CLASH OF THE TITANS ISSUE 215 // SEPTEMBER 2023 WWW.INSIDEGOLF.COM.AU AUSTRALIA’S M O S T - R E A D GOLF MAGAZINE WILL TEAM EUROPE RECLAIM THE RYDER CUP IN ITALY AND SAY ‘ARRIVEDERCI’ TO THE POWERFUL USA TEAM? TECH ON THE TEE THE LATEST GOLFING GADGETS TO HELP YOU PLAY YOUR BEST! CELEBRITY SWINGER CRICKETER TREVOR HOHNS 50TH ANNIVERSARY DEVILBEND GOLF CLUB WHERE ARE THEY NOW? RACHEL HETHERINGTON REGIONAL CLUB OF THE MONTH PARKES GOLF CLUB PUBLIC COURSE OF THE MONTH LITTLE PARA GOLF COURSE TRAVEL ADVENTURES MORNINGTON PENINSULA + NSW CENTRAL COAST GOLF HOLIDAY FOR GOLF CLUBS SENDING 14 GOLFERS OR 7 COUPLES - ONLY 5 WEEKS LEFT IN NOV & DEC 2023 Conditions apply. 7manata@gmail.com www.7manata.co.nz/golf FREEWEEK-LONG QUEENSTOWN REFER TO PAGE 92 FOR MORE DETAILS
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September 2023 www.insidegolf.com.au THE FIRST TEE 5 Past deal means ‘snub’ for Melbourne IT is an absolute conundrum as to why Melbourne golf galleries will miss out on hosting the Australian Open again after the relative success of the mixed and all-abilities event at Kingston Heath and Victoria last year. At last, Melbourne had prised the tournament away from Sydney where it seemed to have been staged for an eternity. And by and large the city responded with strong, appreciative crowds on each of the four days. Now, quite amazingly, the event is going back to Sydney, insiders at Golf Australia saying they had no alternative but to honour the last year of a mutli-year agreement set in stone with the NSW government to host the country’s national open. Regardless of the nuances of the deal, staging the tournament back in the Harbour City feels like a snub for Victoria. To me, biased or otherwise, Melbourne has always been the home of golf in Australia; not just because it has by a fair margin the best golf courses but also because galleries seem to understand the game better. Having said that, I would much prefer the Australian Open to be rotated around the country with every state given the chance to host the championship. But I feel this is an absolute pipe dream. So, we just have to grin and bear it. The ISPS HANDA Australian Open is returning to Sydney with The Australian and The Lakes golf clubs set to host the tournament from November 30 to December 3. Again, it will feature the continuation of the joint tournament format that will allow fans to see some of the best men and women golfers playing for different titles on the same course at the same time. In addition to the Men’s Australian Open and the Women’s Australian Open titles, the event will celebrate further inclusiveness through the Australian All-Abilities Championship. The men’s Open returns to The Australian for the first time since 2019, while the women’s Open homecoming to Sydney is 16 years in the making, with Royal Sydney Golf Club hosting the last event in the NSW capital when Karrie Webb was victorious. The Australian Golf Club will be the host venue across the four days with nearby The Lakes Golf Club selected as cohost for the first two days of play. The Australian is a Jack Nicklaus signature design and is well versed with the national men’s Open having hosted 21 times, including recent years in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2019. Equally, The Lakes is a seven-time host of the men’s Australian Open, including 1964, 1980, 1992, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2018. PUBLISHER: Sam Arthur | sam@insidegolf.com.au Outdoor Sports Publishing Pty Ltd ACN 113 836 301 ABN 30 043 104 919 PO BOX 437, Miami, QLD 4220 EDITORIAL: Editor: David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au NSW/ACT Journalist: Michael Court michael@insidegolf.com.au VIC/TAS Journalist: Michael Davis michael.davis@insidegolf.com.au QLD Journalist: Peter Owen peter.owen@outlook.com.au Design & Layout: Stacey Broomhead, Rob Kirk CONTRIBUTORS: Larry Canning, Paul Vardy, Rob Willis,Tony Webeck, John Riley, Karen Lunn, Michael Cooney, Andrew Crockett, Shawne McKenna SALES: National Sales: Sam Arthur P: 1300 4653 00 M: 0410 575 303 | E: sam@insidegolf.com.au Northen NSW/QLD/NT Sales: David Ross M: 0439 612 458 | E: david.ross@insidegolf.com.au NSW/ACT Corp Sales: David Andrews M: 0404 871 479 | E: david.andrews@insidegolf.com.au Sydney/NSW Sales: Michael Hamilton M: 0423 455 572 | E: michael.hamilton@insidegolf.com.au NSW Central Coast, Newcastle, Hunter Valley Sales: Wendy Wilkinson M: 0414 905 232 | E: wendy@insidegolf.com.au VIC/TAS Sales: Marc Wilson M: 0419 107 143 | E: marc@insidegolf.com.au WA Sales: Gary Powell M: 0439 350 363 | E: gary@insidegolf.com.au SA Sales: Brett Crosby M: 0403 323 198 | E: brett@insidegolf.com.au ACCOUNTS: Sheridan Murphy M: 1300 465 300 | E: accounts@insidegolf.com.au Distributed to over 400 golf clubs, social golf clubs, driving ranges and retailers Australia wide every month It’s official: 38,230 Inside Golf Magazines distributed each month for the period: October 2022 to March 2023 AUSTRALIA’S MOST-READ GOLF MAGAZINE www.insidegolf.com.au Cover photos: Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy Get in touch If you have an opinion on this or any other topic in the magazine, send your letter to the editor to david@insidegolf.com.au and you’ll be in the running to win a gripping prize. Inside Golf publishes opinion from a wide range of perspectives in the hope of promoting constructive debate about consequential questions. Michael Davis michael.davis@insidegolf.com.au The dual ISPS HANDA Australian Opens will carry a minimum of $3.4 million prizemoney. The men’s event will be co-sanctioned by the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tour – although we’re not sure how that will work following the détente with LIV Golf – hopefully ensuring Australian golf is on the world stage for two consecutive weeks of the summer. The Fortinet Australian PGA Championship will be staged at Royal Queensland the week before the Australian