Stephen Allan – an important breakthrough – file image PGA of Australia
Just fifteen minutes before Perth’s Min Woo Lee put the seal on his first PGA Tour victory, another Australian, although from a generation before, Stephen Allan, held on to win his first PGA Tour Champions title with a one-shot win over American Tag Ridings at the Galleri Classic at the iconic Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage in California.
Ridings found the water with his tee shot at the last when within one of Allan but made par, although Allan was up to the task when he laid up at the par 5 and then two-putted for par to edge out Ridings who was playing in just his second PGA Tour Champions event.
“It was tough,” said the 51-year-old. “It was hard all day. I played really well. The other guys were playing well, too. Obviously made quite a few birdies on the front nine and then it’s just trying not to get ahead of yourself, and I’m not very good at it most of the time, so was really just trying to bear down.”
With such a long time since his second and what had been his last win until now, Allan reflected on the journey since.
“I won the Australian Open in 2002 and it was my second year, four years after my first win, and I told my girlfriend, now my wife, it won’t be four years until I win again. Unfortunately it’s been 23 years.
“It’s a big relief to get a win. I was close on the PGA TOUR a couple of times. Didn’t get over the line. Once it was completely my fault. The other time Kenny Perry had a hot finish and I didn’t. So it was really good to hang in there and finish it off.”
Allan paid credit to a recent suggestion from his fellow Victorian Cameron Percy while playing in a recent event.
“He played with me Sunday last week, and I played really well the first day, but I didn’t play well the second two days. I really struggled, particularly with some tough shots into the wind. I’ve had a few technical issues, I think, over the last five, six years. I’ve been getting on top of them.
“Last year was pretty good at times without really being good. I played with guys like Thomas Björn and Steve Stricker, and you watch their iron play, and I didn’t have it last year, so I was really fighting it the whole time.
“He just gave me a tip on the range when I was doing one of my drills, I wasn’t really — I had an overactive body at the start of my swing, and I’ve probably overdone it, and he’s like, you’re not turning at the start.”
Allan took advantage of the late withdrawal of Steve Stricker to gain a start in the event and will now enjoy the luxury of knowing he has full status on the PGA Tour Champions for the foreseeable future.
It was Allan’s 28th start on the PGA Tour Champions since first gaining his right to play there via Final Stage qualifying in late 2023 where he finished 3rd to earn one of the five cards on offer.
After finishing 38th in the Schwab Cup standings in his first season he narrowly missed regaining full status but courtesy of Stricker’s withdrawal he gained his start this week and the rest is now history.
Allan was already enjoying the fact that he can now plan a schedule rather than experience the uncertainty of not having full status.
“It’s great. I can plan a schedule. As far as I know, it gets you into every tournament so it’s great to know that and to know what I’m in. I don’t have to play everything if I get tired at the end of the year. Last year I was sort of on the bubble at 36, and I wasn’t playing that good and had to play every tournament, so now you can sort of — if you need a week off, you can take it. Yeah, it’s fantastic.”
The former Australian Open and German Open Champion and twice runner-up on the PGA Tour during his lengthy career there won his first tournament of any kind since his win at the 2002 Australian Open at the Victoria Golf Club.
The Victorian golfer was greeted on the 18th green following his win by several of his fellow Victorians now playing their trade on the PGA Tour Champions, including Richard Green, Cameron Percy, and David Bransdon.
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Marc Leishman wins first Liv Golf title in Miami
Marc Leishman in action this week – image Charles Laberge – Liv Golf
41-year-old Marc Leishman has today won his first Liv Golf event with a one-shot victory over Charl Schwartzel at the Liv Golf Miami event at the Trump National Doral.
Leishman who joined LIV Golf in 2023 has been runner-up on two occasions previously but his 4 under par final round of 68 saw him not only claim the individual title but lead the Rippers Team of Cam Smith, Lucas Herbert and Matt Jones to victory in the team’s event.
Not only does Leishman pocket the US4 million for the first place individual prize (the biggest of his career) but he will also claim another US$750,000 as his share of the US$3 million team prize.
Unfortunately for Leishman he is not in this coming week’s Masters field in which he has previously recorded three top tens.
Cam Smith on the eve of another tilt at the Masters where he has performed so well finished tied for 9th, Lucas Herbert shared 18th and Matt Jones 21st in the 54-player field.
