Shae Wools-Cobb powers to finish in Queensland Open at Pelican Waters

Pelican Waters member Shae Wools-Cobb calmed early nerves with a startling finish of two eagles at the Isuzu Queensland Open on his home course.

Coast golfer Shae Wools-Cobb finished well at the Queensland Open. Picture: Golf Queensland

Pelican Waters member Shae Wools-Cobb calmed early nerves with a startling finish of two eagles at the Isuzu Queensland Open on his home course.

Wools-Cobb (71-67-65-70) looked to have played himself out of the tournament with four bogeys on his opening nine on a tense Sunday where 18 players started within five strokes at the top.

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His late Sunday rally for a two-under-par 70 lifted him to 15-under par and put a smile on his face as joint fifth behind Sydney‘s Andrew Evans.

“I was pretty nervous to start and going bogey-bogey got me off on the wrong foot,” Wools-Cobb said.

“I was proud of myself for staying patient and finishing with some good golf because I had so many friends and family supporting me on course.”

The rally started on the par five 12th when he ripped a six iron 195m to just a metre of the pin with his second shot. There was more of the same on the 17th with the same club to leave him 2m for a second eagle.

Sydneysider Evans (68-70-65-67) could barely believe the drought-breaking trophy he was holding after fearing he might lose his tour card just weeks ago.

The journeyman pro was a worthy two-shot winner of his first title in a decade of striving at 18-under-par, including the eight birdies he plundered on par fives for the week.

He promptly cancelled his flight home to Sydney so he could properly celebrate with a mate in Brisbane.

“Flight home cancelled...I’m filling this with XXXX,” a jubilant Evans said of the very Queensland celebration he suddenly scheduled for Sunday night.

“This is unreal...I never thought this day would happen.

“I think I’m a good player but without something like this to your career you are kinda just another player. It’s pretty sweet to get over the line.”

Evans drilled a wonderful five iron close to the pin from 180m at the par four 16th to grab his seventh birdie to ice the win on a tense final day.

Just as important was the six iron he hit close on the par three 15th. He didn’t win the $100,000 bonus for an ace put up by Palm Lake Resort but the birdie was another step closer to the $18,750 winner’s cheque.

He showed his nerve leading for the entire back nine to finish ahead of three players in joint second, Gold Coast-based Deyen Lawson, Newcastle’s Blake Windred and Melbourne’s Bryden Macpherson.

Evans, 35, forever banished the bridesmaid tag and worse which he has lived with since finishing second to Peter Senior at the 2015 Australian Masters at Huntingdale.

“That week was great but unfortunately a lot of people just remember the rushed three-footer I missed on the last green which didn’t mean anything. People said I choked so that was tough to get over,” Evans said.

“I missed a lot of cuts last year and three in Victoria to start this year and absolutely I was worried about keeping my card to stay on the tour,” Evans said.

Lawson (69-70-67-66) finished birdie-birdie for his closing 66 to reach 16-under and it will build confidence for his imminent return to Europe to play.

Defending champion Anthony Quayle (68-70-68-67) got inside 2m on the hole-in-one hole: “The seven iron looked pretty good so KB (coach Ken Berndt) was looking good for a while there because the caddie fee is 10 per cent.

“It was my first time defending a title. It was a learning experience and all things were pretty positive but for a few putts not dropping.”

Dalby left-hander Lawry Flynn was top amateur at 14-under after closing with a fine 68.

Pelican Waters regular Charlie Dann (73-69-71-67) finished on eight-under in a share of 30th spot while amateur Justin Morley closed with 71 to finish four-under.

Originally published as Shae Wools-Cobb powers to finish in Queensland Open at Pelican Waters