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May 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au THE FIRST TEE 5 Is the end near for LIV GOLF? And if so, will it be missed? THE rumours were circulating and there is plenty of chatter, and while much may change between now and when this issue of Inside Golf is printed and in the hands of you, our readers, the noise is getting louder concerning the future of LIV Golf. The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), which has injected millions, make that billions, of dollars into the LIV Golf Tour, is allegedly pulling its funding. Whether that is coming sometime soon, or at the conclusion of the 2026 season, there is currently plenty of smoke, often we see the fire following soon after. To this point there has been a seemingly bottomless pit of funds for LIV, excessive amounts which the returns had no chance of matching. The Saudi’s do have deep pockets, and when it suits long arms to reach into those pockets to keep paying the bills, but the question of how long it could last, always lingered. LIV Golf Mexico City was run and won as scheduled, however where to next is very much the subject of speculation. CEO Scott O’Neil continues to talk a good game, commenting that reports of LIV’s demise are premature, and shortly after the conclusion of the Mexico event a press release was distributed saying they had committed to playing LIV Mexico again and at the same venue in 2027. O’Neil did however confirm on a video interview that the PIF funding would end, before said video was quickly shut down and taken off all channels. So where to now? Are the claims that LIV is dying unfounded, continuing what its supporters believe is a concerted campaign to damage its credibility and to make it go away. The next slated event for LIV was in the US in Virginia in early May. More will likely be known if and when that tournament takes place. Which all begs more questions. Has LIV has been good for the game, or has it been a massive disturbance likely to take professional golf years from which to recover? The answers may depend on the side of the fence you sit on. LIV was certainly a disruptor, creating a considerable split in professional golf. A handful of leading players, veterans who had seen better days, some promising up and comers and a bunch of journeymen, accepted the guaranteed money on offer and jumped onto the LIV traveling circus. The immediate reaction was almost unanimous in saying who could blame them, especially if the dollar amounts as reported were correct. While most who left for LIV were financially comfortable already, it was generational wealth. But that didn’t mean everyone had to like the decision the players made to leave the traditions of the PGA Tour. PUBLISHER: Sam Arthur | sam@insidegolf.com.au Outdoor Sports Publishing Pty Ltd ACN 113 836 301 ABN 30 043 104 919 PO BOX 437, Miami, QLD 4220 EDITORIAL: Editor: Rob Willis | rob@insidegolf.com.au Editor-At-Large: David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au NSW/ACT Journalist: Michael Court michael@insidegolf.com.au VIC/TAS Journalist: Michael Davis michael.davis@insidegolf.com.au QLD Journalist: Peter Owen peter.owen@outlook.com.au Design & Layout: Stacey Broomhead CONTRIBUTORS: Larry Canning, Tony Webeck, Michael Cooney, Andrew Crockett www.insidegolf.com.au SALES: National Sales: Sam Arthur P: 1300 4653 00 | M: 0410 575 303 E: sam@insidegolf.com.au Northen NSW/QLD/NT Sales: David Ross | M: 0439 612 458 E: david.ross@insidegolf.com.au NSW/ACT Corp Sales: David Andrews | M: 0404 871 479 E: david.andrews@insidegolf.com.au Sydney/NSW Sales: Michael Hamilton | M: 0423 455 572 E: michael.hamilton@insidegolf.com.au VIC/TAS/SA Sales: Marc Wilson | M: 0419 107 143 E: marc@insidegolf.com.au ACCOUNTS: Sheridan Murphy E: accounts@insidegolf.com.au Rob Willis rob@insidegolf.com.au Distributed to over 450 golf clubs, social golf clubs, driving ranges and retailers Australia wide every month. Combined print and online national monthly readership over 210,000. AUSTRALIA’S MOST-READ GOLF MAGAZINE Cover photo: Rory McIlroy. Photo courtesy Masters Images. Photographer Logan Whitton Aussie Owned - Aussie Operated Phil Mickelson went from being a favourite amongst many American golfing fans, to a man widely despised and someone shouldering much of the blame for blowing up the professional game. Our own Greg Norman was another to take a hit. Reemerging from the somewhat anonymity of his golf course design and multiple other business interests, the Shark took it upon himself to become the public face, and therefore the villain of the whole LIV saga. Norman actively recruited players and criticised the status quo, questioning the autocratic rule of the PGA Tour and as a result, his reputation took a battering. We missed seeing the best play against the best on a regular basis, with that occurrence restricted to four tournaments a year, and it must be asked whether LIV was in fact a suitable environment for those on that Tour to progress their golf games. It was only a small sample size, but Tyrell Hatton was the only LIV player to hold his hands up and contend at the Masters and other than Hatton and Bryson DeChambeau, members of LIV have hardly struck a blow in major championships of late. Cam Smith’s struggles, where he has failed to make a cut in his last six major appearances, a case in point. However, all that said, if you dig deep enough there are positives to come from the establishment of LIV. The PGA Tour have shaken up their schedule, increased prizemoney and made some changes many felt were needed. And nobody could question the success of LIV in some of the countries and markets it visits. If LIV Adelaide is no more, and you didn’t take the opportunity to go at least once, it was your loss. Similar with South Africa, which attracted large galleries and impressive local support. That said, very few were tuning in to the television or digital coverage, largely because it was often hard to find, even for those who may have been interested in watching. LIV certainly shook up the golfing world and made wealthy professionals even richer, but where is it headed and what of its future? Where do the LIV players go if the tour is no more? And what will professional golf look like going forward? Lots of questions, so far, no definitive answers. As of right now, LIV still has a pulse, reports of its death perhaps premature, as the hierarchy and players are attempting to remain as positive as possible. But it must be asked, if LIV was to be no more, how will it be remembered and will it be missed? Promotion valid 1/5/2026 - 31/5/2026 Call (03) 5277 3977 for nearest stockist. 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May 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au 6 INSIDE NEWS INSIDE NEWS IN THIS ISSUE PRO NEWS 9 INDUSTRY NEWS 21 CLUB NEWS SPECIAL FEATURE 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY 28 27 42 COVER STORY 7 AMATEUR GOLF 14 LETTERS 40 BUNKER-TOBUNKER 39 News, views and observations from around the golfing world With Inside Golf Editor Rob Willis rob@insidegolf.com.au GREAT AUSSIE GETAWAYS 52 REAL ESTATE - FOR SALE 46 78 75 WE TRIED IT EVENTS NEW GEAR 73 INSTRUCTION 80 DEMO DAYS 81 THE prize was a Husqvarna Automower® Aspire™ R4 Robotic Lawn Mower and Installation Kit, valued at RRP $1,399, with professional installation, and we have a lucky winner. Eddie Million, from Narellan Vale south west of Sydney, who plays his golf at the Camden Golf Club, will have the bestlooking lawn in town after taking possession of his Husqvarna prize. Eddie expressed to Inside Golf that he was a once a fortnight golfer, now with his set and forget Husqvarna Automower taking the hard work out of maintaining his lawn, the Camden course might just see him on a more regular basis. Congratulations to Eddie and thanks to Husqvarna, for 30 years the leaders in robotic lawn care. THEY began the Champions Dinner ahead of the 2026 Masters with four choices of appetisers including Rory McIlroy’s mother’s recipe of baconwrapped dates with goat cheese, rock shrimp tempura, Georgia peach and ricotta flatbread and grilled elk sliders. The latter was a surprise selection, but McIlroy, as defending champion and the man responsible for the menu to feed the past Masters winners, explained the choice of the lean red meat by saying, “in the buildup to the Masters last year, I was eating a lot of elk.” Then the first course of yellowfin tuna carpaccio came from his favourite restaurant in New York, Augusta chefs travelling to the Big Apple to learn the recipe. For the main course, wagyu filet mignon and seared salmon were the choices on offer, while the sides included traditional Irish champ (a dish of creamy mashed potatoes with green onions, butter and milk) along with brussels sprouts, carrots and crispy onion rings from Vidalia, Georgia. Sticky toffee pudding for dessert and a selection of champagne and wines that can be valued at up to $2,500 a bottle. Among the wine list was a 1990 Chateau Lafite Rothschild and a 1989 Chateau D’Yquem dessert wine, which he called “liquid gold.” At previous Champions Dinners Hideki Matsuyama’s Japanese and Jon Rahm’s Spanish feasts were a hit, especially with seafood lovers. And Adam Scott made sure his menu was uniquely Australian in 2014, flying in Morten Bay bugs, Australian wagyu beef for the steak and a pavlova with Anzac biscuits for dessert. Scottie Scheffler’s dinner last year reportedly cost US$108 per plate, significantly less than the US$220 a head Matsuyama forked out in 2022 and the US$180 per person Rahm coughed up last year. The cost of McIlroy’s dinner was set to come in at US$318 per head (AUD$460), somewhere around AUD$15,180 in total. Now as the back-to-back champ, Rory will need to try to trump his 2026 menu with something equally original and appetising for 2027. Past winners of the Masters assembled for the Champions Dinner, where they were treated to a menu arranged by defending champ Rory McIlroy. Can Rory top his 2026 Masters menu in 2027 Bingara Gorge Golf Course acquired by Golf NSW hosting Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia events, so we know we are in for a warm welcome in November.” For the fifth consecutive year, the tournament will launch the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai and will be followed the next week by the Australian Open, this year to be played at Kingston Heath in Melbourne. Tickets are now available to purchase via Ticketek. THE state of New South Wales will host the BMW Australian PGA Championship for the first time since 1998, with The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney confirmed as the venue for the 2026 event. The tournament will tee off at The Lakes from November 26-29 as part of an agreement between the PGA of Australia and the NSW Government through Destination NSW. No stranger to holding elite, international golf tournaments, The Lakes is already a three-time host of the BMW Australian PGA Championship, as well as eight editions of the Australian Open, which it last jointly hosted with The Australian Golf Club in 2023. Gavin Kirkman, CEO of the PGA of Australia and the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to partner with the NSW Government in bringing the BMW Australian PGA Championship back to Sydney. “The city is synonymous with world-class sporting events and we are thrilled that we are able to return to The Lakes Golf Club. The venue has a rich history in The Lakes to host the BMW Australian PGA TRAVEL 47 The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney will host the 2026 BMW Australian PGA Championship IN a landmark development, Bingara Gorge Golf Course is set to become the new home of Golf in New South Wales after the recent announcement that Golf NSW had purchased the course from Metro Property Development. The deal, which fulfills a long-term strategic objective to establish a flagship ‘Home of Golf’ in the state, marks a significant step forward in establishing Wilton, located some 80km southwest of the Sydney CBD, as a premier golfing and lifestyle destination. Bingara Gorge spans 90 hectares and features an 18-hole, par72 championship course with a maximum length of 6,690 metres. Designed by Graham Marsh, it has long been a centrepiece of the Bingara Gorge community. “Bingara Gorge offers a rare opportunity to secure a premium course in one of the state’s fastest growing regions. Our vision is to enhance the course to championship level, whilst offering an accessible, fun and inclusive experience for golfers of all standards and demographics,” Golf NSW Chief Executive Officer Stuart Fraser said. The acquisition provides Golf NSW with a flagship facility to inclusively grow the game across all demographics, host key golfing events, support the growth of junior golf, establish facilities to develop future stars of the game and offer publicly accessible golf on a truly ‘championship’ course. The sale includes the full 18 holes and associated golf infrastructure, with Golf NSW to formally commence management of golfing operations at Bingara Gorge Golf Course in June 2026. As part of its long-term plans, Golf NSW intends to base an administration office, high-performance training facilities and event operations within the clubhouse/pro shop precinct beside the future hotel and The Wilton (country club) on The Irons Drive. Golf operations were set to continue as normal during the transition, and the course will remain open to the community and public. Bingara Gorge Golf Course is set to become the new home of Golf NSW. WINNER 82 19TH HOLE GOLF DIRECTORY 84
