As the season enters its second week, the European Tour heads to Queensland in Australia, where the RACV Royal Pines Resort hosts the Australian PGA Championship.
Rewind
Harold Varner III finished as runner-up to Australia’s Nathan Holman in a three-man play-off in 2015, but responded 12 months later to win by two on the Gold Coast.
The American was playing in just his fifth European Tour event and came from behind to finish ahead of Andrew Dodt thanks to a superb seven-birdie run in nine holes on Sunday.
Varner III had caught the eye on Saturday, making two eagles in his last four holes, including a spectacular hole-out on the par four 17th.
His victory made him the first non-Australian winner of the event since New Zealand’s Greg Turner in 1999.
The field
Sergio Garcia is the highest ranked player teeing it up in Australia this week, with fellow Masters winner Adam Scott also set to entertain the home crowd.
Ryan Fox, who caught the eye in his rookie season on tour last season, is also in action and will be looking for a first win on tour.
Last week’s UBS Hong Kong Open winner Wade Ormsby will return to his home country in confident mood, with 11-time European Tour winner Robert Karlsson also in the field.
The course
RACV Royal Pines Resort has played host to this event since 2013, taking over from Palmer Coolum Resort located two hours north of this week’s course.
The Graham Marsh redesigned Championship course, which measures 7,364 yards, has tight tree-lined fairways, undulating greens and water in play.
The scoring averages in the last two events held here were 75.3 in 2015 and 72.5 in 2016.
Did you know?
• Harold Varner III became just the second American winner of this event in 2016, the first since Hale Irwin in 1978.
• Varner III was the fifth American to win in Australia after Steve Stricker, Kevin Stadler, Tiger Woods and Bo Van Pelt.
• Varner III was the first player to win playing on an invitation since Matt Fitzpatrick at the 2016 Nordea Masters.
• RACV Royal Pines Resort is the 35th different course to host this event.
• The largest winning margin is eight strokes, achieved four times – Mike Cahill (1977), Hale Irwin (1978), Greg Norman (1984 and 1985)