Open. The WPGA Tour of Australasia will again sanction the women’s event with the Patricia Bridges Bowl going to the winner, while the men will play for the Stonehaven Cup. This year’s Australian Open will also feature the fourth edition of the Australian All-Abilities Championship (AAAC), which assembles the top World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD) players supported by global partners EDGA and G4D Tour. Golf Australia’s chief executive officer James Sutherland was understandably spruiking the party line at the official announcement of the Open’s return to Sydney. “We’re incredibly excited to return to Sydney for this national event, and thankful to our partner, the NSW Government, for their long-standing support for the sport and the ISPS Handa Australian Open,” said Sutherland. “With fantastic golfing facilities and a city that features some of Australia’s most well-known icons and tourist destinations, we will enthusiastically welcome golf fans and event goers to this unique event in Sydney. “After such positive feedback last year, we’re pleased to be able to bring the tournament to Sydney and know that the mixed format of men’s, women’s and all-abilities in one tournament will be appreciated by fans from far and wide. “Last year the world-first national open format pushed boundaries and broke new ground for golf – the event will be further enhanced this year and will again talk to our commitment to growing golf as a sport for all.” DP World Tour chief tournament business officer Ben Cowen said: “We are delighted to see the ISPS HANDA Australian Open return to Sydney in an exciting format which gives fans the chance to witness some of the best men, women and all-abilities golfers tee it up on iconic Australian golf courses.” Good luck to them, but I reckon Melbourne can feel a little duped not to be given a second consecutive crack at staging the event. www.linkshopeisland.com.au
a set of Tour Edge Exotics E723 Series IN THIS ISSUE PRO NEWS 07 83 86 NSW CENTRAL COAST EVENTS BUNKER-TOBUNKER 33 CELEBRITY SWINGER 36 IG BUSINESS CLUB NEWS MORNINGTON PENINSULA 52 38 76 INDUSTRY NEWS 26 LETTERS 34 TRAVEL 70 CLUB NEWS NEW GEAR 56 88 90 19TH HOLE DEMO DAYS 91 GOLF DIRECTORY September 2023 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 6 WIN ONE lucky Inside Golf reader will win a Tour Edge Exotics E723 set, which includes a driver, fairway, hybrid, 4-PW and Tour Edge Staff Bag. The complete set is valued at $3787 and is based on steel or graphite shafts. The Tour Edge E723 series comprises cutting-edge technologies that prioritises distance, forgiveness, and innovative technology. The E723 Driver boasts a groundbreaking low rearward CG, yielding an impressive MOI of 5600 g/cm2, a record for Tour Edge. Personalised directional flight bias is achievable through the Flight Tuning System, which features a 20-gram adjustable weight. The integration of 360-degree Ridgeback™ and Diamond Face VFT™ technologies enhances power and feel while expanding the sweet spot. For forgiveness and distance, the E723 Fairway and Hybrid incorporate RyzerSole Technology for low CG, high launch, and maximum ball speed. The MOI+ system’s adjustable 10-gram weight boosts MOI by 5%, enhancing stability and resistance to impact twisting. Employing Diamond Face VFT on Maraging Steel Faces, these clubs achieve faster ball speeds and an expanded sweet spot. The Carbon Crown Design adds power and lowers CG, elevating performance. The E723 Irons are distance-focused with VIBRCOR™ technology, where TPU injections into the undercut pocket enhance speed, feel, and forgiveness. Visible VIBRCOR on the back further refines the experience, providing a forged iron-like feel within an extreme game improvement iron. Diamond Face VFT technology, combined with variable face thickness and diamond shapes, generates mini trampolines for greater ball speed and a more extensive sweet spot. The Extreme Toe Weighting elongates the sweet spot, bolstering MOI and CG positioning. Altogether, the Tour Edge E723 series offers golfers powerful performance, feel, and forgiveness, catering to those seeking to elevate their game. Remember readers, you have to be in it to win it! To enter: visit www.insidegolf.com.au/competitions Entries close on September 30, 2023. Visit adventures.allianceairlines.com.au Email adventures@allianceairlines.com.au Phone 0400 788 398 DIRECT BRISBANE to KING ISLAND FLIGHTS “BOARD IN BRISBANE, STEP OFF IN TASMANIA’S GOLFING WONDERLAND” • 3 Rounds x Cape Wickham/Ocean Dunes • Alliance Airlines flights + transfers • Top Accommodation • Crayfish welcome dinner • Hosted great 3-day packages NOVeMBer 11-12 aNd deceMBer 10-11 $3,399 per persON twiN share Stars cashing in WHILE Cam Smith has been cashing in on the LIV Tour, those Aussies who remained loyal to the PGA Tour weren’t too shabby in the pay stakes with six finishing inside the top 125 when the 2022-23 tour season ended. Jason Day led the way for the Aussies banking US$6.9m from 23 starts. Cam Davis (26 starts) earned more than US$4m followed by Adam Scott (15 starts) with just over US$3m. Min Woo Lee played 13 events and took home US$2.4m while Aaron Baddeley pocketed US$1.2m and Lucas Herbert earned just over US$1m from his 15 starts. Fellow Aussies Harrison Endycott and Cam Percy did not finish inside the top 125 on the money list, but still pocketed US$767,268 and US$502,108 respectively. Still, it’s a long way short of what world No.1 Scottie Scheffler banked. The American set a new record, US$21m, and was 22-for-22 cuts made. He posted 16 top 10s and had two victories – the WM Phoenix Open and the Players Championship. Scheffler wasn’t the only one counting zeroes on his bank account. Jon Rahm was second on the list with US$16.5m. Viktor Hovland was next at US$14.1m and Rory McIlroy fourth with US$13.9m. Another three surpassed US$10m in earnings: Wyndham Clark (US$10.7), Max Homa (US$10.5) and Patrick Cantlay (US$10.3).
