NSW golfer Rick Oliver has won the Australian Senior Order of Merit with an exceptional year of consistent golf.

Oliver posted an amazing record of 11 Top 10 finishes from 12 starts and takes the 2007-2008 title despite not winning an individual event.

He also finished tied for 11th in the Australian Seniors and was placed in the Top 5 in six events.

Runner-up in the AUSOOM was Denis Dale (NSW), who won the competition in 2005-06 and 2006-07. Dale also had a consistent year without winning a title finishing in the Top 10 in seven of the 10 events contested.

Third place went to Victorian Ross Percy. Percy contested eleven events and was placed in the Top 10 in six, including a fourth place in the 2008 Australian Seniors Championship.

New South Wales senior Tony Gresham won the Senior Order of Merit Medal for golfers aged 65 years and older. Gresham finished ahead of the West Australian pair of Alex Cleave and Mal Roberts.

Players will receive their medals as part of the presentations for the 2008 Australian Senior Matchplay Championships to be held at Barwon Heads from September 21-26.

The Men’s Senior Order of Merit is open to golfers aged 55 plus and runs annually from August 1, through to July 31 the following year.

Top 10 players on the Order of Merit

1. Rick Oliver   NSW   1426 points

2. Denis Dale   NSW   1241 points

3. Ross Percy   VIC   1212 points

4. Brian Sams   NSW   1104 points

5. Nigel Goodall   WA   1090 points

6. Stefan Albinski   NSW   1010

7. Grahame MacDonald   QLD   961

8. John Beaumont   SA   936

9. Ross Bockman   NSW   780

10. Tony Gresham   NSW   742

For full details see the Australian Senior Order of Merit website at www.ausoom.com

With his new bride watching from the sidelines at the British Open, an Old Grey Shark has captivated the sporting world.

But whilst the 53 year old veteran Australian golfer didn’t win, Greg Norman did strike a major blow for older golfers everywhere and provide a massive incentive and inspiration to keep on swinging.

Of course it was a huge disappointment that he failed to capitalise on his third round lead - at least he lost to an Irishman named Paddy - but his achievement should be congratulated and celebrated.

As Norman said after his loss: “I can walk away from here being disappointed, but I can walk away from here with my head held high because I hung in there.”

As was endlessly repeated during the tournament, the 53 year old had put himself in a position to be the oldest ever major winner.

It would have been an historic and hugely popular win - as you could imagine, here at Australian Senior Golfer we were amongst those salivating at the prospect - but not to be.

What Greg Norman did prove, especially with the whole package of the British Open lead, the Bahamas wedding to Chirs Evert and the dignified defeat, is that there is life after 50.

To those of us around or over that age it comes as no surprise or shock. The older you get - apart from maybe a few creaks, pains and physical limitations - you still largely feel the same as you did as a teenager. The “old” people are always those people just over the horizon. But try telling that to the “younger” generation.

A lot of people seemed genuinely surprised that at his “advanced” age Norman was up and around on his own, let alone in danger of winning one of the most coveted prizes in golf for the third time.

What does often change as you get older are your priorities.

“….a lot of people should take stock, no matter how old you are, if you really want to chase something and chase a dream, you can go do it.” Greg Norman

As Norman said:” Quite honestly, I’m sure I surprised a lot of people. But at the same time, immediately I think about it now, what happens if I won. What happens if I won, then I might have had to be out here playing more golf, and maybe that’s what I didn’t want to do anyway.”

Norman is due to play in the upcoming Senior British Open and the Senior US Open and has made no commitments after that. His third placing means, among other things, an automatic invitation to the US Masters next year. Now that would be interesting.

Commenting on the physical aspects of his age on his golf, Norman said: “I made the comment in the pressroom a couple days ago that the only thing that would have been different was my shot-making ability. That would have been the only thing different. Even Judy Rankin said that watching me play, as she did for the last couple days on ABC television back in the States, that there wasn’t a whole lot wrong with my game. I’ve still got the components in there.”

On his performance generally he said: “I think it’s a great indicator for every player out there, whether you’re just coming on the Tour for the first year or you’re turning 40 or in your 50s. The game of golf is there to be played, and if you go in there with the right attitude and keep yourself physically fit, you can put yourself in that position no matter what.

“If I’m a young kid, looking now and seeing a guy at 53 years old leading the British Open and I’m only 18, I’m going to say, boy, I’ve got a lot of years left in my career. I think it’s great, I really do.”

