Golf: Branxton bomber Corey Lamb falls just short of breakthrough win

Lamb was tied with clubhouse leader Austin Bautista at 12 under on the 18^th tee but stumbled with a bogey five.

The 22-year-old smashed a drive which finished in the rough on the edge of the fairway. His approach shot clipped the leaves of a tree and fell short of the green.

Needing an up-and-down to force a play-off with Bautista, who closed with a 64, his eight-metre par putt just missed.

In a see-sawing final round, Lamb had a chance move one ahead at the 17^th, but his birdie putt finished short of the hole.

After opening with a 67 and 68, Lamb went on a birdie blitz on Saturday, picking up five strokes in 10 holes to sign off on a 66 and move to nine under, a stroke behind Coffs Harbour's Andrew Campbell.

That left Lamb among 11 players within four shots of the leader.

It was the first time in Lamb's 18-month professional career that he teed off in the final group.

Willunga was Lamb's first event on the Tour for 2023-24 after a wrist injury prevented the rookie from playing in the West Australia Open and the WA PGA.

"I had a game of golf and woke up the next morning with a real bad pain," Lamb said. "There was nothing more than bruising. I had a few days off. The doctor said 'whenever it feels good, it's right to go'."

I waited for as long as possible, but I'm happy to get back out there."

After a difficult maiden season on the PGA Tour of Australasia, Lamb game a glimpse of his potential at the NSW Open in March, firing a final-round 66 at to finish in a tie for eighth at Rich River

"My first year (on Tour) was horrendous. I think I made two cuts," he said.

If Lamb was nervous it didn't show. He produced arguably the shot of the week at the first, punch a low shot from the next fairway between the adjacent green and bunker to 1 metres to set up birdie.

After having a birdie putt shave the edge of the hole at the second, he picked up shots at the par-three third and par-five fourth to open a two-shot lead at 12 under.

But a lip-out bogey at the par-four 15^th stalled his progress.

Charlestown's Jye Pickin, one of only two amateurs to make the cut, carded a 75 on Sunday to finish at four over and tied for 51st.