It took six playoff holes for Terry Pilkadaris to prevail over Jason Norris and claim the $100,000 PNG Senior Open at Lae Golf Club.
The Sunday showdown between the two form players of the PGA Legends Tour didn’t fail to disappoint.
A one-stroke leader overnight, Pilkadaris found himself trailing Norris by two strokes after just three holes.
A two-time winner already this season, Pilkadaris steadied and when Norris made double-bogey at the par-5 ninth the pair headed into the back nine level at 3-under par.
Birdies at 10 and 12 gave Norris the ascendancy once again, an advantage he extended to two strokes with birdie at the par-3 17th.
Yet there was a final twist in the tale.
Pilkadaris made birdie for the first time all week at the par-5 18th and when Norris missed a short putt for par and the tournament, extra holes were called for.
Both players had their chances – Pilkadaris saw a two-foot putt for the win dive left on him – before the Victorian claimed his third victory of the year.
Quick quotes
“That’s golf, it fluctuates,” said Pilkadaris.
“I didn’t have a good front nine – hit a couple of loose shots and made bogeys – and then back nine was really steady.
“Just kept plugging away, giving myself chances and then ‘Norrey’ made a mistake on 18 to let me in and so I sort of capitalised there.”
Final scores
1 Terry Pilkadaris 68-68-71—207
Won on sixth hole of sudden-death playoff
2 Jason Norris 71-66-70—207
T3 Grahame Stinson 72-69-69—210
T3 Carl Smedley 66-75-69—210
5 Brad Burns 72-71-68—211
T6 Murray Lott 77-73-65—215
T6 Peter Senior 74-71-70—215
March 29
Henwood, Onions share Aston Hills win
Perplexed that a ball he expected to finish just left of the fairway at the par-5 sixth could not be found, Henwood headed to the seventh tee on the back of a bogey and somewhat hot under the collar.
He ripped driver down the 315-metre par 4 to leave himself just 40 metres in, very nearly holing his pitch shot that would have secured an outright win.
As it was, a tap-in birdie was enough to match Onions’ round of 4-under 65 for a share of victory, one clear of John Wade (66) with David Diaz (67) outright fourth.
Quick quotes
“I got off to a pretty ordinary start,” said Onions.
“I hit it in the lake on the first hole but managed to make par out of there.
“I’ve been putting really well and had a run through the middle of the round where I burned 4-under for three holes.
“A couple of mistakes coming in but I managed to save something with a putter.”
“I nearly holed the second shot,” Henwood said of his approach into the final hole.
“There was nothing else but birdie. I mean, it could have been, but in my mind I was so upset might be the right word. There was nowhere to lose it there.
“Hit the best drive of the day, went miles down, and only had like a 40-metre pitch and nearly holed it.
“I was lucky it didn’t hit the pin actually because then it would’ve finished somewhere not great. But just left me a little tap in which was good.”
Leading scores
T1 John Onions 65
T1 Adam Henwood 65
3 John Wade 66
4 David Diaz 67
T5 Peter Lonard 69
T5 Tim Elliott 69
March 28
Walters’ winning ways continue at Glenn Joyner Pro-Am
Euan Walters paid tribute to the PGA Legends Tour legacy left by the late Glenn Joyner after taking out the Metro Homes Glenn Joyner Memorial Legends Pro-Am.
Walters’ round of 6-under 64 at Thaxted Park Golf Course was enough to finish one clear of John Onions (65), his second straight PGA Legends Tour victory.
Trading two birdies with a bogey to be 1-under after three holes, Walters kept a clean card for the remainder of his round.
Starting from the 10th tee, he turned in 3-under and then picked up further birdies at one, two and five to post 6-under.
Onions birdied his second-to-last hole – the par-3 eighth – but had to settle for second after making par at the par-4 ninth.
Peter Lonard had eight birdies in his round of 4-under 66 to snare third, Murray Lott and Simon Pope tied for fourth with rounds of 67.
Quick quotes
“I’ve known Glenn for probably 30 years,” said Walters.
“We used to play on tour against one another so obviously it was sad to see Glenn pass away a couple of years ago.
“The other side of the coin is that I think he actually played some of his best golf towards the end.
“He got to fulfil some of his dreams and was very successful on the Legends tour, and obviously he’s part of the reason why a lot of these events continue on.
“It’s been a good journey, but hard work. I had to make a lot of changes in my swing and stuff like that but very grateful for the win.
“I know it’s not going to last forever, but we’ll keep practising.”
Leading scores
1 Euan Walters 64
2 John Onions 65
3 Peter Lonard 66
T4 Simon Pope 67
T4 Murray Lott 67
March 27
Walters wins second Flagstaff Hill title
A run of three birdies in four holes provided Euan Walters the foundation to go one better than last year and claim an outright victory at the Living Choice Flagstaff Hill Legends Pro-Am at Flagstaff Hill Golf Club.
Joint winner with Jason Norris and Nicholas Robb 12 months ago, Walters’ early hot streak gave him enough of an edge to absorb a three-putt bogey on his final hole for a round of 3-under 67 a one-stroke win.
Playing in the same group as Walters, Murray Lott (68) birdied his final hole to claim outright second, Brad Burns (69), Michael Long (69) and Peter Brown (69) tied third.
Quick quotes
“I tied with a couple of others last year, so it’s good to get a solo win. Pays a little bit better, too,” said Walters.
“It’s been a while since I’ve had a win, so it’s good to get it done.
“I’ve been playing pretty good but not really finishing it off but played really well today.
“Still didn’t finish it off. Had a three-putt on the last, which was disappointing, but fortunate enough to get the job done.”
Leading scores
1 Euan Walters 67
2 Murray Lott 68
T3 Brad Burns 69
T3 Michael Long (NZ) 69
T3 Peter Brown 69
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