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July 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au THE FIRST TEE 5 Victoria Park GC: The end of a Brisbane institution THE final golf ball has been struck at Victoria Park. After more than 90 years of golf on one of Brisbane’s most historic sporting sites, the gates have closed, the thwack of golf balls being struck have fallen silent and the bulldozers have moved in. For many Brisbane residents, the redevelopment of Victoria Park for the 2032 Olympic Games is being presented as progress. But for thousands of golfers, former club members, staff and patrons, it feels more like the end of a treasured chapter in the city’s history. The closure is not simply the loss of a golf facility. It is the disappearance of a community institution that served generations of Brisbane families. Before Victoria Park became known for its popular driving range and entertainment precinct, it was home to Victoria Park Golf Club, which operated from 1931 until Brisbane City Council shut it down in 2001. The club fought to survive, taking the council to court in a desperate attempt to preserve its future. When it lost, so too did 600 members who had built their sporting lives around the club. That decision broke the heart of a golfing community that had thrived on the site for seven decades. Yet golf endured. The driving range, golf learning centre, putt-putt course, restaurant and event facilities transformed Victoria Park into one of Brisbane’s most successful recreational destinations. It became a place where serious golfers mixed with beginners, where families gathered, where children hit their first golf balls and where countless social and corporate events were held against Brisbane’s skyline. It was accessible, welcoming and uniquely Brisbane. I took my children there to play putt-putt when they were very young and as they matured, we relocated to the driving range to hone our skills. One of my son’s even worked in the restaurant as a teenager. Now it is all gone. The irony is that while protesters recently descended on the site claiming cultural and spiritual connections to the land, long-time members such as the late Geoff Bennion spent decades defending Victoria Park’s place in Brisbane’s sporting and community life. Bennion once remarked that he had never encountered protests about golf being played on the site during his years at the club. His widow, Jane, recently reflected on what her husband would think of the latest chapter in Victoria Park’s history. David Newbery david@insidegolf.com.au www.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 &TRAVEL MAGAZINE Lead photo Travis Smyth Photo courtesy Australian Golf Media Centre. Cameron Smith - 2022 Open Championship Photo courtesy R&A Media. Aussie Owned - Aussie Operated BIGGER IS BETTER PRO-PREFERRED RUBBER SURFACE ULTRALITE CONSTRUCTION TWIST-RESISTANT STABILITYCORE™ ZEN LITE NEW & IMPROVED JMX ZEN LITE Jason Day 2015 PGA Championship winner “He’s probably turning in his grave,” she told Inside Golf. Whether one agrees with the Olympic redevelopment or not, there is no denying that something significant has been lost. Too often, cities celebrate what is being built without properly acknowledging what is being destroyed. Sporting clubs and community institutions accumulate value over decades. Their worth cannot be measured solely in land values, development plans or economic forecasts. Their real value lies in the friendships formed, the traditions maintained and the memories created. Victoria Park was one of those places. The official farewell statement from the golf complex recognised as much, describing Victoria Park as a destination shaped by community support, loyalty and love. It spoke of generations of people coming together to connect, celebrate and create lasting memories. That passion rings true. For nearly a century, Victoria Park was part of Brisbane’s story. It survived wars, recessions, changing governments and repeated battles over its future. In the end, it could not survive the march of Olympic development. Perhaps the new stadium will become a landmark that future generations embrace. Perhaps Brisbane will look back on this moment as a necessary sacrifice on the road to hosting the world’s biggest sporting event. But today, as excavators replace golfers and construction fences replace the golfing complex, many Brisbane residents are entitled to feel a sense of sadness. Because when the final ball was struck on May 31, it marked more than the end of a golf facility. It marked the passing of a Brisbane institution. Vale, Victoria Park Golf Complex. David Newbery is a former Editor, the current Editor at Large and a long-time contributor to Inside Golf ED NOTE: The Victoria Park Golf Complex obviously had special meaning to David Newbery and his family, and no doubt to many others in Brisbane, some who had initially enjoyed the course, then those to frequent the golfing facilities which remained after the 18-hole layout was shut down in 2001. For all the emotion, which was obvious in David’s words, one statement rang true. ‘Too often, cities celebrate what is being built without properly acknowledging what is being destroyed’. We can look forward to the Olympics and to the new infrastructure necessary to host it, but at the same time be a little sad at what will be no more. 