And as a final inspiration: “I’ve said this before, I think at the end of the day, a lot of people should take stock, no matter how old you are, if you really want to chase something and chase a dream, you can go do it. Even though there’s failure at the end of it for me, I still put myself in position to really show a lot of other people that you can go do something if you really want it.”

Update: Greg Norman finished in a tie for fifth in the Senior British Open at Troon in Scotland, four shots behind eventual champion Bruce Vaughan, who beat fellow American John Cook in a play-off.

Greg Norman’s new lease of (golfing) life

Greg Norman’s Open Honeymoon

On a miserable cold and wet day at Nudgee Golf Club, Queensland professional Neil Wall has taken out the 2008 Queensland Senior Open in a dramatic playoff against Kiwi Stuart Reese.

Due to the poor weather, the third and final round was cancelled, reducing the Championship to 36 holes.
Playing the par three, 9th hole in the sudden death playoff, Wall left himself about 10 metres from the hole, while the Kiwi Reese hit a superb shot to approximately four metres.

After taking relief from casual water, Wall was left with a difficult putt across the green. The putt never left its track and subsequently found the bottom of the hole. When Reese missed his shorter putt, Wall was declared the Champion.

With unseasonal rain which drenched the course overnight and all morning, officials were forced to suspend play when two of the greens became unplayable at approximately 11:00am. When it became obvious that the round couldn’t be completed, Wall and Reese who were tied after 36 holes were forced out to decide the Championship. It was an exciting finish to an otherwise bleak day at Nudgee.

The leading amateur, finishing in equal 10th position was Nudgee member Grahame MacDonald who carded rounds of 73 (+2) and 74 (+3) for a five over par (+5) total. He was just one in front of fellow Nudgee member Kevin Yeo.

The Queensland Senior Open marks the start of the PGA’s Senior Tour which will continue over the next 5 weeks, with 15 events and $164,000 on offer for the professionals. The Senior Open also kicked off the PGA’s Living Choice Senior Series with the next event being the Living Choice Pro Am held at Twin Waters on Tuesday 29th July.

Amateur Age Division Winners

The following amateur age division winners were awarded:
Winner - 50-54 Years: Alan Davies (Nudgee) - 74.75 - 149
Runner Up: Robert Watson (Virginia) - 76.74 - 150
Winner - 55-59 Years: Kevin Yeo (Nudgee) - 74.74 - 148
Runner Up: Ross Percy (Cobram Barooga) - 75.74 - 149
Winner - 60-64 Years: Ian Read (Indooroopilly) - 73.79 - 152
Runner Up: Ron Woodward (Woodford) 77.76 - 153 OCB
Winner - 65-69 Years: Norm Way (Gailes) - 76.73 - 149
Runner Up: Patrick Giles (Goonawarra) - 81.80 - 161
Winner - 70 Years & Over: Geoff Everett (The Lakes) 76.75 - 151
Overall Nett Winner: Mark Bell (Proserpine) 66.69 - 135
Overall Nett Runner up: Alan Wong (Oxley) - 68.71 – 139

Australian Senior Order of Merit

 For the amateurs in the field, the event signalled the end of the 2007/ 2008 Australian Senior Amateur Order of Merit.  

 TOP 10 POSITIONS - SENIOR AMATEUR 55+
 1    147   MACDONALD Grahame (Nudgee)   (QLD)   73-74   
 2    148   YEO Kevin (Nudgee)   (QLD)   74-74   
 3    149   PERCY Ross (Cobram Barooga)   (VIC)   75-74   
 3    149   WAY Norm (Gailes)   (QLD)   76-73   
 5    151   EVERETT Geoff (The Lakes)   (NSW)   76-75   
 6    152   MAHER Michael (Royal Queensland)   (QLD)    78-74   
 6    152   READ Ian (Indooroopilly)   (QLD)   73-79   
 8    153   BROWN Lindsay (Keperra)   (QLD)   78-75   
 8    153   BURKE Geoff (Keperra)   (QLD)   74-79   
 8    153   MORRISON Dave (Coolangatta Tweed)   (QLD)   74-79   

The 2008 Queensland Mid Amateur Golf Championship will return to Caloundra’s Club Pelican in September and this year there will be a new division for the 44 to 54 age group.

The tournament is open to male golfers aged 30 to 54 with a maximum handicap of 15.4 and takes to the Greg Norman designed Club Pelican Golf Course from September 7 to 9.

