Latest news with #PNGOpen
The Australian
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Australian
PNG Prime Minister James Marape goes one better than Donald Trump in golf stakes
Think Donald Trump would be the last politician to create a golfing headline this year? Yeah, James Marape has just asked the commander-in-cheat, as he's dubbed by his harshest golf critics, to hold my beer. Professional golfing tournaments around the world have been laced with dubious and truly bizarre invitations over history, but there's another to be added to the list: Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister playing in the country's national open on Thursday. Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape competes at the PNG Open. Picture: Supplied To most Australian sports fans, Marape is the man who stood alongside Anthony Albanese and Peter V'landys to announce PNG's dream of its own NRL franchise had been realised. As part of the $600 million in funding from the Albanese government for the 19th licence, Marape promised his security pact would be tied to his neighbours in the Pacific, and not China. Now, it also appears he fancies playing a bit of golf too. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister James Marape in 2024. Picture: David Gray / AFP If you scrolled down far enough on the leaderboard for the Papua New Guinea Open being played in Port Moresby this week, the first event of the PGA Tour of Australasia's new season, there was a name which stood out: Hn James Marape (a). The 'a' stood for amateur, in case you weren't sure. But all you needed to do was look at his scorecard to realise why. Marape signed for a – how do we put this nicely? – 97. Twenty-five-over the card! He had a couple of pars, but there were also eight bogeys, seven doubles and a nasty triple. At least, and any average hacker will attest to this feat, he managed to scrape in under 100. Before you jump up and down about how a PM has shoehorned his way into a professional tournament, a couple of things to consider: Marape actually played in the tournament before in 2023 (missing the cut); he's using his profile to preach the opportunity his country is trying to give local players, including the weekend's PNG Women's Open; the field wasn't filled so every professional who entered the tournament was given a start; and there's already 20 local amateurs featuring in the event, so ample opportunity for some of the country's emerging talent. Then came the tournament invitation for Marape, who one-upped The Don by at least playing in an event for world rankings points. Prime Minister Marape now has one up on President Donald Trump. Picture: AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin 'I just want to inform the country, this is our 50th (anniversary as a nation), and for the first time we've gone past a hundred professional golfers in our country,' Marape beamed after his round on Thursday, presumably not heading straight to the range to work on his swing. '(There's) 120, including seven female professionals who are coming in, participating on Saturday and Sunday. It's a step in the right direction. 'Sport does sell our country's image. Sport does inform the world who we are. And here you have professional golfers coming from right across the world to come in to play in Port Moresby. 'This morning, I was privileged that they gave me a run with last year's winner, William (Bruyeres), and they're all in the running for whoever comes out top on Sunday.' Said tournament director Graeme Scott: 'I believe there are discussions currently underway as to how the PGA of Australia can assist in the development of young players because it's very much our goal to have your aspiring professionals and young players coming to play on our Tour. 'I know in speaking to my own colleagues this morning, that was a crucial thing that we were trying to develop with Papua New Guinea, is that we can see a pathway for these players to come.' For the record, Victorian Joel Mitchell was the solo first round leader with a five-under 67 … just a lazy 30 shots ahead of a Prime Minister, who at least let's everyone watch him counting his score. Read related topics: Donald Trump
The Age
20-07-2025
- Sport
- The Age
‘Seconds of terror': This Australian helps decide the fate of the world's best golfers
'It's probably a big thing for the amateur golf lovers out there and trying to dissect the rules, but when you have world-class rules officials, you can't add anything. In that instance, you're just an interested bystander. 'And I can assure you, that every single person on the rules' committee would have been trying to find a way to get the player out of it. 'We are not the police. Professional referees are not the police. We don't want to penalise players, we want to help and quite often the first thing you will say to a player when they put their hand up is, 'how can I help?'. 'We are not policeman issuing tickets.' Lowry had a tough third round following the controversy that transpired the day before. Starting the day even to par, his two birdies (on holes 10 and 13) were offset by a pair bogeys (two and 17), but a triple bogey on the par-four 14th left him three over and out of contention heading into the final round. Loading He was asked on Friday whether it was right that officials made him aware of his potential rule breach before his round was complete. The incident happened on the 12th hole and Lowry was alerted that something was wrong when he was walking down the 15th fairway. McLeod said it was a difficult balancing act for the officials. 'Do you not tell him that there's a potential of a penalty, and he plays out the round one way and finds out he's incurred a two-stroke penalty and he misses the cut? Or do you tell him early so he can change the course of his round?,' he said. 'That's why it's good to have the really experienced rules official making that call.' When it comes to the major events, McLeod said everything is heightened, including the pressure on rules officials to get their decisions correct. 'The players that come from the big tours are accustomed to stopping when something isn't right and checking,' he said. Loading 'Because they're playing for their careers and playing for lots of money, they don't want to make a mistake, so they'll get a referee involved to make sure that, if there is an issue, the referee is taking the blame.' McLeod may be the only person planning to travel directly from the glamour and the prestige of the Open at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland to Royal Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea for the PNG Open.
