Austin Bautista reverses 2021 result with WAPGA victory
Austin Bautista – image Australian Golf Media
A 28-year-old New South Welshman, Austin Bautista, has reversed the result of four years earlier, coming from behind to win the WAPGA Championship at the Kalgoorlie Golf Course in Western Australia.
In 2021, it was NSW’s Jay Mackenzie who defeated Bautista by two shots, and in the early stages of today’s final round over the spectacular Graham Marsh-designed layout in the gold mining town some 600 kilometres east of Perth, it appeared Mackenzie was well on track to win again.
Mackenzie took a two-shot lead into the final round, moved four ahead early in his round, and was still ahead by two through 10 holes. Bautista, however, who has experienced success both internationally and at home, found a way to wear down his good friend Mackenzie and take the title with a birdie at the 72nd hole, winning by one.
Bautista is now in second position on the Order of Merit on the Sunshine Tour (South Africa), having won and finished runner-up there in 2025, and so despite being 578th in the world ranking, he arrived in Kalgoorlie as one of the more credentialed players in the field.
Mackenzie led from halfway through his second round of 64 and was not headed until he bogeyed the 72nd hole, where he narrowly missed a 15-foot putt only to watch his opponent hole from 8 feet for birdie to take the title by one.
Queensland’s Will Florimo finished alone in 3rd position, three shots from second place.
Bautista moves to 3rd place on the 2025/2026 PGA Tour of Australasian Order of Merit while Mackenzie, having played all three of the events thus far, is in 4th position.
Corey Crawford still leads the Order of Merit, having won the opening event of the season in Papua New Guinea.
