Sir Bob Charles and I – a walk and talk chat for TV as he plays his supposedly last NZ Open in 2004
With the 2026 New Zealand Open fast approaching, my involvement in a commentary role again rekindles some lovely memories of an event which I first attended in 1971 as an 18-year-old, beginning a long association, in various capacities, with one of the world’s oldest national golf Open Championships.
Having caddied in 13, commentated in 17, and attended another five in my capacity as a golf journalist, I have enjoyed many special moments in New Zealand’s golfing flagship, and, in this article, I reflect on some of the moments which have stood out to me over the years.
My first involvement at a New Zealand Open was in 1971 at the Otago Golf Club in Dunedin. It was the first of two significant golf events in Dunedin that year, as, the following week, the second Otago Charity Classic was played at the St Clair Golf Club on the other side of the city.
I caddied for John Lister in both events, but the greatest memory of that week was Peter Thomson winning his 9th and final New Zealand Open title. Thomson is the most prolific winner of New Zealand Open titles, followed by Kel Nagle’s 7. While I cannot recall much about Thomson’s performance that week, it is nice to know that my first exposure to the event was such a milestone in New Zealand golf.
In 1973, my good friend Michael Glading and I were travelling together on the New Zealand circuit, Michael caddying for Bob Charles and myself for John Lister.
The win by Bob Charles in the event at the Manawatu Golf Club in Palmerston North that year was a great thrill for us boys who were having fun on the road, and given it was the first occasion Michael had caddied for the winner of any event, let alone the New Zealand Open, it was a great thrill for the son of a two-time New Zealand Open winner (Bob)
It was Charles’ fourth and final New Zealand Open victory, but his impact on the event and New Zealand golf generally continues to this day.
I was never able to add to my collection of caddy wins at the New Zealand Open but, in 1979, John Lister decided to give the New Zealand Open at the St Clair Golf Club a miss due to an ongoing battle with New Zealand Open tournament organisers so I grabbed the bag of Simon Owen who I had caddied for several years earlier in Europe, including when he defeated Peter Oosterhuis in a playoff to win the German Open in 1974.
Simon led into the final round and was still ahead as he played the short par 4 6th hole, but a clubbing mistake on both our parts saw his approach soar over the green, leading to a double bogey and an eventual three-shot loss to Australian Stewart Ginn. It was a gutting mistake, and although Simon had won the event at Heretaunga Golf Club in 1976, it was the one that got away for me.
1983 was my last involvement as a caddy at the New Zealand Open, that event won by Ian Baker-Finch, but it would be the last time I partnered with the prolific winner of events in New Zealand, John Lister.
I attended the New Zealand Open at Russley Golf Club in Christchurch in 1985 as a spectator, witnessing the second of two wins by the fabulous American golfer Corey Pavin who had also won the previous year at Paraparaumu, but it would be another 11 years before I got the chance to again walk the fairways of a New Zealand Open and this time it was in the role as the on course commentator for TVNZ’s coverage of the event won by Australian Peter O’Malley.
By then, I was living in Australia, but the opportunity came to be involved in the coverage, and I jumped at it. Interestingly, it was the second of two New Zealand Opens played in 1995, Lucas Parsons winning the one held earlier in the year.
A special moment for me was doing a ‘walk and talk’ with O’Malley as he played the final hole at the Grange Golf Club in Auckland, such was his significant lead as he strolled to victory. He won by three over American Scott Hoch, but O’Malley possessed such a laid-back attitude that he was not bothered by the request from the pesky on-course commentator.
In 1998, I was again involved as the on-course commentator at the Formosa Golf Club near Beachlands in Auckland and witnessed one of the most emotional speeches I have ever seen when Matthew Lane struggled through his acceptance speech after an impressive three-shot victory over Australian Rod Pampling, who had the services of Steve Williams on his bag, just a few months before Williams joined forces with Tiger Woods.
