NEWS • OPINION • GEAR • HOLIDAYS • LIFESTYLE • TRAVEL • INDUSTRY AUSTRALIA’S M O S T - R E A D GOLF MAGAZINE WWW.INSIDEGOLF.COM.AU ISSUE 233 // MARCH 2025 CELEBRITY SWINGER FORMER SWANS STAR NICK DAVIS TRAVEL NSW CENTRAL WEST PORT DENARAU FIJI THAILAND SRI LANKA US PGA GOLF SHOW THE LATEST PRODUCTS LIV ADELAIDE NIEMANN THE CHAMP VALE – TONY GRESHAM AUSTRALIA’S GREATEST AMATEUR GOLFER CLUB OF THE MONTH BEXLEY GOLF CLUB EQUIPMENT WE TRIED IT >PING G440 > MGI Ai 500 RORY McILROY IS HE IN LINE FOR ‘MAJOR’ SUCCESS IN 2025? OPINION WOMEN IN THE WEBEX SERIES AUSSIE AM – MATCH OR STROKE? Why choose Teed Up Golf Tours? > 20+ years of Masters experience! > Personally hosted by Co-founder and PGA Pro Mike Mosher! > Guaranteed tickets & local knowledge! SCAN QR CODE FOR EARLY BIRD PRICING! UPCOMING TOURS VIETNAM - AUG 2025 RYDER CUP NEW YORK – SEPT 2025 2026 US MASTERS GOLF TOUR 2025 WORLD GOLF AWARDS NOMINEE FOR BEST AUSTRALIAN OUTBOUND TOUR OPERATOR “Teed Up delivered a perfectly executed tour from start to finish. I have hosted a lot of tours over the years and Mike, Bede and their team run the best Golf Tour I have ever been on. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Teed Up for any of their tours.” Greg “Fat Cat” Ritchie – Former International Cricketer BOOK NOW AND SAVE! www.teedupgolftours.com info@teed-up.com 02 8458 9000
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March 2025 www.insidegolf.com.au THE FIRST TEE 5 Match play - the game’s purest form NOT for one minute do we wish to demean the wonderful performances of our two recently crowned Australian amateur champions – Sydneysiders Rachel Lee and Jye Halls. But how we yearn for the days when our national amateur titles were played over 36-holes of qualifying before the best 32 battled it out in match play – the purest form of the game. We agree the superbly renovated Commonwealth and the soon to be extinct Cranbourne presented beautiful layouts for the men’s and women’s titles. But sadly, we also believe playing the events over 72 holes of stroke play – a relatively recent innovation - has taken the lustre off the what was once the time-honoured pinnacle of the Australian annual amateur calendar. Now it is just another run of the mill stroke play amateur event and has almost had its place at the top of the amateur table usurped by a few other ‘cooked-up’ events which seem to get more airplay because of their sponsorship and slicker publicity machines. There was a time when a fortnight was devoted to amateur golf for the interstate series and the Australian Amateur. The three papers in Melbourne had their designated golf writers in attendance every day with a photographer. The papers devoted a page at least to showcasing our best amateur players. ABC radio was there too. We know we might be living in the past here. But we challenge anyone to find a smidgin of interest by mainstream media in the recent happenings at Cranbourne and Commonwealth. Nobody apart from serious golf aficionados would have any idea who the new champions are. Which is a pity when you run your eye over the events’ honour boards. Previous women’s winners include Grace Kim, Minjee Lee, Lydia Ko, Kristie Smith, and Stacey Keating in recent times. And even earlier, Louise Briers, Edwina Kennedy and Lindy Goggin. While men’s names like Cameron Davis, Cameron Smith, Brendan Jones, Brett Rumford, Matthew Goggin, Greg Chalmers and Michael Campbell have won it in the last 30 years or so. Going further back. Ossie Moore, Roger Mackay, Mike Clayton, Terry Gale, Bob Shearer, Tom Crow, Dock Bachli, Tony Gresham and Bruce Devlin. Michael Davis michael.davis@insidegolf.com.au Apologies to those we have missed. But you get the point we are making. We should mention here, too, that our esteemed editor, Rob Willis, does not tell you much about his golf career. But we know he, too, figured in a great final at Royal Queensland before WA’s Chris Gray prevailed 3 and 2 in 1990. A favourite memorable final (2013) was when a Queensland kid by the name of Cameron Smith trailed seasoned amateur golfer Geoff Drakeford by five holes on Drakeford’s home course. Smith, a callow youth, came back for victory. Oh, the joy of match play. You are only out of the contest when your run out of holes and that’s the beauty of it. Match play seems to have died a natural death in professional ranks, too. We used to love watching the World Match Play at Wentworth on television and remember when Graham Marsh won; the Robert Boyd Transport match play championship at Kingston Heath was also a huge success in bygone days. There must have been 20,000 people there one Saturday morning when Mike Harwood beat Greg Norman in one of the great upsets. It didn’t matter a hoot that the big name was bundled out. That was the joy of the format. The World Match Play was another great event hosted at Melbourne’s Metropolitan when Steve Sticker prevailed. We also believe a huge part of the allure of the timehonoured Ryder Cup is because of the head-to-head nature of the match play competition. Likewise, the Presidents Cup. Who will ever forget the excitement generated in 1998 when Peter Thomson outfoxed Jack Nicklaus for a rare victory over the US at Royal Melbourne? Craig Parry holing a chip shot to close out a match is a great memory. You get our drift by now. Long live match play golf, we say, and bring it back for the Australian Amateur – men’s and women’s. Now a valued contributor to Inside Golf magazine, Michael Davis enjoyed a long and illustrious career as a sporting journalist with The Australian and Melbourne’s Herald Sun newspapers, primarily covering AFL and golf. In his role as a golf writer, he attended many major championships, and was a regular at Australia’s most significant tournaments, including at several Australian Amateur Championships. 