The Australian PGA Championship is the first event on the DP World Tour’s Opening Swing – the five-event series which takes place in the southern hemisphere between now and the end of the year, and marks the beginning of the 2026 Race to Dubai campaign.

There is no shortage of major championship acumen with three major-winning players – Cameron Smith, Adam Scott and Geoff Ogilvy – set to tee it up, but nobody in the field has more major championship-winning experience than caddie Steve Williams, on the bag for 13 of Tiger Woods’ 15 major victories and Adam Scott’s Masters win in 2013.

Williams, now 62, has retired as a full-time caddie but is making a surprise return at Royal Queensland Golf Club as he’s set to loop for Australian Anthony Quayle who is about to embark on a maiden DP World Tour campaign after earning his card via the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia’s order of merit last season.

“I’m just incredibly fortunate that Steve was willing to come and help me out,” Quale told Golf Digest Australia’s Evin Priest.

“It’s just a really cool experience. I think having somebody like Steve on your bag, you can’t help but feel you’ve maybe got a 15th club in the bag. There’s a fair bit of experience and golf IQ that comes along with his career. Just really excited about the next couple weeks.”

Williams has no intention of returning to work full time, but will again be on Quayle’s bag at next week’s Australian Open where the tournament winner will earn berths at Royal Birkdale for the Open Championship in July and at Augusta National for the Masters in April.

“Probably the way we’ve approached the event,” Quayle replied when asked how Williams’ addition has been impactful.

“I think it’s less time, more focus. Steve’s introduced me to preparing and keeping it fun and light-hearted but really engaged at the same time.

“I’m listening to some of the stories and the experience and trying to draw on a bit of that as well. For me, there is an educational aspect and an aspirational aspect to it.”

While Williams himself wasn’t overly familiar with Quayle’s talents prior to this week, he likes what he sees and feels that, should he somehow manage to win next week’s Australian Open, he could make a splash at Augusta National.

William also feels that the addition of the Masters exemption has been huge for Australian golf and will help elevate the historic Australian Open back to its rightful place as one of the most highly sought of the national opens.

“Anthony’s had a lot of experience and he’s got the great opportunity this year of playing on the DP World Tour.

“It’s a first time experience for him and he’s got the talent and ability. If I can pass on any information that might assist him in his journey, it’s worth it. I don’t look at it from the results standpoint these two weeks, it’s about what he can get out of me and to encourage him to fulfil his potential.”

He added: “Anthony’s got the game. “It’s the first time I’ve seen him play up close and that should he be fortunate enough to get a win at the Australian Open, he’s got the game to play at Augusta.

“Everybody next week will be excited. It just brings another level to the Australian Open. It’s a fantastic event in itself and if you look at that Stonehaven Cup through the years, and the great players who travelled the world and won the Australian Open, Gary Player, Greg Norman, Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus for example, and it was always considered along with the Canadian Open, outside of the majors, as one of the most important tournaments in golf.

“Now that the Augusta is inviting the winner to play the Masters, it just gives an added edge a bit more importance to it. So, there’ll be a lot of on the line next Sunday afternoon.”