Jason Day in action on day one – image courtesy of The Masters Tournament
The five Australians at this year’s Masters have experienced mixed results during round one at Augusta National Jason Day, Cam Smith and Min Woo Lee, making encouraging starts to be under par on a day where scoring apart from the effort of the leader Justin Rose appeared difficult.
Day is at 2 under par and in a share of the place, although five shots off Rose’s lead and despite an afternoon tee time on day two he is well enough placed to move into contention heading into the weekend.
“Today it was good,” said Day pleased with his effort. “I had a really good strategy out there. I think I didn’t get myself out of position too bad, and then when I did get myself out of position, I had a relatively easy up-and-down. Unfortunately, I just missed a few too many opportunities for birdies.
“But sitting at 2-under right now in fifth place (he finished in 7th place), I’m pretty happy with it.”
“The funny thing about Augusta is it’s very, very easy to psych yourself out, depending on how the course is. You know that the progression of play from day-to-day gradually usually gets harder.”
“I feel like I’m definitely coming in under the radar. I’m not to the point of how Scottie has been playing, how Rory has been playing, some of the other guys. I feel very just comfortable with where my game is at right now. I’ve just got to do some work on the greens. Hopefully some more putts drop.”
Min Woo Lee was out early and finished with a round of 71 to be sharing 11th place and after an opening bogey where he drove it in the trees, was long with his second and failed to save par when narrowly missing a ten-footer, he added two birdies.
“It’s a tough golf course today,” said Lee after his round. “It was a tough golf course. Yeah, very happy with 1-under. Obviously could have had a couple more, but again, tricky pins, and I played very solid. So that’s a plus.”
As Australia’s number one ranked male golfer, Lee is delighted to have achieved that mantle, but he knows there is a lot more to success than that.
“Yeah, no, one day I dreamt of that, so I’m here now. It is a very cool feeling. I still feel like a kid. I always say that, but I still feel like a kid and I look up to Jason and Scotty up there in the rankings.
“So yeah, it’s quite nice I guess to see that ranking, but we’re looking further than that.
“I mean, it’s good. It’s great. I’ve been trying to get to World No. 1. It’s still a quest. Just want to keep playing well and putting myself in contention.”
In this event last year Lee was restricted by a cold and recovering from a broken finger but was asked where he feels he is at compared to this time last year, especially given his recent PGA Tour event breakthrough.
“I had a lot of confidence, obviously, coming into this week, but then last year I had no expectations because I had a broken finger so I was kind of just go out there and play.
“I think I was like 4-over through 7 and I was like, yep, that’s pretty much a broken finger and a cold. But I managed to actually play really good after that and come 22nd.
“Yeah, I think in a way, very similar. I felt really good in different ways. But yeah, I was very cautious when I was in the gym last week.”
Cam Smith’s record at Augusta National is superb but he arrived off the back of an indifferent season to date so his start sets him up well for the next few days.
“It’s been a bit scrappy with the irons, said the former world number 2. “The driver felt all right. Just couldn’t quite see the shots out there and couldn’t quite commit.
“It was a really good scramble. I think I hit a couple of greens on the front nine and maybe three or four on the back. There was still plenty of good in there. The wedges felt great. The putter felt great. Even the driver felt great.
“Like I said, I was in some good spots and didn’t really make the most of it.
“I haven’t left myself too much work. For how I felt out there, it felt like it was going to be a bit of a long day. All in all, pretty pleased with the score. If I’m going to win this thing, I definitely need to do better than that. Golf is such a weird game.
“I feel like my last round last week at Doral was probably the best I’ve hit it in a long time, and coming out here today is probably the worst I’ve hit it in a long time.
“It’s just such a weird game sometimes. I felt really good at the start of the week, just a little bit of cleanup on the range, and we’ll be good.”
Cam Davis (74) and Adam Scott (77) have work to do if they are to be around for the weekend, the cut appearing at this stage as if it will be around 4 over or perhaps even 5 if the expected stronger winds arrive on day two.
