This was a lesson learned by Ben Roberts, who won the Mt Xavier Golf Club pro-am yesterday, after organising and planning the event. 

Roberts secured his second pro-am win with a four-under-par round of 66, the same score as New South Wales golfer Alex Hawley’s victory in the event 12 months ago. 

Hawley did not return to defend his title this year. 

Roberts, who received almost $1800 in winnings from the $10,000 prize purse, said the win came as a surprise.

“I hadn’t been practising, it’s always hard to win an event you organise because there’s not much time to practice,” he said.

“I have been playing okay lately. Normally on a day I want to play well I don’t, but today was good.”

Roberts first teed off as a 16-year-old junior at Mt Xavier and is still fond of its greens 20 years later.

“Mt Xavier would have to be the best greens in the district, it’s really beautiful out there,” he said.

He said he was happy to play the “odd event” in Victoria but there would be no plans for a tour in the future, due to work and family commitments.

Roberts finished a shot clear of runner-up Wade Lowrie, who tied for fourth in last year’s event, with Luke Hickman and Jack Redford making up the top four.

Mt Xavier Golf Club president Barry Foss said that hosting professional tournaments was testament that the course was one of Ballarat’s best.

“The pros were so surprised at how good the course is. This place has evolved from a nine hole course and now can be played on by everyone,” Foss said.

In the amatuer competition, Murray Park took the title in the A-grade event with 38 stableford points.

Final Leaderboard

66 B. Roberts (VIC)

67 W. Lowrie (VIC)

68 L. Hickman (VIC)

69 J. Redford (VIC)

71 E. Walters (VIC)

72 E. Orr (VIC), M. Faraone (VIC), M. Isherwood (VIC), T. Collier (VIC)

73 M. Doyle (VIC)