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Stephanie Kyriacou advances to knockout phase in Las Vegas
Stephanie Kyriacou – file image LET
Stephanie Kyriacou is the only one of six Australasians to advance to the knockout phase of the LPGA Tour’s T-Mobile Match Play Championship at Shadow Creek Golf Club in Las Vegas with Lydia Ko, Minjee Lee, Gabi Ruffels, Grace Kim and Hira Naveed unable to finish on top of their respective 16 round-robin groups which was required to move through.
Lydia Ko’s loss to Spain’s Carlotta Ciganda in today’s third round of their round-robin group put paid to any chance she had of advancing while the tie between Naved and Ruffels spelt their fate.
Minjee Lee and Grace Kim both finished third in their group stage efforts and will also have the weekend off.
For Kyriacou, however, she’s guaranteed at least a share of 9th place prizemoney although she will be hoping for even more after her round of 16 clash with A Lim Kim on Saturday morning. Kim will pose as a difficult prospect, given she won the Tournament of Champions earlier this year and won in Hawaii in 2024.
“Yeah doesn’t really matter I don’t think,” said Kyriacou when asked re her opponent tomorrow. “It’s kind of who plays better on the day, which it’s anyone’s game out here.
“I’m good mates with A Lim, so I think it’ll be a fun day. Yeah, still going to try and beat her.”
Group Stage Results
Min Woo Lee Australia’s highest ranked male golfer with Houston win
Min Woo Lee enjoying the moment in Houston – image Getty Images
Min Woo Lee has earned his first PGA Tour title by holding off two of the games greatest current players, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, amongst others to win the Texas Children’s Houston Open by one shot over Scheffler and Gary Woodland.
Beginning the final round with a four shot lead, Lee put together an impressive final round of 67, especially given what was at stake and although Woodland (62) and Scheffler (63) reeled of barnstorming final rounds to apply the upmost pressure to the 26 year old Lee was able to two putt from off the back of the green at the last to win and eevate his already impressive standing in the game.
With the win comes a cheque for US$1,710,000 and a highest ever world ranking of 22nd, but the confirmation that he is on track to fully realise the potential so many have seen in him since is early amateur days.
Lee is now the highest world-ranked Australian male golfer.
“It was a very mental grinding day but I’m super proud to win,” said Lee. “Yeah, it was just a very tough week. I mean, I had a lot of eyes on me obviously. I had a four-shot lead going down — the last round and yeah, I mean, I was obviously very tired, which helped go to sleep but I woke up and I couldn’t go back to sleep. It was one of those where I think just everything aligned this week. I’m so proud to be the winner of the trophy.”
When asked if he was aware of the situation throughout the round and if he took time to look at any leaderboards, Lee replied;
“Obviously Scottie’s right in front of me. It was a bit of a backup so we were waiting every hole. Scottie is Scottie. He made, I don’t know, four birdies in a row, I think three or four birdies in a row. I think I didn’t really not care, but I didn’t — I just focused on myself for a lot of it until probably 16 when I hit it in the water. I kind of wanted to know where I was.
“I was two shots in front, then I made bogey, he made birdie, then I was only one shot. Obviously he’s a great golfer, and I was just looking forward to if he made birdie on the next couple holes.
“I know it’s a two tough holes. No. 17 you can play aggressive, but I had a 7-iron in there and that’s not necessarily an easy par, but I hit it in the right spot on both 17 and 18 and yeah, got the job done. But yes, I did. That’s why Sundays are so tough, you know people are creeping and you know people are attacking.”
Lee moves to 16th in the FedEx Cup standings and becomes one of the new breed of young Australians to win on the PGA Tour in recent seasons including Cam Davis, Lucas Herbert and now Lee.
Ryan Fox began the day in a share of 3rd place but a final round of 71 led to a share of 15th – his best finish on the PGA Tour this season and moving him up 22 places to 117th in the FedEx Cup standings.
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Stephen Allan adds to Australia’s weekend success in US
Stephen Allan – an important breakthrough – file image PGA of Australia
Just fifteen minutes before Perth’s Min Woo Lee put the seal on his first PGA Tour victory, another Australian, although from a generation before, Stephen Allan, held on to win his first PGA Tour Champions title with a one-shot win over American Tag Ridings at the Galleri Classic at the iconic Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage in California.
Ridings found the water with his tee shot at the last when within one of Allan but made par, although Allan was up to the task when he laid up at the par 5 and then two-putted for par to edge out Ridings who was playing in just his second PGA Tour Champions event.
