Kivimets won Section A by one shot from Jason Hong (NSW) after closing with a 65 to finish on 12-under-par for the 54 holes, while Reaper shot a final round 69 for an 8-under total to overhaul 2023 Japan Amateur champion Rintaro Nakano in Section B

After leading coming into the final round, Nakano battled to a 75 to end up in a share of second position with Victorian Aiden Didone at 7-under.

Silvester Tan (WA) was the other amateur to advance from Section B, while four amateurs – Queenslanders Max Ford and Ryan Swann, NSW’s Ethan Harvey and Victorian Sang Jun Lee – qualified from Section A.

One of the biggest moves on the final day came from Kieran Jones (NSW) who climbed to T8 from a share of 21st thanks to a 65 to follow on from opening rounds of 72-70.

The top 18 finishers from both stages advanced to next week’s Final Stage, also at Moonah Links.

Former Australian amateur representative Max Charles (Vic), who lost to Nathan Barbieri in a playoff at Final Stage last year, qualfiied with a 3-under-par total in Section A.

However, his 2023 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship teammate, Connor Fewkes (WA), who is looking to make the switch to pro golf, failed to advance with a 2-over-par total.

The 72-hole Final Stage of Qualifying School – Australia, which has a confirmed field of 65 starters, gets underway on Monday with the top 26 finishers and ties to earn Full Tournament Membership of the PGA of Australia and be placed in a Tournament Exemption Category. The winner will be fully exempt for all tournaments in the 2025/26 season.

Those players finishing beyond 26th place and ties, who complete 72 holes at Final Stage, will be eligible for Full Tournament Membership of the PGA of Australia, however, they will not hold an exemption category for the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.

All players who play 72 holes of the Final Stage will earn a pro-am exemption category and be eligible to enter adidas PGA Pro-Am series events.

The 72 – hole Final Stage of Qualifying – USA will be played July 15-18 and the leading six players and ties from the USA will be eligible to for Full Tournament Membership of the PGA of Australia, and will be placed in a Tournament Exemption Category. As in Australia, the winner of this stage will be fully exempt for all tournaments in the 2025/26 season.

Those players finishing from seventh to 20th place and ties at Final Stage USA, will be eligible for Full Tournament Membership of the PGA of Australia, however, they will not hold an exemption category for the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.

The top 20 players will also earn a pro-am exemption category and be eligible to enter adidas PGA pro-Am Series.

Photo: Victorian Bradley Kivimets