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July 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au 6 INSIDE NEWS INSIDE NEWS IN THIS ISSUE COVER STORY 8 GOLF AUSTRALIA 20 CLUB NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS RESORT OF THE MONTH 26 21 54 PRO NEWS 7 AMATEUR GOLF 15 HOT WHEELS FEATURE 37 LETTERS 36 News, views and observations from around the golfing world With Inside Golf Editor Rob Willis rob@insidegolf.com.au MEMBERSHIP FEATURE 70 TRAVEL 58 80 79 NEW GEAR EVENTS WE TRIED IT 78 DEMO DAYS 82 19TH HOLE 83 PENINSULA Kingswood Country Golf Club is set to host its first major national event after being announced as the venue for the 2027 men’s Capital.com Australian Open. Located in Melbourne’s south-east Sandbelt corridor, Peninsula Kingswood boasts two of the country’s top-20 golf courses, with the tournament to be staged on a composite course layout designed to challenge the world’s best players. Peninsula Kingswood will also host the Players Series Victoria event in January 2027, giving players and fans a sneak preview of the course as a tournament venue ahead of the 2027 Capital.com Australian Open later in the year. As a part of the announcement Golf Australia confirmed the national championship will be played on the Victorian sandbelt in 2027, 2029 and 2030, as well as in 2026, the move reaffirming Victoria’s standing as one of the great golfing destinations. Kingston Heath will also host the 2028 Presidents Cup. “Kingston Heath will provide another outstanding stage this year, and Peninsula Kingswood is a magnificent venue and a brilliant addition to the Australian Open story,” Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said. “With two outstanding golf courses and the ability to create a composite championship layout, Peninsula Kingswood gives us the chance to present something new, exciting and worthy of our national Open.” As previously announced, South Australia will host the 2028 men’s Capital.com Australian Open at the redeveloped North Adelaide Golf Course, marking the first time in 30 years that the event will be played in South Australia. GOLF Australia has entered into a partnership with the DP World Tour and the PGA TOUR to continue to elevate the men’s Capital.com Australian Open. Covering 2027, 2028 and 2029, the new agreement will see the national championship again co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, continuing the tournament’s momentum. It also marks the first time the PGA TOUR has formally partnered with Golf Australia, with the agreement set to ensure the Capital.com Australian Open will receive a significant boost in prize money from 2027 and a distinct window in the global golf calendar in helping to optimise the opportunity to attract the world’s best players. Back-to-back Masters champion Rory McIlroy returns to the 2026 Capital.com Australian Open at the Kingston Heath Golf Club which kicks off the DP World Tour season alongside the BMW Australian PGA Championship to be played at The Lakes in Sydney. Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland announced the renewal of the cosanctioning agreement and PGA TOUR partnership as another important step in Golf Australia’s broader strategy to elevate the championship. “Our ambition is clear. We want the men’s Capital.com Australian Open to be recognised among the top 10 most prestigious golf tournaments globally, and everything we are doing for the event flows from that ambition,” Sutherland said. “Getting the Australian Open right is about securing the total mix. That means world-class venues, strong hoststate partnerships, commercial partners, sanctioning partners, broadcast reach, a great fan experience and the ability to attract strong international fields. “This agreement with the PGA TOUR, DP World Tour and the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia strengthens the global relevance of the championship and gives us another important platform to keep growing the event year-on-year.” Christian Hardy, the PGA TOUR’s Senior Vice President, International, added; “The Capital.com Australian Open remains one of the most prestigious events in global golf, and our members have long valued the opportunity to compete in Australia. We look forward to continuing to build on this relationship in the years ahead.” DP World Tour and PGA Tour partner with the Capital.com Australian Open AMERICAN Nelly Korda left little doubt as to who is currently the best player in Women’s golf with a second consecutive major championship victory. Korda nervously slid a two-and-a-half-foot par putt into the hole on the 72nd hole to win the US Women’s Open at The Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, after capturing the Chevron Championship in April. With the win Korda became the first player to win back-to-back majors since Lydia Ko (2015–16) and the first American to do so since Juli Inkster in 1999. The 27-year-old finished at 8-under 276 to win her 19th LPGA title and fourth major, with Korda just the ninth player in LPGA history to win four major championships before turning 28. After sitting tied for 56th and seven shots back at the end of the first round, Korda tied the record for the largest 18-hole deficit overcome to win the US Women’s Open. Charley Hull and Gaby Lopez tied for second at seven-under, marking Hull’s fifth runner-up finish in a major and Lopez’s best career major championship performance. “This week was definitely a grind,” Korda said. “I don’t even feel like I had my B game. I was just grinding out there, and that’s what I guess major championships are all about, right? It doesn’t matter if you have your B or C game. You have to be there mentally.” With her victory, the world No. 1 claimed the $2.5 million winner’s share of the US Open’s record $12.5 million purse and earned two Hall of Fame points, bringing her career total to 25, just two shy of qualification. While the Australian contingent failed to make a serious run at the title, Karis Davidson handed in her best result in a major championship. The Gold Coast resident slipped back somewhat on Sunday but still managed to finish level with Grace Kim as the leading Australian in a tie for 22nd. And while many were enthralled with the quality of the golf and the excitement of the final round of the 2026 US Women’s Open, no one enjoyed it more so than Inside Golf’s Larry Canning. See his unique tournament report on page 83 of this July issue. World No 1 Korda goes back to back with a win at the Women’s US Open WA FEATURE 63 Nelly Korda, the winner of the 2026 US Women’s Open. 85 GOLF DIRECTORY While the Open finds a new home in 2027 Peninsula Kingswood has been announced as the host venue for the 2027 men’s Australian Open.