“It was tough,” said the 51-year-old. “It was hard all day. I played really well. The other guys were playing well, too. Obviously made quite a few birdies on the front nine and then it’s just trying not to get ahead of yourself, and I’m not very good at it most of the time, so was really just trying to bear down.”
With such a long time since his second and what had been his last win until now, Allan reflected on the journey since.
“I won the Australian Open in 2002 and it was my second year, four years after my first win, and I told my girlfriend, now my wife, it won’t be four years until I win again. Unfortunately it’s been 23 years.
“It’s a big relief to get a win. I was close on the PGA TOUR a couple of times. Didn’t get over the line. Once it was completely my fault. The other time Kenny Perry had a hot finish and I didn’t. So it was really good to hang in there and finish it off.”
Allan paid credit to a recent suggestion from his fellow Victorian Cameron Percy while playing in a recent event.
“He played with me Sunday last week, and I played really well the first day, but I didn’t play well the second two days. I really struggled, particularly with some tough shots into the wind. I’ve had a few technical issues, I think, over the last five, six years. I’ve been getting on top of them.
“Last year was pretty good at times without really being good. I played with guys like Thomas Björn and Steve Stricker, and you watch their iron play, and I didn’t have it last year, so I was really fighting it the whole time.
“He just gave me a tip on the range when I was doing one of my drills, I wasn’t really — I had an overactive body at the start of my swing, and I’ve probably overdone it, and he’s like, you’re not turning at the start.”
Allan took advantage of the late withdrawal of Steve Stricker to gain a start in the event and will now enjoy the luxury of knowing he has full status on the PGA Tour Champions for the foreseeable future.
It was Allan’s 28th start on the PGA Tour Champions since first gaining his right to play there via Final Stage qualifying in late 2023 where he finished 3rd to earn one of the five cards on offer.
After finishing 38th in the Schwab Cup standings in his first season he narrowly missed regaining full status but courtesy of Stricker’s withdrawal he gained his start this week and the rest is now history.
Allan was already enjoying the fact that he can now plan a schedule rather than experience the uncertainty of not having full status.
“It’s great. I can plan a schedule. As far as I know, it gets you into every tournament so it’s great to know that and to know what I’m in. I don’t have to play everything if I get tired at the end of the year. Last year I was sort of on the bubble at 36, and I wasn’t playing that good and had to play every tournament, so now you can sort of — if you need a week off, you can take it. Yeah, it’s fantastic.”
The former Australian Open and German Open Champion and twice runner-up on the PGA Tour during his lengthy career there won his first tournament of any kind since his win at the 2002 Australian Open at the Victoria Golf Club.
The Victorian golfer was greeted on the 18th green following his win by several of his fellow Victorians now playing their trade on the PGA Tour Champions, including Richard Green, Cameron Percy, and David Bransdon.
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Harisson Crowe wins National Tournament Anthony Quayle gains European Tour status
Harrison Crowe – his first win as a professional likely to be the first of many – image PGA of Australia
On a day full of tension and possibilities for the immediate future of several players at the National Tournament on the Mornington Peninsula, New South Welshman, Harrison Crowe, has held on to win his second PGA Tour of Australasia title, but his first as a professional, with a two-shot win over Queensland-based Anthony Quayle whose nine-foot birdie putt at the last has seemingly given him a DP World Tour card as one of the leading three eligible players on the Australasian Tour Order of Merit.
Beginning the final round tied in the lead with Queensland’s Quinnton Croker and New Zealander Denzel Ieremia, Crowe put together an outward nine of 3 under 34 in the demanding winds sweeping across the Gunnamatta layout at the National Golf Club and then held off challenges from several players with significant agendas over the losing nine to win the $A36,000 cheque and move to 8th on the season- ending Order of Merit.
Crowe was a winner of the prestigious Asia Pacific Amateur Championship during his stellar amateur career which ended in September of 2003 before turning professional.
“I’ve been hanging around for this win for quite some time,” said Crowe.
“It just feels great to finally get it done and I feel like this could be the one that kind of kicks the door down a little bit more.”
Anthony Quayle – might not have won but an important week for him – image PGA of Australia
For Quayle, a win would have been icing on the cake of a great season but with now eight top-five finishes in the 2024/2025 season, he has been rewarded with a 5th place finish on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and a s a result will likely gain one of the three DP World Tour cards for next season’s schedule and other starts in significant events in Asia and elsewhere as a result.