September 2023 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 7 Just call him ‘Major’ Scottie Scheffler THE race to find the best player from the four majors – the US Masters, US PGA Championship, US Open and the Open Championship – started when 84 players teed it up at the Masters in April. When Open champion Brian Harman rolled in the final putt to lift the Claret Jug at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in England, just 12 players were left in the race to be crowned ‘Best Player in the Majors’. The 36-year-old Harman was not one of them. When the final scores were counted, it was world number one and 2022 Masters champion Scottie Scheffler who finished atop the fourmajors leaderboard courtesy of three top 10 results and one T25 finish. The American finished T10 (Masters), T2 (US PGA), third (US Open) and T23 (Open Championship). Going into the final major Scheffler and Brooks Koepka were tied on 18-under-par and, in fact, remained tied going into the final round of the Open, but Koepka, who won the US PGA in May, faded to finish T64th and dropped to fourth place. Still, Koepka, a five-time major champion who plays mostly LIV Golf tournaments, did lead the money list with more than $US5m thanks to a T2 placing at the Masters, winning the US PGA, T17 at the US Open and T64 at the Open. Norwegian Viktor Hovland finished runnerup to Scheffler courtesy of a T7, T2, 19th and T13 in the majors. Spaniard Jon Rahm, who was the early leader after winning the Masters, was third. David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au Former Open champions Collin Morikawa and Shane Lowry, Dustin Johnson and Tony Finau made it through to the Open Championship but they had the weekend off leaving 12 players chasing the ‘Best Player in the Majors’ title including Kiwi Ryan Fox. As for US Open winner Wyndham Clark, well, he did not qualify because he did not play the Masters. And Brian Harman, just the third left-hander to win the Open after Bob Charles (1963) and NAME FOUR MAJOR SCORES TOTAL TO PAR MONEY (US) Scottie Scheffler 284-273-273-284 18 under $3,507,020 Viktor Hovland 282-273-280-281 16 under $2,594,237 Jon Rahm 276-287-277-277 15 under $3,797,268 Brooks Koepka 280-271-279-292 10 under $5,048,690 Xander Schauffele 284-282-277-282 7 under $1,273,993 Patrick Cantlay 285-279-278-285 5 under $1,214,456 Tommy Fleetwood 291-282-275-280 4 under $1,367,934 Cameron Smith 292-279-274-285 2 under $1,632,860 Hideki Matsuyama 286-285-283-281 3 over $763,770 Patrick Reed 281-282-288-285 4 over $1,086,933 Tyrrell Hatton 292-281-282-283 6 over $681,085 Ryan Fox 288-283-285-288 12 over $413,570 Scottie Scheffler finished top of the pops after 16 major rounds. – Photo: PGA Tour. Phil Mickelson (2013), missed the Masters and US PGA Championship cuts. It was good to see an international mix of players making it including five Yanks (Scottie Scheffler, Brooks Koepka, Xander Schauffle, Patrick Cantlay and Patrick Reed), Englishmen (Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrell Hatton), Norwegian (Viktor Hovland), Aussie Cam Smith, Spain’s Jon Rahm, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and New Zealand’s Ryan Fox. Viktor Hovland pushed Scheffler all the way to the finish line. Unfortunately, he had to be satisfied with a 50th place finish at the US PGA Championship and that cruelled his chances. Australia’s best player, Cameron Smith, was the only Aussie to make the cut in all the majors. He tied for 34th at the Masters, T9 (US PGA), fourth (US Open) and T33 (Open). Australia’s other big hope, Adam Scott, dropped out of the race when he missed the cut at the US Open as did Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, Max Homa and others. What happened to four-time major winner Rory? Well, Mr McIlroy was an early casualty when he missed the Masters cut alongside Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Thomas and former champions Sergio Garcia and Bubba Watson. Tiger Woods and Louis Oosthuizen withdrew before a ball was struck in anger. DistributeD by golf imports | 03 5277 3977
Your experts in golf Elevate your game with the experts in golf. Scan the QR code to find your local PGA Professional or visit pga.org.au PGA Professional: Michael Long, Wembley Golf Club
September 2023 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 9 Scott Laycock to lead Australia at Four Nations Asian Tour Q-School for Australia, US THE highly anticipated 2024 Asian Tour Qualifying School is set to be held across six different venues in three countries over a span of five months, starting in September. Apart from its regular destination in Thailand, the Asian Tour Qualifying School will also be staged in the United States for the second straight year and is set to make a welcome return to Australia following a 17-year lapse. The first stage of the Q-School will consist of six events, with the first to be played ‘Down Under’ at the Mt Derrimut Golf & Community Club in Victoria from September 26-29, while the Soboba Springs Golf Club in California will host the next stop from November 7-10. Thailand, which has such a strong association with the Q-School, will stage the ensuing events at Grand Prix Golf Club, Kanchanaburi from December 12-15, and Pattana Sports Resort, Chonburi from December 19-22. The final two first stage qualifiers will be played simultaneously from January 9-12 at the Phoenix Gold Golf Bangkok and Grand Prix Golf Club. Each event will be played over four rounds, with the top-placed finishers earning places in the final qualifying stage to be played in Thailand from January 16-20. The top-35 will earn their cards for the 2024 Asian Tour season with the venue for the final qualifying stage to be announced in due course. TASMANIAN-BASED pro Scott Laycock has been named captain of the Australian squad to play in the Four Nations Cup at Moonah Links against teams from South Africa, Canada and New Zealand this month. The Four Nations Cup is a professional tournament with a difference. To be eligible for selection, players must be a Full Vocational Member of the PGA of their respective country and not hold a full tour card. Laycock, a teaching pro at Royal Hobart GC, had a long and successful career as a touring pro gaining four tour victories, playing in three majors and climbing as high as 69th on the Official World Golf Ranking. The 51-year-old, who finished full-time touring life in 2016, won last year’s PGA Professionals Championship National Final at