The fairways were fun, and the swings were spirited as Mitchell officially teed off the 2025 Outback Queensland Masters (OQM) over the weekend, launching a 1,900 km golfing odyssey across Outback Queensland on the road to a million-dollar grand finale.
Kicking off in true outback style, Mitchell welcomed players from across Australia and even as far as Germany for the first leg of what’s now the world’s richest amateur golf event, with a jaw-dropping $1 million hole-in-one challenge and multiple $10,000 prize holes, including the highly anticipated guaranteed nearest-the-pin prize in Karumba.
Among the crowd were Andreas and Katrin Lief, two enthusiastic players who flew in from Germany to take part.
“I’m not the best, but I’m the funniest golfer!” Andreas Lief quipped, winning hearts if not trophies.
Hosted across six weekends from June 21 to July 27, the OQM takes competitors beyond the green, through the stories, scenery, and spirit of Outback Queensland. From Mitchell to Karumba, the journey includes stops in Augathella, Blackall, Alpha, and Richmond, each offering its own take on regional hospitality and sand green charm.
“The Outback Queensland Masters is more than golf, it’s a celebration of community, colour, and connection,” said Ryan Bailey, Events Coordinator for Queensland and Northern Territory at Golf Australia.
“This being the grand finale year makes it even more special. We’re putting Outback Queensland on the golfing map while encouraging everyone, no matter their handicap, to give it a go.”
Community is at the heart of the OQM, and nowhere was that more evident than at the Junior Golf Clinic hosted in Mitchell. Led by PGA Pro Scott Simons, the free clinics are offered at every Outback Qld Masters stop, giving young locals a chance to take their first swing.
“To have 32 kids turn up in a small town like Mitchell is just brilliant,” said Scott. “We had kids aged five to 14, some trying golf for the first time, others already weekend regulars at the local course. It shows real promise for the future of the sport out here.”
Swapping manicured greens for sand underfoot didn’t faze golfers from the Sunshine Coast, who joked about the unpredictability of outback courses,
“We’re used to lush fairways, but we love the challenge. What can we say, some days are diamonds, some days are stone!”
With the first swing now taken, the 2025 Outback Queensland Masters is well underway. Over 1,000 players are following it to its next stop in Augathella, each one chasing the ultimate amateur dream: the million-dollar hole-in-one finale in Karumba.
Presented by Golf Australia, the Outback Queensland Masters is proudly supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland.
RESULTS – ORANGE JACKET WINNERS
Women’s: Margaret Elliott of Forster-Tuncurry Golf Club with a score totalling 43 points
Men’s: Wayne Berginey of Pioneer Valley Golf Club with a score totalling 42 points
VIDEO NEWS RELEASE –GRABS + OVERLAY
Footage by: Pete Murray, M 0412 524 378 petermurrayholdings@gmail.com
INTERVIEWS
Luke Bates, State Manager
Queensland and Northern Territory, Golf Australia
Scott Simons, PGA Professional,
Golf Participation Manager, Golf Australia.