The Mid-Amateur concept has grown in popularity since it was first held in 2005.  

A large part of this is due to the tournament’s family friendly attitude with many players bringing their families to Caloundra to make a holiday occasion of the week’s golfing activities. 

The new Caloundra Tourism Upper Mid-Amateur division has been introduced this year for players aged between 44 and 54 years following feedback received from players who have attended previous tournaments.

Another new initiative this year is the Footjoy Club Teams event for teams of three players from the same club - the best two nett scores each day counting towards the team’s total.

“The team’s event came about after the popularity of the Titleist 2 Man Teams Event which in the past has attracted teams from Titleist, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and of course Queensland,” said Golf Queensland’s Golf Operations Manager Scott Wagstaff.

“It is always closely followed, even by those not involved and this year there will be an opportunity for many more to be involved in a club team’s event, which just adds a bit more of excitement to the three days.”

The Queensland Mid-Amateur Championship kicks off on Sunday 7 September and concludes on Tuesday 9 September. Many players stay on site at the Crowne Plaza, which continues to be a great supporter of the event.

A welcome cocktail party held on the evening of Monday 8 September makes a welcome return after proving to be a highlight of last year’s event.

Tournament entries are open till August 25.

For further information and entry forms, visit www.golfqueensland.org.au

We wrote about Greg Norman’s new lease of life back in May and he was certainly showing it during the first round of the British Open at Royal Birkdale.

As one television commentator untidily put it: “Norman has been up in Scotland practising with his new wife.”

I think if the commentator had his chance over he would rephrase that slightly, but at least we all know what he meant in general terms.

Back in May, Norman was playing in a couple of USPGA and Champions Tour events and talking about how his relationships with then fiancée Chris Evert and son Gregory had given him a new vigour for golf and life.

“I’ve been a bit absent for a while, about five years now,” Norman said at the time. “I haven’t really focused a lot of attention on wanting to get out there and play, and now I feel I just want to get out there.”

He was certainly getting “out there” at Royal Birkdale and was looking right at home on the big stage - his first major in three years.

Still, Norman wasn’t getting carried away about his overall chances after finishing on par and one shot behind co-leaders Robert Allenby (great to see him doing well), US Open star Rocco Mediate and Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell.

Norman was sharing second spot with Adam Scott, who had led all the way before succumbing to two late bogies. (Let’s hope Adam doesn’t let the slip get to him and comes back and fully realises his huge potential.)

At 53, Norman admitted no one was more surprised than he over his great start in what were very difficult but improving conditions. (The wind and rain made it absolutely atrocious when Craig Parry led the tournament off earlier in the day.)

“It probably surprised me as much as anyone,” Norman said. “I don’t play that much, and I don’t practice that much. I probably practice more tennis than I do golf.

“But at the same time there’s something about this event that stimulates you. The feeling you get coming down 18 after five and a half hours of golf and the way people receive you. You don’t get that anywhere else in the world. It is a phenomenal experience and you have a little more juice that you normally would.”

Norman credits his marriage to tennis great Chris Evert in the Bahamas last month with rebalancing his life in a way that has spin-off benefits for his golf.

“I wouldn’t say getting married to Chrissy has revitalised my golf game, I think it has just revitalised my life,” he said.

Norman was full of praise for the set-up of the course and acknowledged he and the other later starters had enjoyed by far the best of the conditions.

“I wouldn’t say getting married to Chrissy has revitalised my golf game, I think it has just revitalised my life,” he said.

Norman was full of praise for the set-up of the course and acknowledged he and the other later starters had enjoyed by far the best of the conditions.

“I think it’s the best Open I’ve ever played in. The course has been set up the fairest and toughest I’ve ever seen. It’s very balanced and gives the opportunity to someone like me to get a good score on the board,” he said.

“These conditions are an equaliser. Maybe some of these young players have not experienced it before.”

“When somebody asked me the toughest conditions I’d played in and said Turnberry 1986. Some of these kids might not have been born then.”
Norman did not play in the last two Opens through injury and admitted he had no wish to return to a full competitive schedule.

“The mind still wants to play but the body doesn’t want to practise,” he said.

“It’s gone through enough pain and surgery and I just don’t want to do it any more. I still enjoy playing but I don’t enjoy standing on the range for four hours a day.”

“The other side of my life is fantastic. I have the most beautiful balance I have ever had. When it was golf, golf, golf everything else was second. Now golf is second behind everything else.”

