Wodonga's Daniel Gill has just finished his VCE, but he passed one of his biggest tests in style by snaring third in Tuesday's home pro-am.
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"I didn't get to play because of exams, but I've now got those couple of months out of the way," the amateur said after battling 36-degree heat.
"I ended up being two-under after four holes, then parred all the way to 16 and birdied the last three to shoot five-under, so I was pretty happy with the result."
The 18-year-old will now devote his time to golf.
"I'll compete in as many amateur tournaments, nationally and internationally, as I can and try and lift my world amateur ranking in the next couple of years and then make a decision on whether I turn pro," he said.
Meanwhile, another Wodonga product who's been down a similar path before turning pro just over 12 months ago was a shot behind the youngster.
"I was six-under with three to go and I got plugged in the bunker on 16 and I couldn't get it out and made double bogey," Zach Murray said.
Murray admits Gavin Fairfax's stunning 11-under morning score surprised him, but he was full of praise.
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And despite not claiming the return of his home club to the PGA Australia circuit, the 22-year-old could still smile.
"My nanna (Francis Murray) had never seen me play golf before and she saw me play, which is a huge bonus," he said.
"Apart from the New Zealand Open (win), this is probably the most up and about I've been with family and friends watching me play and I was thinking, 'how cool is this'?"
