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September 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au THE FIRST TEE 5 Talking the professional game, and are we heading for disappointment once again at the Presidents Cup? A star-studded American Team, led by the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Sam Burns and Cameron Young, is likely to continue its dominance when the biannual matches tee off later this month. Disappointingly, the only Australian assured of a place on the International Team is Min Woo Lee, although Adam Scott is a likely captains pick. Back in the day Aussies dominated the International line up. Not so much this time around. I say we enjoy it for what it is, hope we get some competitive matches, and maybe, just maybe, the Internationals can stun the Americans and cause a massive upset. And still on pro golf, LIV and where it is headed continues to create endless speculation and generate headlines to go with it. LIV made 50-or-so rich golfers even richer, however it probably failed to win over the viewing public, whether that was to do with the format, the players, the whole stigma around who was funding it or for the fact it was often hard to find on our television screens to watch and follow. At Inside Golf we’ve largely stayed out of the debate, tried not to take sides, although with the landscape changing so quickly it has been hard to keep up anyway. And we have reported the successes of the Aussies and Ripper GC, while LIV Adelaide has been far and away the best run, most popular event on their yearly schedule. However, if LIV is to be no more in 2027, which appears to be increasingly likely, the question will be, was it good for the game? It certainly shook up the establishment, caused a reaction and change on the PGA TOUR, but at the same time created fractures that will never be repaired. But putting all the above aside, my biggest issues are a lot closer to home. Having played to a decent standard back in the day, and now with limited time to practice, or poor habits when I do, added to an aging body and a twitchy putting stroke, and golf is now a much harder game to the one I remember. I guess I am being dramatic, and it is all a little tongue in cheek, but when it is all said and done, all we want is to play our regular round without too much delay, to hit enough decent shots to bring us back again next time and to turn on the TV and watch the best in the world go head-to-head in golf’s most significant events. It’s not that hard. Here we are again at Inside Golf, tackling the big issues. Tackling the big issues! AT Inside Golf we take a measured, yet positive approach to reporting and promoting the game of golf in looking to keep our readers entertained and informed. We don’t necessarily tackle all the big issues, whatever they are, in search of headlines or attention, but we don’t ignore them either, preferring to shine a light on the positive, to highlight good and great things happening in club land, while also touching on those at the elite level and the success enjoyed by the young and the not-so-young. We try to tip our readers into exciting and interesting places to take their next golfing holiday, preview the latest and greatest equipment and offer a tip or two, often from a legend of the coaching fraternity in our regular contributor Peter Croker We provide space on the pages of Inside Golf to those running the game in this country, giving the likes of Golf Australia chief James Sutherland and PGA CEO Gavin Kirkman the opportunity to keep you up to date with the latest developments, the health of the game and what to look forward to in the short- and long-term. Down the back of the magazine Larry offers his unique insights, we provide a crossword where readers can test their golfing knowledge, and Inside Golf at times has an opinion, with the boys occasionally firing up on our Bunkerto-Bunker page. The big issues, well golf is trending in a positive direction, but there is always something to talk about. Slow play is a topic that keeps on ‘giving’, and if the professionals, those playing the game better than the rest, are allowed to take five hours, who are the Board members, club pros or course marshals at our local clubs to tell us we need to play in four? Well, I do say five is far too long, Patrick Cantlay is insufferable in the time he takes to hit a shot, Brian Harman with all his waggles not far behind. And let’s not get started when it comes to this aimpoint fad. Patrick, if you are reading this, can we all just play a little quicker! Another area consistently attracting comment in the world of golf media and across social channels is to do with the ball rollback. Yes, the pros hit the ball obscene distances, rendering traditional courses obsolete. But are the scores lower? Only sometimes. Has the game changed? Definitely. It is drive for show, and for dough as well these days. Stay clear of professional golf if you don’t have elite level clubhead speed and a driver carry near to 300 yards. All that said, if the powers that be believe rollback needs to happen, why keep putting it off? Do something about it or let’s stop talking about it. Rob Willis rob@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 Cover photos: The Presidents Cup - Left from top: Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Young, Sam Burns. Right from top: Ryan Fox, Si Woo Kim, Min Woo Lee. Aussie Owned - Aussie Operated AUSTRALIA’S MOST-READ GOLF & TRAVEL MAGAZINE 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 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 GET THE TOUR AD FITTED AT YOUR ELITE FITTING CENTRE SEE LOCATIONS Get in touch If you have an opinion, send your letter to the editor to rob@insidegolf.com.au and you’ll be in the running to win a dozen Bridgestone balls.
