Ruben Lal’s VIC REDEMPTION
The Blitz Victoria event, held at Red Rocks Golf Course on Phillip Island, delivered the biggest crowd for an event outside of Adelaide and was an incredible show. The Par 3 course was presented impeccably, and the event setup had an amazing vibe, with the village and fan zone rocking, the crowd in full voice, and DJ John Course bringing the tunes.
The star-studded field included Glenn Maxwell, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Steven May, Damien Oliver, Kevin Yuan, and many young guns such as Matias Sanchez and Kono Matsumoto. Make no doubt, this was a challenging Par 3 course, and the conditions made birdies feel like gold. Poor shots were punished, and in the spirit of Blitz, where “every shot matters,” this was never more true. The setup favored precision ball striking.
Round 1: A 60m Shootout Thriller
In Round 1, the 6-hole Blitz saw just three players at even or better, with Austin Bautista, Max McCardle, and Kono Matsumoto tied as leaders. Meanwhile, five players finished at +3 and faced a 60m shootout in front of the raucous crowd to determine who advanced.
Kevin Yuan hit a superb shot to just inside 6 feet, only to be eliminated by legendary jockey Damien Oliver, who delivered a dagger of a shot.
Round 2: Sudden Death Drama
The 3-hole Round 2 Blitz saw players better adjust to the conditions, with Max and Kono again leading at -1, joined by 2-time Blitz finalist Ruben Lal.
The last spot in the Final came down to a 4-player shootout between Austin Bautista, Matias Sanchez, George Worrall, and influencer @golfslump. Stepping up third, Austin, feeling the crowd’s love, delivered one of the best shots in Blitz history by holing out the 60m sudden death shot! The crowd reaction was electric. Matias followed with a superb shot, but Austin advanced to the Final.
The Final: Ruben’s Redemption
The Final, played on the 90m Par 3 Stadium Hole, saw all four players hit the green, with Austin in position A with an 8 foot birdie look. Max and Ruben narrowly missed their longer putts, and Kono left her 12-foot attempt short. Austin, with a chance to seal it, misread his uphill putt, and the players headed back to the tee for a replay.
In the replay, Ruben stepped up and knocked his shot to 2 feet, applying immense pressure on the others. Max had the best look at birdie but missed as his putt drifted off-line, allowing Ruben to complete his great work and secure his first Blitz Golf victory.
A Well-Deserved Win
It was a well-deserved win for Ruben Lal, who has played in 14 Blitz Golf events since its inception in 2018 and has been a great supporter of the format. After losing an epic shootout to Peter Senior after two extra holes in Adelaide in 2020 and to 5-time Blitz champion Matt Millar at Howlong Golf Club in 2022, no one could deny that it was finally Ruben’s time to shine.