Kazuma Kobori, a 17-year-old amateur, has won the SEC NZ PGA Championship to claim his first victory on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australia.

In a dominant performance at his home course, the Pegasus Golf and Sports Club member maintained an overnight lead to win by four shots from New Zealand’s David Smail with rounds of 67, 65, 66 and 69 for a tournament total of 21-under 267.

“It feels incredible,” said an ecstatic Kobori. “It hasn’t actually sunk in yet but I think it will later on.”

“I didn’t miss too many greens today.

“I missed a few but on the front-9 I played really solid. I missed a green on 3 but I played really solid golf until 8, then went 2-under through the turn and kept it going.”

Consistency was key for Kobori who, after pre-qualifying for the event on Monday, recorded only two bogeys throughout the tournament.

However it wasn’t until midway through the back-9 on Sunday that the amateur realised he was about to win against a field of seasoned professionals.

“I saw the leaderboard on 14, I didn’t know it was there I just accidentally looked at it, saw that I had a four shot lead at that point and I thought that was pretty sweet.

“I just kept playing my own game and then it was all good.”

Coming onto the final stretch at the Pegasus Golf and Sports Club layout, nerves weren’t an issue for Kobori who says he felt more pressure in round three.

“Not really today, I kept it calm,” said Kobori. “I think my ability to keep calm and not get too angry has helped this week.”

“I did get a bit angry out there but not too bad and I kept my composure, I thought that was the key, so I’ll take that on board for next time.”

Joining the strong crowd following the leading group was Kobori’s father, a close friend and the PGA Pro he first worked with when starting golf at 10 years old.

“It feels amazing especially with all of the people out there with all of the support I got it feels incredible,” added Kobori.

“It just makes it that much better I reckon. I’ve been getting messages on Facebook and Instagram as well.

“I had one friend come out today and saw him out there, so shout out to him.

Returning to school next week, Kobori will first play in a school golf tournament on Monday before taking on a regional event in the coming weeks.

“I’ve got the Canterbury Stroke Play coming up. That’s in two weeks and I’m playing at Shirley which is local as well so I’ll see if I can keep this going,” he added.

In addition to winning the NZ PGA Championship trophy, Kobori was also honoured as the leading New Zealander with the Sir Bob Charles Trophy.

Finishing runner-up at the SEC NZ PGA Championship was New Zealand’s David Smail, completing the tournament with rounds of 68, 66, 70 and 67 to finish on 17-under 271.

“I started off not feeling that confident, towards the end yesterday I started hitting some pretty bad shots so I was just trying to keep it in play,” said Smail who as the highest placed professional takes home the first place prize money of NZD $17,555.

“I putted pretty well all week, it’s probably the first time I haven’t had a 3-putt in a tournament week for a long, long time. My playing was good and I just managed to hit enough good shots to get a good score.”

Applauding Kobori for the win, Smail says he has what it takes to go far having seen him in action against his own son.

“I have seen him play. My son is playing a lot with Kazuma, so I’ve seen plenty of his play over the last few years to know that he’s a real talent. He’s done fantastic this week so it’s good for the future,” added Smail.

Victorian Cameron John has finished in third place on a total of 16-under 272 after a consistent effort across the tournament.

Three players including Blake Proverbs, Mark Purser and Anthony Quayle finished tied for fourth place on 15-under the card.

Following an upcoming break in the calendar the ISPS HANDA Tour of Australasia moves to Papua New Guinea in May for the SP PNG Golf Open to be played from 9 – 12 May, 2019.

To view the SEC NZ PGA Championship results please visit pga.org.au.

To view the 2019 ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia schedule please visit pga.org.au

To view the 2019 ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit please visit pga.org.au

Local amateur Kazuma Kobori leads the SEC NZ PGA Championship by four shots following round three at Pegasus Golf and Sports Club.

Starting the round as the equal leader alongside Josh Geary and Jack Wilson, a spectacular blemish-free round of golf featuring six birdies has put the 17-year-old firmly in the lead at his home course.

“It was good. I struck the ball pretty well on the front-9 and holed a few putts,” said Kobori.