September 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au 6 INSIDE NEWS INSIDE NEWS IN THIS ISSUE GOLF AUSTRALIA 15 INDUSTRY NEWS 19 CHARITY CLUB NEWS BUSINESS OF THE MONTH 34 26 40 COVER STORY 8 AMATEUR GOLF 16 CLUB OF THE MONTH 38 BUNKER-TOBUNKER 35 News, views and observations from around the golfing world With Inside Golf Editor Rob Willis rob@insidegolf.com.au TRAVEL 47 GPS RANGEFINDER FEATURE 42 64 62 TOOWOOMBA FEATURE INSTRUCTION MORNINGTON PENINSULA FEATURE 54 EVENTS 65 DEMO DAYS 66 PLENTY of good judges have been talking up young American Jackson Koivun as the next big thing in world golf for a while now. The 21-year-old dominated US collegiate golf and the American amateur scene and now in just his third tournament as a professional Koivun is a winner on the PGA Tour. With Scottie Scheffler throwing down the challenge on Sunday at the 3M Open in Minnesota, Koivun held firm after taking a four-shot lead into the final day, his 25-under par total finishing three shots clear of the World No 1. The great Jack Nicklaus was amongst those to praise Koivun’s win. “We certainly knew Jackson Koivun was going to make an impression on the @pgatour, but we didn’t know how soon. And not sure we thought this soon!” Nicklaus wrote on social media. “What @jackson_koivun did this week at the @3mopen was simply a great performance. To also have world No. 1 @scottie.scheffler, who starts the day 6 shots back, shoot 63, well, it didn’t even faze Jackson. “Scottie shoots 63, which means Jackson—just 21 years old and making his third start as a pro—has to shoot in the 60s to win the golf tournament. And he did!” Before entering the pro ranks Koivun enjoyed a record-breaking college career, winning two NCAA team titles at Auburn University, two Jack Nicklaus Awards as collegiate player of the year, and six tournaments in 2026 alone, while he made the 36-hole cut at this year’s US Open, finishing tied 23rd and equal low amateur. IT was ‘only’ his second win of 2026, but when added to five second placings and a consistency of performance in the major championships which stood him apart from the competition (see pages 12-13), and Scottie Scheffler was again in the box seat to earn player of the year honours following his victory at the FedEx St Jude Championship. The first of three FedEx Cup playoff events, against a field of the best 70 players on the PGA TOUR in 2026, Scheffler made a significant statement with his eight-shot victory. Scheffler led after a 63 on the opening day, and while Sam Burns threatened to make it a contest following a 62 of his own in Saturday’s third round, the undisputed world number one gave the chasing pack little chance on Sunday, his 16-under total well clear of runner up Si Woo Kim. It was Scheffler’s 21st PGA TOUR title, only the third player to accumulate that number of wins before his 30th birthday, with Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods the other two players in what is an elite threesome. With two more FedEx Cup events, Scheffler’s odds of becoming the Player of the Year for a fifth consecutive time have firmed considerably, and we feel for the International Team should he take this form into the upcoming Presidents Cup. He wins without fuss or too much fanfare, however Scheffler remains the dominant force in world golf. GEAR 46 67 19TH HOLE Is Koivun the next big thing? Will Scottie Scheffler be named PGA TOUR Player of the Year for a fifth consecutive time? 69 GOLF DIRECTORY Long hitting Spaniard returns for Australian summer Jackson Koivun won his first title in just his third PGA Tour start as a professional. FOLLOWING closely on from Jackson’s Koivun’s win in Minnesota, another candidate for the mantle of golf’s next superstar joined the conversation with Michael Thorbjornsen’s victory in the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Against a quality field the 24-year-old Thorbjornsen, who was born and raised in the US, with his father hailing from Norway and his mother coming from Zimbabwe, closed with a 63, leaving the likes of Xander Schauffele, Rasmus Hojgaard and Hideki Matsuyama in his wake in claiming his first PGA Tour title. Thorbjornsen attended Stanford (was a teammate of Australian Karl Vilips), before going straight to the PGA TOUR in 2024 as the No. 1 player on the University ranking. Prior to that he won the 2018 US Junior Amateur, beating three-time PGA TOUR winner Akshay Bhatia. One of the longest hitters in professional golf, Thorbjornsen has played 66 events on the PGA TOUR, for 12 top 10’s and two second placings to go along with his Rocket Mortgage win, while was sitting at 39 on the Official World Rankings list. Or is it Thorbjornsen? Long hitting Spaniard Josele Ballester will return during the upcoming Australian golfing summer after impressing at his first visit last year. Michael Thorbjornsen confirmed his enormous potential with a win at the PGA Tour’s Rocket Mortgage Classic. Scheffler’s statement win at St Jude THE longest hitter on LIV Golf, Spanish young gun Josele Ballester, will return to contest both the BMW Australian PGA Championship and Capital.com Australian Open this summer after making an impression on Australian golf fans with two top-10 finishes last year. The 22-year-old enjoyed an outstanding first trip to Australia in 2025, finishing tied for 10th at the PGA Championship at Royal Queensland before backing it up with a tie for sixth at Royal Melbourne at the Australian Open. Now preparing for his second Australian summer, Ballester is eager to build on that success when he returns in November. “The BMW Australian PGA Championship and the Capital.com Australian Open are two outstanding tournaments,” Ballester said. “The fields get stronger every year, making them a great opportunity to finish the season by competing against some of the best players in the world. I’m really looking forward to getting back and seeing what I can achieve.” Ballester’s resume includes winning the 2023 European Amateur and 2024 US Amateur Championship before turning professional. He would enjoy almost immediate success with a victory at the 2025 Saudi International on the Asian Tour. As a member of the Fireballs squad on LIV Golf, Ballester has had two top-five finishes in 2026. He leads LIV Golf in driving distance this year, averaging 287.2 metres off the tee, ranking him ahead of reigning Australian PGA champion David Puig and former world No.1 Jon Rahm.
