A field laden with PGA Tour of Australasia stars took to the undulating Emu Park Golf Club layout in preparation for the $60,000 Ian Weigh Toyota Rockhampton Pro-Am starting Friday.

While the likes of Lincoln Tighe (66), Doug Klein (67), David Bransdon (67) and Deyen Lawson (67) were all in contention late, it was Walker (7-under 65) who made a late surge to beat Tighe by one.

Beginning his round at Emu Park from the 10th tee, Walker opened with five straight pars before the making the first of two eagles at the par-5 15th.

A birdie at the par-3 17th saw him head to the front nine 3-under but again it took until later in the nine to advance further up the leaderboard.

A birdie at the short par-4 fourth was followed by another at the par-5 seventh yet it would be the eagle at the 283-metre par-4 eighth that would ultimately prove the difference.

Unaware of his position on the leaderboard until leaving the eighth green, Walker conceded that he had to overcome somewhat of a negative mindset as he stood on the ninth tee.

“Don’t snap hook it on the next,” was Walker’s first thought.

“It was nice to know that I looked like I had a two-shot buffer going up the last. Played it safe and got away with it and here we are.

“It feels great. Whenever you win an event, whether it’s big or small, it’s a good achievement. It’s awesome.”

Winner of the Tasmanian Open as an amateur in February, Walker joined the pro ranks little over a month ago and has transitioned seamlessly.

He has been tapping into the experience of prolific pro-am winners such as Brett Rankin and Tim Hart and is now feeling more at home heading to one of the biggest events of the season.

“It’s just another great opportunity to see where you’re at,” Walker said of the even stronger field expected to converge on Rockhampton Golf Club later this week.

“See if the golf is trending in the right direction and where you want it. I’m excited to tee it up there.

“I’ve been able to mix with a couple of the players that I haven’t been able to mix with, guys like Brett Rankin and Tim Hart. I’ve been able to talk to them and pick their brains a little bit so I feel a little bit more comfortable out here.”

Tighe had the one eagle at the par-5 seventh in his round of 6-under 66 that secured outright second, Klein, Bransdon and Lawson finishing in an eight-way tie for third with Ryley Martin, Konrad Ciupek, Brad Hallam, Zach Maxwell and Gavin Fairfax.

The next stop on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series schedule is the 54-hole Ian Weigh Toyota Rockhampton Pro-Am starting Friday.

Final scores and prize money