of the round, the leader will be crowned the inaugural Gippsland Super 6 champion.
However, if any further rain delays occur on Sunday, it is possible that the Gippsland Super 6 tournament will be deemed complete at the conclusion of 36 holes of strokeplay.
If this is to occur, the leader will be determined the unofficial winner of the inaugural Gippsland Super 6.
PGA of Australia’s Tournaments Director Australasia Nick Dastey said he was disappointed the tournament has been forced to adapt to the trying conditions.
“It’s upsetting that we have been unable to bring to life the excitement that comes with the innovative Gippsland Super 6 format,” Dastey said.
“The volunteers and the staff at Yallourn Golf Club, as well as the players, have been unbelievably patient as we attempt to find a solution to return to the course in these challenging conditions.
“We believe changing the tournament to three rounds of strokeplay will still showcase the class of our players on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia to the region and will allow us to determine a winner.”
After posting rounds of 66 and 70, Tom Power Horan stands at the helm of the Gippsland Super 6 leaderboard with a total of 8-under.
Through six holes of his second round Brady Watt sits at 7-under the card, followed by James Marchesani at 3-under and DJ Loypur in fourth at 2-under par.
Round two of the Gippsland Super 6 is expected to resume at Yallourn Golf Club at 7am on Sunday morning.
For the current leaderboard visit pga.org.au.
UPDATE | Heavy rain has delayed the completion of round two at the Gippsland Super 6 at Yallourn Golf Club, with play postponed until mid-afternoon.
Following a tumultuous start to the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia tournament, rain has again suspended play on day three with a backlog of players still to complete the second round.
Many of the Gippsland greens are unplayable, with the significant rainfall flooding key parts of the course.
And with deluges predicted to continue across the weekend, it’s uncertain how the tournament’s format will be played out with the challenging conditions forcing the field away from the course.
Despite the frequent weather interruptions, Tom Power Horan, at 8-under, holds a slender one stroke lead at the halfway mark of the event over Brady Watt.
The Victorian completed an outstanding opening round of 6-under 66 on Friday morning to take a two-stroke lead before moving back to 5-under through nine holes in round two.
Horan Power’s opening round was particularly impressive in challenging conditions after returning to complete his final 14 holes following an overnight play suspension.
A birdie on the 5th kick-started a run of six from holes 5 to 18. Power Horan credits his incredible run to steady play in the rainy conditions.
“I just played really solid and tried to avoid the rain and getting wet and that was about it really. I just hit it really nice,” Power Horan said.
“We came back out on the 5th and I hit a 3-wood from about 230 to 15-feet and two-putted for birdie which was a nice start to the day after the delay.”
Shortly after Power Horan completed his first round, play was suspended for six hours due to heavy rain and flooded greens with three groups still to complete round one.
Players returned to the Yallourn Golf Club layout from 4pm to complete round one with round two resuming at 4:30pm.
Through nine holes of the second round Power Horan holds a one stroke lead at the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia tournament, which tonight has been suspended due to darkness.
The second round will again resume on Saturday morning with more than half the field to complete the round; however, further rain and blustery conditions are expected over the weekend.
“It started raining pretty hard on the last. I knew it was going to get delayed pretty quickly after, so it as nice to hit it close and hole it. It was a good way to finish,” Power Horan said of his opening round.
After completing his first round on Thursday, Brady Watt holds second place with a round of 4-under 68.
Brett Rankin climbed the leaderboard on Friday to sit tied in second place with a one and a half round total of 4-under.
Rankin, winner of the 2019 NT PGA Championship, said keeping his emotions in check and controlling what he was able to, was key to a successful round.
“I just tried to scramble my way around really. I forgot my umbrella this morning so I’m a bit wet and tired but you deal with whatever comes your way and block out all of the distractions, grind it out and stay patient with it,” Rankin said
“I’m very happy with the round and I finished really well so it was a good start to the tournament.”
Marcus Fraser also made the most of the turbulent conditions to sit two shots off the lead at 3-under the card.
