Perhaps the first of many significant titles for 22 year old Elvis Smylie – image Australian Golf Media
Gold Coaster, Elvis Smylie, has for several years given every indication he would develop into one of Australia’s best players and his victory in today’s BMW Australian PGA Championship confirmed that promise.
His two-shot victory over the pre-tournament favourite and fellow Queenslander Cameron Smith was carried out in the manner of someone of far greater experience than the 22-year-old, holding off not only Smith but the powerful finishing Anthony Quayle, Marc Leishman and David Micheluzzi amongst others with a series of brilliant par saves over the closing nine holes.
Smith, who had started the day in a share of the lead with Smylie, dropped four shots behind the winner at one stage but fought back in an endeavour to win his 4th PGA Championship title in great style pitching in from behind the green at the 17th to reduce the margin to two and keep the title’s destination in doubt.
But Smylie held on with yet another par save at the last with Smith unable to apply any last-minute pressure.
“It’s a dream come true,” Smylie said. “I won’t forget this day, you know, playing with Cam and Leish there, I looked up to these guys since I was a kid and just being in their presence and compete against them for the title, I’ve learnt so much and just so grateful and so honoured right now.
“My short game was great, I definitely saved myself in that department. I was pretty average off the tee, but golf is a game of imperfection and today that was a sign of that.
“I just told myself to find a way of getting it around and doing my best, executing every shot as well as I can and my short game was great, so I gave that the full credit that it deserves.
“I’m a proud ambassador for BMW and have been a proud ambassador for the last three years. It is an absolute honour to be with a brand like BMW (as well as) Titleist, Footjoy and Golf Australia. My team; Ritchie Smith, Luke Mackey, Michael Lloyd, Marty McGuinness, my mum and dad.
“They have been with me every step of the way. I saw my mum in the corner there, tearing up before I holed that last putt so everyone who has been on this journey with me, they know how hard I’ve worked to be here and hopefully this is just the start of good things to come.”
It was apparent from daybreak on day four that it would take something special to break clear of a leaderboard containing something like 15 players within four shots of the lead.
Conditions at Royal Queensland were continuing their recovery from a rain deluge early in the week and were perfect for low scoring with just a gentle breeze, fine conditions and a soft golf course to allow an aggressive approach for those who so chose.
It became even more obvious when many of those out early in the day began to move through the field with defending champion Min Woo Lee round in 66 almost before the final group had hit off, followed soon after by other low rounds of 65 by New Zealand’s Nick Voke and Spain’s Angel Ayora whose round of 64 swept him from the cut line to a share of 4th when he finished his round.
When the final group of Cam Smith, Elvis Smylie and Marc Leishman took to the course at 11.00, they knew they had some serious work to do if they were to keep those ahead on the golf course at bay and lift the coveted Australian PGA Championship trophy.
With birdies at his opening two holes, Smylie had made a statement regarding his preparedness to challenge one of the game’s best players in Smith and to continue the sort of form which led to his first Australasian Tour victory just a few weeks ago.
Smith would also birdie the first and rejoined Smylie in the lead with another birdie at the 3rd and the pair was at 12 under and three clear of Victorian David Micheluzzi who had birdied two of his first three holes and Leishman who birdied the 3rd.
By the time the final group reached the 8th tee, another had joined the fray, when NSW born Queenslander, Anthony Quayle, produced what would be the round of the day 63 to race into 3rd outright at 11 under par and although three from the then leader, Smylie, he was just one behind Smith.
Quayle’s strong finish included birdies at the 17th and 18th, the last from over 100 feet.
Quayle, who is a former Queensland PGA Champion and a Japan Tour regular in recent years, was unlikely to challenge for the title given the amount of birdie opportunities remaining for those behind on the golf course but he had turned around a Japan Tour season which has seen him miss 15 cuts and lose his status there.
“Man, it’s been a pretty hard year, so it was sort of not really expected,” said Quayle. “I’ve sort of felt that my game has felt really good for the last few weeks now. I don’t even feel like it’s been as bad as what the scores have sort of shown, but the last few weeks especially has been really good.
“Been working really hard at it. It just feels so good to shoot something like that and just get some sort of reward. Yeah, it feels awesome. I feel so happy right now.”
Anthony Quayle on a roll early in the day – photo Australian Golf Media
By the time the leaders had reached the 10th tee things were beginning to take a very different look at the top of the leaderboard. Smylie had made the turn in 4 under 32 and after Smith had dropped shots at the 4th, 5th and 9th, he was out in 35 and Smylie headed to the 10th three ahead of Smith and Quayle.
Smylie was hanging tough and Smith’s game was not as sharp as it needed to be to catch the youngster. Smylie gave evidence with two impressive par saves, more especially at the short par 4 12th where he failed to reach the green in 2 but holed a 20-footer for par to remain three ahead.
