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January 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au THE FIRST TEE 5 Three big tournaments played the same week, diminishes the opportunity to attract a high profile supporting cast to play alongside the likes or Rory and the leading Aussies. “There needs to be conversations had with people much more important than me that set the schedules and do all that sort of stuff,” Rory reasoned. “Hopefully the Australian Open can find a date that accommodates everyone, and everyone can at least have the option to come down and play.” DP World Tour member Richard Mansell was left frustrated by having to choose between playing in either Australia or South Africa. “Grateful to be down here in SA at the Nedbank, but how good does the Australian Open look?” Mansell posted. Marco Penge, who pushed Rory all the way in the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai, played in the PGA at Royal Queensland, but chose the richer of the two events, headed for South Africa and skipped the Australian Open. Surprise 2024 winner Ryggs Johnston played at Sun City rather than defend at Royal Melbourne. Which brings up point two: the Australian Open purse of $2million was well short of what was on offer in South Africa and the US$5m at Tiger’s 20-man event. In placing 33rd at Sun City, Ryggs collected around US$48,000, while to earn similar at the Australian Open he would have needed a top 10 finish. As far as prizemoney goes, we need to do better. And while it is onwards and upwards as the Open moves to Rory’s “favourite” track Kingston Heath later this year, what happens after that? Big championships lock in venues years in advance, do we need to do the same? People are saying, “Let’s return to Royal Melbourne.” Has anyone talked to their members about that? Undoubtedly a great venue, however hosting Australian Open’s is a big inconvenience to members who pay top dollar to play there. So, credit where it is due, excellent work by all concerned this time around and we look forward to the girls doing battle at Kooyonga in the New Year. The 2025 Australian Open and Royal Melbourne showcased Australian golf around the world, but where to next? The job is almost done. An epic Australian Open – The job is ALMOST done IT might be classed as nitpicking trying to find or point out negatives when it comes to the last month’s Australian Open. Crowd figures on the final day were posted as 33,400, adding up to over 112,000 for the week - eclipsing the 102,000 who attended LIV Adelaide early in 2025. And before anyone counters saying LIV is only three tournament days, not four, their numbers include those who turn up to watch the post-event concerts featuring Fisher, Dom Dalla and the like. Millions watched the Open on Fox Sports, Kayo and Channel 9, while the broadcast went all over the world. There was some amazing golf played throughout the week, around a Royal Melbourne course which was as much the star of the show as the players it challenged. All respect to the winner, Rasmus Neerguard-Peterson, who looks like a good one ready to tackle the PGA TOUR in 2026, however the icing on the cake would have been a Cam Smith win. If looking to turn his loss into a positive, Cam played some of the golf we’ve come to expect from him. Let’s hope he can build on his result at Royal after a disappointing 2025 by his lofty standards. Rory McIlroy was obviously the star attraction, and while he didn’t feature on Saturday and Sunday, those who saw him dig deep late on Friday afternoon to make it to the weekend were suitably impressed. All the leading Aussies turned up, barring one notable absentee, there were 12 members of LIV and a bunch of young European DP World Tour stars. It won’t be on the same scale, but everything points towards a successful Women’s Australian Open in Adelaide in March, an event hopefully headlined by homegrown stars Minjee, Grace, Hannah and Steph, and maybe Nelly Korda who is on some of the pre-event promotional material. But and I hate to say it, the job is only ALMOST done. Rory brought it up in pre and post tournament interviews, the date clash is a concern. The Nedbank Challenge, boasting prizemoney of US$6million (I’ll get to that) is South Africa’s “major” and was played the same week as our Open. So too the limited field Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, an event hosted by Tiger Woods. It’s hard to say no to Tiger when he asks you to play. 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Combined print and online national monthly readership over 210,000. Est. 2005 AUSTRALIA’S MOST-READ GOLF MAGAZINE Cover photo: Rory McIlroy - photo courtesy of Golf Australia AVAILABLE IN STANDARD & MIDSIZE UP TO 30% TRACTION MORE iX250 perforation shape channels moisture away more effectively than traditional perforations. iX250 Scan code for more information. Rob Willis rob@insidegolf.com.au NOTE: The above was how we saw the Open last week, but what about you? Did you watch the Australian Open, either on site or via the television coverage? What did you think? Was Rory worth the reported $2million appearance fee? Should the Open have a permanent home on the Melbourne sandbelt? Send your letter to rob@insidegolf.com.au.
