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Wood keeps calm to win Victorian PGA title

3 minute read

Under-pressure birdies on the final two holes have handed Queensland golfer Christopher Wood the first PGA Tour of Australasia title of his career.

Queensland's Christopher Wood has kept his cool to shoot a final-round 67 and clinch victory in the Victorian PGA Championship at Moonah Links on the Mornington Peninsula.

Wood, 30, finished at 20-under par over the four rounds to top the leaderboard of the $137,500 event ahead of Gold Coast-based Michael Sim and New Zealand's James Anstiss.

The Brisbane-born Wood only realised he was tied for the lead at the tournament's penultimate hole, and calmly finished with two birdies to claim the first PGA Tour of Australasia title of his career.

Blake Windred, of NSW, had taken the lead with five to play but dropped a shot at the 14th that saw him fall back into a four-way tie with Wood, Anstiss and Sim.

"On 16 I was very aware of what (the following group) were doing. I was up on the 17th green and I knew that the boys hit it in there fairly close," Wood said.

"I just listened to the crowd and nobody really clapped for a birdie. I knew that they'd missed it and I had a great chance on 17 for a birdie.

"It went in end over end and was probably the purest roll I hit all week.

"That's when I got nervous, walking to the 18th tee knowing I'm one in front.

"I just tried to have two more good swings on 18, dump it on the green and two-putt and that's what I did."

Having finished his round, Wood faced an anxious wait as the players closest to him on the leaderboard completed theirs

"It's been a whole bag of mixed emotions but at the moment I'm just so happy with how I hung in there and kept my emotions in check," he said.

"From 18 onwards to now (I've been) nervous and then an anxious wait.

"When the boys didn't make the eagles up the last to force a playoff (I was) just happy, a sigh of relief to finally get a win."

Overnight leader Anstiss could not match his scorching 63 from round three and finished with a one-under par 71 on the final day to finish level with Sim at 19-under.

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