Smylie was displaying composure beyond his experience, perhaps his sporting genes (his mum Liz a major doubles winner in tennis) assisting in keeping him settled in a week where a victory would establish himself on the world stage. A win would get him to the DP World Tour with full status and allow him to release his undoubted potential.
The first real chink in his armour came at the 14th when he seemingly failed to complete his backswing from the tee and found the trees left. Unfazed however he pitched out, hit his approach to 5 feet and holed to save par again.
When Smith bogeyed the same hole after he, too, had found the trees, the difference between the two was four shots but Smith was not about to give up his chance at a 4th PGA Championship title easily.
While Smylie was reeling off par after par, Smith birdied the par 5 15th and he moved back into a share of 2nd and three behind.
While everything appeared still in safe keeping for Smylie, it changed dramatically when Smith holed from behind the green at the short par 3 party hole and the difference was just two and instead of a last hole cruise to victory Smylie was under pressure.
When his drive found the right-hand trees at the last, the pressure became even greater but Smylie manufactured a ropy hook to find the greenside bunker and it was over to Smith to knock it close and force Smylie to save another par.
Unfortunately for Smith, he, too, found the bunker with his approach although his was, inexcusably, from the middle of the fairway and his chance had all but gone.
And so, Elvis Smylie is the 2024 BMW Australian PGA Champion and, with it, comes the European Tour access he has been chasing since turning professional three years ago and, most believe, so much more as one of Australia’s most exciting young prospects.
“To know that I have a job secured overseas now, it feels great,” said Smylie when asked about his new status. “Going into the start of the Australian season, I know there would be a lot of events in a row. For me, playing a lot of competitive golf is important because I wanted to continue to build. I feel like, as each week goes on, I’m getting competitively stronger.
“So, to have the opportunity to go overseas and play on the DP World Tour, where there are a lot more events in a row, I feel like it’s going to be great for me.”
LEADERBOARD
Australian PGA and Open Champions head for South Africa
Sun City – image Getty Images
Several years ago, the Nedbank Golf Challenge at Sun City was one of the richest tournaments in world golf with a then-restricted field making it even more attractive for those who qualified to play.
These days the event still carries a good purse of US$6 million but in relative terms it has fallen far behind the many other events in world golf and the field has been extended to 70 players.
Still, for those in the field who have played for less than $US 1.5 million in each of the last two weeks in Australia the prizemoney is a welcome boost to the early DP World schedule for the 2024/2025 season.
Two of those are the winners of the two events in Australia, Elvis Smylie and Ryggs Johnston, both of whom are entries into the event and add who add an intriguing dynamic to the event given both were first time winners on the DP World Tour and that both are now into their first season on the DP World Tour.
Two weeks ago Smylie was considering the possibility of gaining entry to the DP World Tour perhaps by finishing inside the top three of the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit but his win in Brisbane has opened up many doors for him including opportunity to play in an event and a country which perhaps seemed a far off dream in mid-November.
The same applies to the latest Australian Open Champion Ryggs Johnston. The American arrived in Australia after gaining his playing rights for the DP World Tour via Final Q School Qualifying a month ago but his impressive three shot victory at Kingston Heath has him second only to Smylie in the Race to Dubai rankings and adding yet another exotic flavour to the tour and this event.
The event no longer attracts the absolute elite of the game but a field that includes Corey Connors, Will Zalatoris, Max Homa, Christian Bezuidenout, Nicolai and Rasmus Højgaard and Danny Willett, along with a host of highly talented South African golfers, carries a considerable level of intrigue.
New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier will join Elvis Smylie in the field as the only other Australasian, the 2023 British Masters finding a little form of late after a perhaps disappointing follow-up to his impressive 2023.
The other player who is sure to make his mark on the DP World Tour this season is Chinese star Wenyi Ding.
After a glittering amateur career, Ding turned professional through the Global Amateur Pathway, which was launched by the DP World Tour, PGA Tour and The R&A to help the best eligible male amateur players within the top 20 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings take the next step in their careers and secure playing rights on the DP World Tour.
Although only a few months into his professional career, Ding is already a global golf sensation.
The Beijing-born golfer was the first in Arizona State history to win both the Pacific-12 Conference Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year. He was also the first Chinese golfer to win a United States Golf Association (USGA) title when he claimed the 2022 US Junior Amateur, and this year he won the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship.
By staying professional Ding has turned down the opportunity to play in the Masters and the Open Championship in 2025 as a result of his win at the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship but he might get there anyway given his incredible promise.
Tee Times
Johnston and Shin claim Australian Open titles
Top Ryggs Johnston – image Golf Australia ; Bottom Jiyai Shin – image Golf Australia
24-year-old American Ryggs Johnston completed an outstanding performance in just his second as a cardholder on the DP World Tour by claiming a three-shot victory at the ISPS Handa Australian Open at Kingston Heath.
