Using his local knowledge to full effect, Taylor compiled a 5-under-par total over 36 holes to edge fellow Queenslander Jason Norris by one shot and secure one of the most meaningful wins of his career.
“It’s always an honour to try and win your home event,” Taylor said.
“I’ve tried for the last five years and I’ve come up short a couple of times.
“I’ve got second and third and stuff like that, but actually come in and win your home event, it’s a very special event and a very good time to do it.”
An opening-round 2-under 68 left Taylor in a five-way tie for third alongside Norris, just one stroke behind overnight leaders Mark Boulton and Peter Jones, with three other players also within a shot of the lead.
Taylor then closed with a 3-under 67 to take outright honours, holding off Norris, who posted consecutive rounds of 68.
“I never look at the scoreboard, I never look at the phones or anything like that,” Taylor said.
“As long as I can play my game and finish it where I did, and obviously it was good enough to sneak past Jason by a shot.”
A prolific winner on the PGA Legends Tour since claiming his maiden title in 2021, the victory was Taylor’s first of the 2026 season and lifted him to 10th in the Order of Merit standings.
Quick quotes:
“Because I had that local knowledge of where the pins were going to be, I just aimed at a lot of the middle of the greens,” Taylor said.
“I just drove the ball very straight. When you’re coming from the rough into smallish greens, it makes it tough. So coming from the fairways is definitely the best way to go.”
July 22
Andre Stolz rides the tropical winds for Queensland win
The coastal haven near Bundaberg is always a popular stop on the PGA Legends Tour, Stolz adding to his previous triumphs with rounds of 69-70 to edge Q School medallist Leon Trenerry by one shot.
With winds strong particularly on day one, Stolz began Round 2 tied with Steven Jeffress and Grahame Stinson and pushed well clear with three birdies in his opening eight holes.
The putting troubles that have plagued him all season reemerged on the back nine but he had built enough of a buffer to claim his third win of the year.
“I’ve been happy with how I’m swinging it and hitting the ball lately so I felt like a win wasn’t too far away,” said Stolz.
“When it’s blowing that hard, you’ve got to strike it pretty solid to keep it on the golf course. And I know the course really well here.
“I’ve won it a few times before, so I’ve got a good game plan for the course.”
Trenerry (69) made a late charge with birdies at 12 and 13 to join Stolz at 3-under but dropped a shot on his final hole, the par-4 15th, to share second with Jeffress (71).
Quick quotes
“They always set the course up pretty tricky here and yesterday, especially with the 40km winds we had blowing, it was brutal out there,” said Stolz.
“And because the greens were so quick, you couldn’t really give it much of a go. As soon as you gave anything a chance to go in, it felt like you’re running it six feet by.
“Yesterday was just sort of hanging on. Today, honestly, I felt like this is how it normally plays.
“The putting’s been off and I started missing a heap of putts on the back nine and I thought, Here we go again. But managed to hang on for the win, so that was nice.”
Leading scores
1 Andre Stolz 69-70—139
T2 Leon Trenerry 71-69—140
T2 Steven Jeffress 69-71—140
T4 John Green 70-71—141
T4 Brad Burns 70-71—141
T4 Mark Boulton 72-69—141
T4 Grahame Stinson 69-72—141
Next up
Urangan Smash Repairs Fraser Coast Classic, Hervey Bay Golf and Country Club, July 25-26
July 18
Norris new 9-hole national champ
Jason Norris timed his run to perfection to claim a first Australian PGA Senior 9 Hole Championships Pro-Am title at the picturesque Town of 1770 Golf Course.
Trailing Matthew Rogers by one stroke at the two-day tournament where players play the nine-hole course once each day, Norris made birdie at the par-4 second before giving it back with a bogey at the par-3 third.
Struggling with his iron play early, Norris found form just in time, closing with two straight birdies to shoot 2-under 32 for the second straight day and a one-stroke win.
“I really struggled early,” Norris conceded.
“I hit a couple of fat 9-irons and I hit terrible shots. I made a soft bogey early and got the other one up-and-down but came home strong, which was nice.”
Paul Powell had a hole-in-one at the third and made eagle at the par-4 eighth to shoot the low round of the tournament, a 4-under 30, and claim a share of second with Peter Jones (31)
Quick quotes
“It’s good fun and what a great course,” said Norris.
“It’s a thrill to win here because this is as tough as it gets, this golf course. So to come out on top here, which I’ve never done before, it’s a good thrill.
“Yesterday it blew 40. It was very tough, but today it was a beautiful day.
“It’s just very tight. There’s no shot where you can bail out. You’ve got to hit every shot good.
“The greens were running at probably 11 and just pure. They’ve done a great job. Les does an awesome job. It’s a one-man band here, I hear. He dug it out and built it himself and he keeps it in awesome condition.”
Leading scores
1 Jason Norris 32-32—64
T2 Peter Jones 34-31—65
T2 Paul Powell 35-30—65
T4 Matthew Rogers 31-35—66
T4 Marcus Cain 32-34—66
T6 Grahame Stinson 34-33—67
T6 David McKenzie 33-34—67
July 16
Griffiths too good in Gladstone
Tapping into some links golf methodology carried Drummond Golf Fountain Gate owner Paul Griffiths to a second Legends Tour win of the year at the Gladstone 100-year Anniversary Legends Pro-am at Gladstone Golf Club.
Dry weather meant firm and fiery fairways at Gladstone, Griffiths calling on old footage of The Open Championship to plot his way to a round of 3-under 66 and a one-stroke win.
“It’s lucky it’s British Open week,” said Griffiths, whose earlier win this year came at The Valley.
“I’ve been watching a lot of old British Open stuff and the course is very bouncy. So I played very conservative. I’ve probably hit more 5 and 6-irons off the tee than I’ve ever hit before.”
Out in the morning wave at 7am, Griffiths had three birdies in the space of five holes on the back nine, his 66 holding up through the afternoon to finish one ahead of Nathan Condon (67) and Leon Trenerry (67).
Quick quotes
“It was a combination of everything,” said Griffiths, who completed the PGA Membership Pathway Program at the age of 41.
“My iron play was steady and the putting was steady. I didn’t really get myself out of position too often today, so I didn’t really have to recover too much.
“I holed one really good 25-footer for par, but outside of that was just pretty steady.”
Leading scores
1 Paul Griffiths 66
T2 Nathan Condon 67
T2 Leon Trenerry 67
T4 Tim Elliott 68
T4 Andre Stolz 68
T4 Marcus Cain 68
STORIES: TONY WEBECK | PGA LEGENDS TOUR