RISING golfing star Marc Leishman is a hot favourite to make Australian golf history this year by being named the country’s first US PGA Tour Rookie of the Year.

The 25 year old Australian also realised a boyhood dream this week by qualifying for the US Masters next year.

His tie for second placing in the $8.69 million BMW Championship in Chicago on Sunday catapulted him into qualifying for the top-30 US PGA Tour Championship at No. 16 in the FedExCup standings.

His place in the 30 man Tour Championship means he is now automatically exempt for next year’s US Masters, US Open at Pebble Beach and British Open at St Andrews.

”It’s hard to wipe the smile off my face at the minute,” Leishman said after finishing second to his final day playing partner Tiger Woods on Sunday. ”The Masters, [it] has always been a dream to play that. We used to set the alarm at 4.30 in the morning to watch it when I was back home as a kid (in Warrnambool). If I’m home, I still do.”

Leishman’s tie with Jim Furyk was his best finish of his US Tour career. He has made 17 weekend cuts in 25 events this year with three top-10 finishes and eight top-25 finishes, earning about $2 million.

He would be the first Australian to be named US PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in its 19 year history.

Leishman was originally due to play in the second last group on Sunday but due to heavy fog, play was delayed 90 minutes and the draw re-shaped with a two-tee start.

”I got a text message about 7.30 in the morning saying we had a group change and I was now with Tiger, so it worked out pretty well [that I] didn’t have to sleep on that,” Leishman said. ”I said to Matty [Kelly, his caddie and a mate from Warrnambool GC] walking down the first, ‘This is what we play golf for - in the last group on Sunday, playing with Tiger.’

”Just to play with him is awesome. He’s a great bloke to play with, really friendly and up for a chat. For my first time playing in a group with Tiger, I was really happy with how it went. And to go bogey-free as well was even better. He was really happy for me getting in the Tour Championship,” Leishman said.

Leishman has brought a home at Virginia Beach, near Washington DC, and is now settled in the US. Just a couple of weeks ago became engaged to a local Virginia Beach girl, Audrey Hills.

They plan to marry early next year but the Australian has now specified the only dates definitely not available for the wedding will be US Masters week.

A SIZZLING back nine performance has seen Australian Scott Strange claim the Volvo China Open by one shot and make history by becoming the first winner on the OneAsia Super Series.
The 33 year old West Australian shot a final round four under 68, including three birdies in his final five holes to claim the US$2.2 million event, the first event of the new OneAsia Super Series and co-sanctioned by the European Tour.
Strange finished the tournament on minus eight, one shot ahead of Spaniard Gonzalo Fdez-Castano with fellow Australian Ashley Hall, England’s Richard Finch and New Zealander Mark Brown a further stroke back in third.
The 32-year-old began the day in fifth spot and despite wet conditions Strange performed with aplomb, firing in five birdies for the day to take out his second Euopean Tour Event.
“I played solid and its course that was always going to suit me so I wasn’t going to get myself into too much trouble,” said Strange. “I didn’t tear the course apart but I played it the best I could and produced a score that ended up winning.”
Strange claimed the title, his second on the European Tour after he won the Wales Open in June last year pocketing a winner’s check for $US366,000 and added a bonus of at least US$155,000 courtesy of earning a spot in the elite 16-man field for the Volvo World Match Play Championship to be held later in the year in Spain.
The win last year in Wales was particularly emotional for the 33 year old whose sister lost a long battle with cancer weeks later so the victory today was one that came with mixed emotions.
“The win last year will always mean a lot to me with everything that was going on with my sister. This win is just as special it’s always nice to prove again that you can win again. My last win in Wales was surrounded by circumstances that weren’t too great so to win again it’s just as special. I am sure my family at home will be very happy and my sister if she were still here now would be pretty proud of me as well.”
Fellow Australian Ashley Hall finished the day in a tie for third spot following a one-under-par 71. It was a welcome return to form since winning the Subaru Victorian Open on the Australasian Tour in January. Hall appeared to have let things slip away when he was two-over after 14 holes, but he regrouped, coming home with three birdies in his last four holes to finish alongside overnight leader Richard Finch and Kiwi Mark Brown.
New South Welshman Kurt Barnes had a solid tournament, coming home with a final round six under 66 to finish in tie for 11th with Aaron Townsend also claiming a top 20 finish, closing at two under par for a tie for 16th position, with Marcus Fraser and David McKenzie tied 20th and even with the card.

