South Australian Jack Buchanan pipped Mount Lawley ace Jordan Doull to the WA PGA Championship title in a sudden-death playoff at Kalgoorlie Golf Course.
On a day in which three players began with a share of the lead and contenders came and went throughout an absorbing afternoon, Buchanan (66) and Doull (67) both finished at 17-under-par, forcing an extension to their duel in the desert.
After a disastrous tee shot on the 72nd hole that led to a closing bogey, Buchanan took the first playoff hole by the scruff of the neck with a bomb down the centre of the fairway.
Doull was forced to scramble his way to the green after his tee shot missed the fairway left yet looked to have stolen the win when he bombed his 40-foot birdie putt.
Buchanan then had to make his own putt for birdie from six feet, finding just enough of the left edge to send the playoff down 18 for a second time.
The fairway again proved difficult to find from the tee, Doull’s hopes taking a hit when he was forced to play his second shot backwards to the safety of the fairway from a gnarly lie in the rough stuff.
Although both players found themselves in the bunker to the right of the green, Buchanan had one shot up his sleeve, converting his putt from 10 feet for the birdie that would clinch his maiden Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia title. View the final leaderboard here.
Twenty-two-year-old Jack Buchanan bagged his first tour win
Doull can console himself with the $25,000 runner-up cheque, as well as taking heart from a typically dogged performance that shows he’ll be a force to be reckoned with on his rookie season on tour.
He will certainly fancy his chances of impressing in this week’s Bowra & O’Dea Nexus Advisernet WA Open at Mandurah Country Club.
In the concurrent WA PGA All Abilities Championship, Sawtell Golf Club’s Lachlan Smith celebrated his first All Abilities victory – and looks set to be the favourite for the WA Open All Abilities crown this week.
