A final round of four-over 76 has seen Hervey Bay’s Lachlan Wood finish in a tie for eighth at the inaugural G4D Open at Woburn’s Duchess Course in England.
Ireland’s Brendan Lawlor took out overall honours with a three-round total of three-over par, edging reigning Australian All Abilities champion Kipp Popert by two strokes.
Wood posted 18-over for the three rounds to lead the four Australian representatives home, a 10-over 82 on day one proving to be the difference in pushing for higher honours.
Only Lawlor and Popert bettered Wood’s score of 152 for the final two rounds, the third year PGA Associate closing with two birdies and six bogeys in a world-class field.
After bogeys at two and four in the final round Wood picked up a shot at the par-5 sixth but bogeyed nine to turn in two-over.
He dropped a shot on 11 before making his second birdie of the day at the par-4 12th. Bogeys at 13 and 14 followed but he parred his way in to guarantee a top-10 finish.
Prior to leaving Australia, Wood racked up victories at the Vic Open Inclusive Championship, TPS Hunter Valley All Abilities, NZ All Abilities and the Queensland Inclusive Championship.
Now 32 years of age, Wood was seriously injured while a passenger in a single-car accident in Rosebud at the age of 16.
It has left him with a left leg held together by 14 screws and a metal plate bigger than his hand.
His back still bears the long scar from where two muscles were taken to graft into the repair work on his shattered and now shorter left leg. He has had more than 30 surgeries and there will be more to come.
Of the other Aussies, veteran Geoff Nicholas was tied for 23rd, Webex All Abilities series winner Cameron Pollard finished 30th and Adam Letherbarrow 71st.
Final scores