Playing in his first adidas Pro-Am Series since the Bulimba Pro-Am in Brisbane in July, it was another nine-hole course where Wood made his competitive return for the MMD Geelong Pro-Am at the Geelong Golf Club public golf course.

The tight, par-33 layout demanded Wood played aggressively from the outset and he was more than up to the task, recording four birdies and an eagle at the 450-metre par-5 fourth in his winning score of five-under 28.

Victorian Darren Bowman was six-under through seven holes but dropped shots at his final two holes to grab outright second, one shot clear of       a group of five players at three-under, Michael Isherwood, Wade Lowrie, Brett Rankin, Jackson Bugdalski and James Grierson all shooting 30 for nine holes.

With limited playing opportunities in recent months, Wood’s win was the perfect warm-up for Moonah Links next week and the summer ahead.

“Today was a really good way to get my summer of golf underway,” said Wood, who birdied his final two holes to steal victory.

“I love this nine-hole event. Conditions were really tricky out there this afternoon and even though the course is short, those pins today were pretty tough in the breeze.

“It’s great to get a win and some confidence heading into next week.”

Highlight of the day came from the Northern Territory’s George Worrall who holed out for an albatross two on the par-5 fourth hole, propelling him up the leaderboard alongside Australian Senior PGA champion Guy Wall, Geelong local Tybin Lawson and former Geelong Pro-Am winner Simon Hawkes.

The adidas Pro-Am Series continues on Sunday with the Higgins Coatings Sands Pro-Am at The Sands Torquay.