Doing something right across the ditch NEW ZEALAND youngsters Cooper Moore and Ryan Xie, in somewhat following in the footsteps of fellow Kiwi and Open Championship winner Ryan Fox, performed strongly in the recent US Junior Amateur Championship. At the 78th US Junior, played at the Saucon Valley Country Club’s Old Course, 17-year-old Moore, after scraping into the match play section in 53rd position, won his way through to the last four, knocking compatriot Xie out of the tournament in the quarter finals. Cooper was impressive in winning four matches, before going down 1up in his semi-final match to eventual winner Noah Maclauchlan. Moore was two-under in the semifinal loss in a high qualify contest. Xie was equally impressive throughout the week, before being beaten 2&1 by Moore in an all-Kiwi affair when he was fourunder par through 17 holes. At the US Amateur to follow, two more New Zealand golfers were prominent, with Zachary Swanwick and Joshua Bai both progressing to the match play rounds. Bai would win two matches before going out in the round of 16, while Swanwick was beaten by Californian Jay Leng Jnr in round two. Leng would finish runner up in the championship, with Englishman Jack Whaley winning the 36-hole final 4&3. Japan goes back-to-back at Women’s Open Championship SHIHO Kuwaki etched her name into the history books by winning the 50th edition of the AIG Women’s Open, played at Royal Lytham & St Annes and in doing made it back-to-back wins in the event for Japanese women professionals. Kuwaki survived a tense two-hole play-off with Esther Henseleit after the German holed a monster birdie putt on the 72nd hole to force extra holes. The pair finished the tournament on five-under par, one better than Yealimi Noh and three shots clear of Jeeno Thitikul and Nelly Korda. Henseleit found trouble off the tee on the second extra hole and with Kuwaki safely on the green in two, a two-putt par was enough to secure her first LPGA major title. The win from Kuwaki followed on from the victory recorded by Miya Yamashita at the 2025 Women’s Open. “After last year, Yamashita’s win, and to be able to win again as a Japanese player is such an amazing feeling. I hope as part of Team Japan we can continue to light up the golf world and hope everyone enjoys it as well,” Kuwaki said. The Australians failed to mount a challenge, with Hannah Green the best placed in a tie for 29th, while Robin Choi was 47th. New Zealand amateur Cooper Moore performed strongly, winning through to the semi finals of the US Junior Amateur. Japan’s Shiho Kuwaki survived a sudden death playoff to win the 50th staging of the AIG Women’s Open. CAMERON Percy came up just short of both a first Champions Tour title as well as a senior major championship victory, with the Victorian finishing tied for second at the ISPS Handa Senior Open. The outright leader following rounds one and two, Percy went into the final round tied with eventual champion Jerry Kelly at the Kings Course Gleneagles, however a final round of level par 70, against a 68 from Kelly, left him two shots shy and in a second-place tie with American Matt Gogel and Englishman Darren Fichardt. It was Percy’s fourth second place finish on the Champions Tour and for the 59-year-old Kelly it was his 14th win on PGA Tour Champions and his third senior major. Percy was 16th on the season-long Charles Schwab points list following the Boeing Classic in mid-August, having pocketed US$803,983 in prizemoney so far this year. Scott Hend, a winner of the Trophy Hassan II event earlier this year, was the leading Australian in 12th place on the Schwab list. Close but no first win for Percy at Senior Open Close but no first Champions Tour win for Cam Percy who finished second at the Senior Open championship. September 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au INSIDE NEWS 7
September 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 8 Ogilvy to lead the Internationals at Medinah AS September approaches, Australian golf fans will once again focus on Medinah Country Club outside Chicago, where the 2026 Presidents Cup promises another fascinating chapter in international match play. Yet for Australians, this contest is about far more than the United States taking on the International Team. It is about Geoff Ogilvy leading the Internationals on a course his own design firm helped transform, while following in the footsteps of Australia’s greatest Presidents Cup captain, Peter Thomson. Created in 1994, the Presidents Cup filled a gap in world golf by giving the game’s finest non-European players their own elite team competition. While the Ryder Cup remains golf’s most famous team event, the Presidents Cup unites players from Asia, Africa, Oceania and the Americas in a genuinely global contest. In many ways, it carries forward the international spirit once embodied by the old Canada Cup (later the World Cup of Golf), but with the drama and emotion that only match play can deliver. For Australian golf, one Presidents Cup towers above all others. In December 1998 at Royal Melbourne, Peter Thomson captained the International Team to its only victory, defeating the Americans 20½– 11½. At 69, the five-time Open Champion quietly moulded a team of players from different countries and cultures into a united force. Greg Norman, Steve Elkington, Vijay Singh and Shigeki Maruyama all flourished under his calm leadership as the Internationals produced one of the finest performances in modern team golf. THE PRESIDENTS CUP | MEDINAH COUNTRY CLUB | SEPTEMBER 22-27 By Andrew Crocket Nearly three decades later, it remains the only occasion the Americans have been beaten, with every subsequent contest ending in a United States victory or, in 2003, a tie. Now another Australian has the opportunity to write his own chapter. Geoff Ogilvy, the 2006 U.S. Open champion, and twice world matchplay champion, assumes the captaincy after being appointed in 2025. A veteran of three Presidents Cups as a player, Ogilvy understands the unique pressures of international team golf. More importantly, he inherits a culture strengthened by recent captains while bringing a rare advantage few leaders have ever enjoyed…an intimate knowledge of the host course. Through his design firm, OCM, Ogilvy led the extensive renovation of Medinah’s famous Course No. 3, reopening it in 2024. Rather than simply modernising the layout, OCM