Canberra veteran Matthew Millar has claimed his second tournament victory of the summer, surging to a three-shot victory in the $50,000 Queanbeyan Open.
Playing a course he knows well, the 45-year-old proved too good for his younger rivals as he posted a five under par 65 closing round at Queanbeyan GC on Friday.
Having started the 36-hole tournament on Thursday with a double bogey, Millar played the remaining 35 holes in 10 under and without a bogey as he clinched the third event of the six-tournament NSW Regional Open Series.
“I just found a good groove there and made a couple of putts when I needed to,” said a modest Millar, who also won the Murray Open by three strokes in November.
“We don’t often get to play tournaments in Canberra and Queanbeyan, so it’s a bit of a thrill have won, for sure.”
Brady Watt (67), James Grierson (69), defending champion Deyen Lawson (67) and Jordan Zunic (69) all tied for second at five under.
Joint overnight leader Grierson was visibly nervous early and really only found his stride on the back nine.
Zunic, who started at four under alongside Grierson, looked the most likely to win early with some quality ball-striking, but could not manage another birdie after the seventh.
Ahead on the course, Lawson made a back-nine charge to briefly pull within two of Millar, but he came a cropper on the 15th.
Watt also played a fine back nine, but left his charge too late.
Millar chipped in from the side of the sixth green for a birdie to get his round humming, then nearly holed out his tee shot on the short eighth minutes later to set up another birdie.
A bomb for birdie from the front of the 11th was followed by a great approach to the 13th to establish his winning break and from there, it was a master class in tee-to-green stability.
AAP
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