Morgan smashes field in 11-shot Australian PGA win
It had been a long time coming but Jed Morgan made the over two year wait worth it with a record 11-shot win over Andrew Dodt at the Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane.
The 22-year-old’s 22-under par total equalled the record set by Nick O’Hern in 2006 but smashed the tournament’s biggest winning margin set by Hale Irwin in 1978 and again by Greg Norman in 1984 and 1985.
When the tournament was last played and won by Adam Scott in December 2019, the-then 19-year-old Jed Morgan was still three months away from winning the Australian Amateur and two years away from turning pro.
Fast-forward to early 2022 and the Brisbane-based star is now looking at a year he could only have imagined just a few months ago.
“I felt a lot of pressure, especially on myself, obviously being a member here and having won the Australian Amateur. I missed a couple of Tour Schools in the US towards the end of my trip and came back with my tail between my legs,” said Morgan, who earns three mid-year starts on the DP World Tour thanks to a new deal with the European Tour Group along with a three-year exemption locally.
WITB: Jed Morgan
- Titleist Pro V1 Golf Ball
- Titleist TSi3 Driver (10º)
- Titleist TS2 FW (16.5º)
- Titleist U•505 (3)
- Titleist 620 MB (4-9)
- Titleist Vokey Design SM8 (48º, 52º, 56º, 60º)
“I was just lucky I went to Tour School in April before the Aussie Tour and yeah, obviously the opportunities I got from that, plus playing this week, it’s just been pretty sick.”
Morgan is also looking likely to secure a full European Tour card for the 2022-23 season thanks to his $180,000 in prize money, which puts him in prime position to take out the Australasian PGA Tour Order of Merit. The top three local money-earners will receive a DP World Tour card.
Jed Morgan (Credit: PGA Australia)
Despite a taking a 9-shot lead into the final round, the freshly-minted pro was feeling the pressure of leading a flagship event.
“I’m glad it’s over, whether I won or lost, I’m just glad it’s over because I’ve been in all sorts, for sure. I’ve never had that type of emotion. I’ve felt pressure for sure…but I’ve never felt pressure like the way I felt it this week.”
Playing in the final group alongside Morgan and inaugural WPGA title winner, Su Oh, Andrew Dodt closed the tournament on 11-under following a final round even-par 71 to finish a distant second.
First round leader Louis Dobbelaar secured outright third with a closing round of 2-under 69 moving him to 10-under.
Tournament headliner and World No.49, Min Woo Lee, was let down by his putting all week but did enough to share 4th place at 9-under.
“I guess it wasn’t the best week golf-wise, but I think I got a lot of positives out of it,” said Lee, who won the Scottish Open last year.
“I striked it, probably one of my best strokes game approach plays this week and driving was unbelievable, so just got to work on my putting and could have been a much lower score.”
The tour stays in Brisbane for the QLD PGA Championship at Nudgee Golf Club, which lies just a short drive north of Royal Queensland. Michael Sim will defend the title he won last year in a playoff over Scott Arnold.