The man from Montana, began his final round tied in the lead with playing partner Lucas Herbert with an eagle at his very first hole but it would a roller coaster of a ride to the turn with two birdies and three bogeys to begin the back nine at 1 under for the day and 15 under for the tournament.
Johnston was tied with Herbert as he made the turn but at that point the pair had been joined in the lead by 28 year old West Australian Curtis Luck, one of Australian golf’s most outstanding amateurs until turning professional in 2017.
Luck, who won the US and Asia Pacific Amateur Championships along with an Eisenhower Trophy Medal in a stellar 2016, was playing 30 minutes ahead of Johnston and Herbert. After reaching the turn in 33, he added another birdie at the 10th to be at 15 under and tied for the lead.
Marc Leishman was just one back and so it was all on for the final nine holes with any one of seven or eight players still, very much, in the hunt.
When Luck birdied the 13th and 14th to move into a clear lead however it appeared as if the title might well go to the 2016 WA Open Champion until that is he found trouble at the 17th and 18th to finish his championship at 15 under after a final round of 68.
Out on the course, Johnston had birdied the 10th and when he added birdies at the 14th and 15th he had taken the lead and with a run of pars from there he was the champion by three shots over Luck while Herbert dropped away dramatically with three bogeys for a homeward nine of 39 and an agonising share of 5th place.
“It was definitely a little stressful,” said the winner. “The weather was kind of up and down. It was really nice for 15 minutes and really bad for 15 minutes and I knew I was right in it and just had to come about towards the end.
“On 14 I kind of hit it right again and wasn’t in a great spot and I got myself out of trouble and made a nice 12-15 footer for birdie there and then made a longer one on 15 and that’s kind of when I was really like, ‘alright, you can win this tournament, let’s go’.
“And then when I walked up to 17 green, I finally saw the leaderboard and saw I had a three-shot lead and then I could take a little bit of a breath and just say, I just need to hit a couple more good shots and I’ll be done.”
Having just secured his DP World Tour card at the gruelling and recent Q School, Johnston was asked what his expectations were ahead of the tournament.
“I pretty much came to Australia fresh off Q School. I mean I flew back to the States for less than a day and then flew out here and honestly I was just trying to use the last tournament as kind of a warm-up and then hopefully played better in this one and kind of did that. But as far as winning, I probably didn’t really expect to come out here and win. I just wanted to come out here and play good golf and I just happened to put myself in good position today.”
For Luck it was a case of what might have been, but it is a delight to see this very artistic and creative golfer back in form after a significant neck injury has curtailed his career of late.
While disappointed at not finishing off the event as he would have liked and potentially challenging for his own national open title, Luck will gain a start at the Open Championship in July as one of the three qualifiers via International Final Qualifying from this event.
Johnston and Marc Leishman were the other two who gained a start at Royal Portrush in July.
“Obviously, that is a massive perk,” said Luck referring to a start at the Open. “The finish wasn’t ideal but at the end of the day three months ago I wasn’t hitting balls so I don’t think I can complain too much.
“I think I have been rusty in the four events I have played here in Australia and I think that probably showed down the stretch and I was doing my best to cling on but it got the better of me but am pretty happy how things are.
“Things are looking up but it is still a balancing act and still don’t quite know what next year looks like.”
Luck has a medical exemption for the Korn Ferry Tour but his schedule will be dependent on his continued progress from injury.
Jiyai Shin lived up to expectations by winning the Australian Women’s Open by two shots from the winner in each of the past two years Ashleigh Buhai of Korea.
Shin had opened up a substantial lead through the middle of her round but in the end, the victory was by just two.
“Well I had few shots lead, but I’m still try to keep focus on my game because on this golf course with the conditions, nobody know till the end.
“So I tried to keep focused, but green speed was a little bit faster than yesterday so it was a little bit, I tried to little bit just to touch it, but some holes worked, some holes didn’t work. But you can see I’m still holding my trophy so yeah. Well it was not easy but I’m really happy, very much.”
It would however be another eight shots back to Korean amateur Hyojin Yang while Grace Kim and Hannah Green shared the leading Australian honours in 6th place, albeit 11 shots from Shin.
Men’s Results
Women’s Results
12 players within four shots at Australian Open
Ryggs Johnston in action today – image Australian Golf Media
Victorian Lucas Herbert and American Ryggs Johnston have a share of the 54 hole lead at the ISPS Handa Australian Open at Kingston Heath in Melbourne the pair tied at 14 under and two shots ahead of a group of five players at 12 under, namely two recent Asia Pacific Amateur Champions Jasper Stubbs and Wenyi Deng, Finland’s Oliver Lindell, last week’s Australian PGA Champion Elvis Smylie and defending champion Joaquin Niemann.
Herbert had begun the third round with a four shot lead over Johnston but a lacklustre round of even par 72 saw Johnston take the lead with six birdies through 12 holes before a double bogey at the 14th.
The pair traded blows over the closing holes to retain their share of the lead and tomorrow Herbert will chase his first national title while 24-year-old Johnston, currently ranked 945th in the world, looks to get his DP World career of to the best possible start after gaining his card at the recent tour school.
