The inaugural ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth is just weeks away, and if the reaction from some of our
leading players is anything to go by, it could be here to stay as a European
Tour co-sanctioned event.

The ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of
Australasia and European Tour will introduce a world-first this year with the
staging of inaugural ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth. Featuring 54 holes of
stroke play before the final 24 players battle it out over a dramatic final
day, six-hole shootout, the World Super 6 Perth tournament will be played at
Lake Karrinyup Country Club from 16-19 February, 2017.

"The
format sounds very interesting," said Western Australian great Nick O’Hern, who
beat Tiger Woods twice at the World Match Play Championships.

"If I come back home to play in it hopefully I can make it to the
final day. I’ve always loved match play."

Taking inspiration from the
successful Surf Coast Knockout down at Torquay, the World Super 6 Perth will
see a regular cut fall after 36 holes before the field is then further reduced
to the top-24 players following 54 holes of regulation play, with any ties for
24th place being decided in a playoff.

Those remaining players will
then earn their places in the six-hole shootout.

Any matches tied after the
six holes will be decided by playing the new shootout hole – a purpose-built
90-metre hole which will be constructed at Lake Karrinyup, with a new tee
placed adjacent to the 18th fairway and utilising the 18th green.

The Knockout Hole will be
played once and if a winner is still not decided, the competitors will return
to the new tee and take on a nail-biting decider, with the victor decided on a
nearest-the-pin contest where only the first shot counts.

That player will then
progress to the next round of the match play or, in the case of the final
match, win the tournament.

"I’ve spoken to few European Tour players and they’re intrigued by
the concept," says 2013 ISPS HANDA Perth International Champion Jin Jeong.

"It’s important to try something different. I love match play and
it’s going to be good for the crowds."

Nine-time PGA Tour of Australasia winner Peter Lonard took a
self-deprecating view on the new format, joking it may actually be the boost
his evergreen career needs.

"After 30 years I still haven’t learnt to master traditional
four-round tournaments so if I can work this Super 6 format out I’ll be happy,"
he said.

"If it gets the crowds involved in the game and encourages them to
get out and watch other tournaments then I’m all for it."

Aussie European Tour star Wade Ormsby likened the World Super 6
Perth to tour school.

"Having to make that top-24 cut-off will feel like a tour school –
there will certainly be some added pressure," he said.

"Everyone loves coming down to Australia to play our courses so
having a tournament with a point of difference will only enhance that interest.
I’m sure the European Tour will get right behind it. The game does take a lot
of time and it’s hard for people to sacrifice that time to come out and watch
us play so this should lend itself to a better spectacle."

CEO of the PGA of Australia
and PGA Tour of Australasia, Brian Thorburn said the World Super 6 Perth was designed
to retain the traditions of the game whilst appealing to a broader market.

"This is an exciting time
for international golf as we launch a golf tournament that is set to change the
way people view golf," he said.

A huge proponent for golf’s
need to adapt and find a shortened format, Keith Pelley, Chief Executive
Officer of the European Tour, is excited to see the World Super 6 Perth make
its debut in 2017.

"This initiative was
something that we spoke about at great length to our Tournament Committee, led
by Chairman Thomas Bjørn," said Pelley.

"We are thrilled to
participate in this because, at the European Tour, we believe that golf needs
to look at new and innovative formats."

The groundbreaking ISPS
HANDA World Super 6 Perth will also showcase the changing face of Perth and
attract millions of dollars in exposure for Western Australia.

"I think this type of
competition will appeal to all golfers, but especially to a younger
demographic, and will encourage competitors to play aggressive and attacking
golf," said Western Australian Premier and Tourism Minister Colin Barnett.

"Golf is very popular
throughout the world, especially Europe and Asia, and has a high appeal for
many people in some of our top tourism markets, including Singapore, China,
Malaysia and the UK.

"The World Super 6 Perth will
deliver valuable national and international media coverage of WA throughout the
four-day broadcast, not only through the stunning scenery at Lake Karrinyup,
but also through vignettes and billboards shown throughout play."

While the World Super 6 Perth’s
match play format can be potentially brutal for the 54-hole leader, match play
specialist O’Hern has some simple words of advice.

"It’s a bit like a tennis match – it’s you versus one other guy.
In the world match play, 64 plays 1 and 1 might get beat … that’s what it’s
all about.

