Australian PGA: Scoreboard and news from the opening round
A player ranked outside the world’s top-1000 has stolen the headlines on the opening day of the Australian PGA by shooting a new course record. SEE THE LEADERBOARD.
Little-known Spaniard Joel Moscatel Nachshon, ranked an eye-watering 1162 in the world, is eyeing a “life-changing” win in Brisbane after coming from the clouds to shoot a course-record equalling round of 63 on the opening day of the Australian PGA Championship.
The 25-year-old secured his spot in the field at Royal Queensland at DP World Tour qualifying school, where he missed earning full-time playing status by a single shot in heartbreaking fashion.
But by making the cut there he was guaranteed a start in the $2 million PGA and put that disappointment behind him nailing eight birdies in his bogey-free round which matched the course record set by Jed Morgan on his way to the title in January, 2022.
Upstaging the likes of major champions Adam Scott, Cam Smith and Ryder Cup hero Robert Macintyre, the Spaniard said the course suited his playing style, exciting him for what’s to come.
“It’s different … I like the course,” he said.
“I like that it’s long. You have to hit a lot of drives, and at the same time the second shots are difficult because the greens are slopey and small.
“It was so fun … nothing (there was no secret); it was a crazy day, we were so present.
“I didn’t know what was the record, we just played our golf.”
Reward for victory in Brisbane would be that elusive tour card he missed out, as well as the prize money, ensuring Moscatel Nachshon’s focus won’t waver after exceeding all expectations on Thursday.
“Obviously it’s life-changing, coming from a satellite tour,” Moscatel Nachshon said.
“I know it (the prize) but we still have to play three more days of golf.”
“(But) … there’s a lot of golf to play, and we will see what will be.”
LEE SURGES, SMITH MAKES HORROR START
A late decision to switch putters paid off massively for crowd favourite Min Woo Lee on Thursday when he charged into the early clubhouse lead at the Australian PGA.
One of the rising stars of Australian golf, Lee rolled in eight birdies at the Royal Queensland Golf Club to sign for a brilliant first round of 7-under 64.
Playing in the same morning group as the defending champion Cam Smith, Lee made a solid start to reach 2-under after his first nine holes before his putter suddenly got hot and he came home in 31.
“All day I putted so well. My distance control was really good,” he said.
“I was a bit anxious on that because I changed putter just yesterday, back to my original one, just because there was something wrong with it. It was obviously a good decision to change back.”
Sometimes overshadowed by his older sister Minjee, who won the Greg Norman medal for a third time this week, Lee has been making rapid progress in recent years.
He finished tied for fifth at this year’s US Open and won the Macau Open just last month so is in great form.
“I feel like I’m good enough to win tournaments and play good wherever now, as long as I do the right thing for myself,” he said.
“I think I did everything pretty solid. I putted and chipped pretty nicely and then drove it really good.
“This course is quite wide, so you’ve got to hit decent approach shots around this course, you’ve got to miss them in the right spots.
“So I think my approach play was spot on today. I didn’t really miss too many greens. So that helped.”
Things that are a lot harder than Cameron Smith makes them look, eg. this bunker shot. Even par after his outward nine on the opening morning of his Australian PGA Championship defence. pic.twitter.com/XhnFJg1tDY
— Adam Pengilly (@app85) November 22, 2023
Smith has a mountain to climb after shooting a 2-over 73, which included bogeys on two of his last three holes.
A hard marker, he was scathing in his assessment of how he played.
“It was frustrating, upsetting. I really couldn’t get anything going,” Smith said.
“I just couldn’t get it close enough to the hole. I felt like I’d hit a half decent shot and then go to 30, 40ft and really not have a shot at birdie. It was just crappy.”
Former Australian PGA winner Adam Scott recovered after dropping two shots to post 5-under 66.
Scott hasn’t won a title anywhere in the world for three years but said he wasn’t getting carried away with his good start because he expected the eventual winner would need to shoot 20-under.
“If you’re not 5-under this morning, it’s going to be a long week to get to 20-under so you’ve got to kind of chip away at it day by day,” Scott said.
“I’m kind of on par really for that kind of target because it’s going to get close to that score this week. I think I did a good job today. I’m very pleased with that.”
THE 44-MONTH DROUGHT AUSSIE STAR HAS TO END
By Marco Monteverde
Adam Scott can play as well as he likes, but until he wins again, he won’t be satisfied.
The 2013 Masters champion hasn’t tasted victory since February 2020, when he won the Genesis Invitational in California.
It’s a drought that has 43-year-old Scott – who shot 19-under to finish in a tie for fifth at this month’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship – frustrated ahead the Australian PGA at Royal Queensland where he’ll be looking to snare the trophy for a third time.
“It’s nice to play well … (but) I obviously haven’t found it that easy to win over the last couple of years,” said the two-time Australian PGA title winner.
“I played well in Bermuda but it’s not a win, and it’s hard to fake that confidence of closing out a tournament, and beating the entire field.
“There’s nothing more than what winning does for confidence. It can’t be replaced.
“I’m not going to get the same confidence from just contending and playing well.
“There’s a lot of incentive to play really well, not just for my own pride, but for the confidence of winning something.
“I feel like I’ve got all the game to win more. I’m healthy still and at 43 moving well and trying to put all the pieces together.
“If I were to win this week or next week (at the Australian Open) it could be a springboard.”
Winning on his “home track” of Royal Queensland would particularly satisfy Scott.
“It’s always fun to come back here. I have a lot of strong memories here of playing junior pennants and pennants for RQ, a lot of training sessions here with the Queensland state team over the years, and of course I got to spend a lot of time with (legendary coach) Charlie Earp, which was incredible,” he said.
A Brett Rumford masterclass, featuring Adam Scott as the student 🤩#PGAProud | #AusPGApic.twitter.com/IPF9YIc5qR
— PGA of Australia (@PGAofAustralia) November 22, 2023
“For me, Charlie’s connection to Greg Norman was really strong as well in my junior days.”
Scott said his game felt “in a pretty good place”, he said.
“It all feels pretty good but also trying to make sense of a few changes that I’m making, and get a feel for it and the best way to do that is to test it in tournaments.
“Hopefully they’re fairly educated guesses of what’s good for me in the bag.”
Scott said there was a “strong sense of obligation and pride” for the nation’s best players to come home to challenge for the Australian PGA and Australian Open crowns.
“And it’s always nice to see some internationals come down,” he said.
“Generally guys want to come down to Australia because it’s a great place, and they get to play and probably stay a little bit extra and have a holiday.”
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