May 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au THE MASTERS 7 McIlroy the Master again at Augusta IT may have lacked the theatre and emotion of 12 months prior, however Rory McIlroy emerged as the ‘Master’ at Augusta once again in claiming a second consecutive Masters victory. McIlroy raced out to a six-shot lead after 36-holes and while he had his struggles over the closing two rounds, shooting a 73 on Saturday and a 71 on Sunday, his 12-under par total was one shot ahead of world number one Scottie Scheffler. Rob Willis rob@insidegolf.com.au The victory, his sixth major championship title, saw McIlroy join Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods as the only back-toback Masters champions. Woods the last to achieve the feat 24 years ago. The win didn’t come without drama, McIlroy giving up his six-shot advantage in the third round before starting the final day level with Cameron Young and one shot ahead of Sam Burns. Australian Jason Day was also well placed on eight-under par through 54-holes, just three shots off the lead. With his win at Augusta, Rory McIlroy became just the fourth player to successfully defend the Masters title. Young, Russell Henley and Justin Rose made a run at McIlroy and at the title on Sunday, however McIlroy birdies on the par three 12th and par five 13th gave him a buffer he would hold until the final hole, where despite a wayward drive and a bogey five the Irishman would claim a second Masters triumph. Scheffler, who trailed by 12 strokes after the opening two rounds, closed with 65-68 to almost score a come-from-behind win. McIlroy, who became just the sixth player to achieve golf’s Grand Slam with his win in 2025, drew level with Nick Faldo as the winningest European golfer with six major titles in the modern era. The pair trail Harry Vardon, who won six Open Championships and the 1900 US Open for seven major victories. ……. And Rory will be back in Melbourne for the 2026 Australian Open NOW as a back-to-back winner of the Masters, Rory McIlroy shapes as something of a ‘bargain buy’ for tournament organisers with his return to Australian shores locked in for the 2026 Australian Open. McIlroy, who was the star attraction at Royal Melbourne last December, will be back on the famed Sandbelt for this year’s men’s Open, to be played at the Kingston Health Golf Club from December 3-6. He is certain to again attract the attention of both local and international media, with McIlroy’s return set to thrust Australian golf and our Open championship firmly into the spotlight once again. Despite failing to mount a serious challenging at the 2025 Australian Open, McIlroy still managed to thrill the massive galleries before eventually finishing in a tie for 14th, eight shots behind the winner, Dane Rasmus Neergaard Peterson. Neergaard Peterson, who beat Queenslander Cam Smith by one shot, received a Masters invite courtesy of his win at Royal Melbourne, however his seven-over par total for the opening two rounds at Augusta left him three shots shy of the 36-hole cut. Tickets for the 2026 men’s Australian Open are likely to be in high demand and on sale now via Ticketek. It was the McIlroy show at the 2025 Australian Open. And its on again in December this year.
May 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au THE MASTERS 8 2026 MASTERS Stats, facts, figures ■ Rory McIlroy becomes the fourth player to win consecutive Masters. Jack Nicklaus (19651966), Nick Faldo (1989-1990) and Tiger Woods (2001-2002) are the other back-to-back winners. ■ Now with six career major championships, McIlroy is tied for 12th on the all-time list alongside Lee Trevino, Nick Faldo and Phil Mickelson. ■ McIlroy has now converted 54-hole leads, or at least a share of the lead, into victories in six of eight major championships. ■ Scottie Scheffler has now finished among the top 20 in all seven of his Masters appearances. And with his second-place finish, Scheffler has been in the top ten 16 times in his last 20 major championship appearances. ■ Scheffler also became the first player since WWII to go without a bogey on the weekend at the Masters. He shot under par in the final round for the seventh straight time, matching a Masters record held by Tom Watson (19761982). ■ The field scoring average on the weekend was 71.361, the third lowest in Masters history behind 2018 (70.877) and 2019 (71.115). ■ McIlroy led two statistical categories at the 2026 Masters, driving distance, with an average drive of 334 yards, and birdies, with 24. ■ Driving accuracy however wasn’t the champions strong suit, McIlroy ranking 52nd of the 54 players to make the 36-hole cut. He hit just 31 of 56 fairways. Aaron Rai led the accuracy category, finding 50 of 56 fairways. ■ Xander Schauffele hit the most greens in regulation, 56 over the four rounds. McIlroy was 21st, hitting 48 greens in reg in 72 holes. ■ In putts for the week, Brian Campbell needed just 103. Collin Morikawa 108, with McIlroy third on 111. Morikawa was the only player in the field not to have a three-putt. CHINESE professional Haotong Li, in his third appearance at Augusta, was heading towards a best-ever result at the Masters when he made the turn on the final day seven-under for the tournament and firmly entrenched in the top 10. Pars on 10 and 11 had the 30-yearold tracking in the right direction until an unfortunate triple bogey on the par-three 12th stalled his charge. But worse was to come. Driving his ball left on the 13th, Li’s tournament well and truly unraveled, 10 shots on the par five, a number which included a couple of penalties, one for putting the ball into Rae’s Creek from off the left fringe of the green, and any hopes of a high finish were dashed. Credit to him, he bounced back with a birdie on 14, however the damage had been done, Li limping home with 44 on the back nine, for a last day 80, in finishing in a tie for 38th. Haotong Li was on track for a career best result at Augusta, until coming unstuck on the 12th and 13th holes on Sunday. Aussies at Augusta – Day leads the way WHILE a disappointing 75 on Sunday saw Jason Day slide down the leaderboard and into a tie for 12th, his five-under par total saw him comfortably finish as the leading Australian at the 2026 Masters. Day had worked his way into contention on Saturday, with his eight-under par total just three shots behind joint leaders Rory McIlroy and Cameron Young, however a final round which included one bogey, a double on the par three seventh, and no birdies dashed any hopes he may have had of becoming the second Australian Masters champion. Of the others, 2013 champ Adam Scott closed with a 70, for a four round total of 286, two-under par, finishing tied for 24th. And while