David Bransdon won the inaugural Heritage Classic on Sunday in a playoff at the Australasian PGA event in Melbourne.
The 39-year-old Victorian-based Bransdon headed into the final round one shot off the lead but despite shooting a solid one-under 71, was reeled in by South Australian Max McCardle (67) and 17-year-old amateur Lucas Herbert (68).
The trio finished the tournament at the Heritage Golf and Country Club in the north-east of the city at 14-under par to head to a playoff.
Bransdon, who shot a course-record 64 in the first round and led at the halfway mark of the tournament, didn’t muck around by birdieing the first hole while McCardle settled for a par and Herbert a bogey.
It was Bransdon’s third Australasian Tour victory following triumphs in the 1993 Tasmanian Open and 2010 Western Australian PGA Championship.
“I was actually more relaxed in the playoff than I was in regulation playing the 18th – it was just a bizarre thing,” said Bransdon, who has competed on his home Tour since 1995.
“I had hit good shots all day so I just trusted what I was doing and pulled it off.
“I am pretty happy right now, obviously it has been eluded to that it’s been a long career and so it’s nice to win again.”
Overnight leader, New Zealand’s Michael Hendry (73), finished outright fourth on 13-under while NSW’s Matthew Giles (70) and Victorian amateur Nathan Holman (70) were next best three shots further back.