WOLLONGONG, Australia -  A capacity crowd watched 2011 PBR Australian Champion Jock Connolly take the win at the first Australian Cup Series event of the new season Saturday night at the Win Entertainment Centre. The only rider to cover three bulls, Connolly suffered a suspected broken collar bone on his final ride of the night, which may sideline him for the remainder of the season.

The 35-year-old, who has been plagued with injuries throughout 2012, made the most of every ride, scoring 85 points on his first bull and 85.5 points on his second bull, putting him in the top spot going into the championship round.

With the crowd at its feet, Connolly had already won the Wollongong Invitational, but true to form, he delivered the highest-marked ride of the night with an 88.5-point score aboard Zorro, giving him a three-bull total of 258.5 points. Connolly, who did not make the original cut for the Cup Series, secured a spot when another rider had to withdraw because of injury.

Jock Connolly at the Wollongong Invitational. Photo by Phillip Wittke.

Jordan Hupp, a regular on the Built Ford Tough Series, and current top-ranked Australian Troy Wilkinson shared second with 169.5 points on two bulls. BFTS veteran and Australian Brendon Clark finished fourth with 168 points, while David Kennedy, the reigning PBR Australia Champion, placed fifth with 160 points.

Texan Zack Brown won the first round with 88 points, while Hupp and Australian Fraser Babbington tied for the top mark in Round 2, each posting 86 points. In all, over 50 percent of the bulls were ridden in the competition.

The Cup Series heads to Townsville next weekend for the Troy Dunn Invitational, before traveling to Tamworth for the Tamworth Invitational on Nov. 24.

PBR Australian Cup Series
Wollongong Invitational
Win Entertainment Centre

Round 1
1. Zack Brown, 88 points.
2. Troy Wilkinson, 87 points.
3. Jock Connolly, 85 points.
4. Brendon Clark, 84.5 points.

Round 2
t1. Jordan Hupp, 86 points.
t1. Fraser Babbington, 86 points.
3. Jock Connolly, 85.5 points.
4. Lachlan Richardson, 84 points.

Championship Round
1. Jock Connolly, 88.5 points.

Average
1. Jock Connolly, 258.5 points.
t2. Jordan Hupp, 169.5 points.
t2. Troy Wilkinson, 169.5 points.
4. Brendon Clark, 168 points.
5. Dave Kennedy, 160 points.