"It may be a bitter pill to swallow but in the World Super 6 Perth
you’ve got to suck it up and play your best."

The World Super 6 Perth will
be played at Lake Karrinyup Country Club from 16-19 February and will form part
of both the 2017 European Tour Race to Dubai and the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of
Australasia Order of Merit.

For more information
on the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth, go to www.worldsuper6perth.com

Rugby union may be the game they play in heaven, but former
Wallabies captain George Gregan says golf gives the 15-man game a run for its
money.

Especially when it allows a Rugby World Cup-winning
scrumhalf some unforgettable experiences in retirement.

After a decorated career that delivered six Bledisloe Cup
victories and 1999 World Cup glory, Gregan’s on-course highlights include
caddying for Michael Campbell during the Wednesday Par-3 Tournament at The
Masters, and meeting Tiger Woods on Pebble Beach’s practice fairway at the US
Open – both in the same year.

Most recently, the 43-year-old was taken to another setting
that could be mistaken as heaven – Natadola Bayin Fiji.

Gregan was there as a PGA of Australia ambassador for the
Fiji International. The 139-Test veteran and several members of Fiji’s Olympic
gold medal-winning Rugby Sevens side conducted a junior rugby clinic during the
tournament.

"The Fiji International was a great week," says Gregan. "The
people were beautiful, the event is great and Natadola Bay is just magical.

"Fiji is such a beautiful place to show off and then we had
the gold medal-winning men’s team for a rugby clinic, we did some great things.
Growing the game of golf in Fiji is a long-term play.

"Vijay Singh said it was great to have a European Tour
co-sanctioned event here because now Fijians can be inspired to pick up a club
by a star like this year’s winner Brandt Snedeker or (2015 Champion) Matt
Kuchar."

Getting The Golf Bug

As a young Aussie of Zimbabwean heritage – who grew up
playing the 15-man code in Canberra – Gregan was introduced to the game of golf
while on holidays overseas.

"I got the bug when I was about 11 years of age," says
Gregan. "I was in Zimbabwe with my cousin and he introduced me to golf. We
played his local course and I hit a 7-iron over water to a par-3. I cleared the
water and landed on the green and I thought, this is a cool game.

"That was it, I was absolutely hooked."

When he wasn’t on the football field, Gregan couldn’t get
enough of hitting a much smaller ball around the tree-lined, hilly fairways of
Federal.

"I grew up in Canberra. It was a year or two after my cousin
gave me the golf bug that I joined Federal Golf Club. It was a great course to
grow my love of the game."

As the domestic and international career of one of the most
decorated Wallabies blossomed, so did his golf game. The wiry halfback found
golf to be a great escape from the monotony of hotel rooms around the world –
and the spotlight of rugby’s Test arena.

"During my playing days, golf was a great way to get out of
the hotel on a training-free day and help prepare for a Test with a really nice
distraction," recalls Gregan. "I was lucky enough to experience courses in
South Africa, the UK and Europe, New Zealand and South America. It was also a
bit of competition with my teammates that we all enjoyed and bonded over."

Golf also played a small role in keeping the Wallabies
vice-captain relaxed during one of his greatest accomplishments – the 1999
Rugby World Cup victory, particularly leading up to the final against France.

"We had a base in Dublin during the ’99 World Cup, so of
course I had to play Old Portmarnock," says Gregan. "I love traditional
links, so I loved Portmarnock.

"It’s a very special course with a huge history and I actually
really enjoyed the weather. When it’s raining or windy and cold, that’s golf at
its ultimate."

A Coffee Empire

George Gregan officially retired from rugby union in 2011 as
one of the most recognisable faces in the sport’s history. Hanging up the boots
on an era that included two Super 12 (now Super Rugby) titles allowed Gregan to
tackle his other passion – barista made coffee.

He and wife Erica founded the Sydney-based Gregan Group,
which has grown to 16 cafes, as well as wine bars, bistros and a thriving
catering business. But, of course, there’s also more time to play his favourite
courses.

"Now that I don’t play a heavy collision sport, golf is a
way to compete without banging into someone that’s 40 kilograms heavier than
you," says Gregan. "Like any sport, there’s always something you can improve on
and I love that about golf.

"I’ve played Royal Melbourne and some of the Sandbelt
courses, but Barnbougle and Lost Farm would be my favourites. I also love the
old Coolum course because I used to go up there to play the Pro-Am when Peter
Lonard was at his best.

