Harold Varner III put last season’s
play-off heartbreak behind him to card a closing round of 65 and win his first
European Tour title at the Australian PGA Championship.

Varner entered the final round 12 months
ago in a share of the lead, but a closing 75 in testing conditions at RACV
Royal Pines Resort saw the American finish level par and lose out on the first
play-off hole to Nathan Holman.

This time around on the Gold Coast, Varner
teed off two shots behind long-time leader Andrew Dodt, and whilst the two went
toe-to-toe in a thrilling battle down the stretch, his second 65 of the week
saw him win by two shots on 19 under par.

Varner’s victory makes him the first
non-Australian to lift the trophy since New Zealander Greg Turner in 1999.

"I’m just super excited.  After last year, it feels good to come back
and finish it off," said Varner.

"It’s been a blast for me, between the
volunteers, the people, I can’t wait to come back.

"Yesterday when I got on the first tee and
they said Adam Scott.  Well, actually,
they went over all accolades, former number 1, Masters Champion I was like,
well I’d pull for that guy too.

"Today when, Andrew made the putt on the 14th,
par-3.  That’s when I knew he was
Australian.

"I just wanted to find a way to birdie
every hole, because that’s the only thing I can control.  I can’t control what Andrew does, I can’t
control what Adam does.  The only think I
can control is Harold.  That’s what I’ve
learned over the time."

Queenslander Dodt signed for a bogey-free
69 to sit on 17 under, two shots clear of countryman and 2013 champion Adam
Scott.

Another Australian, Ashley Hall, was then
on 14 under, four shots ahead of his compatriot Brett Rumford, who showed signs
of a return to form after a testing 2016 campaign.

Varner put a stunning approach to two feet
on the third to cut the lead to one shot, and it was not long before he held a
share of top spot.

He put his approach to 15 feet on the
seventh and while Dodt managed to get inside him, it was Varner who made the
birdie putt.

Both the leaders laid up on the short par
four eighth but Varner’s second was inside a foot and we had a new leader.

Varner got in trouble off the tee on the
ninth but needed just one putt for a third birdie in a row, although his lead
stayed at just one shot as Dodt got on in two and made birdie for the fourth
time after missing an eight-foot eagle putt.

Dodt and Varner then both birdied the tenth
but when the leader bogeyed the next, there was a tie at the top once again.

Varner bounced straight back as he took
advantage of the par five 12th hole, and when he put his approach to the 13th
to tap-in range, the lead was up to two.

That would not last for long, however, as
Varner missed a short putt on the 14th hole to drop a shot and with Dodt holing
from 40 feet, things were level again on 17 under par.

At that point, Scott was four shots back on
three under par for the day, but he holed from similar range for eagle on the
15th to stay in the mix with three to play.

A Varner birdie on the same hole moved him
back ahead and when Scott saw a birdie putt lip out on the 16th, his chance
looked to have gone.

Another gain on the 17th then handed Varner
a two-shot advantage he would not relinquish up the last.

Australian amateur Brett Coletta finished
in the group at eight under alongside countryman John Senden and Darius van
Driel of the Netherlands.

Challenge Tour graduate Ryan Fox was then
at seven under, a shot ahead of Stephen Gallacher, Scott Hend, Romain
Langasque, Tom Lewis and Prom Meesawat.