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August 2024 www.insidegolf.com.au THE FIRST TEE 5 Will the ‘stars’ show for the Australian golfing summer? THE recent announcements of a major sponsor for the Australian PGA Championship, the two courses set to host the Australian Open, the increased purse for the NSW Open and the summer tournament schedule, had my thoughts drifting back to days gone by. Back to a time before the US PGA Tour extended their schedule to run year-round, overlapping a period traditionally reserved for international tournaments in Australia, South Africa and to a lesser extent Asia, a time when LIV was a long way from being a thing, and when there was enough money in the kitty to attract the biggest names in golf to visit our shores and compete in our signature events. My first memories of watching big time golf was at the 1982 Australian Open at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney when the late, great, Bob Shearer took down Jack Nicklaus and Payne Stewart in a final day shootout. It was way back when the ball didn’t travel obscene distances and when drivers were made of wood, requiring golfers to strike the ball in the middle of the face to make it go long and straight, Shearer clinching victory by striping a long iron over the water and into the middle of the green on the par-five 18th hole. Amongst the crowd adjacent to the green, while excited to see Shearer win, I was mesmerized by the power, skill and nerve of Nicklaus, who was still good enough to win a US Masters some four years later, along with Stewart, a young up-and-comer who would later become a major champion. A year prior I watched the TV coverage when reigning British Open champion Bill Rogers won our national Open at the Victoria Golf Club, while going further back in time, Nicklaus, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, would make regular visits to our shores. Player was a seven-time Australian Open champion, Nicklaus a winner on six occasions and going even further back the great Bobby Locke battled the likes of Norman Von Nida, Kel Nagle and Peter Thomson in our local tournaments. Those greats of the past, plus a few to come after them, declined to use the excuse of the distance to travel, when planes were less comfortable and flying times in excess of what they are now. They recognised the quality of our courses and the importance of making golf a truly international game. Playing nine holes in the company of Australian PGA CEO Gavin Kirkman at the NSW Golf Club, on the day the 2024 pre-Christmas tournament schedule was released, the conversation topic shifted to the challenge of attracting world class players to compete in our highest profile events. Looking through the records to jog the memory, and the very best of their day would find a way to play Australian events, names such as Ballesteros, Watson, Irwin, Montgomerie, Langer and Faldo, Bubba Watson, Mark Calcavecchia, Lee Westwood, Brad Faxon and Justin Rose, just to name a few. In more recent times Jordan Speith came and conquered, victorious in two Australian Opens, Rory McIlroy was a winner at Royal Sydney. Then there was Tiger. I was in the field when he played at The Australian as an amateur. He returned a number of times after that. The tournaments he played likely had to sell the farm to get him here, however nobody who saw him play will likely ever forget it. And as good as they were, more often than not international visitors of note were sent on their way after receiving a beating from our talented locals of the 1980’s, ‘90’s and into the early 2000’s. Greg Norman, Shark pun intended, was the biggest fish of them all, add in Peter Senior, Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Craig Parry, Geoff Ogilvy, Aaron Baddeley, Peter Lonard or Greg Chalmers, I’ve probably missed a few more. They were always hard to beat, the major TV networks covered the tournaments, and it was often compelling sporting theatre. More recently Adam Scott, Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman have given back and returned home for the summer, Matt Jones is a two-time Aussie open champ, while Min Woo Lee is now a headline act whenever he tees it up. But the above is 700-odd words getting to the question of who you might like to see strutting their stuff during the Australian golfing summer. Gavin, the PGA and Golf Australia would be interested to hear. We are somewhat spoiled by LIV Adelaide when it comes to big names, despite their being an argument some of their contingent may be past their prime, however having the leading players competing for our biggest and most prestigious trophies would be the preference. Rory talked a big game, saying the status of national championships such as ours should be elevated. It will be interesting if he now walks the walk or if others were listening and agreed with his sentiment. So, the hope is that all the jet-setting Australians return, but that they are joined by their international counterparts. That being the case, who else would you like to see at Royal Queensland for the PGA, down in Melbourne for the Open, perhaps even in regional NSW for the state open? I have my thoughts, would be interesting to hear yours. I’m not sure how fat the cheque books of the respective tournaments are, which unfortunately these days can dictate who they can attract, but I’m keen to hear what you think. 