Two shots back of the course record 7-under 65 set by Curtis Luck and Braden Becker on day one, Barbieri ignited his round with an eagle at the par-5 eighth and then claimed a second at the par-5 17th for a two-round total of 13-under.

Playing on his home course on a rare trip back to WA from the US, Luck (67) held on for outright second with Becker (68) a further shot back in third at 11-under.

After missing out on retaining a full card by the narrowest of margins at The National Tournament in March, Barbieri went on to win Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School in April.

Last week he teamed up with Josh Greer to win the WA PGA Foursomes Championship at Nedlands and is relishing spending an extended period in the winner’s circle.

“I won Q School a couple of weeks ago and I guess that was a bit of a monkey off the back because I’d never really won anything,” Barbieri said.

“Little win the other day with Joshy which was good.

“I had a good feel this week and thought that the course suited me and the greens were awesome so I was able to put two good rounds together.”

HOW THE WINNING ROUND UNFOLDED

Early in Sunday’s second round it appeared Luck would canter towards what would have been a popular win amongst the Cottesloe members.

He began the day with a birdie at the first and an eagle on four to reach 10-under early but a dropped shot at six brought a whole host of challengers into the mix.

Greer birdied three of the first five holes to get to 8-under and was suddenly within one of the lead along with Becker, Barbieri, Jack Pountney and amateur Connor Fewkes.

A long putt for birdie on eight saw Fewkes slip past Luck and get to 10-under before Luck hit back with one of his own to be 10-under at the turn.

Birdies at 10 and 11 got Greer to 10-under where he was joined by Barbieri, the pair now part of a four-way tie at the top with Fewkes and Luck.

Greer’s birdie on 12 gave him a one-stroke edge but it would be Barbieri’s eagle on his penultimate hole that would seal the deal.

In the Lyndsay Stephen Invitational run for the over-50s in conjunction, Jason Norris had rounds of 68-71 to win by seven shots from Tim Elliott and Brendan Chant.

WHAT THE WINNER SAID

“I played the first 14 holes not knowing (the leaderboard) and then I noticed a couple of people watching Josh ahead of me and I always want to beat him,” said Barbieri.

“I looked on the 15th fairway and saw that I was one back of him and Curto was a couple back but with the par-5s still to play.

“I knew I had to push a little bit but not too much because I still had a couple of chances. I chipped it from the left of 16 and then holed a good putt and then eagled the 17th.

“I wasn’t planning on that. I thought a couple of birdies might have done it but that gave me less stress playing the last.

“I honestly didn’t think it would be enough. I thought I might be going down to a playoff with Curto but lucky I guess.”

LEADERBOARD RUNDOWN
1          Nathan Barbieri            67-64—131
2          Curtis Luck                   65-67—132
3          Braden Becker              65-68—133
T4        Deyen Lawson             68-66—134
T4        Joshua Greer                67-67—134
T6        Josiah Edwards (a)        68-67—135
T6        Cameron John              66-69—135

NEXT UP

The WA swing of the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series stays in Perth on Monday for another new event, the Toro Australia – TQUIP Pro-Am at Western Australian Golf Club.