Aussie of the month: Min Woo Lee
Min Woo Lee had a bittersweet season on the PGA Tour in 2025. On one hand, he bagged his breakthrough first win in the US, but on the other he endured a frustrating end when he failed to advance past the first week of the FedEx Cup Playoffs in August. But “The Chef” cooked up an impressive fightback during September and October.
His string of solid results, during the northern hemisphere autumn series, spanned three continents. Lee came back to Australia briefly, before heading to Europe where he finished T-11 at the BMW PGA at Wentworth in England before getting into contention late on the final day at the French Open in Paris for a T-5 result. Weeks later, he missed the cut at the Sanderson Farms event in the US, but Lee travelled to Japan for the PGA Tour’s Baycurrent Classic where he earned a T-10. In all, a very promising group of results before returning to Australia.
Birdie of the month: Jeffrey Guan
Jeffrey Guan’s inspiring comeback from injury – he was struck by a golf ball during a pro-am in September 2024, which resulted in the permanent loss of vision in one eye – continued with a milestone first top-10 finish since returning to competition. Guan, who made his first competitive start in August after 11 months away from the pro circuit, teed up at the recent the CKB WA PGA Championship at Kalgoorlie Golf Course. The Sydneysider made the weekend and finished T-10 at seven-under-par courtesy of rounds of 72, 69, 74 and 66 as Austin Bautista won the event. It is the Australian sports story of the year, in this writer’s opinion.
Bogey of the month: PGA Tour Champions executives
Dreams of continuing Australia’s (and others’) recent success on the PGA Tour Champions were dealt a crushing blow after the over-50s circuit’s Player Advisory Council voted to abolish its annual qualifying school, closing one of its few remaining pathways. The move came after New Zealand’s Steve Alker, as well as Australian Steve Allan, had made winning a habit on tour.
Golfers in the news
Winning Wade: South Australian Wade Ormsby [above] surged up the rankings of the Asian Tour’s International Series after winning the Jakarta International Championship, his fifth career Asian Tour victory and second International Series triumph. The 45-year-old LIV Golf reserve player climbed 69 spots to third on the rankings courtesy of his 180-point haul. “There’s a lot to play for on the International Series,” Ormsby said. “I’m obviously getting on in my career, and I still cherish those opportunities of playing in last groups and big events.”
Eisenhower silver: Australia claimed another silver medal at the 2025 World Amateur Teams Championship in Singapore [top right], finishing second behind South Africa, who celebrated their first-ever Eisenhower Trophy victory. The Australian side of Harry Takis, Declan O’Donovan and Billy Dowling finished eight strokes behind South Africa, marking back-to-back runner-up finishes after Abu Dhabi in 2023. Sydneysider O’Donovan finished outright second in the individual standings, which South Africa’s Christiaan Maas won by 10 shots.
More Aussie (teams) success at St Andrews: The Old Course at St Andrews has been a happy hunting ground for Australians, most recently with Cameron Smith winning the 150th Open Championship in 2022. On a much smaller scale, Sydneysider Harrison Crowe and Irish amateur Cian Foley claimed the teams title at the world’s greatest pro-am tournament: the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland. Crowe and Foley were electric across the famed three-course rotation of the Old Course at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns. The pair finished at a remarkable 33-under-par, highlighted by a scintillating 14-under 58 at St Andrews.
Juniors shine: Victorian Amelia Harris and Queensland’s Harrison Gomez claimed the 2025 Jack Newton International Classic titles at Cypress Lakes Golf & Country Club after dominant performances in their respective divisions. Harris, 17, led wire-to-wire, posting rounds of 66-70-72-73 to finish 11-under-par and 10 shots clear of second. In the boys division, Gomez’s blistering finish included a closing pair of 66s to finish at 14-under-par as he secured a five-shot victory from Western Australia’s Spencer Harrison.
In the Sub Junior Classic, Concord’s Alicia Luo delivered a wire-to-wire win at three-under-par and five clear of the field. In the boys’ section, Haohua Sun finished strongly with a three-under final round to edge Adelaide’s Billy White.
Excellence Awards: The inaugural Golf Australia National Awards of Excellence celebrated standout achievements across the country. Mandurah Country Club (WA) was named Most Outstanding Metropolitan Club, while Mollymook Golf Club (NSW) claimed the regional honour and X-Golf Palmerston (NT) won the off-course category. The Pat GC (SA) [above] earned the Environmental Initiative award, Glenelg Golf Club (SA) was crowned MyGolf Venue of the Year, and Barwon Valley Golf Club (VIC) took Get Into Golf honours. Other winners included Windaroo Lakes, Maroondah City Council, Esther Rika and Greenway Turf Solutions.
Photography by lee: yoshimasa hakano • FLAG: Ben Jared/getty images • ormsby: yoshimasa hakano/getty images
