Murdaca takes back-to-back wins in South Australia

Antonio Murdaca has won two consecutive tournaments on the Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series following a sensational showing at the Burke Urban PGA Golf Classic.

Competing consistently at Murray Bridge Golf Club, outstanding rounds of 65, 65 and 63 across the three days lead the local to a tournament total of 11-under 193.

Finishing one shot behind Murdaca was round one leader Anthony Choat whose rounds of 63, 65 and 66 for 10-under 194 saw him hold a three shot lead over the remainder of the field.

A fellow South Australian local, Choat remained well and truly in contention throughout the tournament, starting his final round with six consecutive threes to turn a one shot deficit into a four shot lead after only seven holes.

However an in-form Murdaca, winner of the Flagstaff Hill Pro-Am only a week before, remained hot on his heels throughout the day.

Murdaca’s blistering stretch of four birdies in five holes midway through the final round turned his deficit to Choat into a one shot lead, a lead he was able to hold over the back nine to secure victory.

Overnight leader and the only Trainee Professional in the field, Connor Chant from Aston Hills Golf Club, endured a nightmare start to the day after a stunning score of 61 in round two.

A double bogey 6 on the opening hole was the first blunder for Chant, with a further two bogeys on his next two hole securing his fate for a final round total of 71 and a fourth place finish behind Andrew Schonewille in third place.

Chant was one of three players to tie for fourth, concluding the three-day tournament alongside Brady Watt and Scott Laycock.

The South Australian swing of the Ladbrokes Legends Tour now moves to Port Hughes for the Buildlogix Coppercoast Pro-Am.

South Australian Antonio Murdaca took advantage of perfect weather conditions to win the Dave Potter Honda Flagstaff Hill Pro-Am.

Being played at the Flagstaff Hill Golf Club, Dane McArdle came out in the morning field to shot a 1-under 71 and lead heading into the afternoon.

However, Murdaca was quick to capitalise on the scoring conditions and reeled off seven birdies and just a lone bogey to top the leaderboard on 6-under 66.

Murdaca secured a two-shot victory from fellow South Australian Jason Norris who finished on 4-under the card.

The South Australian swing of the Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series now heads to Murray Bridge Golf Club for the 54 hole Burke Urban PGA Classic which will be played for $35,000 teeing off on Wednesday.

For full scores please click here.

Young tour professionals from all over Australia and New Zealand have arrived in Kalgoorlie for one of the most important weeks of the year.

The TX Civil & Logistics WA PGA Championship is the last tournament on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia schedule before the mid-season elevation category is implemented.

Essentially, this category provides an opportunity for players to increase their playing opportunities by being re-ranked according to their performance in the first half of the season.

Reaping the benefits of this elevation will be 15 players who will, after this week, be likely of getting starts in some of the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia’s biggest tournaments including the Emirates Australian Open and European Tour and Asian Tour tri-sanctioned Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways.

Thanks to a runner-up finish at the Oates Vic Open, Harrison Endycott sits comfortably on top of the elevation category listing and is using this security on his home Tour to pursue success internationally on the PGA TOUR- Latinoamerica where he is currently ranked 28^th on the money list.

However, plenty of players have travelled to Kalgoorlie Golf Course looking to cement their position in the elevation category including South Australian Antonio Murdaca.

Currently ranked 16^th, just one spot outside the qualifying number, Murdaca needs a top-10 finish this week to safely move inside the top-15.

Experienced on the Kalgoorlie layout, Murdaca recorded a top-10 result in the 2015 TX Civil & Logistics WA PGA Championship.

“It’s a pretty important week and a great golf course as well. I enjoy coming back to Kalgoorlie to play; the course suits me so I will see what I can do this week,” said Murdaca.

“A top-10 finish is probably a must this week. I am going to go out there and take it one shot at a time, hopefully, hit some good ones, hole some putts, not get ahead of myself at all and see what comes at the end of the week.”

While the elevation category is important the biggest opportunity this week comes from winning the $125,000 tournament.

In addition to the winner’s share of the prize purse, the winner also receives Official World Golf Ranking points and most importantly is fully exempt on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia until the end of the 2019 season.

“A win is definitely up there in lights for me. Hopefully, I can sneak a win but if it’s not this week then later in the year. So hopefully I play some good golf this week and see what comes of it.”

The TX Civil & Logistics WA PGA Championship tees off on Thursday 10 May with the winner decided on Sunday 13 May.

Entry to Kalgoorlie Golf Course is free for spectators.

The final two rounds of the TX Civil & Logistics WA PGA Championship will be live streamed on PGA TV from 12pm AWST on Saturday 12 May and 10am AWST on Sunday 13 May.

How the current elevation category rankings stand…

South Australian Antonio Murdaca has won the inaugural Blitz Golf at Glenelg Golf Club in a thrilling day of golf.

Billed as golf’s answer to Twenty20 cricket, Blitz Golf is designed to provide all the excitement of a full 72 hole tournament in only 18 holes.

At the start of the day 40 PGA Professionals including household names Craig Parry, Peter O’Malley and Richard Green plus young guns Jordan Zunic, Lucas Herbert and Simon Hawkes were split into two pools of 20 to compete over the first 9-holes.

Murdaca fired 1-under on the front-9 to easily progress to the second round where the top-24 players advanced to compete over a further 6-holes.

Firing 1-under across holes 10 to 15, Murdaca moved to the third round consisting of the top-12 players.

With just three holes to ensure his passage into the final, Murdaca played holes 16, 17 and 18 in par, bogey, birdie. Finishing the three holes tied with Matthew Millar, Murdaca advanced through to the final on a count back, his birdie on 18 proving crucial.

Heading to the 18^th hole in a sudden death playoff alongside Dimitrios Papadatos, Sam Earl and Dylan Stollery; Murdaca had a look at eagle but watched his putt slip past the hole and he settled for birdie to be tied with Papadatos.

The duo headed to the 18^th fairway, for a 75m nearest the pin shootout, with his 60 degree wedge in hand Murdaca secured the victory when he struck his ball to 8 feet, pin high left of the flag.

Securing $15,000 for the win this also becomes Murdaca’s first victory on the Ladbrokes Pro-Am Series.

“I’m very excited. It’s been a long time coming for me to win as a pro so I’m just so happy,” said Murdaca, who had his dad caddying for him.

“It was a bit of a struggle for me today off the tee with my irons but I chipped and putted really well and kept myself in it.

“I was really happy with my birdie on 18 in the third round to go into the final.

“I hit two great shots in the playoff, then Dimi made a great birdie and I missed my eagle. It was pretty cool to win a pitching comp; I can’t say that I have ever been in a pitching comp for 15 grand.”

Singing the praises of the Blitz Golf format, Murdaca hopes to see it grow in years to come.

“It was awesome, I really enjoyed myself. I think it’s definitely going to get bigger and better,” added Murdaca.

“The atmosphere was great with all the entertainment and everyone out here cheering us on.

“It really was a great day and I couldn’t fault anything.”

The man behind Blitz Golf, Simon Zybek was thrilled with the inaugural staging and already has plans to take the concept Australia wide.

“I am thrilled with how everything went today. I had a vision for a shorter version of the game I am passionate about and to see that come to life was fantastic,” said Zybek.

“Already the feedback has been very positive and I have had some interest from stakeholders on the east coast of Australia. So the plan is to stage more Blitz Golf events in the near future.

“Thanks to all the players, the PGA of Australia, Glenelg Golf Club and my incredible sponsors for sharing my vision for Blitz Golf.”

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