“I didn’t make too many coming in but apart from that I made no bogeys today so I can’t complain.

“I’m a member here so I’ve played here hundreds of times and I know pretty much all of the breaks so I’m just going out there and trusting the process and trying to hole putts.

“It’s been working out so far so I’ve just got to stick with it.”

A lead of four shots over Victorian Cameron John is pleasing but not the most important thing for Kobori who is simply happy to have made it so far in the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia tournament.

“Having a lead is nice but really going into the tournament I was just trying to make the cut,” Kobori emphasised.

“Anything above here is a bonus so I’m just happy to get to play tomorrow so we’ll see how it goes.

“It feels good but it doesn’t really change what I’m going to do tomorrow. I’m just going to go out there and play my own game and see what happens.”

While nerves snuck in at the start of his round, a significant hometown crowd following the group around the course did little to shift his focus.

“I was nervous at the start when I realised how many people were out to watch but it was good,” Kobori added.

“That’s my first tournament with so many people watching so it felt good but I’m just trying to play my own game out there.”

Playing the third round alongside professionals Josh Geary and Jack Wilson has proved as a highlight for the Kiwi who will learn from his 18 holes with the pair.

“I had a really good time out there,” Kobori continued.

“Jack is a really good guy and his caddy (Rizz) is a really funny guy as well so I really enjoyed it.

“I probably learned from how they handle themselves on the course, even if they hit a bad shot they were pretty calm about it, they didn’t react much which is something I could definitely take in.”

The ninth hole has continued to be a favourite of Kobori who has now added a birdie on the par-5 hole to his tally.

“I hit a nice chip on 9, didn’t eagle it this time but that’s ok I made birdie still,” Kobori joked.

“I short sided myself on 9 but got an up and down to go to 5-under through the turn so that was probably the big shot of the day.

“Hopefully I can play as good as I did tomorrow.”

Flying under the radar early in the tournament, three consistent rounds of 71, 64 and 67 have pushed Australian Cameron John to second on the leaderboard with a total of 14-under 202.

“I think the course suits me,” said John. “I felt like I didn’t start how I wanted to but I was just mentally a bit slow I think.

“My first eight holes of the tournament I was 4-over and from there it’s been easy to fly under the radar because I’ve been nowhere near the lead until now.”

Pleased to be at the pointy end going into the final day of play as the leading professional, John insists winning the tournament is more important than taking home the final prize purse.

“I don’t think it makes any difference,” he added. “At the end of the day we’re out here to win.”

“He’s playing great,” John said of Kobori. “Hopefully I can just play better.”

Following a fantastic round of 8-under par, Damien Jordan has moved up the leaderboard to sit tied for third place alongside Western Australia’s Daniel Fox at 13-under the card.

The fourth and final round of play at the SEC NZ PGA Championship will begin at 9:20am at Pegasus Golf and Sports Club.

For round three results, please visit pga.org.au.

For round four tee times, please visit pga.org.au.

New Zealand’s Josh Geary, amateur Kazuma Kobori and Australia’s Jack Wilson share the lead of the SEC NZ PGA Championship as play at Pegasus Golf and Sports Club was suspended overnight.

Canterbury local Kobori, who still had two holes to play before the round was delayed due to darkness, rocketed up the leaderboard with five birdies and an eagle to equal the lead set by Geary and Wilson at 12-under the card.

With two hours of delays pushing play out to almost-darkness, Kobori is excited by the chance to play weekend golf in his home town.

“I’ve only got two holes to play so I’ll keep doing what I’m doing, I’m almost through 18 holes of golf so I will just go out there and enjoy it,” said Kobori, who is one of just six players yet to complete their second rounds.

“I made a really good up and down on eight and holed a 25-footer on 9 for eagle so that was the hole of the day for sure.

“I teed off after the rain delay so the conditions were awesome. I also putted well which helps.

“After the rain stopped there was no rain and then the greenkeepers did a good job to keep the course like it was.”

