Leading by four strokes after a birdie at the par-5 10th, Hodge’s advantage from Queensland pair Tim Hart (67) and Shae Wools-Cobb (71) was reduced to three with a bogey at the par-4 11th.

Hart, Wools-Cobb and Kerry Mountcastle (66) all nudged one stroke closer with birdies of their own, Hodge’s lead shrinking to just one when he made a third bogey in the space of eight holes after three-putting the par-3 16th.

The two closing holes at Hastings Golf Club were playing directly into a hefty wind and Hodge came up short with his second into the par-4 17th.

He very nearly chipped in before tapping in for par to head to the 72nd tee with a one-shot advantage as Hart and Mountcastle sat safely in the clubhouse at 15-under par.

A bombed drive into the fairway was the first piece of the puzzle Hodge needed to complete before the 30-year-old hit his best shot of the day, a 7-iron from 161 metres to just 12 feet.

It was after watching playing partner Denzel Ieremia’s shot carry deep into the green that Hodge changed clubs, dropping back to 7-iron to all but seal his first Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia victory with a final round of 3-under 69.

He is the third Kiwi winner in the past four events (Josh Geary, Nick Voke) and the third left-hander to win this season (Elvis Smylie, Ryan Peake) and does so in his second stint as a professional.

Originally joining the pro ranks in 2015, Hodge quit in late 2019 and had a year away from the game before returning to amateur golf and caddying for two seasons at Tara Iti.

In 2023 he decided to try again and now, two years later, he is a Tour winner with guaranteed status through until the end of the 2026/2027 season.

“That’s a very cool thought,” said Hodge, who had fiancée Tessa McDonald on the bag as he completed a career highlight.

“We’ll have some in-house conversations and stuff like that about what the future looks like playing golf.

“I had a couple of years off a few years ago and then kind of came back to the game and have been enjoying it.

“But she’s a tough old slog pro golf, so my fiancée and I have been having some chats about possibly giving the pro playing stuff away.

“We’ll have to have a bit more of a chat over the winter about that.”

Tied for second overnight, Hodge continued to forge ahead as the likes of Cameron Harlock (77), Jake McLeod (74), Denzel Ieremia (71) and Wools-Cobb (71) stalled on Sunday.

Challengers emerged from back in the pack in the form of Mountcastle and Hart, but both would ultimately fall one short of forcing a playoff.

It was Hodge’s performances on the Charles Tour in New Zealand last year that earned limited playing rights on the PGA Tour of Australasia this season, a tie for 11th at the Ford NSW Open enhancing his status and providing confirmation that a win was not beyond reach.

“I definitely haven’t played to my potential for most of the season,” said Hodge, who is now 22nd on the Order of Merit.

“That was a little bit of a highlight that week but still felt like I didn’t kind of have it.

“Just to kind of let it go this week and just whatever happens, happens, the game kind of came back to me a little bit naturally, I suppose.

“I’m almost a journeyman now. Golf is different. There’s a lot of learnings that you have to go through yourself.

“People can tell you about it and stuff like that, but you have to experience a few of those things and get through a lot of adversity.

“Slowly but surely got back into it and then obviously enjoyed it enough to have another crack at the pro stuff.”

Mountcastle and Hart shared second at 15-under par, one clear of Wools-Cobb, Anthony Quayle (69) and another Kiwi left-hander, Tim Wilkinson (67).

Photo: Ian Cooper/bwmedia.co.nz