The leader after all three rounds, building on his gap to his nearest challengers each day, Stephenson surrendered a four-shot advantage early in the final round before rallying on the back nine to score a one-shot victory – his first in a four-round professional event.

A second year associate pro at nearby Gainsborough Greens Golf Club, Stephenson finished at 8-under-par for the tournament after his closing 3-over-par 76, holing a curling three-metre par putt on the final hole to see off ACT’s Lachlan Chamberlain (73) by a single shot.

Drew Herbert’s best of the day 6-under-par 67 moved him into outright third place, two back.

Stephenson’s hard-earned four-shot overnight lead disappeared within six holes today thanks to a double-bogey and two bogeys and a charge from former champion Jack Wright who went 4-under-par through the same stretch.

“I went out with a four-shot lead, not being complacent at all, but it disappeared really quickly and then it was a mental reset,” Stephenson said.

“It was like ‘okay, we’re tied for the lead. How do we approach this now’?”

While Wright, who had started the day seven behind, fell away on the back nine, Stephenson showed great resilience to birdie 10, 12 and 13 to regain his advantage.

Chamberlain moved back in touch thanks to an eagle on 16 and had a real chance to force a playoff when the leader bogeyed the 17th to see his margin cut to one and then missed the final green with his approach shot.

“I was reading the putt (to win) and I could feel myself getting emotional about it, thinking about making it,” Stephenson said.

“I had to snap back and realise you’ve just got to hit a good putt here. You’ve still got to make it, otherwise you’re going to a playoff.

“I got back in the present and just read it perfectly. It was lightning fast, broke about three cups and it went right in the heart. It was awesome.”

Next on his target list – a bottle of celebratory red wine with his father and maybe a late start at work at tomorrow.

With the support of Brisbane-based concreting company Zigcrete, this year’s championship boasted minimum total prize money of $47,500 and has become one of the most prestigious tournaments for those on the path to becoming a PGA Professional. 

Leaderboard

1 Damon Stephenson 74-69-72-76 (284)

2 Lachlan Chamberlain 69-70-73-73 (285)

3 Drew Herbert 72-71-76-67 (286)

T4 Dylan Knox 73-70-69-76 (288)

T4 Justin Morley 71-74-73-70 (288)

6 Jack Wright 70-72-73-75 (290)

T7Jordan Rooke 79-69-71-73 (292)

T7 Campbell Jones 73-75-74-70 (292)

T9 Conor Whitelock 69-77-70-79 (295)

T9 Samuel Reece 74-74-73-75 (295)