The Gippsland Super 6 will recommence round two at approximately 7am on Saturday morning.
For the full Gippsland Super 6 leaderboard visit pga.org.au.
Swirling winds and threatening rain haven’t stopped Brady Watt from setting a blistering pace at Yallourn Golf Club and taking the early lead of the Gippsland Super 6.
A superb 4-under in the opening round’s morning field moved the West Aussie up the leaderboard to put himself in a promising position early in the tournament.
“I played solid, I’m happy with my game. With the weather forecast it’s nice to shoot 4-under with a whole wave of the field going out there,” Watt said.
Watt’s Gippsland Super 6 run endured a tough start with back-to-back bogeys at holes 12 and 13.
Birdies on 16 and 18 moved him back to even-par but it was his front-nine efforts that made the biggest impact.
“I eagled (hole) five, the first par-5 on the front-nine. I holed a putt off the green which was good,” he said.
“I just keep it in play off the tee and try not to fight the breeze too much. If you hit it solid it kind of forces it to the middle of the green.
“I wasn’t too aggressive, aiming at flags or anything, just trying to get it on the putting surface was pretty much what I did all day today.”
Now acclimatised to the chilly Victorian weather since moving to the garden state early in 2019, the former no. 1 amateur in the world was ready to face icy conditions when he teed off at 7:50am.
“I’ve been living here since the start of the year so I’ve gathered jackets and hand warmers and all the gear so I felt pretty prepared today going out in these conditions,” he said.
“It’s a beautiful course. We didn’t get any rain this morning so that was good but the wind definitely made up for it.
“The concept is great and I’m really looking forward to seeing what Yallourn has to offer over the next few days.”
Sitting two shots behind Watt is amateur Andre Lautee at 2-under the card, followed by a logjam of players including Victorian PGA champion Campbell Rawson and PGA TOUR commentator Ewan Porter at 1-under.
The afternoon including the group of Brendon Goddard, Geoff Ogilvy and Marcus Fraser are on course now.
For live scores from the Gippsland Super 6 click here.
Young West Australian amateur Hayden Hopewell has been given the chance of a lifetime at the Gippsland Super 6 thanks to Ewan Porter’s Junior 6’s invitational.
As the 2019 Boys Champion of the new junior tournament played in October, the 17-year-old has earned a lucrative place in the field at the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia tournament alongside Australia’s leading golfers.
But if the young gun’s recent results, which includes a runner-up finish at the Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series’ WA Open, are anything to go by, he won’t be out of place at this week’s exciting event.
“Like all golfers we set ourselves goals and hope we pull them off during an event,” Hopewell said.
“I have certain benchmarks I like to hit and will work hard to achieve those goals. For both of those tournaments I had a game plan, I stuck to it and believed anything is possible.
“For me I enjoy the challenge and executing my game plans and making those shots I know I can make.”
The Super 6 format and playing at a foreign golf course will present new challenges for the Fremantle local. But it’s something the rising star will take in his stride when he tees off at the Yallourn Golf Club.
“I’ve discussed my game plan with my mentor and game plan coach Hudson and my swing coach Ritchie Smith, which always gives me some very high goals to set,” he said.
“This type of tournament will need me to knuckle down early, not make too many mistakes but also really go for it, because if you leave something behind it could certainly slip away especially being 6 holes on Sunday.
“I think I’ve got an explosive game play and I have the same chances as anyone.”
With a number of experienced Australian professionals in the field, including Marcus Fraser and the likes of Australian Tour front-runners Darren Beck and Brett Rankin, Hopewell will use the opportunity to further develop both the mental and physical side of his game.
“I’m really looking forward to watching how the other pros go about their business and how they are playing the game,” he said.
“Even having the opportunity to chat to Geoff (Ogilvy) or Marcus about what the game of golf was like for them at my age; it’s going to be a great experience.
“Coming from WA we only get to see these types of players during our Super 6 at Lake Karrinyup Country Club, so to be a part of it in Gippsland is incredible.”
Although he is at the tournament to compete, Hopewell won’t let the up-close fan experience pass him by.