Yarra Yarra Golf Club and will be joined in the Australian team by the next three placegetters in that event – TJ King, Jayden Cripps and Bradley McLellan. Laycock’s only previous golf captaincy experience is limited to being assistant captain for the great Peter Thomson at the Dongfeng Cup, a teams’ event pitting the Asia-Pacific against China. And the challenge of leading the Aussies at Moonah Links is one he’s keen for. “The Asian Tour added a new Qualifying School site in the United States for the first time last year and we received immediate interest with the site filling up in a matter of days,” said Asian Tour Commissioner and CEO Cho Minn Thant. “It made complete sense to look at other regions from which we typically see a large number of entrants. Australia was the natural candidate. “A first stage qualifying event being played in Australia reflects increased interest in the Asian Tour and our need to broaden Qualifying School’s reach. “It also demonstrates the strong bond we have always enjoyed with Australia’s talent pool year in and year out. This way we can help lessen the burden if travelling for Stage 1.” The final qualifying stage will be played over five rounds. The top 140 players (and ties) after 36 holes will progress to rounds three and four. The top 70 players (and ties) after 72 holes will play in the decisive final round, which will be held on January 20. At the conclusion of 90 holes, the top 35 will be ranked accordingly for the 2024 season. Many of the Asian Tour’s most successful golfers have ascended through the Qualifying School including Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee (1999) and Kiradech Aphibarnrat (2009), Australian Scott Hend (2007), and American John Catlin (2018). “It’s exciting. I’m really looking forward to it,” the two-time PGA Tour of Australasia winner said. “I’ve never been a captain of any team; unless you count being captain of a soccer team when I was 13 or 14 years old.” King, who is based at Mt Coolum GC on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, is the only member to back up from representing Australia in the inaugural Four Nations Cup at the Kyalami Country Club in South Africa. McLellan is currently based at Cool Clubs Melbourne, while Cripps has been focussing on the playing side of the game after previously being based at The Ridge in Sydney’s south. The Four Nations Cup will be contested over six rounds with each team playing three single matchplay rounds and three fourball matchplay rounds from September 18-21. Scott Laycock in action ahead of the Four Nations Cup. – Photo: PGA of Australia. 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September 2023 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 11 Seven to make waves this summer PROFESSIONAL golf, like surfing, is about momentum. When you’re sitting in the line-up, you spot an opportunity and it’s your time to take off, how you maximise the wave that sweeps through determines success or failure. It’s when preparation meets opportunity; when instinct and training meld effortlessly and you ride that momentum for as long as you can. When Victorian David Micheluzzi birdied three of his final four holes at the WA PGA Championship in the desert of Kalgoorlie last October, it set off a chain of events that has since taken him around the world. Subsequent wins at TPS Sydney and the NSW Open didn’t just earn Micheluzzi the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit crown, it opened doors to a PGA Tour debut and major championship appearances at both the US PGA Championship and Open Championship at Royal Liverpool. It was a summer slam not seen for almost 20 years and opened the eyes of his contemporaries to what’s possible. Here are seven players expected to line up for their own endless summer. Louis Dobbelaar: It’s been 18 months since Dobbelaar burst onto the scene and threatened to dominate the Aussie tour in the manner of Micheluzzi last year. He was third at the Australian PGA won by Jed Morgan in January 2022, third again a week later at the Queensland PGA and then fifth at TPS Hunter Valley seven weeks later. Dobbelaar endured a difficult period thereafter but broke through at the NZ PGA in March. Expect that to be his springboard into a big season. Brett Coletta: One of the “can’t miss” kids who had their progress disrupted by Covid-19, in. Winner of the SP PNG Open in his rookie season in 2018, the Sydneysider with the quirky swing has regularly been in contention of late and recently won the NT PGA Championship after four top 20 finishes last year including runner-up to Micheluzzi at TPS Sydney. Expect to see more good results over summer. Haydn Barron: Last year’s Rookie of the Year has now played a major championship as he endeavours to take his game to the next level. Barron’s eagle at the 72nd hole and tie for fourth at the Australian Open secured his spot at The Open Championship where he missed the cut with rounds of 74-77. His game is developing quickly; a shot of confidence could be all it needs to take him over the edge. Lawry Flynn: Any player who flirts with 59 in a tour event is one worth watching. A lefthanded flusher from Dalby west of Brisbane, Flynn won the Malaysian Amateur Open in 2019 and won the Maroochy River Pro-Am in his pro debut in 2021. He went 63-62 in the middle rounds to play his way into the final group at the WA Open last October and then became just the fourth player to shoot 60 in a PGA Tour of Australasia event in round 3 of TPS Sydney in February. His time is coming. Maverick Antcliff: An extraordinary run on the China Tour in 2019 brought Antcliff to the attention of the golf world. In 11 successive events he won three times, was runner-up once, third once and top 10 a further four times, winning the Order of Merit with almost double the prizemoney of his nearest challenger. It earned Antcliff a spot on the DP World Tour where he finished tied for third at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open in his rookie season in 2020. He was second at the Canary Islands Championship the following season but has endured a difficult run the past two years. A summer on home soil might be just the spark he needs. Lachlan Barker: Look beyond Barker’s victory at the season-opening PNG Open in May and you will see a player who has been building towards something big. The Malaysian Amateur Open champion in 2016, Barker joined Iowa State University in 2017 and over the next five years compiled a stroke average of 72.06, the second-best in school history. He missed a playoff at the Queensland PGA by two strokes and now has a win on tour to his name. The world awaits. Coletta narrowly missed PGA Tour promotion via the Korn Ferry Tour in 2019. He had just two top-10s in 31 starts across the 2020 and 2021 seasons before recapturing the type of form that made him one of the world’s top amateurs. He was runner-up at the Vic PGA and then shot a course record nine-under par 61 in the final round of TPS Hunter Valley to tie Lincoln Tighe and ultimately win in a playoff. The international scene beckons again. Daniel Gale: You can only knock on the door so many times before it completely caves Louis Dobbelaar – one of the players looking to make the most of the summer of golf in Australia.