back on our shores early next month when LIV Golf Adelaide gets underway at The Grange Golf Club on February 12. Now with events to be contested over 72 holes, tickets are again expected to be in high demand, with spectators interested in taking in all the action of LIV Adelaide encouraged to get in early to avoid disappointment. IN perhaps looking for more playing opportunities or the world rankings points which come with a high finish, maybe to experience Royal Melbourne, or—as far as the Aussie boys are concerned—to come home and compete in their national championship, 12 members of the LIV Golf Tour teed it up in the Australian Open. And the poster boy for Ripper GC, Queenslander Cam Smith, almost stole the show, pipped at the post by Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen when the Dane made an outrageous up and down for par on the 72nd hole. Of the others from LIV, young gun Josele Ballester was in the mix on Sunday before finishing tied for sixth, while American Caleb Surratt and Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz also placed inside the top 10. Smith’s Ripper GC teammates Marc Leishman and Lucas Herbert were tied for 18th, former Australian Open champ Abraham Ancer (T30) and another Mexican in Sebastian Munoz (T39) were also under par for the week. Possibly the most disappointing of the LIV 12 was Joaquin Niemann, a five-time LIV Tour winner in 2025, he was never able to come to terms with the challenges of Royal Melbourne, the Chilean shooting 73-76 over the first two days in failing to progress to the weekend. It was a disappointing trip to Australia for Niemann who also missed the 36-hole cut at the BMW PGA Championship the week prior. LIV Golf, the 12 who were at the Australian Open along with the likes of Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson will all be January 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au 6 INSIDE NEWS INSIDE NEWS IN THIS ISSUE AMATEUR GOLF 22 CLUB NEWS 28 CLUB OF THE MONTH CLUB OF THE MONTH TRAVEL 40 34 45 PRO NEWS 7 INDUSTRY NEWS 23 LIFESTYLE 44 LETTERS 43 News, views and observations from around the golfing world With Inside Golf Editor Rob Willis rob@insidegolf.com.au FAR TO MID NORTH COAST 54 MURRAY RIVER FEATURE 50 64 63 INSTRUCTION EVENTS NEW GEAR 60 DEMO DAYS 65 19TH HOLE 66 NOW competing on the PGA Tour Champions in the US, Greg Chalmers claimed the Stonehaven Cup and Australian Open title 27 years ago at the Royal Adelaide Golf Club. Teeing it up at Royal Melbourne in the 2025 edition of the Australian Open, Chalmers showed both the mind and body are still willing, using his skill, nous and years of experience to navigate his way around the challenging course in finishing in a tie for 14th. His score of seven-under par for the tournament left the 52-year-old Chalmers tied with Rory McIlroy and Min Woo Lee and ahead of the likes of Aussie stars Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert and Cam Davis. But it wasn’t just the lefty from Perth flying the flag for the over-50s contingent, with Steve Allan, Richard Green, Stephen Leaney and John Senden all making the 36-hole cut, while Brendan Jones was just one-shot shy playing on the weekend. Jason Norris, Brad Kennedy, Peter Lonard, Michael Wright and Rod Pampling were also in the field. While honourable mention should go to 48-yearolds Brett Rumford and Geoff Ogilvy who despite limited playing schedules these days, navigated the halfway cut and progressed to play the final two rounds. Some might suggest their best days are behind them, but Chalmers led the way in showing there is still plenty of fight in the old boys. Greg Chalmers played strongly at the Australian Open, finishing tied 14th alongside Rory McIlroy and Min Woo Lee. From the Australian Open Pleased you enjoyed it! A LITTLE over a year ago, a lucky reader was the recipient of an Inside Golf-Tourism Malysia prize of a five-day holiday to Kuala Lumpur, which included the opportunity to play two of Malaysia’s best golf courses. The prize involved five days/four nights at a luxury Malaysian hotel and golf at the Palm Garden Golf Course and The Mines Golf Resort. Also Included were flights via Malaysian Airlines, return airport transfers and complimentary breakfast each day. And it sounds like the trip was certainly enjoyed by prize winner Greg Slocum and his wife Irina from Melbourne, with below letter of thanks forwarded recently to Inside Golf. You’re welcome, Greg and pleased you enjoyed it. Sorry for the delay, however I wish to pass on my sincere appreciation of the team in Kuala Lumpur who organised our prize-winning trip From the moment our assigned driver, Mr Dan, picked us up from the airport my wife and I felt truly privileged with our travel, accommodation, and golfing experience. Dining events were greatly appreciated. Double Tree By Hilton is a fabulous hotel, with professional, and courteous staff. Many lovely options for dining, and lounging. A sublime, comfortable establishment. Our golf days at Palm Garden, and The Mines, showcased the class of older style, traditional layouts. Expansive dining areas, with both Asian and Western food options. Both courses played superbly, with above average fairways, true greens, and experienced, knowledgeable caddies. As much as they tried, unfortunately my game did not match their supportive information. We could not hope for a better journey in and around Kuala Lumpur. We look forward to travel to Malaysia again, especially Kuala Lumpur, hopefully in 2026. Many thanks to the team at Inside Golf, and Malaysia Tourism Board. Gregory and Irina Slocum Greg and Irina Slocum enjoying their time at Palm Garden Golf Course in Malaysia. The LIV leaderboard GOLF DIRECTORY 68 WHILE the marquee group traded shots on the fairways and greens during the first round of the Australian Open, another world class performer was keeping tabs on how they went about their business, as well as keeping the massive galleries informed as to what score they were shooting. A face familiar to golf followers, Steph Kyriacou was put to work as a special guest scoreboard volunteer, the rising Aussie female professional up close and personal and inside the ropes with the threesome which included Rory McIlroy, Min Woo Lee and Adam Scott. Steph sported her customary smile while carrying out her duties, likely taking some pointers from three of the best players in world golf. A member of the winning Australian Team at the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International Crown event late last year, the 25-year-old Kyriacou made 18 cuts in 22 starts, including five top 10s, on the LPGA Tour in 2025, finishing 45th on the CME points list. It is expected Kyriacou will be amongst the leading contenders at the Women’s Australian Open, which is scheduled to get under way on March 12 at the Kooyonga Golf Club in Adelaide. Thursday’s celebrity scoreboard carrier Still some fight in the old boys So close for Cam Smith. He was the leading LIV golfer at the Australian Open, but second to Dane Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen.