Greg Norman’s new lease of (golfing) life

In another impressive performance, Australian Senior Amateur Golf Champion Stefan Albinski has taken out the 2008 Queensland Senior Amateur Championship.

Enhancing his growing reputation as the best amateur senior golfer in Australia, Albinski defeated New Zealand senior legend Rodney Barltrop in an enthralling playoff after both had finished tied at one under par after 54 holes on the Bribie Island Golf Course north of Brisbane.

Albinski won the Australian men’s national senior title at his first attempt in Perth in April and followed that up with a sizzling win in the North Sydney Seniors Championship last month.

Albinski and Barltrop dominated the Queensland event, with third place going to defending champion Brian Sams (NSW) nine shots away.

It was an exciting climax to a great week as the 2007/ 2008 Australian Senior Order of Merit draws to a close with the final event, the Queensland Senior Open,  to take place at Nudgee Golf Club next week.

In wet conditions that cleared into the afternoon, the final round saw both players battle it out on the front nine, with nothing separating the two.

Barltrop holed his third shot from about 50 metres on the par 5, 12th hole for eagle to get to four under par at that point and three in front. He made three late bogeys including one on the last to allow Albinski back in. Albinski took full advantage with a birdie on the 12th to get to one under par and then a birdie on the 14th (par 3). A bogey on the last left him all square with Barltrop in regulation play.

Going down the difficult par four 10th hole in the sudden death playoff, Albinski managed a solid par after hitting the green in regulation. Barltrop hit his second in the green side bunker and failed to get the ball out, costing him any chance of the title.

In fading light, Albinski was announced 2008 Queensland Senior Men’s Amateur Champion.

Final Results:

 1    215   Stefan ALBINSKI   (NSW)   -    73 70 72
 2    215   Rodney BARLTROP   (NZ)   -    73 69 73
 3    224   Brian SAMS   (NSW)   -    73 75 76
 4    226   John BEAUMONT   (SA)   -    74 74 78
 5    227   Michael MAHER   (QLD)   -    72 75 80
 6    228   Tony KENNINGS   (NSW)   -    74 75 79
 7    229   Colin HALLAM   (QLD)   -    72 81 76
 8    230   Phillip DALEY   (NSW)   -    76 77 77
 8    230   Rick OLIVER   (NSW)   -    75 79 76
 8    230   Michael LEITCH   (NZ)   -    72 79 79

New South Wales took out the International Teams Event, eventually running away with the title, 16 shots ahead of nearest rivals New Zealand.

Adding to the Championship, Golf Queensland also awarded the following age and Nett winners:

55 - 59 Years- John Beaumont (Mt Gambier)
60 - 64 Years - Tony Kennings (Tallwoods)
65 - 69 Years - Barry Miles (Sanctuary Cove)
70 Years and Over - Geoff Everett (The Lakes)

Overall Nett Winner - Darryl Wilkins (Pacific Harbour)
Overall Nett Runner-Up- Norm Way (Gailes)
55 - 59 Years Nett Winner- Lindsay Stuckey (Keperra) OCB
60 - 64 Years Nett Winner- Geoff Burke (Keperra)
65 - 69 Years Nett Winner- Jim Maher (Southern)
70 Years and Over Nett Winner- Alan Welch (Sanctuary Cove)

The Championship continues to be very popular amongst the players, attracting players from all over Australia and New Zealand. In fact, 185 entries were received this year for the 160 places in the field. Golf Queensland will announce the venue for the 2009 Championship shortly.

The Veteran Golfers Australian Championship will return to Queensland in 2009 and the Queensland Veteran Golf Union has allocated the event to Cairns.

The Championship will be held in August, which organisers say is the best time of year in the northern city with pleasant dry conditions, low humidity and an average daily maximum temperature of 27 degrees.

The Queensland Union have chosen two of the best local courses on which to stage the event.

Half Moon Bay Golf Club is a scenic course with a backdrop of lush rainforest and it has one fairway only 30 metres from the Coral Sea. It is renowned for its abundant wildlife.

Cairns Golf Club is set against spectacular mountain scenery. The course features generous fairways and wide greens and is generally regarded as a friendly course but with the tees back and clever pin placements its mood changes and it has real bite for the unwary golfer.

Both courses will be set up to fully challenge the skills of the low handicap players, but on days when the C Graders and ladies are playing, the courses will be tweaked to make them testing but not as severe.

