First up this week is the fourth staging of the Heritage Classic at The Heritage Golf and Country Club in Melbourne\u2019s famed Yarra Valley, the site of James Conran\u2019s history-making triumph 12 months ago.<\/p>\n
Conran\u2019s win made he and his father, Steven, the first father-son duo with wins on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, but he will have a hard time going back to back.<\/p>\n
Fresh off his win at the sixth playoff hole at the ISPS HANDA Japan-Australasia event in Auckland on Sunday, Travis Smyth comes to the Heritage Classic as the new No.1 on the Order of Merit and seeking to cement that status in just his fourth start of the year.<\/p>\n
The 31-year-old has a more than 200-point buffer from second-placed Cameron John and, like Elvis Smylie a year go, can clinch the DP World Tour card and a ticket to The Open Championship at the penultimate event of the year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m looking forward to playing in the Heritage and then the season finale at The National,\u201d said Smyth.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know I\u2019m going to be up there for a chance to play for that top spot, to get on the DP World Tour, which would be amazing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been trying to take my game to another tour for years now. I\u2019ve gone to Korn Ferry a handful of times and haven\u2019t been successful, so if I can clinch one of those spots, I\u2019ll be very happy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Like Smyth, former Order of Merit champion David Micheluzzi plays his fourth event of the season this week, but is hunting his first made cut, having failed to make the weekend at the BMW Australian PGA Championship, Crown Australian Open and Victorian PGA Championship.<\/p>\n
The hunt for the second and third spots on the Order of Merit is also set to intensify, with just 170 points separating third-placed James Marchesani and sixth-placed Haydn Barron –\u00a0190 points up for grabs for the winner both this week and the season finale at The National in a fortnight\u2019s time.<\/p>\n
The final two rounds of the Heritage Classic will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo Sports at the later times of 4pm-7pm AEDT Saturday and 2pm-7pm AEDT Sunday.<\/p>\n
Heritage Classic
The Heritage Golf and CC (St John Cse)
Prizemoney: $250,000
TV times: Live 4pm-7pm AEDT Saturday; Live 2pm-7pm AEDT Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo Sports.<\/p>\n
Players to watch
Travis Smyth \u2013 ISPS HANDA Japan-Australasia champion, Order of Merit leader
David Micheluzzi \u2013 2022\/2023 Order of Merit champion
Cameron John \u2013 Queensland PGA and Vic Open champion
James Conran \u2013 Defending champion
Matthew Griffin \u2013 2024 champion and course record holder
Billy Dowling \u2013 Reigning Australian Amateur champion<\/p>\n
Past champions
2025 James Conran
2024 Matthew Griffin
2013 David Bransdon<\/p>\n
\n \u00a9 Golf Australia. All rights reserved.
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