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March 2025 www.insidegolf.com.au 6 INSIDE NEWS IN THIS ISSUE AMATEUR GOLF 21 LETTERS 36 CLUB NEWS BUNKER-TOBUNKER TRAVEL 42 37 66 PRO NEWS 7 INDUSTRY NEWS 24 CORPORATE GOLF FEATURE 54 CELEBRITY SWINGER 52 79 Australian Open’s to ‘stand on their open two feet’ WHILE no dates or venues have yet to be confirmed, what has been decided is that going forward the men’s and women’s Australian Open’s will spilt following Golf Australia’s annual review. “We are proud of what has been achieved over the past three years with mixed-gender Australian Opens, together with the All-Abilities Championship,” GA chief executive James Sutherland said. “Our long-term event strategy is to build the profile of our tournaments and to showcase the game at the highest level. This move aligns to our strategy and will allow flexibility to better adapt to the everchanging landscape in world golf. “With all that in mind, we believe this is the right time and we are confident that both national open championships will stand on their own two feet and prosper in their own right.” If the women’s event is moved back to the start of the year, the next staging is likely take place in February or March 2026 in best lining up with the LPGA schedule. During the week of their Adelaide event, new LIV CEO Scott O’Neil also revealed he has held conversations with Golf Australia about getting more LIV players to compete in the Australian Open, joining the likes of Cam Smith, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert and 2023 champion Joaquin Niemann who played at Kingston Heath and Victoria late last year. A ‘Ripper’ partnership to benefit young golfers INSIDE NEWS LIV Golf’s Ripper GC is the new principal partner of Golf Australia’s junior participation program MyGolf. For kids aged 5-12, the program will now be known as MyGolf, Powered by Ripper GC, with participants to be referred to as Little Rippers. Cam Smith and his all-Australian Ripper GC team are joining Golf Australia in its drive to sign 40,000 kids to the MyGolf program in 2025, with Little Rippers to experience the perfect entry into golf while engaging in exciting games and activities designed to empower kids to discover their potential while developing fundamental movement skills. Since its inception in 2014, MyGolf, which is delivered in more than 400 golf clubs and facilities each year, has seen remarkable growth, with a record 36,636 participants in the 2023/24 program. News, views and observations from around the golfing world LIV re-commits to Adelaide through 2031 PRIOR to Sunday’s final round state Premier Peter Malinauskas announced that Adelaide will continue to host a LIV Golf event through until at least 2031 after the South Australian government signed a five-year contract extension. The announcement was made in front of thousands of fans at the Watering Hole, the par three 12th at The Grange GC, with Malinauskas, LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil, and LIV Golf Board Member and Australian golfing legend Greg Norman delivering the news. Under the agreement, the tournament will remain at its current venue at The Grange until 2028, before moving to a new, Greg Norman designed course at North Adelaide in 2029. The South Australian government will invest in redeveloping the public golf course at North Adelaide, which will remain a public facility. “I’ve been a small piece of a lot of moving parts here but from my perspective as an Australian, I’m proud of the opportunity that we can breathe a little bit more fresh life into the opportunity here in Adelaide.,” Norman said. “Nestled in the stunning Adelaide Park Lands, the North Adelaide Golf Course is a stunning platform on which to showcase our city to the rest of the world,” Malinauskas added. “The investments we’re making will deliver a high- quality outcome for our Park Lands, improvements for members of the public who want to play at North Adelaide, and importantly, provide a new home for the growth of LIV Golf Adelaide.” “It speaks volumes for the state and the support they’ve got here, for Peter Malinauskas and the fans that come here and travel here,” Australian and Ripper team member Matt Jones said. “The golf course is phenomenal, it’s a good thing for LIV and a great thing for South Australia. It just shows where the whole thing is headed and what’s possible for events.” While Cam Smith was excited to hear the news of the contract extension and was looking forward to what the future might bring. “To have another six (LIV Adelaide tournaments), it’s pretty crazy and so cool. We all love coming down here. It gets better and better every year and I can’t see why it wouldn’t get better next year,” Smith expressed. As for the prospect of a new course being built to host future LIV Adelaide events. “It just shows the support we have here,” Smith said. “To have LIV’s first golf course will be pretty cool.” The current deal with LIV had been until 2026, with reports circulating during the week of the recent event that Victoria was keen to win the rights to host the tournament in the future. See our LIV Adelaide report on page 8 of this issue of Inside Golf. With Inside Golf Editor Rob Willis rob@insidegolf.com.au From left, Greg Norman, SA Premier Peter Malinauskas and LIV CEO Scott O’Neil. Trump is called on for golfing peace talks THE announcement of the extension of the LIV Adelaide contract came just days after Australian and PGA Tour player Director Adam Scott joined PGA commissioner Jay Monahan in a meeting with Donald Trump. The aim of the meeting was to discuss the potential of the US President assisting to fast-track negotiations between Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, owners of LIV Golf and the PGA Tour to bring the two tour’s back together. “Everything is moving forward with pace and I think there’s a general – when you look at all the parties involved, there’s a general enthusiasm for getting this done,” Monahan said. As he has been over the past few years, Rory McIlroy didn’t hesitate to respond when asked about the possibility of the two tours, and the players involved, reuniting. “Whatever’s happened has happened and it’s been unfortunate, but reunification, how we all come back together and move forward, that’s the best thing for everyone,” said McIlroy. 