WA’s Jordan Doull secured his maiden tour title on an absorbing final day’s play at the inaugural Webex Players Series Perth event.
Mount Lawley member Doull edged out Haydn Barron in a two-hole playoff after the pair had tied at the top of the leaderboard on a day of high drama at Royal Fremantle.
Twenty-five-year-old Doull had roared into contention with a best-of-the-day 64 on Saturday and continued his fine form over the opening nine holes of his final round, reaching the turn in just 31 strokes, five under the card.
A further birdie at the 10th moved him to -18 for the championship and it looked odds-on that he would win the event in regulation play when he held a two-shot lead over Barron and Kirsten Rudgeley when standing over his approach to the 18th green.
However, an untimely push into rough short and right of the green was followed by a pitch past the hole and a three-putt for his only dropped shot of the day.
That left the door ajar for fellow West Aussies Barron and Rudgeley – playing behind in the final group – if they could conjure up at least a birdie of their own.
It wasn’t to be for 54-hole leader Rudgeley, whose birdie effort agonisingly refused to drop. Barron, however, ran an eagle attempt that would have won him the tournament 10 feet past before coolly stepping up to hole the birdie putt and send the tournament to extra holes.
Both Doull and Barron made birdie at the first playoff hole with clutch downhill putts, sending them back to the 18th tee to do it all again.
After finding the left rough off the tee, Barron had to chip out sideways, while Doull was able to fashion a shot just short of the green after also hitting out of the trees left of the fairway.
After a short approach, Barron missed his birdie putt from the front left of the green, allowing Doull to clinch a breakthrough Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia victory in his rookie season with a birdie from 12 feet.
A loss to Jack Buchanan in a playoff at the WA PGA Championship in October was vindication that Doull could compete at this level, his win projected to move him inside the top 10 on the 2024-2025 Order of Merit.
Doull was overcome by emotion as he gave his winners’ speech and acknowledged to GolfWA just how big a deal it was for him to claim his breakthrough win on home soil.
“You dream of it as a kid. You always want to win Majors and big events, but to win in front of a home crowd like this, there’s just nothing better,” he said.
“My sights are now set on finishing in the top 10 of the Order of Merit this year and see where that takes me.”
As well as pocketing $45,000, Doull’s win earns him a two-year exemption on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
View the final leaderboard here.
Minjee Lee was on hand to present the winners’ trophies to Steve Alderson, Krishav Sheth and Jordan Doull
WA golf fans the real winners
The inaugural Webex Players Series Perth event hosted by superstars Minjee and Min Woo Lee, and offered WA golf fans a rare chance to see the nation’s leading men and women professionals going head-to-head for the same prize purse in mixed pairings.
With pleasingly cool conditions prevailing throughout tournament week, the course was packed with spectators, while the presence of the Lee siblings adding an extra touch of star quality to proceedings.
The leaderboard was also packed with WA talent over the weekend, with Rudgeley ultimately sharing 3rd place with QLD’s Anthony Quayle at -16 and Jason Scrivener a shot further back in T5th alongside the fast-finishing James Marchesani.
The ever-popular Brett Rumford also rolled back the years with a vintage display on his way to a T8th finish at -13 for the championship.
The inclusive event also featured Junior and All Abilities championships. Krishav Sheth (Lake Karrinyup) edged home-club favourite Kloden Brown in a playoff to land the junior crown, while Steve Alderson recorded a 10-shot win in the All Abilities event.
Crowds flocked to Royal Fremantle throughout the week