It was an emotional but very special moment for Lane and those who witnessed such a gutsy win by a golfer who had struggled for most of his career to play at the level his most significant win showed he was capable of doing.
Two years later, I was again asked to be part of the commentary team, this time at Paraparaumu Beach, when Michael Campbell defeated his fellow New Zealander Craig Perks in a playoff to win his own national open.
Most golfers will tell you that to win their own national open is second only to winning a major, and for Campbell to have done so in front of friends and family so close to his hometown of Titahi Bay made the achievement even more memorable.
It would be Campbell’s only win in the event, although he did finish runner-up in three of the next six years.
Dunedin’s Mahal Pearce became the last New Zealander to win the New Zealand Open for the next 14 years when he was successful at the Middlemore Golf Club in Auckland (now Royal Auckland) in 2003, and it was again yet another thrill in my role as the on-course commentator to see a New Zealander win again.
In 2004, the New Zealand Open at the Grange in Auckland was to have been the last appearance of Sir Bob Charles in the event. He had organised two of his companions from the PGA Tour Champions (Dave Stockton and Jay Sigel) to play the event as part of a swansong to New Zealand’s greatest golfing ambassador.
On the Friday it was becoming clear that Charles would miss the cut and I alerted the producer that as things were getting close to 6.00 pm, and aware of the obsession by commercial networks to take the 6.00 PM News ahead of anything, that we should try and get a chat with Sir Bob as he played what was to be his final hole in an event that in many ways symbolised his contribution to NZ sport as he would not be around for the weekend.
Sir Bob and I walked from his tee shot to the final green, and, after I had asked him the first question, he outlined his thoughts on the occasion. It was to me a very special moment, although three years on, (see later) he would again play the New Zealand Open following his steadfast support of the event and its move to The Hills Golf Club near Arrowtown.
30 years earlier than the 2004 New Zealand Open, I had caddied for Sir Bob when winning the 1974 Swiss Open. The chance to chat with him on air as he made what was to be his final NZ Open appearance was, therefore, very special to me. Three years later, he produced a stunning performance at the 2007 version.
The New Zealand Open was sanctioned with the European Tour over the next three years, two of those at Gulf Harbour in Auckland and in 2006, Australian Nathan Green put together a stunning final round of 67 in some of the most demanding playing conditions to win by two after starting nearly three hours ahead of the final group.
I was, by then, commentating for the European Tour and joined the legendary Renton Laidlaw to broadcast what is known as the world feed, which was an alternate to the local commentary. Having gotten to know Nathan through some work I was doing for his website, I located him after his round and asked if he could join us for 15 minutes in the commentary box as we watched those behind him on the golf course battle the increasingly difficult conditions.
Nathan stayed for around 45 minutes, and despite having been initially heading for the airport, so far off the lead was he when his round finished, it became apparent that he might be involved in a playoff or, even better, a win. He did win by two over a group of six players, including Michael Campbell.
In late 2007, the New Zealand Open moved south to the Hills Golf Club near Arrowtown, where perhaps one of the greatest feats in the history of the event was produced when Sir Bob Charles, at the age of 71, became the oldest player to make the cut on any recognised tour, surpassing the legendary Sam Snead in doing so.
Charles twice broke his age that week, but his contribution to the event was not only his deeds on the golf course, as his advocacy had played a significant role in bringing the event to the Wakatipu Basin and establishing the base for what was to come several years later.
The New Zealand Open left the Arrowtown area for Christchurch after three years, but would return in 2014 when the event adopted its current pro-am format, which has played such a great role in its growth into one of the flagship events on the PGA Tour of Australasia.
Since 2014, there have been several notable editions, including in 2017 when Mike Hendry became the first New Zealander since Mahal Pearce’s win in 2003 to take the title after a playoff with Ben Campbell and Brad Kennedy.
Undoubtedly, the feel-good moment, however, would come in 2025 when West Australian Ryan Peake overcame a chequered history, which had included five years in jail, to win his first PGA Tour of Australasia event.