76 NEW GEAR INSTRUCTION PGA SHOW - ORLANDO FLORIDA 74 NSW CENTRAL WEST FEATURE 69 DEMO DAYS 81 GOLF DIRECTORY 84 19TH HOLE 82 The 2024 Australian Open crowned three winners, Simon Seungmin Lee (All Abilities), Ryggs Johnston and Jiyai Shin, at the one venue, at the same time. Almost 80 per cent of MyGolf programs are delivered by PGA Professionals who play a pivotal role in teaching kids and adults across the country the fundamentals of the game. With Ripper GC’s backing, MyGolf will expand its reach and impact, ensuring even more children get the chance to experience the game of golf. “I have a really good relationship with Golf Australia and the High Performance staff. They do a lot of good from grassroots to high performance,” Ripper GC captain Cam Smith said. “I couldn’t be more excited to partner with them moving forward and help nurture the next generation of Australian golfers.” “We can’t thank Golf Australia enough for their willingness to bring this partnership to fruition”, Rippers General Manager Nick Adams added. A collection of ‘Little Rippers’ with members of LIV Golf’s Ripper GC.
March 2025 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 7 Is Rory ready for major success in 2025? HAS a dominant performance, at one of golf’s iconic venues, given Rory McIlroy the confidence to claim an elusive major championship victory in 2025? McIlroy was spectacular at Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill at the AT&T Pebble Beach ProAm, his power and precision there for all to see, and when combined with a cooperative putter, he proved too good for the competition at one of the PGA TOUR’s signature events. It was the 35-year-old’s 27th PGA TOUR triumph, with his 21 under par total finishing two-shots clear of fellow Northern Irishman Shane Lowry. The week began with a bang, McIlroy making a hole-in-one on the 15th hole enroute to a 66 at Spyglass Hill, before scores of 70-65 and 66 at Pebble, and despite much of the last three days being played in foul weather, it was the second-lowest score relative to par at the AT&T Pro-Am since 1983. “Obviously, couldn’t wish for a better start for my PGA TOUR season,” McIlroy expressed. “I’ve been on a nice run of form since last fall. I’ve played some really good golf and continued that into this year.” While with an eye to winning some of golf’s biggest events, ticking the box with a victory at Pebble Beach was particularly significant for McIlroy. “There’s some venues in our game that just mean a little bit more than others and that’s probably to do with the history and the people that won on those courses and what those people have meant to the game of golf,” he said. “I’ve had a few close calls at St. Andrews, which is another one of those important venues in our game. Augusta National being another one. So, to be able to get a win on one of those iconic venues is awesome. Rory McIlroy fact file • His 27th career PGA TOUR title came in his 258th start at the age of 35 years, 8 months, 29 days • The win saw him move to 22nd on the all-time PGA TOUR wins list • The victory represented his eighth consecutive season with a win on the PGA TOUR • At the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am McIlroy led the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee (5.970) and Driving Distance (336.7) Meet ALIGN MAXTM. The newest ALIGN® Technology pushes our raised ridge to the limit to help golfers’ hands stay locked in for more consistency throughout the swing. Available in MCC® & MCC Plus4TM Standard & Midsize. belief he could perform in all conditions and on the most challenging of golf courses. “I just think more that my game can travel, I can win on different venues, different tests, firm courses, soft courses, windy, calm, rain, long golf courses, short golf courses. Anything that I feel is thrown my way in the game I feel like I’m prepared to handle it,” McIlroy said. And he gets his first chance to prove the faith he has in his ability is warranted when he tees it up in early April at the 2025 US Masters. The last of McIlroy’s four major victories came at the US PGA Championship in 2014, representing a drought of more than a decade, and while he has threatened to break through, success at Augusta has alluded him, a secondplacing in 2022 his best result. McIlroy has played in the US Masters on 16 occasions, with seven top 10’s. However, while his power game appears suited to Augusta, perhaps the US Open is where his next major title will come, with McIlroy incredibly recording top 10’s in each of his last 10 starts, including consecutive runnersup finishes. He had his chances in 2024, only to stumble at the final hurdle with Bryson DeChambeau victorious, while he was beaten by one shot by Wyndam Clark at the LA Country Club the year prior. Before the US Open, this year to be played at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania, comes the PGA Championship, with Quail Hollow the host venue. Of all four majors this year, a win at The Open Championship might just be the one McIlroy covets the most, with the tournament to be contested at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, no doubt a layout with which he is extremely familiar. McIlroy has promised so much before, only to disappoint, and again has he given his followers false hope with his impressive performance at Pebble Beach in early February? Starting at Augusta in April, the golfing world is about to find out if Rory is ready for major success in 2025. – ROB WILLIS “(But Pebble Beach was) a very different test this week than what you would typically expect at a U.S. Open, so got to take it with a little bit of a pinch of salt.” After this most recent win McIlroy was eagerly anticipating what lay ahead while conveying a Can Rory McIlroy break a decade-long drought with a major championship victory in 2025?