January 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 7 Rory roars into Royal Melbourne – and he’s coming back! Michael Davis michael.davis@insidegolf.com.au THE CROWN AUSTRALIAN OPEN ROYAL MELBOURNE GOLF CLUB AMID all the deserved hubris in the corridors of power at Golf Australia following the resurrection of the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne, Rory McIlroy had some words of wisdom. “Yes, it’s been absolutely amazing,” said the Northern Irishman who probably more than anyone else had dragged the national championship back into the land of the living. “The scenes, the crowds, the golf course… absolutely incredible,” McIlroy said. “This is a golf tournament that has so much potential and I think it showed a whole a lot of that this week. “But I think there is still a way to go. I would love to have a few more players come down and play but it’s hard with three tournaments in the schedule going on this week. Hopefully the Australian Open can get a date where everyone who wants to can have the option to come down here and play.” McIlroy will be back as part of his two-year Australian Open deal to play at Kingston Heath later in the year. Likely to return too will be the tournament’s sensational winner Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen who produced an implausible up-and-down from the worst possible position to claim a drama-charged tournament at Royal Melbourne Golf Club. In front of more than 33,000 fans packed into every vantage point on the 18th fairway, the Dane won a place in the Masters in April with a nerveless 20-footer for par. But he waited a harrowing few minutes before Queenslander Cameron Smith missed a fivefooter which would have forced a play-off. It was the Dane’s first win on the DP World Tour. He was gracious in victory and said even though he might have looked calm, “It was a storm inside all day. I just had to keep battling. To get it up and down for par from that (right rough beside the 18th green), I don’t know what to say to be honest.” Neergaard-Petersen started the day with a two-shot lead and had fallen two behind walking to the par three 12th tee. “The birdie on 12 was huge. Getting back into a tie for the lead. On the past three days I had always managed to finish well coming in.” An invitation to the Masters was the icing on the cake for the Dane. “The Masters is the event I’ve grown up watching so many times and I’ve dreamed of playing it,” the 26-year-old said. “Just to get to the event is awesome. I was still playing college golf two and a half years ago it’s all gone by so fast.” Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen claimed his first DP World Tour title and the bonus of an invitation to the 2026 US Masters with his win at the Crown Australian Open. Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said the rejuvenated Open event had exceeded all expectations. “The players are the stars but the team behind the scenes has worked extremely hard. We’ve separated the men from the women’s event (after a dual format trial) and this event has been elevated. It has been building ever since we announced Rory and Royal Melbourne and has produced the greatest Australian Open ever. We have seen in excess of 110,000 people through the gates.” All power to golf. RM and Rory were an unmitigated success. Rory McIlroy was the star attraction at Royal Melbourne, with massive crowds turning out to see him play. 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.
January 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 8 SPAIN’S David Puig is used to going places nobody’s been. He was the first person to go straight from the US college circuit to LIV Golf, skipping his senior year at Arizona State University, and the first LIV golfer to be accepted as a member of the DP World Tour. And, at his first start on that tour, he became the first Spanish golfer to win the Australian PGA Championship since his hero Seve Ballesteros in 1981. By Peter Owen Puig, just a week short of his 24th birthday, broke away from a multitude of challengers on the final day at Royal Queensland to beat rising Chinese star Wenyi Ding by a shot, with Kiwi Nick Voke a fast-finishing third. “It means the world for sure,” said Puig after being greeted on the 18th green by his fiancé Berta Sanchez, who has been by his side for the past seven years. “I was really looking forward to that first professional win on the DP World Tour. I was pretty close a few times throughout the last couple of years, but I wasn’t able to get it done, especially in that Spanish Open last year. “I’m really happy about that and excited and proud of all the work that I’ve been putting in and, obviously, my name being with Seve’s name as the only two Spaniards to have won this event makes it even more special.” Puig, who joined LIV Golf in 2022, played on the DP World Tour last season as an affiliate member. He’s a fulltime member this season, but remains part of Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs GC on the LIV Golf League. Because of his ties with LIV and his commitment to play LIV events, he may be subject to some fines later in the DP World Tour season. But Puig won’t care. Though he went winless on the LIV Tour this year he still banked US$8.5 million in prizemoney, as well as collecting $403,750 for his Royal Queensland victory. Amateur behind Christoffer Bring and Ludvig Aberg. The Australian PGA victory was his third as a professional, the others being the 2023 International Series Singapore and the 2024 Malaysian Open, both on the Asian Tour. Marc Leishman, who challenged for a time at the BMW Australian PGA, plays alongside David Puig on the LIV Golf Tour and had nothing but praise for the young winner. David Puig became the first Spanish golfer since Seve Ballesteros in 1981 to win the BMW Australian PGA Championship. BMW AUSTRALIAN PGA CHAMPIONSHIP Puig joins his