Harrison Crowe had a life changing week at the Golf Challenge NSW Open at Concord. And wrote his name into the history books.
Crowe, the 20-year-old from St. Michael’s Golf Club, played fearlessly on the final day of the rain shortened PGA Tour of Australasia event.
Tied for the lead with Blake Collyer at the start of the day, the reigning NSW Amateur champion is the first holder of both the state’s amateur and open titles concurrently since Jim Ferrier.
Making three birdies to start the day, Crowe never lost or was tied at the top again on Sunday, his clutch par at the last coming after a pulled drive under the trees and brilliant recovery.
Finishing at 18-under-par, Crowe is the first amateur winner of the NSW Open since Ben Eccles in 2015. The winning cheque of more than $70,000 going to Blake Windred who took second on his own, one shot back after a seven-under final round.
3.35pm: Too close to call at Concord
Blake Windred has made his move on Sunday afternoon of the Golf Challenge NSW Open.
The Novacastrian pulling within one of leader Harrison Crowe.
The 20-year-old Crowe made his first bogey of the tournament at the downhill 10th hole and as yet hasn’t been able to claw the shot back, remaining 18-under.
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HAYES: Is Crowe Setting Up Something Special?
Windred meanwhile produced an amazing stretch of golf around the turn, making three consecutive birdies to finish the front nine. The Challenge Tour player then eagling the par-5 11th and birdieing the difficult 12th. Windred with two holes to play.
Jordan Zunic, Blake Collyer, Jake Higginbottom, Adam Blyth and John Lyras are next best at 15-under.
4.10pm: Magic Moment Goes Begging for Gale
Playing on the opposite side of the course to the leaders, Daniel Gale has Concord a buzz and on 59 watch late on Sunday.
The Dubbo Open champion made the turn in 29 after starting from the 10th and proceeding to make four straight birdies.
An eagle followed at the par-5 15th, another hat-trick of birdies starting at the 18th. The par-3 4th yielded another shot against par for Gale before he ran out of steam on his quest to golf’s magic number with bogies at 7 and 9 sandwiching a birdie.
Gale’s 62 the equal low round of the week and elevating him to 13-under and a share of 11th, five back of leader Harrison Crowe.
2.40pm: Crowe on Cruise Control
Harrison Crowe is loving his moment in the spotlight at the Golf Challenge NSW Open at Concord Golf Club, where he has a four shot lead with nine holes to play.
Not to be for birdie at the short par-4 13th for Harrison Crowe. He remains at 18-under only one clear now of @BWindred who has three holes to play at the #NSWOpenGolf @GolfNSW @Concord_GC_ pic.twitter.com/EORnbhqQ2V
— Jimmy Emanuel (@JimmyEmanuel4) March 20, 2022
The 20-year-old, who earlier this year claimed the NSW Amateur title, remains bogey free for the tournament and has so far added another five birdies to his score on Sunday afternoon where he has the crowd’s full support.
His every shot cheered, and rightfully so, Crowe added two more birdies at the par-5 8th and uphill par-4 9th where another of his prodigious drives left a short approach into the green, where his trusty putter yet again delivered.
Also at five-under for the day, Blake Windred sits in second place on 15-under. Meanwhile, the red-hot Daniel Gale is 10-under today and 14-under overall alongside Kade McBride and Jordan Zunic who will all be hoping the back nine is where Crowe suddenly realises he is about to achieve something special.
1.30Pm: Birdie blitz continues at Concord
Harrison Crowe started with three straight birdies in the final round of the Golf Challenge NSW Open, but there are plenty of others making a move.
Castle Hill’s Daniel Gale has the round of the day going at nine-under through 10 holes to be -12, Alex Edge with a six-under round going one back, Brady Watt also six-under for the day at -13.
Harrison Crowe is a star on and off the course 🌟#NSWOpenGolf pic.twitter.com/ko3YlCIWBm
— Golf NSW (@GolfNSW) March 20, 2022
After a string of pars from the 4th Crowe remains the leader on 17-under with Blake Collyer and North Coast Open champion Kade McBride the nearest pursuers two in arrears.
