David Micheluzzi – image Australian Golf Media
The young man who was already the Order of Merit leader on the PGA Tour of Australasia, David Micheluzzi, played his final ten holes of the TPS Sydney Presented by Webex event at Bonnie Doon in a massive nine under par to win his second PGA Tour of Australasia event.
Beginning at the 9th, which he eagled to turn in 3 under, Micheluzzi added a further seven birdies over the closing nine holes for a homeward nine of an incredible 27 to win by four over Deyen Lawson and Daniel Gale with another two shots back to the Sydney amateur Jeffrey Guan, who had the outright lead early in the round after sharing the lead with Gale into the final day.
Micheluzzi won his first event at the WA PGA Championship in October of last year and with two other runner-up finishes this season along with top ten finishes at the Australian PGA and Open Championships, the 26 year old has further consolidated his place at the top of the rankings this season and assured himself a place on the DP World Tour next season.
The leading three players on the PGA Tour of Australasia’s Order of Merit at the completion of the final event in early April will earn a much sought after card for Europe in 2024 and open the door for a career which looks destined to provide big things for the Victorian.
One of this country’s more gifted amateurs before turning professional, Micheluzzi turned professional late in 2019 and like so many of his era, his progress was curtailed by Covid and the inability to gain access to a tour other than the PGA Tour of Australasia.
There is little doubting his significant talent, however, most obvious when 5th at the Australian Open as an amateur behind Abraham Ancer in 2017 and his immediate future now looks assured with access to Europe.
Another win at the New Zealand Open in two weeks’ time, and who is to say his current form won’t offer that opportunity, will also open the door to the growing riches of the Asian Tour, given that tour’s joint sanctioning with the NZ Open, providing him an embarrassment of playing options.
Micheluzzi’s win this week comes on top of a runner-up finish behind New Zealander Mike Hendry at last week’s Vic Open leaving him now well clear of Cameron Smith on the Australasian Tour’s Order of Merit and all but assured of the top spot when finalised in April and more importantly one of those three precious exemptions in Europe.
Sarah Kemp led the women’s challenge when she tied for 5th with Lawry Finn and last year’s runner-up Brendan Jones.