Playing in wet, wild weather Wilson was able to remain composed to shoot an incredible score of 8-under 64 on a chilly, 12 degree Christchurch morning, moving his total to 12-under par after two rounds.

With morning tee times delayed by 45 minutes due to overnight rain, weather has continued to play a big part in the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia tournament.

“When we started yesterday it was pretty windy and we came out today to a 45 minute delay, 10 degrees colder, it is good to walk away with a number like that,” said Wilson.

“To do it in weather like that was fantastic. I’ve managed to walk away with a birdie on the last as well so you’ve got to be happy with that.”

Wilson was left with just two shots to play in his second round before another delay was called as water flooded sections of the Pegasus Golf and Sports Club layout, a situation that Wilson found tough to handle from a mental standpoint.

“I thought it was pretty hard to deal with,” he said. “We’d played in it pretty much all day, but at least in the same conditions for two hours and then just as I’m about to finish the siren decides to go.

“Once you get past being a bit annoyed we sat in front of a heater, had a pie and you can’t control that so you deal with what you can and get things dry, then we went out and finished it off.”

Starting his round in heavy rain, Geary was on only his second hole when play was suspended.

“We got really lucky with that I think,” said Geary of the delay.

“We were only on the second tee when the swell was coming in. When we came back out there was no rain obviously and the wind died down as the day went on.

“It got cold but we were very lucky I think with the weather.”

Going on to record a score of 3-under 69 in round two, Geary believes his scorecard could have read lower than his two-round total of 12-under.

“It was a bit of a struggle today,” added Geary. “I felt too good to shoot that number to be fair.”

“I left a few shots out there on the front-9, a couple of lip-outs, I had a really bad bogey on 9 from the green-side trap on 2 and three-putted 11 so I sort of lost my way a bit.

“I finished ok and made an eagle on 16 but it was a bit of a funny day. I had a couple of unlucky breaks and left a couple out like I said but 69 is a decent score.”

Highlighting Geary’s round was an eagle on the 16^th hole, one that is quickly becoming a favourite for the Kiwi.

“The eagle on 16, it was a good shot in and made an 18-foot putt for eagle and I eagled the same hole yesterday too so I quite like that hole,” said Geary.

Sitting in third place is Australian Daniel Fox on a tournament total of 11-under, ahead of David Smail and Jack Weston on 10-under.

Play in round two is expected to continue at 8:00am at Pegasus Golf and Sports Club on Saturday.

The projected cut is currently sitting at 1-under the card.

Round 3 tee times will be made available at pga.org.au following the conclusion of the second round.

Victorian Jack Wilson has overcome wild wet weather and two delays to lead the morning field in round two of the SEC NZ PGA Championship.

An incredible score of 8-under 64 on a chilly 12 degree Christchurch morning has moved Wilson’s total to 12-under par after two rounds.

With morning tee times delayed by 45 minutes due to overnight rain, weather has continued to play a big part in the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia tournament.

“When we started yesterday it was pretty windy and we came out today to a 45 minute delay, 10 degrees colder, it is good to walk away with a number like that,” said Wilson.

“To do it in weather like that was fantastic. I’ve managed to walk away with a birdie on the last as well so you’ve got to be happy with that.”

Wilson was left with just two shots to play in his second round before another delay was called as water flooded sections of the Pegasus Golf and Sports Club layout, a situation that Wilson found tough to handle from a mental standpoint.

“I thought it was pretty hard to deal with,” he said. “We’d played in it pretty much all day, but at least in the same conditions for two hours and then just as I’m about to finish the siren decides to go.

“Once you get past being a bit annoyed we sat in front of a heater, had a pie and you can’t control that so you deal with what you can and get things dry, then we went out and finished it off.

Not a fan of the wet weather the Victorian credits caddy Rizz for improving his mindset and making his game easier.

“I’m very lucky to have the super caddy on the bag,” added Wilson. “When the weather gets like that it is a big help to have someone else there.”

“I stole the umbrella, he got really wet, he made sure all of the clubs were dry, and for someone who doesn’t know golf very well he’s doing an incredible job.

