MARK Boulton’s sensational rookie year on the PGA Legends Tour got even better in Coffs Harbour after he claimed victory in the Watson’s Leisure Centre Legends Classic.

The Victorian shot a 3-under-par 67 around Coffs Harbour Golf Club’s East Lakes layout to win by a single stroke over Peter Lonard. It was Boulton’s fourth Legends Tour win of 2023.

He shot five birdies and two bogeys during the morning of the Pro-Am event to be the leader prior to the afternoon groups teed off.

While pleased with how he played, Boulton admitted that he didn’t think his score was going to be the lowest of the day.

“I’m stoked. I played pretty good but wasn’t sure whether that was going to be good enough,” Boulton conceded.

When Lonard got to 3-under through eight holes, it was Lonard who looked the likely winner.

Yet the two-time Australian Open champion was unable to find the go-ahead birdie and then dropped a shot three holes from home.

At the end of the round though the 56 year-old wasn’t too disappointed with a runner-up finish seeing as he’d played just one other Pro-Am event in the six month period prior to teeing off in Coffs Harbour.

He was simply happy just to be competing again.

“A lot of people have asked over the years ‘why do you keep playing’ but I still get in the car and think about how to be better now,” Lonard said.

“So I figure when I get in the car and I don’t care whether I can get better or not, then it’s time to chuck it in.

“But I still have that feeling. I don’t hit it as far and all that sort of stuff but I still love playing golf.”

Boulton said he and the other Legends Tour players were thrilled with the condition that the Coffs Harbour Golf Club was presented in.

“The conditions were just pure. It took some adjusting to the greens here but overall, this is how golf courses probably should be.

“It was impeccable, really enjoyed it,” he said.

“I was pretty conscious of how I putted today and it paid off by making five birdies.

“That was the clincher, I think.”