Scott and Day were still around at Augusta on the weekend, heading home early after a disappointing two days were Min Woo Lee and Cameron Smith. After some encouraging signs early in the PGA Tour season Lee failed to fire, the West Aussie shooting rounds of 78-77 to be seven shots shy of the four-over par cut off. As for Smith, his major championship struggles continued with a sixth consecutive missed cut in the big four championships. While not amongst the leaders following an opening 74, Smith was in a position to progress to Saturday but a 77 on Friday, for a 36-hole total of seven-over par, again leaving the 2022 Open Championship winner searching for answers. AN event maybe few genuinely want to win in the lead up to opening round would be the Par 3 Contest, played at Augusta’s par three course on the Wednesday of Masters week. Since the inception of the Par 3, no player has won the event and gone on to become Masters champion in the same year, and with Aaron Rai this year winning on the Wednesday, the tradition continued in 2026. Rai shot a six-under par total of 21 to take out the Par 3 Contest in becoming the third Englishman to win (Luke Donald - 2011 and Matt Wallace – 2019), before finishing 48th in the tournament proper at five-over par for the 72-holes of the Masters. Again, there were celebrity caddies in Kevin Hart and retired NFL footballer Jason Kelce and some spectacular highlights at the Par 3, with four aces recorded in bringing the all-time total to 119. Justin Thomas (hole No. 2) and Keegan Bradley (No. 8) managed the second aces of their careers in the lead up event, while Tommy Fleetwood (No. 4), Wyndham Clark (No. 7) also scored holes-in-one. Aaron Rai, winner of the Par 3 Contest, before finishing 48th in the 2026 Masters. Jason Day was the best of the four Australians at Augusta this year. The Par 3 Contest – The tradition continues Haotong’s horror back nine on Sunday
May 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 9 Cam celebrates a third win at The National CAMERON John learnt how quickly the worm can turn just days after his imperious play-off win at the mighty National layout in the final event of the 20252026 PGA Challenger Tour. John, 27, celebrated his third win for the season with family and friends before heading to Japan for an International Series event at the Caledonian Club in Chiba where he was struck down by influenza. Michael Davis michael.davis@insidegolf.com.au Marchesani’s strong season rewarded WHILE Travis Smyth’s Australasian Tour Order of Merit win means he can play on the DP World Tour in 2027, James Marchesani and Cameron John will have the opportunity to take their games to Europe and the secondary Hotel Planners Tour as the second and third place finishers. For Marchesani, while he may not have managed a win, the 2025-2026 season can only be rated as a successful one for the 35-year-old Victorian, who registered nine top 10 placings, highlighted by his play-off loss at the NSW Open. Haydn Barron was fourth on the final OOM list, with Will Florimo fifth. “Matt Cutler, from Golf Australia, is helping me in that regard, too.” Cutler has recently returned to GA after a stint working for wellknown management company IMG. “I really wanted to win at The National to put a stamp on my year,” John said. “That was important, even though I knew it was unlikely I would finish top of the Order of Merit.” He finished just six points behind Smyth, on the final OOM, who continued Australasian Tour form by winning the International Series event in Chibi. John delivered one of the shots of the summer at the first playoff hole to complete a threewin season and secure a second victory at The National Tournament in three years. Victorious at the Queensland PGA Championship and Vic Open earlier in Cameron John (right) and James Marchesani, in finishing second and third on the Order or Merit, earned exempt status on the European Hotel Planners Tour. With a third win of the season at The National Tournament in Victoria, Cameron John wrapped up a successful summer season on the Australasian Tour. the season, John (68) was forced to go to extra holes by Daniel Gale who set the clubhouse mark at 11-under with a superb 8-under 64. John lipped out for birdie at the par-4 17th as good friend Matias Sanchez joined him at 11-under with a birdie of his own, Sanchez missing his putt for par at the difficult par-4 18th to forgo a spot in the playoff. John and Gale played together in the final group two years ago on the adjacent Moonah Course, John’s three-stroke win on that occasion his breakthrough on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia. That tally now stands at four after an enthralling final day at The National that saw the course record matched twice and players jockey for all-important Order of Merit positions on the leaderboard. “I woke up on the Sunday morning, and my caddie (Matt Howell) said: ‘You look dead,’ “ Somehow, he managed to struggle out of bed and shoot seven under 64 and tie for seventh. It was a great performance under the circumstances. “I was disappointed not to make the top five. But I just wanted to get through each shot rather than focus on the outcome.” It was something he had been working on with his new coach Denis McDade and sports psychologist Ben Crow. John said he finished fifth in an event just weeks after coming under the tutelage of McDade. Crow has been working with John on the mental side of tournament golf for two years. He too has helped him become more “process driven” rather than worrying about the result. “I had worked with Tim Wendel, the coach at Rowville Secondary College since I started there 12 or 13 years ago and appreciate everything he did for me. But it was probably time for a change,” John said. John finished an agonising six points behind Travis Smyth in the local Order of Merit which gives him full playing rights next year on the Hotel Planners Tour, the feeder circuit to the DP World Tour. He will also attempt to pre-qualify for the main European Tour in September. John will have a very busy end of the year because wife, Georgia, is also expecting the couple’s first child around the same time as the Q-school. In the meantime, John hopes to gain a few starts on the LIV pathway tour and any other events which offer him entry around the world. “I’m sending off plenty of emails every day, asking the question, but so far nothing has come through. 