Garvey and Bennett earn full Ladies European Tour status


Amelia Garvey – successful change of direction for the New Zealander  

New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey is one of two Australasians to gain full status cards for the 2025 Ladies European Tour following her outstanding finish to the final stage of Q School today.

English-born but raised in Canterbury, New Zealand’s South Island, Garvey produced a final 36 holes of 67 and 65 to finish 4th in Marrakesh, Morocco. After unsuccessful years playing on the secondary Epson Tour in the USA, the former University of Southern California golfer has reset her career.

“I’m feeling good, it was a pretty stress-free round for me today. I just wanted to put a low number and actually try and chase the lead down,” said Garvey, who had her cousin Jamie Tipper on the bag.

“I really love this course, and it suits my game, so I’m really proud of the way I finished the five days out here.

“Jamie [her caddie] is the reason why I’m here. I’ve struggled on Epson the last few years to get my LPGA card, and I just wanted to change it up a little bit.

“He’s been out here this year, and he said, I really think that you’ll like it out here. It was really nice to have him on the bag this week and just have a comfortable, familiar face. He’s done a really good job.”

Joining Garvey amongst the Australasians as a full status card earner this week is New South Wales golfer, Kelsey Bennett, who birdied three of her last five holes to secure her card on the number.

Perth’s Maddison Hinson-Tolchard made a fast start to her final round with three early birdies but was unable to find the one extra she needed to secure a full status card and finished on shot shy but will earn secondary status as will New Zealand’s Wenyung Keh who finished two shots from of the required mark.

Queensland’s Justice Bosio, who played so well at the recent Women’s Australian Open finished in 57th place and missed out on a card but may get the occasional start as is the case with Australian Belinda Ji.

Results

 

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Asian Tour access up for grabs in Thailand


Zach Murray chasing a return to the sort of form which saw him win the 2019 New Zealand Open 

The Asian Tour’s final stage of qualifying for season 2025 is underway in Hua Hin in Thailand where twenty Australians and four New Zealanders will chase one of 35 cards available in Asia.

The event will be played over 90 holes at the Lake View Resort and Golf Club’s two layouts with a cut made after rounds two and four.

Amongst the large Australian contingent are two former New Zealand Open Champions, Zach Murray and Jordan Zunic, and the winner of this same Q School two years ago, Jack Thompson, who has struggled to produce the sort of form he promised earlier in his career.

Also in the field is 46 year old veteran Marcus Fraser a former winner of multiple Asian and European Tour events, no doubt keen to keep his game competitive as the access to golf on over 50’s tours looms.

Leaderboard 

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Australasians chase Ladies European Tour cards

Recently turned professional Justice Bosio – seen here at the recent Australian Open – image AGM

Four Australasians tackle the Ladies European Tour’s Final Stage of Qualifying in Marrakesh, Morocco where 154 players will compete over 90 holes for the right to play the Ladies European Tour in 2025.

The leading 20 players will earn Category 12 status, the next 30 Category 16 status and the balance of those making the cut after 72 holes, securing the very limited Category 19 status.

Perth’s Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, Queensland’s Justice Bosio, Sydney amateur Belinda Ji and New Zealand’s Amelia Garvey will tee it up over the Royal Golf Marrakech and Al Golf Maaden Marrakech layouts over the first 72 holes, the top 65 making it through to the final round at Al Golf Maaden for the final round.

Tee Times 

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Ben Henkel another first time Australasian Tour winner


Ben Henkel – yet another first time winner on the PGA Tour of Australasia – image Australian Golf Media 

The final event of 2014 on the PGA of Australasia has been won by yet another first-time winner with Victorian Ben Henkel taking out the Gippsland Super 6 event at the Warragul Country Club with the Victorian’s par at the first extra hole of a playoff securing him victory in extra time over Queensland’s Dylan Gardner in the six-hole final match.

Henkel had won through to the final with a tense victory over NSW golfer Corey Lamb at the third extra hole in their semi-final while Dylan Gardner had eased into the final with an easy win over Andrew Evans.

With both Henkel and Gardener tied after six holes in the final, Hinkle managed to par the first extra hole to take the title and the A$36,000 cheque.

Henkel has missed four of his last six cuts in PGA Tour of Australasia events but found a way in this unique format to excel after gaining his Australasian Tour card earlier in 2024.

