The 2016 Hong Kong Open champion began the day in a share of the lead with Shae Wools-Cobb but after four straight pars to start his round separated himself from the field.

A birdie at the par-3 fifth was the first of what would be three on the trot as Tim Hart loomed as his greatest threat in the group ahead.

After going out in three-under 32 Brazel gave one back with a bogey at the par-4 11th, Hart also dropping a shot at the same hole to give the Lismore native a one-stroke advantage.

A day earlier Brazel had birdied the final four holes at Emerald and again he finished in a flurry, making birdies at 15, 16 and 17 for a final round of five-under 65 and a three-shot win.

Through his time playing on the DP World Tour and the Asian Tour Brazel has played professional golf all over the world but enjoyed the symmetry of a win in his return to Emerald.

“It was 2002 and it was my second event as a Professional,” Brazel said of his maiden win two decades ago.

“I’m really happy I made it back after a few weeks of being sick.

“I drove it well all day and scrambled just as good.

“The back nine clearly really suits my eye,” he added.

Hart’s round of four-under 66 earned him outright second and ensured a successful defence of his Onsite Rental Group Mining Towns Series.

Hart and Tom Power Horan have been the two standout players throughout the series, Power Horan edging ahead with wins at Tieri and Blackwater.

But with victories at Moranbah and Middlemount and his runner-up finish at Emerald it was Hart who emerged triumphant with a total of 49-under par, two clear of Power Horan who was tied for fifth at Emerald with rounds of 69-67. Harrison Wills snared second at 27-under.

“It’s been a pleasure to be back and have another great series,” said Hart, who has now won the past four Onsite Rental Group Mining Town Series.

“Onsite Rental Group is such a great supporter of these PGA events. It’s a real credit to them.”

The next event in the Queensland swing of the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series is the Manuplex Emu Park Pro-Am on Tuesday, June 21.

Click here for final scores and prize money.

Humid, overcast and calm conditions welcomed the Professionals for the first round on Saturday but it was the adjustment to Port Hedland’s sand greens that proved to be the greatest challenge.

Expertise on the scraper and speed control were key to finding the bottom of the cup and no one did it better than Strange in his round of seven-under 65.

Starting his round on the ninth hole, Strange started with two pars before reeling off three birdies in a row from the par-5 11th.

A bogey on 15 was followed up with a bounce-back birdie at 16 and when he picked up another stroke at 18 the two-time European Tour winner had completed the back nine in 32.

A wire-to-wire winner at Spalding Park, Strange bogeyed the first but again bounced back beautifully, this time with birdie on two followed by an eagle at the long par-5 third.

One more birdie on five and three closing pars gives Strange a three-shot buffer from Braden Becker ahead of Sunday’s final round.

Becker, the current WA Order of Merit leader, started his tournament on the fourth hole.

He began with seven straight pars before rattling off five birdies in his next eight holes to reach five-under. A late bogey saw Becker sign for a four-under 68 and within striking distance of Strange heading into Sunday’s final round.

West Australian Rick Kulacz is a further shot back after a solid three-under 69 followed by Brendan Chant and Max McCardle at two-under.

The second and final round begins at 8.30am AWST Sunday morning.

Click here for Round 1 scores

Brazel and Queenslander Shae Wools-Cobb have a one-shot advantage heading into the final round after the pair posted rounds of six-under 64.

On a day of good scoring where almost half the field went under-par at an improving Emerald Golf Club layout, Brazel and Wools-Cobb finished one clear of Nicholas Russell (65) with Tim Hart, Anthony Choat and Andew Campbell sharing fourth at four-under.

An adidas PGA Pro-Am Series champion at Emerald 20 years ago, Brazel took time to warm into his round upon his return.

Birdies at six and seven were book-ended by bogeys at five and eight as he made the turn in even par.

A birdie at 10 was a step in the right direction and then he gathered momentum as his round neared its completion, picking up another shot at the par-5 13th and then making birdie at each of his final four holes.

“It’s been such a pleasure to be back here,” said Brazel.

“I started off really slow but found my groove and got hot at the end.

“Twenty years ago I won a Pro-Am here and I’m so proud to be back.”

While Brazel made his move late in the round, much of Wools-Cobb’s forward progress came during the front nine.

Third in this event 12 months ago, Wools-Cobb birdied four and then three on the trot from the par-5 sixth to make the turn in four-under.

There was a bogey at 10 but four further birdies and a final dropped shot at 18 saw the Sunshine Coast product end the day level with Brazel at six-under.

“It’s going to be an interesting day fighting it out with ‘Harry’ (Brazel),” Wools-Cobb said.

“It was nice to get a hot start to the Pro-Am.”

Sunday’s final round at Emerald will also serve as the final round of the 2022 Onsite Rental Group Mining Towns Series.

Hart’s four-under 66 has taken him to 45-under and past Tom Power Horan by a single stroke with Wools-Cobb and Harrison Wills tied together at 25-under par.

Two current members of the PGA Membership Pathway Program have been part of the Mining Towns Series with Zoe Maxwell and Tara Jenkins making the trip to help support the communities where tournaments have been held.

Matt Victorsen also organised an afternoon ‘Flop Shot Challenge’ at Emerald on Saturday to raise money for the junior program with Professionals and amateurs all getting involved.

The final round of the Emerald Pro-Am starts from 7am on Sunday with Brazel to start his round at 12.15pm followed by Wools-Cobb at 12.22pm.

Click here for Round 1 scores

McCardle and West Australian Daniel Fox both finished at four-under par 68 to be declared joint winners, McCardle taking the trophy home with a par at the first playoff hole played in fading light in the Pilbara.