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May 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 10 With a victory in New Zealand, locking up the top spot on the Australasian Tour Order of Merit, followed by an International Series victory in Japan, Travis Smyth has enjoyed an outstanding run of form early in 2026. honours, part of the reward being entry into this year’s Open. He also won a place in next year’s DP World Tour. “I wasn’t planning for any of this,” Smyth said. “I just wanted to play well enough to keep my card for the following season so I didn’t have to ask for invites into any of the events. “It’s been a cool year,” he said. “It’s so good that I played well at the right time and got these breaks.” With so many opportunities ahead of him, Smyth is mindful that he needs to set a schedule that doesn’t leave him tired and drained. He’s planning on contesting no more than 25 or 26 events, arriving in the UK a fortnight before the Open in July. He says his game has been good for some time but believes he has not yet reached his peak. “I’m nowhere near my potential as a golfer,” he said. “There’s a lot of improvement still to come.” Opportunities await Aussie tour’s champion TRAVIS Smyth, the Sydney professional who gate-crashed this year’s PGA Tour of Australasia and snatched Order of Merit honours in just four starts, is now pondering which tournaments to play as he prepares for the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in July. It’s an entirely different situation from the one he faced in 2023 when he played his only other major, the Open at Royal Liverpool. At that time, he was a member of only the Asian Tour, which had gone into recess, and Smyth’s Open lead-up was confined to social golf, practice and random Monday prequalifiers for the Korn Ferry Tour. This year, Smyth’s choices are wide and varied. With the Australasian Tour now over, he can return to the Asian Tour, in particular to its lucrative International Series, or he can campaign on the Japan Tour, courtesy of the status he won when he took the Japan-Australasia Championship in Auckland in March. By Peter Owen O’Donovan named Rookie of the Year FOLLOWING The National tournament and the conclusion of the 2025-2026 Australasian Tour, 22-year-old New South Welshman Declan O’Donovan was named Rookie of the Year following an impressive start to his professional career. A two-time winner of the NSW Amateur Championship, then the victor of Canada’s national amateur title last year, O’Donovan turned pro in late 2025, before securing his first win just his seventh start. Coming from behind on the final day, O’Donovan showed his immense ability, along with maturity beyond his years, with a five-shot victory in the Webex Series Castle Hill event. In addition to the win, O’Donovan recorded three top 10’s in 12 events played while finishing 14th on the final order of merit. Declan O’Donovan, named the Australasian Tour’s Rookie of the Year. that several attractive events clash. He plans to concentrate on the Asian Tour this year, and play the occasional event on the Japan Tour. “There’s also a US Open qualifier in Japan, and the last few winners of the Australian Tour Order of Merit have been invited to the US PGA Championship,” he said. “I’m hoping I will be, too.” He may not have to just hope. He is currently second on the International Federation Ranking, behind only South African Casey Jarvis, with the top three receiving an exemption into the US PGA, to be played at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania from May 14-17. These are heady times, indeed, for the 31-yearold who turned professional nine years ago and earned a spot on the Asian Tour the following year by finishing third at Q School. In June 022, he followed the Asian Tour to the UK where he contested the International Series England. It was a career-changing moment for the young man from the NSW beach town of Shellharbour, south of Sydney. He finished second, collected $US220,000 and qualified to play in the first LIV tournament in London the following week. He shot 10-over-par in that 54-hole event at the Centurion Club, earning prizemoney of $US146,000. But his real stroke of luck was to be named part of the group that finished second in the team’s event, returning him another $US375,000. That meant he’d collected $US741,000 for seven days’ work. Later that year he would win the Asian Tour’s Yeangder TPC in Taiwan. Smyth’s hit and run campaign on the Aussie tour this season began when he received an invitation to play in the NZ PGA Championship at Paraparaumu Beach in February. He tied fifth, then again finished fifth in the New Zealand Open the following week. He received another invitation into the JapanAustralasia Championship at Royal Auckland and Grange Golf Club, surviving an agonising six-hole playoff to beat Jack Thompson. He finished only 19th in his final tour start, at the Heritage Classic in Victoria, but by then he’d accumulated enough points to take OOM His thrilling victory in the International Series Japan on the Easter weekend also gives inside running for a re-entry to the LIV tour. He now leads the International Series order of merit, with the top two gaining promotion to the LIV circuit at season’s end. Smyth has made no secret of his desire to return to LIV golf, where he had success four years ago. For a golfer who has been criticised in the past for failing to close out tournaments, Smyth’s successive victories – in New Zealand and Japan – have confirmed his status as one of Australia’s finest players. “People don’t understand how hard it is to win, you know,” said Smyth. “It’s such a mind game with yourself out there. In the past, you’re always trying to come up with excuses as to why you might not be leading, or why you might not be hitting the shots under pressure that you want to, but I don’t know, I’ve been able to turn a corner.” Smyth, enjoying a career high world ranking of 134, has been studying the schedules of the Asian and Japan tours, and has discovered
May 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 11 Hannah celebrates with a legend after winning the big Aussie double HANNAH Green isn’t much of a drinker – a girl more likely to celebrate a tournament victory with a Sprite rather than a Chardonnay. But she let her hair down after she’d wrapped up both of the big events on the WPGA calendar, claiming the WPGA Championship at Sanctuary Cove in late March. And the celebration wasn’t just because of her immaculate golf. Her post-event dinner companion was her idol – superstar Karrie Webb, who has long been a supporter of the Western Australian champion. Webb, whose name adorns the trophy that Green had just won, is known to fancy a red wine or two, and Green most certainly had earned a drink after a fabulous fortnight of golf that saw her win the Australian Open in Adelaide a week earlier. “Maybe if the restaurant has something, I might have an alcoholic beverage,” Green conceded after her victory. “Webby’s obviously one of the greatest golfers Australia’s ever produced,” she said. “I don’t think any of us will ever catch up with the amount