Talented Scott Arnold is celebrating after breaking through to claim his first professional career victory in capturing the 2012 Victoria Open at the Spring Valley Golf Club outside of Melbourne.
Scott Arnold breaks through to claim maiden pro career win. (Photo - Thanks to Australasian PGA)
Arnold commenced the final round tied with New Zealand’s Michael Hendry at 9-under par and in an exciting round of golf which saw the lead change many times before Arnold eventually prevailed.
“It’s great, especially the way I did it as well, I just sort of hung in there all day,” said Arnold.
I was present at the London Club in Kent in 2009 when Arnold turned professional.
With some financial support from then Australian Cricket Captain, Ricky Ponting, Arnold made the switch to the play-for-pay ranks on the very same day, and at exactly the same time albeit from the 10th tee, as Ireland’s Shane Lowry.
That was at the 2009 European Open at the London Club in Kent.
Scott had been the World’s No. 1 ranked amateur playing off plus 3 when he turned professional.
He signed with ISM and the same company that manages Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke and Simon Dyson.
Before turning pro Scott claimed a number of top amateur titles including the famed Lake Macquarie Amateur, the Australian Strokeplay and the New South Wales Cup which he won three years in a row.
Arnold also contested the 3 Irish Open as an amateur and the event won by Lowry when he defeated Robert Rock in a play-off.
Although Scott struggled to play his best golf as a professional early on, he found his game on the PGA Tour of Australia and on the One Asia Tour. He finished tied third in the GC Caltex Maekung in April 2010 and had a number of top 10s in 2010.
Scott’s father, being a golf professional was his inspiration in taking up the game and his golfing heroes are Greg Norman and Tiger Woods
So naturally, it’s great to see the New South Welshman break through to taste success in recording rounds of 71, 66, 67 and last day 68 for a 12-under par tally.
“I didn’t play fantastic golf but was still playing within myself and getting done what I needed to do,” said a delighted Arnold.
“Barnesey (Kurt Barnes) was really putting the heat on, especially on the back nine at 11 and 12 and 13, so I got out of my little zone and had to get back in and I was happy that I pulled it off.”
Kurt Barnes headed into the final day three shots back from his playing partners, Arnold and Hendry, but with a birdie on his opening hole followed by birdies on the 5th and 6th and then an eagle on the 7th he looked headed for victory.
“I had to get out of the blocks early and I did, through nine holes I thought it was probably mine to lose,” said Barnes
However an 11th hole double bogey followed by bogeys on 13 and 14 undid Barnes good early round work until he again burst back into contention with an eagle on the 17th.
“I faltered a bit on the back nine, but I come home strong there,” added Barnes.
“I thought if I made my eagle on 17 and Scotty missed his, I was still a chance, but that’s golf.”
Barnes finished with a final round score of 5-under par 66 for a total of 11-under par and one shot shy of Arnold in second place.
“Well done to Scotty, I gave it a good run,” added Barnes.
Hendry, who had dominated the tournament throughout the first two rounds, earning himself a six stroke lead heading into the weekend, unfortunately couldn’t finish the way he started, with his putting let him down.
“I’ve never seen so many putts hit the hole, at not a lot of speed either, and find a way not to go in,” said the Kiwi.
“On another day, they’d all drop and it would have been my day. It was just one of those things.”
Hendry’s final round included four bogeys for an eventual last day two over par 73 and five shots adrift of Arnold in third place.
Daniel Bringolf finished as the highest ranked amateur at 2-under par.
Meantime ——.
For the first time the Men’s Victorian Open was played simultaneously with the Women’s Victorian Open at Spring Valley Golf Club with Frenchwoman Joanna Klatton claiming the title with an 8-under par 212.
