Porter back to defend Moonah Classic

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Ewan Porter is returning to the site of his first Nationwide Tour victory in the hopes that it will inspire more.

VICTORIA, Australia -- Sydney's Ewan Porter will return to Moonah Links next month, hoping to emulate his result from 2008 when he claimed the inaugural Moonah Classic by seven shots and earned himself a shot at the PGA TOUR.

With an inspirational final-round 66, Porter claimed his first professional victory and equaled the third largest win in Tour history, earning himself a two year exemption on the Nationwide Tour -- a win he said changed his life and gave him valuable lessons about what it takes to make it to the Big Show, a dream he will continue to chase in 2009.

"My win last year put me in an amazing position," said the affable 26-year-old. "I went from having no status to being second on the Nationwide Tour Money List and had a PGA TOUR card in my grasp.

"Things didn't quite work out the way I wanted them to at the end of the year, but the opportunities the win gave me were fantastic, and I think I'll be better equipped this time around to deal with what's ahead."

Porter claimed the Moonah Classic on home soil and is keen to return to the venue that he recalls gave him the best week of his golfing career. He predicts that as it did for him last year, the Moonah Classic will uncover some top local talent and might just produce the next up-and-coming star on the Australian golf scene.

"It's such a great opportunity for a young Aussie golfer to get their chance, and I was proof of that last year. To get to play at home and have that chance to get your foot in the door through the event is something a lot of our guys will jump at, and I can see one of the younger players really coming through."

There is little further proof needed when you note that in last year's field were Aussies Jarrod Lyle, Aron Price, Greg Chalmers and Marc Leishman; all four players graduated from the Nationwide Tour to the PGA TOUR at the end of 2008. Leishman further demonstrated the fruits of the pathway from the Nationwide Tour events when he recently notched up a tied 12th-place finish at his inaugural event, the Sony Open in Hawaii.

The Moonah Classic once again will be the place where dreams begin for many young Aussies with a win giving them a Nationwide Tour Card for 2009.

The $600,000 Moonah Classic returns to Moonah Links from Feb. 26 - March 1. The second event on the 2009 Nationwide Tour calendar, the Moonah Classic is the first of the three-event swing Down Under for the Nationwide Tour and attracts a quality field of 156 Australasian and U.S. players looking to get an early start on the rankings for the year ahead.

Entry to the Moonah Classic is free with all day parking at the venue for $5.00