In doing so, Peake leapt into the top three of the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit and, as a consequence, would end the 2024/2025 season with one of the sought-after DP World Tour cards for the 2026 DP World Tour, and a start at the 2025 Open Championship, which came with the victory.
In that event, Peake got to play with one of his childhood heroes, and fellow left-hander, Phil Mickelson, in the opening two rounds at Royal Portrush, further highlighting the benefits his win at Millbrook Resort had yielded.
Despite the significance of the day and a congested leaderboard, Peake remained stoic as he navigated the final round, helped and calmed to a large degree by his newly recruited caddy for the week, Matthew Fitzsimons, constantly keeping a lid on things.
Peake’s reaction to a holed ten-footer at the last for par and the one-shot victory, however, told the story of just what it meant to him. While his victory speech might not have been as emotional as that of Matthew Lane’s 27 years earlier, it was clear just what a life-changing day it had been.
Just what this year’s New Zealand Open might bring is for the future, but there is little doubting that the event has produced some of the more dramatic moments in not only New Zealand golf but New Zealand sport, and I feel blessed to have been a witness to so many of them.
Keeping an eye on the action at the 2023 New Zealand Open
Powerful finish earns Declan O’Donovan Sydney title
Declan O’Donovan – image PGA of Australia
22 year old Sydney golfer, Declan O’Donovan, in just his 7th start as a professional since turning to the paid ranks last November, today not only won his first PGA Tour of Australasia title, but he did so in the most emphatic fashion.
O’Donovan began the final round of the Webex Players Series Sydney event at the Castle Hill Golf Club with a one-shot lead over West Australian Brady Watt, but fell behind by two at one stage early in his round but, with a final round of 67 despite an early double bogey, he was able to win by five.
O’Donovan’s shaky start to the round would see Watt take over the lead by one at the turn and, with another birdie at the 10th, Watt had drawn clear by two over both O’Donovan and Stephanie Kyriacou who had burst out of the blocks on day four with an opening nine of 31 to challenge the leaders after starting the day six shots from the lead.
O’Donovan, though, who had been in or near the lead in last week’s Webex event on the Murray River, unleashed a stunning final stretch with five birdies in his last seven holes and, as Watt and Kyriacou dropped shots over the closing nine, he would win the title and the $A45,000 first prize.
Queensland’s Jake McLeod continued his recent improvement when he finished alone in 4th place.
O’Donovan improves to 18th place in the Order of Merit and secures his future on the PGA Tour of Australasia for the next two years.
Results
Revised Order of Merit
Dream LIV Golf debut for Elvis Smylie
Elvis Smylie
– image courtesy of LIV Golf
23-year-old Australian Elvis Smylie has made a dream start to his LIV Golf career with a win in the opening event of the 2026 LIV Golf Schedule when taking out the LIV Golf Riyadh event in Saudi Arabia.
Smylie, who joined LIV Golf in January after a year on the DP World Tour, won by one over Spain’s Jon Rahm with American Peter Uihlein, another two shots back in third place.
Cameron Smith will be pleased to have extended the invite to Smylie to join his LIV Golf Team Rippers as Smylie’s great week has ensured his team wins the Teams Championship, and in doing so, another US$3 million will be divided amongst the four team members.
Smylie, therefore, collects a total of US$4.75 million for his win, while Smith, Marc Leishman, and Lucas Herbert will earn US$750,000 each in addition to the prizemoney they earned in the individual rundown.
Smylie led the event after round one, shared the lead with Uihlein after 54 holes and produced a stunning bogey-free final round of 8 under 64 to hold off arguably LIV Golf’s best player, Rahm, whose final round of 63 tested Smylie to the limit.
Leaderboard
Brady Watt takes late lead on day two of Webex Sydney
Brady Watt in action today – image PGA of Australia
Perth’s Brady Watt has the halfway lead in the weather-interrupted Webex Player Series Sydney, being played at the Castle Hill Golf Club in Sydney’s north-western suburbs.