July 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 7 Arnold Palmer in 1961, Lee Trevino 10 years later, then Johnny Miller in 1976 and Tom Watson in 1983, made it four from five, the streak only interrupted by Peter Thomson in 1965. After Baker-Finch’s victory in 1991, Mark O’Meara would beat American Brian Watts in a playoff in 1998, the pair finishing one shot ahead of Tiger Woods. Ireland’s Padraig Harrington would win at Birkdale in 2008, before Jordan Speith made it six from 10 for the Americans in 2017. Open Championship’s played at Royal Birkdale 1954 Peter Thomson (Australia) 283 (−9) 1961 Arnold Palmer (United States) 284 (−4) 1965 Peter Thomson (Australia) 285 (−7) 1971 Lee Trevino (United States) 278 (−14) 1976 Johnny Miller (United States) 279 (−9) 1983 Tom Watson (United States) 275 (−9) 1991 Ian Baker-Finch (Australia) 272 (−8) 1998 Mark O’Meara (United States) 280 (E) Play off 2008 Pádraig Harrington (Ireland) 283 (+3) 2017 Jordan Spieth (United States) 268 (−12) Royal Birkdale – History, facts and stats FROM Peter Thomson, twice successful at the Southport Links course, to Ian Baker Finch in 1991, Australians have enjoyed a measure of success at Royal Birkdale, venue for this year’s 154th Open Championship. So too the Americans, who have won the Claret Jug in six of the 10 previous occasions Birkdale has hosted the world’s oldest major championship. It’s a course rich in history, and one likely to crown another worthy ‘Champion Golfer’ in 2026. A first for Thommo The first Open Championship held at Royal Birkdale was in 1954, won by Australian Peter Thomson. Thomson’s winning total of nine-under par was one ahead of four-time winner Bobby Locke, Dai Rees and Syd Scott. Then aged 24 and considered a rising star of the game, Thomson would go on to win the next two Opens, five in total, in carving out a legacy as one of the greatest players to have ever played the game. His maiden victory came following an incredible bunker shot on the 16th hole, from around 25 yards from the flag, and on a steep slope. “That won it for me, no doubt,” he said of the famous shot. The #1 hybrid grip with a larger lower hand. SOFT RUBBER COMPOUND LARGER LOWER HAND > AVAILABLE IN 14 COLOURS THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP | ROYAL BIRKDALE | JULY 16-19 An obvious liking for the course Some nine years later and Thomson would deliver a links golf masterclass to claim his fifth Claret Jug, and his second at Royal Birkdale. The Victorian’s skill and experience shone through in a composed performance, Thomson finishing two clear of Brian Huggett and Christy O’Connor Snr. Many of the greatest players of the day, including Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Roberto De Vicenzo, were among those to finish in the top 20, but none could match Thomson’s final score of 285, seven-under par. Birkdale hosts the 100th Open Lee Trevino, fresh from winning at the US Open just weeks earlier, battled to victory at The 100th Open at Royal Birkdale in earning a back-to-back major championship triumph. While Trevino is the man with his name on the Claret Jug, Taiwanese professional Mr Lu played a huge part in this landmark Championship, with only one shot separating the pair at the end of the week. Brilliant Baker-Finch wins his Open at Birkdale After a steady start to his Open Championship in 1991, Ian Baker-Finch equalled the course record at Royal Birkdale with a third-round 64, before continuing the momentum the following day. The Queenslander carded five birdies on the opening seven holes on Sunday to go out in 29, putting himself in pole position, with his final-round 66, for an eight-under-par total of 272, enough to finish two clear of fellow Aussie Mike Harwood. The triumph came after Baker-Finch had failed to win from Sunday’s final group at St Andrews in both 1984 and 1990, with the Australian saying afterwards: “Today erases all those memories. Just to play in The Open is fantastic, to win it is a dream.” Americans six from 10 at Birkdale Americans have been successful in six of the 10 Open Championships contested at Birkdale, making for an impressive 60 percent win rate. Ian Baker-Finch, now Chairman of the PGA of Australia, beat Mike Harwood to win the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in 1991. Royal Birkdale will host the Open Championship for an 11th time in 2026.
July 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 8 WITH his recent return to something like the form which saw him claim the Open Championship in 2022, Cameron Smith will arrive at Royal Birkdale with a level of confidence, with a number of golfing experts predicting a bold showing. Smith recorded his first top 10 in a major since the 2024 Masters when seventh at the PGA Championship, his second placing at the Australian Open in December was encouraging, while performances of late on the LIV Tour will see the Queenslander arrive at the 2026 Open aiming to continue his reemergence and to again challenge the world’s best. On the other hand, Travis Smyth will slip into the Southport unheralded and unfavoured by those outside of family, friends and his support crew, with few expecting too much from the talented New South Welshman. But in going by recent performances, Smyth is turning up to contest his third major championship ready to more than just make up the numbers. Smyth’s swing and performance coach Dean Kinney is one who is definitely on board and confident Smyth can bring his strong recent form to Birkdale this July. “He’s going to be there for a couple of weeks before, to get used to links golf,” Kinney began. “He’s staying on the course, his caddy has a mate who virtually lives on Birkdale, so he’s got a really good place to stay. Rob Willis rob@insidegolf.com.au Can Smyth upstage Smith? And lead the Aussie charge at the Open Championship THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP | ROYAL BIRKDALE | JULY 16-19 played, gives Smyth the option of playing a full schedule of events on the DP World Tour in 2027. Then following his triumph in Auckland in March, Smyth backed it up a month later with an International Series win in Japan, and with that tour a feeder to LIV, it puts him in a strong position to earn full status should the LIV tour still be operating next year. But before he wrestles with the issue of putting together a schedule for 2027 and beyond, Smyth’s focus will shift to Birkdale and to taking his outstanding play of late into one of golf’s big four championships. However Kinney believes with lessons learned and in considering his improvement and obvious ability, Smyth will be ready to go when the Open Championship tees off later this month. “A major is a totally different animal, it’s going to be pretty similar to Royal