With the West Australian border closed due to COVID-19 measures the 2020 WA PGA will be played over 54 holes starting on Thursday and will not count towards the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.

The opportunity to play tournament golf in their home state over the next two weeks has drawn the pick of WA talent out to get back into competition mode and Felton comes in as not only a Kalgoorlie specialist but the highest-ranked player in the field.

Ever since a fifth-place finish as a 19-year-old amateur that convinced him he was ready to turn professional Felton has revelled in the unique desert experience of the Graham Marsh designed golf course.

In six starts he has never finished outside the top 10 but it was his runner-up finish 12 months ago behind Darren Beck that has left a lasting scar.

Leading by three shots through 36 holes due in part to a blistering 65 in Round 1, Felton was unable to maintain that pace through the weekend, falling one behind Beck after Round 3 and being unable to bridge the gap on Sunday.

“I still wake up in cold sweats from that week,” admitted Felton, the 2015 NSW PGA and 2017 NZ PGA champion.

“Everyone said to me that I was unlucky or whatever but I look back and think that he just played better.

“You expect guys to make putts and hit good shots. I only had even par on the back nine and unfortunately didn’t get it done.

“I hit the stall button on the weekend. I think I shot a couple of rounds at even par which isn’t going to get it done, wherever you play.

“I kind of let the field back in and Darren took full advantage on Saturday to overtake me.

“I didn’t shoot good enough rounds to run away with it but that’s just golf unfortunately.

“I feel like I’ve got a bit of unfinished business here.”

Given that he hasn’t played an event of any note since the New Zealand Open on March 1 Felton is understandably cautious about what to expect first start back.

His most competitive rounds of late have been in the members comp at Gosnells Golf Club and said the results there are enough to temper any thoughts of going low this week.

“I haven’t even won a monthly medal, that’s how good I’m playing,” said Felton, who has spent time during his tournament hiatus working in the pro shop at Gosnells.

“I don’t think you can have too much expectation. You just have to go out there and see how you go. It’s three days of trying to figure everything out again.

“To get the competitive juices going will be good but the expectation of shooting low numbers probably just isn’t there. The practice and the preparation just hasn’t been there unfortunately.

“It’s a bit weird actually but really looking forward to getting back out and playing.”

Saturday’s final round shapes as the warmest and windiest of the week which will again add to the challenge of those trying to come to grips with the desert style of golf.

“It’s a weird one because they water the fairways quite heavily so it’s quite soft,” Felton explained.

“Some of the holes if you get lucky you can take it down the desert and get an extra 50-60 metres of run, which sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t.

“Some of the holes play quite long because it gets quite soft on the fairways but there’s not a lot of bump-and-run action.

“It’s very much a ball-striker golf course, with all the slopes and undulations and certain sections of greens that you have to hit it to to be able to attack the flag.

“There’s a lot of hills and certain areas where you’ve got to be and it’s just a really good reward for a good ball-striker.”