Words: Release/Paul Prendergast
Photo: PGA of Australia.
| 23-year-old David Puig has followed in the footsteps of his countryman, the great Seve Ballesteros, becoming just the second Spanish winner of the BMW Australian PGA Championship with a stunning two-shot victory. The 23-year-old fired a flawless 66 on Sunday to finish the tournament on 18-under par and secure his maiden DP World Tour title. Puig began the day in a three-way tie for the lead but soon found himself three clear at the summit after reeling off a hat-trick of birdies at the second, third and fourth. He then kept the chasing pack at bay by picking up further shots at the eighth and 13th before parring his way home to become the first winner of the 2026 DP World Tour season. “It feels unbelievable, especially winning here in Australia. They have awesome golf so I’m really excited and happy.” Puig said. “I was definitely nervous, but I think I kind of kept my composure really well. Obviously that start helped a lot.” With seasoned stars in Adam Scott, Marc Leishman and Min Woo Lee lurking just a few shots adrift before the start of the final round, Puig held all comers at bay with an all-round game that would have made Ballesteros smile – tremendous power from the tee, cautious aggression with his iron shots and when required, an extremely deft short game to extricate himself from some difficult situations. China’s Wenyi Ding finished alone in second on 16-under after making seven birdies and two bogeys in his closing 66, with Leishman and Nick Voke another shot back. The bulk of this field now head to join Rory McIlroy in the Crown Australian Open field at Royal Melbourne – over the same Composite layout that Ballesteros claimed his PGA Championship win in 1981. |