Johnston played on the PGA Tour of the America s in 2024, mostly in Canada, after a very successful collegiate career at Arizona State.
That he has been able to adapt to the Melbourne sandbelt in such a manner speaks volumes for his game and headspace although tomorrow will be tested to the max.
As to the pressure he will face, Johnston was quick to defend his capacity to handle what he will face tomorrow.
“For a while now I’ve been in pretty high pressure situations trying to get my card through Q School. That final round is one of the most pressured. I mean, it’s a different type of pressure there and I did pretty well. So I just try to take that with me and use it as something we’ll look back on to kind tell myself that, ‘hey there, a lot of people watch it and a lot of pressure, but you can still do this’.
“I think I might have gotten a little lucky this week with the golf course playing as soft as it is and not typical sandbelt conditions and more of the golf we are used to back in the starts so it is probably working in my favour a little bit as it makes it a new course for everyone.”
Herbert recently won the NSW Open to claim his first professional title in Australia and tomorrow he chases the title most players want to win outside of a major, his national open.
Herbert was forced to play second fiddle to Johnston today as the American took full advantage of the many opportunities he created for himself after an early bogey.
“A little bit frustrating, but sort of no ground lost really, said Herbert. “I’m still in the lead, might just let a few more people back in the tournament, but still leading, still where I want to be. So yeah, good result from a frustrating day, I guess.
Herbert, though, is a proven winner on both the PGA and DP World Tours but he not only has Johnston to worry about tomorrow but the host of other players of who there are 12 within four shots of the lead and that he is chasing a title of such significance to him.
“It’s been tricky not to walk past the honour board in the clubhouse in there and see the last couple of names that are on that from winning major tournaments here. So that’s probably the other thing about today was maybe it got more frustrating because I really want to win this.
“It looks so easy for Ryggs who doesn’t probably care about the Australian Open as much as I do, with no disrespect to him. It just means so much being my home national Open, I’d love to put one of these on my resume.”
The Women’s Australian Open is being led by 2013 champion and one of the most prolific title winners internationally, Jiyai Shin. Her round of 67 has her two ahead of Australia’s leading world-ranked player, Hannah Green, and the winner of this event in each of the last two years, Ashleigh Buhai of South Africa.
Recently turned Queensland professional Justice Bosio gave evidence of her potential when she took the lead during the round but eventually finished with a round of 73. At 8 under par, she is six shots from Shin’s lead.
South Korean Simon Seungmin Lee won the All Abilities Championship.
Men’s Leaderboard
Women’s Leaderboard
Lucas Herbert stretches lead at Australian Open
Lucas Herbert during today’s second round – image AGM
First round leader, Lucas Herbert, has extended his lead atop the leaderboard on day two of the ISPS Handa Australian Open, his second round of 66 at Kingston Heath moving him four clear of American Rhyggs Johnston with another shot back to a group at 9 under and five off the pace including last week’s PGA Champion Elvis Smylie.
Herbert was quickly out of the blocks on day two when he eagled the first and birdied the second and third holes to move well clear of the field but things slowed a little from there and it took until the 13th before he produced another birdie.
He would, though, birdie three in a row however and although challenged at times throughout his round by the likes of Cameron Smith, Austrian Lukas Nemezc, and Johnston, he has stretched his halfway lead to 4 and heads into the weekend in great shape to win his national open.
Despite his significant lead, Herbert is not getting ahead of himself. “We have still 36 holes to play around the sandbelt. The easiest trap to fall into is to think you have control of this tournament. It doesn’t take much to jump up and bite you so I am definitely in the position I want to be in but certainly don’t have control of it.
“Yes very happy. I though I played pretty god yesterday and didn’t really putt all that well but I putted really good today and the rest of the game was off so it was two days of polar opposites in terms of how I played.
“There are some tricky tee shots on that back nine today and just to stay really positive with the swings I was making I am really proud of those last few holes. Under the circumstances I thought I handled it really well.
“I had 15 under in my head at the start of the day and thought Cam and I might go at it and put a break in the field and make it a fun weekend for the two of us but it didn’t work out that way.
“I feel super comfortable out here at Kingston Heath having played here so many times and feel like I know the lines of the tees and the local knowledge you need to know around this course.
“I feel like I am not close to my best and want to work on a lot heading into the new season but to feel like that and still to be leading at the moment is pretty satisfying and gives me a lot of confidence.”
Smith joined Herbert in the lead at one stage at 11 under par but a back nine of 41 would see him finish at 6 under and eight shots from Herbert.
A lot of eyes were on Smylie as he looked to bounce back from a relatively slow opening round of 70. He did just that with a nine birdie, one bogey round of 8 under to be at 9 under and five from the lead.
“I felt like the whole group did a really good job at feeding off each other momentum wise,” said Smylie. “The course was playing quite scoreable and felt we really did a good job of capitalising.