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August 2024 www.insidegolf.com.au 6 A GOLFING TRIP FOR TWO TO MALAYSIA TOURISM Malaysia is giving away one lucky Inside Golf reader a chance to win a trip for two to the vibrant destination of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This incredible trip for two includes: • Economy round-trip flights on Malaysia Airlines, departing from Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, or Perth. • One room for four nights’ accommodation at a four-or-fivestar equivalent hotel with daily breakfast. • Return airport transfers. • Golf rounds at Kuala Lumpur’s premier courses: Palm Garden Golf Course and The Mines Golf Resort. News, views and observations from around the golfing world INSIDE NEWS With Inside Golf Editor Rob Willis rob@insidegolf.com.au IN THIS ISSUE 43 51 TRAVEL NSW GOLFING MAGIC AMATEUR GOLF 20 INDUSTRY NEWS 26 BUNKER-TOBUNKER CLUB NEWS BUSINESS OF THE MONTH 34 30 40 PRO NEWS 7 CELEBRITY SWINGER 22 CLUB OF THE MONTH 38 LETTERS 35 NEW PRODUCTS 59 66 68 19TH HOLE GOLF DIRECTORY DEMO DAYS 65 INSTRUCTION 64 FATHER’S DAY FEATURE 60 ON a weekend where the Spanish team took out the UEFA European Football Championship and fellow countryman Carlos Alcaraz claimed the Wimbledon crown, 44-year-old Spaniard Sergio Garcia gave local golf fans even more to celebrate in winning LIV Golf Andalucía for his first victory on the breakaway tour. In scenes not dissimilar to when the Australian Ripper GC team won a LIV team title on home shores in Adelaide earlier this year, Garcia came from seven strokes back starting the final day at the Real Club Valderrama course to win the individual title, while his Fireballs GC also took out the teams championship. In the individual event, Garcia stormed home with a final round 65 to catch third round leader Aniban Lahri, the Indian inexplicably missing a putt from inside a metre on the final green, before winning at the second hole of a sudden death playoff. To add to the celebrations, three of the four members of the victorious Fireballs GC team in Garcia the IT was a case of ‘almost’ for three Australian professionals during early July, with Adam Scott, Stephanie Kyriacou and David Micheluzzi coming up agonisingly short of recording victories. At the Genesis Scottish Open, played at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scott produced some outstanding golf to post a 17-under par total, before sitting back to watch local hope Robert MacIntyre complete his final round. To the disappointment of Scott, but to the delight of a raucous home crowd, MacIntyre poured in a sixmetre birdie putt on the 72nd hole to better the veteran Australian by one shot, the lefthanded Scotsman claiming a second significant title after winning the Canadian Open a month or so prior. Not too far away and on the same Sunday, it was Sydney’s Kyriacou denied an LPGA major championship victory at the Evian Championship in France. In the thick of the tournament race throughout the week and on the back nine in the final round, it took a last Aussie near misses in July Langer’s 513 events – 50 years THE curtain came down on a European Tour career spanning 50 years and 513 tournaments when Bernhard Langer played his final DP World Tour event at the BMW International Open in his native Germany. Langer, who began his professional journey as a teenager before evolving into one of the premier players in world golf and was twice a winner of the US Masters, announced his retirement from the DP World Tour (European Tour) after missing the 36-hole cut at the BMW event played in Munich. At 66 years of age, Langer teed it up in his 513th tournament in Europe, fittingly at a Golfclub München Eichenried venue which was just a 60-mile drive from his hometown of Anhausen. In a celebrated career, Langer claimed 42 victories in those 513 tournaments, two European Order of Merit titles and played on 10 Ryder Cup teams, to go along with his two wins at Augusta National. Langer became golf’s first World Number One when the Official World Golf Ranking Spanish sporting celebrations capped off at LIV Andalucía hole eagle from Japan’s Ayaka Furue to beat the 23-year-old Sydneysider by one shot. Then during the first week of July, Victorian Micheluzzi mounted a spirited challenge at the BWM International Open in Munich, Germany, only to to finish second, two shots shy of winner Ewen Furguson. Amongst the leaders for much of the week, Micheluzzi closed with a 68 in registering his best result in a DP World Tour event. He moved to 68th on the Race to Dubai points list. captain, Eugenio Chacarra and David Puig are also Spanish. Mexican Abraham Ancer was the Fireballs fourth team member. The team’s event also went into a playoff, with Ancer and Puig coming out on top against the Crushers duo of Bryson DeChambeau and Paul Casey. WIN was launched in 1986, while his 42 wins makes him the second most successful in the history of the European Tour, behind only Spaniard Seve Ballesteros who won on 50 occasions. Outside of Europe, Langer won three times on the PGA TOUR and is one of just five golfers to have won professional events on all six continents where golf is played. Since turning 50 and joining the senior ranks, Langer’s dominance is unparalleled, the German winning a record 12 Senior Major Championships and 50 titles in total, including a record-setting 46 victories on the PGA TOUR Champions. A remarkable 50-year career on the European Tour has come to an end for German Bernhard Langer. Sergio Garcia capped off a huge weekend for sport in Spain. Adam Scott came close at the Scottish Open, finishing second to local hope Robert MacIntyre. Stephanie Kyriacou, a runner up in the Evian Masters. David Micheluzzi turned in his best performance on the DP World Tour with a second place finish in Germany. To win, tell us in 25 words or less why you’d love to WIN a golfing holiday to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Enter by going to: www.insidegolf.com.au/ category/competitions/ Entries close September 30. Terms & Conditions apply, please refer to the website.