of wins she’s had in her career, but she’s a true inspiration to us all. “It’s amazing to see what she’s done with her scholarship. I’m not really sure I’ll be able to give back in the same way, but I’m hoping these two wins elevate women’s golf.” The celebrations were not likely to go on long into the night, however, as Green had to make an 8.30am flight to the United States the following morning. By Peter Owen It was clear to see her delight at claiming an event that had been won in 2022 by her best friend Su Oh, when the tournament was played at Royal Queensland. It was Green’s third success of the season, her Australian victories following her win in the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore at the beginning of March. “I’m on such a high right now and I know golf can go the other way,” she said. “So it’s going to be really hard for me when I don’t have a winning tournament. “I have a week off to kind of recoup and get ready for when I go back to the States and just get myself back down to a level and not on such a high, so that I can continue to perform like I am.” Green, who sank a three-metre putt for birdie on the final hole at Sanctuary Cove to beat Germany’s Lexie Forsterling and South African Cassie Alexander by four strokes, is now setting her sights on winning another major. “The major championships are definitely the events that I’m going to be trying to peak for,” she said. “Hopefully with how I’ve kind of laid out my schedule, I haven’t given myself too many tournaments before that to hopefully not tire myself out. “But I think obviously I’m in a really good head space now. So I think that’s definitely going to help.” Three Australians ended the week inside the top 10 of the WPGA Championship, Western Australian Maddison HinsonTolchard’s five -under 66 the round of the final day, lifting her into a share of ninth alongside LPGA Tour veteran Sarah Kemp (69) at seven-under. Captain Karrie locked in for LA 2028 GOLF Australia has nominated seven-time major champion Karrie Webb to captain the Australian Olympic golf team for a second time at the LA 2028 Olympic Games. A passionate advocate for the Olympic movement who played a crucial role in the sport’s readmission ahead of the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, Webb created history at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games when she became the first woman to captain both the men’s and women’s golf teams in Olympic competition. She will again lead both teams and, for the first time in Olympic competition, the two-person team that will contest the 36-hole mixed teams event. Webb is thrilled to have another opportunity to create a positive environment for Australia’s best golfers. “I have loved the Olympic Games since I was a young girl growing up in North Queensland, so it was a wonderful honour to captain our team in Paris,” said Webb. “There is already a wonderful camaraderie within Australian golf but it goes to another level when you come together in a team environment wearing the green and gold of your country at an Olympic Games.” According to Golf Australia CEO, James Sutherland it was a simple decision to extend Webb’s Olympic captaincy, “Few people in the history of our sport have had a greater influence on Australian golf than Karrie Webb,” said Sutherland. “Karrie did an exceptional job as captain at Paris 2024 so once she expressed her interest in continuing in the role, it was a very easy nomination for Golf Australia to put forward. “Many of our women who are excelling on the world stage each and every week have benefitted directly from the Karrie Webb Scholarship and I know those who qualify for LA28 will flourish under Karrie’s leadership.” Australia’s golf representatives in Paris were Hannah Green and Minjee Lee (women) and Jason Day and Min Woo Lee (men). The LA28 Olympic golf competition will be played at the famed Riviera Country Club from Wednesday, July 19 until Saturday, July 29, 2028. Hannah Green accepts the Karrie Webb trophy as winner of the WPGA Championship, from Karrie Webb herself. Hannah Green backed up her win at the Australian Open with a victory at the WPGA Championship. Karrie Webb will captain the Australian golf team at the 2028 LA Olympics. AND WIN YOUR PURCHASE BACK! GET FITTED APRIL 1 - AUGUST 31, 2026 SCAN THE QR CODE TO FIND YOUR LOCAL ON COURSE PRO SHOP
May 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 12 Japan-bound Momo comes home to make her first pro appearance FOR a young woman who grew up on the Gold Coast, became a star on the US collegiate circuit and who has just won her way onto the Japan Ladies Tour, playing in the Australian WPGA Championship at Sanctuary Cove was a unique experience for Momo Sugiyama. Probably better known in the US than she is at home, Sugiyama was playing her very first Australian professional event when she lined up in the second of the QPGA’s major events in mid-March. The 23-year-old, who finished third in the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship in 2024, was back home on the Gold Coast to prepare for her upcoming first event on the By Peter Owen lucrative Japanese tour when she asked for an invitation to play the tournament. “I was really looking forward to it because it’s like home,” she said. “I was more excited than anything to go to a tournament from my home. “I haven’t played the (Sanctuary Cove) Palms much, but the course feels kind of similar to Royal Palms, where I always practice.” With her long-time friend Billy Dowling carrying her bag, and her family and friends in the gallery, Sugiyama began confidently, shooting opening rounds of 68 and 70, before giving ground over the weekend with 71 and 75 over her final 36 holes. She and Dowling, who won the Australian Amateur Championship earlier this year, have been students of coach Nancy Harvey on the Gold Coast since they were toddlers. “I trust his decisions and obviously he’s a great player,” Sugiyama said. “It was nice to kind of get some reads off him as well. And he plays there for QAS, so he knows the course really well.” Encouraged by her performance, she said the tournament was a perfect way to start her competitive year. She planned to play her first event on the Japan tour in April, and remain in that country until the end of the season. After a stellar amateur career, Sugiyama turned professional last year with her eyes firmly on Japan. In December she took part in the tough ‘professional test,’ a precursor to competing in the 72-hole Q School. After ordinary opening rounds of 78 and 75, Sugiyama roared home over the final two days with scores of 65 and 68 to tie for 15th place. She then safely negotiated Q School to earn her card for the 2026 JLPGA season. “I think First Stage was the most nervewracking I felt, but by the end of third stage, I wasn’t nervous at all. It was just another stage to go, but it is a long process. “They’re not all back to back, so you have to come back,” she said. “And then Japan’s a bit of a different golf experience. So just adjusting to that was also hard as well.” After excelling at swimming and cross-country running as a child, Sugiyama committed solely to golf around the age of 13. When she completed high school, she travelled to the US and enrolled in Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. She became a star on the university’s golf team, earning Second Team All-Big Ten honours in her first season. She tied a singleseason school record with six rounds in the 60s, and was Purdue’s best player in six of the 11 tournaments played. Indeed, she won her first event as a freshman, which she described as ‘pretty exciting.’ “In my last few years, my team made it to nationals, so that was pretty cool, getting to play there because that was always a big goal of mine,” she said. After returning home to play in the WPGA Championship, Momo Sugiyama was set to begin her Japanese Tour campaign in April. Two stars of the future – Gold Coasters Momo Sugiyama and caddy Billy Dowling during the WPGA Championship at Sanctuary Cove. admin@flindersgolfclub.com.au | www.flindersgolfclub.com.au Golf: (03) 5989 0312 | Club: (03) 5989 0583 | 1 Bass Street Flinders VIC 3929 Spectacular views Heartfelt hospitality Upgraded course Membership available Corporate groups and functions simply breathtaking
May 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 13 Florimo took the advice and he hasn’t looked back By Peter Owen Florimo took his advice and hasn’t looked back. Now a member of the Asian Tour and a winner of the Australasian Tour’s Heritage Classic in March, Florimo has his eyes set on playing well enough in the International Series to perhaps clinch a spot with LIV Golf. It’s a level of success the 26-year-old lefthander probably thought should have come sooner. A prolific winner as an amateur, Florimo had come close several times to breaking his duck as a professional – a third placing in the West Australian PGA this season, runner-up in the NSW Open, and runner-up in the PNG Open. “You hate thinking about it, but I mean, if you don’t get it done, when are you going to get it done?” he said after winning the Heritage Classic. “I suppose, unless you keep putting yourself there, it’s pretty hard to get it done.” Florimo ‘put himself there’ enough times this season to claim fifth spot on the Australasian Tour Order of Merit. “My big goal this year was winning,” he said. “To tick that box was really special and it’s nice to now have options.” Having tasted success Florimo found he liked it. He took his form to Redcliffe in April for the first pro-am on this season’s circuit, and won the $100,000 event with rounds of 63 and 65. Florimo concedes he probably played too much this year. As well as 15 starts on our tour – including the Australian PGA and Australian Open – he popped across to Asia, gained his card on the Asian Tour in December, and then competed in a LIV golf event, which offered three spots in the lucrative LIV league. “I was playing well and I was there – probably overdid it a bit,” he said. “It’s hard not to when you’re playing well and you have the opportunity.” Coach Stephenson, a former Queenslander who is now based at Peninsula Kingswood, caddied for Florimo when he won the Heritage Classic, the second-last event on this year’s Australasian Tour. He has no doubts that Florimo will become a successful international player. “I’ve never known anybody who has a better understanding of their game,” he said. “He works hard, is not afraid of criticism and is always looking to expand his golfing IQ.” Soon after linking up with Florimo, Stephenson jetted off to Qatar, where he worked in a coaching role for two years. “I discussed it with Will and he was happy to stick with me,” he said. “With modern technology it’s not that difficult to coach from afar and it’s worked out well.” Stephenson has always aspired to be a high performance coach and mentor elite players. As well as Florimo, he works with professionals Blake Proverbs and New Zealander Mason Lee. “I enjoy helping club golfers improve their games,” he said, “but it’s much more satisfying to work with a player on a long-term basis. If a golfer wants to improve you will see the results.” Florimo was the first touring professional Stephenson has worked with. “We’re learning off each other,” he said. Will Florimo (left) and his coach Brad Stephenson celebrate the left-hander’s first tournament success. With a win at the Heritage Classic, Will Florimo finished fifth on the final Australasian Tour Order of Merit. WHEN golf coach Brad Stephenson decided to take on promising amateur Will Florimo four years ago, it took him only a few days to realise the young man’s potential. He told him to turn pro immediately. “I looked at his past history, his scoring ability, the number of birdies he was making, and told him it was time he started making some money,” said Stephenson, who was then only starting out as a coach himself. • Daily grade prizes plus overall prizes • Complimentary tee gift valued at $200 • Complimentary lunch 2 x Snack packs & 2 x Seated lunches • Complimentary carts at all 4 courses Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday • 4 days of golf at Maroochy River, Palmer Coolum, Noosa Springs & Twin Waters SUNSHINE COAST CLASSIC $895 PER PERSON Escape... and play in the Sunshine Coast Classic, held at 4 premium golf courses located within one of Australia’s best holiday destinations! AUGUST CLASSIC 16 - 21 August 2026 JUNE CLASSIC 14 - 19 June 2026 Visit www.classicgolfevents.com.au for more information & to book your place