“I’ve collected the signatures of a lot of legends for my ball collection so even though I’m in the same tournament I’m still a huge fan of these players,” he said.
“I have watched the Perth Super 6 and walked around following my favourite golfers, so to actually play in a 6’s event is very special.”
Hayden Hopewell will begin his Gippsland Super 6 campaign at 8am on Thursday.
The Gippsland Super 6 will be played at Yallourn Golf Club from 7-10 November as part of the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.
The Gippsland Super 6 has injected a sense of excitement into the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia this week with a new format and new course.
Wild winds and heavy rain are expected to throw a spanner in the works for the 125-man field, however, with locals and legends alike set to tee it up at Yallourn Golf Club the inaugural trophy could belong to anyone come Sunday.
The Tour staff have their squeegees ready and the TI’s picks are prepared so let’s get this week underway.
MAVERICK ANTCLIFF
Mav is a multiple winner up in China this year and it’s great to see him back in Australia. He’s been working with PGA Professional Grant Field now for over a year and it’s paying dividends. I’m looking forward to seeing how he performs back home this summer, starting with the Gippsland Super 6.
MARCUS FRASER
I thought I was going to salute at the last event when I tipped Marcus at the Vic PGA but he ran into one better. None the less I’m giving him another crack. No explanation needed!
SCOTT STRANGE
After securing his Japanese card for 2020 I’m thinking Scott will be full of confidence. He’s had a rough trot of late with injuries but I reckon he’s back to his best. Watch this space. And the leaderboard at Yallourn.
TAYLOR MACDONALD
T-Mac has been putting up some good results up of late so I’m going to throw him in my picks. The Redcliffe export has all the ability in the world and another good result wouldn’t be a surprise. Let’s see if it’s the gold this time.
JAY MACKENZIE
Jay is a bit of a left-field pick here but he could be the straightest driver of the golf ball I’ve ever seen. The tightish country course will suit him and it would be great to see the young guy have a week out.
It’s not often that a retired golfer returns to the professional ranks. But for Anthony Brown, he’s determined to make a statement at his hometown course for the Gippsland Super 6.
“Yallourn is where I grew up. It’s where I learnt the game and my parents still live right beside the golf course,” Brown said.
“I was pretty excited about the opportunity to get to play a tour event at my home course so that’s probably the biggest thing for me is just being able to participate in an event at my home club where I first started playing.”
The 2014 New South Wales Open champion walked away from the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia at the conclusion of the 2016 season to focus on family following an up and down career as a touring pro.
Fast forward to 2019 and the lure of a home event at Yallourn Golf Club in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley was too hard to resist.
Now the Golf Operations Manager at X-Golf in Surrey Hills, full-time work has Brown describing his game as “a little rusty” but the former Yallourn local is as eager as anyone to see how his game pans out from 7-10 November.
“I’ve played a couple of events in the last few weeks. I played a Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series tournament in Horsham and also the Medway Pro-Am which were both much needed,” he said.
“It’s been ok, I played alright both times. Time will tell how I go but I feel like I’m playing alright.”
The Gippsland Super 6 sees the introduction of a new format where following three rounds of stroke play qualifying the field will be reduced to the top-24 players, who will then compete in a six-hole medial (stroke) match play shootout to determine a champion on the fourth and final day.
Sunday’s Super 6 shootout will take place across Yallourn’s 1st, 8th, 2nd, 16th, 17th and 18th holes in a challenging combination of one par 3, four par 4’s and a short par 5.
“The holes that we’re using are in really good nick and I think that they will offer some birdie opportunities,” he said.
“The 18th is quite tough, so if the match is all tied coming up the last hole it’ll more be someone that makes a mistake maybe losing a match rather than actually finishing with a birdie on the last; it’s a pretty strong up-hill par 4.”
A number of Gippsland locals including Tim Coffey, Mark Allan and Danny Bullen will join Brown in the field following qualifying events throughout the year.
Traralgon Golf Club member Coffey secured his spot with a win at the Traralgon Classic in February with a convincing score he hopes will translate on the Yallourn layout.