A Ladies Golf Classic will be conducted at the same time as the Championship for accompanying ladies and organizers are working to make this a top level event.

Nomination forms will be distributed in October but organisers say they are already receiving a strong flow of enquiries and  indications are that available places will be taken up very quickly.

For more information visit the Queensland Veteran Golf Union.

 See our stories on the 2008 Australian Veteran Golfers Union National Championships in Adelaide

Three legends of Australian golf, Rodger Davis (NSW), Bob Shearer (VIC) and Brian Jones (QLD) are among 58 senior golf professionals set to compete in the QLD Senior Open starting on Tuesday 22nd July at Nudgee Golf Club.

 In addition to these legends, leading players from the Australian PGA Senior Order of Merit including John Clifford (NSW), Garry Merrick (SA) and 2008 Victorian Senior Open Champion Queenslander Michael Ferguson, will also be vying for the lion’s share of the $20,000 purse. 

Davis, winner of more than 21 titles world wide, will be looking to achieve a hat trick of QLD Senior Opens after winning in 2006 and 2007.

The QLD Senior Tour kicks off next week with QLD Senior Open at Nudgee Golf Club, players will then travel to the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Darling Downs and Brisbane where the tour will conclude at the QLD Senior PGA Championship at Redland Bay Golf Club on the 22nd August.  In all the tour will stretch over 14 events for approximately $165,000. 

Queensland PGA Executive Officer Ian Hepburn said, “The QLD Senior Tour is very popular amongst the Senior Professionals with many interstate and overseas players competing in almost every event in the five week schedule.  Importantly this popularity is complemented at a club level with strong participation from amateur golfers in all Senior Pro Am events held throughout the QLD Senior Tour” 

 The QLD Senior Open is one of nine events in the 2008 Living Choice Senior Series.  The series will be decided by the total aggregate scores over the nominated rounds of the Tour.       

Rodger Davis wins Queensland PGA Senior Championship with a red hot 66 at Redland Bay

A final round six under par (66) has sealed victory for Rodger Davis (NSW) at the 2008 QLD PGA Seniors Championship at Redland Bay Golf Club. Davis made eight birdies in his round with only two bogeys.

The QLD PGA Senior Championship was Davis’s fourth victory on the 2008 QLD Senior Tour.

“Four seasons in one day” was how Redland Bay host professional Len Beck described conditions with dangerous weather stopping play twice in the afternoon round. Players stuck out the conditions returning on both occasions and still managed to post some low rounds. Davis expressed his thanks to the amateur players who persevered despite the conditions and aided in the completion of the round.

First round leader Mike Ferguson (QLD) finsihed the Championship in outright second with rounds of 66 and 70 for a two day total of eight under par.

Ferguson wasn’t too upset with the second place as his round left him in outright first place on the 2008 Living Choice Senior Series with a total of 866. In outright second place for the series was 2008 Gold Coast Senior Open winner Garry Merrick (SA) who’s total came to 868.

Davis was not in contention for the Living Choice Senior Series due to an injury that occurred before the QLD Senior Open.

Living Choice Senior Series Leaderboard - Final Standings1. Michael Ferguson - 866
2. Garry Merrick - 868
3. Craig Owen - 869
4. Glen Moss - 871
5. Allan Cooper - 878

 On a steep, fast green a player putts the ball above the hole.  The player marks, lifts and cleans the ball and replaces the ball.  Then, before the marker was lifted, the ball rolls off the green.  What is the ruling?

       a)   The player may replace the ball at the marked position.

       b)   The player must play the ball as it lies

Answer

This depends on whether the ball, when replaced remained at rest on the spot on which it was placed for a moment before it started to move. (The fact that the marker had not been lifted is irrelevant as it is only an indicator of where the ball should be replaced.) 

If, when released from the fingers, the ball stayed at rest for a moment before rolling;  Answer b) the ball must be played as it lies.  

If, on the other hand, the ball immediately moved as it was released;  Answer a) the player is required to replace the ball - (Rule 20-3d)

This quiz item was supplied by Cliff Nunn. Cliff is a Victorian Golf Association (VGA)  State Accredited Rules Official.  

THE PGA OF AUSTRALIA has released its 2008 end of year Australasian Tour Tournament Schedule.

The schedule features eight events in eight weeks from October to December culminating in the ‘Big Three’ - the Australian Masters, Cadbury Schweppes Australian PGA Championship and Australian Open closing out the year in style.