The 35-year-old Watt, at one stage the world’s leading amateur after his semi-final placing at the US Amateur Championship in 2013, has struggled to reach those same heights in his professional career, but this weekend offers a great opportunity for a first PGA Tour of Australasia title after three top tens earlier in the season.
Watt holed in one during his opening round of 66 but today added a bogey free round of 65 to take the lead late in the day.
Lightning forced players from the course for almost two hours during the afternoon, but the second round was completed on schedule with Brady ahead by one over the man who was in or near the lead for much of last week’s event on the Murray River.
The seemingly ever-present Nathan Barbieri is another shot back in 3rd place, while LPGA Tour player Stephanie Kyriacou is on her own in 4th place and three shots from the lead in the mixed gender event.
Leaderboard
Billy Dowling and Jazy Roberts claim Australian Amateur titles
Gold Coast’s Billy Dowling has threatened for some time to break through for a significant win, whether it be in professional or amateur events, but today he took out the most coveted title in Australian amateur golf by winning the Australian Amateur Championship at the West Australian Golf Club in the northern suburbs of Perth.
British-born but now a resident and Australian citizen on the Gold Coast, Dowling has recorded seven top tens in PGA Tour of Australasia events in the last two years, including a runner-up finish at the Queensland PGA Championship last November.
Dowling represented Australia at the recent Eisenhower Trophy and the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship and under the guidance of RACV Royal Pines based coach, Nancy Harvey, he has accumulated an impressive record in the amateur ranks
Today Dowling, a member of both the Brisbane and RACV Royal Pines Golf Clubs, began the final round of the now 72 hole stroke-play event tied in the lead with Canberra’s Harry Whitelock, the pair one shot clear of a congested leaderboard with ten players within four shots of the lead.
Dowling would, however, put together a final round of 63 to take the title by five shots over New South Wales golfers, Joshua Fuller and Kayun Mudadana, never providing an opportunity for those chasing to place any pressure.
Dowling recorded 25 birdies and an eagle during his 72-hole romp.
In the Women’s event, Victorian Jazy Roberts began the final round with a four-shot lead and, like Dowling, was always in control in her 11-birdie final round of 63 which saw her win by six shots over Japan’s Anna Iwanaga.
Roberts becomes just the third Australian to win the title in the last ten years.
Scores
The New Zealand Open – 54 years of special memories
Sir Bob Charles and I – a walk and talk chat for TV as he plays his supposedly last NZ Open in 2004
With the 2026 New Zealand Open fast approaching, my involvement in a commentary role again rekindles some lovely memories of an event which I first attended in 1971 as an 18-year-old, beginning a long association, in various capacities, with one of the world’s oldest national golf Open Championships.
Having caddied in 13, commentated in 17, and attended another five in my capacity as a golf journalist, I have enjoyed many special moments in New Zealand’s golfing flagship, and, in this article, I reflect on some of the moments which have stood out to me over the years.
My first involvement at a New Zealand Open was in 1971 at the Otago Golf Club in Dunedin. It was the first of two significant golf events in Dunedin that year, as, the following week, the second Otago Charity Classic was played at the St Clair Golf Club on the other side of the city.
I caddied for John Lister in both events, but the greatest memory of that week was Peter Thomson winning his 9th and final New Zealand Open title. Thomson is the most prolific winner of New Zealand Open titles, followed by Kel Nagle’s 7. While I cannot recall much about Thomson’s performance that week, it is nice to know that my first exposure to the event was such a milestone in New Zealand golf.
In 1973, my good friend Michael Glading and I were travelling together on the New Zealand circuit, Michael caddying for Bob Charles and myself for John Lister.
