Canberra golfer Brendan Jones's New Zealand Open win 'a dream come true'

"It's a bit of everything," the Canberran said.

Fair enough, too, after Jones stormed home to win the $1.52 million New Zealand Open in Queenstown on Sunday.

The 48-year-old got there with two of the greatest shots he's ever hit and clutch par saves when the pressure was mounting. Not bad for an old bloke, says Jones, who may lay claim to Australian golf's most underrated career. His 15 Japan Golf Tour victories are second only to Graham Marsh's 20 for an international player.

Ask him how it feels and for a moment he seems speechless. Then he opens up about what it means to win an event he never thought he would, and he is anything but.

MORE SPORT:

"This is just incredible. I've been supporting this event for many, many years. I've said to myself, 'As long as my bum points to the ground, I'll never win it'," Jones said.

"I don't know what's happened, but I've won it, and I've played some pretty awesome golf, for an old guy, anyway.

"It's a dream come true. This is my first national open, it's my first event on the Australasian tour. I've come close before. I don't know what to think, because while you're out there, you're not thinking of winning. You're just playing the best golf you can.

"I got a bit of help from the leaders. I noticed it wasn't playing as easy today and I just hit a lot of good shots through the middle of the round. I left a couple out there but I made some clutch par saves on a few of the holes coming in.

"Then I've hit probably two of the greatest shots I've ever hit, back-to-back, on the par-five and the par-three. It's nice to be able to do that while I'm nervous, under pressure."

In winning the open, Jones joins a list boasting friends Matthew Griffin and Brad Kennedy, who won the title in 2016 and 2020, respectively, and those who went before him he refers to as legends of the game.

To have his name engraved on that trophy alongside theirs? "It's pretty special," he says.

That's why Jones couldn't contain himself when he got his hands on the silverware, hoisting the trophy into the air, only for the lid to come flying off. A look of elation turned to shock, if only for a moment, before the lid was placed back on and Jones lifted the trophy again - this time with two hands, and a little slower.

Jones arrived on Sunday four strokes off the lead at 13-under. At-17 under, Shae Wools-Cobb was two clear of halfway leader Chris Wood with Japan's Terumichi Kakazu outright third at 14 under.

Then Jones fired 66 in the last round to finish 18-under.

"I looked at the leaderboard on the last green and I thought I could six-putt. I didn't want to, but I knew I had a few in the pocket," Jones said.

"I knew I had it when I had that little four-footer on the last. This is incredible."

And not just for Jones, but for the group of 12 mates who had flown in over the weekend, cheering their mate home. They wouldn't stop during his interview after lifting the trophy, balancing beers with phones to record Jones's victory speech.

"They're very vocal out there. When I was making those par saves out there, these are the guys that got me home," Jones said.

"They're on the start of a pretty big week, I think."

We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.