“That was down to him today. He made it as easy as possible, when it started coming in pretty heavy you could see that he was getting a little on edge but we did a good job and I got lucky on one hole but otherwise the putter was just really hot so it was good fun.

Keeping things fun remains a big part of Wilson’s game and it is caddy Rizz who is often happy to oblige.

“I made three birdies in a row and when I make three birdies in a row we call it a turkey and when I do that Rizz has to act like a turkey,” Wilson laughed.

“He was dancing around like a turkey on the fifth hole today and that was probably the highlight, it always is.

“I was just disappointed that I lipped out on 16 for another one which would have been quite funny to make him do that twice in a round.”

With the wet weather expected to stay this evening before a finer day tomorrow, Wilson hopes his score will hold up as overnight leader Josh Geary takes to the course in the afternoon field.

“If the conditions stay like they are now I’ve got everything crossed that it comes back in as heavy as what it was when we were out there, that would be really nice,” joked Wilson.

“If it stays like this, Josh is in awesome form. It’d just be good to be there come Sunday to be hanging onto his coattails and be somewhere near it when we get to the last six holes, it’d be good fun.”

Also playing in the morning round, Nick Flanagan and Denzel Ieremia have fired 2-under and 3-under par respectively in round two to sit tied for second place, each on a total of 8-under the card.

Hometown hero Josh Geary’s strong run of form has continued at the SEC NZ PGA Championship where he leads after the first round.

Teeing off in the morning field, Geary charged his way to the top of the leaderboard shooting 9-under 63.

Thanks to his hot round Geary now holds the Pegasus Golf and Sports Club course record and a two-shot lead over the field.

“I hit the ball nicely all day and gave myself lots of good looks,” said Geary.

“I got off to a good start. I was 5-under through nine holes I made a nice eagle on the par-5 early to kick start my round a bit.

“Then I birdied the 9th hole turning at 5-under and then missed a couple of opportunities on the front-9 but was able to make some nice putts on holes 6 and 7.

“On the last hole there I knocked it on for a chance at eagle but couldn’t quite convert.”

Despite the low score Geary was not fully satisfied with his round, citing missed putting opportunities as an aspect to work on ahead of round two.

“Believe it or not missed some makeable putts but made some bigger ones so it evened out but it felt a bit weird,” he added.

“I made some good big ones but couldn’t really make the mid-range ones but I’m happy with the way I hit it.

“My game was really solid, especially when the wind got up. Those last nine holes were quite tough in that wind.”

South-easterly winds picked up around the Christchurch course as the round progressed. Conditions are expected to remain much the same ahead of tomorrow’s second round where Geary will join Australians Matt Millar and Ben Eccles in the afternoon.

“My game is in good shape but tomorrow will be very dependent on the weather as to how we go,” continued Geary.

“If we get a windy draw it could be quite tough but if it’s calm it could be easier so it was a great start to the event.

“I just need to capitalise and play solid tomorrow in the afternoon because it will be much harder than this morning.”

Australian Jack Weston is also off to a flying start in his first tournament as a professional sitting alone in second place, two shots off the lead.

Turning pro at the start of 2019, Weston joined the field at the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia event through Monday’s pre-qualifying.

“I turned pro about six weeks ago,” said Weston.

“I tried to pre-qualify for the Queensland PGA Championship a couple of weeks ago and didn’t make it but I pre-qualified again on Monday and made it through.

“My biggest goal was just to get into a tournament and I knew once I was there I could showcase my golf out and that’s what I did today.

“I’m happy with 65 and to be here in my first event I have no words. It’s all a massive learning curve for me so I’m just taking it one step at a time.”

A total of four players finished the day in a tie for third place at 6-under the card, with Blake Proverbs and Daniel Fox playing in the morning round followed by Nick Flanagan and Sam An this afternoon.

“It got quite windy out there but I just tried to play as solid as I could, play some good shots, hole some nice putts and obviously 66 is quite pleasing,” said An.

“I’m happy I had a good round today, with all of my struggles I didn’t know if I would play this well on a track like this but I’m getting better and I’m super stoked after today.”

