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It took five years to win his first but just five days to snare a second as Jake McLeod claimed the Belle Property Mount Coolum Pro-Am at Mount Coolum Golf Club.
On a day in which Toby Walker and Cooper Eccleston both recorded hole-in-ones, it was McLeod’s 6-under 66 that proved to be the day’s best, Eccleston (67) sharing second spot with Craig Goodall (67).
Joint victor with Brett Rankin, McLeod’s win at last week’s Howeston Pro-Am was his first on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series and his first win anywhere since the 2018 NSW Open.
With a taste for the winner’s circle, McLeod used a blistering start to pick up his second on a drizzly day at Mount Coolum.
Starting from the 10th tee, McLeod began his round with two straight birdies and after a bogey at the par-3 14th bounced back in style.
An eagle at the par-5 15th was followed by back-to-back birdies at 16 and 17 for an outward nine of 5-under 31 that was the cornerstone of his round.
“I teed off 10 and got off to a fast start,” McLeod revealed post round.
“I birdied the first couple and then had an eagle a few holes later and then a couple of birdies to back that up. I was maybe 5-under through eight holes which is a good start and then just hung on until the end really.
“I played nicely, just had a lot of pars coming in.”
Not a regular competitor on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series, McLeod paid tribute to the presentation of a golf course that he said set up well for him.
“The course was in good shape. I thought the greens were really nice,” he added.
“A lot of the tee shots out there suited my tee. It’s quite tight so I enjoyed it.”
Walker was the first to make an ace with a perfect 7-iron from 145 metres at the par-3 16th. Incredibly, his hole-in-one came directly after an eagle at the par-5 15th in his round of 3-under 69.
Eccleston’s hole-in-one came at the short par-3 12th with a pitching wedge from 120m and was book-ended by two birdies on either side for a 6-under stretch through five holes.
There was a three-way tie for fourth at 4-under, Nathan Barbieri and Gavin Fairfax both going bogey-free to finish level with home-course favourite TJ King.
The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series now moves into the Northern Rivers of New South Wales for a new event, the McGrath Estate Agents Ballina Pro-Am at Ballina Golf Club on Thursday.
