Jones jumps to top of Australian PGA Seniors leaderboard

Making his debut at Richmond Golf Club last year, Jones, a 15-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour, found the course to his liking when finishing tied for second behind Jason Norris.

Jones’ enjoyment of the western Sydney venue continued in the opening round of the 2026 event when he matched the tournament record of eight birdies in a round, mixed with a lone bogey to record a 7-under 63 for a one-shot lead over Rodney Booth.

Booth, who spends most of his time as the Director of Golf at Catalina Club, went bogey-free in his 6-under round to sit two in front of two-time winner at Richmond, Andre Stolz, with a pair of regular contenders on the PGA Legends Tour right behind the PGA Tour winner.

Adam Henwood is at three-under, with last week’s NSW Senior Open champion Norris a shot further back.

“Started well, birdied two of my first three holes, and sort of set the tone for the rest of the day,” Jones said surmising his round.

“Didn't feel like I was ever in any real trouble. I made the one bogey down about five, I think it might have been. But apart from that, it was pretty solid.

“Putted well. I still think there was a couple I left out there, but, you know, when you sign for 7-under, you've got to be happy with that.”

Happy on and off the course. With his pregnant partner Shiho as caddie again this week, it was not Jones’ power that delivered his hot start, but the all-important accuracy required around the tight and treelined par-70 which helped the 51-year-old to sleep on the lead.

Jones knows that despite having some advantage through his power, which made him among the longest players during his regular Tour days, his straightness off the tee might not be as consistent across the 54-hole event.

“I was quite lucky today; I hit it fairly long and fairly straight,” Jones said.

“When you hit it longer than the rest, you're not always straight, so today, for me, was a good day.

“I never felt that my swing was out, and I was ever going to be scrambling. I was hitting it in the place that I was trying to hit it and just not doing anything silly.”

Also not doing anything silly was Booth, who has found a groove playing on the Legends Tour in the last few weeks and is making his debut at the Australian PGA Seniors, having recently turned 51.

The 2024 PGA of Australia Club Professional of the Year found the Richmond layout to his liking, with his son Lachlan tagging along as caddie.

Booth’s strong opening round came almost 20 years to the day after he'd led after the first round of the NSW Open, having shot the course record at Moore Park Golf Club in 2006.

“This is the first time I've actually seen the course, so, yeah, pretty happy, actually to keep it in play and keep it on the park. That was good,” Booth said after his 64.

“The last four or five weeks I've been out a little bit. The club [Catalina] has been great with giving me some time to get out and play and finally today I put a few things together and didn't make any mistakes.”

Stolz also did well to minimise his mistakes, as he continues to recover from an illness which had forced him to withdraw last week in Thurgoona, while Henwood had errors early and staged an incredible comeback. Four-over through four holes, the Victorian made two hat-tricks of birdies as part of a 7-under run in his last 14 holes to climb into contention.

Colourful scorecards was a bit of a theme on day one, including for Jason Wood, who made a hole-in-one with an 8-iron from 141 metres at the second hole. Meanwhile, one of his playing partners, Simon Pope, signed a scorecard with an ace for a second time this week after Nicholas Robb matched the feat in pre-qualifying.

Rounds two and three of the Australian PGA Seniors will be broadcast LIVE on Kayo and Foxtel, with Saturday coverage from 3-6pm (AEDT) and Sunday from 1-6pm (AEDT).