Liverpool I presume, the rough was so thick and so long. But the PGA was a brutal set up as well. “He’s got the skill set to do it. He can play the wind shots, he can shape it both ways and he’s confident at flighting it.” Which means while plenty of attention will rightly be on Cam Smith, it might just be Travis Smyth leading the Aussie charge at this year’s Open Championship. Travis Smyth aims to continue his successful 2026 season with a strong showing at Royal Birkdale. Can Cam Smith return to the form that saw him win the Open Championship in 2022. “And he played at Royal Liverpool a couple of years ago, that was his first major and he handled it really well. He had a hole-in-one, missed the cut by a few, but he played quite nicely,” Kinney added in referencing the 2023 Open. “But he was a bit of a deer in the headlights then. He’s a totally different player and a totally different human now. “In preparation for Royal Liverpool we played Royal Birkdale, not knowing we were going to get in this year. We played a lot of links courses, so he knows Birkdale, he loves it, he’s staying on the course, he’s feeling good about his game, there are so many good things,” Kinney said. And Smyth’s results of late, which has included two wins in 2026 and a team’s title on LIV as a member of Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers, backs up Kinney’s enthusiasm. While ‘journeyman’ would be an unfair tag for a player of his quality, Smyth has been plying his trade in virtual anonymity in Asia, where he managed to place consistently in the top 10, without collecting trophies. There was a win in 2017 at the Northern Territory PGA Championship while still amateur, Smyth’s first victory as a professional came in 2022 at the Yeangder TPC event in Taiwan, before he enjoyed a breakthrough of sorts at the ISPS Handa Japan-Australasia Championship in New Zealand. The win in the joint venture event enabled Smyth to claim the Australasian Tour Order of Merit. The Japan-Australasia Championship victory also came with exempt status on the Japanese Tour, while finishing as the number one on the order of merit, achieved in just four tournaments
July 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 9 SHELLHARBOUR native and St Michaels member Travis Smyth will contest his third major championship when he tees it up at Royal Birkdale, with the No. 1 on the Australasian Order of Merit enjoying a successful 2026 campaign. And as Smyth climbs the proverbial golfing ladder, the 31-year-old has started mixing in some elite company. As the current leader of the International Series moneylist (as of June 20), Smyth has enjoyed a couple of opportunities on LIV and courtesy of his Order of Merit triumph was granted a place in the field for the PGA Championship, where his playing partner for the opening two days was eventual winner Aaron Rai. Dean Kinney, Golf Australia’s Head of Coach Development and National Team Coach, also Smyth’s performance and technical swing coach, has seen Smyth become increasingly comfortable alongside the best players in the game. “He has been playing with more successful players,” Kinney began. “When he’s played LIV events, he’s played practice rounds with Bryson (DeChambeau), in the PGA he played the first two rounds with Aaron Rai, and he goes on and wins a major. “He also played a practice round with Jordan Speith at the PGA, another one with Cam Smith the next day.” But for Kinney, Smyth’s evolution and improvement has been about more than just who he’s been rubbing shoulders with. “From a development perspective his technique is getting a little bit better, he’s a more focused Smyth mixing in elite company in the gym than he’s ever been, to improve his technical side he’s had to get stronger and more disciplined with that. “But the two big things, recently he’s employed a really good professional caddy. Richard Hallum is his name, very experienced, he’s been caddying for 40 years, mainly European Tour. He’s been unreal. “And the other thing that has helped, he’s seeing a really good psychologist, the VIS head psychologist Dan Diamond. “So, the combination of doing a bit better job physically, being exposed to really good information in the psych space and having a good caddy has helped everything come together,” Kinney said. “Going from all the top 10’s he was having, to winning, has been a combination of things.” Let’s hope Smyth’s improvement and winning ways continue, and where better than on golf’s biggest stage. Aussies at the Open KEL Nagle, Peter Thomson on five occasions, Greg Norman, twice, Ian Baker Finch, then Cameron Smith at St Andrews, have all claimed the Claret Jug, with seven Australians exempt into the field and aiming to add their names to the Open Championship honour roll. In addition to Smith, the winner in 2022, the Aussie contenders will include Travis Smyth, Jason Day, Adam Scott, in his 101st consecutive major appearance, with Lucas Herbert, Min Woo Lee and Elvis Smylie also exempt into the field for the championship to be played for an 11th time at Royal Birkdale. Local qualifying events will also take place in the lead up to the tournament in potentially adding to that number. The 154th Open Championship tees of on July 16. Lucas Herbert, with a win on the LIV Tour to his credit in 2026, is one of seven Australians exempt into the Open Championship. THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP | ROYAL BIRKDALE | JULY 16-19 With two wins in 2026, an inform Travis Smyth will play his third career major championship when he tees it up at Royal Birkdale. HAWAII GOLF TOUR 12 NIGHTS | CRUISE, STAY, PLAY! Set sail on a golf adventure like no other — exploring Hawaii’s most breathtaking islands while teeing off on worldclass courses. This 12-night experience blends the beauty of a Hawaiian cruise with the thrill of championship golf, luxury accommodation, and seamless travel from start to finish. Enjoy the best of island life — from lush volcanic landscapes to pristine beaches — all while playing at iconic venues like Royal Hawaiian, Kapalua Plantation, and Poipu Bay. Between rounds, relax on board the Pride of America, where you’ll enjoy gourmet dining, first-class entertainment, and ocean views that redefine “a room with a view.” Tour Highlights • 12 night cruise, stay and play package with 8 rounds of golf • 7 night round trip cruise aboard NCL Pride of America in mid ship Balcony cabin including drinks package, wifi package, $100 per cabin OBC, $50 shore excursion credit, 3 specialty dining meals • 3 nights pre cruise stay at Marriott Ko’Olina including 2 rounds of golf, resort fee, porterage and taxes • 2 nights post cruise at Ritz Carlton Turtle Bay Resort inclusive of resort fee, porterage, taxes and one round of golf • All transfers included between airport, hotel and port for a seamless experience • Competition with great prizes FROM AUD $14,975 PP* ALL INFORMATION IS CORRECT AT TIME OF PRINT AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANCE WITHOUT NOTICE, DUE TO MATTERS OUTSIDE OUR CONTROL SUCH AS ADVERSE CURRENCY FLUCTUATIONS, TAXES AND FUEL SURCHARGES. Rob Willis rob@insidegolf.com.au
