Three years ago Corowa golf professional James Gordon was runner-up in the 2021 Sheraton Fiji Pro Am Classic. He has since gone back-to-back winner, the latest triumph with his four rounds concluding on Friday, June 14.
The tallish left-hander shot rounds of 64, 65, 67 and 67 on the Par 72 Natadola Bay Golf Course and at Denarau Golf & Racquet Club for a tremendous 25 under par total of 263.
After leading by just one stroke after the first round, Gordon’s eventual winning margin was seven strokes, from a three-way tie for second in Fijian Tomasi Tuivuna and Australians Josh Gear and Jamie Hook.
In 2023, Gordon won by three strokes after shooting rounds of 64, 67, 70 and 67 for a 20 under total of 268.
Again, his blistering start of eight under par first round was enormous. Although he didn’t expect to win the event which included over 70 professionals, Gordon was confident of “going well”.
“I’d put in the hard yards leading up to the event and I was very confident of going well,” the 30-year-old told The Free Press. “It was reward for effort.
“Obviously I got off to a good start (eight-under-par) but I was only one shot in front after the first round. I just kept pushing.”
Gordon had a bogey each round but birdies throughout the four rounds and a third round eagle on a Par 5 hole ensured excellent sub-par rounds.
Long drives by the big hitting star provided plenty of opportunities for low scoring. It meant a lot of wedge shots to the green and he held some good putts.
It was a very happy winner. “It’s hard enough to win one but going back-to-back was really pleasing. The whole week went according to plan,” Gordon said.
The Corowa Golf Club professional’s next overseas event is in Hawaii at the end of August.