David Puig wins the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland

Emerging LIV Golf star David Puig has won the Australian PGA Championship, securing the Joe Kirkwood Cup with a superb final round of 66 at Royal Queensland.

Emerging LIV Golf star David Puig hopes he’s on the “right path” to being as good as the late Seve Ballesteros after emulating the feat of his fellow Spaniard by winning the Australian PGA Championship.

Puig, who turns 24 in a week, secured the Joe Kirkwood Cup with a superb final round of 66 at Royal Queensland on Sunday to finish at 18-under and win by two strokes from China’s Wenyi Ding.

It was the first time a Spanish player had won the event since Ballesteros claimed the crown as a 24-year-old in 1981 at Royal Melbourne, where he fought back from five strokes down in the final round to beat Billy Dunk by three shots, with Greg Norman finishing a further stroke back in a tie for third.

“I really had a lot of close calls in a few events this year and last year, and wasn’t able to pull through, and it feels unbelievable, especially winning here in Australia,” said Puig after his third win as a professional and his first since the Malaysian Open in February 2024.

“My name being with Seve’s name as the only two Spaniards that won this event makes it even more special

“He’s such a big figure for Spanish golf. (Spanish players) try to be like him, play with that freedom, and follow his short game a little bit, his attitude and behaviour and how much he cared.

“We try to look a little bit like him, and hopefully, we’re on the right path.”

David Puig plays his second shot on the fifth hole at Royal Queensland on Sunday. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Ballesteros pocketed just $27,000 for his win, while Puig – who was playing in his first event with full-time DP World Tour status in addition to his LIV contract – walked away with a winner’s cheque of $403,750.

Puig, who started the final round at 13-under in a three-way share of the lead with Port Macquarie-born Anthony Quayle and Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia, also became the first non-Australian winner of the event since American Harold Varner III lifted the Joe Kirkwood Cup at Gold Coast course Royal Pines in 2016.

“I was pretty nervous to be fair … but I kept my composure really well and that helped a lot,” Puig said.

Ding, who also had a final-round 66, said he felt “pretty good” after bouncing back from missing the cut at last year’s edition of the event.

“Right now I feel much better than before,” Ding said.

Marc Leishman was the highest-placed Australian, shooting a final-round 68 to finish in a tie for third alongside New Zealand’s Nick Voke at 15-under.

Perth’s Min Woo Lee, the 2023 Australian PGA winner, finished a stroke further back at 14-under after shooting 69 on Sunday.

New Zealander Daniel Hillier also ended the tournament on 14-under, while Queenslander Adam Scott, the 2013 Masters champion and a two-time Australian PGA winner, shot 69 in the final round to finish on 13-under.

Gouveia failed to fire on Sunday, carding a one-over 72 to drop to 12-under, while Quayle also stumbled with a final-round 73 to finish at 11-under.

Last year’s winner, Queenslander Elvis Smylie shot 69 on Sunday to finish at nine-under.

Originally published as David Puig wins the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland