Barooga, New South Wales — 30 October 2026. England's Nicholas Marsh won the 2026 PGA Associates National Championship at Cobram Barooga Golf Club, defeating South Australian Joseph Hodgson in a playoff after both finished 72 holes on 282 strokes (six under par). Back at the 18th for the first extra hole, Marsh made par and Hodgson made bogey. The result is an Australian championship staged in New South Wales, not a tournament held in England, despite the winner's nationality.
Four behind entering the last round
Hodgson, representing Mount Osmond Golf Club in South Australia, led Marsh by four strokes overnight. His second-round 64 had established a substantial advantage, but rounds of 73 and 75 to finish left him on 70–64–73–75 = 282 (−6).
Marsh's first three rounds of 70, 71 and 70 left him at five under. He was five strokes behind during the final round after playing the opening nine in one over, but recovered with a bogey-free back nine featuring two birdies. A closing 71 (−1) produced the same 282 (−6) total and forced a playoff. When the pair returned to the 18th tee, Marsh's par was enough after Hodgson recorded a bogey. Marsh's four-round sequence was 70–71–70–71.
An Australian PGA berth despite missing the title
For Hodgson, the playoff loss still brought a major opportunity. As the leading Australian PGA Associate in the championship, he earned an exemption into the BMW Australian PGA Championship, scheduled for 26–29 November at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney. An international visitor taking the overall title therefore did not prevent the leading domestic Associate from securing a pathway into a major home event.
Defending champion Lachlan Chamberlain shared third place on five under par with Matthew McLaughlin and William Meredith, one stroke outside the playoff.
Kelly Zhou, from Victoria, also earned an exemption into a mutually agreed WPGA Tour of Australasia event. Zhou and Aiyana Samos Morris were the two women to make the cut, sharing 41st on 12 over par; Zhou received the berth on countback. The particular WPGA event has not been announced, so no event or date is assigned to that exemption.
A remarkable double for Marsh
The 32-year-old Englishman had already won July's Coca-Cola PGA Assistants' Championship at Kedleston Park in Britain. That achievement helped open the route to the Australian event through cooperation between the two PGA organisations. Marsh is undertaking his PGA training at Vipingo Ridge in Kenya, mentored by his father David Marsh, a long-serving PGA professional.
The Australian tournament was held in Barooga, NSW, on the New South Wales side of the Murray River. The neighbouring town of Cobram is in Victoria, but the club's official postal address is in Barooga. The regional venue provided a compelling finale as overseas and domestic Associates competed for the title and future tour opportunities.
Sources: Golf Australia and the PGA of Australia; Cobram Barooga Golf Club; The PGA's British assistants championship.