Quayle squeezed past Jack Buchanan for the 5th OOM placing with his final hole birdie, breaking clear of what would have been a four-way tie for third place in the event.
Dependant on the decision of both Lucas Herbert and Cam Smith to take up their membership rights on the DP World Tour, which appear unlikely especially in Smith’s case, then Buchanan who tied for 6th this week might well gain the third card given OOM winner, Elvis Smylie already has status in Europe courtesy of his Australian PGA Championship.
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Final Order of Merit
Min Woo Lee and Ryan Fox prominent in Houston
Min Woo Lee – file photo Australian Golf Media
Perth’s Min Woo Lee and New Zealander Ryan Fox are well placed through 54 holes of the Texas Children’s Houston Open at the Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston, Texas.
Lee produced a third round of 63 to establish a four-shot lead over Argentinian Alejandro Tosti but New Zealand’s Fox is just one shot further back in a share of 3rd place with none other than Scottie Scheffler and his fellow American, Ryan Gerard.
Lee, who is chasing a first PGA Tour title, was asked about his weekend demise at the Players Championship after leading through the opening 36 holes.
“Yeah, today I did an amazing job, didn’t do that (at the TPC Sawgrass). It was a very good learning curve the last PLAYERS just a few weeks ago being in the lead and just, I don’t know, felt like I wasn’t myself.
“Yeah, I want to be in this situation more and more, so I had to really look into it myself and yeah, just keeping my head down really and try and hit one shot at a time. It’s a long day so you can’t get ahead of yourself, and you’ve just got to hit one shot at a time and keep trusting your game.
“Yeah, again, it’s just trending so well. My coach and I, Richie, have done really good work and it’s starting to show. It’s just a lot of trust. We’ve been working on this for the last two, three years, but just the last couple weeks since PLAYERS it kind of clicked in.”
Fox produced a round of 65 after a slow start and was proud of how he handled himself for the remainder of his round, including his homeward nine of 30.
“I was a bit angry after starting bogey-bogey and I hit a bad drive on 3 as well. Then kind of gave myself a little talking to and said there’s plenty of birdie chances out here, let’s just hit a good wedge shot in here and see what happens, and hit it in there close, made birdie and kind of calmed myself down.
“Yeah, just turned in even par and got hot on the back nine, and I was proud of myself for staying patient and giving myself lots of chances on that back nine.”
The US$9 million tournament is Fox’s 6th of the season on the PGA Tour and with a best of 20th (at the Players Championship) at his previous five starts he needs to get things moving in a forward direction to improve his current 139th position in the FedEx Cup standings. Tomorrow he has that chance.
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Crucial Order of Merit Milestones at stake at National Tournament
Already with two wins this season, Jack Buchanan could gain further spoils this week – image PGA of Australia
With the winner of the 2024/2025 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit title (Elvis Smylie) finalised over this past weekend at the Heritage Classic in Victoria, the battle for some of the remaining at this week’s final event of the season remains well and truly alive.
This week’s National Tournament at the National Golf Club on the Mornington Peninsula could well prove crucial in the race of DP World Tour cards for the 2026 season along with the importance of finishing inside the top 50 for those looking just to retain their ongoing playing privileges in Australasia.
The leading three players on the Order of Merit at the conclusion of this week’s event will secure playing rights for next season’s DP World Tour beginning late in 2025 and, at this stage, those players are Smylie, Ryan Peake and Lucas Herbert.
With Smylie having already secured playing privileges in Europe courtesy of his win in the jointly sanctioned Australian PGA Championship, then Peake, Herbert and Cam Smith are the next three but with the possibility of either Herbert or Smith, or both, not taking up their membership then the door is open for those further down the list to stake a claim.
Jack Buchanan and/or Anthony Quayle could claim one of the three cards with a win this week and subject to the acceptance or otherwise of Herbert or Smith, a runner-up finish might be good enough.
Neither Herbert or Smith are in this week’s field, so the National Tournament takes on an additional dimension given what’s at stake.
Other players with outside chances are Curtis Luck, Corey Lamb and Jordan Doull although they too would need to rely on Herbert and Smith not taking up their cards.
At the other end of the scale are those players fighting for survival in terms of playing rights for next season with a number of players sitting either side of the top 50, anxious in their own performance this week and that of others.