hero Seve as Australian PGA winner And he enjoys playing in Europe. “I grew up watching the DP World Tour since I was six or seven years old, watching Seve first and then Sergio and Jon Rahm,” he said. “Thankfully we got lots of players there so it was always a dream to play here and I got the chance and I’m really happy. Hopefully I can be a member for lots of years.” Puig showed great poise during the final round, firing birdies on the second, third and fourth holes to set up an early lead, then repelling the challenges of Min Woo Lee, Marc Leishman, Ding and Voke. Puig played his final 40 holes in 13 under par, without a single dropped shot, for an 18-under par winning total. Leishman, who seems to always contend in the Australian PGA, knows Puig well from the LIV Golf circuit. “He’s a great player,” Leishman said. “He hits it very long, a really good all round player. “When his head’s on his shoulders the right way he’s dangerous. He’s only really young. He’s played our charity day so I’ve got to know him a little bit. “Yeah, really good fella,” he said. “Obviously happy for him, but wish it was me.” Puig was an outstanding junior, playing for Spain in the Junior Golf World Cup, where he won silver in 2018 and bronze in 2019. He represented Europe in the 2018 Junior Ryder Cup, and finished third in the 2021 European
January 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 9 Happiness is a BMW M5 IF there was anybody at Royal Queensland happier than BMW Australian PGA champion David Puig, it was Sydney journeyman Daniel Gale, who surprised everybody but himself with his top 10 finish. And, while Puig largely hid his emotions behind a stony façade throughout the tournament, the wide grin on Gale’s face, under his trademark yellow bucket hat, was clear evidence the 29-year-old was having the time of his life. And why not? Gale played four great rounds, shooting 65, 71, 68 and 68 for a 12-under-par total, finishing tied eighth and collecting more than $56,000 in prizemoney. But for Gale the highlight of his week was a perfectly struck eight iron on the 154m par three 11th hole in the first round, which rode the wind, landed softly and trickled into the hole for an ace, earning him a BMW M5 Touring station wagon worth close to $300,000. Before the round began, Gale checked the notices and discovered the spectacular prize would go to the first person to ace the hole, and not be restricted to just weekend play. And, remarkably, he foresaw his good fortune. “I played in the pro-am on Wednesday and I said, ‘this baby’s mine’. I guess it was a semi-joke,” he said. “You always want to believe it, I guess, semi-joked about it with the girlfriend and her family last night. They’re like, ‘yeah, that’s mine tomorrow’. And it actually happened, so pretty crazy.” After the excitement of scoring his third competitive hole-in-one, Gale was proud of the way he reset and birdied the very next hole, leaving him five under par for a round which was then cut short by a typical Queensland summer storm that forced everybody off the course. When play resumed the following day, Gale went within centimetres of holing out at the short 17th, the famous ‘party hole.’ And in the final round he went even closer, much to the joy of the raucous crowd that surrounded that green. “This baby is mine.” Daniel Gale is now the proud owner of a BMW M5 Touring station wagon following his hole-in-one at the BMW Australian PGA Championship. HAVING earned a DP World Tour card for the 2026 season, 31-yearold New South Welshman Anthony Quayle was looking to kick start his campaign in the best possible fashion. That being the case, why not employ one of the best caddies in the business to point him in the right direction? Enter Steve Williams, now semi-retired but best known as Tiger Woods’ long-time bagman and for guiding Adam Scott to the US Masters title in 2013, with Quayle enlisting the services of the famous Kiwi caddy for a double header of events, starting with the BMW Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland and continuing at the Crown Australian Open the week following. The partnership began well enough, the pair finding themselves one shot adrift of clubhouse leader Kazuma Kobori after two rounds at the PGA, but from there it didn’t go quite to plan, Quayle finishing in a tie for 10th. “His professionalism rubs off on you. He’s probably the most positive and clear caddie that I’ve ever worked with,” Quayle told News Ltd when asked about the influence of Williams. “It was just very direct (with) ‘this is what we need to do here, you think you can do it? Yes, let’s do it then’. There was no room at all for any sort of doubt at any point. It just didn’t seem to creep into my mind.” For Williams it has been a celebrated caddying career, one that began at a New Zealand Open in 1976 carrying the clubs of five-time Open Championship winner Peter Thomson. Williams went on work for Greg Norman in the late 1980’s, for Ray Floyd on both the regular and senior US tours until 1999 and for Scott over a span lasting 11 years, while he is also credited for contributing to the success Woods enjoyed. Gale, who played last season as a DP World Tour member courtesy of finishing third in the Australasian Tour Order of Merit in 2023-24, had an ordinary year on tour, making only a handful of cuts and failing to retain his card. He will play the remainder of the Australasian circuit, then return to Europe to play on the Hotelplanner Tour, hoping to perform well enough to get back on the DP World Tour. And on his return to Sydney he planned to put his Hyundai Tucson on the market. There’s no room in his garage for two vehicles. – PETER OWEN Quayle secures the services of an all-star bagman BMW AUSTRALIAN PGA CHAMPIONSHIP With legendary caddy Steve Williams on his bag, Anthony Quayle challenged for a time at Royal Queensland before finishing in a tie for 10th.
