Pilkadaris tops again at Portarlington
Stars were out in force yet Terry Pilkadaris proved again why he is the hottest player on the PGA Legends Tour with a one-stroke win at the Sheen Panel Service Legends Pro-Am.
Portarlington Golf Club is always a popular stop on the Legends Tour calendar with the likes of Peter Lonard and PGA TOUR Champions players Richard Green and David McKenzie thrilling Portarlington members with their presence.
McKenzie is now one of them, made an honorary member after making an almost mythical ace on a par-4 for albatross, just carrying the front bunker and scurrying up the green before hitting the pin and dropping for his first career albatross at the 241-metre 13th.
“I’ve never had a ‘3-under’ one before, I’ll take that every time!” beamed McKenzie, who owns eight career hole-in-ones.
“What a day – I’m loving it!”
Conversely, Pilkadaris compiled a round of 5-under 67 with six birdies and a lone bogey to finish one clear of Lonard (68) with Green sharing third with Tim Elliott at 3-under 69.
Quick quotes
“It was a good day. Great weather, course was in really good condition,” said Pilkadaris.
“If you hit the ball in the right position, you’d capitalise. And that’s what I did.
“I capitalised on the par 5s coming in, managed to make birdies on those and consolidate the score.
“I’ve been doing some work with a putting specialist in the US, Geoff Mangum. I’m bringing him out – he arrives on Thursday – and he’s going to help me with my putting and also do some clinics and lessons for anyone.
“I think I had the yips and he’s starting to fix that. Now I’m starting to hole some putts and it’s going along nicely.”
Leading scores
1 Terry Pilkadaris 67
2 Peter Lonard 68
T3 Tim Elliott 69
T3 Richard Green 69
T5 Chris Hynes 71
T5 Shane Johnson 71
T5 Peter Woodward 71
T5 Tony Page 71
February 25
McKenzie makes rarest of birds
He’s done a lot of things in golf, David McKenzie, but never an albatross.
That was until today at Portarlington when the Victorian drilled a driver 241 metres for the almost mythical ace on a par-4 during the Sheen Panel Service Legends Pro-Am on the PGA Legends Tour.
McKenzie’s drive just carried the front bunker and scurried up the green before hitting the pin and dropping for his first career albatross.
But from the tee, with the bunker obscuring his view, the 57-year-old thought it had landed in the sand when a puff of sand arose as his ball landed.
It wasn’t until the crowd erupted as he approached the green – and he was urged to do a “shooey” in celebration – that he realised the magic that had unfolded.
“There’s no way I’m doing a shooey,” McKenzie said as he guzzled a drink in a far more customary manner to celebrate.
“That’s unbelievable … and turns a terrible day into a much better one.
“I hit a driver because I was a bit cranky so that’s why I wasn’t hitting 3-wood, but I was sure it went into the bunker.
“I saw sand come up and (thought nothing of it). That’s crazy.”
McKenzie, the reigning NSW Senior Open champion, estimated that it was his eighth hole-in-one.
“But I’ve never had a ‘3-under, one before, I‘ll take that every time!” he beamed.
“What a day – I’m loving it!”
McKenzie tipped a casual five points into his team’s stableford balance and also won 20 points for the bullseye-style competition on offer for the second shot on that hole in one of the events separate competitions.
He was later presented with an honorary Portarlington Golf Club membership for his history-making shot.
Pilkadaris masterful at Moama
Photo: PGA Australia
He spends much of his time coaching these days but some tips from American ‘putting theorist’ Geoff Mangum propelled Terry Pilkadaris to a commanding win at the Moama Masters Rich River.
A second eagle on his round at the final hole saw Pilkadaris earn a share of the Round 1 lead with fellow Victorian Shane Johnson at 7-under 65 at Rich River Golf Club.
They had a two-stroke buffer but it was Pilkadaris who kept the foot to the floor, backing it up with a 6-under 66 for a 13-under total and six-stroke win.
