Even though he expects to win every golf tournament he enters, Austin Bautista was shocked when he came from behind in the final round today to clinch the inaugural Webex Players Series South Australia hosted by Greg Blewett.
A sensational closing nine of six-under-par 29 at Willunga Golf Course, plus some late mishaps among the other chief contenders trying to seal their biggest career win, saw Sydney’s Bautista emerge as a one-shot victor at 11-under, his second Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia title.
The 26-year-old’s 64 with eight birdies matched the low round of the day and followed opening rounds of 65-71-68.
Overnight leader Andrew Campbell (NSW), Josh Greer (WA) and Corey Lamb (NSW) shared second position and will have plenty of “what-if” stories.
A self-confessed “bad swing” from Campbell on the par-3 14th saw his ball cannon into the trees and out-of-bounds into a neighbouring McLaren Vale vineyard leading to a double-bogey, dropping him from the lead.
Greer was steady for much of the afternoon in just his third event as a professional, but couldn’t birdie the last hole after managing a three on each of the first three days, while Lamb suffered a cruel end on the 18th, making a bogey from 50 metres short of the green with his tee shot when a par would have forced a playoff.
Meanwhile, Bautista was “having a back nine”, fist-pumping his way to four birdies in the last six holes, not knowing where he stood on the leaderboard until he finished.
“Golf is just wild. I’ve missed so many cuts I’ve thought about quitting,” said Bautista, who failed by a shot to play the last 36 holes in the tour’s two WA events this month.
“I’ve always been confident in my game and I think I can win every week. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. If I make putts and get on roll, it just feels like a video game.”
An enthralling final round began with Campbell in front by one, but he was soon overtaken by Lamb who birdied three of his first four holes to grab a two-shot advantage.
By the time they reached the turn, the duo had been joined in a four-way tie at the top by Sam Brazel (NSW), who pitched in for an eagle on the ninth, and Kade McBride (Qld), who played the front nine in just 30 strokes.
McBride was the first to drop away with a three-putt bogey on the 14th followed by a double-bogey on 15 ending his charge, although he still posted a 66 to tie for sixth with Victorian James Marchesani (65) and Brazel (69) who couldn’t keep his momentum going. Veteran Queenslander Michael Wright (66) was outright fifth.
The only woman to make the weekend play, Queenslander Robyn Choi, closed with a one-under par 71 to finish equal 19th at 4-under for the tournament, and will head home as the new Willunga women’s course record holder after a 67 on day one.
CKB WA PGA winner Ben Eccles had another good Sunday, posting a 64 to also finish at 4-under, while local favourite Lachlan Barker (73) ended the week tied for 36th at one-under.
Next up
The PGA Tour of Australasia will have a week off before the Queensland PGA Championship at Nudgee Golf Club (November 2-5), while the next Webex Players Series event will be in honour of Jarrod Lyle at Cobram-Barooga on the Murray River (January 18-21).
All-Abilities
The host club’s Steven Alderson claimed a one-shot victory in the Webex All-Abilities Players Series event, holding off Lachlan Wood, who was seeking three straight wins after back-to-back titles in Western Australia.
Alderson led Wood by six shots after Saturday’s play but followed an opening round 69 with a 77, while the Hervey Bay professional closed with a 72.
“I’ve always wanted to be a professional golfer and to get the chance to play in an event like this one has been a big thrill,” he said.
Juniors
An outstanding two-under-par 68 gave 12-year-old Katie Seol from Royal Adelaide the victory in the 36-hole Webex Junior Players Series event.
The South Australian junior squad member, who started the final round six shots behind after an opening 79 and was playing in front of her Korean grandparents, birdied two of her final four holes to only miss out on matching Robyn Choi’s course record by one stroke.
She finished the two rounds on seven-over, one ahead of Glenelg’s Kade Bryant (76-72)
