Bransdon continues winning run at Noosa Legends
By Tony Webeck | PGA Australia
David Bransdon hopes that success on home soil will translate into a maiden PGA TOUR Champions title in 2025 after taking out the Noosa Atlas Golf Services Legends Pro-Am at Noosa Golf Course.
Joint winner with Adam Henwood at the Gold Coast Senior PGA in his last start, Bransdon this time edged Henwood by a shot, his round of 7-under 65 made up of seven birdies, an eagle and two bogeys.
With two bogeys and an eagle in his opening four holes it was a somewhat mixed start for Bransdon before a hot putter enabled him to come home strong.
“It’s literally just the putter at the moment. I’m putting nicely,” said Bransdon.
“I’ve been hitting it good for a few months and I wasn’t far from a win in the States at the end of the season.
“If I can continue with the upward trend of my short game – which was a little tardy at times this year – I might be in for a ‘W’ next year on the big boys tour.”
Henwood (66) continued his excellent form with a share of second alongside Chris Taylor with Richard Gilkey (67) and Brad Burns (68) rounding out the top five.
HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED
After his mixed start, Bransdon soon settled into his work and went about building a winning score.
He made birdies at 16 and 18 to get into red figures and then played the Noosa front nine in 5-under 31 with birdies at one, two, six, seven and eight.
He made par at each of his final three holes, just enough to hold on for a one-stroke win.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“It was a weird day,” said Bransdon.
“Got off to a cold start with the putter and then it turned into a really hot day with the putter.
“The golf course was a lot greener and nicer than last year, and it was a pleasure to play. The greens were rolling beautifully.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1 David Bransdon 65
T2 Adam Henwood 66
T2 Christopher Taylor 66
4 Richard Gilkey 67
5 Brad Burns 68
T6 Rod Pampling 69
T6 David Diaz 69
NEXT UP
The PGA Legends Tour is at Beerwah Golf Club Wednesday and Thursday for the Elgin Valley Beerwah Legends Pro-Am and then returns to Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club next Tuesday for the Sanctuary Cove G&CC Legends Pro-Am hosted by Peter Senior and Adam Scott.
Robert Mitchell savours maiden win at Tin Can Bay Legends
By Tony Webeck | PGA Australia.
Robert Mitchell has broken through for his maiden win on the PGA Legends Tour in what is possibly his final year on the senior circuit.
Mitchell had four birdies and an eagle in his round of 6-under 66 to share victory with the in-form Adam Henwood at the NewGen Caravans Tin Can Bay Legends Pro-Am at Tin Can Bay Country Club.
Hailing from Western Australia, Mitchell has been a member of the PGA Legends Tour for the past three seasons but said that 2024 could well be his last.
“This is my third year out here and I probably won’t be coming back next year, unfortunately,” said Mitchell.
“Got to get myself a full-time job, buy a house and all that sort of stuff.
“The missus has been awesome for letting me play three years so thank her a lot for that.”
Mitchell and Henwood finished two strokes clear of a group of four players at 4-under, Brad Burns, Peter Brown, Guy Wall and Mark Boulton all posting 68s.
HOW THE WINNING ROUNDS UNFOLDED
Starting from the 15th hole it took only until Mitchell’s second hole to get under-par with a birdie at the par-4 16th.
He would stay in red figures for the entirety of his round, adding birdies at the fourth, eighth and 13th holes along with an eagle at the par-5 10th.
Henwood, too, was quick out of the blocks with birdie at the par-4 first only to give it back with a bogey at the very next hole.
He turned 2-under courtesy of birdies at five and eight, added two more immediately after the turn and then closed with birdies at 14 and 18 to match Mitchell’s 6-under total.
WHAT THE WINNER SAID
“I played nicely, hit a lot of good shots, made some good putts,” said Mitchell.
“It was just solid all day. It felt good, which was nice.
“I knew I was sort of heading towards my first win and I just sort of hanging in there I suppose.
“My fellow legends players have been awesome for the last three years, so I’ll always thank them for that.
“You get a lot of guys that make a speech and they say it’s like a family here and it is like a family.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
T1 Adam Henwood 66
T1 Robert Mitchell 66
T3 Peter Brown 68
T3 Guy Wall 68
T3 Mark Boulton 68
T3 Brad Burns 68
Bransdon charges home to tie Henwood at Gold Coast Senior PGA
By Tony Webeck | PGA Australia
Victorian David Bransdon conjured six birdies in his final nine holes to match Adam Henwood’s 10-under total and share victory at the Gold Coast Senior PGA Championship.
The $40,000 two-day event sponsored by Pimpama City Shopping Centre again drew an exceptional field to Lakelands Golf Club.
In spite of all the recent wet weather, the course was in fantastic condition, the best of the PGA Legends Tour taking full advantage.
Henwood shot 7-under 65 on day one to take a one-stroke lead into Round 2 and followed it with a round of 3-under 69 in the morning wave to set the mark at 10-under.
It looked like holding up for most of the afternoon until Bransdon swooped late, including a birdie from 20 feet at his final hole, the par-4 10th, the toughest hole on the golf course.
“I was trying to hit it close. I had a good number,” Bransdon said of his approach into his final hole.
“I was in the middle of the fairway, 8-iron in, 139 metres, little head breeze and I thought little draw in there. Didn’t quite draw and it actually landed softly, which was unusual today because the greens were quite firm.”
Order of Merit leader Andre Stolz (67) also finished strongly on Friday but had to settle for a share of third alongside Brad Burns (67) with Derrin Morgan (70) and Peter Senior (69) tied for fifth.
HOW THE WINNING ROUNDS UNFOLDED
After eight birdies in Round 1, Henwood arrived at Lakelands on Friday with similar intent.
His putter failed to respond, however, and he was 1-over through 10 holes thanks to a double-bogey at the par-4 18th.
A birdie t the par-5 second got him back to square on his round and then he surged forward courtesy of an eagle at the par-5 fifth and final birdie at the par-4 eighth.
Bransdon also did his best work on the Lakelands front nine.
Starting from the par-5 11th, Bransdon was even par through nine holes before unleashing a run of four straight birdies from the par-3 second to instigate his final flurry.
WHAT THE WINNERS SAID
Bransdon: “I was even par after eight holes and went, Maybe we’re playing for second or third. Then I got on a bit of a run and reeled off six birdies in the next 10 holes. I hit 3-wood into that seventh hole that we were playing as a driveable par 4 and made par and went, Here we go. And then I birded eight and then hit a nice shot into nine and missed a bit of a short one. And then I hit an awesome 4-wood down 10, the hardest hole on the golf course, then hit 8-iron to about 20 feet and I popped it in and I went, Wow, there we go.”
Henwood: “I actually played great the first eight holes and then just made the dumbest double on the 18th. I didn’t do anything different. I holed a couple of six-footers and the rest were… I just kept playing. It was just all on putter today mate, and I just couldn’t get it done. But I holed a couple on the last four holes and the eagle putt was nice.”
LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
T1 Adam Henwood 65-69—134
T1 David Bransdon 68-66—134
T3 Andre Stolz 68-67—135
T3 Brad Burns 68-67—135
T5 Derrin Morgan 66-70—136
T5 Peter Senior 67-69—136
7 Nigel Lane 67-70—137