The win by Bob Charles in the event at the Manawatu Golf Club in Palmerston North that year was a great thrill for us boys who were having fun on the road, and given it was the first occasion Michael had caddied for the winner of any event, let alone the New Zealand Open, it was a great thrill for the son of a two-time New Zealand Open winner (Bob)
It was Charles’ fourth and final New Zealand Open victory, but his impact on the event and New Zealand golf generally continues to this day.
I was never able to add to my collection of caddy wins at the New Zealand Open but, in 1979, John Lister decided to give the New Zealand Open at the St Clair Golf Club a miss due to an ongoing battle with New Zealand Open tournament organisers so I grabbed the bag of Simon Owen who I had caddied for several years earlier in Europe, including when he defeated Peter Oosterhuis in a playoff to win the German Open in 1974.
Simon led into the final round and was still ahead as he played the short par 4 6th hole, but a clubbing mistake on both our parts saw his approach soar over the green, leading to a double bogey and an eventual three-shot loss to Australian Stewart Ginn. It was a gutting mistake, and although Simon had won the event at Heretaunga Golf Club in 1976, it was the one that got away for me.
1983 was my last involvement as a caddy at the New Zealand Open, that event won by Ian Baker-Finch, but it would be the last time I partnered with the prolific winner of events in New Zealand, John Lister.
I attended the New Zealand Open at Russley Golf Club in Christchurch in 1985 as a spectator, witnessing the second of two wins by the fabulous American golfer Corey Pavin who had also won the previous year at Paraparaumu, but it would be another 11 years before I got the chance to again walk the fairways of a New Zealand Open and this time it was in the role as the on course commentator for TVNZ’s coverage of the event won by Australian Peter O’Malley.
By then, I was living in Australia, but the opportunity came to be involved in the coverage, and I jumped at it. Interestingly, it was the second of two New Zealand Opens played in 1995, Lucas Parsons winning the one held earlier in the year.
A special moment for me was doing a ‘walk and talk’ with O’Malley as he played the final hole at the Grange Golf Club in Auckland, such was his significant lead as he strolled to victory. He won by three over American Scott Hoch, but O’Malley possessed such a laid-back attitude that he was not bothered by the request from the pesky on-course commentator.
In 1998, I was again involved as the on-course commentator at the Formosa Golf Club near Beachlands in Auckland and witnessed one of the most emotional speeches I have ever seen when Matthew Lane struggled through his acceptance speech after an impressive three-shot victory over Australian Rod Pampling, who had the services of Steve Williams on his bag, just a few months before Williams joined forces with Tiger Woods.
It was an emotional but very special moment for Lane and those who witnessed such a gutsy win by a golfer who had struggled for most of his career to play at the level his most significant win showed he was capable of doing.
Two years later, I was again asked to be part of the commentary team, this time at Paraparaumu Beach, when Michael Campbell defeated his fellow New Zealander Craig Perks in a playoff to win his own national open.
Most golfers will tell you that to win their own national open is second only to winning a major, and for Campbell to have done so in front of friends and family so close to his hometown of Titahi Bay made the achievement even more memorable.
It would be Campbell’s only win in the event, although he did finish runner-up in three of the next six years.
Dunedin’s Mahal Pearce became the last New Zealander to win the New Zealand Open for the next 14 years when he was successful at the Middlemore Golf Club in Auckland (now Royal Auckland) in 2003, and it was again yet another thrill in my role as the on-course commentator to see a New Zealander win again.
In 2004, the New Zealand Open at the Grange in Auckland was to have been the last appearance of Sir Bob Charles in the event. He had organised two of his companions from the PGA Tour Champions (Dave Stockton and Jay Sigel) to play the event as part of a swansong to New Zealand’s greatest golfing ambassador.
On the Friday it was becoming clear that Charles would miss the cut and I alerted the producer that as things were getting close to 6.00 pm, and aware of the obsession by commercial networks to take the 6.00 PM News ahead of anything, that we should try and get a chat with Sir Bob as he played what was to be his final hole in an event that in many ways symbolised his contribution to NZ sport as he would not be around for the weekend.
