Connor McKinney cruises to Webex Players Series Perth crown

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West Australian Connor McKinney has used a stunning four-hole stretch across his third and final rounds to complete a dominant wire-to-wire victory at Webex Players Series Perth hosted by Minjee and Min Woo Lee.

If having three-time major champion and tournament co-host Minjee Lee announcing his name to the first tee at Royal Fremantle Golf Club added to any final-round nerves, McKinney showed none of it.

He turned a three-shot deficit into a two-stroke lead with a hole-in-one and birdie to finish on Saturday, picking up where he left off with a birdie at the first on Sunday and an eagle at the par-5 second.

It meant that he had played his past four holes in 6-under par to stretch his lead to five at 18-under, a lead that would only grow as the round went on.

As playing partner Andrew Johnston struggled to keep pace, the 23-year-old added birdies at five, six and eight, stretching his lead to as many as eight midway through the back nine.

Curtis Luck (67), Kirsten Rudgeley (68) and Abbie Teasdale (70) would both chip away at it but only marginally, McKinney giving up three shots late at 14, 17 and 18 to make the final margin of victory four.

A winner on the Tartan Pro Tour in his Scottish homeland last year, McKinney hopes to use the biggest win of his career as a platform for his debut season on the DP World Tour.

“It just gives me of confidence heading to Bahrain in a few weeks and looking forward to get going over there,” said McKinney.

“It definitely hasn't (sunk in) yet. It's just happened. To see all the boys and my dad and my brothers and stuff, all run onto the green there and celebrate with me there, it's pretty special.

“It’s something I've looked forward to for a long time, but to actually do it at home with everyone here is awesome.”

Winner of the Australian Amateur Championship and St Andrews Links Trophy in 2022, McKinney came through 252 holes of DP World Tour Qualifying School to wrap up a card for the 2026 season.

That rookie season has already begun, the way he accelerated away from the field in challenging conditions testimony to a young player with a bright future.

With Johnston looking to make a triumphant return to the winner’s circle and Luck and Rudgeley both eyeing off Sunday charges, McKinney’s 40-footer for eagle at the second hole of the day all but killed off the contest.

“When you roll in a 40-footer on the second hole of the day, you're like, OK, I could do something good today,” said McKinney, who had coach David Milne greenside to congratulate him and brother Archie on the bag.

“I knew there was a gap walking down 11. I’d played a lot of good golf.

“My goal at the start of the day was just to extend the lead and I'd done that in the end.

“I know (the lead) was considerably larger, but it was fine. I just struggled on that back nine all week for the wind and just couldn't quite get it right, but pieced it together and had a pretty solid run.”

The putter problems that plagued his round on Saturday continued to hurt Johnston’s quest for a first win in 10 years while Luck had four birdies on the back nine to share second with Rudgeley and Teasdale and secure his third top-10 finish of the season.

If McKinney’s win was a comfortable one, there was an extraordinary finish to the Webex Junior Players Series.

Based out of Lakelands Country Club, Kortni Houston (73) holed her second shot – a 7-iron from 155 metres – at the par-5 18th hole for the fourth albatross of the week, giving her a one-stroke win from Heejoo Cho (73).

Only one stroke separated the top two players in the Webex All Abilities Players Series, defending champion Steve Alderson going back-to-back from Lochie Smith with George Vassiliadis third.

 

 

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Photo: Travis Hayto/PGA of Australia

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