Aussie Of The Month: Su Oh
A resilient Oh continued her comeback with an unlikely win at the Vic Open. On a brutal final day at 13th Beach, Oh mounted a remarkable charge to claim the title. Starting the final round seven shots behind the lead, the Melburnian battled through howling winds to post a 74, climbing into contention as others struggled in the gusts. Oh’s resilience was rewarded with victory at one-over par.
Oh had struggled with her game for several seasons. The 28-year-old former amateur star earned just $US7,414 on the secondary Epson Tour in 2024 before turning to Ritchie Smith, the celebrated swing guru behind the rise of Minjee and Min Woo Lee as well as Hannah Green, Oh’s best mate. The Vic Open marked her first professional win in her home state and signalled a turning point in her career. “Hopefully,
I can play better than ever,” she said.
The journey continued when Oh travelled to the US just a week after the Vic Open to play the secondary Epson Tour, with the aim of regaining her LPGA Tour card.
Golfers In The News
Amateur stars shine: Jye Halls and Rachel Lee claimed the biggest wins of their young careers in the final round of the 2025 adidas Australian Amateur at Commonwealth Golf Club. Halls, from New South Wales Golf Club, delivered a masterful performance, surging ahead early with three consecutive birdies and maintaining control throughout. A clutch 20-foot birdie putt on the 15th hole and a pinpoint approach at the 16th all but sealed the victory. His final-round 66 saw him finish at 15-under, seven shots clear of runner-up Hamish Farquharson. Lee, from Avondale Golf Club, showed resilience on a tough day. Despite a bogey on the first hole and a double-bogey at the ninth, she responded with key birdies and a key 30-foot par save on the 12th. She finished three shots clear to secure the title. Both champions earned starts in the 2025 Australian Open, joining an illustrious list of past Australian Amateur winners, including Cameron Smith, Minjee Lee and Lydia Ko.
Honouring golf’s trailblazers: Two remarkable figures in Australian golf were recognised in the Australia Day honours. Alan Gillott, a driving force behind women’s professional golf in Australia, received an Honorary Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his contributions to the sport. A South Australian businessman, Gillott’s passion was sparked by a magazine tip from a woman golf professional in the US. His research trip to America led to the founding of the Australian LPGA in 1972, now the WPGA Tour of Australasia. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022, the tour has produced stars like Karrie Webb and Minjee Lee. Gillott also launched The Golfer and Golf Management News, expanding the sport’s reach. The second person recognised in the honours was South Australian Steven “Spud” Alderson, who was named the City of Onkaparinga’s 2025 Sportsperson of the Year. The first autistic player to win a G4D Tour event, Alderson continues to inspire, recently claiming two Webex All Abilities titles.
Birdie Of the Month
For the second month in a row, we are acknowledging the literal birdie of the month. Once again, it was made by Sydneysider Cam Davis. Davis delivered a spectacular finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in early February with a stunning up-and-down for birdie from a tree root behind a bunker at the iconic, oceanside 18th hole. The 29-year-old faced a tricky third shot from 30 metres beside the par-5 green, but produced a brilliant pitch to secure a closing birdie 4. Davis finished T-5, four shots behind winner Rory McIlroy, marking Davis’ best result of the PGA Tour season and a contender for golf shot of the year. It was his first top-10 of the 2025 season after his second career tour win at the Rocket Mortgage Classic last year. Davis’ strong performance at the $US20 million Pebble Beach event saw him climb eight spots in the world ranking to No.44. It was a big result in a world-class field that will no doubt boost Davis’ confidence heading to Augusta National, where he was in contention through three rounds of last year’s Masters.
Par Save Of The Month
Australian Open ‘divorce’
We’re tweaking our regular award this month. It was a decision heading for a bogey that was ultimately saved, and the result was a feeling of evenness with the scorecard. Australian Open organisers announced in February the end of the mixed-gender format after facing heavy criticism from top players. Since 2022, the men’s and women’s championships had been played concurrently on the same courses, but logistical issues, declining ratings and player frustration led to the decision to revert to separate events in 2025.
Cameron Smith, the 2022 Open champion, slammed the soft conditions at Kingston Heath last November, dismissing claims that heavy rain was to blame. Hannah Green and other LPGA stars criticised the scheduling, which forced them to rush from Florida’s season finale to Melbourne with little preparation. The mixed format also required more forgiving course setups to accommodate both fields. When contacted by Australian Golf Digest, Golf Australia provided a statement from chief executive officer, James Sutherland:
“Following our annual event review, which included discussions with key stakeholders, Golf Australia has made the decision to separate the Australian Open men’s and women’s tournaments,” the statement read. “We are proud of what has been achieved over the past three years with mixed-gender Australian Opens, together with the All Abilities Championship. With record crowds and broadcast audiences there is a lot to be pleased about.
“Our long-term event strategy is to build the profile of our tournaments and to showcase the game at the highest level. This move aligns to our strategy and will allow flexibility to better adapt to the ever-changing landscape in world golf. With all that in mind, we believe this is the right time and we are confident that both national open championships will stand on their own two feet and prosper in their own right. We look forward to continuing productive conversations with key partners and stakeholders around the location and other key aspects of upcoming national opens.”
