As the main Aussie Tour had a week off last week, the stakes were brutally high elsewhere with the employment line in America and Europe full of hopefuls — and heated controversy.
Here’s what we learned across the golfing globe last week, as the PGA Tour of Australasia season scales up with more points, and more money on offer, at this week’s NSW Open.
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SCHOOL’S OUT
The DP World Tour Final Stage of qualifying school has reached the nitty gritty, with a cut made after 72 holes leaving just the top-60 and ties battling it out for 15 cards on the world’s second biggest men’s Tour.
Five Aussies advanced, while four have packed their bags in Spain, where one young player fell afoul of rules officials.
Frank Kennedy was set to advance to the final two rounds with a good chance to secure a job next year, sitting 28th through 72 holes.
That was before he was disqualified for what was described as “serious misconduct, after causing deliberate damage to the course”, according to a statement from the Tour.
Kennedy, who had a promising amateur career, has responded to the DQ on his Instagram, and it is likely he had a little help writing his retort from his father, Simon.
A notable sports agent, Simon Kennedy worked with the likes of Brian Lara, top Premier League footballers, and his relationships in the sports world meant Frank could play with the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo as a teenager.
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He attempted to give his side of the story, writing: “I am hugely disappointed to have been disqualified from the Final Stage of DP World Tour Qualifying School. Reports today say this was for deliberately damaging the course,” Kennedy said on Instagram.
“I did not intentionally or deliberately damage the putting surface, and any comments saying otherwise are wholly incorrect.
“On the 11th green I missed a birdie putt and tapped in. In frustration, as I was walking off the green, I swung my putter and it accidentally caught the surface.
“My playing partner and I repaired it straight away, and we were both satisfied it was properly fixed before we moved on. I should have called a referee to check the repair, and I’ve learned from that.
“I have always respected and followed the Rules of Golf. If accidental contact like this, repaired at once, is a disqualification offence, I will respect that.
“But it isn’t clear to me that it is, and many senior players I’ve spoken to this evening were surprised by the decision.
“So I have asked the DP World Tour for clarification and a review, and I will respect the outcome of that review. While that happens, I won’t be commenting further.”
Meanwhile, Cameron John, Kevin Yuan, Elvis Smylie, Haydn Barron and Jack Buchanan were the Aussies to survive the cut.
Anthony Quayle, Jason Scrivener, Austin Bautista and Will Florimo their compatriots failing shy of the 11-under cut number.
Buchanan, who sits in seventh as the second best of the Aussies behind John, has been proving his pre-tournament words correct so far in Spain.
“I mean, this year didn’t quite get the plan for me but again, I missed a lot of cuts by one and my game felt really good, so I feel like I really want to get back out there (DP World Tour) again, because I feel like if I just had another year at it, I feel like I could be quite successful, Buchanan told foxsports.com.au.
“I think I want it a little bit more than what I did last year. So I’m excited for this week.
“I think just playing with a lot of good players last year and a few guys that are obviously really, really good. And feeling like a game can sort of match up to them coming out to a Q School, obviously gives you a bit of confidence that, you know, like I actually can’t play the game pretty good.
“There’s no reason why I can’t make it through.”
STAR’S HUGE SLIDE
Steph Kyriacou likely couldn’t agree more with Australian legend David McKenzie’s assessment of their chosen profession, especially when it comes to Q School.
“Golf is really cool when you’re playing well, and it’s really bad when you’re playing bad,” McKenzie told foxsports.com.au.
For Kyriacou it is unfortunately the latter, with the Sydneysider’s 2026 form seeing her return to the second stage of LPGA Tour Q Series last week, where she finished 26 shots behind medallist Maria Fassi, and now faces an uncertain year ahead.
Runner-up at the first ever Augusta National Women’s Amateur, played the week prior to The Masters on the same hallowed grounds, Fassi claimed medallist honours as Perth’s Maddison Hinson Tolchard kept her hopes of LPGA status alive with a tie for 19th.
Fellow Aussies Hira Naveed and amateur Ella Scaysbrook fell short of advancing, as did Kyriacou, who just over 12 months ago was ranked No.35 in the world.
Missing 15 cuts during 2026, Kyriacou’s troubles have mostly come off the tee, with the 25-year-old working hard to save her status throughout the year. She even employed Hannah Green’s husband and fellow Tour player Jarryd Felton as a part-time caddie.
Kyriacou is a multiple time winner on the Ladies European Tour who finished runner-up at a major, the Evian Championship, two years ago, and finished in the top-10 of the AIG Women’s Open in 2025 before a 2026 she would rather forget.
Kyriacou is an immensely talented player, who very nearly claimed Players Series Sydney against the men of the PGA Tour of Australasia in February this year, and will hope to find her best again in time for the Australian summer.
WINNING ISN’T EASY … AND IT’S NOT EVEN FUN
The PGA TOUR Champions might be becoming something of a closed shop, but even with minimal starts in America, Brendan Jones has not lost a step when it comes to his golf game.
Playing for the second time at the Australian PGA Seniors Championship, one of the marquee events for the over-50s set in Australasia, Jones was dominant on his way to a four shot win.
Jones surviving some stumbles in the final round to clinch a title that has an honour roll featuring not only some of Australia’s best ever players, but also major winners like Lee Trevino.
Having bounced back from an illness that has been making its way around the Legends Tour, Jones’ win was even more special with his fiancé Shiho getting her first major win as a caddie.
The 52-year-old’s hard working looper and partner helping her man get over the line while 26 weeks pregnant, and with the 15-time winner in Japan battling his dislike of trying to close out a win.
“There’s no enjoyment,” Jones said in the immediate aftermath of closing out the win.
“It’s a horrible thing trying to win tournaments, and especially sleeping on a big lead like that, it’s just a good thing you don’t have to draw pictures because I didn’t have my best stuff today.
“She’s (Shiho) been phenomenal through everything, just giving me the belief I can do it. For her, we’ve got an exciting few months coming up, I think winning it for her is very special.”