Fox had an opportunity to claim the win outright but bogeyed his final hole – the par-4 first – while Simon Houston narrowly missed a spot in the playoff as he too dropped a shot at his final hole, the par-4 18th.

Players were given a glimpse into the future of golf in Karratha with a number of new grass greens in play for the first time, the club on track to have all 18 greens fully grassed when the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series returns next year.

With novelties such as nearest-the-pin and longest drives in play for the professionals it was McCardle who got down to the serious business of making birdies.

He picked up a shot at his opening hole – the par-5 14th – but was one-over on the back of bogeys at 16 and 18.

After making par at the first McCardle unleashed his birdie blitz, picking up four on the trot from the par-4 second as he secured his second win of the WA swing.

Players now head to Port Hedland for the $30,000 Roy Hill Pro-Am taking place this weekend at Port Hedland Golf Club.

Click here for final scores and prize money.

A scintillating nine-under 63 on day one gave Klein a two-shot edge, a lead he extended with a birdie at the opening hole of the second round.

Power Horan reduced the deficit to one with birdies at four and six and then when he eagled the par-5 seventh to Klein’s birdie the pair were tied at the top for the first time.

Birdies at his next two holes once again gave Klein the upper hand before Power Horan’s second eagle of his round – this time at the par-5 11th – once again reduced the difference to just one.

Power Horan once again drew level with a birdie at the par-4 14th and after the pair both made birdie at the par-4 16th they remained tied at 15-under par.

Klein gave himself a one-shot buffer heading to the final hole with his seventh birdie of the day at the par-4 17th but his lone bogey for the tournament on the final hole saw he and Power Horan share top spot.

Klein shot 66 to Power Horan’s bogey-free 64 in a gripping final day duel.

“It was great to have an opportunity to play together as the leaders,” said Klein.

“Tom had a couple eagles in the round which kept me on my toes.”

“It was a great battle,” added Power Horan.

“I felt like I was one behind all day which kept me pushing.”

Tim Hart (64) finished third place at eight-under par and Adam Henwood (69) alone in fourth position at seven-under par.

The Blackwater Pro-Am is the fourth event in the 2022 Onsite Rental Group Mining Town Series, Power Horan’s second straight win putting him two strokes clear at 43-under.

With Hart his only challenger at 41-under, it sets up for a thrilling conclusion to the Mining Towns Series at the 36-hole Emerald Pro-Am this weekend.

On a day in which there was a dramatic change at the top of the Onsite Rental Group Mining Town Series, Klein put himself in position for a second adidas PGA Pro-Am Series win in quick succession with a superb round of nine-under 63 on day one.

A joint winner of the Pioneer Valley Pro-Am three weeks ago, Klein had seven birdies and an eagle at the par-5 16th to sit two shots clear of last-start winner Tom Power Horan (65).

Despite perfect weather and a course that was presented in outstanding condition just six players out of the 29 Professionals broke par, Klein making it look far easier than most.

“The course was great,” Klein said post-round.

“The greens are super slick and a few tough pin locations.

“I stayed patient and hit some quality shots; it was awesome to have the score that I had.”

Picking up where he left off from his win at Tieri last weekend, Power Horan eagled the par-5 seventh on his way to an opening 65, Shae Wools Cobb also continuing his excellent form to sit in outright third at five-under.

After Tim Hart opened up what seemed like a virtually unassailable lead early in the Onsite Rental Group Mining Towns Series, Power Horan has now edged ahead in the fourth event of the series.

As Hart struggled to an even-par 72 at Blackwater, Power Horan not only made up the five-shot deficit but skipped ahead by two strokes with a total of 35-under par, Hart staying at 33-under with Wools-Cobb well back at 20-under.

Round 2 of the Blackwater Pro-Am commences at 6.30 on Thursday with leading groups to tee off at 11.38am.

There are three rounds remaining in the Mining Towns Series with the Emerald Pro-Am to round it out this weekend.

Click here for Round 1 scores.

Leader by five following a round of eight-under 64 on day one, Strange began the third and final round with a three stroke advantage from former Vic Open champion Simon Hawkes.

Facing rain squalls throughout the front nine, the leaders found the early going tough, with Strange, Hawkes and Joseph Ha all dropping shots in their first few holes.

Daniel Fox bucked the trend with birdies on one and three to move into second place with Hawkes at five-under par as defending champion Haydn Barron made steady progress, picking up shots at one and three to be four shots back through six holes.

As the leaders rounded the turn, the customary Geraldton sun and strong winds replaced the rain and the scoreboard tightened up even further.

Barron birdied the back-to-back par 5s at nine and 10 to cut Strange’s lead to just two strokes to set up an enthralling conclusion to the tournament.

Fox joined Barron at six-under after matching birdies around the turn and then Simon Houston made a charge of his own.

Birdies at nine, 10, 12 and 13 saw Houston move past Barron and Fox into second at seven-under par but any hope he may have had of an unlikely win were cruelled by a bogey at 15.

It mattered little in the final wash-up however as Strange finished in the manner befitting a two-time winner on the DP World Tour.

Birdies at 10, 11, 14, 15, an eagle at the par-5 16th and a closing birdie on the last saw Strange close with a phenomenal back nine of just 29 strokes for a nine-shot win.

When asked about the tricky conditions, Strange commented that it was just like the UK where he was a week earlier for the Asian Tour’s International Series event in England, only 10 degrees warmer!

Strange’s Sunday 66 and total of 15-under par put him well clear of Simon Houston (70) and Braden Becker (69) who shared second at six-under, Barron (70) and Fox (70) tied for fourth at five-under par.

The WA swing of the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series WA now moves 1,100-kilometres further north for the Bennco Karratha Pro-Am at Karratha Country Club on Thursday.

Click here for final scores and prize money.