(Original Material Courtesy PGA Australia)

AUSTRALIAN Nick O’Hern has tied for third at the Shell Houston Open, while the rounds of Geoff Ogilvy and Greg Norman unraveled in their US Masters lead ups.

After being tied for first overnight, Ogilvy finished in a five person tie for sixth and Norman, in his much vaunted lead up to Augusta, finished  70th.

Meanwhile, Michael Sim became the third Australasian winner on the Nationwide Tour this season, blitzing the field by a whopping six shots to claim the Stonebrae Classic in California. See the full  Aussies in Action world round up.

US PGA TOUR: O’HERN TIES FOR THIRD IN HOUSTON

Australian Nick O’Hern has finished in a tie for third at the Shell Houston Open, won in a play off by Englishman Paul Casey.

31 year old Casey, a nine time winner on the European Tour held off the challenge from American J.B.Holmes to claim his first ever title on the US PGA Tour in 77 starts. It almost didn’t happen for Casey as he led by a shot with one hole to play but a bogey saw him forced into a play off with the American. Casey then bogeyed the 18^th in the play off but it was enough to oust Holmes, who drove his tee shot into the water.

For the Australasians, O’Hern’s total of nine under par was just two shots behind Casey and a great result for the West Australian who was T20 going into the final round. Additionally it was an encouraging sign for the popular left hander who was forced to miss the Australasian summer due to thumb surgery and who had his first tournament since November at the Northern Trust Open in February. 

O’Hern finished alongside Swede Henrik Stenson and former Masters Champion Fred Couples who led at 12 under for much of the final round before bogeying the final three holes to drop back to nine under.

Geoff Ogilvy was tied first overnight with five others but his round quickly unraveled with two bogeys and a double bogey in his first eight holes. He eventually finished in a five way tie for sixth on eight under.  Jarrod Lyle, Stuart Appleby and John Senden were tied 31^st on three under, with Marc Leishman a further shot back and tied 42^nd. Peter Lonard had a disappointing six over 78 to drop to 52^nd with Steve Elkington a shot further back and T58.

Greg Norman’s tournament unraveled with a final round nine over 81 to fall to 70^th place alongside James Nitties whose tournament faded after a stunning first round 66 and Kiwi Tim Wilkinson.

NATIONWIDE TOUR: STUNNING VICTORY FOR SIM

PGA of Australia member Michael Sim has become the third Australasian winner on the Nationwide Tour this season, blitzing the field by a whopping six shots to claim the Stonebrae Classic in California today.

Starting the final round just one shot ahead of the pack, the 24 year old West Australian reeled off seven birdies and an eagle on his way to a best round seven under 64. It could have been more if not for bogeys at the second and 16^th, but it hardly mattered as no one came close to threatening his lead all day.

With rounds of 71, 64, 67 & 74 for a total of 18 under 266, Sim finished six shots ahead of fellow Aussie Cameron Percy from Victoria who finished in a tie for second on 12 under par. In further good news for the Australasian contingent Queenslander Andrew Buckle shot a final round five under to finish in a tie for sixth place with New South Welshman Nick Flanagan.

The first-place cheque of $USD108,000 pushes Sim to the No. 1 spot on the money list with $USD182,017, nearly $USD45,000 in front of veteran Vance Veazey. THE 25 leading money-winners at the end of the year will graduate to the PGA TOUR, a place Sim spent the 2007-08 seasons but struggled because of recurring back troubles.

Sim now joins Australian Alistair Presnell (Moonah Classic) and New Zealand’s Steve Alker (HSBC NZ PGA Championship), as Australasian winners on the Nationwide Tour this year. Of six events, Australasians have won three. Sim is also the 29^th Australasian winner on the Nationwide Tour with the boys from Down Under amassing 45 titles since the Tour began in 1989. Twenty nine of those titles have been collected since 2004 with last year the highlight as Australians has their best ever season, claiming seven titles overall – including five of the first eight events. 

EUROPEAN TOUR: IRISHMAN HOEY CLAIMS MAIDEN TITLE

New Zealand’s Mark Brown was the best of the Australasians at the Estoril Portugal Open on the weekend, finishing in T28 behind winner Michael Hoey of Northern Ireland.