January 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 10 US bound, but Penge won’t turn his back on a tour he loves BEN An might have won the DP World Tour season-ending Genesis Championship in South Korea late in 2024, but a two-metre birdie putt an hour earlier on the 72nd hole, made by a player few golf fans had even heard of, had much greater significance. Had Marco Penge missed that putt on the 490m par-five 18th hole at the beautiful Jack Nicklaus Golf Club, he would have finished 111th on the tour’s Order of Merit and missed out by one place on retaining his card for the following season. And that would have denied the Englishman the chance to put together a spectacular 2025 season that delivered him three victories, placed him second to Rory McIlroy in the Race to Dubai, saw his world ranking rocket from 440 to 29, and earned him a place on the lucrative US PGA Tour. Penge, a 27-year-old whose father Angelo was born in Italy, gave Australian fans a glimpse of his talent when he played in the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland a few weeks ago. Despite carrying a painful neck injury that limited his preparation, he shot rounds of 70, 65, 70 and 71, then boarded a jet to fly to South Africa for the rich Nedbank Challenge at Sun City. Fun-loving Fuzzy Zoeller passes away aged 74 FUZZY Zoeller, the colourful American who famously waved a white towel from the fairway of the 72nd hole in the 1984 US Open in surrender to Greg Norman, only to beat the Australian legend in a playoff the following day, is being remembered as one of golf’s most outgoing characters. Zoeller, who won two majors – both in playoffs – including the 1979 Masters in his first appearance at the event, died on November 27. He was 74. Zoeller waved his white golf towel on the final hole of the US Open after Norman had holed a long putt to tie Zoeller for the tournament lead. He thought Norman was ahead, but Zoeller went on to par the hole, tie the tournament, and took the title the next day after an 18-hole playoff. After being beaten 67 to 75 in that playoff, Norman good naturedly waved a white towel himself, acknowledging yet another cruel loss in a major championship. Frank ‘Fuzzy’ Zoeller Jnr won 10 PGA Tour events between 1979 and 1986. Later he joined the Champions Tour, where he won the Senior PGA Championship in 2002. He also won the 2004 Mastercard Championship. Born and raised in Indiana, Zoeller was an outstanding junior, finishing second in the 1970 state high school championship. He turned professional in 1973. He was voted the 1985 winner of the Bobby Jones Award, the highest honour given by the United States Golf Association, in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf. In 1994 he shared the 54-hole lead in the Open Championship at Turnberry, but faded to finish third, his best ever finish in the event. He competed in three Ryder Cups for the US team. Zoeller was married to Diane, who died in 2021. He had three children. – PETER OWEN Frank Urban ‘Fuzzy’ Zoeller, a two-time major champion, passed away in November. By Peter Owen It’s heady stuff for a man whose career was at the crossroads little more than a year ago. Penge, who was introduced to golf at the age of five, was a scratch golfer by the age of 13 and won a host of junior tournaments. He turned professional in 2017 at the age of 20 and, two years later, won his first professional title – the Irish Masters on the PGA EuroPro Tour. That earned him membership of the Challenger Tour, but it wasn’t until 2023 that he won again. He claimed the Portuguese Open, followed by the Challenge Tour Grand Final, which earned him a place on the DP World Tour. Penge missed the cut in Elvis Smylie’s 2024 Australian PGA and was only 27th in the Australian Open the following week to conclude a less than impressive first season on the DP World Tour. Then, after serving a three-month suspension for betting on golf tournaments, he proceeded to put together a stunning 2025 season. He finished third in the South African Open in March, won the Hainan Classic in April, the Danish Golf Championship in August, the Spanish Open in October, and finished second in the Scottish Open. Those performances were good enough to place him second on the tour’s Race to Dubai. Penge struggles to make sense of the dramatic improvement. “I mean, obviously, time,” he said. “At the start of the year I had to put my head down and rearrange a couple of bits within my team and the way I work. “I had a coach change and just had time to really work as hard as I possibly could and do what I wanted to do. The big one for me is obviously the structure that I have in place. “I’ve been super consistent this year. It’s hard to think of a round a golf where I didn’t play very well, whereas last year it was more the opposite. “I’ve become a father as well, so I probably just matured as a person and learned so much from my first year playing the DP World Tour. “Your first year as a rookie is not easy, it’s a new environment for you to find your feet and give myself the chance to play well on this tour.” Penge, who holds a position with Mizuno and uses the manufacturer’s clubs, faces a frenetic 2025. His win in the Spanish Open gained him starts in the US Masters and the Open, and his success on the DP World Tour earned him a US PGA Tour card. He plans to play in that tour’s first two signature events, the Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Genesis Invitational, as well as the Players Championship, and as many other events as he can. “Obviously looking forward to playing in all majors next year and play against the best players in the world,” he said. “The standard is different when you’re playing against the best guys.” But he won’t be turning his back on the DP World Tour. “Yes, I’m playing the PGA Tour next year, but I still want make sure I’m in Dubai at the end of the season with a chance to win the Race to Dubai,” he said. “So I’m going to be trying to play as much as I can when I can.” Indeed, his commitment to the DP World Tour was one of the reasons he played at Royal Queensland. “I love playing golf, so I was in Dubai a couple of weeks ago and halfway from home to here and obviously had the opportunity to come and start the season in Australia. I didn’t really have a second thought about not coming. “I played this course last year and really enjoyed it with my family so I wanted to come back and have that experience again and kind of kick off as fast as I can in the new season. “Hopefully I’ll be playing as much as I can on the DP World Tour. It won’t be the last time you see me.” Marco Penge, a visitor to Australia and the BMW PGA Championship in November, will compete on the PGA Tour in 2026 after an outstanding 2025 season on the DP World Tour. Long hitting Englishman Marco Penge, a rising star on the world golfing scene.
