Australian PGA Championship Reduced To 54 Holes Due To Heavy Rain
The Australian PGA Championship has been reduced to 54 holes after torrential rain forced the complete abandonment of Friday's second round at Royal Queensland. No play was possible as continued downpours left the course unplayable with standing water throughout.
Tournament director Jose Maria Zamora announced the second round will now begin at 6:00 AM Saturday, with the final round on Sunday. The decision to shorten the tournament was influenced by logistical constraints, as the ISPA HANDA Australian Open is scheduled for next week across two courses.
Golf course bridge over floodwater
Local golfer Elvis Smylie maintains his one-shot lead following his impressive opening round of 65 (-6). Four players sit one stroke behind at -5, including three-time DP World Tour winner Victor Perez, Joel Girrbach, Matias Sanchez, and Cristobal Del Solar.
Golfer wearing navy shirt
Notable Australian players Jason Day, Cameron Smith, and Marc Leishman are part of an eight-player group just two shots off the lead at -4, setting up an exciting weekend sprint to the finish with only 36 holes remaining to determine the 2024 champion.
The Brisbane area has received approximately 250mm of rainfall in the past week, with continued showers saturating the course and making play impossible on Friday.