Brown’s first and final rounds of 73 marred an otherwise good performance. His second and third rounds of 68 & 69 had him in a T11 going into the final round but he couldn’t finish off.

30 year old Hoey came from five shots behind to claim his first European Tour title after a nerve wracking three hole play-off with Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez- Castano.  The Irishman shot a final round 5 under 66 to catch the leaders and knocked in a six foot putt for par on the third play-off hole as Castano could only manage a bogey.

Wade Ormsby finished at two over and T43 with fellow Aussie Michael Curtain finished four over and T63.

AUSTRALASIAN RESULTS:

US PGA TOUR: SHELL HOUSTON OPEN, REDSTONE GC TOURNAMENT COURSE, HUMBLE, TEXAS

WINNER: PAUL CASEY (England) * won on first play-off hole over J.B. Holmes (-11)

T3 Nick O’Hern (-9), T6 Geoff Ogilvy (-8), T31 Jarrod Lyle, Stuart Appleby, John Senden (-3), T42 Marc Leishman (-2), T52 Peter Lonard (E), T58 Steve Elkington (+1), T70 Greg Norman, James Nitties, Tim Wilkinson NZL (+3)

MC: Nathan Green, Steve Allan, Aaron Baddeley, Aron Price

EUROPEAN TOUR: ESTORIL OPEN DE PORTUGAL, OITAVOS DUNES, CASCAIS, PORTUGAL

WINNER: MICHAEL HOEY (Northern Ireland) * won on the third play-off hole over Gonzalo Fernandez- Castano

T28 Mark Brown NZL (-1), T43 Wade Ormsby (+2), T63 Michael Curtain (+4)

MC: Matthew Millar

NATIONWIDE TOUR: STONEBRAE CLASSIC, TPC SAN FRANCISCO BAY, HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA

WINNER: WINNER: MICHAEL SIM (AUSTRALIA) (-18)

T2 Cameron Percy (-12), T6 Andrew Buckle, T6 Nick Flanagan (-8), T32 Gavin Coles (-1), T38 Grant Waite NZL (E), T50 Scott Gardiner (+3), T61 Steven Bowditch (+6), T61 Kim Felton (+6)

MC: Phil Tataurangi NZL, Won Joon Lee, David McKenzie, Paul Gow

THE WEEK AHEAD:

MAJOR: The Masters, Augusta National, Georgia, USA.

GREG NORMAN will be helping celebrate his recent 54th birthday with a serious tilt at the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth.

After his stunning British Open performance last year, Norman is looking to start fine tuning his game for his 23rd trip to the US Masters.

In the ultimate fairy tale that almost was, Norman led the British Open at Royal Birkdale by two strokes after three rounds last July before succumbing to finish in a tie for third place.  It was good enough however to earn him an invitation to the Masters in April.

“I’ve had some great experiences there and I’ve had some bad experiences there, but at the same time it all neutralizes over my whole career there,” Norman said this week.

With that experience helping him take a mature approach, he’s aiming to make the Masters cut.

“I’ve always been a believer: Age is really not anything but a number, as long as you keep yourself in good shape,” he said. “That’s why I don’t really need to be like a 21-year-old or an 18-year-old thinking about (the Masters) months and months and months in advance.”

At the Vines Resort and Country Club this week Norman is up against a hot field that includes Colombian star Camilo Villegas, American Anthony Kim, England’s Lee Westwood and title holder, 2008 Australasian Tour Order of Merit winner Mark Brown of New Zealand.

All eyes will be on the charismatic Norman, a man who has won over 80 international titles and two major championships.

“If I come and play a golf tournament, I’m not just going to come and play. I’m going to try to give it my best shot. Sometimes you miss the cut and sometimes you do very well. As long as you know, you’re giving it 101 percent, which I’ll do this week,” Norman said.

Winner of the 1994 Johnnie Walker Classic in Phuket, Thailand, Norman, a former world number one, has kept himself in great physical shape despite his growing business interests around the world which includes golf course designing, a winery and apparel.

Norman’s challengers could well be two of the world’s most exciting young talents.

World number nine Villegas and the 11th-ranked Kim won two titles each on the US PGA Tour last season and know that getting their names onto the Johnnie Walker Classic trophy, which includes great names like Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo, Fred Couples, Ian Woosnam and Norman, would add to their growing reputation.