September 2023 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 12 Strong tour excites Kirkman THE cynics can put their cues in the rack for another 12 months. The local tour is up-and-running again with a plethora of strong events before and after Christmas continuing to provide pathways to the international stage for aspiring Australian professionals. And it has been no mean feat given the tough economic climate both here and overseas. That is why nobody blamed PGA chief executive Gavin Kirkman for barely being able to conceal his excitement at the recent official announcement of the tournaments which will be played over the upcoming Australian spring and summer. “We are very excited by the schedule for the 2023-24 season as we watch golf continue to boom in Australia,” Kirkman told guests at Sandhurst Golf Club in Melbourne for the tour launch. “The opportunities and pathways this schedule will provide both our current and next generation of superstars continues to be a main focus and we can’t wait to see who the next David Micheluzzi will be post the 2023-24 season. “From the start of October through to December, there will be a PGA Michael Davis michael.davis@insidegolf.com.au Tour of Australasia tournament to attend in person or watch on television almost every week, highlighting the elite players in our game on some great golf courses. “The Fortinet Australian PGA Championship and ISPS Handa Australian Open will again undoubtedly be highlights of Australia’s sporting summer as we look to build on what we achieved with those two tournaments last year. “Thanks to our co-sanctioning agreement with the DP World Tour we will see a great mix of homegrown and international talent.” The PGA Tour of Australasia continues to grow its schedule, showcasing the country’s best professionals in events being staged across six states and territories last month and in October, November and December. The first half of the 2023-2024 season will offer a total of $5.45 million in prizemoney and is highlighted by the two Australian major events, which form part of the start of the DP World Tour’s 2024 Race to Dubai – the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club (November 23-26) and the ISPS Handa Australian Open for men and women, as well as the Australian All Abilities Championship, at The Australian and The Lakes (November 30-December 3). There’s a new home for the WA Open which will be held at the Joondalup Resort (October 5-8) as the first of consecutive weeks in professional golf in the west. The resort’s Quarry and Lake nines will be in play for the first WA Open at Joondalup since 1987. It will also incorporate a 36-hole All Abilities Championship. The tour will then visit a familiar location, Kalgoorlie Golf Course, which will host the WA PGA Championship from October 12-15. Joining the schedule as part of the innovative Webex Players Series is the inaugural TPS South Australia hosted by Greg Blewett which will be held in the famous wine region of McLaren Vale at Willunga Golf Club from October 19-22. TPS South Australia will break new ground as the first mixed event, where men and women compete on the same course for the same trophy and prizemoney, to be held in the state. It will also be the first PGA Tour of Australasia tournament in South Australia since 2007. After the first TPS South Australia, it’s the Sunshine State’s turn with the Queensland PGA Championship at Nudgee Golf Club in Brisbane on November 2-5. Victorian golf fans will then have the chance to see back-to-back tournaments in their state – the Gippsland Super 6 at Warragul Country Club (November 9-12) and the Victorian PGA Championship at Moonah Links (November 1619), which is the last event before the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland. Building on the recent success of its tournament broadcast coverage, which has brought the tour and its new era of stars onto screens across the country and overseas, all of the PGA Tour of Australasia events in October and November will continue to be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo, with the two Australian major tournaments, the PGA and Open, also simulcast on Nine and 9Now. The post-Christmas PGA Tour schedule will be announced in coming weeks. Gavin Kirkman says there is a new pathway for players to follow. David Micheluzzi has made the transition to the DP World Tour. – Photo courtesy PGA of Australia. NOOSA SPRINGS GOLF & SPA RESORT Noosa Springs Golf & Spa Resort's championship course is located in the heart of Noosa. Play & Stay, just minutes from the main beach and vibrant Hastings Street. For more information scan the QR code, visit www.noosasprings.com.au or phone 07 5440 3333 Open everyday to everyone.... 1800 630 343 Email: sales@travelrite.com.au • www.travelrite.com.au 2 to 11 August 2024 Great value golf tour to St. Andrews, Scotland with a chance of playing the Old Course. Stay in St. Andrews and play as many times as you like on the Links Courses – New, Jubilee, Castle, Eden, Strathyrum and Balgove throughout the trip. Also play Kingsbarns and Fairmont Kittocks as well as Gleneagles – often described as the best golf course in the Highland ESCORTED BY ROBERT STOCK GOLF TOUR St Andrews
