By Tony Webbeck

PGA senior players have praised the warm country hospitality of communities in Warren and Cobar after Western Plains golf clubs have hosted two big sports events.

Brad Burns consolidated his status as king of the sand greens on the 2025 PGA Legends Tour by sharing the WRL Engineering Warren Legends Pro-Am title with John Onions on Wednesday 30 April.

After winning the Australian PGA Senior Sand Greens Championship at Cobar Bowling and Golf Club in a playoff on Monday, Burns shot a round of 5-under-par 65 to match Onions, who picked up his third victory for 2025.

With a mixture of 12 grass and six sand scrape greens, the 5800m Warren Golf Club layout, north-west of Dubbo in country NSW, provided a unique challenge to the Legends field.

“I want to take all the sand home and start putting on that actually,” Burns joked.

“I putt really good on sand and not so good on grass.

“I was 6-under after 10 and then had a couple of three putts on the grass.”

Just five players broke the par of 70.

Warren Golf Course. IMAGE: GolfNSW

Looking for his first outright win of the year, Onions was cruising at 5-under through 15 holes before he slipped up with a double-bogey at the par-3 16th hole to hand Burns top spot.

A bounce back birdie on 17 saw the Victorian walk off the last hole one shot behind as Burns came to 16. However he also failed to make a par, his second bogey of the back nine leaving the Queenslander with two holes to regain the solo lead.

Playing in the final group, Burns parred 17 and 18 to settle for a share of the title, his fourth for 2025.

Burns said: “We always have a great time when we come here. It’s always good coming to the country. They’re all so hospitable and it’s always nice to come back.”

Onions said: “I’m happy to tie with the king of sand”.

T1 John Onions 65

T1 Brad Burns 65

T3 David Crawford 67

T3 Grahame Stinson 67

5 Tim Elliott 68

T6 Mark Boulton 70

T6 John Wade 70

T6 Nigel Weldon 70

The Warren Golf Club has also thanked players and PGA officials for the friendship and professionalism.