restored much of its original strategic character. Wider fairways, firmer playing surfaces, bold green contours and improved angles into the greens encourage thoughtful shot-making instead of simply rewarding brute strength. It is the sort of golf Australians have long appreciated on the Melbourne Sandbelt. “The Presidents Cup has been a significant part of my career,” Ogilvy said when accepting the role. “I am honoured to now take on the role of Captain of the International Team for the 2026 Presidents Cup at Medinah Country Club’s Course No. 3, a place that means a great deal to me.” Australian representation on the team again looks promising. Min Woo Lee appears well placed to qualify automatically, while Adam Scott, the International Team’s all-time leading points scorer, remains in the qualification race and would almost certainly earn a captain’s selection if required. Jason Day is also firmly in contention, while New Zealand’s Ryan Fox continues to strengthen the depth of the International side. Australia’s influence on the Presidents Cup stretches back to its very beginning. David Graham captained the inaugural International Team in 1994 before Peter Thomson delivered the breakthrough victory four years later. Ogilvy now becomes the fourth Australian (after Greg Norman) to be entrusted with leading the world’s best non-European golfers, reinforcing Australia’s strong contribution to the event’s history. The United States, captained by Brandt Snedeker and led by world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, rightly enters as favourite. Their depth and home advantage have made them dominant throughout much of the competition’s history. But match play has always possessed an unpredictability that stroke play cannot replicate. Medinah itself knows that better than most venues. It was here in 2012 that Europe produced the unforgettable “Miracle at Medinah,” overturning a four-point final-day deficit to defeat the United States before captain José María Olazábal dedicated the victory to his close friend Seve Ballesteros. The redesigned course should reward imagination, discipline and intelligent course management as much as power. That may suit an International Team featuring players accustomed to firm, fast conditions and captained by a man who knows every contour of the layout. Looking beyond this year’s contest, the Presidents Cup returns to Australia in 2028 when Kingston Heath hosts the event for the first time. A strong performance at Medinah would generate much needed momentum ahead of that homecoming and perhaps revive memories of Royal Melbourne in 1998. Geoff Ogilvy will lead the International team, against Brandt Snedeker and team America, on a course Ogilvy and his design firm OCM have recently helped to renovate.
September 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 9 RYAN Fox’s victory at the Open Championship has thrust him into the spotlight, while the high level of play delivered by South Korean Si Woo Kim over the past two years has the pair atop the team rankings and in line to lead the International charge at the 16th Presidents Cup. To be played at Medinah Country Club in Chicago, the Internationals will need arguably their two most inform players to take the challenge to a formidable Team USA line up, one set to feature world number one Scottie A Kiwi and a Korean to head up International challenge THE PRESIDENTS CUP | MEDINAH COUNTRY CLUB | SEPTEMBER 22-27 Scheffler, US Open champ Wyndham Clark and the world’s third-ranked played Cameron Young. At the time of print, Min Woo Lee appeared to be the only Australian guaranteed to a part of the International squad, with Adam Scott and Jason Day to rely on Geoff Ogilvy to include them as Captain’s picks. Hideki Matsuyama, a six-time International team member will be involved in the bi-annual matches for a seventh time, while fellow Japanese professional Ryo Hisatsune, who had made 21 consecutive cuts on the PGA Tour before failing to progress to the weekend at the Wyndham Championship, certainly wouldn’t look out of place in International Team blue. Tom Kim, the young Korean who jumped up the points list with his win at the Scottish Open and strong showing at the US Open, seems assured of automatic selection, however from there, the final make-up of the International team is anyone’s guess. Ogilvy could opt for youth with his team selections, with the likes of Nico Echavarria, Casey Jarvis and Aldrich Potgieter all captain’s pick options for what would mark their Presidents Cup debuts. However, whatever team Ogilvy is able to assemble, they will again have their work cut out against a star-studded 12-man American squad. The six automatic qualifiers for Team USA were to be determined following the BMW Championship (August 23), while the cut off for the International Team was after the Tour Championship (August 30). The US have won 13 of the previous 15 Presidents Cup’s, the Internationals one, with one tie in South Africa in 2003. Tournament Format The 2026 Presidents Cup features a four-day match-play format, consisting of 30 total matches Thursday, September 24: Round 1 – 5 Team Matches Friday, September 25: Round 2 – 5 Team Matches Saturday, September 26: Rounds 3 & 4 – 8 Team Matches (Foursomes and Fourball split) Sunday, September 27: 12 Singles Matches Statistical Breakdown Of the 482 total matches played throughout the previous 15 Presidents Cup matches, the statistical breakdown across format disciplines stands as follows: Match Format United States Wins International Wins Halved (Tied) Matches Total Matches Singles 84 69 27 180 Foursomes 82 48 21 151 Fourballs 71 66 14 151 Overall Matches 237 183 62 482 Including halved matches the points total stands at 268 points for Team USA to 214 points for the International Team. The last time they met The United States Team won the 2024 Presidents Cup by defeating the International Team with a final score of 18.5 to 11.5 at the Royal Montreal Golf Club in Quebec, Canada. This victory marked the 10th consecutive win for Team USA and their 13th overall triumph in the history of the event. Keegan Bradley secured the winning point for Team USA on Sunday with a 1-up victory over Si Woo Kim, while the matches featured two historic session sweeps. On the opening day the US team swept Thursday’s session 5–0, only for the International Team to counter with their own historic 5–0 sweep on Friday. South Korean Si Woo Kim led the points list for the International Team for the 2026 Presidents Cup. World No 1 Scottie Scheffler will lead the way for Team USA at the Presidents Cup at Medinah. The US squad was captained by Jim Furyk, while Canadian Mike Weir led the International side on his home soil. 