Geoff Ogilvy has taken out the Australian PGA Championship on the Sunshine Coast, storming past Mathew Goggin on the back nine to claim his first major title on home soil.
Ogilvy shot a three-under par 69 for a two-shot victory, handing overnight leader Goggin another runner-up cheque at Coolum after the Tasmanian finished second here in 2005.
Ogilvy led by two shots with two holes to play before Goggin birdied 17, setting up a thrilling final hole as the storm clouds loomed overhead.
But Ogilvy survived as the rain began to tumble down, recording a rock solid par on the final hole to see off Goggin, who ended the day with a disappointing bogey to complete an even par round of 72.
It is the first win for world number 14 Ogilvy in Australian since he turned professional in 1999, banishing a monkey off his back that has similarly plagued Queenslander Adam Scott, who withdrew from this tournament after injuring himself surfing.
“It’s pretty satisfying,” Ogilvy said of winning in his homeland. “You’d think it would be easier for us but it’s actually harder because we get so many less chances.
“It’s only two or three times a year, where in the US it’s 30 times a year. It’s really nice to do it. You want to play well at home.”
There were touching scenes on the 18th as Ogilvy’s toddling daughter Phoebe raced across the green to give her proud dad a winning hug.
“It’s the best. It brings it all back to reality. It’s so exciting for them to see daddy’s had a good run. After all the hard work you get a cuddle from your kids. That’s what it’s all about,” Ogilvy said.
Goggin started the day at 12 under and began in fine style, moving to a three-shot lead after seven holes before he started to unravel with three bogies in seven holes, starting with back-to-back blemishes on nine and 10.
Ogilvy maintained the pressure and hit the lead on the par-five 15th when Goggin put a fairway wood deep in the water off his second shot. For Goggin, it was the beginning of the end.
The Victorian extended his advantage a hole later with an ice-cold birdie on 16 to have the tournament at his mercy.
Goggin wasn’t done yet, adding some intrigue with his rebounding effort on 17 but it was former US Open champion Ogilvy who stood tall as the rest of the chasing pack wilted in the coastal heat.
His metronomic swing kept him out of danger in a bogey-free round and he produced some clutch saves around the greens to deliver the PGA Championship into his trophy cabinet.
Peter Senior (69), Scott Strange (69) and Rod Pampling (72) all finished on 11 under but none of that trio could put any real pressure on Ogilvy or Goggin throughout the final round.
Tasmania's Goggin started the day at as leader on 12 under, one clear of Ogilvy, and quickly set the pace, moving to 15 under after birdies on holes four, five and eight.
But bogies on nine and 10 kept him within striking distance of Ogilvy, who has played some crisp iron shots to look the stronger of the two going into the final stretch.
Goggin could have fallen back even further but for a magnificent par-saving putt on 11, with his six-metre downhill stroke snaking in to keep him on top of the leaderboard for the time being.