“I did a really good job of focusing on my own game to ensure we kept the pace up after being put on the clock especially when Cam Smith was struggling.”
In the women’s Australian Open, the lead is held by joint first round leader Hyojin Yang, the amateur finishing with a round of 71 to be one ahead of recently turned professional Justice Bosio of Queensland and the ever-threatening Jiyai Shin.
Hannah Green is another shot back in 4th place alone.
Yang is from Jeju Island off the southern coast of South Korea and tomorrow she tries to hold off one of her favourite players in Jiyai Shin, one of Korea’s most prolific winning golfers.
Men’s Leaderboard
Women’s Leaderboard
Hyojin Yang – image Australian Golf Media
Lucas Herbert takes early Australian Open lead
Lucas Herbert in full swing on day one – image Australian Golf Media
Scoring reflected the conditions on day one of the Australian Open at the Kingston Heath and Victoria Golf Clubs in Melbourne’s sandbelt, 54 players under par in the men’s field when day one came to a conclusion.
It is however one thing to get great scoring conditions and another to take full advantage but certainly Victorian Lucas Herbert did just that when he raced to the turn in 32 and topped off his early morning start with an eagle at his final hole of the day at the Victoria Golf Club.
Herbert was clearly happy with his good start in such a significant event, but in his post-round media appearance, he indicated that things might have been even better.
“I felt like there was a lot of shots left out there,” said the LIV Golf member. “I feel like that with every round of golf, to be fair, but didn’t really think I holed that many putts. Just hit it quite nicely. Got it into the right spots. Probably got a couple of lucky breaks here and there where shots that maybe weren’t the best didn’t get punished the way they could have.
“So, look, if that’s the worst round of the week, I’d be pretty happy, but I would suggest that’s probably not going to be the worst round of the week. So yeah, you just got to take your luck when you get it. There’s days where you can play well and just nothing goes for you. So yeah, I’m going to be happy with that.”
The recent winner of the NSW Open, Herbert was a little disappointing at last week’s Australian PGA Championship where he finished 43rd but back on familiar ground, he was feeling more at home on the sandbelt greens.
“I’m much more comfortable being back on these greens for sure. I can pick which way they’re going to go, which I had no idea about this last week.”
As someone who has relished the type of golf and mindset needed to handle the vagaries and nuances of sandbelt golf, Herbert was asked his feelings on the comments made by Cam Smith on the relatively soft conditions in which the layouts had been presented for the event.
“I mean, like I said before, it’s probably sacrilegious to come to the sandbelt and feel like you’re trying to land it past the hole. It’s just not the way that these courses are designed to be played. It’s a little frustrating seeing where some of the pins are. I think we could probably go harder and for a national Open, probably find a better golfer on the week, testing us with some harder pins.”
Still, Herbert is now one of Australian golf’s most credentialed current players having won on the PGA and DP World Tours and now a successful LIV Golf player and he has made the sort of start which could well make him a contender for the title in three days’ time.
Japan’s Rintaro Nakano and American Rhyggs Johnstone both played the Kingston Heath Golf Club and were round in 7 under par 65s to be just one off the pace.
Nakano the current Japan Amateur champion, will turn professional sometime next year but he is one of several high performing Japanese amateur golfers under the guidance of South Australian golf coach Gareth Jones.
Johnstone, who only recently gained his status on the DP World Tour through Q School, is playing in Australia for the first time but was a well credentialled amateur playing for Arizona State during his collegiate career.
Pre-tournament favourite Cam Smith is another shot back in a share of 4th place along with New Zealand 2024 Australasian Tour Order of Merit winner, Kazuma Kobori.
Su Oh and caddy Mike Clayton – image Australian Golf Media
In the women’s field, Victorian Su Oh has the joint lead with South Korean Hyojin Yang after their rounds of 7 under at Kingston Heath and Victori respectively.
Oh was once amongst Australia’s elite players but in recent times she has lost her LPGA Tour status and has struggled on the second Epson Tour in the US. In fact Oh has missed the cut in her last eight appearances in professional events so this is a pleasant and surprising turnaround.
Oh has recently began working with renowned Perth coach Ritchie Smith and the what she achieved today is a source of great satisfaction given the work she has been putting in.
“I’ve worked really hard last few months with Ritchie, said Oh. “I felt like I was hitting the ball much better, so I knew it was there, but I’m very happy and proud I just did it. Yeah, I think I had to dig deep and believe in what I’ve been practising and I’m really happy it paid off today.”
When asked if her form loss tested her desire Oh was quick to respond.
“Good thing I like playing golf. I think I wouldn’t keep playing if I didn’t like it. It was pretty tough, but I think I’m back on the right track with a better team around me, so I definitely feel more comfortable.