1.30 pm: Crowe pounces with early birdies
If he is feeling nervous, Harrison Crowe isn’t showing it during the early stages of the final round of the Golf Challenge NSW Open.
The reigning NSW Amateur champion started the day tied for the lead with Blake Collyer but is now the alone at the top after three straight birdies over the first three holes.
Playing alongside Collyer and Dimi Papadatos, Crowe certainly has the crowd on his side. And has been walking the fairways casually chatting away with friends and taking in some sustenance in the form of a bread roll that like the field early, stood a chance against the 20-year-old.
Offering a fist pump with the dropped hat-trick putt after a pitching wedge pin high left, Crowe now sits at 17-under, three clear of Collyer, with Papadatos, Deyen Lawson and Jarryd Felton one shot further back.
12.20 pm: Leaders Away At Concord
The leaders are away here at Concord Golf Club, and gun amateur Harrison Crowe has made the first move, birdie the first hole after a sizzling tee shot at the reachable par four.
Crowe, however, was not the only one to start their round with a birdie, playing partner Dimi Papadatos also rolling one in to get to 13 under.
How did Harrison Crowe win over the #NSWOpenGolf media centre? With his mum’s brownies and Rocky Road of course. @GolfNSW @Concord_GC_ pic.twitter.com/DWWL8s2wrL
— Jimmy Emanuel (@JimmyEmanuel4) March 20, 2022
Crowe has double down on the second , adding another birdie to get to -16.
Alex Edge is a big mover, playing the back nine, he has got it to 10 under par total and is five under for the day. worth watching, too is Brendan Jones. The Japanese Tour star is also at ten under par.
11.45 am: Bryden Makes An Early Move
Bryden Macpherson is big fan of Concord Golf Club, and seemingly pulling his own clubs as he did on his way to victory at the 2021 Golf Challenge NSW Open.
Macpherson was in the third group off the 1st hole starting his day at seven-under-par for the week and has it going early after eagle at the short par-4 1st was followed by an eagle at the next.
Macpherson is now at 10-under as the lead groups make their way out on a damp course in some of the best weather we have seen all week.
There is a buzz on the grounds with fans streaming into the gates and the two tee start helping to create some more atmosphere, the presence of a major champion on site helping to create a little stir.
Hannah Green has returned to Australia during a break in the LPGA Tour schedule and is out following her boyfriend Jarryd Felton who sits at 12-under, two shots back of the co-leaders Harrison Crowe and Blake Collyer.
In perhaps a better omen for Felton’s chances, the same fellow player who caddied for him when he won the one hole play-off at TPS Sydney two weeks ago, James Marchesani, is back on the back after himself missing the cut.
Marchesani hoping for a perfect two from two caddie to win ratio, something his sister Monica achieved on Green’s bag at the Vic Open and TPS Murray River events.
10.00am: It’s Championship Day At Concord
After the weather induced cancelation of Saturday’s third round of the Golf Challenge NSW Open, play will resume today at 10:05am when groups of three go off both the 1st and 10th tees.
The PGA Tour of Australasia event has been shortened to 54-holes after yesterday’s abandonment of play, and will likely see something of a shootout on Sunday afternoon with the sun already shining on Concord Golf Club.
Harrison Crowe and Blake Collyer share the lead at 14-under-par, Dimi Papadatos set to accompany them off the first tee at 12:05pm with his fellow 12-unders Jarryd Felton, Deyen Lawson and Jordan Zunic playing together in the group ahead.
There is a pack of seven others at 10-under or better with hopes of taking the Kel Nagle Cup around the Tom Doak layout that will dry out more and more throughout the day.
Although still damp with lift, clean and place in play the course will play a little tougher than it did earlier in the week after the fairways were mown late Friday and the greens cut and rolled this morning.
Coverage begins on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo at 12pm.