“It’s amazing and I was so fortunate,” said an emotional Henkel after seeing off Dylan Gardner in the final medal match play battle of Sunday.

“I’ve got some great mates that made the trip down, and my mum and dad.I’ve been battling so hard with my game and everything, just fighting through it.

“I’ve had a lot of early mornings before work, after work, just really believing in myself to get a future out of this game. This is massive for me, massive.”

Henkel will race into 15th position on the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit as the 2024 year draws to a close.

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Buchanan and Coletta earn important playing rights


Brett Coletta – an important week for the Victorian in Saudi Arabia – image Australian Golf Media 

Australians Brett Coletta and Jack Buchanan have added another strong to their bows following the completion of LIV Golf Promotions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia overnight.

The event was staged to determine who would graduate to the LIV Golf League in 2025 and while that honour would go to only the top qualifier there were another ten places available for the lucrative International Series events which form part of the Asian Tour schedule.

Coletta and Buchanan finished in a share of 4th position and so will add eight of the International Series events to their schedule in 2025, each expected to carry prizemoney of at least US$2 million.

Coletta played the Korn Ferry Tour for several seasons but in recent years he has focused his attention on the PGA Tour of Australasia and wherever else he has been able to gain a start.

By finishing third on last year’s PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit Coletta has his DP World Tour card for this new season there but this additional playing option offers him the possibility of a full schedule.

The winner of both the Queensland and Vic Opens, Coletta is considered by many to be a significantly better player than his results to date have suggested and despite some ordinary recent form this might be just the boost he needs to elevate his career.

South Australian Buchanan is currently in 4th position on the current PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit, following wins in Kalgoorlie and Adelaide and despite missing the cut in last week’s Vic PGA Championship his trip to Saudi Arabia has proven very worthwhile.

Buchanan is arguably, perhaps along with Elvis Smylie, the most improved player on the PGA Tour of Australasia and his progress over the next few months will be watched with interest.

The winner of the event, and the man who will be playing LIV Golf next season, is Lee Chieh-po of Taiwan.

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Cory Crawford earns welcome Vic PGA victory.

Cory Crawford – image Australian Golf media

32-year-old Queensland professional, Cory Crawford, has today won his second PGA Tour of Australasia title with a one-shot victory over American Tyler McCumber

An outstanding performer during his amateur days, Crawford has been plagued by injury in recent times but, through the early stages of his professional career, won several pro-am and the 2017 PNG Open.

A fractured back was the issue but despite missed cuts at the Australian PGA and Open Championships there had been some solid finishes just prior and this victory and the A$45,000 will be a great boost for him.

Making the turn at Moonah Links Course on the Mornington Peninsula two shots behind the American Tyler McCumber, Crawford produced a closing nine of 33 to catch and pass McCumber, a birdie at his final hole all but sealing the deal.

Playing in the group behind McCumber was unable to produce the one final birdie he needed to force the playoff. McCumber is the some of former successful PGA Tour professional Mark McCumber.

Recent third-place finisher at the Australian PGA Championship, Anthony Quayle, finished alone in 3rd place and two shots from the winner. After only narrowly making the cut on Friday, Quayle’s weekend surge was impressive.

Crawford jumps to 11th position on the PGA Tour of Australasian money list.

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Cam Smith and Ben Campbell narrowly miss in Riyadh

Cam
Cam Smith – image Paul Lakatos Asian Tour 

Smith has staged a final-round comeback in what is the final event of his 2024 golfing year for the Asian Tour, narrowly missing his first victory of the year when going down in a playoff to Joaquin Niemann.

Smith’s final round of 64 at the Riyadh Golf Club in Saudi Arabia saw him catch Niemann and American Caleb Surratt and then wait while Niemann and Surratt, playing in the day’s final group, completed their round.

Smith was one behind and finished his day when the final pair played the final hole but they offered Smith a lifeline when they both dropped a shot for all three to finish at 21 under.

All three would birdie the first hole of the playoff before Niemann hit his pitch to the same hole the second time around to less than a foot from the hole and when Surratt and Smith missed makable birdie chances the title went to the Chilean.

For Smith it was his 5th runner-up finish of the year, but the win which has proved elusive since August of 2023 again went begging.

New Zealand’s Ben Campbell, chasing a win in the International Series rankings and a spot in the Liv Golf League next season, staged a valiant bid with weekend rounds of 64 and 64 to finish just one shot from the playoff.