“Like I was telling on Monday, I played quite late and Marty and Ritchie came out after they flew in with the delay and I was like, ‘oh gee, I’ve never had three people with me in just playing a practice round in a long time’. So yeah, the support has been really nice even though I’ve been playing really crap. So yeah, I think it’s good.”
One of the more interesting aspects of her day was that she had on her bag local golf professional and pundit Mike Clayton who until recently had been caddying for the recently crowned Australian PGA Champion Elvis Smylie.
Men’s leaderboard
Women’s leaderboard
Australian Open showcases two of Australia’s finest golfing masterpieces
Elvis Smylie – destined to be a regular now in pre-event press conferences
The Australian Open gets underway on Thursday at two of Australia’s finest layouts, the Kingston Heath and Victoria Golf Clubs in Melbourne’s sandbelt, accommodating the field of 156 men, 84 women and 12 in the All Abilities category.
The concept introduced two years ago where the three categories are played at the same venue in the same week has met with mixed reception, some suggesting there should be separate events for the men and the women.
The event carries combined prizemoney of $A3.4 million, although it should be noted that the men’s purse is now only the third highest on the PGA Tour of Australasia after the Australian PGA Championship and the New Zealand Open to be played in February / March.
The purses for both the men and the women are A$1.7 million, both winners to receive A$306,000 of that amount.
The men’s field is essentially the same which competed in last week’s BMW Australian PGA Championship with the notable addition of the defending champion Chile’s Joaquin Niemann and one or two others including the new PGA Tour member, Karl Vilips of Australia.
Last week’s PGA Champion Elvis Smylie is joined by Cam Smith, Cam Davis, Min Woo Lee, Marc Leishman and Lucas Herbert, ensuring a first win by an Australian since 2019 is definitely on the cards.
For Smylie his life is rapidly changing following his sensation victory at Royal Queensland three days ago.
“There’s definitely plans that have changed since last week for sure. So, at this stage I’m going to be playing in the Nedbank Challenge in South Africa next week, so that’ll be really exciting and it’s a good situation to be in with so many opportunities that I have now. Really looking forward to taking up membership on the European Tour and playing over there full time.”
Smylie outlined his movements since his win.
“A quick turnaround obviously to Sunday night. I drove back down to the Gold Coast with my parents, had a nice dinner with them and then repacked the luggage and got down on a flight yesterday at 7.30. So it’s been quick and no alcohol for me, I’ve been quite on my best behaviour. There’ll be a time to celebrate, but, for now, I’m really looking forward to doing my best here at Australian Open.”
The event is jointly sanctioned by the DP World Tour offering the possibility of access to the world’s second-richest tour for a winner who is currently without status to play there.
Hannah Green leads the women’s field in terms of world ranking, following yet another fine season on the LPGA Tour, during which she recorded three victories.
Minjee Lee is the next highest-ranked female in the field but she has recorded a very ordinary season by her standards and it may be that defending champion, Ashleigh Bulai and former winner and prolific winner of titles internationally, Jiyai Shin, along with Green, are the winning prospects.
Two years ago the respective Australian Open Championships were played over the same two courses although this time it will be the Kingston Heath Golf Club which will play host compared to the Victoria Golf Club in 2022.
The opening two rounds will be flip-flopped between the two venues before the 36 holes over the weekend will be contested over the outstanding Kingston Heath.
Men’s Draw
Women’s Tee Times
Lydia Ko completes another great LPGA Tour season
Lydia Ko with her greatest moment in 2024 – the Olympic Gold Medal
A final round of 63 at the CME Group Tour Championship has brought to a close the official LPGA season for Lydia Ko, a season which saw her win her opening event of the year in Hawaii, slump by her standards through the middle stages of the season but produce a remarkable run of form from August onwards.
Ko began the year in 10th place in the Rolex World ranking but in the last four months has produced three victories including the Olympic Gold Medal, the AIG Women’s Open Championship and the Kroger event in Ohio, has four other top tens and will finish the season in 4th place on the Rolex World Ranking and with earnings of US$3.2 million, her second best season’s earnings.
Ko finished in 3rd place behind Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul in the US$11 million event, Thitikul winning US$4 million as her winning share of the purse, while Ko secured a cheque for US$500,000 to take her carer earnings beyond US$20 million.
Ko’s next event will be the Grant Thornton Invitational in Naples, Florida where she will partner Jason Day in the defence of their title.
“It’s honestly been crazy,” said Ko referring to her roller coaster year. “The things that I could have only asked for all came true. Even just winning the first tournament of the year after having one of my worst seasons last year.
“So actually winning Grant Thornton at the end was a bit of a confidence booster even though I still had a month until Tournament of Champions.
“It’s been unbelievable. There were points where I was struggling with my game during the middle of the season, but then at the right place at the right time I was able to bring it back at the Canadian Open and then go on from there.
“Just to be able to finish on a high this week, but this summer and pretty much from August it’s been crazy. I was joking that I should change my birthday to August 2024. Might be the oldest one year old out there.
