O’Hern wins shootout at Sanctuary Cove

Nick O’Hern has shown some of his younger rivals he is just as competitive as ever, taking out the Mercedes-Benz Gold Coast Sanctuary Cove Professional Shootout following a final hole playoff against Jake McLeod.

Played on The Pines golf course at Sanctuary Cove and starting with 19 players on the first hole, it was Michael Sim who jumped out of the blocks to hole his second shot from 102m and safely make it over the first hurdle.

Gold Coast-based Professional Steven Jeffress, was the first to bow out of the competition after making bogey on the 1^st and going on to lose a chip off.

Defending champion Adam Blyth, Sanctuary Cove local Brad Kennedy and New Zealander Mike Hendry were eliminated on the following holes before young Japanese Tour player Dylan Perry exited on the 5^th.

David Bransdon took a double-bogey on the 6^th to head home early with Matt Millar, Cory Crawford and European Tour winner Sam Brazel all failing to get through to the back-9.

They may have played against each other for Mars Bars for most of their lives however the stakes were higher on Sunday when good mates Jake McLeod and Anthony Quayle duelled it out in a 10^th hole chip off with McLeod prevailing.

Peter Senior was the next to go as the stars continued to fall with Michael Sim eliminated on the 12^th hole.

Terry Price hit it in the water on the 13^th and was sent home as a result while Nick O’Hern almost holed it during the 14^th hole chip off in the process of eliminating South Australian, Adam Bland.

Having started the round at 8:30am, the longer the day went on the more it looked as if some of the young blood may show their stamina, even more evident when Olympian Marcus Fraser made bogey on the 15^th hole and was eliminated as a result.

Deyen Lawson has already recorded two hole-in-ones on the European Tour this year though on the par-3 16^th hole at Sanctuary Cove, Lawson was eliminated after all players made par and a chip off was required.

With two holes to play, that left New South Welshman Travis Smyth, Nick O’Hern and Jake McLeod and when McLeod found the water on the par-5, many thought the other two would progress.

McLeod, however, holed a putt from 12 feet forcing yet another chip off of which Smyth was the one to exit on this occasion.

As a big crowd including nearly 200 golf buggies surrounded the 18^th hole, McLeod found the water off the tee again leaving the stage to be set for O’Hern to hole a 10-foot putt and take out the 2019 title.

“It was a really long day out there,” O’Hern said.

“I was really surprised at how many people were out to watch from the first tee shots this morning but it continued to grow even bigger during the day created a really great atmosphere to play in.”

“The standard of play today from all of the boys was really good. There weren’t too many times you could relax and given I was in six chip offs today, it certainly adds to the pressure.”

O’Hern takes home just shy of $17,000 of the $50,000 total prize pool indicating it was always the goal.

“I thought if I could just get to the back-9 I would be in with a chance,” O’Hern added.

“It is a bit like matchplay down the last few holes and given I love matchplay, it came very naturally.”

Paul Sanders, Executive General Manager of Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club, said they are really pleased with the outcome of the event.

“The main purpose of the event is to provide a golfing spectacle for our members and we feel in just the first two years the event has some real presence in the local community,” said Sanders.

“Nick has been around the club the last few days with a book night talking about his book Tour Mentality on Friday, playing with the members and an evening function yesterday, and then the great display today so we are all really pleased to see him win.”

“They believe the event has plenty of potential and we look forward to working with all of our loyal sponsors to ensure the event continues to grow and evolve.”

A full list of the holes players were eliminated on can be found below:

	Eliminated
Hole 1	Steven Jeffress
Hole 2	Adam Blyth
Hole 3	Brad Kennedy
Hole 4	Mike Hendry
Hole 5	Dylan Perry
Hole 6	David Bransdon
Hole 7	Matt Millar
Hole 8	Cory Crawford
Hole 9	Sam Brazel
Hole 10	Anthony Quayle
Hole 11	Peter Senior
Hole 12	Michael Sim
Hole 13	Terry Price
Hole 14	Adam Bland
Hole 15	Marcus Fraser
Hole 16	Deyen Lawson
Hole 17	Travis Smyth
Hole 18	Jake McLeod

He twice defeated Tiger Woods in match play competition; now Nick O’Hern must better 18 competitors in a single day to claim the second Mercedes-Benz Gold Coast Sanctuary Cove Professional Shootout at the Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club.

O’Hern is one of a number of high-profile additions to the second staging of an innovative format that sees 19 players tee off from the first tee on The Pines Golf Course and one player eliminated at each hole until there is only one man standing on the 18th green.

Defending champion Adam Blyth and the man he outlasted in the dark Travis Smyth both return on Sunday with some of the most recognisable names in Australian golf adding to a star-studded field.

