Van Wright sank a 2m birdie putt on the first playoff hole to win the Auckland Anniversary tournament on his home course at Akarana yesterday.
Minutes earlier the 30-year-old former professional had missed from a similar distance on the same 18th hole as he completed a final round
of 73 to finish the 54 holes level with Auckland Club golfer Ryan Fox.
Fox, who had started the final round with a three-shot lead over Wright and Logan Scott (Waitakere), had sunk a good par putt to force the playoff. But he could not match Wright's finale.
Wright, who learned the game in Samoa, played collegiate golf in the United States before turning professional.
After modest success he rejoined the amateur ranks 10 months ago and quickly made his mark in Auckland representative golf, playing at No 1 in the interprovincial tournament at Mt Maunganui last month.
He putts with a broomstick putter and on greens showing signs of heavy traffic yesterday, he was inconsistent - but so was everyone else. All four in the final group - Wright, Fox, Scott and Hamilton's Doug Millington - had chances to win only to lose the initiative.
Fox, who celebrated his 21st birthday last week, squandered his overnight lead with a four-putt on the par-three eighth.
His father and caddie, former All Black Grant Fox, recalled it was a similar lapse that cost him the North Harbour strokeplay title last year.
With nine holes to play Millington had the lead, but he faded out of contention as Scott collected a couple of birdies.
Wright had drawn level with Scott with two to play, with Fox two shots adrift.
Fox played an incredible high iron over some tall trees to birdie the 17th while Wright and Scott both three-putted for bogeys - Wright from barely a hand's breadth away.
Scott also missed a short putt on the last to miss the playoff, while Millington finished fourth equal with Todd Baek (Peninsula), whose closing 71 was the best of the day.
Akarana members had the chance to cheer a clubmate home for the first time since Reg Roache in 1996.
