The two prolific winners on the PGA Legends Tour tied at 1-under-par after 36 holes and then had matching pars across the sudden-death playoff, staged on the 351 par-4 eighth hole, before it was agreed they would share the title.

In the quickly fading light, a resolute Burns had forced a sixth hole by draining a five-metre putt.

It was the third PGA Legends Tour win in a row for Order of Merit leader Stolz, who was coming off wins in the ACT Senior PGA Championship and the Cowra Lamb Legends Pro-Am.

Burns made it six victories for 2024, but his first since June.

The duo both posted rounds of 71-68 at Cromer to finish one shot ahead of David Mackenzie (70-70). The Victorian would have made it a three-way playoff had he not bogeyed his second last hole, the par-4 18th.

Lucas Bates had led after an opening round of 68 but dropped to T7 with a 75 on day two.

Meanwhile, Peter Lonard produced the low round of the event in the second round, a 5-under 65, but a 77 on the opening day left him too much ground to make up.

HOW THE WINNERS’ SCORES UNFOLDED

After finishing round one tied for sixth, Stolz began his second round on the ninth hole and Burns on the 18th.

It was Stolz who looked like taking the title outright when he picked up his fourth birdie of the day, at the par-4 sixth, but he dropped back to -1 with a bogey on his last hole, the par-4 eighth.

Burns hit stride with back-to-back birdies at the second and third but put himself into a difficult position with consecutive bogeys at 13 and 14.

However he birdied the par-3 15th, made an up-and-down for par after finding the water on 16, and birdied and his final hole, the par-4 17th, to secure his playoff spot.

WHAT THE WINNER SAID

“That wasn’t bad, was it. First putt I holed all day,” Burns joked after denying Stolz the outright win on the 41st hole.

Stolz said: “We probably shouldn’t have really played that last hole, to be honest. We couldn’t really see. Everyone in the clubhouse was all excited so we thought we’d keep going. It’s a great big boy golf course this one and I was happy to have a chance to try and win.”

LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN

-1: Andre Stolz (Qld) 71-68; Brad Burns (Qld) 71-68

Even: David Mackenzie (Vic) 70-70

+1: Anthony Summers (NSW) 72-69

+2: Peter Lonard (NSW) 77-65; Mark Gibson (Qld) 69-73

NEXT UP

The PGA Legends Tour heads to the Blue Mountains for the Fidelity Capital Group Charity Legends Pro-Am at Springwood Country Club on Thursday and The Blackheath Centenary Year Legends Pro-Am at Blackheath Golf Club on Friday.