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September 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 10 Local boy Mackenzie wins in Lismore JAY Mackenzie claimed the first of six Regional Qualifiers for the 2026 Ford NSW Open following a thrilling final day at Lismore Workers Golf Club. Mackenzie recorded seven birdies and an eagle in his 9-under-par second round of 60 to finish at 16-under-par in the 36-hole event. He was two shots clear of former Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner Jake McLeod. The victory was extra special for Mackenzie, who lives nearby in Lennox Head, while brother Daniel made his professional tournament debut at the Lismore qualifier. “This is nice having these events leading into the season,” Mackenzie said. “It’s cool to win in front of people that watch you and follow your results, so that was nice. I had a couple of members from Ballina (Golf Club) come out.” Starting round two one shot back of 2018 NSW Open Champion McLeod, Mackenzie made a hat-trick of birdies from the first hole, but two eagles from McLeod, on the first and sixth holes, in addition to two birdies in between, saw the Queenslander two shots ahead through nine holes. Mackenzie drew closer with a birdie at the 10th, before shooting to the top of the leaderboard courtesy of an eagle at the par5 14th. From there his putts continued to find the bottom of the cup, Mackenzie winning by Michael Court michael@insidegolf.com.au FORD NSW OPEN two shots from McLeod, with Alex Simpson a further shot back on 13-under in a share of third with new professional Coby Curruthers, while Queensland’s Douglas Klein was another shot adrift. “The greens are so good. If you keep hitting good putts, they’re going to go in eventually, and you need a bit of luck to win as well. Sort of went my way today, which was nice.” Mackenzie, who was already qualified for the Ford NSW Open, was happy to claim the winner’s cheque for almost $9,000. Carruthers, Simpson and Lincoln Tighe qualified to play the NSW Open at The Vintage in November. – COURTESY NSW GOLF Rookie Coby claims his first pro victory SERIOUS golfers will tell you Teven golf course on the North Coast of NSW is among the prettiest in the country – and the closest thing to Augusta National’s colourful gardens as you can get. So, it seemed the appropriate place for a first professional victory for rookie Coby Carruthers. Although he only turned pro in May, Carruthers has had to be patient to notch that first victory, enduring a string of top-five finishes at various venues before hitting his straps at Teven to outlast a quality field. Already assured of a spot in the looming NSW Open at The Vintage, thanks to a strong finish at Lismore, Carruthers’ three-under-par second round, for an eight-under total, finished three clear of Louis Dobbelaar. “It was a fantastic day,” said Carruthers. “We had a really good group and we’d all just sort of push each other along, but it was just definitely a grind out there, for sure. “The wind picked up, I reckon the greens were about a 14 on the stimpmetre, and some tricky pin positions called for a lot of good shots. “I knew a win was coming soon. I just had to be patient, and this week was that week, fortunately.” Teven has a famous stretched nicknamed The Scorpion and Carruthers knew he would have to survive that to get his name on the trophy. Heading for the turn, Carruthers approached the par-3 ninth, which had already delivered scores as high as nine and seven, with a two-shot lead, the eventual champion himself jokingly labelling it a “short par-5”. Striking a perfect iron shot up the steep hill, Carruthers managed to roll in his third birdie of the day as he headed for the back nine three shots clear. He did give his rivals a brief hope when he bogeyed the 10th but then rallied with six straight pars to virtually seal the deal. “I feel like I’ve been working the last probably eight months on the nerves,” he said. “Just getting away from being ‘If a putt goes in, it’s a good putt, but just getting like really speed focussed, rolling it good, because that’s all I can control. “That’s all we can do as golfers. There’s a lot of stuff that we can’t control, and you just have to know that and be patient.” Others to leave Teven in good spirits were West Australian Joseph Owen, amateur Samuel Adams and Victoria’s Kyle Michel, who all punched their ticket to contest the NSW Open in November. FIRST VICTORY: Coby Carruthers. Jay Maakenzie, the winner of the Lismore qualifier for the Ford NSW Open. CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF GREAT GOLF Mt Coolum Golf Club is proudly celebrating 50 years of great golf, friendship and community on 27 September 2026. Set beneath the iconic Mt Coolum and just minutes from the beautiful Sunshine Coast beaches, the club has grown from a modest nine-hole course established in 1976 into a thriving 18-hole championship course with more than 1,200 members. For five decades, the club has been built on the dedication of its members, volunteers, staff and supporters. Their commitment has created far more than a golf course—it has created a welcoming community where lifelong friendships are formed and golfers of all ages and abilities can enjoy the game. As we celebrate this significant milestone, we extend our sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed to the club’s success over the past 50 years. Whether you are a current member, former member, volunteer, staff member or visitor, you have helped make Mt Coolum Golf Club the special place it is today. To mark the occasion, the club will host 50th Anniversary celebrations on Sunday, 27 September, featuring a commemorative golf event followed by a Cocktail Party. We warmly invite members and past members of the club to join us as we celebrate our history, share memories and look forward to an exciting future. Mount Coolum Golf Club | 17 Lumeah Drive, Mount Coolum, Sunshine Coast | Phone (07) 5446 1539 | golf@mtcoolumgolf.com | www.mtcoolumgolf.com Here’s to 50 years of great golf—and many more to come!