Schauffele win makes it a major clean sweep for the US A VICTORY for Xander Schauffele at Royal Troon made it a clean sweep of the major championships for American golfers in 2024, somewhat remarkably the first time US professionals have managed to claim all four titles since 1982. Following on from Scottie Scheffler’s victory at the Masters, Bryson DeChambeau taking out the US Open, and Schauffele winning the PGA Championship, it was four from four for the red, white and blue when the Californian blew the field away in the final round of the Open Championship. Not even during the year in which Tiger Woods won three of the big four tournaments in the year 2000, only for Fijian Vijay Singh to deny him a Grand Slam with his victory at Augusta, had the Americans asserted a total major’s dominance until Schauffele’s Sunday 65 left the Open Championship field in his wake. Scott and Day in prime President’s Cup positions A 10TH place finish at the Open Championship, backing up his runners-up placing at the Scottish Open the previous week has moved Adam Scott into position to be one of six automatic qualifiers for the upcoming President’s Cup. Scott, who would be making his 11th appearance in the biannual matches against the US, moved from 16th on the official rankings to sixth with his two outstanding results in Scotland. He joins Jason Day, the Queenslander now fourth on the list, in a prime position to be on Captain Mike Weir’s International Team for the matches to be played at the Royal Montreal Golf Club in Canada from September 26. On the outside of the top six automatic qualifiers, while hoping to be one of Weir’s six captain’s picks are Lee (currently 7th) and Cameron Davis (9th). Others in line for automatic International Team selection include Hideki Matsuyama, Sungjae Im, Tom Kim and Byeong Hun (Ben) An. The International Team qualifying period comes to an end on August 25 at the conclusion of the BMW Championship on the US PGA Tour. Starting the final day just one shot behind leader Billy Horschel, the 30-year-old Schauffele’s six-under par round, which included six birdies and no bogies, saw him finish three shots clear of Horschel and Englishman Justin Rose. Following on from his first major title in Kentucky at the Valhalla course, Schauffele achieved a long-held dream by becoming the ‘Champion Golfer of the Year’. “I’ve always dreamt of doing it. That walk up 18 truly is the coolest with the yellow leaderboards and the fans and the standing ovation,” Schauffele said. Locked in a back-nine battle with South African Thriston Lawrence, Rose and to a lesser extent Horschel, Schauffele birdied 11, 13 and the par three 14th after a subline six-iron to within two-metres, before extending his advantage with a four at the par five 16th. From the time he managed to avoid the pot bunkers off the tee, then deliver a perfectly struck eight-iron into the heart of the 18th green, and a second major championship victory in 2024 was confirmed. The 152nd Open Championship was a tournament which tested not only the skills of the best players, but also their resilience and mental fortitude, with extremely challenging weather conditions during Friday’s second round and for the leaders over the back nine holes on Saturday. The wind calmed down on Sunday, with Schauffele’s Sunday 65 the best of the final day. Of the Australians at The Open, Adam Scott led the way, finishing in a tie for 10th, Jason Day was tied for 13th, with the other Australians in the field failing to make the weekend, with Min Woo Lee (9-over), Elvis Smylie (9-over), Jasper Stubbs (10over) and Cameron Smith (12-over) missing the 36-hole cut. The Open Championship winner was set to go from Scotland to Paris, France where Schauffele would attempt to defend the Olympic Gold Medal won in Tokyo four years ago. Billy Horschel led into the final round, only to be run down by the eventual winner. Xander Schauffele claimed a second major title in 2024 with his win in the Open Championship at Royal Troon. August 2024 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 7 Technology that stablises both han for a more square putter face at im No matter your gripping style. In three distinct shapes and two si Available now from all leading G REVERS TAPER Technology that stablises both hands for a more square putter face at impact* No matter your gripping style. In three distinct shapes and two sizes. Available now from all leading Golf retailers REVERSE TAPER *As tested against a parallel style putter grip.
August 2024 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 8 AFTER feeling like Victorians were on the drip feed when it came to hosting big golf tournaments, the men’s and women’s Australian Open’s will again be played in Melbourne’s sandbelt from November 28 to December 1 this year. The announcement by Golf Australia ended widespread industry speculation that the tournament was struggling to find a venue, with the dispelling rumours or suggestions that the potential of the event teeing off in 2024 was in jeopardy. The tournament will retain is unique format, with players in men’s, women’s and all abilities competing over two courses in showcasing the best of Australian golf. Kingston Heath Golf Club will host all four rounds, while The Victoria Golf Club will share the hosting duties for rounds one and two. The sandbelt region hosted the inaugural combined event in 2022, when The Victoria Golf Club was the primary host club, with Kingston Heath in support. It was the first time in 20 years that the sandbelt had hosted the men’s national Open. The men’s Australian Open sponsored by HANDA will again be co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia. It will follow the BMW Australian PGA Championship in Queensland, providing two weeks of premium golf in Australia. Meanwhile, the women’s Australian Open will be sanctioned by the WPGA Tour of Australasia and the 2024 event will include the fifth Australian All Abilities Championship (AAAC) featuring the top-12 ranked golfers with a disability as part of the G4D Tour. The event is supported in its entirety by Visit Victoria. “The Victorian Government have been tremendous supporters of golf, and after working with us to bring the inaugural men’s