Marking the first time that the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia offered a Qualifying School outside Australia, the 72-hole qualifier at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club ended in unfortunate and dramatic fashion.<\/p>\n
Malec (68) and Patrick Healy (67) finished level at the top of the leaderboard at 8-under par, a playoff needed to determine who would be crowned medallist and exempt into every event of the 2025\/2026 season.<\/p>\n
Malec and Healy were on the green at the second playoff hole when Healy realised that he had a 15th club in the bag, having returned a second putter to his bag prior to the playoff in preparation to leave the golf course.<\/p>\n
A 34-year-old journeyman with limited starts on the Korn Ferry Tour and Canadian Tour stretching back a decade, Malec had a good look at birdie on the second playoff hole, stunned when Healy conceded defeat due to the rules infraction.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel for him. Really, I do. It\u2019s just an unfortunate thing,\u201d said an emotional Malec.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really wanted to hit that birdie putt. It\u2019s OK. I\u2019ll take the result.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bogey-free in the final round and with Healy playing in the group ahead, Malec had to make par on the final hole to force a playoff.<\/p>\n
He can now look ahead to a summer playing golf Down Under including starts in DP World Tour co-sanctioned events at the BMW Australian PGA Championship and the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne Golf Club, an unfathomable thought even a week ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is just so hard for me to wrap my head around that I have to plan my way over to Australia now,\u201d said Malec.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was kind of a spur-of-the-moment sign-up. I signed up last minute. I just heard about it and felt like it was a good opportunity and here I am and it worked out.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been kind of grinding my way along on all these other mini tours, fell short in Canada Q School and honestly, the cash was running low.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just kind of believed that I was playing well, although my results weren\u2019t there.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just grateful that I came and it worked out.\u201d<\/p>\n
While devastated at the manner in which the playoff ended, Healy is one of seven players who receive a category for the upcoming Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season that starts with the PNG Open at Royal Port Moresby Golf Club from August 14-17.<\/p>\n
The other players to receive a category are Dustin White (71), Harrison Davis (68), Jayce Hargrove (70), Ty Gingerich (71), Jason Leasure (71) and New South Wales amateur Hamish Murray (74).<\/p>\n