September 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 11 WA’s Jordan Doull has won the fourth 2026 Ford NSW Open Regional Qualifier at South West Rocks. Doull was steady and at times spectacular during his second round of 68, following on from a day one 63, with his 13-under total two shots clear of fast-finishing Tim Hart. Hart drew level at the top of the leaderboard briefly on Friday, but eventually came up shy, however the Queenslander will return home with a start at the Ford NSW Open secured, alongside fellow qualifiers Jye Halls and Adam Coull. Doull couldn’t quite continue his birdie barrage from Round 1 early on day two, with the two-time Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia winner netting only one birdie in his first eight holes. “Got off to a bit of a slow start, was probably a little bit interesting,” Doull said. “I hit it okay, but it was definitely a slow start and wasn’t quite as switched on as I wanted to be.” Turning the switch with a birdie at the 18th, his ninth hole of the day, Doull headed for the second nine tied for the lead at 10-under with Hart. “I knew someone would make a charge. You kind of expect it. You don’t know who it’s going to come from. You just kind of roll with it,” Doull said. Doull continued to strike pure shots only to make pars, most remarkably at the par-5 fourth, where hitting his stinger 2-iron from the tee his drive took one bounce in the middle of the fairway before striking a kangaroo in the hindquarters. The local marsupial unharmed, however, Doull’s ball stopped dead in its tracks, meaning the 27-year-old was unable to reach the green in two. “That was a little unfortunate. I would have liked to have been another 30 or 40 (metres) up there. I could have maybe got another 2-iron there, but it was a bit of fun,” Doull said. Doull then stuck his tee shot close at the par3 fourth, before making another birdie at the par-4 fifth. Hart was doing his best to apply pressure with birdies at two of his last three holes, however, Doull made a near-perfect birdie at his 18th to secure the win. Jordan Doull, the winner of the South West Rocks NSW Open qualifying event. Woods primed for defence after Coffs qualifying win A LITTLE bit of scoreboard watching and a return to an old putter helped secure victory for Chris Wood at Coffs Harbour Golf Club last month. This North Coast Open Regional Qualifier always draws a star-studded field and Wood showed he was ready to defend his Ford NSW Open title at The Vintage in November with a first-class display in the 36-hole event. Wood dropped just one shot over the two rounds, finishing at 14-under par to edge out Blake Proverbs and William Bruyeres by two shots. The Queenslander later admitted a return to an old favourite putter had helped pave the way for his victory. “I feel quite lucky to be standing here the way I played,” said Wood. “I didn’t feel like I played that great, but I just managed myself around the course.” Wood began the second day with a threeshot lead but found that final day was anything but a cruise. “I don’t think it’s ever easy,” he said. “I think you just have to focus on what you’ve got to do at the time and that old cliché, one shot at a time, and give 100 per cent effort to every shot. “I think I did a pretty good job of that.” Wood also admitted he had checked the scores on his mobile phone a few times late in the round. “I did that as I was walking to 18th tee box,” he said. “I had a quick look at the scores and saw that I was one in front. “And I was lucky enough to see where Will [Bruyeres] tee shot on 18 finished, and I thought that would be a great par if he could do it from there. “I knew that I had to have a good tee shot and get it on the green and then just at least make two putts to have a chance to win.” Wood won last year’s NSW Open in a suddendeath playoff . . . and the 35-year-old will relish a return to The Vintage looking to make it back-to-back titles. Others to leave Coffs Harbour in good spirits included Corey Lamb, Aiden Didone and Justin Warren, who secured starts at The Vintage with their high finishes in an event that boasts names like major champions Kel Nagle and Gary Player on their honour role. Chris Wood, set to defend his NSW Open title later in the year, came out on top in the Coffs Harbour qualifying event. Michael Court michael@insidegolf.com.au Doull outduels Hart at South West Rocks qualifier FORD NSW OPEN Play, Dine & Unwind More golf. Less waiting. Better value. Join Ocean Shores Country Club and enjoy regular access to quality tee times, convenient online bookings, a championship 18-hole course and one of the best 19th holes on the North Coast. Relax with ocean views, Pacific breezes and an ice-cold drink after your round – all just 30 minutes from the Gold Coast. More Than Just the Best Golf Course! Golf, bowls, dining & entertainment. Only 30 minutes from the Gold Coast. NOW WELCOMING NEW MEMBERS VISITORS ALWAYS WELCOME oceanshorescc.com.au 02 6680 1008
September 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 12 No major, no worries: Scheffler wins golf’s unofficial Grand Slam race DESPITE failing to capture any of the four majors, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler pieced together an impressive overall campaign, turning four elite performances into an unofficial season-long major championship title. Across the Masters, PGA Championship, US Open and The Open Championship, Scheffler completed all 16 rounds in a combined 20-under-par 1108, matched only by fellow American Sam Burns for the lowest aggregate score of the year. He never lifted one of golf’s four biggest trophies in 2026, but Scottie Scheffler’s consistency across the US Masters, US PGA Championship, US Open and The Open proved he was still the game’s best major performer, writes David Newbery. It was a fitting reflection of two players who never dominated a single week but were almost never out of contention. Where