Scot Born Aussie ‘Hangin’ Five’ In Bali Ahead Maiden DP World Tour Event

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Scottish-born Aussie Connor McKinney revealed he’d been enjoying ‘hangin five’ in Bali ahead of the excitement of making his DP World Tour debut at this week’s BMW Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane.

McKinney is proudly contesting his first event as a DP World Tour member having recently emerged successful in coming through the gruelling six rounds and 252-holes marathon that is Qualifying School in Spain.

The 23-year-old had been forced to go through all prior three Q-School stages having failed to retain exempt status on the secondary Hotel Planner Tour in 2024.

Near on a year ago, McKinney captured Australian golfing headines being the first in Australis for nearly 20-years to shoot a score of 59 at the Warragul Country Club to storm into contention in the second round of the Challenger Tour’s Gippsland Super 6.

He came to the 18th needing an eagle to break 60. After a perfect drive to 12 feet, he coolly poured in the putt to post his much-coveted score.

It was the first 59 on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, and the first in Australian professional golf since Brad McIntosh managed the feat at the Queensland PGA Championship at Emerald Lakes in 2005.

McKinney then kick-started his 2025 season by finishing runner-up at the Vic Open ahead of returning to his homeland of Scotland to compete on the Tartan Tour.

A maiden professional win in August at the Musselburgh Masters presented McKinney the platform from which to begin his Q School odyssey that ended with six rounds of Final Stage just two weeks ago.

McKinney then gave himself a week to chill out and he did that by venturing to Bali and a first ride on a surfboard.

“I took a surf lesson, that was awesome. Last wave I got all the way into shore standing up”, he said proudly.

“So the instructor told me after about five waves, because it would take me 20 minutes to paddle back out, he’s like, just jump off the wave halfway, otherwise you’re just going to have to paddle out and your arms are going to get a workout.

Of note is a triple-bogey on the seventh hole of the final round of First Stage was the only uncomfortable moment during McKinney’s Q School test of endurance, a 62 in the first round of Final Stage a mental buffer that can hold a player in good stead for five more days.

In the end, McKinney was officially second to earn a category that should allow him to play more than 20 events over the course of the season starting at a course where he has made the cut two of the past three years.

“It’s my fourth PGA; I’m getting old,” McKinney said grinning.

“I’m pretty comfortable around this track. I’ve had some good results and good performances here before, so I’m keen to get out there.

“I had a good week off after Q School because I think the best thing to do after that is just not touch a club for a week because it’ll catch up you pretty quickly.

“As mentioned, I went to Bali for a few days, chill, went out at home for another few days and got into the clubs middle of last week and been working since then.

“I’m feeling pretty fresh again.”

McKinney will not only contest this week’s BWM Australian PGA but he’s off to Melbourne next week and the Crown Australian Open where Grand Slam winning Rory McIlroy will tee-up, and then he’ll head west for the Mauritius Open.

“I think it was almost a blessing earning my DP World Tour card, not really having any status this year in Europe”, he said.

“Not having to go from Aus (Australia) and just go and play 25 events on Challenge. It worked out pretty good. At the time, you think it’s the end of the world, but when you have a bit of time to decompress and go, this is my plan for the year, I’m going to get better at this, get better at this.

“And every month it was just a good progression. Then winning on the Tartan Tour was, there was a lot of big steps for the pivotal points, but I think winning on the Tartan Tour was a big first step, first pro win and yeah, just took it from there and played good golf the rest of the season”.

To round off this piece McKinney was quizzed, and in what I will say were some of strangest questions but I guess also worthy to those who’ve no knowlege of his background, asked in a press conference .

Where’s your accent from Connor?

Born in Scotland.

You’re born there?

Yeah, lived in Perth for 10 years now.

Okay, so when did you get to Aussie?

Late 2015.

How old are you now?

23.

There you go. Okay. So get that little brogue there or because your own accent, not to make you self conscious or anything, but

It’s got everything I know. I don’t know what it is. No one can guess. I have to tell them.

Well said Connor and play well this week,

 

 



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