Sir Bob and I walked from his tee shot to the final green, and, after I had asked him the first question, he outlined his thoughts on the occasion. It was to me a very special moment, although three years on, (see later) he would again play the New Zealand Open following his steadfast support of the event and its move to The Hills Golf Club near Arrowtown.
30 years earlier than the 2004 New Zealand Open, I had caddied for Sir Bob when winning the 1974 Swiss Open. The chance to chat with him on air as he made what was to be his final NZ Open appearance was, therefore, very special to me. Three years later, he produced a stunning performance at the 2007 version.
The New Zealand Open was sanctioned with the European Tour over the next three years, two of those at Gulf Harbour in Auckland and in 2006, Australian Nathan Green put together a stunning final round of 67 in some of the most demanding playing conditions to win by two after starting nearly three hours ahead of the final group.
I was, by then, commentating for the European Tour and joined the legendary Renton Laidlaw to broadcast what is known as the world feed, which was an alternate to the local commentary. Having gotten to know Nathan through some work I was doing for his website, I located him after his round and asked if he could join us for 15 minutes in the commentary box as we watched those behind him on the golf course battle the increasingly difficult conditions.
Nathan stayed for around 45 minutes, and despite having been initially heading for the airport, so far off the lead was he when his round finished, it became apparent that he might be involved in a playoff or, even better, a win. He did win by two over a group of six players, including Michael Campbell.
In late 2007, the New Zealand Open moved south to the Hills Golf Club near Arrowtown, where perhaps one of the greatest feats in the history of the event was produced when Sir Bob Charles, at the age of 71, became the oldest player to make the cut on any recognised tour, surpassing the legendary Sam Snead in doing so.
Charles twice broke his age that week, but his contribution to the event was not only his deeds on the golf course, as his advocacy had played a significant role in bringing the event to the Wakatipu Basin and establishing the base for what was to come several years later.
The New Zealand Open left the Arrowtown area for Christchurch after three years, but would return in 2014 when the event adopted its current pro-am format, which has played such a great role in its growth into one of the flagship events on the PGA Tour of Australasia.
Since 2014, there have been several notable editions, including in 2017 when Mike Hendry became the first New Zealander since Mahal Pearce’s win in 2003 to take the title after a playoff with Ben Campbell and Brad Kennedy.
Undoubtedly, the feel-good moment, however, would come in 2025 when West Australian Ryan Peake overcame a chequered history, which had included five years in jail, to win his first PGA Tour of Australasia event.
In doing so, Peake leapt into the top three of the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit and, as a consequence, would end the 2024/2025 season with one of the sought-after DP World Tour cards for the 2026 DP World Tour, and a start at the 2025 Open Championship, which came with the victory.
In that event, Peake got to play with one of his childhood heroes, and fellow left-hander, Phil Mickelson, in the opening two rounds at Royal Portrush, further highlighting the benefits his win at Millbrook Resort had yielded.
Despite the significance of the day and a congested leaderboard, Peake remained stoic as he navigated the final round, helped and calmed to a large degree by his newly recruited caddy for the week, Matthew Fitzsimons, constantly keeping a lid on things.
Peake’s reaction to a holed ten-footer at the last for par and the one-shot victory, however, told the story of just what it meant to him. While his victory speech might not have been as emotional as that of Matthew Lane’s 27 years earlier, it was clear just what a life-changing day it had been.
Just what this year’s New Zealand Open might bring is for the future, but there is little doubting that the event has produced some of the more dramatic moments in not only New Zealand golf but New Zealand sport, and I feel blessed to have been a witness to so many of them.