"Golf is a great game. Once you get the golf bug, it stays
with you for life. And if you’re pretty good at it and you don’t mind competing
you can travel the world with it."

The
PGA Tour of Australasia was deeply saddened by the loss of one of the greatest players
of all time, Arnold Palmer, who passed away aged 87 in September 2016.

A true superstar,
Palmer won 62 career titles on the PGA Tour, including seven Major
Championships.

More than just a
phenomenal player, Palmer was renowned as a man of the people, drawing huge
crowds and spending countless amounts of time signing autographs for fans.

Palmer was also a
great traveller, making numerous trips to Australia and in the process winning
three times on the PGA Tour of Australasia including the 1963 Wills Masters,
1966 Australian Open and 1972 South Australian PGA Championship.

Like everywhere he
played, Palmer left a special mark on the hearts of Australian golf fans
including one of our own legends, Peter Thomson.

Upon learning the sad
news of Palmer’s passing, Thomson reflected on his memories of his competitor
and friend:

"Arnold was the folkhero of golf," Thomson said. "Not
only was he the greatest personality the game has produced, he was King of the
fairways every time he played.

"We were only two weeks apart in age and great rivals. We certainly had
some wonderful times together. The last time we played together was at an
exhibition at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney on November 24, 2004. The
occasion was the centenary of the Australian Open and Bruce Devlin joined us
for the nine-hole match on the eve of the tournament.

"At last year’s Open Championship at St Andrews, we were rival captains
in the four-hole Past Champions event and, although our team scores were the
same, Arnold’s team won the charity donation by being the older team of the
two.

"St Andrews was a fitting final place for us both to meet. Mary
and I are terribly saddened by the news of his death, and our thoughts are very
much with Kit, his daughters and their families.

"Bless you always, Arnold."

ARNOLD
PALMER
1929-2016
Major championships: 7 (Masters: 1958, ’60, ’62 and ’64; US Open: 1960; British Open:
1961 and ’62)
Professional wins: 95
PGA Tour wins: 62 (fifth most all-time)
Champions Tour wins: 10 (five majors)
PGA Tour of Australasia wins: 3 (1963 Wills Masters; 1966 Australian
Open; 1972 South Australian PGA Championship)
World Cup appearances: 6 (1960, ’62, ’63, ’64, ’66, ’67; U.S. went 6-0)
Amateur victories: 26 (includes 1954 US Amateur)

Inducted into World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974

The 25^th
year of the Holden Scramble will go down as the most memorable yet following a
long list of milestones and firsts.

In a landmark season,
the iconic team event welcomed its 1 millionth participant at Mt Warren Park Golf
Club on the Gold Coast, ticked over 25 000 female participants, implemented an
innovative online entering system and redesigned its website to be more
user-friendly. The system is now running towards a tournament management
system.

"The PGA of Australia
is extremely proud of the longevity of the event and the partnerships formed
with the Holden Scramble over many years," said PGA of Australia CEO
Brian Thorburn.

"The Holden Scramble
was once again staged in all corners of Australia ­– from
every major city to regional hubs such as Broome, Kalgoorlie, Alice Springs,
Cairns and the Norfolk Islands. As
always, the event’s success was caused by its PGA Members and Holden
Dealerships at the local level. It’s because of their efforts that the Holden
Scramble remains Australia’s largest team golf event."

When Bob Osborne arrived
at Mt Warren Park Golf Club back in August for his club’s annual Holden
Scramble event, little did he know how significant his entry would be.

"I really didn’t
quite believe what was happening," recalls Osborne.

It was quickly
revealed Osborne was Holden Scramble participant No.1,000,000, earning his team
a free trip to the USA to attend the 2017 Tour Championship.

"It was by far one of
the biggest things I’ve ever won," he added.

At the event held at
the newly merged Churchill Waverley Golf and Bowls Club, Jeanette Major enjoyed
similar fanfare when it was revealed she was the 25,000^th female to
enter the competition, securing her team three fantastic days on the Sunshine
Coast staying at the Novotel Twin Waters Resort.

The free trips kept
coming in 2016 when selected Holden Scramble coordinators who adopted the new
online entering system scored flights to the USA thanks to Delta Air Lines. The
lucky recipients included Jason Simmons (Woodlands Golf Club), Paul Finkle (Yowani
Golf Club) and Josh Hall (Leongatha Golf Club).