Scheffler set himself apart from Burns was on the money list. Runner-up at Augusta and consistently near the top of the leaderboard throughout the season, he amassed A$6,387,364 in prize money across the four majors. Burns earned A$3,886,745, while Masters champion Rory McIlroy topped the money list with A$7,338,760 courtesy of a big payday after claiming the Green Jacket. In the end, Scheffler and Burns finished seven strokes clear of Xander Schauffele (1115), with McIlroy and Cameron Young tied another two shots back on 1117. Ludvig Åberg, Collin Morikawa and Chris Gotterup also featured prominently. The charm of the majors is that each host golf course presents a different examination. Excelling at one is difficult. Performing consistently at all four is indeed rare. For the record, Scheffler’s major season featured finishes of runner-up at the Masters, tied 14th at the PGA Championship, tied fourth at the US Open and tied fourth at The Open. While he never lifted a trophy, he always had the leading contenders looking over their shoulders. Burns was equally impressive. His record of tied seventh, tied 26th, runner-up and third demonstrated remarkable consistency, allowing him to match Scheffler’s aggregate score over the year’s biggest events. Ironically, McIlroy was the only one of the four major winners to finish among the overall leaders. US PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai and US Open champion Wyndham Clark both stumbled with missed cuts at The Open, while Open champion Ryan Fox’s challenge effectively ended before it began after missing the cut at Augusta National. Only 14 players managed to survive all four cuts – a statistic that highlights the unforgiving nature of major championship golf. The field narrowed dramatically as the season unfolded. Fifty-four players advanced from the Masters to keep their season-long hopes alive. That number dropped to 37 after the PGA Championship before just 14 remained standing when the final putt fell at Royal Birkdale. Of the four Australians invited to the Masters, Jason Day (T12) and Adam Scott (T24) made the cut while Cam Smith and Min Wood Lee missed out on advancing to the weekend. Scott exited the race after missing the PGA Championship cut, while Day advanced one step further before injury forced his withdrawal from the US Open. Several of the game’s biggest names also failed to complete the journey. Jon Rahm fell away after the US Open, while Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose and Jordan Spieth were eliminated at The Open. Europeans Tommy Fleetwood and Viktor Hovland saw their campaigns end at the US PGA Championship, while Brooks Koepka exited after missing the cut at the US Open. Perhaps the biggest surprise was Bryson DeChambeau. The powerful American missed the cut at Augusta and managed just one weekend appearance all season, finishing tied for 14th at The Open. While Scheffler and McIlroy, and Burns this year, continue to set the benchmark, the season also hinted at the next wave of contenders. Scottie Scheffler may not have captured one of the major championships in 2026, however the numbers show he was professional golf’s most consistent performer. It was so close, yet so far for Sam Burns who came up just short in two of the major championships this year.
September 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 13 Name Four major scores to par Money AUD$ Scottie Scheffler 277-278-280-273 1108 20-under 6,387,364 Sam Burns 279-280-277-272 1108 20-under 3,886,745 Xander Schauffele 280-276-282-277 1115 13-under 1,585,400 Rory McIlroy 276-276-286-279 1117 11-under 7,338,760 Cameron Young 278-280-288-271 1117 11-under 4,404,804 Ludvig Aberg 285-275-283-275 1118 10-under 1,481,074 Collin Morikawa 279-283-283-277 1122 six-under 1,039,724 Chris Gotterup 286-277-288-277 1128 even par 790,219 Ben Griffin 288-278-283-282 1131 three-over 1,175,300 Justin Thomas 290-275-283-283 1131 three-over 1,079,066 Hideki Matsuyama 283-280-294-276 1133 five-over 717,717 Corey Conners 294-283-285-276 1138 10-over 441,917 Kurt Kitayama 295-277-289-279 1040 12-over 580,300 Michael Brennan 286-291-288-281 1146 18-over 279,444 THE MAJORS LEADERS BOARD 2026 Cameron Young continued his steady rise with a tie for fourth in the aggregate standings, while Ludvig Åberg further strengthened his reputation as one of golf’s brightest young stars. Chris Gotterup and 24-year-old Michael Brennan also demonstrated they have the talent to one day become genuine major contenders. FOOTNOTE: The Major Championship Race ranks players by their aggregate score across all four men’s major championships, provided they make the cut in every event. While there is no prize, the standings offer an alternative measure of consistency over golf’s biggest tournaments. Without seriously challenging to claim a title, Xander Schauffele was a consistent performer in the four majors in 2026. While not threatening at any of the 2026 majors, Joaquin Niemann became a ninetime winner on the LIV Golf Tour with a victory in New York. LIV Golf is in turmoil and its future uncertain, however one thing that is clear is the continuing dominance of 2023 Australian Open champion Joaquin Niemann. The 27-year-old Chilean may not have fired up in the major championships in 2026, but Niemann remains a force on the LIV Tour, recently chalking up his ninth victory with a win at LIV New York, Bedminster. On the demanding Trump National Golf Club course Niemann led with a 64 after round one, before going on with the job over the next three days, his four-round total of 16-under par finishing three shots ahead of runner-up Harold Varner III. It was Niemann’s second victory of the year, to go along with five wins in 2025 and two in 2024. While his LIV results have been impressive, Niemann couldn’t transfer that winning form into the four major championships this year, with a best finish of tied seventh at the US Open. He placed 18th at the 2026 PGA Championship, didn’t compete at the Masters and missed the 36-hole cut at the Open Championship. His seventh-place finish at Shinnecock Hills at the US Open was the best of his career in major championships. With one individual LIV event remaining, scheduled for Indianapolis late August, Jon Rahm led the point standings, ahead of Bryson DeChambeau, with Niemann third. Australian Lucas Herbert, twice a winner on LIV this year, was fourth. Ending months of speculation, the originally scheduled Teams Championship, set to bring down the curtain on the 2026 LIV season, was canceled. Ninth LIV win for Neimann
