Remembering Seve on his birthday


Seve (left) John Lister and myself in Rotorua exhibition 1977
This weekend marks the 69th birthday of the great Seve Ballesteros, and during my caddying days, I was fortunate to have caddied against him on two occasions in head-to-head matches.
One was caddying for American Jim Colbert at Turnberry in 1975 when Colbert beat the then 18-year-old in the Double Diamond Teams matches.
The other was when caddying for New Zealander John Lister in an exhibition match against Seve in Rotorua, New Zealand, in 1977 (see picture below), when Lister would defeat the man who had just won three tournaments in a row (two in Japan and one in Dunedin).
I might not have realised it at the time, but I was in the presence of greatness, and looking back now, I feel very proud and privileged to have witnessed him up close and personal.
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The Australasians at the PGA Championship and how they got there


The finishing hole at the Aronimink Golf Club – image PGA of America

This week’s PGA Championship at the Aronimink Golf Club, just west of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, brings together an eclectic mix of not only the world’s best golfers but 20 Club Professionals from the 2026 Club Professionals Championship.

It is generally considered one of the strongest fields in men’s tournament golf and, importantly, in this era of disruption in professional golf, the event provides access to several leading players in LIV Golf, in addition to most of the game’s 100 world-ranked golfers.

The numerous eligibility criteria bring 154 players to yet another Donald Ross-designed layout, first conceived in 1926 but opened a couple of years later.

The venue has hosted several PGA Tour events, but this year’s PGA Championship will be the second staged by the club, the first being the 1962 event won by Gary Player.

Australasians in the field are here for the following reasons.

Jason Day – Former Champion and top 70 on the PGA Tour money list since the 2025 PGA Championship (on May 4)

Min Woo Lee – Top 70 on the PGA Tour money list since the 2025 PGA Championship (as at May 4)

Adam Scott – Top 70 on the PGA Tour money list since the 2025 PGA Championship (as at May 4)

Cameron Smith – winner of the 2022 Open Championship

Ryan Fox – Top 70 on the PGA Tour money list since the 2025 PGA Championship (as at May 4) and a winner on the PGA Tour in the last 12 months.

Daniel Hillier – deemed worthy of inclusion by the PGA of America due to performances internationally.

Elvis Smylie – deemed worthy of inclusion by the PGA of America due to performances internationally.

Travis Smyth – Top 3 on the OWGR International Federation Ranking List (as at April 27)

 

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Adam Scott turns back the clock at Doral


Adam Scott – stunning weekend after opening round setback – file image PGA of Australia

Adam Scott defied all odds this week when charging home in today’s final round of the Cadillac Championship at the Trump International Course in Doral, to finish in a share of 4th place behind the winner, Cameron Young.

Scott, who had won this event on this layout when it was last played in 2016, produced weekend rounds of 66 and 64 to, admittedly, finish eight shots behind Young, but just two behind Scottie Scheffler, who finished in second place.

Scott’s effort this week was made all the more meritorious given the two-shot penalty he incurred on Thursday when playing the wrong ball at the 8th hole to finish with a round of 76. He was still well back after a second round of 72, but his barnstorming finish catapulted him through the field..

Scott earns US$841,000 for his effort in the US$20 million Signature event.

“That’s good playing around here, for sure,” said Scott when asked about his 14 under par weekend.

“Especially yesterday in the wind I played really, really nicely. I was so disheartened after Friday’s round, my putting was just so bad. I know a lot of guys have struggled with grain and stuff this week. But just felt like I’m playing good and I’m just not getting anything out of it. So it’s an incredible game because two days later I feel really good about things sitting here talking with you.”

Scott then had a putting tip from his good friend and now CBS analyst, Trevor Immelman, and he made mention of the assistance.

“Yeah, I mean, I think Trev is as frustrated as me. Thankfully, he cares so much. Yeah, he noticed a little something with my left elbow, I think for quite a while we just haven’t really focused on it.

“It gave me something to focus on and probably improved my path and face and all the things that you need to do without really having to stress too much about it. So a few more went in, thank you, Trev. It’s a nice feeling, that’s for sure.

“I’m feeling good about all those things; it’s all positive stuff. To win a major, I’m going to need to put four days together, not just a weekend coming from behind. I feel like my game is there. I’m doing all the things that I think I need to do to be in that kind of condition. So next week is important to keep this confidence going and hopefully arrive at the U.S. PGA full of confidence and four good days, and you just never know.”

Min Woo Lee, Ryan Fox, and Jason Day all improved with final rounds of 68 but still finished well back.

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Scott Hend adds another senior major podium finish

Scott Hend – making his mark in the US even without status – file image

Australian Scott Hend has followed up an impressive third-place finish in the opening major of the season at the Senior PGA Championship with a runner-up finish at the second major of 2026, the Regions Tradition Championship in Birmingham, Alabama.

Still without status as a full-time member of the PGA Tour Champions, Hend reeled off a final round of 65 to jump nine places, a final nine of 31, including an eagle at the 13th, not quite good enough to catch yet another Stewart Cink win, but enabling the 52-year-old to finish three shots back and alone in second place.

Hend adds another US$228,000 to the US$174,000 he earned at the Senior PGA Championship and, in just the two starts in which he has been eligible, has moved inside the top ten to 9th place in the Charles Schwab Cup money list.

Hend’s power game was again to the fore, leading the driving distance stats for the week with an average of 301 yards.

The performance should earn Hend a start in the US$3 million Insperity Championship in Houston starting this Thursday.

Hend also leads the Staysure Legends Tour in Europe with three top 5’s in three starts there this season.

New Zealand’s Steve Alker was the next best of the Australasians when he tied for 11th place after a somewhat disappointing weekend.

Alker does, however, remain in 4th place in the year-long Charles Schwab Cup.

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Kazuma Kobori finds form on Turkish Coast


Kazuma Kobori – file photo courtesy of PGA of Australia

New Zealander Kazuma Kobori’s form in recent weeks in DP World Tour events has been well below what he produced in his 2025 season. Still, overnight in Turkey, he found himself in a share of second place and just one off the lead in the Turkish Airlines Open in Antalya.

Kobori’s second round of 4 under par 68 has him one behind Italy’s Gregorio De Leo in the US$2.75 million event and, currently in 99th place in the Race to Dubai rankings, the return to form has been a welcome one for the 24-year-old, who is in his second season on the DP World Tour.

Last year, Kobori made it all the way to the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai after 2nd and 3rd place finishes in events and eventually finished an impressive 44th in the Race to Dubai rankings, but although he has made the cut in four of five DPWT starts this season, there has been only one top ten and only midfield finishes since.

“We’ve got pretty nice conditions, the wind is picking up now, but for the most part we played in pretty calm conditions, so pretty happy with the way things are going,” said Kobori after his round.

“I’m just trying to keep doing what I am doing. It’s a bit of belief, evidence that I can compete out here from last year, so to be honest, I’m just trying not to force the issue as much and just keep playing my game over the course of 72 holes and see where that takes me.”

Kobori appears to have found a golf course that suits his percentage-based game, hitting many fairways and greens in regulation and although ranking down in driving distance this week, he has found a way to negotiate the National Golf Club in Belek on the Mediterranean Coast.

The only other Australasians to make the cut in the event were Elvis Smylie in 23rd position and David Micheluzzi 57th.

For Smylie, who joined LIV Golf earlier this year and won on debut, the news of the potential demise of LIV Golf at year’s end may well see him playing on a more regular basis on the DP World Tour, where he continues to have status as a result of his good season in 2025 and his win at the 2024 Australian PGA Championship.

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