Matt Griffin claims first title in eight years
Matt Griffin – image Australian Golf Media
40-year-old Melbournian Matt Griffin has won his first tournament in almost eight years with a wire-to-wire victory in the Heritage Classic at the Heritage Golf and Country Club in Victoria, recording a six-shot win over South Australian Jak Carter and Queensland amateur Quintonn Croker in the first PGA Tour of Australasia event of 2024.
Griffin, who has been a professional since 2008 after representing Australia in the Eisenhower Trophy, saw his five-shot overnight lead reduced to two through four holes, and in fact, when Carter made eagle at that same hole the margin was briefly just one.
Griffin however would birdie the next and by the time he added three more birdies by the 14th the already foregone conclusion became even more so.
Griffin, who is the father of two, has struggled to reach the heights of his early career (which saw him win several significant titles) in recent times was such a dominant performer this week, that it now appears some of that previous mojo is returning.
He is a former winner of the Vic and New Zealand Open titles, amongst others, the latter of those coming in 2016 when he birdied the last to overtake Japan star Hideto Tanihara to win his most significant event.
It was 30-year-old Carter’s 5th top ten on the Australasian Tour since gaining his playing rights at the 2023 PGA Tour of Australasian Q School and he is performing as if his breakthrough win is not far away.
Croker an amateur from the Royal Queensland Golf Club in Brisbane produced his 4th top ten in a PGA Tour of Australasia event in his last five starts.
Sydney’s Kevin Yuan finished alone in 4th place, the former Liv Golf player, bouncing back from nine missed cuts in his last ten starts to record a finish more in keeping with his abilities.