In addition to this,
for just holding an event at their respective clubs, Shane Johnson (Safety
Beach Golf Club) won similar flights while Steve Loader (Rich River Country
Club) won himself a trip to the Holden Scramble Championship Final.

Planning to run a Holden Scramble in 2017

Have you considered
running earlier in the season? Did
you know there
were 259 events staged across the country during the months of August and
September?

Why not get away from your
busy winter schedule and stage your event off the back of summer when your club
is at its busiest. Running an
event earlier in the year allows your qualifiers to ensure they are meeting all
Regional Final Conditions of Competition.

And think about giving
clear space between your women’s and mixed events as your female members may
wish to participate in both.

Lock in your date
early and discuss with your local Holden Dealership immediately.Contact
the Holden Scramble events team on (03) 8320 1999, email [email protected]

or visit holdenscramble.com.au

The Ministry of Industry, Trade
and Tourism together with PGA of Australia announced the dates for 2017 Fiji
International. The tournament dates are from 17-20 August 2017 at the Natadola
Bay Championship Golf Course the Fiji International will be staged during
Fiji’s tourism peak season.

The August 2017 date is
anticipated to attract some of the best players in the world to the tropical
destination.

"The Fiji International showcases Fiji to the world, so we want
the world to see Fiji at its finest and what better time than in August," said Hon.
Faiyaz Siddiq Koya, Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism.

"We hope that the allure of Fiji in August along with a prime
position in the world, golf schedule will again ensure a quality field of
Professionals competing in the fourth edition of the Fiji International."

"We also look forward to
welcoming holiday makers to experience the Fiji International, which is Fiji’s
biggest and most prestigious sporting event. Fiji international has over the
past three tournaments attracted a large number of visitors to our shores, who
are interested in golf. In fact our visitor numbers during the tournament month
(October 2016) saw an increase in arrivals by 6.5% (or 73,595), proving that
Fiji has grown as a golfing destination since the inaugural Fiji
International," added the Hon. Minister.

The move to August will see the
Fiji International, which is co-sanctioned by the European Tour and ISPS HANDA
PGA Tour of Australasia, played in a less congested part of the global golf
schedule which will help the event secure another strong field.

"Now that the Fiji International
is on the European Tour schedule we took a more global approach to scheduling,"
said Peter O’Malley, Chairman of the PGA of Australia.

"We believe the August date will
better enable some of the leading European Tour players to include the Fiji
International on their playing schedules."

"The three stagings of the Fiji
International have produced excellent champions in Steven Jeffress (2014),
World Number 20 Matt Kuchar (2015) and World Number 27 Brandt Snedeker (2016)
and we are looking forward to seeing who will emerge the champion in August
2017."

The 2017 Fiji International will
also be the first time Vijay Singh’s redeveloped holes 1-6, 8, 9 and 11 -16 at
Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course will be played by the Professionals.

"The date of the Fiji
International will coincide with the reopening of Natadola Bay Golf Course following
the changes currently being made under the design of Fijian Golf legend, Vijay
Singh," said Basil Scaffidi, Managing Director of SEL, the promoter of the Fiji
International. 

For more information please visit
fijiinternational.com

About the Fiji
International

To be held from 17-20 August the Fiji International will be played at
Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course which boasts breathtaking views of the
Coral Coast and is home to the Natadola Beach Land Estate. 

Enticed by the tropical
destination, the Fiji International has attracted some of the world’s best
golfers since its inaugural staging in 2014 including Fijian hero and three time
Major champion Vijay Singh, 2016 champion Brandt Snedeker, 2015 champion Matt
Kuchar, Steven Bowditch, Boo Weekley, Nick Price, Robert Allenby, Heath Slocum,
Liang Wenchong, and Anirban Lahiri.

In 2017, the Fiji
International continues to have a global presence confirming its position as an
integral tournament in the South Pacific region, with the tournament being
co-sanctioned by the European Tour and ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.

A Pacific paradise, the Fiji
International also boasts some of the most unique hospitality options in world
golf with the par-3 4th hole providing the perfect vantage point to watch the
golf, whilst socialising on the beach.

More than just a golf
tournament, the Fiji International aims to leave a lasting legacy for golf in
the Pacific region, with the PGA of Australia supporting initiatives to
introduce and grow the game in Fiji.