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September 2023 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 14 Ryder Cup showdown looms large RORY vs Scheffler! Jon Rahm vs Brooks Koepka! Captain Luke Donald vs captain Zach Johnson! Can the Ryder Cup of 2023 get any better than that? Short answer: You bet it can! The United States are defending champions – having hammered the Europeans at Whistling Straits two years ago. But wait! This time it’s being played in Europe, at the Marco Simone Golf Club in Rome. The first time it has been played in Italy and certain to bring the most parochial of crowds to witness golf’s biggest event of the year. And guess what? With or without LIV players in their ranks, the Europeans can win. Granted, the absence of England’s Ian Poulter and almost certainly American Patrick Reed might take a fair bit of the ‘needle’ out of the event. They’re both players that their opponents love to hate … and beat. Team Europe made the decision early on not to pick any LIV players so that’s ‘arrivederci’ to Poulter as well as Cup legends like Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood. The cocky Americans, on the other hand, in their desperation to hang onto the Cup have agreed that LIV stars like Brooks Koepka and probably ‘Mr 58’ Bryson Dechambeau can play. Is that enough to turn back the European challenge? I think not. Michael Court michael@insidegolf.com.au American skipper Zach Johnson has some very handy vice-captains in Steve Stricker, Davis Love III, Jim Furyk and Fred Couples to keep him on top of things during the Cup, which runs from September 25 to October 1. Yet you could also argue that European captain Luke Donald, thrown into the deep end when Henrik Stenson lost his captaincy spot for joining LIV, will have just as much support with the like of Thomas Bjorn (a former winning captain), Nicolas Colsaerts and Italian Edoardo Molinari as his deputies. If you look at the Cup certainties from both sides, there is barely a struck match between them. It will be great theatre to watch the likes of McIlroy, Rahm, Hovland and Fleetwood take on the US big guns like Scheffler, Koepka, Schauffele and Cantlay. While the Cup may be won or lost there, I prefer to suggest it is in the lower-rated players that will really decide who takes home the Cup this year. That’s where the spectators may come into play and will need to do their bit. The last time the Ryder Cup was played on European soil, in France in 2018, more than 270,000 spectators flooded Le Golf National. That Cup reached more than 600 million homes with more than 160 countries tuning in to watch the events live on television. Certainly, this Ryder Cup is the ideal tool for promoting a sport that boasts 65 million players worldwide. Even Australian golfers walk and talk it (and cheer for Europe, mostly). So, to the golf course: Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, designed by the famous architect Jim Fazio, and completely renewed by Tom Fazio II and European Golf Design to host this year’s Cup. This course has already hosted three editions of the Italian Open as well as some other important professional and amateur tournaments. Measuring 7299 metres, with a par of 72, it unfolds in an exceptionally-large area, giving the players a real sense of freedom. Its proximity to Rome is regarded as an added attraction to visiting Marco Simone Golf and Country Club. Like Le Golf National, this course’s amphitheatre, as well as lakes, shape the landscape and create some spectacular views. It can comfortably host 50,000 visitors a day. So where will the Cup be won and lost? Well, some key holes will definitely be the second and the 15th, for varying reasons. The second can give these champion players the chance for an early lead. It’s a 435m par-4 indexed as the hardest hole on the course and can certainly set up a streak for the best players in the world. A long dogleg left par-4, there’s a bunker on the central line of the hole. According to the golf instructors at Marco Simone, these experienced golfers can play over the bunker with a good drive, leaving a medium iron to reach the green. For those who choose the safest line on the right side of the fairway, it will require a long iron for their second shot, paying attention to the bunker positioned 40m before the green. Still, it is the 15th hole where many matches may be decided. With a stroke index of two, the second-hardest hole on the course, measuring 438m, is a long uphill par-4 starting from above with a slight dogleg right. According to the experts, the way to play this hole for these ‘experienced’ masters of the game, is to keep to the left side of the fairway to avoid ending up in the bunker positioned on the right side. Then there’s a second shot, with a medium iron, to reach the flag. A poor tee shot – and let’s be honest, under pressure, there could be a few, leaves players with a long iron to the green and brings three bunkers protecting the green on the right side into play. And should they all make it to the final holes. Well, the 17th is a pretty par-3 with water encroaching on the left-side of the green and could again bring some drama if the players get too greedy and go for a left-side flag. The final hole is a par-5 that these superstars can reach in two – if they have a crack. Measuring 570m, this hole has a wide fairway that allows powerful players to reach the green with the second shot – as long as they’re careful of the water hazard front left of the green. Bring it on! The Cup may be won by someone in the last group; on the final hole. And we can’t wait. RYDER CUP TEAM SELECTION THE US Team will be made up from the top six eligible players in the points rankings with six captain’s picks. The European Team will be made up from the top three eligible players from the European Points List, the top three eligible players from the World Points List and six captain’s picks. RYDER CUP SCORING EACH match is worth one point, with matches ending in a tie worth ½ point to each side. The first team to reach 14 ½ points wins the Ryder Cup. If the matches end in a 14-14 tie, the team holding the Ryder Cup retains it. Points: The three days of the matches consist of 28 total matches, each of which is worth one point. There are no extra holes in Ryder Cup matches. Should the two sides be tied after 18 holes, each side earns a half point. Claiming the Cup: To win the Ryder Cup outright, a team must collect 14 ½ of the 28 points available. In the case of a 14-14 tie, the winning team from the previous Ryder Cup retains the trophy. Conclussion: Unlike stroke play, players don’t have to complete each hole in match play. If a player concedes a stroke – almost always a putt – to his opponent, the opponent picks up his ball, takes the score he would have made on the next stroke and moves on to the next hole. Rory McIlroy – Team Europe. – Photo: Getty Images. Brooks Koepka – Team USA.
