Former leading amateur Dobbelaar wins NZPGA Championship
Louis Dobbelaar and his father Vince – photo Golf New Zealand
New Zealand raised now Australian, Louis Dobbelaar, has broken through for his first win in professional golf with three shot victory over local golfer Sung Jin Yeo at the New Zealand PGA Championship at Gulf Harbour north of Auckland.
Dobbelaar, a former Australian and New Zealand Amateur Champion, had previously recorded 3rd place finishes at the Australian and Queensland PGA Championships in early 2022 but it has been lean pickings since and this win will prove crucial in his development as a professional as leading into this week he was a lowly 100th on the PGA Tour of Australasia’s Order of Merit.
The event carried one of the smallest purses on the Australasian Tour schedule but it will advance him to 23rd on the OOM and assures the still only 21 year old of full status for the next season.
Dobbelaar and Yeo were locked in a tight battle throughout the final 36 holes after both shared the lead at the halfway mark, and the duo was again tied in the lead through ten holes today before Yeo dropped three shots in the next two holes.
Dobbelaar bogeyed the 13th but maintained a two shot lead through to the 18th hole where he parred to a bogey by Yeo and one of New Zealand golf’s most significant titles was his by three shots.
The win was made even more special by the presence of his father, a New Zealander residing in Australia, who flew in for the final day to caddy for him.
“Pretty special to have him here,” said Dobbelaar. “He saw me win the NZ Am so it was nice that he could see me do this as well.”
“It’s pretty surreal. I don’t think it will sink in for a little while.
“I’m just happy that Dad could see me win this one.”
