Victorian Cameron John absorbed every punch Daniel Gale could throw to claim a breakthrough professional victory at The National Tournament presented by BMW at The National Golf Club.
Three shots clear of Kyle Michel at the start of the final round on the Moonah course, it soon became clear that John’s greatest threat would come from Gale. A two-time winner already this season on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, Gale made eagle at the par-5 second and birdie at the par-4 fourth to turn a five-shot deficit into a two-shot inconvenience.
Michel’s double-bogey at the fourth would effectively end his charge, leaving John and Gale to fight it out over the final 14 holes.
John took twice as many shots on the par-3 fifth as he did a day earlier but the birdie edged him three shots clear of Gale, who countered with birdies at the seventh and eighth to draw within one.
But as hard as he fought, Gale would get no closer, John’s three straight birdies from the 10th hole and a crucial up and down on 14 effectively keeping Gale at arm’s length.
The 24-year-old needed just 11 putts on the back nine for a round of three-under 69 and a 16-under total, two clear of Gale (67) with veterans Josh Younger (68) and Aaron Townsend (68) sharing third.
“I didn’t think pars were going to be enough,” John said of the inward nine.
“As much as I played that stretch really well the whole week, ‘Galey’ was playing great. He’s never making bogey, and if he did make a bogey, he’d bounce back with a birdie the next hole.
“It was very much back and forth that back nine. It was good fun.”
It marked the end to an outstanding season for Gale who had earlier victories at the NT PGA and Webex Players Series Hunter Valley. His runner-up finish meant he moved past Brett Coletta into second on the Order of Merit, the pair joining Order of Merit champion Kazuma Kobori as the recipients of DP World Tour cards for the 2025 season.
“Cam won that event. I threw my best shot at him, but just a few bogeys that killed me,” Gale said. “Gave it my best shot and he went out and made the putts when he had to.
“I’m pretty chuffed for him because it was a good battle.
“The big goal was to lock up that Europe card for next year, that category, and I’m pretty chuffed. Obviously worked really hard for that. Never really succeeded at the Q-Schools internationally when I had opportunities but made some good strides this season and getting better and better.”
As the leaders battled it out in the final group, players throughout the field were playing for their immediate futures on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
Over the course of a gorgeous afternoon on the Mornington Peninsula, Nathan Barbieri (70), Jack Munro (71), Kit Bittle (68), Townsend and Younger moved in and out of the top 50 cut-off who keep their category for next season.
Ultimately it would be only Younger who finished the season inside the top 50, Munro (51), Bittle (52), Townsend (53) and Barbieri (54) now facing the prospect of a return to qualifying school next month to improve their category.
It could not have come at a better time for Younger, whose five-year winner’s exemption has now expired and who 18 months ago thought a foot injury had ended his career.
“When I originally stopped, I thought that might be it, only because it was giving me grief,” said Younger, who chipped in at both the 16th and 17th holes today.
“Pitched in on 16 and then chipped in on 17, so who knows? Maybe it’s meant to be.”
