Luke Buttigieg at Moonah Links
Jim Herman has capitalised on two late stumbles from Chris Kirk to win the Moonah Classic, the American making a birdie at the first playoff hole to beat his compatriot at Moonah Links on Sunday.
Having led the tournament after every round following his brilliant course-record 62 on the opening day, with Kirk joining him at the top after 54 holes, Herman made the most of Kirk's faltering finish to take out the Nationwide Tour co-sanctioned event.
With the pair returning to the 18th for the playoff a poor second shot from Kirk meant he came up short of the green with his third while Herman hit his approach to within six feet and then holed his birdie putt after Kirk had pitched to within 10 feet for his par.
Coming into the event with little to be enthusiastic about having missed his past seven cuts dating back to last September, Herman ended that run of outs in emphatic fashion while Kirk has now lost twice in playoffs after also going down to Aussie Jarrod Lyle two years ago.
Earlier, the title looked to be Kirk's to lose when he led by two shots with three holes to play and that's how it played out as 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 a eight birdies in a 66 before having to settle for third on 10 under.
And Lyle, who beat Kirk in sudden death at 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.
Having started the final round level at nine under after Herman had lost his way with a 75 on Saturday just two days after setting a new course record with a 62, Kirk drew clear when he birdied the 2nd.
And while Lyle was making his presence known with two birdies and an eagle in the first four holes, Kirk picked up