Flanagan echoed An’s thoughts that ‘boring’ but solid golf was what it took in the windy conditions to make a good score.

“It was pretty tricky early but I played pretty solid all of the way through that and once it died down on the last four or five holes, I had a good run at it coming in and got it done in the end,” Flanagan added.

“I just played really steady golf. I made putts that I should have made, I missed a couple of small putts for birdie, probably like every round it could have been better but it could have been worse.”

Highlighting today’s morning round was a hole-in-one from Marco Zirov on the 169 meter 11^th hole where he hit the ace shot with a 4-iron, a first on tour for the New South Welshman.

Play in round two will begin at 7:45am at Pegasus Golf and Sports Club on Friday.

Following his official return to professional golf at the 100^th New Zealand Open in Queenstown last week, New Zealand golfing star Michael Campbell turns his focus to the SEC NZ PGA Championship at Pegasus Golf and Sports Club in the tournament’s first staging at the Christchurch course.

The 2005 U.S. Open Champion makes his first appearance at the SEC NZ PGA Championship in 2019, a tournament he is pleased to add to the list.

“I can’t believe it’s my first time here,” said Campbell.

“I’ve been wracking my memory and it’s the first time; I’ve actually never played here which is a bit of a shame but now I’m back into the mode of playing and playing the Seniors Tour, there’s no better way of playing tournaments.”

“It’s my first time at this course and first time at the New Zealand PGA,” he added. “There are a lot of firsts this weekend.”

Taking advantage of opportunities on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia to get back into the swing of things ahead of his debut on the Seniors Tour, Campbell says his preparations remain the same no matter where he’s playing.

“It’s the same preparation as always for me,” said the 50-year-old.

“Like in every tournament I’ve played in in the past, I just want to go out there and perform the best I can for this week and whether I play well or not, I’m not really worried about it to be honest.

“I’m looking at the big picture which for me is to focus on the Seniors Tour which is coming up in a couple of month’s time.

“These tournaments for me are a good opportunity to warm up the engine, get out there and enjoy playing golf again.”

While excited by his return, six years away from the course has left some rust for Campbell who is happy to be back amongst the action.

“I’ve got a few things to work on,” said Campbell. “I’m a little bit rusty around the edges you could say.”

“It showed up in my game a lot during the first two rounds at the New Zealand Open.

“It’s all about getting back on the horse again and riding and it’s like riding a bike, really.

“I haven’t ridden this bike for a long time, six years, so there’s nothing better than putting a scorecard in your back pocket and going out there and doing it.

“I just want to get out there and enjoy competing again.”

Thoroughly enjoying his return to the professional ranks at the NZ Open, Campbell labels the tournament as a success despite missing the cut in Queenstown.

“I had a lot of fun,” he said. “I really enjoyed the pressure and the anxiety."

“It probably sounds crazy but I think most players when they haven’t played for a long time felt what I felt on the first tee.

“It was nerve wracking and all of those wonderful things but it was great to be back out on the course and especially being home and playing in the centenary of the New Zealand Open.”

Campbell will not only have the support of locals when making his NZ PGA Championship debut this week but also family members making the trip to see him play.

“I’ve got my dad and my sister coming down,” Campbell added. “I’ve got a couple of cousins and my fiancé as well so it’ll be nice to play in front of them.”

The SEC NZ PGA Championship will be played at Pegasus Golf and Sports Club from 7 – 10 March, 2019.

Entry to Pegasus Golf and Sports Club is free all week to the public.

A second place finish at the 100^th New Zealand Open last week has put Australian Ashley Hall in good stead ahead of the 2019 SEC NZ PGA Championship.

Following a runner-up finish at the NZ PGA in 2018, Hall enters the tournament in hot form as he aims for the top of the leaderboard but insists such a strong result last week was somewhat unexpected.

“It was good,” said Hall of last week’s result. “It was a touch unexpected but it’s what I’ve always thought could happen and it’s why we’re here.

“I enjoy the highs a little bit more now so yeah it was good fun.”

A strong start to 2019 on the ISPS HANDA Tour of Australasia has boosted Hall’s confidence, giving him the belief that his form is where it needs to be to add his name to the winner’s list.