The Fiji International is
proudly supported by the Fijian Government, Tourism Fiji and the
InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa as the official resort of the
tournament until 2017.

PGA of Austrlasia Tour Pro Matt Griffin takes a look back at the 2016 season and previews what’s next for him in the coming months.

Hi all,

I’m sorry I haven’t been able to have
more contact over this year, but it has been an extremely busy year, it has been really exciting and rewarding and I will go
into 2017 with a fantastic schedule ahead.

After the New Zealand Open win I had some time
off before the Japan season started, I got off to a great start with a 5^th place
finish in the Crowns tournament, a famous Japanese event that has a long
history. 

Over the rest of the season I made a number of cuts but
kept finishing between 40^th – 60^th position. 

Most of those weeks I was only a couple of shots out of
finishing in the top 20 but the prize money falls away very steeply, so the
money I was making didn’t move me up the Order of Merit. 

In fact, overall for the season I made 16 cuts out of the
18 events I played but as the season came towards the finish, it would be
close as to whether I would keep my card or not. 

With this on the line I missed out on three of the big
events towards the end of the year, which meant I had to sit and watch as
people passed me. 

I only just missed getting in these events and as a result
it would all come down to the final event of the year, the Casio Open. 

Going into the Casio Open, I would be pretty safe if I made the
cut and despite a troublesome neck I did that easily and ended the year 72^nd
on the Order of Merit. Only the top 75 keep their card so I was extremely
relieved when it was all over. 

I’m not sure why I haven’t played better in Japan over the
last couple of years but am hopeful that in 2017 things will be different. 

It is a tough Tour with strong fields and really difficult
golf courses so fingers crossed with more experience I will be able
to master it.

While I was battling for my card in
Japan things were completely different in Australasia. 

After the New Zealand Open I had a big lead on the Order of Merit
and if I could hold it, I would gain a five-year exemption on the Tour plus an
exemption to the British Open and two World Golf Championships. 

The first event I played on the Australasian Tour after
the New Zealand Open was the Fiji International,it has a big prize purse and is co-sanctioned with the
European Tour. 

I played well all week and finished tied 7^th
which was a good result and meant I just held on to the Order of Merit lead after Mike
Hendry finished 2^nd. 

After another run of events in Japan I returned to the
Australian Open, always one of my favourites on the year, it has a great field and in my opinion, is the most important event on
the Australian calendar. 

I just made the cut with a late birdie on Friday and played
well over the weekend to finish tied 28^th, which extended my lead
slightly before the final event of the season, the Australian PGA Championship. 

It was difficult playing the final event, as I wanted to
play well but also had a second eye on the leaderboard. I was well up the leaderboard for most of the week but
faded on Sunday to finish tied 40^th. 

When I finished it was tight as Andrew Dodt was tied for
the lead but luckily Harold Varner III won and I held onto the number one spot in the Order of Merit rankings.

Winning the Order of Merit is super exciting and sets up a
massive 2017 for me with plenty of opportunities. 

To add to the excitement Liz and I got engaged on the Gold
Coast and are now busily trying to find a wedding venue. 

After a big year on all fronts it has been nice to get
home and relax a little but it won’t be long till it all gets underway
again. My 2017 season will start in Singapore on the 19^th
of January before I head to Myanmar for the Myanmar Open. 

It will then be back to Melbourne for the Victorian PGA
and Open and then the new ISPS HANDA World Super 6 event in Perth. 

To round out the early season schedule I then head to
Mexico for the World Golf Championship, which is immediately followed by my
defense of the NZ Open title. 

It is going to be a great year getting to play in some of
the events that I have dreamt about playing and I can assure you that I will be
working extremely hard to make the most of it.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a
wonderful New Year. 

Cheers,

Matt

Super star amateur golfer Curtis Luck has
secured an early Christmas present with an invitation to compete in the ISPS
HANDA World Super 6 Perth.

Arguably Western Australia’s most
successful golfer in 2016, Luck will tee it up in the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of
Australasia and European Tour co-sanctioned tournament when it is played at
Lake Karrinyup Country Club from 16-19 February 2017.

It has been a breakthrough year for Luck,
who started his run of form winning the WA Open on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of
Australasia before going on to win two of the world’s biggest amateur
tournaments; the U.S. Amateur Championship and the Asia-Pacific Amateur
Championship.

Thanks to these two big wins, Luck has
earned himself a place at Augusta National in April for the Masters Tournament
but before he gets there he will take on the world’s best in his home town for
the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth.