September 2023 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 15 Play it again, Sam S COTLAND’S Sam Torrance loves the Ryder Cup. After all, he represented Europe eight times between 19811995 and was the man of the moment in 1985 when he helped Europe defeat the powerful American team for the first time in 28 years. It was Torrance who sank the winning putt on the 18th green at The Belfry in England to deprive the Yanks. He also was a member of Cupwinning teams in 1987. That year Europe won on American soil for the first time. In 2002, Torrance was the European team’s non-playing captain and led his team to victory at The Belfry, which made him the second European to sink the winning putt and captain a winning team at separate Ryder Cups. The great Seve Ballesteros was the first to do it in 1987 (as a player) and 1997 (as captain). A winner of 46 professional events including the 1980 Australian PGA Championship at Royal Melbourne, Torrance also represented Scotland 11 times at the World Cup and nine times at the Alfred Dunhill Cup. Recently AceOdds (aceodds.com) caught up with Torrance, 70, to ask him a few questions about his Ryder Cup experiences, winning the Australian PGA and more. What was your favourite Ryder Cup moment? Being captain, by a million miles. That was extremely special. Playing in it is obviously very meaningful and exciting and rewarding, but to be the captain, win or lose, was beyond belief to be honest. What were the biggest challenges you faced as captain? Speeches. There was nothing that bothered me, every other aspect of it, picking the clothing, putting the teams out was great. Being friends with them, talking to them. Every aspect of the Ryder Cup I looked forward to. But the opening and closing ceremonies terrified me. I got some great help from a guy called David Purdie (a Scotsman), who I heard speaking at the Sunningdale centenary dinner. He was magnificent. As soon as he finished, I went up and introduced myself and he says, ‘yes Sam, I know who you are’. I said, ‘well, I want you to help me with the Ryder Cup’ and he looked at me and said: ‘But Sam, I’m an amateur.’ I didn’t want him to play! But he was magnificent in helping me … just little things. I spent a lot of time with him in the years building up and that was a huge help. Italy was selected to host the Ryder Cup for the first time, and 90 per cent of tickets sold have been to foreigners (non-Italians). What do you make of that? Yeah, I don’t know how that happened. But I suppose if 10 per cent went to the Italians then that’s quite a lot of tickets. But that’s political so I have no idea how that happened. Do you think the nature of the country that hosts it influences the event? Well, they’ll certainly be eating very well and drinking very well. The nature of the Italians. Yeah, of course. France was magnificent, the cultures are there. But in the end, it’ll just be these 12 guys against the other 12 on a golf course and let the best team win. It will be fantastic. And what was your biggest career highlight? Well, captain of the Ryder Cup, but as a player, winning the Australian PGA on Royal Melbourne, which is an incredible golf course. I’ve been very lucky. I won at Royal Melbourne and in the Irish Open. And won twice at St Andrews – one with my son. That was very special. What was your most memorable shot? I think the 1998 French Open on the 17th at the Le Golf National, where the Ryder Cup was played in 2018. I think I was tied for the lead with two holes to go. The 18 is a par5, and 17 was kind of the toughest on the course. I hit a seven-wood to a foot to make birdie. I needed just a five at the last to win it and did so that was probably the most memorable one. And it was actually my last win on the European Tour, so I wasn’t a spring chicken. Open or the Dunhill. It’s so busy, restaurants are full, and you have the freedom of just wandering about this wonderful little city with this golf course that virtually comes up the high street is quite amazing. Footnote: Next month Sam Torrance tells us who were his toughest opponents, funny moments in golf and more. And what is your favourite golf course? St Andrews. I love the Open at St Andrews. I love the Dunhill Cup and the Dunhill Links. I loved everything about St Andrews. I actually built a golf course there and spent three months living in the town. It’s such a fabulous place. You actually see it then when you’re playing in the Ryder Cup legend Sam Torrance. https://www.parmaker.com
September 2023 www.insidegolf.com.au ON TOUR 18 How Brian Harman and his Spider tamed Royal Liverpool IT was four-time Open Championship winner Bobby Locke who coined the phrase ‘you drive for show, but putt for dough’. And that’s exactly what Ricky Ponting’s doppelgänger Brian Harman did to win the 151st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in England. Harman had a major title on his mind, momentum on his side and the Claret Jug in his sights as he entered the final round of The Open. Not a long-hitter of the golf ball, Harman held a five-shot lead over big-hitting American Cameron Young but what was telling: his uncanny knack to hole putts from inside 10 feet. At just 5’7” (170cm), Harman stands five inches shorter than Young and on average 25 metres shorter off the tee, but on the putting surfaces Harman was a giant rolling in putts Tiger-like. The 36-year-old left-hander made 48 of 49 putts from inside 10 feet (3.5m). David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au Prior to using the device, Harman said he had been considering ditching his trusty TaylorMade Spider putter. Now it won’t leave his bag courtesy of his Open Championship putting performance. He took just 23 and 26 putts in rounds one and two and his 106 total putts were the fewest by an Open winner in the past 20 years. Harman led the field in Strokes Gained: Putting (+11.57). As