O’Hern, Peter Senior, Marcus Fraser, Terry Price and Paul Gow will represent the old guard, Jake McLeod makes his maiden Shootout appearance a week after playing in his first major championship while Japan Golf Tour regulars Brad Kennedy, David Bransdon, Anthony Quayle and Adam Bland are taking advantage of a break in the schedule to compete for $50,000 on home soil.

Incorporating a signing session of his book Tour Mentality for Sanctuary Cove members on Friday night, O’Hern says he will adopt a slightly different approach to that which earned him match play wins over Woods in 2005 and 2007.

“I think it will be quite different because I imagine at the beginning you need to be fairly conservative,” O’Hern said.

“There are not going to be 19 pars or better on the first hole. I imagine there’ll be a few bogeys and maybe even a double or two thrown in once in a while so I think over the first few holes a more conservative approach will be a good idea.

“Then as you go along maybe you get more and more aggressive whereas in match play I always tried to start out a little more aggressive, try and get the lead and then keep the foot down.

“This might require a slightly different tactic but it’s the first time I’ve played it so I have no idea.”

O’Hern visited The Pines course for the first time in early June for the National Final of the Mercedes Trophy but spent the entire day parked on the 16th tee.

If he gets that far on Sunday O’Hern will be among the final four, hopeful that regular social rounds at some of Victoria’s finest golf courses will enable him to compete.

“I didn’t know about it or the format and when I was told about it I thought it sounded fantastic,” said O’Hern who, like Geoff Ogilvy, has recently moved back to Australia after some 15 years in the United States.

“I’ve just been playing a social round once a week and doing some mentoring in trying to help golfers improve their games so in that I’ve been playing the odd nine holes here and there.

“I haven’t been practising so that’s obviously something that isn’t ideal but even without the practice my scoring’s been quite good because I’ve been playing quite a bit.

“For a four-round tournament it’s probably not ideal but for an 18-hole shootout I think it will be fine, my game’s in pretty good shape. For 18 holes anything can happen, which is great.”

In his 25th year as a professional and with his 48th birthday approaching in October, O’Hern is already plotting another assault on an Australian Open title to go with his 2006 Australian PGA Championship victory.

“I still feel I can be competitive,” O’Hern said.

“Two or three months out from the Open and the PGA I’ll start putting in some hard work and get my game in tournament mode which will wrap around to the start of the following year where we have a few tournaments as well.

“I’ll be ready to go for those. The only downside is I’m just not playing week in and week out competitive golf like I used to.

“I’m not going there to make up the numbers. I’m hoping to compete and see what kind of run I can make at it.

“The Aussie Open has always been a dream of mine to win. I’ve been runner-up three or four times and in this game you never what can happen. I might catch lightning in a bottle for a week and we’ll give it a good shake.”

The 19-man field will tee off from the first hole at The Pines Course at Sanctuary Cove at 8.30am Sunday morning.

Aussie young-gun Jake McLeod will be looking to build from his debut Major campaign at The 148^th Open, as he joins a star-studded field at the Mercedes-Benz Gold Coast Sanctuary Cove Shootout this Sunday.

The 24-year-old will challenge decorated greats Nick O’Hern and Peter Senior for the $50,000 prize purse on The Pines Course in a limited 19-man field that boasts golfers returning from stints in Europe and Japan.

This unique event will showcase some of our most accomplished PGA Professionals including:

Adam Bland
Adam Blyth
Anthony Quayle
Brad Kennedy
Cory Crawford
David Bransdon
Deyen Lawson
Dylan Perry
Jake McLeod
Marcus Fraser
Matthew Millar
Michael Sim
Mike Hendry
Nick O’Hern
Peter Senior
Sam Brazel
Steven Jeffress
Terry Price
Travis Smyth

Mercedes-Benz Gold Coast Sanctuary Cove Shootout will follow a unique format that is expected to excite fans.

The full field will take to the first tee, with the highest scoring player from each hole to be eliminated. By the 17^th hole, the field be reduced to just two professionals, with the last players battling it out on the 18^th to become the Mercedes-Benz Gold Coast Sanctuary Cove Shootout champion.

McLeod said he was excited to be returning home to play in his first Mercedes-Benz Gold Coast Sanctuary Cove Shootout on The Pines Course following a brilliant debut outing at Royal Portrush Golf Club.

“It was an incredible experience playing with the world’s best golfers at The 148^th Open. While it wasn’t the result I wanted, I learnt a lot playing in my first Major,” McLeod said.

“Returning from Northern Ireland to play at Sanctuary Cove is a great way for me to prepare for a big second half of the year.