and women’s Australian open to Melbourne, we look forward to continuing that partnership with this return to Melbourne,” Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said. “The Melbourne Sandbelt is a unique treasure in world golf, with a long history of hosting tournaments and producing worthy champions. In 2024, the champions will emerge from fields of 156 men and 84 women, competing for prize money of $3,400,000. Michael Davis michael.davis@insidegolf.com.au The 2023 men’s Australian Open champion Joaquin Niemann. Australian Open venues confirmed BMW steps up as naming rights partner of Australian PGA PGA of Australia boss Gavin Kirkman is hopeful elusive Aussie Jason Day will be a starter in this year’s Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland – particularly now that BMW has become naming sponsor of the event. “We almost had him for last year’s PGA,” Kirkman said. “It was only the birth of his fourth child that prevented him from coming. “He’s a Queenslander,” Kirkman said. “He loves the event, and he loves playing in Australia.” Day, 36, is enjoying a form revival which has seen him contend regularly in big events throughout the world, landing a spot in Australia’s two-man team at the Paris Olympics. BMW announced in early July it had entered into what it hoped would be a longterm arrangement to sponsor the Australian PGA, adding to the suite of top tournaments supported throughout the world by the German automotive leader. Kirkman said sponsorships like BMW’s helped deliver a strong circuit of tournaments in this country and create a global pathway for Australian golfers. “Our aim is to have the world’s best golfers playing in our major events,” he said, declaring that the partnership with BMW would contribute to the growth of the Australian PGA Championship. Landing BMW as a naming sponsor is a coup for Australian golf. BMW already sponsors the DP World Tour’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, the BMW International Open in Munich, and also the PGA TOUR’s BMW Championship, during the end-of-season playoffs. It also supports the BMW Ladies Championship on the LPGA Tour and the BMW Cup, one of the world’s biggest events for club golfers. It also has partnerships with rising stars Grace Kim and Elvis Smylie. The Australian PGA will be played at Royal Queensland, the site for golf competition at the 2032 Olympics, from November 21 to 24. The event attracted record crowds last year when Min Woo Lee won the title. It will be the opening event for the new DP World Tour season. By Peter Owen BMW was recently announced as the major sponsor of the 2024 Australian PGA Championship. SOUTH COAST OPEN Pro/Am FRI 20 SEP SAT 21 SEP – SUN 22 SEP South Coast Open PMS 553C
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August 2024 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 10 For Denis Brosnan, golf is a way of life HE’S been in the golf industry since he was 12, played in Arnold Palmer’s Australian Open in 1966 and is closing in on 60 years as a member of the PGA of Australia, so it’s no surprise that Denis Brosnan should confess his love of the game. “It’s all I’ve ever done, all my life,” he said after yet another day plying his trade on the central Queensland coast in a Legends Tour pro-am, where he continually surprises himself with his ability to compete with players a quarter century younger than him. And using the phrase ‘all I’ve ever done’ is selling short the amazing contribution he’s made to Australian golf – not just on the golf course, but in the mentoring of players of all ages and, notably, in the design, manufacture and sales of golf equipment. Fittingly, the Australian PGA last month made Brosnan a life member, a recognition, he says, that left him humbled, honoured and immensely pleased. “There are only 20 life members still living,” he said. “And in the 105 years of the PGA there have only ever been about 50 named. “It’s such an honour to be recognised by my fellow PGA pros in such a way,” he said. “They all had to vote, you know, and they voted for me.” Brosnan’s name is legendary in Australian golf, more so for the golf equipment that he’s designed and marketed for the past 45 years, and the 16 Golf World retail stores he’s established throughout the country, than for his success in big-time golf tournaments. He began his career in golf at the age of 12, helping Ted Cates in the pro shop at Virginia Golf Club, in Brisbane’s northern suburbs. That led to a traineeship with Fred Anderson at Oxley Golf Club and, later, under Frank McCarthy at Jindalee. Out of his time, he spent a few years as the professional at Caboolture, before landing the role of head pro at Redcliffe in 1967. He remained there for 27 years, and made so many friendships at the bayside club that he still returns regularly to play the course with his mates. Brosnan has always been fascinated with the technical properties of golf equipment, particularly clubs, and he’s been designing, grinding, assembling and polishing golf clubs since he was a teenager. He launched Brosnan Golf in 1977. When the operation began, there were few companies designing and manufacturing golf clubs in Australia, the market dominated by overseas brands like Dunlop, Slazenger and Spalding. But Brosnan was undaunted. “I had the right product, it was priced right and I was able to get the support of a lot of the golf pros in golf shops around the country. “I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to do – take on the best in the world and succeed. We sold a lot of equipment, and I just kept on doing it.” Though he now employs a general manager, Brosnan remains heavily involved in the operation, which includes Golf World outlets in Queensland, NSW, South Australia and Victoria. “I’m the managing director and I run the business,” he says with pride. “I go to the office every morning, and I order all the stock. I’m very involved.” And he still designs equipment. “Every product you see with the Brosnan name is something that I’ve designed – clubs, bags, everything with our name on it.” He’s 78 now, but Brosnan has no plans to retire. “I sometimes think about it,” he said. “A lot of my friends have retired but here I am, still working and running