Australia’s best golfers are converging on Brisbane for two weeks of world-class golf; and they’re bringing their families with them.
Thursday saw the commencement of the Queensland PGA Championship at Nudgee Golf Club in Brisbane’s north-east to be followed next week by the $2 million Fortinet Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland Golf Club.
The reigning Open champion Cameron Smith touched down in his home state for the first time in three years on Thursday and will be joined next week by the likes of 2013 Masters champion Adam Scott, PGA TOUR winners Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert and Cam Davis, DP World Tour winners Min Woo Lee, Ryan Fox and Scott Hend and legends such as Geoff Ogilvy, Robert Allenby, Peter Lonard and Greg Chalmers who all make their returns to the River City.
Chalmers is playing both the Queensland PGA Championship and Australian PGA Championship over the next two weeks, providing a rare opportunity to bring family and friends in from across the country.
“Thirteen days in the same hotel room is pretty unique,” Chalmers said of his two-week stay in Brisbane.
“I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve got family coming up next week.
“I’ve only seen my parents once in the last three years, my wife’s parents are coming over from Perth, my sister is coming in.
“When you haven’t seen everybody, this is a great chance to catch up with a few friends and do all of that.”
It is almost three years since Hend was back in his home city and he was quick to indulge in some of his comfort foods upon his return to Queensland.
A former Nudgee junior, Hend doesn’t claim to have home course advantage but is undoubtedly in a good frame of mind as he seeks to add to his Queensland Open win of 2003.
“It’s been three years since I’ve been here, so it’s really nice to come back,” said Hend.
“I don’t think there’s any home ground advantage. There might be advantage to me feeling so happy that I’m actually back but home ground advantage has disappeared well and truly (with the new Nudgee course).
“I’ve already had a Red Rooster roll and an iced coffee, so I just need a meat pie and a sausage roll and maybe a custard slice and we’ll be good to go.”
Royal Queensland will also serve as the host course to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic golf competition which is now less than 10 years away.
Greats of Australian golf such as Greg Norman, Karrie Webb, Wayne Grady, Adam Scott, Jason Day and now Smith all began their golf careers in the Sunshine State and PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman is thrilled to showcase the game in Brisbane for the next two weeks.
“Queensland has such a proud history of producing wonderful golfers, many of whom we will see back in Brisbane over the next two weeks,” said Kirkman.
“We also get wonderful support from Queensland golf fans who attend our tournaments in their thousands and I can’t wait to see the fairways lined at Royal Queensland as they watch Cam, Adam, Marc and our other stars play on home soil.
“With the 2032 Olympics on the horizon, we view Brisbane as the city where stars are born.
“To have young players such as Jed Morgan, Louis Dobbelaar, Elvis Smylie and others share the stage with icons of our game makes these two weeks particularly exciting.”