March 2025 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 8 Rob Willis rob@insidegolf.com.au Niemann the champ at LIV Adelaide JOAQUIN Niemann claimed a second significant victory on Australian soil with a win at LIV Golf Adelaide. Starting the day three strokes off the lead at The Grange Golf Club in South Australia, Niemann, the 2023 Australian Open champion, UPCOMING ANNUAL GOLF CLUB EVENTS • TWIN SHARE PACKAGES: FLIGHTS/BED/CAR PLAY in PACIFIC PARADISE Norfolk Island www.norfolkislandtravelcentre.com *Travel restrictions & conditions apply. Prices & taxes are correct as of 14 Feb 25 & are subject to change without notice. Prices quoted are on sale otherwise stated or sold out prior. Prices advertised are per person, twin share. The advertised price includes any saving amounts &/or bonus nights. Offers are subject to availability. Seasonal surcharges & blackout dates may apply depending on the date of travel. 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VETERANS GOLF TOURNAMENT • 8-16 FEB 2025 syd 9 - 16 FEB 25 from $2,699* pp bne 8-15 FEB 25 from$2, 539* pp NORFOLK PRO-AM CLASSIC • 22-31 AUG 2025 syd 22-31 NOV 25 from $2, 699* pp bne 23-30 AUG 25 from$2,599* pp BAUNTI PAIRS INVITATIONAL: 26 APR - 4 MAY 2025 syd 27 APR - 4 MAY 25 from $2,189* pp bne 26 APR - 3 MAY 25 from$2,139* pp 1800 1400 66 | sales@nitravelcentre.com challenged himself to “do something special,” and that’s exactly what he managed to achieve, with his bogey-free seven-under par 65 on Sunday leaving the field in his wake. The last day heroics from Niemann was more than enough to overhaul Abraham Ancer, who led for the majority of the final day until stumbling with three bogeys on his final five holes. Niemann’s 13-under total for the 54-hole event was three-shots clear of Ancer and fellow Mexican professional Carlos Ortiz. “Days like today makes me grow as a player,” said Niemann. “There is a lot I have to take from today and learn from it because today was a really good day. If I could have these Sundays more often, chasing leaders, it would be really good for my game.” While Ancer, also an Australian Open champion having won at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney in 2018, was unable to claim the individual title, he could celebrate victory with teammates Sergio Garcia, David Puig and newcomer Luis Masaveu after the Fireballs took out the team’s championship. As for the Australian contingent, Marc Leishman led the way, the Victorian shooting three-under for the tournament to finish in a tie for 21st, Cam Smith was 30th on oneunder, Lucas Herbert level-par and Matt Jones three-over. In defence of their team title the Smith-led Ripper GC wound up ninth, a distant 20 shots from the winners. “As far as the experience goes, it was amazing, as far as the way I played, not my best stuff,” Smith admitted at the conclusion of the tournament. “I thought I scrambled really well to stay in the tournament in the first round and then the last couple of days I actually did a lot of good stuff, but I couldn’t really keep on top of it and keep the momentum going.” It was a big week for Smith and the Ripper GC team, with a series of promotional activities making for a busy time in Adelaide, however despite the result, Smith wasn’t about to panic and was already looking at what lay ahead. “I think the past couple of years we’ve come in pretty fresh. These boys have had a couple of weeks off and I’ve come in off the Masters after a week off in between, so we had time to get here, get settled and get ready for a big week,” Smith said. “I guess this week it was all thrown at us very quickly,” he said, referencing the fact that LIV Adelaide came on the back of the LIV Riyadh, Saudi Arabia event the week prior. “While it hasn’t been the greatest start from me, I’ve been working hard and I’ve been putting in the hours. I just need to go out there and make it happen.” – ADDITIONAL REPORTING LARRY CANNING Reed ace makes an early impact PATRICK Reed didn’t wait long to make an impact at LIV Golf Adelaide, with the American getting the event off to a riproaring start with a hole-in-one less than 20 minutes after the shotgun sounded to get the tournament underway. The former US Masters champ aced the Watering Hole, the 12th at The Grange, with his perfectly struck eight-iron at the 151yard par three setting off raucous scenes reminiscent of two years ago when Chase Koepka delivered LIV Golf’s first ace at the famous party hole. Reed’s ace is the ninth in LIV Golf history. “It’s awesome to give the fans what they want. That’s why we want to be out here. Golf, but louder,” Reed said. Reed’s hole-in-one was one of the few highlights of his one-over par 73 on the opening day. He finished the tournament in 37th place on a 54-hole score of two-over. Patrick Reed got LIV Adelaide off to a flying start with an ace on The Watering Hole on day one. Joaquin Niemann, winner of LIV Adelaide.