The Johnnie Walker Classic is tri-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia, Asian Tour and European Tour.

The Johnnie Walker Classic will be broadcast in Australia by Network Ten.

Thursday 19 Feb & Friday 20 Feb: TEN HD: 2:30pm to 7:30pm, EST & WST

Saturday 21 February: TEN: 12pm – 5pm EST & WST

Sunday 22 February: TEN: 12pm – 5pm EST & WST

US PGA TOUR: SONY OPEN IN HAWAII, WAIALAE COUNTRY CLUB, HONOLULU, HAWAII

A blistering final round six under 64 has seen Australian Adam Scott finish just two shots off a win at the Sony Open in Hawaii –the first full field event on the 2009 US PGA Tour calendar.  

 Starting the day three shots off the lead and tied tenth, the 28 year old Aussie carded seven birdies in his round to equal the best round of the day and soar into contention.
He held the lead briefly after overnight leader Zach Johnson stumbled early on, but the American regrouped with four birdies on the back nine to take the title. Johnson secured his victory by two shots over Scott and American David Toms.

Charles Howell III was a further stroke behind at 12-under, with Kevin Na and Brian Gay one shot back in a tie for fifth.

 For Scott, who is recovering from a knee injury that forced a six week break, the start to the year will brim him with confidence. He finished T18 at his first outing, the Mercedes Benz Championship last week and secured his best result since winning the EDS Byron Nelson Championship last April.

 “Today was really good for me,” said Scott.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been in the hunt in anything.
“It was nice to get on the back nine and have a chance, and get the competitive nerves going again. I enjoyed the challenge.
“I wish I could have made the putt on 17 to have a bit of a chance on the last, but all in all, I’m pretty happy with how my game is shaping up.”

 Scott will now head to Qatar where he will look to claim his third straight Qatar Masters. He will then return home to Australia for a month for more rehabilitation on his knee which still needs to be iced daily and requires more treatment.

In more good news for the Aussies, rookie Marc Leishman carded a five-under-par 65 to grab a share of 12th spot in his first PGA Tour event.
Starting the day in a tie for second place, Nathan Green struggled with four bogeys early on, but closed with a birdie to also finish in 12th place.
Geoff Ogilvy never recovered from a disastrous start that saw him drop five shots through seven holes to finish in a tie for 32nd at five-under overall.

EUROPEAN TOUR: THE ABU DHABI GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP, ABU DHABI GOLF CLUB, ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Robert Allenby has finished the best of the Australasians at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship tying for 15^th place on 13 under, eight shots behind winner Paul Casey of England.

Allenby, a US TOUR regular and playing in his first event for the 2009 season shot rounds of 71, 68, 69 & 67 to finish one shot ahead of compatriot Brett Rumford on 12 under while halfway leader Richard Green was a further stroke back in a tie for 26th.
For Casey, it was a case of surviving a late scare to secure his first title in two years. Coasting to victory, or so it seemed, when he led by six with only eight holes to play, he then bogeyed three of the next four holes. The 31 year old led by six shots at the turn but problems with his putter saw his lead desert him as up ahead South African Louis Oosthuizen posted an eight-under-par 64 and suddenly the gap was only one.

However, the 31-year-old Ryder Cup star, whose last win came in the same event at the start of 2007, parred the closing stretch for a 70 and a 21-under total of 267 to take the title by one shot from Louis Oosthuizen and defending champion Martin Kaymer. It was Casey’s second Abu Dhabi win in three years.

New Zealand amateur Danny Lee was the next best of the Australasians posting rounds of 68, 70, 73, 68 to finish on nine-under-par ahead of fellow countryman and 2008 Australasian Tour Order of Merit Champion Mark Brown two shots further back.

Rod Pampling, Scott Strange and Aaron Baddeley finished well done the leaderboard in 37th, 50th and 62nd respectively.

ASIAN TOUR: 2009 ASIAN TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL, ST ANDREWS 2000 GC & RAYONG GREEN VALLEY CC, THAILAND

12 Australasians have successfully qualified through final stage of Asian Tour School and have earned their cards for the 2009 season.

Led by South Australian Peter Cooke and Victorian Matthew Griffin who finished best of the contingent from Down Under in a tie for ninth place, 11 Aussies and New Zealander Mark Purser braved five rounds over five days at the St Andrews 2000 and Rayong Green Valley courses.

