Carmichael wins Victorian PGA in playoff

BY iseekgolf.com | Australasian PGA Tour | 2002 Victorian PGA Championship | Final Round | 13 Oct 2002

Craig Carmichael has won the $100,000 Victorian PGA championship in a thrilling playoff with Queensland’s Craig Jones. Both players closed the fourth and final round at -10 but it was Canberra’s Carmichael who held tough to take the $18,000 first prize on the first playoff hole and move to 63rd on the Order of Merit with $27,084.33 in the bank.

Carmichael’s win is all the more sweet when you consider that he shattered his wrist at the New Zealand Open last year and was off the golf course for almost a year. The win was Carmichael’s first on the Australasian PGA Tour and, with an exemption to play in every event on the Australasian Tour through to the end of 2003, it may not be his last.

Steven Bowditch almost came through today for his first Tour win and was at one stage sitting at -11 until he fell away over the final few holes. Bowditch, a 19-year-old from Queensland, carded a triple bogey and then a double bogey to finish in equal 6th at -6 and took home $3,280 for his troubles.

South Australia’s Gary Simpson, who had led the field for the first three rounds, sadly fell away under the pressure today and carded a 78 to slump to equal 11th at -5 alongside a group of five other players. Victoria’s Craig Scott, the best placed amateur, posted a 69 to finish the tournament in equal 3rd along with fellow Victorian Andrew Webster and New South Welshman, Paul Sheehan.

Defending champion Nathan Gatehouse from Tasmania was never in the race after starting poorly with a 77 before closing with a final round 68 to end the tournament in 25th place at -2. Wayne Grady missed the cut after rounds of 72 and 75, Peter Senior and Peter McWhinney closed at 34th and Even Par.

Click here for final scoreboard