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March 2025 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 10 Donald Trump’s a great golfer, says Player LAST month, nine-time major winner Gary Player shared his secrets to living a long and healthy life and this month he shines a light on a man he calls a friend – President Donald Trump. Player has known the 47th President of America for three decades and they became close through golf – on and off the golf course. When Player (aka the Black Knight) was asked if Donald Trump was a good golfer, he replied: “He is not a good golfer … he is an outstanding golfer. “There isn’t a president in the world who can come close to him and he owns golf courses as part of his business.” Greg Norman has played golf with Mr Trump and agrees the President is “capable of beating you if you don’t watch your game”. David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au helped the two leaders to become personally close. “For me and millions of people – men, women, young and old around the world – golf is more than a game. It is a passion,” Trump says. Player, the winner of seven Australian Opens, says he plays golf with Trump every month when he visits America. “I found him to be a wonderful and incredible man and a great believer in employment,” the 89-year-old told Biznews.com. “I was having breakfast with him and he calls a lady over and says, ‘Mary-loo, you have done a great job for my members here so come and see me at the end of the month because I’m going to take care of you’. “Then we go outside and he introduces me to the greenkeeper. And when children come to the golf course, he signs hats for them and gives them a presidential pen. When someone loves children, you know he is a good man. There’s no substitute for personal contact. “But in America, if you say you are a Trump fan, which I am, people become very argumentative and nasty. People have to learn to understand other people’s opinions because you might learn something you didn’t know. “But the stuff you read about him is demoralising and I have come to the conclusion I do not believe anything I read.” Love him or loathe him, President Trump certainly divides opinion. Those who loathe him say he’s incompetent, egotistical and ignorant, but his supporters say his strength, courage and business acumen will be good for the free world. Player believes in not judging a book by its cover. “I have read editorials about him and wonder if those writers have ever met him,” he said. “How can you form a genuine, honest opinion if you don’t know the man and simply rely on things you read? “Can you believe anything you read in the world today? “You look on your phone and one week they say I’m dead, the next week they say something crazy. “I am around Donald Trump a lot and he is going to change the world for the better,” Player added. “He is going to get rid of all this woke stuff. “He is going to stop people who go to America, pull down the flag, burn it and say ‘death to America’. In fact, he said to me, ‘Gary, I’m kicking them out’. “If you lose law and order you are in big trouble and one thing Donald Trump will do is bring back law and order. “We must have discipline at school and stop universities with their socialist ideas. If you are a communist Gary Player and Donald Trump have been friends for 30 years. Donald Trump on course with Japan’s prime minister Shinzo Abe. that’s your choice, but I don’t want to live under communism. “I travel a lot and if I go to communist countries I want to have freedom. If you don’t have freedom, it’s not worth living. “If Donald Trump can stop the war between Russia and Ukraine and stop the war in the Middle East he will go down as the greatest president America has ever had.” It seems Trump, with all his flaws, knows how to shift the mood and get cut-through by delivering simple messages. Trump’s passion for golf has also impacted American diplomacy. The President has played golf many times with the Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, and that has “I have read editorials about Trump and wonder if those writers have ever met him.” WALK THE FAIRWAYS WITH SOME OF THE WORLD’S BEST PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR PLAYERS www.womensnswopen.com.au MARCH 20TH – 23RD, 2025 WOLLONGONG GOLF CLUB SCAN THE QR CODE TO REGISTER FOR YOUR FREE SEASON PASS – VALID FOR ALL FOUR DAYS OF THE TOURNAMENT
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March 2025 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 12 After 16 wins, Jack’s certain he made the Wright decision NOT EVEN eight wins in his first year as a trainee professional, including the associate championship of NSW, could convince Jack Wright that he’d made the right decision in choosing golf as his career. But a year later, with another eight wins under his belt and with the inner confidence that only maturity can provide, Wright no longer has any doubts. He’s destined to be a touring pro. “I just feel I have no other option in life,” he said, as he begins his third and final year as an associate professional at CoolangattaTweed Heads. “I reckon I was born to play tournament golf.” Something of a late bloomer, Wright was 25 before he decided to follow the PGA’s Membership Pathway Program under Coolangatta-Tweed’s head pro Jared Love. As part of their traineeship, associates are required to play Monday tournaments – often conducted as pro-ams, with the hopefuls playing alongside club members and celebrities. Wright’s first season was off the charts – eight wins throughout south-east Queensland and northern NSW, which earned him Order of Merit honours. But still he wasn’t convinced. “There are just so many talented golfers in Australia, most of them struggling to make a living,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m a confident person, but you wonder about trying to make a career out of it.” His second season was a replica of the first. Eight more wins, Order of Merit honours again, and another state championship, this time the Queensland PGA Associate Championship at Windaroo Lakes Golf Club, a victory which By Peter Owen earned him a spot in the Queensland PGA Championship, his first taste of a 72-hole Australasian Tour event. And that was the clincher. “Some guys are born for it,” he said. “They just know they’re going to succeed. I think I’m one of those. I’m very motivated with my golf. I want to win everything. If there’s a prize up for grabs I want to win that prize.” One man who has had a front row seat to Wright’s remarkable achievements is the PGA’s Queensland Member Development Officer Mark Weir, a 35-year golf industry veteran who works closely with associates and their head professionals. “Jack is by far