Keeping an eye on the action at the 2023 New Zealand Open
Daniel Hillier projected to make top 100 breakthrough
Daniel Hillier – file image courtesy of PhotosportNZ / NZ Open
New Zealand golfer Daniel Hillier’s outstanding run of form in DP World Tour events continued overnight when the 27-year-old finished in a share of 4th place at the DP World Tour’s Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Hiller finished in a share of 4th place with Spaniard Sergio Garcia, just one shot behind the playoff between the eventual winner, Freddy Schott of Germany, American Patrick Reed, and Scotland’s Calum Hill.
It was Hillier’s 4th top-five in his last seven DP World Tour starts, three of which came in the Middle East, further highlighting his remarkable consistency.
Hillier produced a best of the day, bogey-free, final round of 66 to spring from six shots off the 54-hole pace held by Hill to so nearly join the playoff.
Hillier moves to 5th in the Road to Dubai rankings and, for the first time in his career, is likely to be inside the top 100 in the world when the revised rankings appear later today. Currently 111th in the world, Hillier’s previous best was 110th so his new standing represents a significant milestone for the Wellingtonian.
He is projected to now be just inside the top 100.
Perth’s Jason Scrivener was the leading Australian when he finished in a share of 16th, his best finish in nearly six months, while new DP World recruit, Anthony Quayle, was 31st.
Footnote – the revised rankings now have Daniel at 101st and just outside the top 100, but a career best to date all the same.
Leaderboard
Perth’s Haydn Barron takes first Australasian Tour title
Haydn Barron – finally the breakthrough – image PGA of Australia
Despite a shaky start when leading into the final round of the Webex Player Series Murray River event at Cobram Barooga’s Old Course on the Murray River, soon to be 30 year old Haydn Barron has today broken through for a first PGA Tour of Australasia title.
Baron led by one through 54 holes, but bogeys at his second and third holes on day four had him in a three-way share of the lead with New Zealand’s Jimmy Zheng and NSW’s Declan O’Donovan.
By the turn, it was Baron and Zheng that had edged clear, although Barron would take the outright lead with a birdie at the 10th to lead by one.
Playing three groups ahead, Zheng, who last year was the leading qualifier at the PGA Tour of Australasia Tour School after a collegiate career at Duke University in the US, drew level with Barron with a birdie at the 15th before Barron again took the lead when he birdied the 13th.
Things would remain that way, Barron holding on with a series of pars to win by one over Zheng with Victoria’s James Marchesani and O’Donovan finishing in a share of 3rd two shots further back.
Barron, who has previously finished runner-up on three occasions in PGA Tour of Australasia events, will move to 5th place in the 2025/2026 Australasian Tour Order of Merit although, perhaps surprisingly given what is at stake with final Order of Merit positions, he will take the next two weeks back in his home state of Perth before heading for the events in New Zealand.
Welshwoman, Lydia Hall, who just a couple of weeks ago won the Vic Open, finished as the leading woman following her best of the day final round of 64 to finish in a share of 6th.
Leaderboard
Lydia Ko off to flying start in 2026
Lydia Ko – shares the lead in a tournament she won two years ago – file image USGA
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko and England’s LPGA Tour second-season player, Lottie Woad, share the halfway lead at the season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions at the Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando.
Ko, who won this tournament two years ago, added a second round of 67 to her opening 69 to be tied at the top at 8 under par, the leaders one ahead of Korean Amy Yang and Japan’s Nasa Hataoka in a foreign-dominated leaderboard where only one player in the top ten is American.
Ko was pleasantly surprised at how well she had played over the opening 36 holes.
“I surprised myself a little bit yesterday. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I saw a lot of good and I think I just kind of carried on that momentum to today.
“I think it was really important to capitalize on how nice the weather we had these last couple days because I think everybody is expecting a cold front to come in this weekend.
“So, yeah, I think I’m in a good position leading up to some tough golf ahead.”
Ko is very much aware of the quality of player she shares the lead with.
“Yeah, she’s (Woad) obviously a very impressive player. The way she came on Tour through the LEAP program and winning the Irish Open and then almost winning in Evian and then winning the Scottish Open, she kind of came on with a bang.