January 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 12 A life devoted to growing the game FOR more than a decade, Doug Gardner was a familiar figure on the highways and backroads of Central Queensland – his car packed with junior clubs and golfing paraphernalia – his schedule filled with school visits. As the Greg Norman Golf Foundation’s teaching professional for the region, Gardner introduced tens of thousands of children to the game he loved, travelling up to 60,000 kilometres a year. Then, almost overnight, it all stopped. A decade has passed since the Foundation closed its operations, but the passion that drove Gardner through those long, sun-baked days has never faded. “I still do clinics at Yeppoon and Gracemere golf clubs when I’m asked,” the 57-year-old said. “Helping kids learn golf is something I don’t ever want to give up.” These days, Gardner’s life looks different. Instead of teaching full-time, he fills his weeks driving Yeppoon’s 60-seater school bus on call and tending to the gardens and maintenance needs of a 220-home retirement village. It’s varied, hands-on work, but the change hasn’t softened the sting of losing the Foundation role he cherished. “It was sad when the Greg Norman Golf Foundation folded up here because of all the wonderful work we had done,” he reflected. “I’d teach up to 15,000 schoolkids a year. I absolutely loved it. Sometimes CQ coordinator Gurney Clamp would help out.” David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au Gardner’s philosophy was simple: teach kids the basics in a way they can remember. He built his junior clinics around six principles starting with just hitting the ball, a reminder that even the smallest success can spark excitement. The core of his method revolved around shapes: Y, L, T and finishing on the toe. “Hands together on the club, lean forward so your arms make the letter Y,” he explained. “Then take the club back so the left arm and the club make an L. Swing through so your body and the shaft form a T, and finish on your toe.” To make it stick, Gardner borrowed a tune from pop culture. “I made up a song like the Village People’s YMCA. I’d sing ‘Y, L, T, toe!’ It sounds silly but the kids loved it – and they remembered it.” Gardner’s own journey began far from structured lessons. One of five brothers, he grew up on a property at Tara in Queensland’s Western Downs, where he first learned the game by belting balls around the property. His parents played on the local sand greens and golf quickly took hold. Later, when the family moved to Bargara, Gardner found himself working in the pro shop under respected local professional Norm Hobbs. “I used to buff 80 sets of clubs every Saturday to get pocket money,” he laughed. “And I’d help Norm with clinics. That’s where I really got exposed to the teaching side of the game.” Hobbs saw enough potential to enter the young Gardner in the Queensland Amateur Championship boldly predicting he’d win it. He was right. Gardner defeated Peter Zidar in a playoff, then added three more state titles and the South Australian Invitational to his growing résumé. He represented Queensland for seven years, three of those as captain, and spent four years in the national squad. After moving to Brisbane, Gardner worked as a greenkeeper at Indooroopilly Golf Club before shifting into the golf shop. But he wanted more. “I decided I wanted to do a traineeship, but only under one person – Charlie Earp,” he said. It took two years of waiting, but eventually Earp accepted him at Royal Queensland. The results were immediate: Gardner won the Australian Trainee Championship, the Queensland trainee title, the Queensland matchplay, the foursomes championship, and was named Queensland Trainee of the Year. He remained Earp’s assistant until Earp retired in 2003. “Charlie and Margaret were like second parents to me,” Gardner said. “I learned so much from them.” After missing out on the head professional role at Royal Queensland, Gardner accepted Earp’s suggestion to apply for the Greg Norman Golf Foundation position in Central Queensland – a move that would shape the next chapter of his career. Throughout his years on the road, Gardner hardly played competitive golf. “For 17 years I only played five ninehole rounds a year,” he says. “Last year I started playing again with my son Jayden, and I’m really enjoying it.” In early 2025, he decided, cautiously, to try the Australian Legends (Seniors) Tour. “I thought I’d embarrass myself because I hadn’t been under pressure in so long,” he admitted. He needn’t have worried. Through four events – Townsville, Redcliffe, Hervey Bay and the Australian Seniors Championship – he has held his own. His best finish so far is a Doug Gardner (left) and Gurney Clamp (right) with some of their many students. runner-up result behind none other than Peter Senior. “The nice thing is I’ve had my son Jayden caddie for me,” he said. Despite his renewed interest in playing, Gardner’s heart remains with the next generation. “I now believe the number one person in any golf club is the junior coordinator,” he said. “You have to get good coordinators and look after the kids. “That’s what we did in Central Queensland, and we had some great ones. My phone was always open for them.” A decade after the Foundation closed, the caravans of school clinics and long drives may be gone, but the mission remains unchanged. As long as there are kids eager to pick up a club, Doug Gardner will be there, teaching the Y, the L, the T and finishing proudly on the toe. Doug Gardner with his “second parents” Charlie and Margaret Earp at Royal Queensland. GET FIT. GET OPTIMIZED. ping@americangolf.com.au OUR BEST BRINGS OUT YOURS.
Mornington Peninsula Classic Sunshine Coast Classic Sunday April 26th - Friday May 1st 2026 June Classic Sunday June 14th - Friday June 19th 2026 August Classic Sunday August 16th - Friday August 21st 2026 4 days of golf (Stableford Competition) Registration event and tee gift collection at St Andrews Beach Brewery Motorised carts provided on all 4 competition days 4 x Daily light lunches provided Daily grade prizes and overall tournament prizes for Men & Women On site accommodation deals available at 3 of the participating courses 4 days of golf (Stableford Competition) Registration and tee gift collection at Twin Waters Golf Club Motorised carts provided on all 4 competition days 4 x Lunches provided (2 snack packs, 2 sit down) Daily grade prizes and overall tournament prizes for Men & Women Accommodation deals available at Mooloolaba Newport & Peninsular Beachfront Resort www.classicgolfevents.com.au info@classicgolfevents.com.au TOURNAMENT PARTNERS TOURNAMENT PARTNERS INAUGURAL EVENT • ENTRIES NOW OPEN! TWO 2026 EVENTS • ENTRIES NOW OPEN!
