Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This has been a great few weeks for golf in Australia. Next door, in room 2R2, we have some of the elite golfers in Australia and about 20 members of parliament. Ten days ago, legendary Australian golfer Peter Senior won the Australian Masters in Huntingdale for the third time—an amazing feat for someone in their mid-50s. Yesterday, at the Australian Open in Sydney we witnessed one of Australia's rising golf stars Matt Jones win the Emirates Australian Open, prevailing over world No. 1 Jordan Spieth and our very own Adam Scott, who finished third. Matt Jones is currently ranked 75th, but after yesterday's win he will be a lot higher up the ladder than that.

This afternoon we are honoured to have the British Open winner Ian Baker-Finch in Parliament House joining the CEOs of the PGA and Golf Australia, Brian Thorburn and Stephen Pitt, to brief us on the state of golf in Australia. This week, we see the Australian PGA Championship unfold at the RACV Royal Pines on the Gold Coast with the inaugural Greg Norman Medal dinner. Greg Norman himself will be in attendance, and will announce the winner of that prestigious award. And if anyone wants to know what it is the equivalent of, it is like winning the Allan Border Medal. This will be the Greg Norman Medal. Drawn from male and female professional golfers based on their international success, that dinner will become golf's night of nights and a highlight on the Australian golfing calendar. I wish all the nominees for that award, as well as all the players competing in the PGA Championship, the very best and I wish all success to Golf Australia and the PGA and everyone who participates in this great sport.