Peter Fowler has won the MG Plasterers South Australian Senior PGA Championship, successfully defending his 2017 title.

The Blue Lake Golf Club course was presented in fantastic condition gaining praise from the players.

Considering the cool conditions, a great crowd came out in support of the event and the sponsor’s marquee behind the 18^th green was a popular spot to watch the exciting finish.

Conditions were again very cold and windy with drizzling rain making scoring extremely difficult for most.

Peter Fowler shot eight birdies for a round of 6-under 64 to claim victory by a single shot over 2016 winner Glenn Joyner with Richard Cooney in outright third place. Overnight leader David Diaz fired a 4-over 74 to finish fourth.

Fowler held a two-shot lead over the trio of Diaz, Joyner & Cooney with two holes to play and had a nervous wait in the clubhouse to see if he could win this event for the fifth time.

Fowler later claimed that he couldn’t sleep last night after his first round, and then spent three hours in the middle of the night putting on the carpet of his hotel room.

The event has had fantastic support from the City of Mt Gambier Council, The Blue Lake Golf Club & the many wonderful sponsors.

Tournament organiser Bill Burley has again hosted a fantastic event and deserves much credit for the smooth running of the event.

The players have loved coming to Blue Lake GC to support Bill and his events over the years and look forward to returning again. Blue Lake GC has previously hosted the South Australian PGA Championship in 2007 & 2008 and then the South Australian Senior PGA Championship in 2016, 2017 & 2018.

Fowler departs on Wednesday for the USPGA Seniors Championship in Benton Harbor, Michigan and if he keeps this form up should be amongst the contenders.

The MG Plasterers South Australian PGA Seniors Championship returns to Blue Lake Golf Course in Mt Gambier once again from 11 – 12 May.

A field of 47 senior professionals will compete for the prestigious title, which forms part of the Ladbrokes Legends Tour over the two days.

Last year’s winner Peter Fowler is returning to defend his 2017 title, where he shot 4-under the card to be crowned champion and finished two shots clear of Lucien Tinkler and Mike Harwood.

Fowler is in hot form this season having taken out the biggest one-day event on the Ladbrokes Legends Tour, the David Mercer Senior Classic in early April to now be leading the Tour’s Order of Merit. He will be joined by 2016 champion Glenn Joyner and fellow European Senior Tour players Mike Harwood and Ken Tarling of Canada, all out to stop Fowler recording back-to-back titles.

“I love competing at Blue Lake, Bill Burley and his team do a great job and the people of Mt Gambier are so welcoming, it’s one of my favourite stops on the Ladbrokes Legends Tour,” said Fowler.

At a Sponsors night held in April, MG Plasterers were announced as naming rights sponsor for the 2018 event continuing the trend of local businesses supporting the tournament.

“The support I have received from local business and members has been exceptional, this looks like being the last time we will hold the event at Blue Lake and I am sure we will go out with a bang,” said General Manager Bill Burley.

The 47 professionals and interstate amateurs and partners descending on Mt Gambier for the two-day event is a boost to the local economy with the City of Mount Gambier taking on an active role in the event.

“The City of Mount Gambier is thrilled that the SA PGA Seniors Golf Championship is returning to the Blue Lake Golf Club in 2018. This event is a real coup for Mount Gambier and we can’t wait to welcome more than 40 Australian and international professional golfers to the city to participate in the competition,” said City of Mount Gambier Mayor Andrew Lee.