South Australian Brad Moules has won the South Pacific
Export Radler PNG Open following a two-hole playoff.
South Australian Brad Moules has won the South Pacific
Export Radler PNG Open following a two-hole playoff.
Moules, who lead after the first day, fired 5-under 67 in
the final round to be the clubhouse leader on 11-under the card.
"I was playing well all week, even pars in the second and
third rounds didn’t get it done but today the putts fell and 5-under was pretty
good out there I think," said Moules, who had a nervous wait to see what
players in the final four groups would do.
He was soon joined in the clubhouse by amateur Anthony
Quayle and the pair watched on as Queenslander Aaron Wilkin gave up a two shot
advantage on the final hole to create a three-way playoff.
"I was looking at it and Aaron had a two shot lead on the
last, a par-3, and I thought give it to him because he has played well. But
that’s golf for you and here I am standing here," added Moules.
Playing the par-3 18th hole sudden death, Quayle
was the first to bow out leaving Moules and Wilkin to go head-to-head on the
second time down the stretch.
"The second time round, Aaron hit a quality shot in, which
made it easy for me because I didn’t have to look anywhere else but at the
flag. I put a good swing on it," added Moules.
"I had that same putt in the main round, so I knew what the
line was, I hit it a bit harder and it when straight in."
With his birdie on the second playoff hole, Moules claimed
the victory and winner’s cheque of AU$21,000 but most importantly a two year
exemption on the PGA Tour of Australasia.
A huge boost for his career, Moules who completed a PGA
Traineeship at Royal Adelaide Golf Club, will now have a place in all the
Tour’s biggest events including the European Tour co-sanctioned Australian PGA
Championship and Fiji International.
"It’s amazing, first year on Tour, only six starts in and I
have got the first win out of the way. I am rapt," added Moules.
"It definitely will put me into the big events, if I had of
finished runner-up I would still be trying to get a start on Qualifying School
status."
"I feel like I can play well in the big events, my finish at
the NZ Open showed that and hopefully I can feature well in the ones at the end
of the year."
While Moules is already considering his next career move
onto an overseas Tour, he says he will definitely be back to Papua New Guinea.
"Next year I will look at Asia or Europe, I’ll see where it
takes me but for now I will enjoy it while I can," added Moules.
"The tournament has been well run, the PGA was great and the
sponsors have all done a great job to make us feel at home. I’ll definitely be
coming back."
Aaron Wilkin and amateur Anthony Quayle shared runner-up
honours while Mitchell A. Brown finished a shot outside
the playoff and outright 4th.
Queenslanders Michael Wright and Damien Jordan finished in a
share of 5th place on 9-under the card with Daniel Fox and Peter
Martin a shot further back again.
Rounding out the top-10 on 7-under 281 were Kristopher Mueck
and Tom Bond.
The PGA Tour of Australasia will now head to Western
Australia for the Nexus Risk TSA Group WA Open to be played at the Western
Australia Golf Club from 28 April to 1 May.