“It’s just I think no matter what and no matter what’s ahead of me, 2024 is going to be a special one. Going to be a year that I’m going to always look back on and know that I can’t take in moment for granted.”
Ko is looking forward to reuniting with Jason Day ahead of the Grant Thornton, marvelling at his game last year when meeting him for the first time.
“We made such great memories. Coming into the week I had never met Jason. We were starting from a blank page. I feel like just through the event I was able to have this amazing friendship that I’ll take forever.
“I saw him at the Olympics, at the Genesis Invitational as well. It’s just been like awesome because he’s someone I’ve always seen on TV for a really long time. To think he’s my partner, I think I was able to play with more freedom which is obviously a little different situation here.”
“I’m excited and I’m excited to learn from him and just be alongside him and just get his good energy.”
Hannah Green finished as the leading Australian on the LPGA Tour in 7th place, Gabi Ruffels was 32nd, Grace Kim 46th and Minjee Lee 54th.
CME Championship results
Race to the Globe standings
Mike Hendry finishes 3rd in Japan
Mike Hendry – file image courtesy of Australian Golf Media
The Japan Golf Tour played its penultimate event of the season, the Casio World Open, over the weekend, and for New Zealander Mike Hendry, it continued what has been a remarkable comeback from a life-threatening illness more than eighteen months ago.
Hendry shared the lead into the final round at the Kochi Kuroshiro Country Club on the island of Shikoku but eventually finished two shots behind the winner Hiroshi Iwata, who won his 7th Japan Tour title.
Hendry, who was diagnosed with leukemia in May of 2023, underwent extensive treatment before returning to competitive golf in September of that year and won the first event in which he played when returning, albeit a minor event in New Zealand.
The 45-year-old’s return to the Japan Tour in 2024 has seen him re-establish himself on the tour he has chosen to play for the past 12 years or so. He won an event in May (his second victory on the Japan Tour), although his play in recent weeks until this weekend has seen him miss five of his last six cuts.
This weekend, therefore, was a welcome return to form ahead of next week’s season-ending Golf Nippon Series event in Tokyo.
Hendry is now 26th on the Japan Golf Tour money list for the season.
Leaderboard
Ben Campbell runner-up to Patrick Reed in Hong Kong
Ben Campbell – file photo
Ben Campbell and the rest of the Hong Kong Open field might have had a struggle to stay in touch with the eventual three-shot winner, Patrick Reed, but Cambell’s runner-up finish adds another US$220,000 to his 2024 season’s earnings in Asia which are now nearly $US 850,000.
The defending champion, Campbell began the final round four behind the American after Reed had produced a remarkable round of 59 on Saturday but although he reduced that margin to three, the margin was perhaps flattered by Reed dropping two shots late in his final round.
Wade Ormsby improved his standings for 2024 with a share of 4th place with weekend rounds of 64 and 65 to improve to 22nd on the Order of Merit.
Two events remain on the Asian Tour for those eligible, both events International Series events in Qatar this week and in Saudi Arabia the first week of December. The events are worth US$2.5 million and US$ 5 million respectively.
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Elvis Smylie confirms potential with PGA Championship victory
Perhaps the first of many significant titles for 22 year old Elvis Smylie – image Australian Golf Media
Gold Coaster, Elvis Smylie, has for several years given every indication he would develop into one of Australia’s best players and his victory in today’s BMW Australian PGA Championship confirmed that promise.
His two-shot victory over the pre-tournament favourite and fellow Queenslander Cameron Smith was carried out in the manner of someone of far greater experience than the 22-year-old, holding off not only Smith but the powerful finishing Anthony Quayle, Marc Leishman and David Micheluzzi amongst others with a series of brilliant par saves over the closing nine holes.
Smith, who had started the day in a share of the lead with Smylie, dropped four shots behind the winner at one stage but fought back in an endeavour to win his 4th PGA Championship title in great style pitching in from behind the green at the 17th to reduce the margin to two and keep the title’s destination in doubt.
But Smylie held on with yet another par save at the last with Smith unable to apply any last-minute pressure.
“It’s a dream come true,” Smylie said. “I won’t forget this day, you know, playing with Cam and Leish there, I looked up to these guys since I was a kid and just being in their presence and compete against them for the title, I’ve learnt so much and just so grateful and so honoured right now.
“My short game was great, I definitely saved myself in that department. I was pretty average off the tee, but golf is a game of imperfection and today that was a sign of that.
“I just told myself to find a way of getting it around and doing my best, executing every shot as well as I can and my short game was great, so I gave that the full credit that it deserves.
“I’m a proud ambassador for BMW and have been a proud ambassador for the last three years. It is an absolute honour to be with a brand like BMW (as well as) Titleist, Footjoy and Golf Australia. My team; Ritchie Smith, Luke Mackey, Michael Lloyd, Marty McGuinness, my mum and dad.