September 2026 www.insidegolf.com.au PRO NEWS 14 Australasian Tour schedule announced THE 100th staging of one of Australian golf’s most historic championships, new homes for two popular tournaments and a move from Brisbane to Sydney for the BMW Australian PGA Championship headlines the 2026-27 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia schedule. The new season begins in the now traditional style with the PNG Open at Royal Port Moresby Golf Club (August 27-30) before visiting all mainland states in Australia, as well as New Zealand’s North and South islands, across a 19-tournament schedule that once again provides players with a pathway to the DP World Tour. The Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia will also feature two new tournament venues, the Secret Harbour Golf Links, south of Perth, to host the WA Open for the first time, while Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club becomes the new home of Players Series Victoria presented by Drummond Golf as a forerunner to hosting the 2027 Capital.com men’s Australian Open. There is a switch of order for the three-leg New Zealand swing in February, with the New Zealand Open presented by Millbrook Resort to now be the finale, following the ISPS HANDA Japan-Australasia Championship, which returns for its second year at Royal Auckland & Grange Golf Club. The Ford NSW Open has its second consecutive year at The Vintage Golf Club in the Hunter Valley (November 12-15), ahead of the centenary Queensland PGA Championship and the BMW Australian PGA Championship at the Lakes in Sydney. Kingston Heath Golf Club will host the Capital.com men’s Australian Open from December 3-6 before the Vic PGA Championship returns to Moonah Links Resort from December 10-13. The new year begins with Players Series Perth at Royal Fremantle Golf Club (January 7-10). The season concludes with the National Tournament, at The National Golf Club on March 18-21. All Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia events, apart from the PNG Open, will be broadcast live in Australia on Foxtel and Kayo, and in New Zealand on Sky Sport. 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 THE PGA of Australia has announced that Challenger, Australia’s leading retirement income provider, has signed a landmark five-year extension as Title Partner of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia. The agreement represents the largest commercial partnership in the Tour’s history and extends Challenger’s commitment through to the end of the 2030/31 season. PGA of Australia Chief Executive Officer Gavin Kirkman, in announcing the partnership extension at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney alongside Challenger Chief Executive Officer Nick Hamilton, said the new agreement was a major endorsement of the Tour’s direction and future. “This five-year extension is a landmark moment for the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia,” Kirkman said. “To secure the largest commercial partnership in our Tour’s history demonstrates the confidence Challenger has in our vision, our players and the future of professional golf events across this region. “Since joining us as Title Partner in 2023, Challenger has played a major role in helping us build momentum, strengthen our tournaments, create more opportunities for players to compete and progress their careers and produce awesome event experiences for our golf fans.” PGA Tour of Australasia winner Dimi Papadatos, PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman, Nick Dastey, PGA of Australia General Manager of Tournaments and Global Tour Relationships, Challenger CEO Nick Hamilton and Australian golfing legend Peter O’Malley at the Lakes Golf Club in Sydney to announce the 2026-2027 PGA Tour of Australasia schedule. CHALLENGER PGA TOUR OF AUSTRALASIA SCHEDULE 2026 August 27-30: PNG Open at Royal Port Moresby Golf Club September 26-27: World Sand Greens Championship at Binalong Community Club (non-OOM) October 8-11: CKB WA PGA Championship presented by TX Civil & Logistics at Kalgoorlie GC October 15-18: WA Open at Secret Harbour Golf Links October 22-25: Players Series SA hosted by Greg Blewett at Willunga GC November 12-15: Ford NSW Open at The Vintage GC November 19-22: Queensland PGA Championship at Nudgee GC November 26-29: BMW Australian PGA Championship at The Lakes GC December 3-6: Capital.com men’s Australian Open at Kingston Heath GC December 10-13: Vic PGA Championship at Moonah Links Resort 2027 January 7-10: Players Series Perth hosted by Minjee & Min Woo Lee at Royal Fremantle GC January 14-17 Players Series Victoria presented by Drummond Golf & hosted by Marcus Fraser at Peninsula Kingswood CGC January 21-24: Vic Open at 13th Beach Golf Links January 28-31: Players Series Murray River in honour of Jarrod Lyle at Cobram Barooga GC February 4-7: Players Series Sydney hosted by Peter O’Malley at Castle Hill CC February 11-14: The Quinovic NZ PGA Championship at Paraparaumu Beach GC February 18-21: ISPS HANDA Japan-Australasia Championship at Royal Auckland & Grange GC February 25-28: 106th New Zealand Open presented by Millbrook Resort at Millbrook Resort March 18-21: The National Tournament at The National GC Challenger signs a five-year extension
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