January 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 14 Three in a row for Reeves SHE probably had no idea she was doing her friend and rival a favour just by beating her. Yet that’s exactly what Hannah Reeves did, albeit indirectly, by winning a tense playoff victory at Dubbo late in 2025 in a regional qualifying tournament for the 2026 Ford Women’s NSW Open It was Reeves third consecutive victory, meaning she had already qualified for the big event at Wollongong Golf Club in a few weeks’ time. And while the playoff with her good friend Justice Bosio was as tense as any playoff, Reeves maintained her cool head to emerge victorious. Yet runner-up Bosio could afford to smile because her narrow defeat meant she also grabbed a qualifying spot for the NSW Women’s Open as well. Reeves carded a one-over round on Friday, finishing tied with fellow Queenslander Bosio at the top of the leaderboard. The pair had played together throughout the day, with Bosio posting an impressive threeunder round to draw level. A missed par putt on the 18th left Reeves frustrated as her ball slipped past the cup, forcing the duo back down the 18th for a sudden-death playoff. Reeves then flew her tee shot long over the green before produced a superb up-and-down to save par. Meanwhile Bosio found the greenside bunker and was unable to convert her par putt, handing Reeves the win. And a first for Bosio MAYBE the pressure was off when Justice Bosio drove into Narrabri for the final NSW Open qualifier for 2025. Buoyed by that news her second placing in Dubbo was enough to secure a spot in the Women’s NSW Open in a few weeks’ time, Bosio played some of her best golf to secure her maiden professional victory. The 21-year-old Queenslander delivered a composed two-under final round in windy conditions, enough to finish at four-under and five shots clear of the chasing pack. Bosio carded four birdies on the front nine to build a lead she never surrendered. And she was delighted to have that first victory on her resume. “It’s great to finally get a win under my belt after just over a year of being pro,” she said. “I asked Amelia on the last hole, I had a feeling that I probably played pretty well. “It was quite windy out there, and I feel like I just played really solid. “She let me know that I had a five-shot lead, so I felt a little bit calmer coming down the last.” She was also the only player in the field to finish under par for the week, crediting her home course for preparing her for Narrabri’s challenges. “I’m from Caboolture Golf Club, so I think just learning to play on a course like that, and coming out here, I kind of feel a little bit at home just knowing how to play off some interesting lies.” South Australian Caitlin Peirce, last year’s Narrabri winner, finished second at oneover par. Western Australia’s Abbie Teasdale Michael Court michael@insidegolf.com.au Still Bosio secured the first qualifying spot on offer, with Illawarra golfer Danni VasquezBoyd taking the second after finishing third at three-under par. Reeves admitted she had to grind to get the job done. “I’m just really happy to have gotten it done today,” she told Golf NSW. “It was quite a grind out there, and I probably didn’t have my A-game, but I really hung in there. To make that putt on the last felt great.” After a bogey-free five-under opening round, Reeves said her ability to stay composed under pressure made the difference. “Today was the most important day to hang in there and play okay even when it’s not your best stuff,” she said. “For me, it’s just sticking to my pre-shot routine and not getting caught up in anything else.” Bosio described the experience as bittersweet, having momentarily forgotten that the top two players earn qualification. “I was so focused on the win that it slipped my mind that the top two get the spot,” she said. “My dad messaged me and said, ‘tough finish, but still got the spot,’ and then I remembered. I’m really excited to play the Women’s NSW Open again.” WORTHY WINNER: Hannah Reeves made it three straight with a playoff win at Dubbo late in 2025. shared third place with Hannah Reeves and Kristalle Blum. Teasdale and Peirce both secured qualifying spots for the 2026 Ford Women’s NSW Open at Wollongong Golf Club. “Pretty happy, I had a good result at Narrabri last year, so it’s nice to qualify again.” The final two Regional Qualifiers will take place next month [February] at Moss Vale Golf Club and The Links Shell Cove. Michael Court michael@insidegolf.com.au MAIDEN VICTORY: Justice Bosio was heading back to Queensland ecstatic with her win at Narrabri.
January 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 15 Thai Thitikul LPGA’s best for 2025 WOMEN’S World Golf Ranking number one Atthaya ‘Jeeno’ Thitikul crowned a spectacular season by winning the LPGA Tour’s CME Group Tour Championship for the second year in a row. Shrugging off a sore left wrist, the Thai ace carded rounds of 67, 63, 64 and 68 at Tiburon Golf Club, for a total of 26-under-par 262, finishing four shots ahead of compatriot Pajaree Anannarukarn at the US$11 million seasonender. American Nelly Korda, the world number two, was third on 20-under 268, bringing to an end a frustrating season where she failed to record a victory after seven wins the previous year. Four Australians were in the 60-player event, with Minjee Lee and Stephanie Kyriacou, who finished 12-under and in a tie for 13th the best placed. Grace Kim was in a group tied for 26th and Hannah Green 51st. By defending her title, Thititkul chalked up her third win of 2025 and seventh career LPGA victory. The US$4 million winner’s cheque made her the fastest player to reach US$17 million in career earnings. With the victory, Jeeno secured the LPGA Tour’s 2025 Rolex Player of the Year award and the Vare Trophy for low scoring average. Her scoring average of 68.681 set a new LPGA Tour single-season record, surpassing Annika Sorenstam’s 2002 average of 68.696. Going into the final event of the season, the Player of the Year race came down to Jeeno and 2025 Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year Miyu Yamashita of Japan. Yamashita, the winner of the AIG Women’s Open and Maybank Championship in 2025 needed to win the CME Group Tour Championship to overtake the Thai star but finished tied for 36th. Jeeno is the second player from Thailand to win the Rolex Player of the Year award since it was introduced in 1966. “I think it’s just an honour. The Vare Trophy and Player of the Year are always going to be representing how consistent you are in the whole, long season. Holding that trophy, I just feel goosebumps because it’s had all the history about golf from all the players,” said Jeeno. While now having won seven LPGA events, Thitikul has yet to capture a major championship, perhaps her best opportunity coming at the Evian Championship in 2025, when beaten in a playoff by a spectacular Grace Kim eagle. Strong finish to 2025 for WA’s Rudgeley NAMED the Margie Masters WPGA Tour of Australasia Player of the Year at the PGA Awards in Brisbane, West Australian Kirsten Rudgeley signed off her 2025 campaign on the Ladies European Tour with her best result of the year. One of four Aussies in the field for the season finale at the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España, the 24-year-old Rudgeley bettered her tie for second at the Ford Women’s NSW Open at Wollongong early in the season by finishing outright second, four strokes back of France’s Nastasia Nadaud and one clear of fellow Aussie Kelsey Bennett. “It was amazing, it was a good week,” said Rudgeley, who collected €63,000 for her efforts. “The golf course was amazing. Everyone is in the same boat, and we have all earned our spot to be here. “This golf course has definitely got a few holes where you can lose shots and unfortunately that happened for me, but I played nicely all day and played well all week. “It’s nice to see the game trending in the right direction. It’s nice to finish on a good finish, it will make the flight a bit more comfortable. Joining Rudgeley in the top three was Bennett, who made seven birdies and a lone bogey in a final round 66 in capping of off an outstanding rookie season in Europe. It was her seventh top10 finish and equal to her best result of the year. “I haven’t played here before,” said Bennett. “I started off a bit rocky but came good towards the end there.” Rudgeley would finish 21st, Bennett 20th on the LET Order of Merit. Also in her rookie season, Maddison HinsonTolchard shot 69 in the final round to earn a share of 20th to be 32nd on the Order of Merit in comfortably retaining her playing rights on the LET. Jeeno Thitikul, the women’s world number one, winner of the Tour Championship and 2025 LPGA Tour Player of the Year Kirsten Rudgeley enjoyed her best result of the year on the Ladies European Tour with a second place finish at the season finale in Spain.