Also finishing in the Top 40 and ties were: Michael Light (T12), Kim Do.H (T15), Tim Stewart (T17), Mark Purser (T19), Chris Gaunt (T19), Adam Le Vesconte (T26), Jason Norris (T26), Christopher Campbell (T30), Adam Groom (T33) and Rohan Blizard (T33).

Victorian Brad Lamb narrowly missed the cut when he finished in a tie for 41^st spot.

Overall, Australia had the biggest representation in the 2009 Qualifying School with 83 players.

Japan’s Daisuke Maruyama triumphed in a play-off with Mohammad Siddikur and Rory Hie becoming the first Bangladeshi and Indonesian players respectively to earn full playing rights.

AUSTRALASIAN RESULTS:

US PGA TOUR: SONY OPEN

WINNER: ZACH JOHNSON (USA)

T2 Adam Scott (-13), T12 Marc Leishman (-7), Nathan Green (-7), T32 Geoff Ogilvy (-5), T51 Tim Wilkinson (-2), T65 Jarrod Lyle (+2). 

MC: John Senden, Aron Price, Peter Lonard, Greg Chalmers, James Nitties.

EUROPEAN TOUR: THE ABU DHABI GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

WINNER: PAUL CASEY (ENGLAND) -21

T15 Robert Allenby (-13), T20 Brett Rumford (-12), T26 Richard Green (-11), T35 Danny Lee am NZL ( -9), T37 Rod Pampling (-8), T42 Mark Brown NZL (-7), T50 Scott Strange (-5), T62 Aaron Baddeley (-2)

MC: Peter O’Malley,

ASIAN TOUR: 2009 ASIAN TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL FINAL STAGE

1^ST: DAISUKE MARUYAMA (JAPAN)

T9, 359, Peter COOKE, Australia, 73, 70, 72, 75, 69

T9, 359, Matthew GRIFFIN, Australia, 70, 72, 72, 74, 71

T12, 360, Michael LIGHT, Australia, 70, 74, 75, 75, 66

T15, 361, KIM Do.H, Australia, 76, 72, 74, 70, 69

T17, 362, Tim STEWART, Australia, 74, 70, 77, 74, 67

T19, 363, Mark PURSER, New Zealand, 74, 73, 70, 75, 71

T19, 363, Chris GAUNT, Australia, 72, 73, 71, 75, 72

T26, 364, Adam Le VESCONTE, Australia, 75, 71, 72, 79, 67

T26, 364, Jason NORRIS, Australia, 72, 68, 75, 76, 73

T30, 365, Christopher CAMPBELL, Australia, 71, 77, 74, 74, 69

T33, 366, Adam GROOM, Australia, 73, 74, 75, 72, 72

T33, 366, Rohan BLIZARD, Australia, 71, 77, 74, 71, 73

THE WEEK AHEAD:

US PGA TOUR: The 50th Bob Hope Classic hosted by Arnold Palmer at PGA West (Palmer Course), La Quinta, California, PGA West (Nicklaus Course), La Quinta, California, Bermuda Dunes CC, Bermuda Dunes, California, Silver Rock, La Quinta, California
EUROPEAN TOUR: Commercialbank Qatar Masters Presented by Dolphin Energy, Doha GC, Doha, Qatar

CHAMPIONS TOUR: Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai, Hualalai Golf Course, Ka’upulehu-Kona, Hawaii

(Original material courtesy PGA Australia)

Peter Senior will make golfing history when he fronts up for his 30th Australian Masters event this week but the 49 year old has lost none of his passion for the game.

Senior is a two time winner of the Masters and will line up as the only player to have played in all thirty Australian Masters tournaments since the first event was played at Huntingdale in 1979.

“It has been a long trip and I have enjoyed every one of them,” Senior, who won the title in 1991 and 1995, said this week. “Thirty years sounds like a long time but I’ve still got a few left in me.”

Senior feels he has been playing well lately with good finishes in the Western Australian PGA and a second at the NSW PGA.

He was feeling confident when talking to media about the upcoming big three Aussie tournaments, including the Open, the PGA and the Masters, and even suggesting that “if I can putt a little better than I have been” anything could happen.

“Or you could do a Robert Allenby and win all three of them,” he said.