a business. “I had an offer to sell recently and I considered it,” he said. “But in the end I decided to keep it.” Brosnan doesn’t let business keep him from the golf course, though. “I like to play regularly,” he said, outlining a routine that includes Wednesdays at Redcliffe or Royal Queensland, and Sundays on the Gold Coast. Often he’ll join a group of friends for nine holes at Royal Queensland late in the afternoon. And he’s still a regular on the Legends Tour, where he enjoys the camaraderie of his mates, as much as the thrill of competition. He visited the United Kingdom in 2022 and tried to prequalify for the Senior British Open, which was being played at Gleneagles in Scotland. The qualifier was at Glenbervie Golf Club, midway between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Armed with a new driver he’d designed, Brosnan shot 74 – not quite enough to get him into the Senior Open field. But, after his round, when an official announced his score and commented that Brosnan had bettered his age, the audience spontaneously began clapping – a simple gesture of respect and appreciation that almost moved Brosnan to tears. Back home, Brosnan says he’s happy doing what he’s doing – running his business and playing as much golf as he can. “For me, golf is something that I’ve enjoyed all my life. I love playing. I love the people. I love the friends I’ve made. Golf isn’t just a sport – it’s a way of life.” By Peter Owen Denis Brosnan (right) and Kyle Francis after being made PGA Australia life members. Golf’s biggest events a ‘major’ cost HAVE you ever wondered what it costs to attend one of the four major championships including the course entry fee, food and beverages? Recently, data analysts at Sports Talk Philly calculated the cost of attending all four golf majors, including the average price of food, snacks, drinks and alcohol at each tournament. Key highlights: • PGA Championship concessions are the most expensive of all four majors; • The US Open has the highest drink and alcohol costs; alcohol costs 2.6 times more than The Masters; • The cheapest ticket price for The Masters is more than treble the cost of the most expensive tickets for the three other golf majors. Masters ($) PGA Championship ($) US Open ($) The Open ($) 1 food Item 2.56 10.69 6.44 11.42 1 drink 1.88 6.00 7.17 2.76 1 snack 1.81 3.00 2.00 2.60 2 alcoholic beverages 12.00 29.50 30.88 18.85 Total 18.24 49.19 46.49 35.63 PGA Championship concessions are the most expensive on average To analyse which golf major was the most expensive to attend, we calculated the cost of buying one food item, one snack, one drink, and two alcoholic beverages. The PGA Championship proved to be the most expensive tournament to attend in terms of buying food, drinks, and alcohol. Patrons can expect to pay around $49.19 for food and drinks on the day of the event. On the other hand, patrons at The Masters will only pay around $18.24 for food and drinks in a single day. Masters ($) PGA Championship ($) US Open ($) The Open ($) Food 2.56 10.69 6.44 11.42 Drink 1.88 6.00 7.17 2.76 Snacks 1.81 3.00 2.00 2.60 Alcohol 6.00 14.75 15.44 9.42 Tickets 1,414 - 4,341 48.00 - 448.00 18.00 - 440.00 31.41 - 138.19 US Open has highest average cost for drinks and alcohol The US Open has the most expensive drink and alcohol prices of any golf major. Non-alcoholic drinks cost an average of $7.17, while alcoholic beverages cost an average of $15.44, which is 257 per cent more than the Masters. MOST EXPENSIVE GOLF MAJOR Item Tournament Cost ($) Tickets The Masters 1,414 Food British Open 11.42 Snacks PGA Championship 3.00 Drinks US Open 7.17 Alcohol US Open 15.44 Which golf major offers the most expensive food, drinks, and alcohol NOTE: Prices are in US dollars. Watching Bryson DeChambeau win the US Open came at quite the cost. The PGA Championship isn’t far behind, with the average cost of non-alcoholic drinks coming in at $6.00 and alcoholic beverages costing $14.75.
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August 2024 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 12 10 things you (probably) didn’t know about Jack Nicklaus THE name, Jack Nicklaus, needs very little introduction in the world of golf. He holds the most number of major victories in history with 18 titles and has won 73 times on the PGA TOUR. The 84-year-old, also known as the Golden Bear, has also carved his legacy by building and designing numerous golf courses around the world. He also supports philanthropic and charitable efforts in the U.S, including Play Yellow which encourages fans to wear yellow on Sunday to celebrate his longtime connection with the colour and a Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals campaign with the goal to raise funds to help the 10 million kids treated at local children’s hospitals each year. While his name is synonymous with the game, below are 10 things that you probably didn’t know about Nicklaus who hosted 73 stars of the game at the US$20 million Memorial Tournament presented by by Workday earlier this year. 1. He’s the first living person to appear on a five-pound note that was not a member of the British royal family. 2. In 2005, President George W. Bush awarded Nicklaus with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States. 3. He has been designing courses for over 55 years. His first design was Harbour Town Golf Links, which has hosted a PGA TOUR event since opening in 1969. Nicklaus went on to found a globally renowned design firm, which has designed over 425 courses across 45 countries (this accumulates over 1% of all the courses in the world). He has personally been involved in the design of close to 320 of those courses.” 4. In college, he planned to become a pharmacist. His father was a pharmacist, operating a chain of drugstores, and his plan was to enter the family business. 5. On the morning of his wedding (July 23, 1960), Nicklaus played a full round of golf at Scioto Country Club with three of his friends. 6. His first professional pay cheque came at the 1962 Los Angeles Open and was for $33.33. In that first season as a professional he earned $61,869. That’s $526,447 in today’s money. 