ORDER OF MERIT
Hodge and Florimo lead Heritage Classic into weekend
Tyler Hodge in action today – image PGA of Australia
Recent New Zealand PGA Champion Tyler Hodge has continued his impressive late season form by sharing the halfway lead at the Heritage Classic at the Heritage Golf and Country Club north-east of Melbourne, the 30 year old tied with Queenslander Will Florimo at 11 under and one clear of a group of four golfers.
In a share of 3rd place are NSW’s Harrison Crowe, Victorian Nathan Page, South Australian Lachlan Barker and Queenslander Jack Munro.
On a day of low scoring, both Hodge and Florimo recorded second rounds of 65 to take the lead into the weekend in the penultimate event of the 2024/2025 PGA Tour of Australasia season.
In an event which saw the Order of Merit winner officially crowned, Elvis Smylie has secured that title by making the cut while the only man who could have impacted the outcome, Ryan Peake, missed the cut.
Smylie is five shots off the lead at 6 under and could yet finish his season in style by contending for a third title for the season over the final 36 holes.
The race for one of the three DP World Tour cards available via the Order of Merit remains alive with both Anthony Quayle and Jack Buchanan making the cut although with work to do over the weekend if they are to challenge in this event and in next week’s season-ending National Tournament and sneak into one of those coveted positions.
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Elvis Smylie leaving no stone unturned in Order of Merit chase
Elvis Smylie in action at the Heritage – image PGA of Australia
Current PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit leader, Elvis Smylie, is leaving no stone unturned to ensure he completes the 2024/2025 season on top as the benefits of doing so are significant.
Already a member of the DP World Tour courtesy of his win in the jointly sanctioned BMW Australian PGA Championship, Smylie will earn start at the Open Championship and the USPGA Championship if he remains ahead of the pack after the remaining two events of the schedule.
Smylie is at the Heritage Golf and Country Club for this week’s Heritage Classic ahead of next week’s National Tournament at the National Golf Club on the Mornington Peninsula although if he wraps the Order of Merit title up this week then he may not play next week.
While mathematically possible for Smylie to be caught it would require the most amazing set of circumstances for him to be headed.
Recent New Zealand Open winner, Ryan Peake would need to win both the remaining events and Smylie would have to essentially miss the cut, both scenarios remotely possible but highly unlikely.
Currently, Peake is 372.17 behind Smylie and with a total of 380 points available should Peake win both, then he could catch Smylie but Smylie would still need to earn no points and, given the quality of player he is, then it is almost impossible to imagine.
For Peake however whatever the outcome of the remaining two events he has secured his playing rights on the PGA Tour and Asian Tours, has a start at the Open Championship and in all likelihood will secure one of the three DP World Tour cards available for next season so to say the least his life has changed immeasurably since his fairytale win at the New Zealand Open Presented by Sky Sport.
There is still a race on for the third of the three cards available for the DP World Tour with Jack Buchanan and Anthony Quayle still in the running should they have a great finish to the season over the next two weeks.
Heritage Classic Leaderboard
Order of Merit as at March 16th
Ben Campbell adds US$1.5 million with 3rd place finish in Singapore
Ben Campbell (right) with his LIV Golf team mates in Singapore this week
New Zealand’s Ben Campbell secured the biggest cheque of his career when finishing third in the LIV Golf Singapore event, US$1.5 million now part of his growing returns from professional golf in recent seasons.
Campbell joined LIV Golf permanently at the behest of RangeGoats captain Bubba Watson over the Xmas period and in his first few starts has finished 15th in Riyadh, 23rd in Adelaide and 35th in Hong Kong before his great week at the Sentosa Golf Club.
“Yeah, it was big,” said Campbell when asked where this effort stands. “Obviously, I was very frustrated last week in Hong Kong to not play that great. So worked hard early on this week and made a few little changes, and yeah, it was good. Sort of had the team here and that, so it was nice to see the hard work paying off.
“It was nice to stick in there today. I haven’t probably felt like I had my best out there, but nice to stay patient and hole a couple putts coming in, which was good.”
Campbell finished six shots behind the winner Joaquin Niemann but only one shot out of second-placed Brooks Koepka.
Having earned a total of US$627,000 in his first few events Campbell is fast becoming one of the leading money earners in the 2025 LIV Golf season and will no doubt benefit from the confidence he will gain from contending so well this week.
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