Campbell finishes his season in 3rd place in the rankings behind Niemann and Uihlein and runner-up on the Asian Tour Order of Merit with earnings of US$1.15 million.

Matt Jones finished 9th this week while Travis Smyth was the next best of the Australasians when he tied for 17th.

Smyth finished as the leading Australian on the 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit in 8th position.

Leaderboard in Riyadh

Asian Tour Order of Merit Final

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Brendan Jones’ brilliance earns PGA Tour Champions playing rights

Brendan Jones – file image – courtesy of NZ Open 

Canberra golfer Brendan Jones will join the increasing number of Australasian golfers plying their trade on the PGA Tour Champions following the completion of the Final Stage of Qualifying for the 2025 PGA Tour Champions in Scottsdale in Arizona.

Knowing he needed a good final round to force his way into the top 5 who gain full cards for the lucrative over 50’s tour, Jones uncomfortably began the final day with three bogeys through eight holes before things turned around dramatically.

Jones birdied six of his last ten holes for a round of 68 to become one of the three players tied for 3rd place and to earn the final cards for next season.

Jones, the 1999 Australian Amateur Champion, the 2022 New Zealand Open Champion, the runner-up in the 2012 Australian Open behind Peter Senior and a prolific winner of titles and money in Japan, has just completed a horror year in Japan and Asia but his form reversal at both Stage one and the Final Stage of Qualifying has seen him open up a new and potentially lucrative chapter in his career.

“It was an incredibly stressful experience but worth it all now,” said Brendan after receiving his card.

While Jones’s news was good, the same cannot be said for his fellow Australians Scott Barr and Andre Stolz.

Stolz and Barr both missed out on a place in the top five by one agonising shot, Barr, in particular, no doubt rueing a last-hole bogey.

The pair will get their chance to attempt qualifying for events on the PGA Tour Champions but the surety of a card would have made the world of difference.

Mathew Goggin and Brad Kennedy finished 14th and 26th respectively in the field of 78.

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Smith bounces back from Australian Open disappointment


Cam Smith – file image Golf Australia

Cam Smith has bounced back from a disappointing week at the Australian Open to share the lead at the halfway stage of the PIF Saudi International in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Smith is 11 under along with Joaquin Niemann, Peter Uihlein and Logan McCallister in the season ending event on the Asian Tour and the last of the International Series of events for 2024.

Smith added a seven-birdie second round of 64 to head into the weekend with his co leaders although they have just a one-shot margin over another group of four, namely Stewart Lawton, Tyrrell Hatton, Jason Kokrak and Smith’s fellow Australian Travis Smyth.

In fact, a massive number of 18 players are within just three shots of the lead in the US$5 million event which is set to determine the final standings in the International Series.

The winner of the International Series at the completion of this event earns the right to play the LIV Golf Tour in 2025 and with 1000 points on offer this week then several players are still in with a hope including New Zealand’s Ben Campbell currently third in the standings behind the current leader Peter Uihlein.

Campbell is at 6 under for the event and five from the lead.

Two-time Australian Open winner, Matt Jones is amongst the group at 9 under and just two from the lead.

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14 strong Australasian challenge at Asian Tour finale


Cam Smith – one of 14 Australasians in the field this week – image Golf Australia

The 2024 Asian Tour season draws to a close tonight when the US$5 million PIF Saudi International is played at the Riyadh Golf Club in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

A strong line-up of 14 Australasian golfers get their last chance of the year to add to their bank accounts, headed perhaps by Cam Smith who will be joined by Lucas Herbert, Marc Leishman, Matt Jones and New Zealand’s Danny Lee from Liv Golf, the number two player on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, Ben Campbell, the 11th ranked player in Asia this season, Travis Smyth, Maverick Antcliff, Daniel Gale, Brett Coletta, Jak Carter, Wade Ormsby, Nick Voke and Jed Morgan.

Gale, Coletta and Carter are in the field via their standing on the last Australasian Tour Order of Merit, providing a rare opportunity to play for the sort of money on offer this week.

With the likes of Joaquin Niemann, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, previous winner, Abraham Ancer, Harold Varner, John Catlin and last week’s winner in Qatar, Peter Uihlein, in the field, their task is not an easy one, but it is a great opportunity in a 120 player field to finish the year off on a high ahead of next season.

TEE TIMES

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