Murray wins Blitz Golf in Adelaide

Victorian Zach Murray has blitzed the field to win the Blitz Golf event played at Glenelg Golf Club today.

It continues a successful few months for the young Victorian who turned professional after winning the WA Open on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and earning his Asian Tour card via Qualifying School.

“It’s really nice to get the win today and I think I won overall after the two Blitz events as well so that is a massive bonus,” said Murray who also made the final four at Curlewis Golf Club on Friday which was won by Matt Millar, who bowed out in the first round at Glenelg today.

Murray enjoyed the Blitz Golf format; touted as golf’s version of T20 cricket, it sees 40 players start the day, separated into two groups of 20 and playing just 9 holes in the first blitz.

The top-12 players from each group then advanced to a six hole blitz before the field was reduced again.

Just the top-6 players from each group advanced to the three hole blitz before the final blitz, consisting of Murray, and West Australians Michael Sim, Jarryd Felton and Braden Becker, played the 18th hole sudden death until one emerged victorious.

“I love the Blitz format. But it’s pretty nerve wracking; I had a few butterflies rolling around that six hole stretch, I had to birdie one of my last couple to get through. I made a good up and down in the three hole stretch as well,” added Murray.

“I know everything counts in a normal 72 hole tournament but it feels like it counts more when you only have three holes to produce something special.

“Every shot you have to weigh up your options, whether you’re aggressive or whether you play conservatively to keep yourself in it.”

With the pressure on in the final, Murray produced a birdied to claim his second win on the Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series.

“On the playoff hole I just thought I would have a crack and it obviously paid off,” added Murray.

“Felts (Jarryd Felton), Simmy (Michael Sim) and Braden (Becker), they are three great players and I thought I would have to make a birdie to win, so that is why I hit driver and it worked out pretty well.”

2019 looms large for Murray, who will now focus his attention on the Asian Tour and ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.

“I just got my card in Asia so I will play all the Aussie tournaments and a little bit in Asia,” added Murray.

“But I might put the sticks away for a bit, I haven’t really had a break over Christmas or anything so the body is feeling a little tired. But it should be a good year, I am pretty excited.”

A revolutionary fast paced golf format is headed for the Bellarine Peninsula next January.

The brainchild of Adelaide based property developer Simon Zybek, Blitz Golf is pitched as the T20 of tournament golf.

“I went to a tournament a few years back and left feeling hollow after spending all day watching the golf and not seeing a winner crowned. I thought there must be a better way,” said Zybek.

“I started to think about how I could get all the excitement of a traditional four round event packed into one day.”

Blitz Golf is still a traditional stroke play event that’s played according to the rules of golf but that is where the similarities end.

The 40 player strong field is split into two pools and players compete over four individual rounds, but not the traditional 18 holes per round.

Round 1 is just nine holes before the first cut is made. The top-12 players from each pool progress to round 2, this time played over six holes.

A further cut is made before round three with the top-6 players per pool progressing to the exciting three-hole third round.

After the three hole sprint, the players have played all 18 holes on the golf course. The final cut is then made with the top-2 players from each pool now moving to round four, a sudden death playoff on the 18^th hole.

Blitz Golf’s inaugural event was held at the Glenelg Golf Club in April this year with many of Australia’s best young and most experienced players battling it out.

“It was great to have household names Craig Parry, Peter O’Malley and Richard Green play against the upcoming Australian talent like Lucas Herbert, who has gone onto have an incredible season on the European Tour, Dimi Papadatos who won on the Challenge Tour and of course Antonio Murdaca,” added Zybek.

2014 Asian Pacific Amateur Champion Antonio Murdaca defeated Papadatos to claim his maiden professional victory in a nearest the pin shootout after the two were tied after the final hole.

Following the April event, Zybek’s mind quickly turned to the expansion of this exciting format. He wanted to create a mini-series of events over summer but it must be in a short space of time.

At the suggestion of the PGA of Australia, Zybek approached entrepreneurs David and Lyndsay Sharp, owners of the Curlewis Golf Club on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula.

“Being relatively new to golf and not knowing the Victorian golf scene the PGA suggested Curlewis might be a good venue to talk to. They do things a little different than a lot of clubs and are willing to embrace new ideas,” added Zybek.

“Right from the first meeting David and especially Lyndsay was excited about the concept.”

The January 4 event is expected attract some of the best-golfing talents from the ISPS HANDA Tour of Australasia but it will also see the some of the best young female players as well with the ALPG sanctioning a female Blitz during the event.

“Adding the female players to the men’s event plus an amateur section will mean that we have plenty of quality golf on offer throughout the day.” continued Zybek.

Blitz Golf is not always about the golf either. One of the main elements that make this exciting new format so attractive to players and spectators is the carnival atmosphere. There’s outdoor bars, DJ’s and kids activities to keep the whole family entertained throughout the day.

Blitz Golf Curlewis will be the first of two events in early 2019 with the series set to head back to Glenelg for the second time on January 6.

South Australian Antonio Murdaca has won the inaugural Blitz Golf at Glenelg Golf Club in a thrilling day of golf.

Billed as golf’s answer to Twenty20 cricket, Blitz Golf is designed to provide all the excitement of a full 72 hole tournament in only 18 holes.