the best associate golfer in Queensland,” he said. “He’s been our best player for two years now, and he’s not afraid to go low. Playing for prizemoney seems to have given him an extra focus. “Some young golfers who have success can get a bit stand-offish,” he said. “But not Jack – he’s retained his personality. He’s still got a bit of the larrikin in him, but he’s tempered that. I rate him very highly.” With less than a year of his traineeship to go, Wright is already planning his playing future. He hopes to be one of the top five associate professionals in the country at the end of this season – a seemingly modest goal considering he’s been top five in both of the past two years. That would gain him starts in most of the 202526 Australasian Tour events. Wright’s confident he can turn that opportunity into a long-term card on his home tour. He’s also planning to travel to the UK later in the year to see if he can gain status on the Challenger Tour, the feeder tour for the lucrative DP World Tour. Looking further afield, he’s keen to test himself on the Japan Tour where, as a 17-year-old, he once caddied for his mate Matt Guyatt. “I’d love to play in Japan,” he said. “I’ve started to learn Japanese because I’ve heard it can be really tough if you don’t have the language.” Wright is the son of Maroochy River teaching professional John Wright, and the brother of golf coach Mackenzie. Though he learned the game in rural Victoria and grew up in Yamba, where his dad was the club pro, Wright considers himself a Queenslander. Apart from golf, his passion is the Brisbane Lions AFL team. He was thrilled last year when, competing in a pro-am at Indooroopilly, he found himself teamed with Brisbane midfield star Jarryd Lyons. He’s also enjoyed a round with Jonathon Brown, who he says he grew up idolising. A late bloomer, Jack Wright has been the best PGA associate golfer over the past two years. Hua Hin - Thailand 7 Nights / 5 Rounds Golf Package INCLUDES ALL OF THIS 7 Nights @ G Hotel Hua Hin 4* Deluxe room, Daily Breakfast Airport and Course transfers 5 Rounds of Championship Golf Cart & Caddie at each course Black Mountain, Pineapple GC Springfield GC, Majestic GC, Palm Hills GC, www.golfcorner.com.au $1455p/p* *based on 4 golfers, twin share, low season BOOK NOW !! Call: 0411 111 554 sales@golfcorner.com.au
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March 2025 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 14 GM Garrett Hollenstein adds: “We enjoy the opportunity to showcase our course and show why it keeps climbing in the ranks among Australia’s best. The atmosphere over the weekend was electric. You could hear the crowd on the 18th for the hole out eagle on Saturday, and how the crowd came alive for the playoff! “Our members embrace this opportunity. (Former Collingwood AFL premiership player) Dale Thomas is a member and he loves getting involved in the week. He volunteered to co-host the Pro-Am, and he gets people to play like ‘Fev’ (radio personality and former AFL champion, Brendan Fevola).” Course superintendent, Ian Todd loves seeing a full field every year, and the fact that all the players look forward to the event. “It is great hearing the positive feedback about the condition of the course and the changes that are made,” Todd says. It’s the right time for Rosebud journeyman AT 30, Lachlan Aylen was working in real estate in the Melbourne suburb of Eltham. He was a happy enough playing some golf – extremely well we might add - at the superb Heidelberg Golf Club. But he often wondered how he might fare if he pursued the game on a professional basis. “Rather than die wondering and regret it 10 years down the track, I decided to give it a crack,” Lachlan says. “I didn’t have the responsibility of a partner or children. It was the right time.” Michael Davis michael.davis@insidegolf.com.au He decided to ditch the slick real estate agent’s suit and the open for inspection ‘sandwich’ boards to do a PGA traineeship, first at Eynesbury in Melbourne’s west and later at the superb Rosebud Country Club (RCC) on the Mornington Peninsula. He is still at Rosebud while he tries to make his way in professional ranks. “I’ve only been at it for two years and I’ve got to say I’m loving it although I have only played about four events this year and made the cut in two of them,” he says. But working with former AFL player, Brett ‘Moose’ Stephens, over the last two months has helped him considerably with the mental side of his game. “With Brett, his main message is to be more process driven and not worry about the results. It’s already making a difference.” It certainly reaped a reward on his home course at the recent Webex Challenger PGA of Australia event at Rosebud where he finished tied for 28th on seven under alongside fellow RCC member James Marchesani. “It’s pretty tough out there. You have your highs and lows but everyone can play and I am getting better under Brett’s guidance with the mental side of the game.” (By the way, with the pressure off in the club competition the Saturday after the Rosebud tournament, Lachlan stepped out and shot 59 off the back tees on the South Course. As it was not a stroke event, it did not count as a record. But he already holds that anyway with a 62 on the South layout.) We got an inkling of Lachlan’s story from his proud father, Stan, 82 when our paths crossed at RCC before the event. Stan, 82, was playing a few holes for the first time since spending 40 days in hospital. RCC is still riding the wave of success following the tournament. “We would love to host a bigger tournament, if possible an Australian Open, if the opportunity arose,” president Sue McMillan says. “We are more than able to and would love to host an Australian Open. Just having our name in consideration for that prestigious honour would be remarkable.” “The week was so enjoyable. Great golf, great players and an even greater community spirit. This event was a true celebration of golf, made even better by the incredible support of our volunteers and the buzz created by our spectators.” Michael has the ‘Wright’ stuff in Rosebud win IF last year was a memorable one for Queenslander Michael Wright, then 2025 could be even better for the 50-year-old who registered a win at the Rosebud Webex Players Series event in January. Wright, who earned almost US$500,000 in finishing 51st on the Charles Schwab standings in his first full year on PGA TOUR Champions in 2024, edged South Australian Jak Carter on the second hole of a playoff to win at Rosebud after the pair had finished the 72-hole event tied on 15-under par. Andrew Martin and Brad Kennedy finished tied for third, one shot shy of the leading pair. Lachlan Aylen tees it up at the Rosebud Webex Series event.
