David Micheluzzi picks up where he left off with Vic PGA victory
David Micheluzzi – photo Australian Golf Media
Victorian David Micheluzzi has essentially picked up where he left off seven months ago with a come-from-behind win at the Vic PGA Championship at Moonah Links on the Mornington Peninsula.
Micheluzzi was the leading player on last season’s PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit and returned to this tour two weeks ago after a lengthy break to finish runner-up in the Queensland Open after two wins and two runner-up finishes in the first few months of 2023 in the second half of the 2022 / 2024 PGA Tour of Australasian Order of Merit.
By topping the Australasian Tour’s Order of Merit last season, Micheluzzi earned full membership of the DP World Tour season beginning on November 23rd at this week’s Australian PGA Championship and he has shown in his first two events of the new Australasian season that he may well be a force to be reckoned with at the Australian PGA and Open Championships in the next two weeks.
His win today came after starting the final round six shots behind the immensely talented New Zealander Kamura Kobori who only turned professional two weeks ago after winning the 2023 Australian Amateur Championship, the 2023 Western Amateur (US) and leading the individuals at the World Amateur Teams Championship several weeks ago in Abuh Dhabi.
A double bogey at his second hole after taking three to extract himself from a greenside bunker gave little evidence as to what was to come for Micheluzzi who added seven birdies in his next twelve holes to move one clear of his fellow Victorian Ben Eccles and held that position over the closing few holes.
22-year-old Kobori felt the pinch today after a bogey at the first hole and as is so often the case with the sort of lead he enjoyed when ahead by six through 54 holes, such can disappear quickly as it is often a question of the leader not knowing whether to attack or defend the lead.
Kobori is however a significant talent who will learn from the experience and there will be many occasions in the future where the experience he gained today will assist him to many wins. Let’s not forget also he defeated a not-dissimilar field to win the New Zealand PGA Championship as a 17-year-old amateur.
For Micheluzzi however, he will move to 3rd on the 2023 /2024 PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit behind only today’s runner-up Ben Eccles and The Gippsland 6 winner Kerry Mountcastle.