“They have been with me every step of the way. I saw my mum in the corner there, tearing up before I holed that last putt so everyone who has been on this journey with me, they know how hard I’ve worked to be here and hopefully this is just the start of good things to come.”
It was apparent from daybreak on day four that it would take something special to break clear of a leaderboard containing something like 15 players within four shots of the lead.
Conditions at Royal Queensland were continuing their recovery from a rain deluge early in the week and were perfect for low scoring with just a gentle breeze, fine conditions and a soft golf course to allow an aggressive approach for those who so chose.
It became even more obvious when many of those out early in the day began to move through the field with defending champion Min Woo Lee round in 66 almost before the final group had hit off, followed soon after by other low rounds of 65 by New Zealand’s Nick Voke and Spain’s Angel Ayora whose round of 64 swept him from the cut line to a share of 4th when he finished his round.
When the final group of Cam Smith, Elvis Smylie and Marc Leishman took to the course at 11.00, they knew they had some serious work to do if they were to keep those ahead on the golf course at bay and lift the coveted Australian PGA Championship trophy.
With birdies at his opening two holes, Smylie had made a statement regarding his preparedness to challenge one of the game’s best players in Smith and to continue the sort of form which led to his first Australasian Tour victory just a few weeks ago.
Smith would also birdie the first and rejoined Smylie in the lead with another birdie at the 3rd and the pair was at 12 under and three clear of Victorian David Micheluzzi who had birdied two of his first three holes and Leishman who birdied the 3rd.
By the time the final group reached the 8th tee, another had joined the fray, when NSW born Queenslander, Anthony Quayle, produced what would be the round of the day 63 to race into 3rd outright at 11 under par and although three from the then leader, Smylie, he was just one behind Smith.
Quayle’s strong finish included birdies at the 17th and 18th, the last from over 100 feet.
Quayle, who is a former Queensland PGA Champion and a Japan Tour regular in recent years, was unlikely to challenge for the title given the amount of birdie opportunities remaining for those behind on the golf course but he had turned around a Japan Tour season which has seen him miss 15 cuts and lose his status there.
“Man, it’s been a pretty hard year, so it was sort of not really expected,” said Quayle. “I’ve sort of felt that my game has felt really good for the last few weeks now. I don’t even feel like it’s been as bad as what the scores have sort of shown, but the last few weeks especially has been really good.
“Been working really hard at it. It just feels so good to shoot something like that and just get some sort of reward. Yeah, it feels awesome. I feel so happy right now.”
Anthony Quayle on a roll early in the day – photo Australian Golf Media
By the time the leaders had reached the 10th tee things were beginning to take a very different look at the top of the leaderboard. Smylie had made the turn in 4 under 32 and after Smith had dropped shots at the 4th, 5th and 9th, he was out in 35 and Smylie headed to the 10th three ahead of Smith and Quayle.
Smylie was hanging tough and Smith’s game was not as sharp as it needed to be to catch the youngster. Smylie gave evidence with two impressive par saves, more especially at the short par 4 12th where he failed to reach the green in 2 but holed a 20-footer for par to remain three ahead.
Smylie was displaying composure beyond his experience, perhaps his sporting genes (his mum Liz a major doubles winner in tennis) assisting in keeping him settled in a week where a victory would establish himself on the world stage. A win would get him to the DP World Tour with full status and allow him to release his undoubted potential.
The first real chink in his armour came at the 14th when he seemingly failed to complete his backswing from the tee and found the trees left. Unfazed however he pitched out, hit his approach to 5 feet and holed to save par again.
When Smith bogeyed the same hole after he, too, had found the trees, the difference between the two was four shots but Smith was not about to give up his chance at a 4th PGA Championship title easily.
While Smylie was reeling off par after par, Smith birdied the par 5 15th and he moved back into a share of 2nd and three behind.
While everything appeared still in safe keeping for Smylie, it changed dramatically when Smith holed from behind the green at the short par 3 party hole and the difference was just two and instead of a last hole cruise to victory Smylie was under pressure.
When his drive found the right-hand trees at the last, the pressure became even greater but Smylie manufactured a ropy hook to find the greenside bunker and it was over to Smith to knock it close and force Smylie to save another par.
Unfortunately for Smith, he, too, found the bunker with his approach although his was, inexcusably, from the middle of the fairway and his chance had all but gone.
And so, Elvis Smylie is the 2024 BMW Australian PGA Champion and, with it, comes the European Tour access he has been chasing since turning professional three years ago and, most believe, so much more as one of Australia’s most exciting young prospects.
“To know that I have a job secured overseas now, it feels great,” said Smylie when asked about his new status. “Going into the start of the Australian season, I know there would be a lot of events in a row. For me, playing a lot of competitive golf is important because I wanted to continue to build. I feel like, as each week goes on, I’m getting competitively stronger.
“So, to have the opportunity to go overseas and play on the DP World Tour, where there are a lot more events in a row, I feel like it’s going to be great for me.”
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