Earning his card at Q School at Moonah Links in April, Siporin shot even par 72 at Friday’s IK Harrison Pro-Am at Elanora Country Club to be declared joint winner with New South Welshman Jay Mackenzie (72).

In Australia since the WA PGA Championship at Kalgoorlie, Siporin has missed all five cuts to date but hopes to use his Elanora win as a springboard into the rest of the season.

“I’m hoping I’ve turned a little bit of a page here,” said the California native.

“What made me come down was just the chance to play on a tour somewhere else.

“I’d heard that the Australian tour is an up-and-coming and developmental tour with good players and decent purses. I just wanted to explore the world and see a new place and meet new people and played different tracks.

“I came out here and made the trip and making lasting memories. That’s what it’s about.”

Siporin had three birdies and three bogeys in his even-par round, Mackenzie’s round consisting of a lone birdie at two and a single bogey at the short par-3 17th.

The pair finished one stroke clear of a group of seven players at 1-over 73 including Monash Country Club Head Professional, Torie Blakemore.

HOW THE WINNING ROUNDS UNFOLDED

When Mackenzie began his round with a bogey on 17, a winning speech at presentations was the furthest thing from his mind.

It took just three holes to get back to square with the card courtesy of a birdie at the par-5 second and then Mackenzie peeled off 14 straight pars to close out his round.

Starting from the par-4 14th, Siporin was 2-under on his round after birdies at 16 and two but made bogeys at four, nine and 10 to drop to 1-over. The short par-4 13th would be Siporin’s final hole, successfully finding the birdie that would tie the lead.

WHAT THE WINNERS SAID

Siporin: “The course was just magnificent. I hadn’t seen it before teeing off today and it far exceeded all expectations that I had coming into it. It was great. It was challenging, it was fair. The pin locations were good, it’s a great track. Glad I came out here and played some good golf.”

Mackenzie: “It was a good day. I played with a couple of nice guys and Anthony Choat, which was nice. Chipped and putted well. Probably didn’t hit the ball the best, but chipped and putted good so that kept me in it.”

LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
T1        Jay Mackenzie              72
T1        Matthew Siporin          72
T3        Andrew Richards          73
T3        James Grierson            73
T3        Torie Blakemore           73
T3        Joseph Owen               73
T3        Jayden Cripps              73
T3        Anthony Choat            73
T3        Aaron Maxwell             73

NEXT UP

The adidas PGA Pro-Am Series is at Pymble Golf Club on Monday for the NSW/ACT PGA Foursomes Championship and then heads to Melbourne on Tuesday for the Eastwood Golf Club Pro-Am.