Becker wins Trainee Championship - PGA of Australia

Becker wins Trainee Championship


West Australian Braden Becker has captured the 2015 Car-Net Auctions NSW/ACT PGA Trainee Championships in one of the most dramatic finishes ever seen at Riverside Oaks.

West Australian Braden Becker has captured the 2015 Car-Net Auctions NSW/ACT PGA Trainee Championships in one of the most dramatic finishes ever seen at Riverside Oaks.

""The Mandurah Country Club trainee is in his final year of his PGA traineeship and set a new course record on his way to a landmark win which came on the 72nd hole.

Trailing Victorian Adam Burdett by seven shots starting the day, and with defending champion Deyen Lawson one ahead and joining them in the final group, Becker was seemingly playing the final day to battle it out for second place with Lawson.

However after six birdies on the front nine without a bogey, Burdett’s lead was cut to four by the 10th and when Becker remarkably added three more birdies from the 10th to the 15th, the lead was down to just one.

"I obviously played great today and it was a dream run there up until the 16th’ said Becker.

The final group came to the short par 4 16th hole and with Lawson only a spectator at this stage, Becker went for the green thinking another birdie would be needed.

In a stunning turn of events, Becker would look down the jaws of a 4-ft putt on 16 to take him to -11 and ten-under on the round, while Burdett had a birdie putt from the front of the green.

From there, Burdett would three-putt but as was the case all day, another twist would evolve and Becker would miss the birdie attempt and then also miss the return two-ft putt to record his first bogey and remain one behind heading to 17.

The par-3 17th would offer up more drama when Burdett three-putted again to match a bogey by Becker to keep the margin at just one.

Becker would find the 72nd green in regulation but a 40-ft putt would await, while Burdett was just off the green for two facing a difficult up & down for par.
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Once again, the Bungool course at Riverside Oaks delivered one final blow for Burdett who had been flawless all week until the final hole where he would three putt for a double bogey and open the door for Becker.

Beckers final putt found the hole and a stunning three-shot turn around on the final hole would hand the young West Australian a two-shot victory and the biggest win of his young career.

"I am still in shock to be honest, I never saw Adam making a mistake like that but when that putt on 18 went in I was just overwhelmed".

"The course played very tough all week and its a great championship course so I guess ups and downs will happen but those last few holes were very demanding mentally" added Becker who will look to qualify at the season ending PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School.

His final round eight-under-par 64 set a new course record on the Bungool Course at Riverside Oaks which will once again host the NSWPGA Championship in December which will be the final event on the 2015 Australasian Tour.

Defending Champion Deyen Lawson posted consistent rounds and a final round of two-under-par 70 was good enough for outright third.

Burdett was also a runner-up in 2014 but said he was happy with his performance again this year despite the unfortunate outcome.

"I was pretty devastated when we walked off which I think was understandable but I really played well all week and just got beaten by an incredible round of golf today so hats off to Braden" said Burdett.

Pennant Hills Trainee Alex Pitty was the best placed New South Welshman finishing outright fourth.

Becker’s rounds of 70-73-72-64 for a 72 hole total of nine-under-par 279 will set the mark for the NSWPGA in December which will also be played on the stunning Bob Harrison Bungool layout which was added to the existing Gangaruu Course, making Riverside Oaks Resort the only 36-hole venue in Sydney.

Riverside Oaks General Manager said the resort and Nanshan group were once again delighted with the event and excited for the continued growth of major events at the resort.


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