Justin Rose is the talk of day one, however. The 44-year-old former US Open champion and twice a runner-up in this particular event took control of day one with six birdies in his first 10 holes and added two more before a bogey at the last after driving it into the trees. He leads by three over Corey Connors, Scottie Scheffler and Ludvig Aberg.
For a record fifth time, Rose holds at least a share of the first-round lead at the Masters, having done that in 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2021. He previously shared the record with Jack Nicklaus.
“Yeah, obviously delighted to get off to such a great start, and that start definitely, it happened out of the gates. So for the first few holes everything was going exactly where I was looking.
And certainly the first hole, which is definitely one of the trickier holes on the golf course, to knock in a nice 25-footer down the hill right-to-left, exactly what you need to settle yourself into the Masters, and then 2 and 3 are birdie opportunities.
“So to be 3-under through 3 kind of really got me on the front foot and felt like I was playing great golf. When I did find myself into in a little bit of trouble, especially early, No. 5, holed a great putt for par. And middle of the back nine I felt like there were a couple moments where the momentum could have changed. But really good up-and-downs on 14 and 15 to keep the round really hot.
“Obviously the only blemish on 18, but there’s no point dwelling on that. “It was a really good day’s golf on a golf course that was a stern test. I think if you look at the overall leaderboard, not many low scores out there. You had to hit a lot of quality shots, and delighted the way I played.”
Leaderboard
New Zealand’s Cooper Moore claims Australian Junior title
Cooper Moore – file image courtesy PGA of Australia
Christchurch golfer and exciting future prospect for New Zealand golf, Cooper Moore, has today won the Australian Junior Title, Moore holing a bunker shot at the third extra hole of a playoff against Dubbo’s Cooper Giddings at the Indooroopilly Golf Club in Brisbane to add this title to his recent success at the New Zealand Amateur Championship.
Moore began the final round six shots adrift of Brisbane’s Chase Oberle, but a homeward nine of 33 saw him force a playoff against Gidding’s whose brilliant final round of 65 saw him set the mark for Moore who was playing more than 30 minutes behind.
Giddings had played the final three holes in four under par for his final nine of 30 but when Moore played the final nine in 33 himself the pair were tied at 5 under.
Moore has been in excellent form of late, finishing runner-up in Charles Tour events in New Zealand in addition to his New Zealand Amateur Championship win and finishing as the leading Australasian at the prestigious Asia Pacific Amateur Championship late in 2024.
The victory this week should assure the 16-year-old from the Clearwater Golf Club in Christchurch of a start at the Australian Open, and so the opportunities continue to open for the exciting youngster.
Day heads Australians after day one at Augusta National
Jason Day in action on day one – image courtesy of The Masters Tournament
The five Australians at this year’s Masters have experienced mixed results during round one at Augusta National Jason Day, Cam Smith and Min Woo Lee, making encouraging starts to be under par on a day where scoring apart from the effort of the leader Justin Rose appeared difficult.
Day is at 2 under par and in a share of the place, although five shots off Rose’s lead and despite an afternoon tee time on day two he is well enough placed to move into contention heading into the weekend.
“Today it was good,” said Day pleased with his effort. “I had a really good strategy out there. I think I didn’t get myself out of position too bad, and then when I did get myself out of position, I had a relatively easy up-and-down. Unfortunately, I just missed a few too many opportunities for birdies.
“But sitting at 2-under right now in fifth place (he finished in 7th place), I’m pretty happy with it.”
“The funny thing about Augusta is it’s very, very easy to psych yourself out, depending on how the course is. You know that the progression of play from day-to-day gradually usually gets harder.”
“I feel like I’m definitely coming in under the radar. I’m not to the point of how Scottie has been playing, how Rory has been playing, some of the other guys. I feel very just comfortable with where my game is at right now. I’ve just got to do some work on the greens. Hopefully some more putts drop.”
Min Woo Lee was out early and finished with a round of 71 to be sharing 11th place and after an opening bogey where he drove it in the trees, was long with his second and failed to save par when narrowly missing a ten-footer, he added two birdies.