“The Shootout has put together a really impressive field. The knockout format makes it exciting. I am hoping I can get through the first few holes and, who knows, hopefully, I can build some momentum to go all the way.”

Last year’s winner, Adam Blyth, is looking forward to defending his title on one of his favourite golf courses in Queensland.

“Coming in as the defending champion certainly has a different feel to it,” Blyth said.

“I’m incredibly excited at the prospect of going back-to-back. But, as is the case in the shootout, one bad hole is all you need to be heading straight back to the clubhouse.

“That’s the uniqueness of this format. You have to temper your aggression to make sure you’re there at the 18^th hole. It’s a pretty cool concept.”

Paul Sanders, Executive General Manager of Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club, said they have made some improvements this year to make the event even better.

“We have introduced ‘gimmies’ this year within 60cm to speed up play and encourage the guys to hit it in close,” said Sanders.

“With the addition of a sponsor’s day the day prior, our members will have an opportunity to play alongside each of our professionals before they tee it up on Sunday.

“Unprecedented interest and support from fans and the PGA Professionals has allowed us to increase the prizemoney to $50,000. We hope the shootout grows each year to become a lucrative drawcard to some of the world’s great golfers.”

The Mercedes-Benz Gold Coast Sanctuary Cove Shootout will start at 8:30am on Sunday 28^th July.

James Nitties described it as "atomic matchplay".

Nineteen players teed off in one supergroup at Sanctuary Cove’s Pines Course and as darkness descended almost eight hours later Queenslander Adam Blyth was the last man standing.

The Mercedes Benz Gold Coast Sanctuary Cove Shootout was drama-infused from beginning to end.

Rookie Robbie Hogan called a penalty on himself yet survived the sudden-death chip-off to advance past the first hole and as the field thinned so too did the available light, Blyth and Travis Smyth facing off on the 18th hole under the spotlight provided by the armada of golf carts that had witnessed the elimination of one player at a time throughout the day.

It was the first time that the PGA of Australia had used the format as part of the Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series and given the sudden-death nature and atmosphere generated by the large gallery that followed them it was a popular addition amongst the players.

“I’ve never been so nervous,” said Nitties, who made it to the 12th hole before a bogey saw him eliminated.

“You can’t get into a rhythm. When you’re nervous playing a big tournament you’re in your zone and just concentrating on the shots you have to hit but here you’re waiting 25-30 minutes between shots and it’s like everyone wants you to play bad.

“With that many guys you play for par the first five or six holes and you’re fine. It’s like an atomic matchplay.

“I had a six-footer to stay in it and you know everyone wants you to miss it. So it’s exciting that way.

“In a regular golf tournament no one really cares about your game but in this format everyone just doesn’t want to go to a chip off and just go to the next hole.”

Tasmanian Simon Hawkes was the only player in the field who also took part in the Blitz Golf tournament at Glenelg Golf Club earlier in the year and also welcomed the PGA’s latest innovation.

“It’s really bizarre because when I got the email about playing in this the golf club where I did my traineeship, Ryde-Parramatta Golf Club in Sydney, used to do the exact same thing,” said Hawkes, who was knocked out in a chip-off with Anthony Quayle on the ninth hole.

“So I knew exactly what I was getting into and it’s turned out great.

“It’s really hard to pick a winner in this format because you could make nine straight birdies and then one bogey and you’re out.

“If the club gets behind it, and seeing the turnout today they certainly have, this event could turn into something really big.”

Lismore-based professional Sam Brazel has played in the Golf Sixes team event on the European Tour the past two years and also enjoyed the different format, despite bunker trouble at the par-5 third hole bringing his chances to an early finish.

“Obviously if you muck up you’re in strife but if you’re a good, steady player you can go a long way in this format,” Brazel said.

“If you’re one of the first to tee off you’ve got to be a little bit conservative.

“Keith Pelley, the CEO of the European Tour, has done a really good job of sparking a bit of interest with some different events and it’s great to see the PGA also trying something new.”

Brisbane veteran Michael Wright succumbed in a chip-off against Terry Price at the picturesque par-4 sixth hole and made one suggestion for next year’s event.

With green speeds that some players estimated at around 13 on the Stimpmeter and hole locations that offered very little margin for error, Wright said the players may need some extra incentive to be aggressive.

“This is something that we don’t normally get the chance to do and to have the buzz of the crowd all around us makes it a really exciting event to play in.

“Perhaps one way of jazzing up this event even more would be to offer $100 or $200 for a nearest-the-pin on each hole, that way you’d see us attacking the pins a lot more.

