New South Wales amateur Declan O’Donovan delivered a peerless display of ball-striking to smash the course record and take a one-stroke lead after Round 1 of The National Tournament on Thursday.
In conditions which could only be described as idyllic on the often windy Mornington Peninsula, The National’s Gunnamatta Course was laid bare for the taking; a staggering 19 players shooting scores of 6-under or better as the field finished the day a total 322-under par, with a scoring average of 69.42.
The round of the day was O'Donovan's 9-under 63; the Avondale Golf Club member having professional playing partners Louis Dobbelaar and Corey Lamb in awe with his iron play.
Breaking the course record set in 2022 by two strokes, O’Donovan’s 63 not only featured an eagle at the par-5 first, but birdies at all three of the hardest holes on the course.
He hit a “stinger 4-iron” to four feet at the 197-metre par-3 fifth and a 7-iron to eight feet at the 192m par-3 16th, but said his best of the day was a 3-iron from 215 metres to 12 feet at the par-4 18th for birdie on the toughest hole on the golf course.
“I actually don’t like looking at the leaderboard, but I accidentally saw just before I teed off [on 18] that some of the boys were 7-under through nine,” said O’Donovan.
“To do that up the last was a nice little finish, especially considering during the practice rounds I was talking about how hard the last is.”
A contender early in tournaments three times this season, the 21-year-old is quickly learning to take it one round at a time.
Deep down he knows a win this week would allow him to bypass Qualifying School next month and that a high finish might be enough to secure status next season through the Future Tour Order of Merit.
He also knows that Friday's round counts for little when he tees off in Round 2.
“It’s a big skill to be able to go low and then keep it going and keep it going,” he added.
“Everybody finds their own way of doing it and I think I’m starting to find my way.
“The biggest thing I’m focusing on right now is what’s right in front of me and the processes that I can control.
“That’s what’s been keeping me present and playing really nicely; that I do my best to stay away from those future thoughts.”
Western Australian Curtis Luck is also delaying what might happen in the future but for different reasons.
Currently plagued by a bulging disc in his neck which is restricting the number of tournaments he can play, Luck currently sits sixth on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit from just five starts.
Sharing second with Jarryd Felton at 8-under, a win this weekend may be enough to secure a DP World Tour card for 2026, but Luck refuses to look more than a day ahead.
“Obviously there’s some Order of Merit things on the line this week, but realistically, for the way my last 12 months have been, to get through a week feeling somewhat healthy is the most crucial bit going forward,” said Luck.
“It is so much better than it was, considering eight months ago I wasn’t playing, and I’m super happy and thankful about that. The question right now for me is, ‘Can I play multiple weeks in a row?’ And the answer to that is no.
“It’s weird coming out and knowing that my objectives, realistically, are testing how my health is rather than my golf.”
Six players are in a share of fourth at 7-under, including New South Welshman Lucas Higgins, who had a hole-in-one with 5-iron at the 213m par-3 11th, his second hole of the day.
At 8-under through 12 holes, Higgins threatened to take the outright lead, but dropped shots at four and eight to shoot 65.
In the final countdown to a possible DP World Tour card, Jack Buchanan (fifth on the Order of Merit) opened with 6-under 66 and Anthony Quayle (sixth) shot 68.
The final two rounds of The National Tournament will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo, with coverage starting at 3pm AEDT on Saturday and 1pm Sunday.
THE NATIONAL
LAST YEAR’S CHAMPION: Cameron John
PRIZEMONEY: $200,000
COURSE DESIGNER: Tom Doak (Gunnamatta Course)
COURSE RECORD: 63, Declan O'Donovan (Round 1, 2025)
LIVE SCORES: pga.org.au
TV COVERAGE: The National Tournament is live on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
Round 3: Saturday 3pm-6pm (Fox Sports 503/Kayo).
Final Round: Sunday 1pm-6pm (Fox Sports 503/Kayo)
*All times AEDT.
HEADLINERS
David Micheluzzi: 2024 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner.
Jed Morgan: 2023 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit winner.
Ryan Peake: NZ Open winner.
Jack Buchanan: 2024 WA PGA and Webex Players Series South Australia champion.
Curtis Luck: Korn Ferry Tour winner.
Josh Geary: 2025 Vic Open winner.
Anthony Quayle: Two-time Tour winner
Jack Thompson: 2021 Gippsland Super 6 winner and 2025 NZ Open runner-up.
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