Spain’s David Puig shot a flawless 66 Sunday at Royal Queensland to capture his third professional title. But this one, the Australian PGA Championship, was his biggest victory to date, topping a stout field in the DP World Tour’s season opener, while also becoming just the second Spaniard to win the heralded event, matching the late Seve Ballesteros, who won in 1981.
Puig, who turns 24 on December 7, was bogey-free over the weekend and only recorded two bogeys all week, shooting 68-67-65-66 for an 18-under 266 total. China’s Wenyi Ding was in second, two shots back. Aussie Marc Leishman was tied for third and Min Woo Lee tied for fifth place. Adam Scott was seventh.
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“It feels amazing. I’ve really had a lot of close calls in a few events throughout this year and last year and I kind of wasn’t able to pull it through,” said Puig, who plays on LIV Golf. “It feels unbelievable especially to win here in Australia and I played some awesome golf so I’m really excited and happy.”
There were a packed leaderboard to start the final round but Puig birdied three of the first four holes to quickly jump out in front. More birdies came at Nos. 8 and 13 and pars the rest of the way were good enough to seal the deal. Puig’s other two professional victories came on the Asian Tour in Singapore (2023) and Malaysia (2024). This event is co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australia and the DP World Tour, with this being its first of the new season.
“My name, being with Seve’s name as the only two [Spaniards] … makes it even more special,” Puig said. “I never saw him play in person, which sucks to be honest. I watched replays of every major he won and all he did. He’s such a big figure for Spanish golf. His presence and everything he accomplished; it’s marked in Spanish players and in a way we try to be like him.”
Puig left Arizona State before his senior year to join LIV Golf back in 2022. His best finish this year in that league was fourth place, which he did three times—in Adelaide, Singapore and Indianapolis. His best career finish with LIV Golf is a third-place tie in 2024 in Houston.
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