7. A MacGregor Tommy Armour three-wood was his most reliable club - Nicklaus used the same threewood from 1958 to 1995, a 37-year span which included every one of his amateur championships and all 18 victories in majors as a pro. He only had it re-gripped once (in 1983), even though he had his other clubs re-gripped regularly. Jack played 18 holes of golf on the morning of his wedding to Barbara. His first professional pay cheque, for the princely sum of $33.33. Jack’s first British Open win came at Muirfield, with Nicklaus naming his course in Dublin, Ohio, Muirfield Village, after the famous Scottish links layout. The Nicklaus design company has been responsible for 425 courses, across 45 countries. 8. He’s colourblind – so the colour of his ball doesn’t really matter. 9. Jack won his first Open Championship at Muirfield. He named his golf course in Dublin, OH outside of Columbus and the site of his annual PGA TOUR stop: Muirfield Village. 10. He played golf with three pennies in his pocket so he would have one to mark his ball, a second one if his opponent needed it, and a third in case he loses the first one. – COURTESY PGATOUR Had Jack gone into the family pharmacy business, he may have been lost to golf before his illustrious career had even begun. Nicklaus used the same MacGregor Tommy Armour three-wood, for a 37-year span. *Tour extensions available on request JAPAN GOLF TOUR 2025 ATTEND THE US MASTERS IN 2025 • Enjoy WED, FRI & SUN at The Masters • Play Pebble Beach, Pinehurst & others • Dedicated Tour Host • Private transfers throughout • 3 fine dining experiences • Private housing only minutes from Augusta National • 14 day Golf Tour of Japan • Play Orai Showood GC, Grand PGM Ishioka GC & Gotemba West GC • Explore the Senso-ji Temple in Tokyo and Kyoto’s historic streets • Travel in style on the Shinkansen (Bullet Train) & soothe in the hot springs of the Oshino onsen • Luxurious accommodations await ROVOS RAIL GOLF SAFARI SOUTH AFRICA 2025 Experience the Ultimate Blend of Golf and Safari Adventure ALL INFORMATION IS CORRECT AT TIME OF PRINT AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANCE WITHOUT NOTICE, DUE TO MATTERS OUTSIDE OUR CONTROL SUCH AS ADVERSE CURRENCY FLUCTUATIONS, TAXES AND FUEL SURCHARGES. MASTERS PACKAGES FROM AS LITTLE AS $5000USD PER PERSON
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August 2024 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 14 Jack’s a winner on and off the course AS if golf isn’t hard enough as it is. Spare a thought for Mona Vale professional Jack Mcleod, who has beaten the odds and earned a tour card on the Australasian PGA Tour. What makes this feat even more extraordinary is that Jake was born deaf. His path into professional golf might suggest this 28-year-old is already on top of the world. And no one could be prouder than his parents, who have watched him overcome such a major setback in life and become a winner on and off the course. Particularly when you learn that a worldrenowned doctor had told Jake’s parents that he would never achieve intelligible speech. And that was expected to lead to the likelihood of insurmountable learning difficulties, unemployment in later life and even dependence on others to help him cope in a ‘hearing’ world. “Luckily my parents did not accept that diagnosis and helped me work with several institutions to learn sign language and lip reading and began researching for a better outcome to such a devastating disability,” McLeod told Inside Golf. The family would later discover the miracle of cochlear implants and while it took plenty of convincing, at just 13 months old, Jack became one of the youngest people in the world to receive the necessary surgery. Even then the hard work was only just beginning and young Jake faced many years of therapy. So, Jack has grown up with cochlear implants and hearing has been a life-long issue that he has dealt with more than admirably. Mackay’s ‘Tin Cup’ - A part-timer beats the odds ANTHONY Johnson, who quit tournament golf more than a decade ago for the security of a fulltime job, wasn’t expecting a great deal when he teed off in the Pioneer Valley Pro-Am, near Mackay, last month. It had been 13 years since he’d won the 72hole Mackay Open, and his priority these days is his family and the Golf King Superstore he operates in downtown Mackay. But in true ‘Tin Cup’ fashion the part-timer, who reckons he gets time to play only about one round a fortnight, stared down his seasoned professional opponents and shot seven-underpar 65 to win his hometown event. To be strictly accurate, he shared the win with two of the two tour’s best performers – John Lyras, who a few weeks earlier had won the Townsville Classic, and regular winner Brett Rankin, who’d claimed the Mackay Pro-Am a few days earlier. But it was a remarkable effort from a man whose golf these days is largely restricted to teaching aspiring golfers at his golf centre, and practicing his swing early in the morning in one of his four Trackman bays, before the crowds arrive. By Peter Owen Johnson said he’d been drawn to play with a group of three local amateurs he knew well, and the casual atmosphere suited his game. “We were playing for drinks, like we do every week,” he said. “I was more worried about not losing money to them rather than winning the event.” He was three-under-par after a birdie and an eagle in his first four holes, and added four more late birdies in his bogey-free round of 67. He said he always looked forward to competing in the three pro-ams held each year in the region – at Mackay, Pioneer Valley and Sarina – but had no plans to resume playing professionally. “I can still play the game and I know I can shoot a good score if things go right for me,” Johnson said. “But I’ll never be consistent enough to take on these players regularly. “And I have other priorities these days. “I’ve got a wife, kids, and a mortgage, and generally my weekends involve basketball and tennis. Nothing’s about me anymore so it’s good for a change to play golf on the weekend.” Johnson played the Australasian PGA Tour from 2006 to 2012, after winning the Queensland Trainee Championship. He played some events on the Asian Tour, but most of his golf was restricted to pro-ams. He’d completed an apprenticeship as a boilermaker before his golfing