Larry ‘Long-Ball’ Canning would say: “That is what is called rolling your pill.” Harman said: “You have to love making putts more than you hate three putting. You have to be thinking about making it rather than worrying about what is going to happen. “I used to tell people I missed a lot of putts that I thought I was going to make, but I have never made one I thought I was going to miss. So, it’s self-confidence and believing you can make that putt. “It’s contact with the putter that is the most important thing. You have to hit it in the same spot. Putting is not rocket science. It’s not like hitting a 300-yard drive.” About Brian Harman Name: Brian Eric Harman Age: 36 Height: 1.7m Education: University of Georgia Spouse: Kelly Children: 3 Highest ranking: 10 PGA Tour starts: 340 Cuts made: 235 PGA Tour wins: 3 Career earnings: $US31,967,672 Golf is the only thing he does left-handed. Biggest thrill outside golf is bow hunting. Always uses a quarter (25c piece) to mark his ball. Follows all Atlanta pro teams and the Georgia Bulldogs. All family members are world-class scuba divers and spear-fishers. What’s in his bag? A complete list of the golf equipment Brian Harman used to win the Open Championship. Driver: Titleist TSi2 (9 degrees) Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD IZ 5 S 3-wood: Titleist Tsi2 (13.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Speeder 661 Evolution II S Irons: Titleist U-500 (3,4), Titleist 620 CB (5-PW) Shafts: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 90 (3-5), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S300 (6-PW) Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM9 (50-08F, 54-08M, 60-04L) Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 Putter: TaylorMade Spider OS CB Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Ball: Titleist Pro V1 Left-handed major winners Bob Charles (NZ) Open Championship (1963) Phil Mickelson (US) Masters (2004-2006-2010) US PGA (2005 and 2021) Open Championship (2013) Mike Weir (Canada) Masters (2003) Bubba Watson (US) (2012 and 2014) Brian Harman (US) Open Championship (2023) Last five wins by left-handed players on Tour Brian Harman 2023 Open Championship Garrick Higgo 2021 Palmetto Championship at Congaree Phil Mickelson 2021 PGA Championship Phil Mickelson 2021 2019 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Bubba Watson 2018 Travelers Championship Last five wins by six shots or more on Tour Brian Harman Open 6 Ryan Brehm Puerto Rico Open 6 Bryson DeChambeau 2020 US Open 6 Dustin Johnson 2020FedEx St Jude Ch 11 Joaquin Niemann 2019 Greenbrier Classic 6 Last five players to earn first major title Brian Harman 2023 Open Championship Wyndham Clark 2023 US Open Cameron Smith 2022 Open Championship Matt Fitzpatrick 2022 US Open Scottie Scheffler 2022 Masters SPIDERMAN: Brian Harman weathered the storm at Royal Liverpool Golf Club and exited a major champion. The victory moved Harman from No. 26 to No. 10 in the Official World Golf Ranking, the highest position of his career and he moved from No. 18 to No. 6 in the FedExCup standings. For Harman, it was his third PGA Tour victory after winning the John Deere Classic in 2014 and the Wells Fargo Championship in 2017. WHO’S WHO? Brian Harman (right) has an uncanny resemblance to cricketer Ricky Ponting. That statistic helped him to a winning 271 total (13-under par) and a six-shot win over runners-up Jason Day, Tom Kim, Jon Rahm and Sepp Straka with Young finishing in a tie for eighth on five-under par. Going into the last round, Harman was asked what he credited to his wonderful putting performance, but the quiet American didn’t reveal his secret – at least not until he’d secured victory and lifted the Claret Jug. He told reporters he had been using a training aid to help with his stroke. “It’s a silly looking mirror where it’s got like a little better release pattern,” said Harman. Apparently, he pulled it out of his farmhouse shed. “I was just kind of cutting my putts too much,” he added. “I spent a lot of time just feeling the ball, almost hitting like a baby draw with my putter, and it’s been really, really good the last month or so.” En route to Open victory, Harman, who has always believed in his ability, scored one eagle, 17 birdies, 48 pars and six bogeys. “I have always had self-belief that I could do something like this,” he said. “It takes so much time and it’s hard not to let your mind faulter. “Maybe I’m not winning again. I’m 36 years old, the game is getting younger with all these young guys coming out, hitting it a mile and are ready to win. “When is it going to be my turn again? “It’s been hard to deal with. Someone mentioned I have had more top 10s than anyone since 2017 so that is a lot of times when you get out here a say ‘dammit, I had that one and it didn’t happen’. “I don’t know why it happened this week but I’m grateful it happened.” Harman said oftentimes pro golfers doubt themselves in a tough sport. “Amateurs ask us all the time what we think about and I say you don’t want to know,” he said. “Sometimes it’s super dark but you have to let that stuff go and that it is part of the human brain and deal with it. “Golf can be hard, but you have to understand the peaks and valleys – know what the valleys feel like and find a way to climb back up. “That’s the beauty of this sport. It’s individual and you are the one that has to make your mind up and change things. That’s what I enjoy about golf. “About 99.9 per cent of people will never know what it’s like to catch a pass in a football game or hit a home run but in golf everyone gets a taste of what it feels like to be great even if it’s just for an instant.” “You have to love making putts more than you hate three putting. You have to be thinking about making it rather than worrying about what is going to happen.”
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