July 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 10 Crampton, Devlin and Farley honoured by PGA Australia THERE’S no doubt that if not for the great Jack Nicklaus, we’d be lauding major championship wins for two of Australian golf’s genuine trailblazers. So, it was hardly surprising when Bruce Crampton and Bruce Devlin were last month awarded life membership of the PGA of Australia, alongside West Australian Rob Farley. Crampton, now aged 90, finished runner-up in all three of the United States’ major championships in the early 1970s, and usually that was because Nicklaus was at his peak. And Devlin, now aged 88, wasn’t far behind him with eight PGA Tour wins and top 10s in all four major championships in the mid-1960s. Life Membership is one of the highest honours awarded by the PGA of Australia and reserved for individuals who have made an exceptional and lasting impact on the game and the profession. Since its establishment in 1911, only 55 individuals have received life membership from the PGA of Australia, with just 33 of those alive today. Each of the new Life Members has contributed to Australian golf in distinct and significant ways. Crampton AO, MBE stands among the greatest players in Australian golf history. He had 14 PGA Tour victories and the Sydney-born pro, who began his career with the late great Billy McWiliam at Beverley Park, went on to become one of the world’s leading golfers of his era. Crampton achieved enormous success internationally and helped establish the reputation of Australian golfers on the global stage. In an unlucky twist of fate, Crampton finished runner-up in four major championships, each time finishing second to 18-time major champion, Jack Nicklaus. His achievements, professionalism and contribution to the game continue to be widely respected throughout the golf world. Bruce Devlin was recognised as one of Australia’s finest international golfers of the 1960s and 1970s, with multiple victories on the PGA Tour and representing Australia with distinction around the world. Beyond his success as a player, Devlin has had a major global influence through golf course design, broadcasting and Michael Court michael@insidegolf.com.au philanthropy, helping shape and grow the game internationally over many decades. The main focus of Devlin’s career in the past 30 years has been his work as a golf course architect and designer. Devlin has designed and built more than 150 golf courses throughout the world including Australia, Japan, Scotland, the Bahamas, and the United States. More than half the golf courses he designed have been in Florida and Texas with his golf design business based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Devlin also worked as a television commentator between 1977 and 1987. The third member given the PGA of Australia honour was Rob Farley to recognise a lifetime of dedication to golf through club leadership, mentoring, governance and game development. Across decades of service within the industry, Farley has made a profound contribution to PGA professionals and to the growth of the game across Western Australia, particularly through his leadership roles and commitment to developing golf at both community and professional levels. PGA of Australia Chief Executive Officer, Gavin Kirkman, said the three recipients had each made an extraordinary contribution to the game and to the profession. “Life Membership is an honour reserved for those who have made a truly exceptional impact on the PGA and the game of golf,” said Kirkman. “Bruce Devlin, Bruce Crampton and Rob Farley have each contributed enormously to the success, reputation and growth of golf in Australia and internationally. “Their achievements and service reflect the very highest standards of PGA Membership, and we are incredibly proud to recognise them with Life Membership.” Trevino shares a long-held Devlin secret From left, Bruce Devlin, Bruce Crampton and Rob Farley have been awarded life membership of the PGA of Australia. Bruce Devlin during a recent trip home to Australia. IF Lee Trevino had not been a champion golfer a career as a comedian surely beckoned. The man who shares the honour of being the game’s best ball striker alongside Ben Hogan, is a master of the one-liner. He would have been just as comfortable on the stage as he was on the golf course. And he is still a brilliant golf raconteur as he proved recently as a guest on legendary Australian Bruce Devlin’s podcast Fore the Good of the Game with co-host Mike Gonzalez. But Trevino’s tale of him and Devlin sharing the same driver during the Open Championship is a beauty and one we’d never heard before. Trevino and Devlin were paired in the last group on the final day at an Open Championship at Royal Lytham and St Anne’s. “We’re playing like a dog. Both of us a playing like a dog. We were both dead last,” Trevino said. “Now every time you play at the Open you have an official with you. He goes along with you to give rulings and whatever. “So, we’re on the driving range (before hitting off) and Bruce is missing the driving range – the driving range is 300 yards wide, and he can’t hit the range. I mean it’s awful.’ “I thought to myself, ‘hey, I’m going to look for balls all day.’ “So, I said (to Bruce), ‘Here, hit my driver, see what you can do.’ “Then he (Devlin) ‘killed’ it. He absolutely killed this driver, down the middle of the (practice) fairway. He said, ‘man, that’s great. But what the hell is it going to do for me?” “I said, ‘listen Bruce, we going to go out there. Let’s use the same driver.’ Devlin: “What? How are we going to do that?” Trevino: “Well, if I’ve got the honour, I will drive and the official will be looking down the fairway to see where the ball is going. So, you will walk next to my bag, take my driver and hand me yours. And we did that for the whole day. We only won like $50 anyway. What the hell? “We were having a ball, but he (Devlin) drove it good. He drove it well.” Later, feeling a little guilty at an official dinner Trevino ‘fessed’ up to what the pair had done to the R&A Secretary. He refused to believe them. “I said to him ‘So what. Don’t pay me.’ He added on the podcast: “You could not buy a steak for what you (Devlin) and I won that day. We had a ball.” – MICHAEL DAVIS
