Lyle heads home with hopes of a win

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Australia's latest Nationwide Tour winner Jarrod Lyle has his sights set on capturing the inaugural Moonah Classic starting at Moonah Links on Feb. 21.

The 26-year-old from Shepparton in Victoria captured his first professional victory blitzing the field at the Mexico Open on the Nationwide Tour by five shots.

Jarrod Lyle's win in Mexico was bitter sweet without his family and friends present to enjoy with with him. (Mu/Getty Images)

He now heads back home for the second leg of the Down Under swing of Nationwide Tour events and is keen to capture a title in front of his home crowd when he returns. He hasn't had much success at Moonah Links in the past but is determined this time things will be different.

"My confidence is a lot higher from the last time I played there, so I am a little bit more experienced now and been around a bit longer to know what happens on a golf tour," said Lyle, who moved to number one on the Nationwide Tour Money list with $133, 350 after the win. "I'm looking forward to trying to beat a few demons I have left out there and try to get one back on Moonah Links."

Lyle played at both the 2003 and 2005 Australian Opens at Moonah Links where he missed the cut on both occasions. He has come a long way since then after a season on the PGA TOUR, and, with a win and a tie for sixth at the two season-opening events, he is looking forward to the challenge.

"Moonah is actually a lot like the course last week in Mexico with the greens being very slopey and fast and hard, so I am going to go and put all the bad stuff behind me from Moonah Links and get along with playing and enjoying it as much as I can. I'd love to be able to come back after Moonah and say I had won three times on the Nationwide Tour and be back on the PGA TOUR now."

"I enjoy seeing the number one next to my name. I know my game is good enough that I can stay up there, so it's just a matter of getting home and playing well."

A 'new look' Moonah Links will be just one of the challenges for Lyle and the others in the 156-man field. Famous for hosting the 2003 and 2005 Australian Open, the all-familiar, one-tee start will now be played from two tees with changes beginning at the ninth hole.

Where once play continued out onto the course and away from the clubhouse, No. 14 becomes No. 9, and No. 15 becomes No. 10, bringing the play back to the clubhouse. No. 9 becomes No. 11, No. 10 is No. 12, No. 11 is No. 13, No. 12 is No. 14 and No. 13 is No. 15 before holes 16-18 are played in their normal sequence.

The $750,000 Moonah Classic is the second of the Down Under swing of Nationwide Tour co-sanctioned events for 2008 following the HSBC New Zealand PGA Championship and will feature the Nationwide Tour's latest winner and Money Leader Australian Jarrod Lyle alongside proven stars Peter O'Malley, Steven Bowditch, Paul Gow, Paul Sheehan and Greg Chalmers who have all tasted success on the Nationwide and Australasian Tours up against the best of the USA.