May 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au AMATEUR GOLF 14 Oberle goes back-to-back as Harris shines in Keperra Bowl Sixth time’s a charm for Victoria’s Harris VICTORIAN Amelia Harris has won the Australian Junior Championship at her sixth and final attempt. The Yarra Yarra Golf Club member overturned a four-shot deficit with a two-under final round of 70 at the Ballarat Golf Club, her six-under par total finishing two shots clear of Kiwi Teresa Wang. Wang led through the opening three rounds and appeared on track for the girls’ title, in taking a four-shot lead into the final round over Harris and Amy Tang. Her advantage was trimmed to three after the front nine, before the tournament turned on the par-four 12th, where a costly triple-bogey from Wang brought the pair level. Harris remained composed, seized the outright lead with a birdie on the 14th, before adding another on the 16th to extend her advantage to two shots. Both players parred the final two holes, sealing a long-awaited victory for the 17-year-old Harris in her final year of eligibility. “I can’t put it into words how happy I am,” Harris said. “It’s always one you dream of winning… especially to get it in my last year, I’m really happy.” The win marks Harris’s third consecutive title, following victories at the Rene Erichsen Salver and Keperra Bowl (see below), and caps a standout beginning to the year that David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au TWO of Australia’s rising stars, Chase Oberle and Amelia Harris, underlined their immense potential with dominant victories at the prestigious Keperra Bowl. The talented pair will now take the next step in their careers – heading to the United States later this year on college scholarships. Oberle is bound for the University of Notre Dame while Harris will join the University of South Carolina, marking an exciting new chapter for both players. Before their departure, however, each delivered a strong performance at Keperra Country Golf Club where the Keperra Bowl, a 72-hole Golf Australia Order of Merit event and World Amateur Golf Ranking qualifier, showcased the country’s top amateur talent. Oberle, 18, was in complete control throughout the men’s championship. Striding confidently off the 72nd hole, Oberle allowed himself a moment to take in the occasion. Spotting this reporter, the 18-yearold flashed a thumbs up and a grin as wide as the 18th fairway his final drive had comfortably found. It was the expression of a player who knew victory was secure. Moments later, that confidence became reality when he was crowned champion for the second consecutive year to become the first player since Elvis Smylie to achieve the feat. A member of the Golf Australia High Performance Squad, Oberle carded rounds of 67-70-65-65 for a remarkable 21-under-par total of 267. His dominance was reflected in the numbers: four eagles, 19 birdies and just six bogeys across the week. He took particular advantage of Keperra’s par-5s, dismantling the opening hole with a sequence of eagle, birdie, birdie, eagle to play it in six-under for the week. The ninth and 11th holes received similar treatment, each yielding fourunder-par returns. That’s 14-under par on those three holes. Still, it was his composure that stood out. “My plan in the final round was to keep calm, have fun, keep the driver in play and attack from there with my wedges,” Oberle said. “And I trusted my putting – even from 20 feet I felt I could hole it.” Sanctuary Cove’s Taylor Barr finished runner-up on 276, nine shots behind the winner, with Devonport’s Jonty Lunson a further two shots back in third. The women’s championship produced an equally impressive display with 17-year-old Harris stamping her authority on the tournament. Representing Yarra Yarra Golf Club, she compiled rounds of 66-67-72-71 to finish at 12-under-par (276) to secure a four-shot victory. Holding a narrow lead entering the final round, Harris never relinquished control. Her aggressive approach yielded 24 birdies for the week, offset by eight bogeys and two double bogeys. Nudgee Golf Club’s Alicia Ludi finished runner-up while former champion Jazy Roberts was two shots further back in third. “I knew if I stuck to my game plan and did what I needed to do I’d be okay,” Harris said. “What I did well also included her first professional win at the Women’s NSW Open Regional Qualifier. She credited her recent victories to her growing confidence, having also rallied from five shots back to win the Rene Erichsen Salver. “I enjoy the chase, so I had a lot of confidence in myself going in,” she said. “Last year I struggled a lot with my confidence and golf is just mental a lot of it. So having that confidence there, I think that’s what’s helped me hit a lot of good scores.” Seeing her name alongside idols such as Minjee Lee and Grace Kim adds further motivation. “It makes me really happy because seeing that they’ve been in the position where I am now and seeing where they’ve gotten to, it makes you want to get to where they are,” she said. Feiyu Xing shared third with Tang at two-over, while Constance Wang, Jordyn Deen and Olive Spitty finished two shots further back in a tie for fifth. Katano the first Japanese born to win the Australian Junior JAPAN’S Kanichiro Katano became the first winner of the Australian Junior Amateur title from outside Australia and New Zealand with his victory at the 2026 championship played at the Ballarat Golf Club. Based in Auckland and playing out of the Pakuranga Golf Club, Katano carded a brilliant six-under 66 on the final day to finish eight-under for the 72-hole event and two clear of New Zealander Ryan Xie. On a drama-filled last round played in cold, wet and windy conditions, Katano etched his name on the trophy alongside major champions and former Junior championship winners Adam Scott, Jason Day and Cameron Smith. Katano stormed home in producing his best round of the tournament, with a closing birdie on 18 setting a clubhouse target which proved too good for the chasing pack. “I was just focusing so much, on each shot, each hole,” Katano said. “I can’t believe it. I played so well today and I’m really happy to win.” Another Kiwi junior in Cooper Moore produced a strong title defence, finishing tied for third at four-under alongside Joey Eason of Emerald Lakes (Qld) who was leading Australian. Joondalup’s (WA) Blake Johnson finished another shot back in fifth. Attention was set to turn to the Australian Junior Interstate Teams Matches at Moonah Links on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula the following week, an event featuring teams from across Australia and New Zealand. – ADDITIONAL REPORTING COURTESY LIAM WYLLIE GOLF.COM.AU CHAMPIONS: Chase Oberle and Amelia Harris show off the Keperra Bowl silverware. Victorian Amelia Harris, the 2026 Australian Junior champion. this week was my time management and preparation, especially adapting to the greens, which are quite different from those in Melbourne. “Today I wasn’t hitting the ball that great but earlier in the week, especially the first two days, I was hitting it straight and my irons were going close.” Harris’s journey in golf began far from the manicured fairways of Melbourne. Born and raised in Cairns, she first picked up a club at age five through junior clinics at Half Moon Bay Golf Club where her father played. Now her future now lies in the American collegiate system with long-term ambitions firmly set. “My goal is to do my best at college in America and eventually get on the LPGA Tour,” she said. “But it’s a long way away, so we’ll see how it goes.” Japanese youngster Kanichiro Katano, now resident in New Zealand, the winner of the Australian Junior Championship.
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