The 48-year-old is setting himself to have a crack at the senior ranks after he turns 50 next June and he is looking to New Zealand’s own Steven Alker for inspiration.Īlker is the reigning Charles Schwab Cup champion on the PGA Tour Champions, he has earned nearly $US 3.5 million more as a senior than he did on the Korn Ferry Tour, and he is tipped to receive a very warm reception from his home crowd this week.ĭP World Tour regular Jason Scrivener will also tee it up this week, while recent Korn Ferry Tour winner at the Astara Golf Championship Rhein Gibson is another accomplished player to watch out for.

Two-time champion Brad Kennedy is back to defend the title he won in 2020 after the Japan Golf Tour regular has been absent from the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia schedule for the first two months of 2023. Vic PGA champion Andrew Martin (652.13 points) and Gippsland Super 6 winner Tom Power Horan (483.15) will be eager to do the same, while the likes of WA Open champion Deyen Lawson (446.46), TPS Hunter Valley winner Brett Coletta (408.76) and Vic Open champion and 2017 NZ Open champion Michael Hendry (401.93) have the chance to snatch one of the top three spots. Order of Merit leader David Micheluzzi sits on 979.95 points, and he will be determined to all but lock away a European opportunity with a third win of the season this week. This allocation of points is on par with the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship and the ISPS HANDA Australian Open, and it means there is a massive opportunity for players to push towards gaining one of the three DP World Tour cards up for grabs at season’s end. New Zealand’s national open has long been one of the players’ favourite stops on tour and it is also a crucial one in the race for the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit with 760 points awarded to the champion, while the runner-up receives 428 points and there are 284 points for third.Ĭheck out the tee times for the first two rounds HERE LIVE 12pm – 4pm on Fox Sports and Kayo Sports – watch hereĪ strong field has been confirmed for the event which is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and is played in partnership with the Japan Golf Tour for a $NZ 1.65 million prize pool. LIVE 12pm – 3pm on Fox Sports LIVE 12pm – 4pm on Kayo Sports – watch here LIVE 1pm – 5pm on Fox Sports and Kayo Sports – watch here

Australian open livescore