“That might make it a little bit more exciting and really bring the shootout element into it.”

Rockhampton’s Adam Blyth was the last professional into the 19 competitor field courtesy of a last-minute withdrawal on Thursday evening, and has made the most of the opportunity beating a quality field and overcoming young-gun Travis Smyth on the last hole.

“When I got the call during the week I was thrilled to be given the last position into the field," said Blyth.

“I was really excited to have the chance to play a different style of event and to be honest, I am not sure I have ever been as nervous as I was on the first tee this morning.

“My strategy heading into today was to make sure I beat just one person each hole to ensure I remained in the field.

“I did have to endure the two chip offs to progress on the 7^th and the 17^th holes though was fortunate enough that my short game held up under the pressure.

“The crowd support out there for the whole day was incredible. There must have been a couple of hundred Members watching, that’s what made the day for me."

Twenty-three-year-old Travis Smyth was the first competitor to secure his place for the final hole after going for the green on the par 5 17^th hole for two. A solid up and down from the back of the green resulting in a birdie.

Unfortunately for Smyth his tee shot down the 18^th found the water which left Blyth in control to win the inaugural event.

“It was tough to see as darkness was closing in and my ball found the water," said Smyth.

“It is a real confidence boost though given my title defence at the NT PGA next week and all of us professionals are extremely thankful for the opportunity to play this unique event.”

The majority of professionals will be heading to the Northern Territory ahead of this week’s MMC Northern Territory PGA Championship.

The next stop on the Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series will be the Murwillumbah Golf Club for the Murwillumbah Pro-Am to be held Thursday 23 August 2018.

Final results below:

Professional	Knocked out on hole	Prizemoney
Adam Blyth	Winner	$14,000
Travis Smyth	18th	$6,500
Brad Kennedy	17^th	$3,950
David Bransdon	16^th	$3,000
Steven Jeffress	15^th	$1,950
Anthony Quayle	14^th	$1,200
Terry Price	13^th	$950
James Nitties	12th	$900
Daniel Nisbet	11^th	$750
Robbie Hogan	10^th	$700
Simon Hawkes	9^th	$650
Ray Beaufils	8^th	$600
Michael Sim	7^th	$550
Michael Wright	6^th	$500
Quinton Howe	5^th	$450
Nick Russell	4^th	$400
Sam Brazel	3^rd	$350
Cooper Eccleston	2^nd	$300
Cory Crawford	1^st	$300

With only two days to go before the inaugural Mercedes-Benz Sanctuary Cove Shootout, the final field has been confirmed.

The Sanctuary Cove Pines course awaits the arrival of the 19 player field, with local Gold Coast professional Nick Russell the last player to book his spot following his strong play this week across the four Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series events played in Brisbane.

The unique event will showcase some of Australia’s brightest golfers including Sam Brazel, Brad Kennedy and Anthony Quayle, all of whom currently ply their trade on international Tour circuits.

Brazel has enjoyed another solid year on the European Tour after securing his playing rights via a win at the UBS Hong Kong Open last season, while Queenslanders Brad Kennedy and Anthony Quayle, who both compete on the Japan Golf Tour, will have plenty of local support.

Kennedy has enjoyed time off following his win in the Shigeo Nagashima Invitational SEGA SAMMY Cup in Japan while Quayle caught the attention of Presidents Cup International Team Captain Ernie Els when the pair played together in the final round of the Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways last week.

Quayle set the Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course alight with a blistering 9-under 63 on Sunday, a new course record. He’s looking forward to teeing it up in the inaugural Mercedes-Benz Sanctuary Cove Shootout while enjoying time back at home on the Gold Coast before returning to Japan.

“I think it’s a really interesting format, the elimination element is going to add a bit of excitement so hopefully we get a good crowd coming out to watch,” said Quayle.

“Anytime we can play something other than regulation stroke-play is always good fun so I’m looking forward to it.”

Below is the complete 19 man field for the Mercedes-Benz Gold Coast Sanctuary Cove Professional Shootout:

Ray Beaufils
Adam Blyth
David Bransdon
Sam Brazel
Cory Crawford
Cooper Eccleston
Simon Hawkes
Rob Hogan
Quinton Howe
Steven Jeffress
Brad Kennedy
Daniel Nisbet
James Nitties
Terry Price
Anthony Quayle
Nick Russell
Michael Sim
Travis Smyth
Michael Wright

This exciting new format is set to attract a lot of interest from Sanctuary Cove Members and the wider golfing community with the 19 Professionals to tee off the 1^st tee at 9:45am this Sunday.

A player will be eliminated following each hole until two are left standing on the 18^th tee, after which a winner will be crowned.

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