After a nomadic existence since its inauguration in 1929, the Australian PGA Championship found a home in the Sunshine State at the turn of the century when it visited Royal Queensland Golf Club for the first time.
Coming back the next year suited Robert Allenby just fine, the Victorian successfully defending the championship under the shade of the enormous Gateway Bridge that rumour has it Greg Norman once hit a golf ball over.
The tournament, now named for sponsor Fortinet, then moved further north to the then Hyatt Regency Coolum Resort, before the Gold Coast and RACV Royal Pines Resort took on hosting duties.
After a successful stint, January 2022 marked time for the event to return to Brisbane and a Royal Queensland layout that Golf Australia magazine architecture editor and acclaimed course designer, Mike Clayton, revolutionised with a 2007 redesign.
The champion earlier this year, Jed Morgan, will be hoping to follow in Allenby’s footsteps when ‘RQ’ plays host again from November 24 to 27. However, the club member, who produced a stunning display of placement and putting to reach 22-underpar and an 11-stroke victory will have a significantly deeper field of challengers to overcome.
Morgan, who has spent his year mostly playing the new LIV Golf circuit led by Norman, will no doubt be an improved player than the one who spent the week letting out primal screams and fist pumps to a parochial crowd of fellow Royal Queensland members. Yet,