"I am pumped to have been given an invite
into the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth. Ever since the format was announced
earlier in the year I had been hoping I would get the opportunity to play,"
said Luck, who is the second highest ranked amateur golfer in the world.

"To play a professional tournament of this
calibre in front of my friends and family is going to be something very special.

"But it is also a good chance for me to
test my game against the world’s best and continue to fine tune it ahead of the
Masters."

For Luck, who is on the path to becoming a
professional, the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth also offers a chance to extend
his career opportunities.

The winner of the combined stroke play and
match play tournament will become fully exempt onto the European Tour until the
end of the 2018 season.

"I would love to win the ISPS HANDA World
Super 6 Perth, not just so I am the first ever champion, but also so that when
I do turn pro, I already have a card onto one of the biggest tours in the
world," added Luck.

"I am pretty sure this would be the aim for
almost every Aussie competing at Lake Karrinyup Country Club in February."

Luck has earned plenty of fans in Western
Australia throughout 2016, not only for his exceptional play but the way he
conducts himself off the course picking up plenty of accolades in recent times.

"Curtis is a wonderful talent and young man
who we are proud to provide a position in the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth.
His play speaks for itself and he is truly deserving of this opportunity," said
Stephen Ayles, Chief Commercial Officer for the PGA of Australia.

"The ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth is a
collaborative effort of the entire Perth golf community of which Curtis is the
undoubted star; we believed it was important that, as a Perth local, Curtis was
given the opportunity to compete in the professional tournament being played in
his home town."

Luck will join World Number 8 Patrick Reed
and World Number 9 Alex Noren at the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth and if he
makes it through to the match play on Sunday would be a fierce competitor
having won his U.S. Amateur title following a 6&4 victory.

The ISPS HANDA World Super 6
Perth will be played at Lake Karrinyup Country Club from 16-19 February and
will form part of both the 2017 European Tour Race to Dubai and the ISPS HANDA
PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.

To see World Number 8 Patrick
Reed and World Number 9 Alex Noren in action at the ISPS HANDA World Super 6
Perth please visit Ticketmaster to book your tickets.

The ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth is proudly
supported by the West Australian Government via Tourism WA.

The Evolution
Copy Print Solutions Neangar Park Pro-Am is set to host Australia’s best up and
coming professional golfers in January.

As part of the PGA Pro-Am Series, the tournament will
be held on Friday 20 January and is expected to attract professionals from all
over Australia.

The picturesque Neangar Park layout has been a hit
with the professionals following the first two years of the event.  The
course provides a stern test with its combination of dogleg holes and well
protected greens.

The Evolution Copy Print Solutions Neangar Park Pro-Am
further boosts the promotion of the game of golf, along with playing and
earning opportunities for the countries many Professionals.

"Following the success of the first two pro-am’s, we
are looking to grow the event into the future, along with the possibility of an
additional event in the area," said Cameron Davies, PGA Tournament Coordinator.

January is shaping up to be a bumper month for the PGA
Pro-Am Series, Neangar Park joins six other clubs to host an event in the lead
up to the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia’s Victorian PGA Championship and Oates
Vic Open in early February 2017.

The third edition of the event will again have The
City of Greater Bendigo as a major supporter with the council providing the
club with a launch pad to grow the event into the future. 

"We’ve watched this event progress and grow in
popularity with good numbers of new visitors coming each year.  We look
forward to another successful event in 2017," said Terry Karamaloudis, City of
Greater Bendigo Major Events Manager.

Defending champion David Bransdon will be looking for
a hat-trick of wins following wins in the first two Neangar Park events. 
Current entries include Bransdon, along with local hopes Kris Mueck and Lucas
Herbert.

Spectators and interested parties can contact the club
General Manager Nicholaus Rix at [email protected],
and attend the Evolution Copy Print Solutions Neangar Park Pro-Am on Friday 20^th
January.

Work is already underway for next year’s ISPS
HANDA New Zealand Open in Queenstown – with Caddy Master Andrew Whiley issuing
a ‘caddy call’.

Over 140 caddies are needed for the 2017 ISPS HANDA New Zealand Open at Millbrook
Resort and The Hills golf courses from 9-12 March 2017.

It’s the perfect opportunity for those keen to ‘go
inside the ropes’ during the four-day tournament for an insiders’ view of the
event, caddying for ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia professionals, the odd
celebrity or amateur players.

