Damon Stephenson made a strategic equipment change that paid off as he took the lead in the 2025 Zigcrete QLD PGA Associate Championship at Windaroo Lakes Golf Course. He opted for his L.A.B. putter over the Scotty Cameron, which he had used during practice, leading to a 6-under-par 67 with eight birdies.
Stephenson explained his decision: “I’ve been tossing up between two putters this week. I had the Scotty Cameron and the L.A.B. which I’ve been using for about eight months.” He added, “I played the practice round with the Scotty yesterday and then woke up this morning and said ‘nah, put the L.A.B. in’. It was a pretty last-minute thing, but I just went back to what was comfortable and putted pretty well for most of the day.”
His performance included birdies on five holes of the front nine and three consecutive birdies starting from hole 13 on the back nine. Reflecting on his play, Stephenson said, “It was relatively stress-free. Obviously pretty good scoring conditions today with no wind and pretty soft.”
Among those trailing Stephenson by two shots are Bronson White (Noosa), Conor Whitelock (Brisbane), Beau Lavery (Rowes Bay Golf Club), and Lachlan Chamberlain (Gold Creek), each carding a score of 69.
Beau Lavery stands out as a representative from northern Queensland, part of a group tied at 4-under-par after an eagle on the par-5 12th hole.
The championship is supported by Brisbane-based Zigcrete, offering total prize money of $47,500. The event has become significant for aspiring PGA Professionals.
The second round begins at 7 am Tuesday.
Leaderboard:
67: Damon Stephenson
69: Bronson White, Conor Whitelock, Beau Lavery, Lachlan Chamberlain
70: Jack Wright, Caerwyn Ross, Kane Whitelock
71: Justin Morley