July 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 11 Hend a winner on PGA Tour Champions SCOTT Hend’s five-shot victory at the 50th Trophy Hassan II in Morocco was his first win on the PGA Tour Champions circuit — and the perfect addition to an already stellar international resume. The 52-year-old Queenslander has claimed victories in Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan, Macau, Australia, Canada, Germany, Barbados and now Morocco. A true world player, Hend looks set to base himself full-time on the “round-belly” Tour in the USA, further strengthening the strong Aussie contingent already competing there. As a teenager Inside Golf’s Andrew Crockett occasionally played with Hend while he was under the guidance of respected PGA Professionals and coach’s Tom Berndt and Jim Duncan at Brisbane River Golf Club. Crocket recounts even then Hend was long off the tee, hitting his 2-iron past the drivers of most of his junior rivals, as his mates from Nudgee Golf Club will attest. Hend went on to lead the PGA Tour in driving distance in 2005 (the first non-American to do so), though he lost his card after limited success. He bounced back strongly, earning Asian Tour Rookie of the Year in 2007, topping the Order of Merit in 2016, has 10 Asian Tour victories to his credit and is currently third on the all-time money list. He also owns three DP World Tour titles: the 2014 Hong Kong Open, 2016 True Thailand Classic and 2019 Maybank Championship. Since turning 50, success has come quickly on the senior circuits. In Europe, he won on debut in 2023 at the Winston Golf Senior Open, added the Barbados Legends (closing with a 64) and European Legends Cup at Basozabal in 2025 to top the Staysure Legends Order of Merit. Hend currently leads the points list again in 2026 after just three starts. In America he has posted a T3 at the Senior PGA Championship, a second at the Regions Tradition, to go with an impressive win in Morocco, a result which saw him move to fifth on the Charles Schwab Cup standings. With perhaps more air miles than Gary Player, it was no surprise Hend felt at home on the Robert Trent Jones-designed Royal Golf Dar Es Salam. The event was organised by the Royal Trophy Hassan II win comes with PGA TOUR Champions exemption SCOTT Hend posted rounds of 6669-69 in claiming his first PGA TOUR Champions title at the 50th edition of the Trophy Hassan II in Morocco. In the process earned fully exempt status on the PGA Champions Tour through the 2027 season. The Queenslander, who had performed strongly in two Champions Tour majors prior to this win in Morocco, trailed by two shots with 10 holes to play in the final round, but a three-shot swing on the par3 ninth – where Hend made birdie, and leader Tommy Gainey made double bogey – vaulted him into the tournament lead, which he never relinquished. Hend was the fourth straight international winner of the Trophy Hassan II since the tournament has been on the Champions Tour schedule. For Hend it was his first win on PGA TOUR Champions in 12 starts, with his previous best result a second at the 2026 Regions Tradition event behind Charles Schwab Cup points leader Stewart Cink. Hend’s exemption, which will be for the remainder of the current season, also includes starts in the limited field season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai in 2027-28 Hend, who was a member of the PGA TOUR in 2004-2005, where he made 86 starts, was the first Australian to win in the 50-year history of the Trophy Hassan II. Moroccan Golf Federation and the Hassan II Golf Trophy Association. Chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid, Hassan II Trophy celebrated its 50th staging in 2026. As Prince Moulay Rachid noted: “Over the years, this course has welcomed many of the great names of world golf… Billy Casper, Sam Snead, Payne Stewart, Lee Trevino, Gary Player, Seve Ballesteros and many others have helped establish the Hassan II Trophy as a landmark in international golf.” Crockett spoke to Hend following his win in Morocco. Crocket: You’ve been based in Florida for over 20 years, racking up the miles to Europe, Asia and Australia. Must be nice to play mostly in the USA for the next few years? Hend: Yes, we’ve been here since 2004…a long time with some very long transits. The plan now is to play everything on the Champions Tour and see what happens. It can only be good. Crockett: Such a prestigious event the Hassan Golf Trophy, must be a nice feeling to get that as your first Champions Tour victory? Hend: Winning in Morocco was amazing. The trophy is special and being presented by the Prince was a real honour. Being the first Australian to win the event is another great stat. We Australians have pretty much won nearly everything around the world. Having my wife, Leanne, there to watch me win for the first time in 20 years, this was a special win. The last time that happened she was caddying for me in Canada back in 2002! Crockett: Did you know an Aussie once won nine times in a single season on the Champions Tour back in 1985? (Peter Thomson) Hend: Nine times? What a legend. I’d be wrapped to win just one more this year. Crockett: Any desire to head home in December and take on Rory at Kingston Heath? Hend: I’d love to play the Australian Open if it fits the schedule, but I’d need an invite from Golf Australia. I’m not sure that would happen because of my well-publicised views on the mixed format they introduced a few years ago. I’m happy that the men and women now have their own weeks to shine independently. Crockett: Last time we spoke was at the Australian PGA on the Gold Coast, you were with Michael Moir from Fenix clothing. That is a nice story, out of Scotland, is their stuff available in Australia yet? Hend: Mike Moir and I have shared a great partnership through the years. I watched FenixXCell grow and grow and provide better quality every year and without doubt it’s one of the best clothing lines going around. Crockett: Any words for your Aussie fans back at the clubs in Brisbane, like Nudgee? Hend: I always love coming back to Queensland and playing Nudgee. It’s a place I call home. I’m an ironman, I love it. I love golf, I love playing golf. Golf is me, I’m golf. It means I can be back in the States full time, back in my house, back kicking my kids on the backside when they’re doing things wrong, supporting the wife. Just generally feel like I’m competing against the best senior players in the world, it’s an awesome feeling. So awesome to have the opportunity to play every single tournament on the Champions Tour, mix it up with these guys and be back in America and just going at it. It’s awesome. By Andrew Crockett Scott Hend, a winner in Morocco on the PGA Tour Champions. Photo - Octavio Passos/Getty Images) via PGA Tour. Scott Hend at the recent PGA Senior PGA, has been a winner all around the world.
