EMERGING golfer Caleb Perry says past experiences helped him navigate sudden-death playoff holes at the Victorian Country Championships.
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The Warrnambool teenager claimed the men’s title at Rosebud on Sunday to add another crown to his growing resume.
Perry, who now plays off plus one, defeated experienced The Nationals competitor Clay Nicholls on their second playoff hole.
His performances, which also netted him the junior crown, helped Western District Golf Association finish second in the boys’ team championship for the second straight year.
Perry, 17, said he took a relaxed mindset into the playoff.
“I just concentrated, it wasn’t nerve-racking for me at all,” he said.
“I was two-under for the whole tournament – I shot one-under 71 both days.
“The first playoff hole was down the 18th and I holed a six-footer for par to keep the playoff going.”
Nicholls missed his par attempt on the second hole, enabling Perry to seal the win.
“I had a really good putting week,” he said.
“I was not so good off the tee – I was a bit average actually – but overall it was a good tournament.”
Western District fell two shots short of South Western in the junior country team championships.
“We played well as a team. Some of the boys felt like they left a few shots out there but everybody does,” Perry said.
“It’s not too bad being second two years in a row.”
Perry said the team could take numerous positives out of the two-day event.
“I felt like Noah Best stepped up and (my brother) Jhett had a pretty good first round,” he said.