2016 Australian PGA Championship preview: What you need to know

The Australian PGA Championship is back at Royal Pines on the Gold Coast this week. Here is what you need to know.

The Australian PGA Championship tees off this week and completes a big three weeks of Australian golf. Royal Pines on the Gold Coast will once again play host to the event which is co-sanctioned by the European Tour.

Defending champion Nathan Holman knows just how important the Australian PGA Championship can be – his victory last year earned himself plenty of starts on the European Tour, not to mention the prize money and prestige that comes with winning Australia’s oldest golf trophy, the Kirkwood Cup.

Australia PGA Championship: LIVE SCORES

Adam Scott, Ian Poulter, Scott Hend, Marcus Fraser, Marc Leishman and Danny Lee are just some of the big names teeing it up at the Australian PGA Championship which also includes a unique ‘Soniq’ Million Dollar Hole.

Here are more details you need to know ahead of the tournament.

WHERE AND WHEN WILL IT BE PLAYED?
Royal Pines on the Gold Coast was renovated by Graham Marsh after it became the new home of the Australian PGA Championship a few years ago. It has now been over a year since the major changes were complete and should be nicely embedded by now making a great setting for this week’s tournament.

Total Prizemoney: $1,500,000

THE FAVOURITES and BETTING
$4.20 Adam Scott
$15 Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman
$21 Danny Lee, Rod Pampling
$26 Harold Varner III, Scott Hend, Ryan Fox

Since the Australian PGA Championship moved from Coolum to Royal Pines in 2013, Adam Scott, Greg Chalmers and Nathan Holman have won the event – and all three are playing again this week. Adam Scott is outright favourite in spite of his recent form that he himself described as ‘average’ right now.

The pick of the favourites would be Cameron Smith. His finish to the Australian Open two weeks ago was superb and he’s the sort of golfer who could go on a birdie tear around Royal Pines. New Zealand’s Ryan Fox also look in good form, as does young amateur Curtis Luck and France’s Romain Langasque.

TEE TIMES
Round 1 and 2 marquee groups for the Australian PGA Championship
6:10am Curtis Luck (am), Greg Chalmers, Adam Scott – 10th
6:20am Nick Cullen, Jaco Van Zyl, Stephen Gallacher – 10th
6:30am Danny Lee, Marc Leishman, John Senden – 10th
11:15am Rod Pampling, Ian Poulter, Nathan Holman – 1st
11:25am Scott Hend, Harold Varner III, Marcus Fraser – 1st
Full field and tee times

Weather forecast for Royal Pines in Benowa for the 2016 Australian PGA Championship. Source: SMH Weather

WHAT IS THE WEATHER DOING?
Well it’s a going to be a little different to the weather for last week’s World Cup of Golf in Melbourne. South-east Queensland is eyeing off its hottest December days for 15 years with all four days forecast to top 33-degrees.

WHAT IS THE SONIQ MILLION DOLLAR HOLE?
The Soniq Million Dollar Hole is also known as the Golden Caddy bib promotion. One Friday night 58 lucky ticket holders will recieve a golden caddy bib with the names of one of the players on it who made the cut. If that player makes a hole-in-one at the par-3 16th hole on Sunday, the player will win $500,000 in cash, and the wearer of the Golden Caddy Bib that has that player’s name will win $500,000 in cash and Soniq prizes.

HOW CAN I WATCH IT?
Tickets are available for $36.50 a day and Channel 7 are broadcasting all four days of the Australian PGA Championship.

 

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