Luke Buttigieg at Moonah Links
Chris Kirk and Jim Herman will go head-to-head in a playoff for the Moonah Classic title after Kirk's late stumbles allowed his fellow American back into the contest at Moonah Links on Sunday.
The title looked to be Kirk's to lose when he led by two shots with three holes to play but back-to-back bogeys at the 16th and 17th holes, his first blemishes since dropping shots at the final two holes on Friday, opened the door for Herman.
But even after those mistakes and several birdie putts earlier in the day that he left just short, Kirk had the chance to grab the trophy at the 72nd hole after Herman had two-putted for par but from eight feet he too missed his birdie putt.
Having stormed into contention on Saturday with a superb 65 in the toughest winds of the week, Kirk eventually finished at 11 under thanks to a two-under 70 on the final day, with Herman's matching score forcing them to sudden death.
Robert Gates, who made an impressive Nationwide Tour debut a week ago when he won the New Zealand Open, came close to forcing a playoff when he came home with eight birdies in a 66 before having to settle for third on 10 under.
And Victorian Jarrod Lyle, who beat Kirk in a playoff to capture the Nationwide Tour Knoxville Open in 2008, closed to within a shot of the lead a couple of times during the round, firstly when he picked up four shots in the first four holes and then again on the back nine.
But pressing to try and draw level Lyle made costly bogeys and eventually carded a 68 to share fourth place on nine under with American Tag Ridings, who threatened to make a run at the lead on the back nine but lost momentum over the closing holes en route to a 67.
The strong south-easterly winds that troubled the field on Saturday didn't return on the final day and the players appreciated the much gentler easterly breezes even though the temperature climbed into the high 20s.
Colombian Manny Villegas also carded a 67 that included six birdies to claim outright sixth place on minus eight, one clear of Australian Andrew Dodt (70), who backed up his second at the NZ Open with another top-10 finish and two ahead of Americans Jeff Brehaut (68) and Martin Piller (68).
The top 10 was rounded out by Victorians Steve Allan (67) and Steve Jones (71), Americans Trevor Murphy (67) and Jin Park (67) and Kiwi Martin Hendry at five under, with Hendry's 66 including a hole in one at the par-three 5th.
Defending champion Alistair Presnell (73) had a disappointing final round and shared 15th place on minus four with fellow Aussies Scott Laycock (72) and Anthony Brown (72), Americans Scott Stallings (71) and Doug LaBelle (72) and Canadian David Hearn, another who shot 66.