“I’ll be rolling with what I’ve got,” said Hall ahead of Thursday’s tee off.

“I tend to play good in patches or weeks in a row so I’m feeling pretty positive that I can have a good week again this week.

“There are some parts of my game especially my putting after last week that I haven’t seen too much of lately.

“If I can keep that putter going I think I’ve always hit it well enough, it’s just whether the putter gets hot or cold but it certainly feels more confident.”

Despite having played in Christchurch throughout his career, the SEC NZ PGA Championship will be Hall’s first visit to the Pegasus Golf and Sports Club layout.

“It’s a familiar place; we used to play in Christchurch a lot but I haven’t been here before,” said Hall, who played his first nine holes at the course on Tuesday morning.

“There’s a lot of water around so some guys might look at that and struggle a little bit but it’s in great shape, I know that, so that’s good fun.

“It’s a little bit soft but I think the weather is meant to be pretty good so I hope it dries out a little bit for the weekend.”

Reflecting on last year’s event, the Melburnian believes the Christchurch course could play to his advantage if the wind picks up across the weekend, more so than last year at Manawatu Golf Club in Palmerston.

“That other course in Palmerston I wouldn’t have said would have suited me,” continued Hall, despite his second place finish on the Manawatu layout.

“It was very narrow and I don’t tend to hit it straight a lot of the time but this is a totally different golf course.

“It will be good here if it gets windy. It’s windy back home a lot in Melbourne so I don’t mind in the wind.”

With a job to return home to following the New Zealand tournament Hall will play the event without the added pressure of relying on prize money, aiming to enjoy his golf out on the pristine Pegasus Golf and Sports Club course.

“There’s no pressure at all,” said Hall. “I’ve got a job to go back to on Monday so I’ll still do that as planned so there’s no pressure at all.”

“Certainly winning is the goal but just to have a chance on Sunday is what I am for in every event and I ticked that box last week so it’d be great to be up there again.”

The SEC NZ PGA Championship will be played at Pegasus Golf and Sports Club from 7 – 10 March, 2019.

The Pegasus Golf and Sports Club in Christchurch will host the 2019 NZPGA Championship, to be played from March 7- 10.

The tournament will be an ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia sanctioned event and will again carry prize money of NZD$125,000, consistent with the 2018 Horizon Golf NZPGA Championship event staged at the Manawatu Golf Club.

“The 2018 Horizon Golf NZPGA Championship was a great success and lived up to the PGA’s vision of showcasing elite professional golf to the regions of New Zealand,” said PGA of New Zealand General Manager Dominic Sainsbury.

“We are delighted to be heading to the Canterbury region that has a rich history of hosting major golf events and has produced so many champion golfers. We are sure next year’s event will inspire more people in the region to play more golf.”

Pegasus Golf and Sports Club General Manager Aiden Berry endorsed these comments adding; “We are delighted to be able to host this prestigious event. The Pegasus Golf and Sports Club has a history of running successful events of high standing.

“The course is built for high-quality events like this and we look forward to showcasing our great facilities and hospitality that will add extra value to this premiere event.”

The 2019 NZPGA Championship will take place the week after the 100th New Zealand Open in Queenstown, with a strong field of professional golfers from Australia, New Zealand and likely Asia hoped to tee it up.

“The Manawatu Golf Club and the Manawatu golf community provided great support for the tournament in 2017 and 2018, for which we thank them sincerely,” added Sainsbury.

”We are confident that the NZPGA Championship will continue along a similar path next year, working with the community of Christchurch and the broader Canterbury region.” 

The move to Pegasus Golf and Sports Club is also particularly poignant given Sir Bob Charles is a Canterbury resident and New Zealander players at the NZPGA Championship vie for a trophy named in his honour and awarded to the leading Kiwi player at the tournament each year.

