It was an emotional return to the winner’s circle for Adam Bland, who ended an 11-year title drought with a home-state victory at the Players Series South Australia at Willunga Golf Course.
 
The 44-year-old last tasted victory at the 2015 Japan PGA Championship, while his first professional title came at the 2005 WA PGA Championship on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.

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After finishing runner-up to Matias Sanchez at Willunga last year, Bland finally broke through, claiming the title in front of his wife and children with a 17-under-par total to win by two shots.
 
“It’s definitely been a long time between drinks on this tour, that’s for sure,” Bland said, 7,817 days after his WA PGA Championship victory.

 
“I just love playing in front of family and friends and to be able to do it in front of them is just unbelievable.
 
“It’s the first time my kids have been here, so it was a very special moment.”
 
Bland becomes the second South Australian to win the event, following Jack Buchanan in 2024.
 
Now predominantly a teaching professional at Glenelg Golf Club, Bland plays a select number of events each season, with lessons already booked for Monday following his victory.
 
Bland reflected on his decision to step back from playing professionally full-time to spend more time with his family.
 
“I was going to give it up to just be home with the kids because they’re 16, 12 and eight now, and I figured if I play for another five years, their childhood’s pretty much gone,” he said.
 
“So staying home and then if I could actually keep competing in 10 events a year, I still kind of get my little bit of competition fix and it’s worked out well.”
 
The back nine threatened to deliver a shootout between Bland and runner-up Louis Dobbelaar, who reeled off three consecutive birdies from the 10th to join Bland at 17-under-par at the top of the leaderboard.

 However, Dobbelaar’s momentum stalled with bogeys at the 13th, 15th and 17th, dropping him to 14-under. Playing in the group ahead, Bland closed with six consecutive pars to secure the title before the tournament’s final putt had dropped.
 
Dobbelaar finished with a birdie at the last to claim outright second at 15-under-par. It marks his second runner-up finish of the year, following a tied-second result at the PNG Open. The Queenslander’s consistent performances have lifted him to the top of the Order of Merit, while Bland climbed to fifth.
 
Canada’s Thomas Giroux continued to impress in his first season on tour since winning US Qualifying School, finishing tied third alongside Ben Eccels at 14-under-par. Following a tied-10th finish at last week’s WA Open, Giroux sits ninth in the Order of Merit.
 
James Gibellini and Tim Hart shared fifth at 12-under-par, while Jake McLeod claimed outright seventh at 11-under, a strong result considering he incurred a two-stroke penalty in Thursday’s round after mistakenly moving an immovable object, which he self-reported the following day.

Reigning Australian Amateur champion Jazy Roberts showcased her talent with a tied-11th finish at 8-under-par. The 21-year-old Victorian, ranked 35th in the world amateur rankings, was the leading woman and amateur in the field.
 
In the All Abilities Championship, Steven Alderson made it three consecutive victories, adding the Players Series South Australia title to his wins at the WA PGA Championship and WA Open over the previous two weeks.
 
The Junior championship went to local South Australian Alan Xin, who finished 3-over-par to claim the title by three shots.