She was obviously a player that I had known and seen before she was part of the LPGA. It’s no surprise that she’s playing great golf here.
“Outside of just her talent, she seems like a very hard worker, and she’s grinding out there before and after play. I think all of that time and effort really shows in the results.
“It’s been very impressive to see. I personally didn’t know Lottie very well, but in the times I’ve gotten to talk to her she’s very sweet and very funny.
“I enjoy her company. I’m not really sure how the pairings will be for tomorrow, but it will be fun to play alongside her.”
Ko is the only Australasian in the field, others who would have been eligible for the event, preferring to wait until the Asian swing in mid-February to get their season underway.
Leaderboard
Josh Armstrong takes lead at Cobram Barooga
Josh Armstrong in action on Friday – image PGA of Australia
New South Welshman Josh Armstrong will take a one-shot lead into the weekend at the Webex Player Series Murray River event at the Cobram Barooga Old Course on the Victorian/NSW border, adding a second round of 65 to his opening 63 to lead over West Australian Haydn Barron, with recently turned professional, Declan O’Donovan, two shots off the lead and alone in 3rd place.
Armstrong is without a win to date on the PGA Tour of Australasia and two weeks ago missed the cut at the Vic Open in what was his last start, so his performance thus far this week opens the door for a very important weekend for the 26-year-old former Australian Schoolboys Champion.
Barron led into round two after his opening round of 62 on Thursday, his round of 67 today having him well placed to challenge for his first PGA Tour of Australasia title after three runner-up finishes in a career which has been interrupted with injury on occasions.
After an amateur career which included representing Australia on several occasions in significant events such as the Eisenhower Trophy and the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship, O’Donovan turned professional late in 2025, having gained his status for the PGA Tour of Australasia at the Tour School in mid 2025.
Current Order of Merit leader, Cameron John, is in a share of 6th place at 10 under and four from the lead.
The 22-year-old has struggled in events to date, but this is the first opportunity to put a stamp on his rookie season with a strong weekend.
Japan’s Madoka Kimura, South Australian Caitlin Peirce, and Wales’ Lydia Hall lead the women in this mixed-gender event; the trio tied for 13th, seven shots behind Armstrong’s lead.
Leaderboard
Can Jason Day continue early season form at favoured venue?
Jason Day with one of his two Torrey Pines trophies – image Getty / PGA Tour
Four Australians will line up at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines this week, Jason Day, Adam Scott, Cam Davis and Karl Vilips taking to the North and South Courses at the public facility near San Diego.
Coming off his impressive performance when runner-up to Scottie Scheffler last week in La Quinta, which saw Day jump nearly 30 places in the world ranking to 33rd and as now the leading Australasian, Day plays a venue at which he has enjoyed considerable success, including two wins, a 2nd, and a 3rd place in 16 previous starts.
Day‘s victories in the event came in his great season of 2015, during which he became world number one and again in 2018, and given his great final round last week and his apparent liking for the Torrey Pines venue, it will be interesting to see if the progress he has made with his game of late continues.
Interestingly, Scott has played the event just twice, as he has typically started the season later, but with a runner-up finish to Justin Rose in 2019 and a 10th-place finish in 2021 in those two starts, he is another who seems to enjoy the US Open venue.
Scott had a solid week in La Quinta when 24th following a 40th place at the Sony Open, so his game is in reasonable shape ahead of this week’s task.
Cam Davis has battled with his game of late, with not one top 30 finish in his last 13 starts, including disappointing weeks at the Australian PGA and Open. With no finishes inside the top 30 in six starts in this event, he has a difficult task to get things heading back in the right direction.
Karl Vilips is in his second PGA Tour season, having won in his rookie season, and gets the chance to play the event for the first time, but he did play well last week and has a bit of confidence in what will be the second start of the season for the former West Australian resident.
Harris English and Matthew Pavon are the two most recent winners of the Farmers Insurance Open.
Tee Times