Nick Voke shines on final day, but 26-year Kiwi title wait at Australian PGA Championship continues

Sunday, 30 November 2025

Aucklander Nick Voke (file pic) was the best of the Kiwis at the Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane.

The long wait for a New Zealand champion at the Australian PGA Championship rages on.

Kiwi golfers Kazuma Kobori, Nick Voke, and Daniel Hillier were all in contention for the title heading into Sunday’s final round at Royal Queensland, but it was not to be.

Spaniard David Puig delivered a scintillating last round on a warm Brisbane day, where temperatures nudged 30C, for the biggest win of his career. Puig’s five-under final round saw him finish at 18-under, finishing two strokes clear of China’s Ding Wenyi.

Aucklander Voke, ranked 559 in the world, delivered his best golf when it mattered most to rise up the leaderboard and finish tied for third with Australian veteran Marc Leishman.

Voke had five birdies in a blemish-free five-under final round 66, finishing at 15-under – the top Kiwi performer.

Daniel Hillier (file pic) fired six birdies in his final round three-under at the Australian PGA Championship to finish tied for fifth.

A New Zealand golfer last lifted the silverware in 1999 when Greg Turner overcame Queenslander Shane Tait by two strokes at Melbourne’s Victoria Golf Club. Only one-non Australian had triumphed at the tournament since then with American Harold Varner prevailing in 2016, until Puig’s triumph.

Wellington’s Hillier completed an impressive tournament, placing fifth with Australian gun Min Woo Lee at 14-under following a three-under 68 final round.

Hillier fired six birdies in his final round, but was undone by three bogeys, which ultimately stunted his title bid.

Puig was in control throughout the final round, shining with his deft short game and pinpoint driving. He never look flustered, playing error-free golf and embracing the pressure.

Christchurch’s Kazuma Kobori had a trying final round at the Australian PGA Championship (file pic).

One of three co-leaders entering Sunday (along with Australian Anthony Quayle and Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia at 13-under), Puig made a flying start, hitting three birdies in his first four holes to ramp up the heat on his rivals.

Voke trailed by three strokes with two to play, but was always going to need Puig to stumble late.

Christchurch’s Kobori started the final round just a shot back from three-way leaders Puig, Quayle, and Gouveia at 13-under.

His hopes of a huge title win faded with a tough patch on the front nine where he produced back-to-back bogeys on five and six. That snapped a run of 20 straight pars for the 24-year-old, who had 16 straight pars in Saturday’s third round after opening with two birdies.

It was a frustrating final day for Kobori, who shot a four-over 75 with four bogeys, slipping to a tie for 25th at eight-under.

Kobori will still look back on his tournament fondly after a strong first three rounds, including a hole-in-one in his opening round of 69.

Kiwi No 1 Ryan Fox shot a final round three-under 68 to finish tied for 39th at six-under.

Fox, the world No 41, arrived off an eight-week break and said prior to the tournament his expectations were not overly high. Following a busy year on the tour, he did not touch a club for three weeks back in New Zealand with golf limited to some social rounds with mates.

Compatriot Josh Geary ended up in a share of 19th place, producing a four-under 67 final round to finish at nine-under.