March 2025 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 15 Tickle’s enjoying a career he hopes will never end WHEN strangers ask Mark Tickle what he does for a living, the veteran pro usually replies: “I play golf. I followed in the footsteps of Greg Norman.” While that may sound a tad immodest, it’s literally 100 percent accurate. One of Tickle’s first jobs was as a storeman and packer in golf equipment manufacturer PGF’s Brisbane warehouse in the 1970s. He replaced a young Greg Norman, who tossed the job in to pursue a playing career that would see him become the world’s No 1 golfer. Tickle, too, became a professional golfer. And, while he never reached the heights of the two-time Open champion, Tickle’s passion for the game was just as strong, and his commitment to competing unmatched. The left-hander is into his 15th season on Australia’s Legends Tour, proudly reporting that he’s No 48 on the all-time money-list, the legacy of playing nearly 1000 events against Australia’s best 50-and-over golfers. “I just love the game,” he says. “I’ve been playing since I was eight and I reckon I’d play every day if I could. “Golf is the ultimate challenge. It’s you against yourself,” he said. “You can play on your own, against your mates, and potentially against the best players in the world. By Peter Owen “It’s very difficult game. In tennis you have a racquet, in hockey a stick and in cricket a bat. But in golf you have a driver, a putter, a four iron, a seven iron, a sand iron and so on – and you have to be able to master them all. “And no two holes are the same. A cricket pitch and a tennis court are basically the same, but in golf you’re faced with something different every time you play. “It’s a game you’ll never master, but you keep coming back because you know there’s always a chance you can go out and do better than you did the day before.” Tickle’s golf career is extraordinary. He grew up in Noosa, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, and became a junior member of the old Tewantin-Noosa Golf Club, across the street from his home. It was a nine-hole track then, and he recalls one day playing the course seven times. He played pennants for Virginia Golf Club in Brisbane, practiced with fellow members Wayne Grady and Greg Norman, made the state junior and senior amateur teams, and turned professional at the age of 28. Tickle spent a year at Caboolture Golf Club before campaigning on the Canadian Tour with fellow Aussies Terry Price and Richard Backwell – lifelong pals and now rivals on the Legends Tour. When George Bell retired as head professional at Noosa-Tewantin in 1990, Tickle applied and was appointed to a role he would fill for the next 30 years. He became heavily involved in retail. With former PGF workmate Gary Steer, Tickle formed Golf Gear Australia in 1999, a distribution distributors all over the world,” Tickle said. “I’d buy products in bulk and split them up with the group.” Later, he founded the Sunshine Coast retail outfit Gripped On Golf, which had outlets at Kawana and Noosa. These days, though, Tickle just plays golf – on the Legends Tour and at The Glades, near where he now lives on the Gold Coast. When we spoke Tickle, 64, had just completed the two-day Seniors ProAm at Hamner Springs Golf Club on New Zealand’s South Island. He followed a first-round 65 with a threeover 71 to finish tied eighth. “The putter was very good for the first round, but disappointed on the second day,” he said. Tickle is recovering from a nasty injury that last year kept him out of golf for three months. “I was upstairs doing the washing,” he said. “One of the sheets slipped and got tangled with my feet. I tried to step back but I lost balance and fell down 14 steps.” He broke an ankle and a leg and defied doctors’ advice by returning to the course after only 11 weeks. Tickle says he’s feeling fit and well, though he’s put on 5kg during his long period of inactivity. He’s looking forward to the Legend Tour’s Victorian swing and determined to earn enough prizemoney to guarantee his status for the rest of the year. He has no plans to retire, declaring he’ll keep on playing until he’s no longer able to swing a golf club. company which continues to supply golf products and clothing to the Australian market. He also established a buying network of a dozen golf professionals, from Cairns to Ballina. “I had contacts with manufacturers and Mark Tickle is still keen to compete on the PGA Legends Tour.