Unlike volunteers, caddies are paid for their work by
their player, which can mean anything from around $75 a day up to a share of
winnings – and depending on how well the caddy’s performed and the negotiations
between the player and caddy. 

For a lucky few caddies they might carry bag right
through to the excitement of the final round, or achieve the ultimate goal of
carrying the winner’s bag.

That was the case for volunteer caddy Jaimes Wood from
the Royal Wellington Golf Club at the 2015 New Zealand Open when he had the
experience of doing just that for eventual champion Jordan Zunic.

Wood describes it as an "incredible experience I’ll
never forget".

Queenstown-based golfer Alan Dunn, most recently a
member of Arrowtown Golf Club, has caddied the last three years for a
professional.

A 12-handicapper, he thoroughly recommends the job for
anyone with an 18-handicap down.

"It’s an awesome experience as long as you’re fit, and
you learn so much because you see them in action as it happens, up close and
personal," said Dunn.

Chosen caddies need to register on site at Millbrook
Resort no later than Wednesday 8 March, although most jobs are pre-assigned.

The $39 cost of registration includes an ISPS HANDA
New Zealand Open golf shirt and cap to wear while caddying and to take home as
a souvenir.  

Caddies should be social or serious golfers with a
good level of fitness to carry a golf bag around both courses. Registration is
easy by visiting the website.

International and local stars competing in 2017’s inaugural ISPS HANDA World
Super 6 Perth tournament will experience the best accommodation Western
Australia has to offer with Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts signing on as the Official
Hotel partner for the exciting new format.

Located
just moments away from the Swan River and a short walk from Perth’s main
retail, dining and entertainment precincts, Pan Pacific Perth provides the
perfect location for a relaxing and indulgent stay with a short ride to Lake
Karrinyup Country Club.

"The ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth is an innovative format and we are delighted
to be the official hotel for what we are sure is going to be an exciting tournament.  It is great for our brand to be associated
with sporting events of this calibre," said Kurt Wehinger, Area General Manager Australia,
Pan Pacific Hotels Group.

"We are very pleased to be able to host the
players, officials and fans as they travel to Perth and experience the
personalised service that the Pan Pacific brand is renowned for."

To be
played from 16-19 February at Lake Karrinyup Country Club, the unique concept
of the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth has already attracted World Number 8
Patrick Reed and World Number 9 Alex Noren to compete in the inaugural
tournament.

A strong
field of ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and European Tour players is
expected to compete in Western Australia. When they arrive they will be treated
to the five star luxury of Pan Pacific Perth.

"The PGA
of Australia is delighted to partner Pan Pacific Hotel and Resorts as the
accommodation provider for the competitors and officials of the ISPS HANDA World
Super 6 Perth, which takes place in February next year," said Stephen Ayles, Chief
Commercial Officer for the PGA of Australia.

"Pan
Pacific Perth, with its five star service and great amenities will provide players,
officials and spectators with five star luxuries after a day at the golf; while
its great location will mean our international visitors are able to experience
the City of Perth to its fullest." 

During
the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth, Pan Pacific Perth will enjoy on course
signage, VIP golf experiences and money can’t buy experiences for their top
guests, corporate hospitality and experiential activation in the tournament
village. 

Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts is part of Pan Pacific Hotels Group, a hotel
subsidiary of Singapore-listed UOL Group, one of Asia’s largest hotel and
property companies with a diversified portfolio of investment and development
properties. Headquartered in Singapore, Pan Pacific Hotels Group owns, manages
and/or operates over 30 hotels, resorts and serviced suites (including those
under development) with over 10,000 rooms in Asia, Oceania, North America and
Europe.

Pan Pacific Perth is the most recent
partner to join the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth after ISPS HANDA, West Cape
Howe Wines, TAG Heuer, Emirates, APN and Coates Hire also signed on in recent
weeks.

The ISPS HANDA World Super 6
Perth will be played at Lake Karrinyup Country Club from 16-19 February and
will form part of both the 2017 European Tour Race to Dubai and the ISPS HANDA
PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.

To see World Number 8 Patrick
Reed and World Number 9 Alex Noren in action at the ISPS HANDA World Super 6
Perth please visit Ticketmaster to book your tickets.

The ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth is
proudly supported by the West Australian Government via Tourism WA.