RYE, Australia, 22 December 2003 — World No. 42 Peter Lonard clinched his first Australian Open title when a birdie at the 72nd hole edged out US Open runner-up Stephen Leaney and Chris Downes by one stroke yesterday.
Lonard, who started the day two shots behind overnight leader Downes, closed with a three-under-par 69 to finish on nine-under 279 and win a gripping shootout with Leaney at the new Moonah Links course about 100 km south of Melbourne.
The 2002 Australian PGA and Australian Masters winner, Lonard added the national open championship with a stunning approach shot to the par-five 18th that left him with a six-foot putt for birdie.
Lonard, who in 1993 contracted the mosquito-carried Ross River virus which damages the eyes and feared he might never play professional golf again, said it was a special moment.
Lonard, 36, fired birdies on the par-five 13th, par-four 16th and par-five 18th holes in his five-birdie, two-bogey round.
Leaney, who was in the final playing group with Downes, needed a birdie on the 18th to force a playoff but failed to hole his 10-foot putt after a 50-foot birdie attempt lipped out of the cup on the 17th hole.
Downes, 23, who held a one-stroke lead overnight from Leaney, had five bogeys in a 72 and had to be content with equal second place with Leaney (71) on 280, eight under, after picking up a birdie on the last hole.
Craig Jones (71) and 44-year-old Peter Fowler, who closed with a 70 and won the Australian Open 20 years ago, shared fourth place on 281.
Lonard said he was excited to join Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Peter Thomson and Greg Norman as Australian Open winners.
Western Australian Leaney, 34, said: “I guess I can’t be disappointed. It was just a shame that I did not make that putt at the last.”
Leaney said he would keep coming home to try to win a national open championship.
“Even if we don’t have Tiger (Woods) and Ernie (Els) and Vijay (Singh) play this event, it still has such a great history that everybody wants to win it,” he said.