July 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 12 Azzopardi adds Noosa Springs to his growing list of coaching academies FRESH from guiding his star pupil Lucas Herbert to his first LIV Golf tournament win, coach Dom Azzopardi is now focusing on establishing a new arm of his golf academy at Noosa Springs, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Azzopardi, who relocated to the Sunshine Coast from country Victoria nearly a decade ago, flew to the United States in mid-April to help Herbert rediscover his best form after a run of disappointing performances. It clearly worked because, a few days later, Herbert played brilliantly to win the Virginia leg of the LIV Tour schedule, beating Sergio Garcia by four strokes and winning a spot into the US Open. About the same time, Noosa Springs Golf & Spa Resort announced a new partnership with Azzopardi, which it said marked an exciting new chapter for coaching and player development at the club. Azzopardi, who already oversees a teaching academy at Peregian Springs, a few kilometres south of Noosa, is excited about the Noosa Springs opportunity, declaring the resort to be the best golfing facility in the region. He replaced long-time coach Peter Heiniger, who subsequently moved his business to Twin Waters, another Sunshine Coast resort course. Azzopardi is in the process of constructing a three-bay indoor/outdoor coaching facility at Noosa Springs, featuring Trackman and Smart2Move force plates, which he says will be operational by September. At the same time, Noosa Springs will revamp its driving range and putting and chipping greens. Azzopardi will be joined at Noosa Springs by teaching professionals Greg Lynch and Josh Lane, By Peter Owen who has had more than 20 years as a PGA coach and tournament player, and Chris Rutherford, who was Noosa Springs’ first director of golf when the resort opened 25 years ago. Rutherford had been teaching at Victoria Park and Brisbane’s Golf Central for the past decade and relished the chance to return to the Sunshine Coast. Azzopardi said he would initially spend a third of his time at Noosa Springs and twothirds at Peregian Springs, where he has built a state-of-the-art two-bay training facility. His coaching staff at Peregian Springs includes Jake Killeen and Regan McGovern. Noosa Springs Club Manager Dan Chandler said Azzopardi’s academy would introduce a fresh, modern approach to coaching, while building on the strong golfing community already established at Noosa Springs. “We’re very pleased to welcome Dom Azzopardi Golf Academy to Noosa Springs and to introduce a new era of coaching,” Chandler said. “This partnership is about enhancing the overall golf experience for our members and guests, while building on the strong community that already exists here.” Azzopardi said he was looking forward to partnering with Noosa Springs and building on the club’s strong foundations. “Noosa Springs has a fantastic membership base and a great culture, and we’re excited to be part of that,” he said. Meanwhile Azzopardi is thrilled at Herbert’s return to form, and the recent performances of another of his team, Karis Davidson, who contended strongly in June’s US Open on the LPGA Tour. He is also impressed with the development of his elite amateurs Ruby Fisher and Ellianna MacRae, and excited about the prospects of his newest student, 13-year-old Noosa junior Archie Lethbridge. Davidson leads the Aussie charge at Riviera KARIS Davidson, coached by Dom Azzopardi, enjoyed a successful week at the recent US Women’s Open, finishing in a tie for 22nd place. Davidson, resident on the Gold Coast, came into the event as first alternate, however after getting the late call up and opening with a two-under par 69, was in and around the top 10 throughout the week. A 73 on Sunday saw her slip back down the leaderboard, however Davidson still managed to finish level with Grace Kim as the leading Australian. Dom Azzopardi at work on the range. Karis Davidson finished level with Grace Kim as the leading Australian at the US Women’s Open in June.
July 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 13 What a Ripper! Grace helping to inspire Australia’s next generation GRACE Kim has been unveiled as an Ambassador for Golf Australia’s MyGolf Powered by Ripper GC program. A member of the LPGA Tour since 2023, Kim achieved her breakthrough major championship victory at last year’s Amundi Evian Championship, while the 25-year-old was also a member of Australia’s International Crown winning team in Korea in October. Around 1.7 million women played golf in Australia last year, with women and girls now leading the participation growth in the sport and as a standalone female ambassador of MyGolf Powered by Ripper GC, Kim’s appointment comes at an important time in Australian golf. A fun, exciting, accessible and trusted national junior golf participation program, MyGolf provides dynamic, game-based learning experiences built around confidence, friendships and life skills for kids aged 5-12. PGA Professionals and National Program Deliverers play important roles in delivering the program to ensure youth participants receive world-class instruction and mentorship. After partnering with Australia’s LIV Golf team Ripper GC in 2025, MyGolf also has the support of Aussie men’s golfing stars Cam Smith, Elvis Smylie, Marc Leishman and Lucas Herbert. Grace Kim said: “I’m incredibly proud to become an ambassador for MyGolf Powered by Ripper GC. “Golf has given me so much, and I’m passionate about showing young girls and boys just how fun and rewarding the game can be. “It’s a sport you can play for life, and I hope through my ambassadorship I can help inspire more kids to give it a go.” Girls’ participation in MyGolf is up 27per cent year-on-year, growing at twice the rate of boys. With a third of last year’s 40,000+ participants being girls, there is strong momentum occurring across Australia in making golf more accessible and appealing to young females. Kim is set to play a key role in engaging more Aussie kids to play golf through junior clinics, digital content and national campaigns. Go to the Golf.com.au website to find MyGolf Powered by Ripper GC clubs and venues and sign up a ‘Little Ripper’. An ambassador for MyGolf Powered by Ripper GC, Grace Kim aims to inspire more young girls to take up golf. By Peter Owen Geoff Nicholas – a legend of amputee golf HE’S not a gambling man, but Geoff Nicholas clearly takes a passing interest in horse racing. At the age of 64, he compares himself with ‘one of those old racehorses’ that keeps on turning up, doing its best every time it races. And, in the next breath, he declares that he’s ‘not nearly ready for the paddock.’ In a way, he’s right on both counts. The legendary golfer, who plays with the handicap of an amputated right leg, remains highly competitive whenever he competes. Just a few weeks ago he won the Australian Amputee Open title for the third year in a row, shooting rounds of 74, 76 and 79 at the Yarrawonga Mulwala resort to finish five strokes clear of Gary Brocket. Nicholas won the inaugural staging of the event in 2004, and has now won the national title another five times, adding to his stature as Australia’s greatest ever amputee golfer. “I still enjoy it” he said. “You see a lot of guys from 20 years ago, when we first started to play. It’s a bit like going to see the family again.” And, though he acknowledges the quality of a new generation of talented amputee golfers, he has no intention of retiring from a sport he’s dominated for decades. “I don’t play as much as I used to do, but I’ll keep going,” he said. “Golf’s been a great game for me. It’s been my life.” Born with deformities caused by the drug thalidomide, prescribed to combat morning sickness in pregnant women, Nicholas had his right leg amputated below the knee at age 11. He took up golf soon after. He became a scratch marker, played pennants for The Lakes and later represented NSW in amateur golf. He was in his mid-30s when he discovered there were events for disabled golfers, and even some for amputees. He entered his first amputee tournament in 1989, and the following year won the inaugural British Amputee Open, followed by his first US Amputee Open. He went on to win both championships annually until 2002. Nicholas was so good he earned his PGA Tour of Australasia card in 1992, holding full status for several years. He famously competed alongside Tiger Woods at the 1996 Australian Open, where he shot a lower opening-round score than Woods. In 2024 he became the first inductee into the Amputee Golf Australia Hall of Fame. One of his proudest moments was qualifying to play in the 2019 Senior British Open Championship at Royal Lytham and St Annes. Inspirational Geoff Nicholas, a legend of amputee golf.