The Von Nida Tour (VNT) ‘End of Year Swing’ commences in October at the WA Open and kick starts a month of golf crossing three states and finishing with The Vintage NSW Open, where Victorian Andrew Bonhomme last year clinched the VNT Money List Title by a mere $158 from Jason Norris.

The PGA will introduce televised highlights packages for the Von Nida Tour for the first time this year which will be broadcast on Fox Sports, home of the PGA Golf Show and selected regional television networks.

The WA Open returns to the Order of Merit schedule for the first time since 1988, and the Vintage NSW Open will offer record prize money of $125,000.

The PGA Tour’s National Order of Merit recommences in Shanghai with the prestigious HSBC Champions Tournament from 6 to 9 November. The HSBC Champions was last year won by Phil Mickelson and boasts an array of winners from around the globe competing for a US$5 million prize fund - making it the richest event in Asia-Pacific. The HSBC Champions field will include winners from Australia and abroad in addition to our leading players from the Order of Merit and Von Nida Tour.

The Tour then returns to Huntingdale Golf Club for the Australian Masters from 27 to 30 November. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, the Australian Masters is a highlight on the Australian sporting calendar and boasts past champions like Greg Norman, Peter Senior, Michael Campbell, Robert Allenby, Peter Lonard, and, following a dramatic play-off last year, Aaron Baddeley. Baddeley’s heart stopping win on the fourth play-off hole against Daniel Chopra last year heralded his return to the winners circle at home for the first time since he claimed his second successive Australian Open title in 2000.

The Tour next heads to the Sunshine Coast for Australia’s oldest professional tournament and the PGA Professional’s own event - the Cadbury Schweppes Australian PGA Championship to be held at the Hyatt Regency Coolum from 4 to 7 December. Last year perennial crowd favourite Peter Lonard held off a classy field of world ranked players to capture the Kirkwood Cup for a third time in front of a record final day crowd of 15,850.

Eager for a glimpse of the year’s strongest field, the four-day crowds at Coolum broke all tournament records for the second successive year and this year promises to again generate a field dripping with local and international talent.

The 2008 season will culminate with the 93rd Australian Open at Royal Sydney Golf Club from 11 to 14 December. The Australian Open will be headlined by Adam Scott (OWGR 3) and Geoff Ogilvy (OWGR 4) with defending champion Craig Parry expected to provide a spirited defence of the Stonehaven Cup. In 2007, Parry held off US star Brandt Snedeker and Aussies Nick O’Hern and Won Joon Lee to claim his first Open title and his third PGA Tour Order of Merit title.

This will bring down the curtain on a year in which the PGA has presented 13 events across Australia on its National Order of Merit and Von Nida Tour with prize money in excess of $14 million.

Releasing the schedule on Thursday, Max Garske, Chief Executive, PGA of Australia said:

“The PGA’s 2008 Summer Schedule will provide an opportunity for golf fans across the country to experience professional golf first hand in a variety of locations. Our flagship events will showcase our world beating home grown talent and determine who will win our Order of Merit 2008. We welcome our members home for summer and thank them for their loyalty and commitment to Australian golf.”

“Last year we experienced record crowds and increased television ratings across the board along with some of the strongest tournament fields in Australia for some time. The upcoming summer promises to again deliver world class golf for the sporting public and I commend Ben Sellenger and our Tour Division team for their work with the event owners and promoters to finalise this strong schedule.”

2008 PGA TOUR TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Oct 23-26, WA Open, Cottlesloe GC, WA, $110,000, Fox Sports (delayed highlights)

Oct 30-Nov 2, WA PGA, The Cut GC, WA, $110,000, Fox Sports (delayed highlights)

Nov 6-9, NSW PGA, Riverside Oaks, NSW, $100,000, Fox Sports (delayed highlights)

Nov 6-9, HSBC Champions, Sheshan Int’l GC, Shanghai, $US5,000,000, Fox Sports

Nov 13-16, The Vintage NSW Open, The Vintage GC, Hunter Valley, $125,000, Fox Sports (delayed highlights)

Nov 27-30, Australian Masters, Huntingdale GC, VIC, $1,500,000, Seven Network

Dec 4-7, Cadbury Schweppes Australian PGA Championship, Hyatt Regency Coolum, QLD, $1,400,000, Network TEN

Dec 11-14, Australian Open, The Royal Sydney GC, $1,650,000 (min) , Seven Network