“It’s a tough golf course today,” said Lee after his round. “It was a tough golf course. Yeah, very happy with 1-under. Obviously could have had a couple more, but again, tricky pins, and I played very solid. So that’s a plus.”
As Australia’s number one ranked male golfer, Lee is delighted to have achieved that mantle, but he knows there is a lot more to success than that.
“Yeah, no, one day I dreamt of that, so I’m here now. It is a very cool feeling. I still feel like a kid. I always say that, but I still feel like a kid and I look up to Jason and Scotty up there in the rankings.
“So yeah, it’s quite nice I guess to see that ranking, but we’re looking further than that.
“I mean, it’s good. It’s great. I’ve been trying to get to World No. 1. It’s still a quest. Just want to keep playing well and putting myself in contention.”
In this event last year Lee was restricted by a cold and recovering from a broken finger but was asked where he feels he is at compared to this time last year, especially given his recent PGA Tour event breakthrough.
“I had a lot of confidence, obviously, coming into this week, but then last year I had no expectations because I had a broken finger so I was kind of just go out there and play.
“I think I was like 4-over through 7 and I was like, yep, that’s pretty much a broken finger and a cold. But I managed to actually play really good after that and come 22nd.
“Yeah, I think in a way, very similar. I felt really good in different ways. But yeah, I was very cautious when I was in the gym last week.”
Cam Smith’s record at Augusta National is superb but he arrived off the back of an indifferent season to date so his start sets him up well for the next few days.
“It’s been a bit scrappy with the irons, said the former world number 2. “The driver felt all right. Just couldn’t quite see the shots out there and couldn’t quite commit.
“It was a really good scramble. I think I hit a couple of greens on the front nine and maybe three or four on the back. There was still plenty of good in there. The wedges felt great. The putter felt great. Even the driver felt great.
“Like I said, I was in some good spots and didn’t really make the most of it.
“I haven’t left myself too much work. For how I felt out there, it felt like it was going to be a bit of a long day. All in all, pretty pleased with the score. If I’m going to win this thing, I definitely need to do better than that. Golf is such a weird game.
“I feel like my last round last week at Doral was probably the best I’ve hit it in a long time, and coming out here today is probably the worst I’ve hit it in a long time.
“It’s just such a weird game sometimes. I felt really good at the start of the week, just a little bit of cleanup on the range, and we’ll be good.”
Cam Davis (74) and Adam Scott (77) have work to do if they are to be around for the weekend, the cut appearing at this stage as if it will be around 4 over or perhaps even 5 if the expected stronger winds arrive on day two.
Justin Rose is the talk of day one, however. The 44-year-old former US Open champion and twice a runner-up in this particular event took control of day one with six birdies in his first 10 holes and added two more before a bogey at the last after driving it into the trees. He leads by three over Corey Connors, Scottie Scheffler and Ludvig Aberg.
For a record fifth time, Rose holds at least a share of the first-round lead at the Masters, having done that in 2004, 2007, 2008 and 2021. He previously shared the record with Jack Nicklaus.
“Yeah, obviously delighted to get off to such a great start, and that start definitely, it happened out of the gates. So for the first few holes everything was going exactly where I was looking.
And certainly the first hole, which is definitely one of the trickier holes on the golf course, to knock in a nice 25-footer down the hill right-to-left, exactly what you need to settle yourself into the Masters, and then 2 and 3 are birdie opportunities.
“So to be 3-under through 3 kind of really got me on the front foot and felt like I was playing great golf. When I did find myself into in a little bit of trouble, especially early, No. 5, holed a great putt for par. And middle of the back nine I felt like there were a couple moments where the momentum could have changed. But really good up-and-downs on 14 and 15 to keep the round really hot.
“Obviously the only blemish on 18, but there’s no point dwelling on that. “It was a really good day’s golf on a golf course that was a stern test. I think if you look at the overall leaderboard, not many low scores out there. You had to hit a lot of quality shots, and delighted the way I played.”
Leaderboard
Thoughts on the 2025 Masters
The 13th hole brings Amen Corner to an end – image Masters Tournament
The opening major of 2005 gets underway this Thursday with the Masters taking the focus of not only the golfing world but the sporting world generally.