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March 2025 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 18 Kim to headline WPGA Championship YOUNG Sydney professional Grace Kim admits she has always idolised Australian great and multiple major champion Karrie Webb. And that made her decision to stick around and be one of the headline acts for this month’s Australian WPGA Championship on the Gold Coast that little bit easier. Kim, who made a big impression on the LPGA Tour last year with a win and some stunning rounds, would love to get her name on the Karrie Webb Cup, which is bound to become one of our most sought-after women’s golf trophies in the years ahead. The Karrie Webb Cup will be the ultimate prize from March 6-9 at the renowned Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club on the Gold Coast. Kim caught the eye of the golfing world on the world’s richest women’s tour when she won the Lotte Championship in Hawaii at just the third start of her debut year on the LPGA Tour The 24-year-old from Sydney’s Avondale Golf Club, capped off an amazing rookie season on the LPGA Tour when she also finished runnerup at the Meijer LPGA Classic and made an impressive 22 cuts from 28 starts overall and finishing inside the top-25 eight times. “It’s always so special to come back home to Australia and play in front of family, friends and a home crowd,” said Kim. “I’m looking forward to the return of the WPGA Championship, especially this year with the Ladies European Tour (LET) also being part of the event meaning the Aussies can show their skills against some of the best in the world.” Wollongong GC ready to welcome a field of female stars TO be played at Wollongong Golf Club, the Ladies European Tour (LET) and WPGA of Australia co-sanctioned Ford Women’s NSW Open tees off from March 20 to 23 in showcasing competitors from over 40 countries, all vying for the coveted Jan Stephenson Trophy. Olivia Wilson, General Manager of Golf at Golf NSW, said the tournament was an important marker for several players with the potential of a new star in the sport adding their name to an honour roll already laced with the names of the greats. Michael Court michael@insidegolf.com.au Co-sanctioned by the WPGA Tour of Australasia and LET, the WPGA Championship will headline the new Gold Coast Festival of Golf at Sanctuary Cove Resort. “Karrie is obviously a legend of our sport and I’ve been so fortunate to spend time with her,” said Kim. “To win the trophy named after her would be absolutely awesome.” The WPGA Championship is the first of three LET co-sanctioned events on Australian shores, with a strong European presence expected to take on some of Australia’s best alongside Kim. “Grace went so close to getting her hands on the Karrie Webb Cup at the inaugural Australian WPGA Championship in 2022, I know that she will be incredibly determined to go one better this year and get her first major win on home soil,” said WPGA Tour of Australasia CEO Karen Lunn. “Having Grace tee it up at this event is a fantastic vote of support for what we are doing. “I am sure fans will embrace the opportunity to catch a glimpse of one of the brightest young talents in the global game. “Women’s golf has a long history on the Gold Coast and the entire field, including Grace, will experience a tournament unlike any other as part of the Gold Coast Festival of Golf that is exciting not just for our players, but everyone involved in the sport of golf in this country.” Australian WPGA Championship receives a broadcast boost IN what is a major coup for the new standalone women’s golf event set to be hosted at Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club on March 6-9, the 9Network, Foxtel and Kayo will showcase 10 hours of golf during the final two days of the Australian WPGA Championship. The Saturday and Sunday of the tournament will be broadcast live from 12pm-5pm AEDT on 9GEMHD and 9Now, and on Fox Sports available on Foxtel and Kayo. “We’re excited to have both the 9Network and Foxtel group simulcast the 2025 WPGA Championship,” PGA of Australia and Golf Australia’s Chief Commercial Officer, Michael McDonald, said. “We are excited that Grace Kim will headline an elite field from Australia and around the world tackling the sensational The Palms golf course layout at Sanctuary Cove, and we look forward to showcasing Gold Coast golf through the broadcast.” The Gold Coast Festival of Golf will also be held as part of the event, featuring live music, pop-up bars, dedicated participation zones, interactive experiences, plus golf and lifestyle displays showcasing the latest and greatest in golf. Tickets to the 2025 Australian WPGA Championship are now available via Ticketek and are $15 for adults, with kids 17 and under free. The 2025 Australian WPGA Championship is supported by Experience Gold Coast and the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland. BACK ON HOME SHORES: Grace Kim will play on the Gold Coast this month. “Interest in elite Women’s sport is growing rapidly, and golf is no different. “The tournament is a crucial stepping stone for many of our brightest female talent hoping to forge a career in the sport, so it is an absolute thrill to see the Women’s NSW Open again on the LET schedule this year,” Ms Wilson said. Local hopes competing in the Ford Women’s NSW Open include Kelsey Bennett from Mollymook on the NSW south coast, who secured her LET Tour card in December last year, and Shellharbour’s Danni Vasquez, who came within a whisker of winning the Australian Women’s Classic in 2023. Momoka Kobori from New Zealand, the 2023 champion, is back and will be looking to add her name to the trophy for a second time. The list of internationals lining up is impressive and includes several of European Women’s Golf’s biggest names including winners from early 2025 LET events Treechat Cheenglab (Thailand) and Cara Gainer (England). Welsh star Lydia Hall, a three-time winner of regional qualifying events brings her wealth of experience to a tournament whose legacy speaks volumes. The Women’s NSW Open has been a launching pad for extraordinary careers, Lydia Ko’s victory in 2012, Sweden Solheim Cup representative Maja Stark (2022), to legends like Dame Laura Davies (2008). “You have to look no further than the incredible names on the trophy to realise what winning the Women’s NSW Open can mean for your career,” Ms Wilson added. “Lydia Ko won this event as a 13-year-old and went on to become world number one and an Olympic champion, while Dame Laura Davies is a name which transcends the sport.” Wollongong Golf Club CEO Leigh Hingston said the club was delighted to host the Women’s NSW Open and is looking forward to welcoming the players, officials, and spectators to the event. “It’s a fantastic event for our club and the region.” “We had the Senior Amateur two years ago and the NSW Mid-Amateur last year, and the members are really behind the opportunity this event brings to showcase our fantastic course. “With strong local support and several hometown favourites competing, we expect an electric atmosphere,” Mr Hingston added. Players will compete for a purse of €300,000, and while entry is free for spectators, they will be required to register and download a ticket. Please visit the tournament website for more details. https://womensnswopen.com.au/ The 2025 Ford Women’s NSW Open Golf Championship and 2024/5 Women’s NSW Open Regional Qualifying Series are proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW. NSW young gun Kelsey Bennett will be amongst the contenders at the Women’s NSW Open. The Wollongong Golf Club, host venue for the Ford Women’s NSW Open.
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