At the start of the day 40 PGA Professionals including household names Craig Parry, Peter O’Malley and Richard Green plus young guns Jordan Zunic, Lucas Herbert and Simon Hawkes were split into two pools of 20 to compete over the first 9-holes.

Murdaca fired 1-under on the front-9 to easily progress to the second round where the top-24 players advanced to compete over a further 6-holes.

Firing 1-under across holes 10 to 15, Murdaca moved to the third round consisting of the top-12 players.

With just three holes to ensure his passage into the final, Murdaca played holes 16, 17 and 18 in par, bogey, birdie. Finishing the three holes tied with Matthew Millar, Murdaca advanced through to the final on a count back, his birdie on 18 proving crucial.

Heading to the 18^th hole in a sudden death playoff alongside Dimitrios Papadatos, Sam Earl and Dylan Stollery; Murdaca had a look at eagle but watched his putt slip past the hole and he settled for birdie to be tied with Papadatos.

The duo headed to the 18^th fairway, for a 75m nearest the pin shootout, with his 60 degree wedge in hand Murdaca secured the victory when he struck his ball to 8 feet, pin high left of the flag.

Securing $15,000 for the win this also becomes Murdaca’s first victory on the Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series.

“I’m very excited. It’s been a long time coming for me to win as a pro so I’m just so happy,” said Murdaca, who had his dad caddying for him.

“It was a bit of a struggle for me today off the tee with my irons but I chipped and putted really well and kept myself in it.

“I was really happy with my birdie on 18 in the third round to go into the final.

“I hit two great shots in the playoff, then Dimi made a great birdie and I missed my eagle. It was pretty cool to win a pitching comp; I can’t say that I have ever been in a pitching comp for 15 grand.”

Singing the praises of the Blitz Golf format, Murdaca hopes to see it grow in years to come.

“It was awesome, I really enjoyed myself. I think it’s definitely going to get bigger and better,” added Murdaca.

“The atmosphere was great with all the entertainment and everyone out here cheering us on.

“It really was a great day and I couldn’t fault anything.”

The man behind Blitz Golf, Simon Zybek was thrilled with the inaugural staging and already has plans to take the concept Australia wide.

“I am thrilled with how everything went today. I had a vision for a shorter version of the game I am passionate about and to see that come to life was fantastic,” said Zybek.

“Already the feedback has been very positive and I have had some interest from stakeholders on the east coast of Australia. So the plan is to stage more Blitz Golf events in the near future.

“Thanks to all the players, the PGA of Australia, Glenelg Golf Club and my incredible sponsors for sharing my vision for Blitz Golf.”

Blitz Golf is set to shake up professional golf with the inaugural event this Friday at Glenelg Golf Club in South Australia.

The short format is designed to provide all the excitement of a full 72 hole tournament in only 18 holes and in just one afternoon with some calling it the T20 version of golf.

Blitz Golf will see 40 PGA Professionals including household names Craig Parry, Peter O’Malley and Richard Green plus young guns Jordan Zunic, Lucas Herbert and Simon Hawkes split into two pools of 20 to compete over the first 9-holes.

After the first 9-holes, both pools are cut to the top-12 players who advance through to round two and compete over a further 6-holes. A second round cut of a further six players halves each pool and builds the tension as the remaining players move into the third round to compete over 3-holes.

After the 3-hole sprint, in round four the top-2 players in each pool meet at the 18^th tee to compete for the title of 2018 Blitz Golf Champion and the lion’s share of the $45,000 purse.

Blitz Golf is the brain child of Adelaide based property developer Simon Zybek, a relative new comer to the game of golf.

“Being relatively time-poor myself, I thought spectators and players alike would take a keen interest in a shorter version of the sport,” said Zybek.

“In the same way many other sports have adopted or trialled shorter formats, Blitz Golf has an opportunity to attract new people to the sport, in particular families and a younger demographic.

“The whole idea of Blitz Golf is that the stakes become higher as the golf gets shorter and we’ll have a result at the end of the day. The concept has evolved quickly with great support from the PGA of Australia as well as the wider golfing community and corporate sponsors.”

Zybek has also been able to bring together some of the city’s biggest companies to support the first event.

“The sponsors have been fantastic in sharing the vision and jumping on board from the outset. We have attracted many leading SA brands including major sponsorships from Audi Solitaire, BankSA and many of Adelaide’s leading suppliers/providers in the building and real estate industry,” added Zybek.

“This combined with national and international brands such as Asahi, Callaway Golf, Langtons Fine Wine and Schweppes has allowed this event to attract significant talent to SA for the first time in many years. There are many sponsors taking note of the event and we are looking forward to expanding our vision with them in the coming 12 months."

Chairman of the PGA of Australia and one of Australia’s most well known Tour Professionals Peter O’Malley is in the field and also excited about seeing the format played for the first time.

“I’m very much looking forward to playing in the first Blitz Golf tournament this week,” said O’Malley.

“The format is very appealing and I think we’ll see some aggressive golf as we get players scrambling to advance through the rounds, it’ll certainly be entertaining for the fans.”

The afternoon at Glenelg Golf Club has so much more on offer for the viewing public too with a free junior clinic, free carnival rides, DJ’s, food trucks, the chance to win major prizes including a brand new caravan plus a wedge shootout for the professionals.

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