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Victorian Ben Ford has moved past the disappointment of missing out on the Australian PGA Championship by taking out the Purgar Paving Yarram Pro-Am at Yarram Golf Club on Wednesday.
Moved from its traditional weekend slot to be played on Australia Day, the Yarram Pro-Am attracted a high-quality field to the latest event on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series but it was Ford who reigned supreme.
Starting from the 15th tee in the morning wave, Ford left his run late to post a score, racking up four birdies in the space of five holes late in his round to return a score of four-under 68, good enough for a one-stroke victory.
It was a much-needed boost for Ford who had qualified for the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland only to have to withdraw on the Monday of tournament week when he tested positive for COVID-19.
“The last few weeks have been really tough,” Ford conceded following his one-stroke win.
“I got a start in the Australian PGA Championship for the first time only to test positive for COVID-19 on the Monday, forcing me to withdraw.
“Seven days isolation in Queensland made it even harder to cope with the disappointment.”
A prolific pro-am winner since completing his PGA traineeship at the end of 2013, Ford now hopes to use Wednesday’s win as the platform to perform well in the upcoming ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia events, starting with next week’s TPS Victoria event at Rosebud Country Club.
“I’m looking forward to getting to Rosebud next week and I’m excited to play some more TPS events this summer,” Ford said of the first of four Webex Players Series events.
“The summer is now packed with tour events which is great for all the players.
“It’s good to be back out playing after last year, that’s for sure.”
Sandbelt Invitational winner Brady Watt looked the man most likely to challenge Ford’s score of four-under but a costly double-bogey on the short par-4 17th followed by a bogey on the long par-3 18th saw him fall short.
Second spot was ultimately shared by Jarred McCosh, Matthew Buff and Tim Elliott with rounds of three-under 69, Watt, Peter Woodward and George Worrall finishing tied for fifth a shot further back.
Next event on the adidas PGA Pro-Am Series is the two-day Traralgon Pro-Am Classic at Traralgon Golf Club starting Thursday, January 27.
