The Moree Golf Club layout in north-west New South Wales proved a stern test over the two days, Weldon the only player in the field not to record at least one over-par round.

He posted rounds of 72-71 to finish at 1-under and hold off prolific winners David McKenzie (74) and Adam Henwood (70) by a single stroke.

But Weldon’s breakthrough wasn’t without drama.

Having started his second round from the third hole, Weldon mistakenly played down the 10th fairway rather than the adjacent second hole.

“The amateurs of my group didn’t say anything. They just thought I was trying to play it that way,” Weldon said of his mistake from the tee.

“I thought they were on the wrong fairway themselves. I’ve hit it to six feet and then realised I’m on the wrong green.

“I’ve had to take a drop off the side, hit it onto the other green, and then I ended up making a double (bogey) to finish.

“It was a bit nerve-wracking at that point but got there in the end.”

HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED

Weldon began Round 2 two strokes back of McKenzie but with two opening birdies at thee and four – and McKenzie’s bogey on one – he quickly assumed a front-running position.

That position was strengthened when he made birdie at the par-5 ninth and then moved well clear with eagle at the par-5 15th.

Like McKenzie, Weldon dropped a shot at the par-3 first but thankfully had enough of a buffer to absorb his double-bogey on the final hole to hold on for a one-shot win.

WHAT THE WINNER SAID

“It’s a great course, tough course in parts and you’ve got to hit it to certain positions,” said Weldon.

“If you’re out of position you’ve got to work pretty hard but I putted and chipped well. That was the key for me.

“I did have a couple of looks (at the leaderboard) through the day because the boys had pre-warned me and said it doesn’t hurt to have a little peek.

“I knew I was comfortably in front and I wasn’t trying to do anything silly. Had a bit of a debacle on the last, but not to worry.

“It is a bit nerve-wracking, especially my first one trying to get that monkey off my back, but I felt like I handled it OK.”

LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1          Nigel Weldon               72-71—143
T2        David McKenzie           70-74—144
T2        Adam Henwood          74-70—144
4          Marcus Cain                 73-72—145
T5        Andre Stolz                  75-71—146
T5        Andre Stolz                  75-71—146
T5        Simon Tooman            76-70—146

NEXT UP

The PGA Legends Tour heads further north on Sunday for the Casino Legends Pro-Am to be followed on Monday by the Lismore Workers Legends Pro-Am.