Reigning PGA Legends Tour Order of Merit winner Andre Stolz finished outright second at 7-under par with 66-year-old Michael Harwood winding back the clock to snare third.
Quick quotes
“I’ve been doing some work online with an American guy, Geoff Mangum. I’m actually bringing him out next week and we’ve just been working hard on holing putts. I haven’t been holing any putts for the last four or five years, so finally holed some putts, which was nice.
“Hit some good iron shots and drove it well and all adds up to a good score.
“I was a bit nervous because the scores weren’t getting updated and I saw Andre (Stolz) was playing nicely.
“The scores hadn’t updated and he was on the 13th hole. I’m trying to work out what I am and what have you but I hit some nice shots coming in and capitalised.”
Leading scores
1 Terry Pilkadaris 65-66—131
2 Andre Stolz 69-68—137
3 Michael Harwood 69-69—138
T4 David McKenzie 70-69—139
T4 Shane Johnson 65-74—139
February 19
Burns, Taylor claim Vic Foursomes again
Queensland pair Brad Burns and Chris Taylor have teamed up for a second win in three years at the ‘The Jack Harris & Brian Twite’ Victorian PGA Seniors Foursomes Championship.
Played at Rich River Golf Club’s East Course ahead of the $30,000 Moama Masters, Burns and Taylor bounced back from a shaky start to post 4-under 68 for a four-stroke win.
The winners in 2023 and tied for fourth 12 months ago, the Queenslanders rode Taylor’s hot putter over their final nine holes for a comfortable win ahead of Andre Stolz and David Crawford.
Quick quotes
“We started off fairly unsteady,” conceded Burns.
“We three-putted the first hole so we were 1-over after the first nine holes.
“Chris hit a lot of good putts that didn’t go in and then the last nine we holed a few putts and shot 5-under.
“Chris is a great ball-striker and when he gets that putter hot, he’s away.
“We just gel on the golf course and it’s a pleasure to play with him all the time.”
Leading scores
1 Brad Burns/Chris Taylor 68
T2 Andre Stolz/David Crawford 72
T3 Brendan Chant/Simon Pope 73
T3 Terry Pilkadaris/Neale Smith 73
T3 David McKenzie/Wayne Rogers 73
T3 Chris Hynes/Carl Smedley 73
February 18
Guy’s walk in the Park
A birdie-birdie finish has clinched Guy Wall a second win on the PGA Legends Tour season at The White Glove Mover Legends Pro-Am at Albert Park Golf Course in Melbourne.
Victorious at the Waihi Legends Pro-Am on the New Zealand swing, Wall shot 5-under 65 at Albert Park to edge Peter Brown (66) with tournament host David Diaz tied for third along with Andre Stolz, Peter Woodward and Simon Pope at 3-under par.
Wall credited his work on the putting green with coach John Serhan and time spent using Keiser gym equipment in the off-season for his strong start to the year.
“I’m a Keiser convert,” said Wall.
“If you’re looking after the body, looking after the swing, looking after the putting, it’s got to work.”
Starting his round with a par at the par-5 11th, Wall advanced up the leaderboard with birdies at 12, 14 and 16.
An errant tee shot led to a lone bogey at the par-4 fifth but he responded with a birdie on six and then two closing birdies at nine and 10 to finish one-stroke clear.
Quick quotes
“I’ve been working hard on the putter in our off-season,” said Wall.
“Changed putters to an even roll and putted awesome. I think I had 26 putts for the day.
“We were talking coming down the last couple with David Hill and he said, are you a scoreboard watcher? And I said, no, I’m just going to try and hit the best shots possible over the last couple of holes and see what happens.
“As it turned out, I’ve finished birdie-birdie.”
Leading scores
1 Guy Wall 65
2 Peter Brown 66
T3 Andre Stolz 67
T3 Peter Woodward 67
T3 Simon Pope 67
T3 David Diaz 67
STORIES: Tony Webeck | PGA AUSTRALIA