Local pair Ethan Andrews and Braden Becker have battled the elements and some of Australian golf’s most recognisable faces to share victory at the E-Z-GO Wembley Pro-Am at Wembley Golf Course in Perth on Sunday.
Where the Adidas Pro-Am Series events played in Western Australia this past week have been bathed in sunshine, Sunday’s weather at Wembley was as challenging as it gets with strong winds and heavy rain buffeting the field.
While the course held up admirably it was next to impossible to keep clubs and gloves dry, adding another element to a field full of well-credentialed Professionals.
A graduate of the PGA Member Pathway Program only a year ago, Lakelands Country Club Professional Ethan Andrews showed admirable composure to go bogey-free in his round of 5-under 67, a score matched by Becker if not in slightly different fashion.
Three-under through four holes, Becker appeared destined to register his first pro-am win since the Karratha Pro-Am in June 2019 but gave up shots at crucial times.
A bogey at the par-4 14th was followed by an eagle at the par-4 15th only to drop another shot at the par-3 16th before getting it straight back at the par-5 17th.
His only other birdie came at the par-5 first as he and Andrews shared top spot, one shot clear of last week’s Cottesloe Open winner Brody Martin and 2018 WA PGA champion Michael Long.
Now teaching at Wembley, six-time European Tour winner Brett Rumford led a logjam of seven players a shot further back in a tie for fifth with Cameron John, Glenn Joyner, Daniel Fox, Tom Power Horan, Andrew Kelly and 2018 WA PGA Trainee Championship winner Dale Howie.
View the final E-Z-GO Wembley Pro-Am leaderboard at pga.or.au.