Matias Sanchez has won his maiden Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia title, with the Victorian taking out the Webex Players Series South Australia at Willunga.
Leading the tournament from round one, the 27-year-old closed with a final-round 71 to give him a 16-under-par total and a two-shot margin of victory over local South Australian hope Adam Bland, who closed with a 68.
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Blake Windred matched Bland’s final round score to share third on 13-under with West Australian Haydn Barron (71), while Jay Mackenzie and Douglas Klein closed out the top five at 12-under.
Sanchez, who gave the chasing pack occasional glimpses of hope on Sunday but closed strongly, was over the moon with his first tour victory.
“I’m so happy, I can’t really believe that it’s actually happened, and I’m just so stoked to get the win,” Sanchez said.
After four strong rounds, and a red-hot putter, Sanchez believed his impressive performance was down to more than just the flatstick.
“I putted really, really good for two-and-a-half [rounds] and I was wedging it really good too,” he said.
“When those things line up, it makes for a lot of birdie opportunities and today was a bit tough with the wind. I was just trying to play safe and play smart in certain spots and didn’t putt my best. But it was good that I just kept it in play today and that kind of put me through to the victory.”
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Sunday’s win didn’t come without its challenges with Sanchez having to resort to a left-handed shot from the trees at the 15th hole before making a bogey, while high winds and occasional heavy rain made it difficult for all on course.
“Something always goes wrong in golf, right?” he laughed of needing to switch hands.
“It felt like that was my moment and I just sort of told myself, Just try and hit the best shot possible from there. That’s sort of been our thing with my coach Tim [Wendel]. He’s just, Just quickly think about what’s the next best shot possible.
“You couldn’t place it in a worse spot under that tree, so I had to go left-handed and then, funnily enough, my third shot, I took the club away and a leaf popped up and it landed right on the ball – on it or just behind it – and it sort of distracted me and I should have probably stopped at the top of my backswing. But I still hit it and then I thought, That’s two pretty bad breaks.”
Returning back home to Melbourne on Sunday night, he said the celebrations might be quiet… for now.
“I’m flying home tonight so I might have a couple when I get home, but it’ll be pretty late so we’ll probably celebrate tomorrow or maybe over the weekend with some mates,” Sanchez said.
Only three women made the 36-hole cut of the mixed-field event, with Queenslander Justice Bosio leading the way in a share of 24th place at three-under-par.
After the second and final round for the All Abilities field, Victorian Tom Ryan finished with a score of 148 to emerge victorious over Willunga local Steven Alderson, while Malachy Marshall finished on top of the junior leaderboard for the second straight year after signing for a 75 on the final day to pip Alan Xin by one.