talent influenced him to become a trainee pro. Johnson took over the Golf King Superstore on Mackay’s Northpoint Retail about a decade ago, and launched the neighbouring Fairways Golf Simulator and Bar more recently. He said the twin businesses were going well, but took up a lot of his time – certainly too much to consider returning to tournament golf. FOOTNOTE: Across the country, another part-timer – Adelaide-based teaching professional Peter Cooke – took a week off work to catch up with some old mates, chase the sun, and contest the two-day Pro-Am at Broome Golf Club last month. After a first-round two-under 70, Cooke exploded in the second round with a course record nine-under-par 63, including two eagles, to win the event by two strokes. Anthony Johnson (right) celebrates his Pioneer Valley Pro-Am win with joint winners Brett Rankin (left) and John Lyras. Michael Court michael@insidegolf.com.au Indeed, his golfing ability has turned this disability into an advantage, opening doors to a wonderful golf career representing Australia in the World Deaf Championships multiple times; winning in Japan in 2012, with the Australian team in the US in 2014, again in Denmark in 2016, and finishing overall runner-up in Ireland in 2018. It all began when Jack showed an aptitude for golf at an early age, before joining the cadet ranks at Bayview Golf Club on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. As his game blossomed he moved across to Mona Vale and became a PGA professional under Gerard Kelly. Blessed with a friendly, humble and generous nature, he became a hit with the members where he became junior co-ordinator and set about building a loyal cadet program at the club as well. In the meantime, Jack’s skills and tournament experience quickly saw him rise to the top ranks amongst his fellow NSW PGA trainee peers. After finishing tied for first in the 2021 NSW Order of Merit, Jack enjoyed an even better year in 2022 in becoming the clear winner in the Order-of-Merit rankings. It then came as no surprise when he quietly found the time in April this year to qualify for his Australasian PGA Tour card – without any fanfare or financial support. He’s now champing at the bit and in a few weeks’ time embarks on a full schedule of tournaments across Australasia. “I guess it all began when Mum took me to play golf on the nine-hole courses at Avalon and Palm Beach,” said Jack. “I realised that golf was my passion and with some help from the pros at Bayview I was playing off single figures by the time I was 12 years of age. “In 2012 I was chosen in the Australian Deaf Golf team and became the youngest-ever winner of the World Deaf Championships. “I was offered a scholarship at Bonnie Doon Golf Club and won a Major metropolitan Flag there along with Junior and Under-23 pennant flags as well. “I’ve held three course records and was lucky enough to win a few club championships at Bayview and Bonnie Doon.” Jack said his move to Mona Vale Golf Club to work with Gerard Kelly was one of his best ‘shots’ yet. “Gerard not only allowed me to develop my golf but he also taught me the business of golf,” he said. He went on to graduate as a PGA professional in 2023 following a three-year traineeship. It was another step towards his ultimate dream . . . Australasian Tour School. Mona Vale professional Jack McLeod has overcome challenges and setbacks to earn an Australasian PGA Tour card. Then, in April, after 126 gruelling and at times, nerve-wracking holes of golf he fulfilled his dream of earning an Australasian Tour card. “None of this could have happened without the wonderful love and support from my parents and family as well as the friendship and mentoring from Gerard and Caroline at Mona Vale Golf Club,” he said. “Not to mention those wonderful and dedicated clinicians and therapists as well as the ‘miracle’ of cochlear implants. “Who would have thought that a deaf child, expected to never achieve intelligible speech, could become an Australasian PGA Tour professional?” Watch this space . . . the best may still be to come.
August 2024 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 15 Group for their support of the event during it’s time at Bonville. “We also could not have staged the event without the support of the Bonville Members and others in the local golfing community who opened their homes to billet most of the International players and also gave their time to assist in marshalling throughout each event. “We are happy to pass the mantle on and wish the event the greatest success in future years. It is time for others to enjoy and grow the event.” A new venue for the 2025 staging of the tournament has yet to be announced. Porter in line for promotion to LPGA Tour A winner of the Australian Women’s Classic as an amateur in 2020, Steph Kyriacou (pictured playing Bonville’s 18th hole) is now forging a successful career in the professional ranks. QUEENSLANDER Cassie Porter, who last year fought homesickness and a lack of form during her rookie year on the Epson Tour in the US, is on the brink of achieving a lifelong dream. With only a handful of events to be played, Porter is near the top of the Epson Tour’s Order of Merit, with the top 15 players in line for a card to next year’s LPGA Tour. Her high standing – second midway through July – came after Porter’s breakthrough victory in the Firekeepers Casino Hotel Championship in Michigan in June. “I’m feeling amazing,” said Porter, who won the 2023 Melbourne International on the WPGA Tour of Australasia after a spectacular junior and amateur career. She said her job at Michigan was made easier by the efforts of her caddie and close friend, Stephanie Na. “Steph was amazing,” Porter said. “She’s like my sister. “Honestly, I’ve done a lot of work on my mental game recently, and it was nice to be able to put that to the test and get a good result out of it.” In consistent form, Porter could become the first player to win two events on tour this year. “I think that would be an honour,” said Porter. “Obviously, Gabi (Ruffles) did it three times last year, so as an Aussie and trying to follow in another Aussie’s footsteps, I think that would be pretty special. “But I’m trying not to think about it, to be honest. Winning