Back behind the counter at the New Plymouth Golf Club pro shop on Monday, Dominic Barson was fielding congratulatory messages and serving customers less than 24 hours after his dramatic Taranaki Open win.
On Sunday, the 51-year-old produced a memorable finish, holing an eagle putt on the 18th hole to force a playoff, then on the same hole slotting a birdie to win the $60,000 Charles Tour event at Ngāmotu Links for the second time.
“Just hang on a sec,” Barson said during a phone interview with the Taranaki Daily News, as he paused mid-sentence to help customers at the shop he owns.
It was a stark contrast to the pressure he was under during the dramatic playoff against Auckland’s Cameron Harlock on Sunday.
“It was more the way that I finished really,” Barson said.
“Coming home pretty strong, eagling the last hole in regulation to get into the playoff and then hitting a couple of good shots in the playoff and making birdie.”
The victory came exactly 10 years after Barson’s first Taranaki Open title in 2016.
The win capped a remarkable week for Barson, whose rounds of 69, 73, 68 and 71 were enough to finish seven-under-par alongside Harlock before the playoff.
Played in squally winds and intermittent rain, the final round turned into a battle of attrition as Barson, Harlock and Auckland professional Jake Meenhorst traded the lead throughout the day.
Barson’s challenge looked over after an early double bogey and Harlock stretched his advantage to three shots on the back nine, but the New Plymouth local stayed composed.
“I made a conscious effort to stay really calm regardless of whatever happened, whether it was up or down. I wasn’t nervous at all actually.”
Standing on the 18th tee one shot behind, Barson knew he needed something special against the long-hitting Harlock and wanted to make birdie.
“I’ve just absolutely pumped the best five-iron of my life,” he said of his second shot.
That approach left him eight feet for eagle, which he drained to force the playoff in front of a vocal home crowd.
The pair returned to the 18th, where Barson again produced a superb approach before tapping in for birdie after both narrowly missed eagle attempts, sealing the title when Harlock failed to convert his birdie putt.
Barson, who had been playing for around 30 years, said local knowledge proved crucial in the brutal conditions.
“I know where the wind’s coming from, there’s no guesswork for me. I think the biggest thing is the greens. I know all the breaks in the greens.”
He said balancing work and tournament golf made the result even more satisfying.
“It’s always nice to beat the young guys because they all hit it 50 metres past me.”
Barson flies to the United States later this month for a senior tournament at Pebble Beach before heading to Europe in July in an attempt to qualify for the Senior British Open.
“I’ll just try to keep my hand in it,” he said, before serving the next customer.
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