“It’s going to be my first big tournament so it’s rather exciting. I’ve been trying to get as much practice in as I can between working,” Coffey said.
“Having a tournament out here is fantastic. I’ll be encouraging some mates of mine to go down and watch because it’s not very often you can go and watch high-class golfers like Geoff Ogilvy and Marcus Fraser.”
Headliners Ogilvy, Fraser and Brendon Goddard will preview the course in Wednesday’s pro-am before beginning their Gippsland Super 6 campaigns at 12:25pm on Thursday.
The field of 125 players will compete for the lion’s share of the $125,000 prize purse, World Golf Ranking Points and full exemption onto the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia until the end of the 2020 season.
The opening round of the inaugural Gippsland Super 6 will tee off at 7:30am on Thursday morning at Yallourn Golf Course.
For the Gippsland Super 6 opening-round tee times visit pga.org.au.
The stakes have never been higher for Geoff Ogilvy, Marcus Fraser and Brendon Goddard than what they’ll face at next week’s Gippsland Super 6 tournament.
Friendly mid-week rounds are commonplace for the trio but when they grace the fairways of Yallourn Golf Club from 7-10 November the level of competition will be taken to new heights.
Joining the field of an ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia tournament for the first time, Goddard will face the big time alongside two of Australia’s top golfing exports.
“It’s pretty casual but it’s very competitive,” Ogilvy said of their mid-week jaunts.
“Obviously Frase and I have played golf for a very long time competitively but BJ (Goddard) is probably more competitive than all of us. He takes it very seriously.”
Goddard, a former AFL player for the St Kilda and Essendon football clubs, is well accustomed to playing sport at the highest level but insists this will be unlike anything he has done before.
“I’m hoping not to embarrass myself but also hoping deep down that I make the weekend or if I beat one of these two blokes I’ll be pretty happy as well,” Goddard said.
The innovative tournament format will see a field of 132 PGA Professionals and amateurs compete across three rounds of regular stroke play, as they endeavour to qualify for a dramatic fourth and final round.
The top 24 players will then compete across a six-hole medal (stroke) match play shootout to determine a champion on the final day.
Providing an exciting point of difference for players and spectators alike, Fraser – a three-time European Tour winner – hopes the Super 6 format will entice the Gippsland and Yallourn locals to support Australia’s golfing talent.
“It’s huge for the Gippsland area. Hopefully all of the locals get out there and around the tournament,” Fraser said.
Goddard, a Gippsland local originally from Glengarry, believes the tournament will be of great benefit to the community.
“It’s great that the PGA saw an opportunity there and has given it to Gippsland and the town of Yallourn,” Goddard said.
“If you’re in the area I encourage you to get down there because it’s not every day that you get to see golfers as up close as what you can at Yallourn and walk the fairways and be literally a couple of meters from these guys playing golf.”
Australia’s 2006 U.S. Open winner Ogilvy hopes the match play format will be to his advantage if he is able to make it to the top 24.
“It’s a pretty cool concept but match play is a tough format. Across six holes, everyone’s in a small little loop,” Ogilvy said.
“You get lots of action and lots of matches in a day. I love match play so hopefully over six holes I do alright.”
In order to have his name engraved as the first on the Gippsland Super 6 trophy, Ogilvy will need to overcome an in-form Marcus Fraser who recorded a runner-up finish at last week’s Victorian PGA Championship.
A number of Australians competing overseas will venture home for the tournament including three-time China Tour winner Maverick Antcliff, while recent Australasian Tour victors Campbell Rawson and Darren Beck will also feature.
The 132-man field will compete for the winner’s share of the $125,000 prize purse from 7-10 November at Yallourn Golf Club. Entry is free to the public.
The winner of the Gippsland Super 6 will also receive World Golf Ranking Points and full exemption onto the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia until the end of the 2020 season, including a place in the field at the 2019 Australian PGA Championship.
For the full entry list visit pga.org.au.
To purchase hospitality packages click here.