two times helps with the Race for the Card, but at the end of the day, we’re just playing golf. It’s another day. Hopefully, I can continue the form.” Porter, 21, is in her second year on the Epson Tour and is coached by Daniel Morrison, Peregian Springs’ Director of Golf on the Sunshine Coast. – PETER OWEN Bonville bids Australian Women’s Classic farewell AFTER six stagings of the Australian Women’s Classic - between 2018 and 2024 – the management of Bonville Golf Club has decided to pass the baton and to let others host the prestigious professional event. A tournament which attracts female Australian and international touring professionals from across the globe, the Australian Women’s Classic has helped to showcase the Coffs Coast as an incredible destination to visit and helped elevate Bonville’s championship course and brand to new heights. “We are very proud of what we achieved with the event having full Ladies European Tour status and being run jointly by LET, WPGA and GolfNSW,” General Manager at Bonville Golf Resort Brad Daymond said. “The Australian Women’s Classic broke new boundaries, allowing Women to play an LET event in golf carts, which was previously unheard of. We enjoyed watching the development of many rising stars, none more so than Steph Kyriacou who won the event in 2020 as an amateur, went on to turn Pro and then be named Rookie of the Year on the Ladies European Tour.” Other notable winners of the event include inaugural champion Celine Boutier, a French woman who has since notched up 12 other wins, while rising as high as number four on the women’s professional rankings, while Dame Laura Davies, a prolific tournament winner amassing 87 professional victories worldwide, was also a great supporter of the event. Davies played three Australian Women’s Classic tournaments. “We are grateful for the opportunity the event has presented Bonville to grow its brand and its reputation in the golfing world,” Daymond continued. “We would like to thank Local Member Gurmesh Singh and his predecessor Andrew Fraser, Destination NSW, Golf NSW, WPGA, Ladies European Tour, City of Coffs Harbour and particularly major local sponsors Geoff King Motors and C.ex Cassie Porter pictured after winning her first Epson Tour event. $2520* Pricing From
August 2024 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 16 ‘The Chase Is On’ – Australasian Tour pre-Christmas schedule released FOLLOWING the confirmation of venues for the Australian Open and the signing of a naming rights partner for the PGA Championship, the PGA Tour of Australasia has released their preChristmas tournament schedule. “The Chase Is On” as they say for the professionals on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, with 10 tournaments confirmed for the first half of the upcoming 2024/25 season. The PNG Open in August is set to be the first event of the golfing summer, the opening event of a schedule highlighted by the national Open at Kingston Heath and Victoria Golf Club and the BMW PGA at Royal Queensland, the two Australian major championships co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour. Following the trip north to Port Moresby, the first Australian events on the 2024/25 calendar will be the Western Australia double in October, beginning in Kalgoorlie at the CKB WA PGA Championship presented by TX Civil & Logistics. It’s then on to the Mandurah Country Club, the new home for the Bowra & O’Dea Nexus Advisernet WA Open, on October 17 in celebrating the tournament’s 100th anniversary. The ground-breaking Webex Players Series, featuring its format of men and women on the same course, vying for the same title, will have one event prior to the New Year with the McLaren Vale wine region once again the home of Webex Players Series South Australia hosted by Greg Blewett, while there will be another five Webex events to come in 2025, including the debut of Webex Players Series Perth hosted by Minjee and Min Woo Lee at Royal Fremantle GC in January. The Tour then heads east to the Queensland PGA Championship, to once again be played at Nudgee Golf Club in Brisbane, before the NSW Open, offering a boosted purse of $800,000, returns to the schedule with the 2024 edition to be hosted for the first time by the Murray Downs Golf Resort as the lead-in to the majors. The BMW Australian PGA Championship will make its fourth consecutive appearance at Royal Queensland in Brisbane (November 21-24) while the ISPS HANDA Australian Open tees off at two of Melbourne’s world renowned Sandbelt gems, Kingston Heath and Victoria (November 28-December 1). The schedule also features a date shift for the Victorian PGA Championship and Gippsland Super 6, now to be played following the Australian Open in December. “The Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia is gaining in momentum, mirroring what is occurring with the game of golf in all metrics across Australia,” PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman said. “When ‘The Chase’ resumes in August, our next generation of stars will have their sights on the great opportunities and pathways that exist by being one of the leading players on our Tour. “We experienced a fantastic 2023/24 season highlighted by Kazuma Kobori’s three victories which led him to our Order of Merit title, the return of some established names to the winner’s circle and the emergence of first-time tournament winners. “The new season is sure to bring more spectacular golf when we kick off in PNG and then travel into five states including the return of NSW Open with a significant prizemoney boost at a new Tour venue we’re excited to visit.” Fox Sports and Kayo will be home of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, with the two majors, the PGA and Open, to also be simulcast on Nine and 9Now. The NSW Open will appear on 7plus. The post-Christmas/New Year schedule of Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia events has yet to be announced. – COURTESY GOLF AUSTRALIA 2023/2024 Australasian PGA Tour Order of Merit winner Kazuma Kobori. FATHER’S DAY SALE! FOLLOW US ON WWW.GOLFWORLD.COM.AU NOW RRP $87 RRP $50 NOW RRP $159 NOW NOW RRP $249 2 FOR NOW RRP $99.99 AND MUCH MORE!
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