The putting would have to be going exceptionally well for that to come to pass but it is a measure of the competitive spirit Senior has displayed in 30 years travelling the globe.

Whatever has been happening for him overseas, Senior is a household name in Australian golf because he has returned home every summer to play in front of home crowds. The fact hasn’t been lost on his legions of fans, making him a crowd favourite and the name ‘Senior’ synonymous with the Australasian Tour.

“One thing I always said was that I would come back to support the Australian Tour, no matter where I was or what I was doing. I have foregone some really good tournaments to come back and play our events, but I wanted to do that.”

Senior said that whilst his thirty years sounded a lot, he has lost none of the desire that has brought him so much success and popularity in the game since he first turned professional in 1978. Whilst he plays less tournament golf these days, he intends to continue with his career on the senior’s circuit when he turns 50 next July.

“I love the game. It doesn’t matter where I am or what I am doing, corporate days, pro-ams, I still enjoy being on the course. The main reason I stopped tournament golf was to spend time with my kids in their school years.

“I figured that when I turned 50 I would still have the opportunity to play. Sitting at home and doing nothing for the first couple of years was really hard, but deep down the desire is still there.”

Senior is keen to try his luck on the Seniors tour in the US next year but knows it will be tough with “about 500 guys” competing for the eight available spots.

If anyone can do it, Peter can.

The First Round of the 2008 Sportsbet Australian Masters starts on Thursday with the first groups teeing off at 7am.

The morning groups include Craig Parry, John Daly and Finland’s Mikko Ilonen teeing off the tenth tee at 7:10am – now that will be a sight to behold.

There will be free to air television coverage on all four days of the tournament on the Seven Network, check your local guides.

JOHN DALY could be more than just a sideshow when he arrives on Australian shores this week to spice up the start of the summer golf season.

Daly, who artfully manages to combine being a highly gifted two time major winner while keeping up a train wreck of a personal life, shot his best round of golf in three years on the final day of the Hong Kong Open yesterday (Sunday).

He had eight birdies to finish one off the course record on the tight Hong Kong Golf Club course.

He was already out of tournament contention having followed up opening round consecutive 68’s with a deflating 73 on Saturday.

Without a US PGA Tour card for two years, Daly says one of his problems of late has been not playing in enough consecutive big time tournaments.

With a tendency to go to Hooters rather than practice, Daly needs the consistent big game play to keep his game together.

“I can’t remember the last time I had three weeks in a row that I could play,” Daly says. “That’s probably why I’m hoping to get a lot of invites in the European tour and play four, five, six in a row. That’s the only way I can play good golf.”

First, we have the 30th Australian Masters kicking off in Melbourne on Thursday. The following week we have the Australian PGA (Dec 4-7) at Coolum and then the Australian Open at the Royal Sydney Golf Course from December 11-14.

 

 

Apart from ably demonstrating in Hong Kong that despite being rated World No 788, he can still put an exceptional round together, Daly also proved his public pulling power.

If he keeps his shirt on, his putter out of the water and his nights in reasonable order, he could be something to watch.

But whatever Daly’s golfing performance over the next two weeks in Australia (his schedule didn’t allow staying for the Australian Open), his inclusion has already served to further heighten interest in what should be a fascinating summer of golf.

First, we have the 30th Australian Masters kicking off in Melbourne on Thursday. The following week we have the Australian PGA (Dec 4-7) at Coolum and then the Australian Open at the Royal Sydney Golf Course from December 11-14.

Most of Australia’s big name players will be appearing at some stage.

Nick O’Hern has just been ruled out for the duration with a thumb injury, Aaron Baddeley has a new baby to contend with, and Geoff Ogilvy and Adam Scott will miss the first week but not the next two.

Stuart Appleby, Robert Allenby, Matthew Goggin, Nathan Green, Richard Green, Peter Lonard, Craig Parry, Rod Pampling, John Senden and Peter Senior will be among the other starters.

The Australian contingent at the Masters will be further strengthened with the participation of Scott Strange, winner of the 2008 Wales Open and fellow West Australian, Rick Kulacz who won the Brunei Open in his rookie year on the Asian Tour.

In addition, Jarrod Lyle, Greg Chalmers, Aron Price and Marc Leishman, all winners on the Nationwide Tour en route to progressing to the 2009 PGA TOUR will play. 