Baillie embarks on professional career WA Men’s Amateur Champion Adam Baillie has confirmed his switch to the professional ranks. The Vines G&CC member relinquished his amateur status immediately after the Australian Interstate Teams Matches in May, the 23-year-old signing off his amateur career in style with a 6&5 victory over his South Australian rival on the final day. Baillie missed out on fully exempt status at Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School in April, however he is likely to earn at least a few starts on tour for the 2026-27 season, which commences in August. Prior to that, he will cut his teeth on the PGA’s adidas ProAm series of events around WA and QLD, Baille partnering up with Jordan Doull to finish fifth at the WA PGA Foursomes championship in one of his first events in the professional ranks. “This first year could be a bit of a grind, but I’m up for it,” Baillie told GolfWA. “I definitely feel like I have the game to compete. I’ll keep working with [coach] Alex McKay and just keep building, but I’m really looking forward to it. “I’m happy with what I achieved in my amateur career. I would’ve loved to have played in some of the bigger tournaments in Europe and America, but it just didn’t work out that way. “But to have won the WA Amateur this year and represented WA at state level, I’m pretty proud of that.” Baillie beat Joondalup teenager Nate Johnson 3&1 in the 36-hole final to win the 2026 WA Amateur. – GOLFWA The ‘Secret’ is out: WA Open heading south THE WA Open heads south and to the City of Rockingham for the first time in its history when Secret Harbour Golf Links hosts the championship later this year. The 102nd staging will take place from October 15-18, the tournament once again forming part of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia schedule. Owned by TenGolf Group and located just a pitching wedge away from the Indian Ocean, the Graham Marsh-designed layout at Secret Harbour was built on undulating natural dunes to offer a true links golf experience. It is routinely considered to be amowgst Australia’s best public golf courses, ranking 69th in Inside Golf’s top 100 public access course listings. In announcing Secret Harbour as WA Open host for 2026, Arron Minchin, Chief Executive for GolfWA, said its accessibility is part of the appeal. “Providing opportunities for more people to play golf in all its formats is central to what we do at GolfWA. We’re grateful to TenGolf for hosting this year’s championship and very excited to be staging our premier event at a truly public facility,” he said. “Secret Harbour is an outstanding golf course, and the fact that anyone can book a tee time here is a great example of how accessible the game of golf really can be.” Kim Felton, Tour Development Manager for the PGA of Australia and a three-time WA Open champion himself, added that the venue ticks all the boxes tour members would be looking for. “As a first-time host of a Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia event, Secret Harbour will present a fantastic championship test,” he said. “There are several risk-and-reward holes that will make for extremely exciting golf, and when the wind gets up, it will challenge even the very best of our Australasian professionals.” First staged in 1913, the WA Open has a star-studded roll of honour, with past winners including Major champions Gary Player (1956), Greg Norman (1986), Kel Nagle (1950, 1951, 1952) and Ian Baker-Finch (1984). Other past champions include PGA Tour winner Ryan Fox, LIV Golf star Elvis Smylie (2024), plus WA golfing icons Terry Gale, Stephen Leaney, Graham Marsh and Brett Rumford also have their names on the historic trophy. South Africa’s Oliver Bekker is the defending champion after topping a high-quality field at Mount Lawley GC that included Aussie LIV Golf superstar Marc Leishman. The WA Open is the second leg of the PGA Tour of Australasia’s early-season ‘WA swing’, coming a week after the WA PGA Championship in Kalgoorlie. Players will compete for a total prize fund of at least $450,000 at the two events, which form part of the build-up to the Australian ‘Summer of Golf’, highlighted by the Australian PGA Championship and men’s Australian Open in November and December. Reigning WA Amateur champion Adam Baillie has joined the professional ranks. From left, Kim Felton from PGA Australia, Ben Sweeney, General Manager of Secret Harbour Golf Links, City of Rockingham Mayor Lorna Buchan and Golf WA CEO Arron Minchin announcing Secret Harbour as the venue for the 2026 WA Open. July 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 14 Boutique over-50s resort living. BOOK A TOUR TODAY CALL 1300 720 659 bundabergsprings.thyme.com.au A COMMUNITY DESIGNED FOR REAL LIFE, NOT JUST RETIREMENT. HOMES FROM $685,000 At Thyme Bundaberg Springs, resort living is your everyday. Modern, low-maintenance homes surrounded by premium facilities, designed so you spend less time on upkeep and more time on the things you love. Thyme Lifestyle Resort Bundaberg Springs 4 River Springs Drive, Avoca 9-hole Golf Course Lake House with heated pool No stamp duty or entry/ exit fees Keep 100% of the capital gains
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