Five Australians are in the field headed in terms of world ranking by recent Houston Open winner, Min Woo Lee, but in terms of experience then Adam Scott and Jason Day both have claims with Cam Smith a solid performer in his nine starts in the event to date and Cam Davis looking to improve on his 12th place finish last year in what will be his third Masters appearance.
Min Woo Lee is playing the Masters for the 3rd occasion having finished an impressive 14th on debut in 2023 and 22nd last year. There is little doubting his recent win has him as a much more confident and more experienced player than ever before and it will be interesting to see if he can use that to convert his success in Houston Open into contention at Augusta National.
Adam Scott will play the Masters for the 24th time, his previous appearances highlighted by his great win in 2013, but he was also runner-up in 2011 and has recorded another three top tens.
In seven PGA Tour starts this season, Scott has yet to record a top ten and with a missed cut at the Players and a 57th place finish at the recent Valspar Championship, his form hardly suggests he could improve on his solid record around Augusta National.
Jason Day’s career at the Masters is highlighted by his great runner-up finish on debut in 2011 when run down by a barnstorming finish by Charl Schwartzel who birdied his final four holes to beat Day and Adam Scott.
Day has played well on occasions in 2025 with a 3rd place finish at the American Express and an 8th place finish at Bay Hill the highlights but although he might contend at various stages it appears his game is not as sharp as it needs to be to contend late on Sunday.
Cam Smith’s form is a bit hard to assess given he has been playing Liv Golf events to date in 2025 but there is little doubting his great record at Augusta National.
In eight previous starts at the Masters, Smith has recorded 5 top tens including an outstanding runner-up finish in 2020 behind Dustin Johnson.
Smith’s form to date in Liv Golf events in 2025 is well below his best but there was some encouragement in Miami last weekend when he finished with a round of 70 on a tough layout to share 9th place, his best finish of the year to date.
Cam Davis will play the Masters for the 3rd time with an encouraging 12th place finish last year the highlight, that finish ensuring he would be in the field again.
The problem for Davis however is that after what had been a good start to the 2025 season, his form has dropped away and missing the cut in each of his last four events suggests he needs quite a turnaround if he is to have any hope of bettering his previous best at Augusta National.
Looking at the event generally then it is hard to go past the two favourites Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy as the players most likely to take the title.
Scheffler is chasing a rare three wins in the event having won in 2022 and 2024 and although he has yet to win this season he has been playing well enough for him to once again contend late into Sunday.
Should he win then he will join Jimmy Demaret, Sam Snead, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods as players with three or more green Jackets.
Scheffler finished runner-up in Houston and 3rd at Torrey Pines, suggesting his form is close to where it needs to be.
It is hard to believe that McIlroy is playing the Masters for the 17th occasion but in that time he has recorded seven top tens and given the excellent current form he is in then he could well finally contend and win an elusive fifth major and complete the Grand Slam.
Others who are worthy of serious consideration include last year’s runner-up on debut, Ludvig Aberg who although missing his last two cuts this season did win at Torrey Pines and could easily return to contention.
Collin Morikawa has been twice runner-up in five starts this season and has been inside the top ten in each of his last three starts at the Masters. He finished 3rd behind Scheffler last year and could well win his third major title this week to go with his Open and PGA Championship titles.
Players at longer odds for a bit of speculative betting could include Will Zalatoris who in just three attempts has been 9th, 6th and 2nd, and while not at his peak he has made the cut in his last 12 PGA Tour appearances and would not surprise if he was contending again.
Zalatoris has been rebuilding after a microdiscectomy lumbar disk surgery two years ago and has been able to add weight to his thin frame and he appears to be building to better form.
Also worth consideration is the very much improved Sepp Straka who in three attempts at Augusta National has made the cut on each occasion and finished 16th last year. Straka has been in fine form this season with a win at the American Express and six other top twenties and having played the Masters on three occasions now he might be able to convert that form into contention.
THE FIELD
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.
Leaderboard
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