The home grown talent will be challenged by a strong international line up including 2005 US Open Champion Michael Campbell from New Zealand, dual PGA TOUR winner Daniel Chopra from Sweden along with two time member of the International Team at The Presidents Cup and three time European Tour winner, Tim Clark from South Africa.  These proven champions will be joined by one of the games brightest young stars in Danny Lee from New Zealand.  Danny is the current United States Amateur Champion and the #1 ranked amateur in the World.

Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke, regarded as one of the game’s best ball strikers, will be the main overseas draw for the Australian Open at Royal Sydney.

Local favorite Aaron Townsend has claimed the NSW Open by seven shots whist Michael Long has been crowned the 2008 Von Nida Tour Money List winner.  

Townsend and Long accepted their trophies at the final Von Nida Tour event held at The Vintage Golf Club in the New South Wales Hunter Valley on Sunday.

Townsend,  27, wrapped up his maiden Von Nida Tour victory with a final round three under 68 to win by seven shots from runner up Victorian Steve Jones.

Last week’s Cellarbrations NSW PGA Championship winner Tim Wood finished in third place on eight under par while Sydney’s Jamie Arnold and newly turned pro Matthew Griffin were tied fourth a further two shots back. 

For Townsend, who is now heading for the second stage of US Tour School, the win comes after he previously finished second three times, the most recent this year at the OG Roberts South Australian PGA Championship.

“I can say enough about how special this is”, said a delighted and exhausted Townsend. “My first one, to win the NSW Open is tremendous.”

“I tried not to look at the leaderboard or too much that was going on around me and just tried to think if I play well and just try to take care of what I do then it will make it hard for anyone to try to catch me so I was really happy with how I played.”

“My confidence is at a high now and that’s what you need at this time of year so its an excellent time to be flying this high!”

Townsend played an impressive tournament, establishing what was to become an unbeatable lead on Day two. He finished the second round with a five shot lead, extending that to six by the end of the third round and finished off with a seven shot buffer.

Perth based New Zealander Long clinched the 2008 Von Nida Money List Trophy by $760.00 over Townsend. The 40 year old finished the year on a high with a win at the Oceanique WA PGA Championship two weeks ago and immediately backed up with a runner up finish at last week’s Cellarbrations NSW PGA Championship, finishing on a total of $27,650.

“I’m very happy. There’s a lot great talent and great players on this Tour and it’s a great privilege to have won this trophy. It’s the first Order of Merit Trophy I have ever won!”

“It’s been a great three weeks”, said the semi retired New Zealand born WA resident. “I intend to enjoy my golf a lot more now and am enjoying the break. It’s really refreshing to be able to have a week off now, have a few drinks and then start again!”

Belmont teenager Brendan Smith finished as the leading amateur.

Final leading scores at the NSW Open at The Vintage.

1, Aaron Townsend, -17, 63, 67, 69, 68, 267

2, Steven Jones, -10, 65, 71, 70, 68, 274

3, Timothy Wood, -8, 73, 67, 68, 68, 276

T4, Jamie Arnold, -6, 62, 73, 70, 73, 278

T4, Matthew Griffin, -6, 67, 71, 71, 69, 278

6, Bradley Andrews, -5, 69, 74, 68, 68, 279

T7, Benjamin Burge, -3, 71, 68, 71, 71, 281

T7, Brad Lamb, -3, 69, 72, 68, 72, 281

T7, Peter Nolan, -3, 71, 71, 72, 67, 281

T10, Aaron Black, -2, 68, 70, 70, 74, 282

T10, Ryan Hammond, -2, 66, 72, 73, 71, 282

T10, Brendan Smith, -2, 71, 73, 67, 71, 282

T13, Michael Brennan, -1, 72, 69, 72, 70, 283

T13, Leigh McKechnie, -1, 70, 68, 73, 72, 283

T13, James Nitties, -1, 72, 70, 73, 68, 283

T13, Jason Norris, -1, 69, 72, 74, 68, 283

T13, Peter Wilson, -1, 75, 69, 69, 70, 283

T18, Matthew Ballard, E, 69, 70, 72, 73, 284

T18, Craig Scott, E, 70, 74, 69, 71, 284

T18, Tim Stewart, E, 69, 73, 71, 71, 284

T18, Michael Williams, E, 67, 74, 70, 73, 284