SUNDAY DECEMBER 4, 2016 - AUSTRALIAN PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
HAROLD VARNER III
• His first European Tour International Schedule victory in his fifth European Tour event.
Could move to just outside the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking, from 184th.
• The first, first-time winner of the 2017 European Tour season.
• This victory beats his previous best European Tour finish of tied second in the Australian PGA Championship, 12 months ago, where he lost a play-off to Nathan Holman.
• Becomes the first American to win the Australian PGA Championship since Hale Irwin in 1978.
• Becomes only the second American to win in the history of the Australian PGA Championship, following Hale Irwin in 1978.
• Playing in the Australian PGA Championship on an invitation. Becomes the first player to win on the European Tour after being given a sponsor’s invitation since Matthew Fitzpatrick at the 2016 Nordea Masters.
• Becomes the 31st different player in European Tour history to win a European Tour event via a sponsor's invite.
• Becomes the fifth American to win a European Tour event on Australian soil. They are, Steve Stricker (2001 WGC – Accenture Match Play), Kevin Stadler (2006 Johnnie Walker Classic), Tiger Woods (2009 JBWere Masters - Nov 2009), Bo Van Pelt (2012 Perth International) and Harold Varner III (2017 Australian PGA Championship).
• Becomes the first American winner on the European Tour since Brandt Snedeker (2016 Fiji International).
• Becomes the first, first-time American winner on the European Tour since Brandt Snedeker (2016 Fiji International).
Becomes the second consecutive first-time winner of the Australian PGA Championship, following Nathan Holman, since the event became part of the European Tour.
Becomes the first American to win the opening event of a new European Tour season since Phil Mickelson, won the 2008 HSBC Champions (before the event became part of the WGC series).
• Becomes the 209th American victory in European Tour history.
• Becomes the 90th different American to win in European Tour history.
