Jarrod Lyle honoured with new Webex Players Series event

The latest addition to the Webex Players Series will honour the memory of Jarrod Lyle and will be played less than an hour from his home town of Shepparton.

Media release

TPS Murray River will be played at the Cobram Barooga Golf Club, in regional NSW from February 17-20, 2022 and is the fourth Webex Players Series event of the season, joining TPS Hunter Valley as new additions to the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and WPGA Tour of Australasia schedules for the upcoming summer of golf.

One of Australian golf’s most beloved figures, not only for his pure skill on the golf course but his infectious personality, Lyle sadly lost his battle against leukaemia in 2018 at just 36 years of age.

His legacy lives on through Challenge, a not-for-profit organisation that supports children and families living with cancer. Challenge receives support from high profile players such as Robert Allenby, Rickie Fowler and Lucas Herbert.

Friends of Jarrod will be leaned on to make TPS Murray River a success and help to facilitate activities such as junior mentoring sessions, the pro-am day and various functions throughout the week.

Herbert recently won his first PGA Tour championship title and spoke passionately about Jarrod and the Challenge cause. He wears a ‘Leuk the Duck’ pin on his cap which is the symbol recognising and supporting childhood cancer.

Herbert’s recent PGA Tour victory sparked a flood of orders for Challenge merchandise and Lyle’s wife Briony knows the Webex Players Series will generate more goodwill from the golf world.

“Since Jarrod’s passing, we have seen the love and admiration the golfing community has for Jarrod,” said Briony.

“To have Jarrod’s name associated with a regional-based pro golf event is certainly a great honour. And given Barooga is only an hour up the road from his hometown of Shepparton we think this opportunity is a perfect fit.

“As Challenge is a chosen charity of the Australian PGA, we look forward to seeing the fairways of Cobram Barooga bathed in yellow in February.”

Showcasing not only male and female professionals but leading amateurs and juniors from the surrounding region, the addition of TPS Murray River takes the Webex Players Series to four events and belief it will only continue to grow.

“It is fair to say that the concept of The Webex Players Series has taken hold very quickly and we’re excited to see what it can become,” said PGA of Australia Tournaments Director Australasia, Nick Dastey.

“We were thrilled to add TPS Hunter Valley and the speed in which TPS Murray River has come about shows us it is a concept that the golfing world, commercial and Government partners want to be part of.

“We can’t wait to bring The Webex Players Series to Cobram Barooga and to honour one of the most treasured figures in Australian golf.”

In the first two TPS events earlier this year both Su Oh and Stephanie Kyriacou featured prominently on the leaderboard and the strategic nature of the Cobram Barooga Old Course will once again shine the spotlight on Australia’s best female players.

“Su and Steph both showed last year that the first female winner of a Webex Players Series event is not far away,” said WPGA Tour of Australasia CEO Karen Lunn.

“In the past year we have seen the likes of Grace Kim, Doey Choi and Stephanie Bunque turn professional and Kirsten Rudgeley has had an outstanding year in the amateur ranks.

“These playing opportunities are crucial to their development and I wouldn’t be surprised to see one of our girls claim the inaugural TPS Murray River.”

Reflecting its status as a facility for everyone with two golf courses, mini golf, multi-sport simulators and lawn bowls, the Murray River Festival of Golf at Cobram Barooga Golf Club incorporating TPS Murray River will provide nine days of engagement opportunities for golf fans.

“We’ve created a diverse entertainment offering at Cobram Barooga Golf Club in recent years and we intend to showcase every aspect during the Murray River Festival of Golf,” said Club President, Gary Hunt.

“The action on the golf course will be spectacular but we will also have some off-course activities such as the Australian Mini Golf Championship that will make it a week of tournament golf unlike any other.”

The NSW Government MLC Wes Fang said the Festival would help further establish the Murray River region as one of the premier golfing destinations in regional NSW.

“The Murray River Festival of Golf is expected to attract thousands of people from around Australia, showing off the best the Murray River region has to offer, while providing a welcome boost to the local economy,” Mr Fang said.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for the region, with golfers and spectators set to support local economies by staying in local hotels, spending money in local shops and hopefully returning to the region to play some golf in the future.”

The inclusion of TPS Murray River makes it three Webex Players Series events in New South Wales