Propelled to the top of the leaderboard through two rounds courtesy of an eagle at the par-5 17th on Saturday, Leaney started the final round with a one-shot buffer and with designs on a breakthrough win on the US seniors tour.

A birdie at the opening hole was a step in the right direction but his even par round of 71 was swamped by a host of players late, Scott Parel’s 8-under 63 carrying him to a two-stroke victory.

“It’s all about controlling yourself,” Leaney said prior to the final round.

“I can’t control what anyone else does. And regardless of who’s behind me… I know that someone is going to go out and shoot a low score, so you can’t just hold on to what you’ve got.”

Forced to return to Q School in December despite three top-10s in his rookie season last year, Leaney opened his 2020 campaign with a top 10 at the inaugural Morocco Champions event, his tie for fifth this week his best finish in senior company.

Three sub-70 rounds saw Rod Pampling finish in a tie for 17th with the only other Australian in the field David McKenzie closing with his best round of the week – 2-under 69 – to be tied for 67th.

As his brother experienced the highs and lows of a playoff loss at the Queensland PGA Championship on Sunday, Jamie Arnold also endured an up-and-down week at the Korn Ferry Tour’s LECOM Suncoast Classic.

One shot off the lead following an opening round of 6-under 66, Arnold fell back in the pack with a 72 in the second round only to rocket back into the top-15 through three rounds courtesy of a 7-under 65 that featured an eagle and six birdies.

Even par through nine holes, back-to-back birdies at 10 and 11 kept Arnold in the hunt for a high finish but a bogey-bogey finish resulted in a fall to a tie for 32nd, three shots to the better of the next best Aussie Ryan Ruffels in a tie for 51st.

Champions Tour
Chubb Classic
The Classics @ Lely Resort, Naples, Florida

T5           Stephen Leaney    65-65-71—201   $US66,133
T17         Rod Pampling    69-67-69—205   $21,947
T67         David McKenzie   74-75-69—218   $1,568

Korn Ferry Tour
LECOM Suncoast Classic
Lakewood National GC, Lakewood Ranch, Florida

T32         Jamie Arnold      66-72-65-71—274             $US3,690
T51         Ryan Ruffels       71-67-69-70—277             $2,568
MC         Curtis Luck          72-68—140
MC         Steven Alker      75-68—143
MC         Brett Coletta      71-73—144
MC         Brett Drewitt     73-71—144
MC         Steven Bowditch 76-77—153

Challenge Tour
Dimension Data Pro-Am
Fancourt Golf Estate, George, South Africa

T8           Daniel Hillier   65-68-71-71—275             €7,382
​MC         Deyen Lawson  69-71-76—216