The 2025 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season will begin with the PNG Open at Royal Port Moresby Golf Club, marking the third consecutive year that the tour starts outside Australia. The event, which has been held since 1977 and became part of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia in 2016, has served as a platform for several players to secure their first tour victories.
William Bruyeres returns as defending champion after his win last year, which was notable due to his grandfather’s history as a golfer stationed in Moresby. Bruyeres faces competition from emerging Australian golfers and several American players making their debuts on the tour.
Chris Malec and Ty Gingerich earned their places this season through Qualifying School in Georgia. Other Americans such as Brock Healy, Kameron Williams, Scotty Kennon, Viraj Garewal, Tyler Griggs, Nathan Jordi and Matthew Cleary are also seeking strong performances to secure more opportunities on the tour.
This week will also feature the inaugural PNG Women’s Open, played alongside the men’s event over the weekend. Nine members of the WPGA Tour of Australasia will compete with six amateurs from Papua New Guinea in an event that coincides with PNG’s 50th year of Independence.
There is no television broadcast for this tournament. Fans can follow updates through social media accounts for PGA of Australia and Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia or by visiting pga.org.au for live scores and daily summaries.
The PNG Open offers a prize pool of $225,000. Notable participants include William Bruyeres (defending champion), Phoenix Campbell (two-time Queensland PGA champion), Quinn Croker (2023/2024 Future Tour Order of Merit winner), Jimmy Zheng (Final Qualifying School medallist) and Harrison Crowe (two-time Challenger PGA Tour winner).
Past champions include Lachlan Barker (2023), Peter Cooke (2019), Daniel Gale (2018), Cory Crawford (2017) and Brad Moules (2016). Tournament records include Daniel Gale’s round score of 61 in 2018 and James Marchesani’s ten birdies in a single round in 2017.
