James Marchesani earns first Australasian Tour title in WA
James Marchesani watches his lengthy putt at the last to set up his one shot win – image Australian Golf Media
36-year-old Victorian James Marchesani won his first PGA Tour of Australasia title today, nine years after turning professional, with a one-shot win at the WA Open at Secret Harbour Golf Links south of Perth.
After sharing the 54-hole lead with defending champion and South African, Oliver Bekker, and Jasper Stubbs, Marchesani produced a final nine of 31 to edge one clear of Stubbs and two over Bekker and win the $36,000 first prize.
Bekker led by one at the turn over Stubbs with another shot back to Marchesani, but a stunning back nine which included five birdies saw Marchesani take a one-shot lead to the last, which he safely negotiated for his breakthrough win in Australia.
Marchesani, who played much of his amateur career at college in Oklahoma in the US, actually finished first in the Webex Series Victoria in 2023, but as it was a mixed gender event, the title went to the overall winner, Min A Yoon, but this victory now gives him his first official PGA Tour of Australasia title and seocnd place on the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.
Marchesani was delighted to have finally broken through after numerous podium finishes over the last few years and despite missing the cut in his last two events at St Andrews and Kalgoorlie, he impressed with the quality of his play over the Graha Marsh-designed layout.
“I think it was a matter of how long can you sort of wait and when is it going to happen?,” said Marchesani when asked about winning for the first time in Australia. “When is it going to happen? I’m playing good, but it’s not quite happening. So yeah, I think it does, but I’ve always believed I’ve been good enough to… It’s probably come a little later than what I though out here.
“But yeah, everyone’s so talented now, so you got to work harder and harder and harder. And as I get a little bit older, it is a little bit harder, but I still love it. So yeah, just a really rewarding week.
Stubbs had missed five of his previous seven cuts before an encouraging 3rd place in Kalgoorlie last week and was another looking for his first win, but he is a player good enough to have won the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship and to have finished 3rd at the 2024 Australian Open, and many are predicting a bright future for the 24-year-old.
His runner-up finish is his best on the PGA Tour of Australasia.
South African but now Australian resident Bekker was attempting to win this event for the second year in succession, and when he took an early lead on day four, he appeared on track to do just that. He still led by two with five holes to play. Bogeys at the 14th and 15th, however, were his downfall.
The PGA Tour of Australasia now heads to South Australia for this coming week’s mixed-gender Webex Series South Australia event.