January 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 16 Connor McKinney has qualified to play on the DP World Tour in 2026. Our newest DP World Tour player finds form in Bali surf WHAT do you do after successfully negotiating 252 holes of pressure golf and fulfilling a lifetime dream of playing on the DP World Tour? For young Perth professional Connor McKinney the answer was simple – jet to Bali with your best mate and learn how to surf. McKinney, a 23-year-old former Scot who relocated to Western Australia with his parents a decade ago, had showed considerable promise before lining up in the first stage of DP World Tour Q School in Belgium in September. By Peter Owen Before turning professional, he’d won the Australian Amateur and the St Andrews Links Trophy in 2022, played on Europe’s modest HotelPlanner Tour last year, shot a rare 59 in last year’s Gippsland Super 6 at Warragul, and in August claimed his first professional victory on Scotland’s Tartan Tour. But none of that was any indication of what the young man was about to achieve when he set out on his fourth attempt to make it onto the DP World Tour through Q School. He finished fifth at his first stage qualifier in Belgium in September, with a five-under-par total for 72 holes, which qualified him for Stage 2 in Spain a few weeks later. The competition there was tougher, but he again finished fifth after a fourround total of 12-under-par. That got him into the gruelling sixround Final Stage at Spain’s Infinitum golf course, where he kicked off with a blemish-free nine-under-par 62 which saw him lead the pack after the first day. He played steadily from there, making light of one of professional golf’s most challenging environments. McKinney finished the marathon at 24-under-par, claiming second place in the Final Stage qualifier, with exempt status going to the top 20 players. To give some sort of context to his performance, McKinney was 41 under par after his 14 rounds of qualifying, breaking par 12 times and returning only one score over par – his second round 73 in the Final Stage. His game in good shape, McKinney’s focus throughout the Final Stage was on staying fit and fresh. “My real goal was just on recovery,” he said. “I hit balls a couple of days, just like 20 balls after the round and I’d just go straight into the truck and do stretching, do some movement stuff and just get the body feeling as good as possible for the next day. “I’d had that Q School circled since January,” McKinney said as he prepared to play in the Australian PGA at Royal Queensland, his first start on the DP World Tour as a member. “It was kind of just a good progression. “It started in Australia, all the way along to when I played Tartan Tour in Scotland and I just felt like every round I was just improving. After a pretty horrific season last year. I had to build myself back up.” McKinney, a member of Joondalup Country Club, began the year with no status on any tour, something that, in hindsight, he believes might have been a blessing. “Not having to go from Australia and go and play 25 events on the Challenge Tour,” he said. “It worked out pretty good. At the time, you think it’s the end of the world, but when you have a bit of time to decompress and go, this is my plan for the year, I’m going to get better at this. And every month it was just a good progression.” McKinney said his status on the DP World Tour would guarantee starts in as many as 22 tournaments – more, obviously, if he performs well. He planned on playing in Mauritius before taking a month off over Christmas and New Year, then rejoining the tour. But, as bright as his golf future is now looking, McKinney is just as excited about his prowess in the surf. He took surf lessons when he and his caddy flew to Bali to recuperate from the ordeal of Final Stage Q School qualifying. “It was awesome,” he said. “After about five waves, they told me to jump off the wave half-way, or I’d have to spend 20 minutes paddling all the way out again. “But on the last wave I got all the way into shore standing up.” Connor McKinney (right) and his caddy celebrate their success at Q School. “It’s a breeze to play at the bay” • Picturesque country golf club located by the sea • Perfect for the social golfer, novice and holidaying family groups • Spectacular views across Cleveland Bay to Magnetic Island • An abundance of flora, fauna and unique, spectacular wildlife • Surrounded by the Town Common Nature Reserve • Corporate, social and charity groups, large or small our specialty • Challenging 18 hole championship course, plus Townsville’s only 9 hole par 3 course Emmerson Street, Pallarenda, Townsville QLD Club House Ph ( 07) 4774 1188 Ext 3 | Golf Shop Ph ( 07) 4774 1188 Ext 1 | www.rowesbaygolfclub.com.au
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