12 Dec 2022 | Professional golf |
Power Horan secures second Tour victory
by Australian Golf Media
By Alexander Dabb at Warragul
Tom Power Horan claimed his second title at the Gippsland Super 6 tournament at Warragul Golf Club on Sunday. Power Horan, who was crowned champion in 2019 in a weather-marred event that saw no matchplay occur, prevailed over fellow-Victorian Kyle Michel in today’s final. Michel was hunting for his maiden tour win. The two finalists lined up alongside each other on Monday at the Cadbury Pro-Am at Woodlands Golf Club, with Michel claiming bragging rights by one shot to finish T3, however that result wasn’t lingering in the mind of Power Horan today as he claimed his second career win on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia. After finishing the strokeplay section of the tournament tied-first, 29-year-old Melburnian Power Horan hardly erred on Sunday, making five birdies in the six-hole final match, set up by some remarkable recovery shots including a left-hander from against the butt of a tree on the second hole. “I could not really get much of it right-handed,” he said later. “I didn't want to take a drop like an unplayable. So it wasn't, you know, as left-handed shots go probably wasn't the hardest one, didn't have to hit it too far. “I thought, might as well go for it, I’m in the final, you know, have a go.” Michel was two shots ahead after he began with consecutive birdies in the final, and Power Horan made bogey after his tee shot on the second hole lodged against the tree. But Power Horan turned it around with a remarkable recovery shot under a tree to tap-in distance at the par-4 third hole, and he proceeded to birdie the fourth, fifth and sixth as well, icing it with a 20-footer at the par-3 final hole. With Michel making bogey at the last, the final margin was comfortable three shots. With unsavoury weather forecast for Sunday evening, the sun disappeared behind the clouds and the wind picked up in the afternoon at Warragul, leaving the finalists battling against the wet and blustery conditions which up until that point, had been conducive to low scoring all week, yet the eventual champion still managed to shoot five birdies to take the win. The victory will see Power Horan leap up the rankings in the 2022/2023 PGA Tour Order of Merit, with full playing rights on next season’s DP World Tour on offer for the top three come season’s end, which Power Horan believes is within reach. “At the start of the season I'd be pretty happy with my start now, you know sitting like maybe 20th before this week, so hopefully up bit higher now. “I mean, I still have nine events, or eight events left. So, it's still a long way to go, but I feel like I'm playing well, and this week shows that.” Power Horan has been in fine form as of late after switching to coach Bradley Hughes, winning the Murray Open in September and producing a T12 at the 2022 Fortinet Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane. Power Horan will enjoy two years of full playing rights on the Tour beyond this season as a result of today’s win. Another Victorian Andre Lautee managed to beat out the leader through the first two days of strokeplay, New South Welshman Alex Edge, for third place in the consolation final.
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