The Pegasus Golf and Sports Club was founded in 1995 and has hosted the NZ Women’s Open Championship in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

The 2019 NZPGA Championship winner will join a long list of famous names on the McDougall Cup, first played for in 1920 when it was won by Joe Kirkwood. The current holder is very proud Kiwi Ben Campbell who also holds the Sir Bob Charles Trophy as the leading New Zealander in the field, which was initiated in 2015 and won by Josh Geary.

Ben Campbell is a relieved champion as he claims his first professional victory at the Horizon Golf NZ PGA Championship.

Returning to the Manawatu Golf Club, following a runner-up finish in 2017, Campbell made his presence known from the get go, holding a share of the lead after the first and third rounds.

Campbell fired rounds of 64, 66, 67 and 69 for a total of 18-under 266 to win the title by two shots from his final round playing partner Deyen Lawson (VIC) and Ashley Hall (VIC).

“It hasn’t really sunk in yet. I was close a couple of times last year and my game has been feeling really good lately so it’s nice to get the win, especially around here with family and friends around,” said Campbell.

“I changed my putting about two weeks ago and I was quite surprised how well it held up this week. I missed a short one on the front-9 today but I knew exactly what I had done and I took some time out to re-set and ultimately holed some good ones coming in.

“There was a nice one on 15, it was weird, I was standing over the putt and I just knew that I was going to hole that one,” added Campbell who gained the outright lead on the 14^th hole and never looked back.

Waking up this morning Campbell was greeted by windy conditions which he feels played to his favour and despite multiple players making a charge for the title he remained calm on course.

“I was actually really happy when I woke up this morning and saw how windy it was. I thought it would suit my game and I thought anyone would struggle to go really low out there. Although Simon Hawkes was 6-under after 9 holes,” added Campbell.

“I felt pretty calm out there the whole time. I learned from last year, especially at the Open (New Zealand), so I didn’t get nervous. It was nice to put myself in position and get across the line.”

It was a line he crossed with his mum, Jan Wyeth caddying for him.

“Mum caddied for me in a couple of pro-ams earlier in the year and we won both of them. So I thought it is close to home, she can get on the bag and we managed to get across the line again. Maybe mum is the lucky charm,” added Campbell.

“I also had a lot of mates from Wellington come up and family travel here so it was pretty special to get the win in front of them.”

This is Campbell’s first victory as a professional but also closes a chapter on his career that was marred by mysterious injuries which limited his playing schedule in 2015 and 2016.

“It was a pretty tough time; I spent a lot of money and was told a few times that I would never play golf again,” added Campbell.

“I saw so many doctors trying to figure out what was wrong and I just kept not taking no for an answer. I stuck at it and saw light at the end of the tunnel.

“I have worked really hard to get where I am. Through my injury I pretty much had to start at rock bottom again so it’s a pretty sweet feeling to get the win and get the monkey off my back.”

Campbell will head to the ISPS HANDA New Zealand Open next week, where he also finished runner-up in 2017, a champion on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.

Deyen Lawson and Ash Hall finished runner-up shooting even par and 6-under 65 in the final round respectively.

Oates Vic Open Simon Hawkes almost won his second title of the year, he was 6-under after 9 holes and leading the tournament but went on to finish outright fourth on 15-under the card.

Antonio Murdaca and Matt Millar finished tied 5^th on 14-under the card while a shot further back and rounding out the top-10 were Maverick Antcliff (QLD), Nick Voke (NZ), David Smail (NZ), Anthony Quayle (QLD).

For his win Campbell collected AU$17,022.37 and is now 15^th on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.

The ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia will now travel south to Queenstown for the ISPS HANDA New Zealand Open to be played at Millbrook Resort and The Hills from 1-4 March.

New Zealander Ben Campbell has won the Horizon Golf NZ PGA Championship

Being played at Manawatu Golf Club, Campbell fired rounds of 64, 66, 67 and 69 for a tournament total 18-under 266 to win the title by two shots.

Campbell, who finished runner-up here last year, becomes the first New Zealander to win the title since Michael Hendry won back-to-back in 2012 and 2013.

This becomes Campbell’s first victory as a professional. He will head to the ISPS HANDA New Zealand Open, where he also finished runner-up in 2017, a champion on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.

More to come.