Sydney Morning Herald
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Seconds of terror': This Australian who helps decide the fate of the world's best golfers
'It's probably a big thing for the amateur golf lovers out there and trying to dissect the rules, but when you have world-class rules officials, you can't add anything. In that instance, you're just an interested bystander. 'And I can assure you, that every single person on the rules' committee would have been trying to find a way to get the player out of it. 'We are not the police. Professional referees are not the police. We don't want to penalise players, we want to help and quite often the first thing you will say to a player when they put their hand up is, 'how can I help?'. 'We are not policeman issuing tickets.' Lowry had a tough third round following the controversy that transpired the day before. Starting the day even to par, his two birdies (on holes 10 and 13) were offset by a pair bogeys (two and 17), but a triple bogey on the par-four 14th left him three over and out of contention heading into the final round. Loading He was asked on Friday whether it was right that officials made him aware of his potential rule breach before his round was complete. The incident happened on the 12th hole and Lowry was alerted that something was wrong when he was walking down the 15th fairway. McLeod said it was a difficult balancing act for the officials. 'Do you not tell him that there's a potential of a penalty, and he plays out the round one way and finds out he's incurred a two-stroke penalty and he misses the cut? Or do you tell him early so he can change the course of his round?,' he said. 'That's why it's good to have the really experienced rules official making that call.' When it comes to the major events, McLeod said everything is heightened, including the pressure on rules officials to get their decisions correct. 'The players that come from the big tours are accustomed to stopping when something isn't right and checking,' he said. Loading 'Because they're playing for their careers and playing for lots of money, they don't want to make a mistake, so they'll get a referee involved to make sure that, if there is an issue, the referee is taking the blame.' McLeod may be the only person planning to travel directly from the glamour and the prestige of the Open at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland to Royal Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea for the PNG Open.
The Age
20-07-2025
- Sport
- The Age
‘Seconds of terror': This Australian who helps decide the fate of the world's best golfers
'It's probably a big thing for the amateur golf lovers out there and trying to dissect the rules, but when you have world-class rules officials, you can't add anything. In that instance, you're just an interested bystander. 'And I can assure you, that every single person on the rules' committee would have been trying to find a way to get the player out of it. 'We are not the police. Professional referees are not the police. We don't want to penalise players, we want to help and quite often the first thing you will say to a player when they put their hand up is, 'how can I help?'. 'We are not policeman issuing tickets.' Lowry had a tough third round following the controversy that transpired the day before. Starting the day even to par, his two birdies (on holes 10 and 13) were offset by a pair bogeys (two and 17), but a triple bogey on the par-four 14th left him three over and out of contention heading into the final round. Loading He was asked on Friday whether it was right that officials made him aware of his potential rule breach before his round was complete. The incident happened on the 12th hole and Lowry was alerted that something was wrong when he was walking down the 15th fairway. McLeod said it was a difficult balancing act for the officials. 'Do you not tell him that there's a potential of a penalty, and he plays out the round one way and finds out he's incurred a two-stroke penalty and he misses the cut? Or do you tell him early so he can change the course of his round?,' he said. 'That's why it's good to have the really experienced rules official making that call.' When it comes to the major events, McLeod said everything is heightened, including the pressure on rules officials to get their decisions correct. 'The players that come from the big tours are accustomed to stopping when something isn't right and checking,' he said. Loading 'Because they're playing for their careers and playing for lots of money, they don't want to make a mistake, so they'll get a referee involved to make sure that, if there is an issue, the referee is taking the blame.' McLeod may be the only person planning to travel directly from the glamour and the prestige of the Open at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland to Royal Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea for the PNG Open.
