Nationwide Tour player PH Horgan III claimed a second Gosling’s Invitational title in two years at Belmont Hills yesterday — and with it the $9,000 winner’s purse.

The 46-year-old former US PGA pro carded a final round four-over-par 74 to finish even for the tournament — two shots ahead of last year’s winner Kirk Hanefeld and three-time Invitational champion Ian Doig.

Four-time winner Ian Conley shot 68 yesterday — the day’s second-lowest round behind Amateur Division winner Nick Mansell.

“I feel very blessed to have won this tournament, although I must say that I really didn’t play my best,” a modest Horgan told The Royal Gazette.

“But I did what I had to do out there today and overall I’m pleased with the result.”

Horgan’s triumph yesterday was perhaps a fitting tribute to long time friend Yaton Outerbridge who sadly passed away earlier this year.

“It isn’t the same not having him (Outerbridge) standing in the gallery,” the newly crowned champion added.

1992 champion Dwayne Pearman — who has tentative plans to compete on the Latin American Tour next week — was the top local finisher among the pros. The Ocean View pro shot a two-over-par 72 to finish the tournament at 12 over in a two-way tie for eighth along with Canadian Keir Smith.

In the Senior Division Arthur Lindo (311) shot 75 to pip Quinton Sherlock (312) by a single stroke. However, the day well and truly belonged to American Horgan who overcame a bout with cancer earlier this year which seriously jeopardised his career.

And as if to symbolise the veteran golfer’s long-awaited triumph over adversity, a steady light drizzle subsided and the sun emerged from behind the clouds for the first time for the afternoon just as the former Bermuda Open champion — with the luxury of a three-shot cushion — began his casual stroll towards the impressive gallery that awaited his arrival at the par four 18th hole. Yet the “comedy” of errors that plagued the leaders yesterday would make one final impression as first Doig barely kept his shot off the tee with a four wood in bounds while Horgan’s second shot to the green caught the left side rough and trickled down the backside.

“I actually pulled it a little and probably wouldn’t have done that if I had one shot lead,” the American admitted.

Still, an obscured Horgan (280) was not to be denied as he managed to get up and down for bogey to finish two shots ahead of his rivals who both made par on the final hole before being refreshed with a consoling dark ‘n’ stormy. In a somewhat bizarre twist, Horgan’s round had come full circle after a double-bogey on the second hole and another bogey at the par three third threatened to throw his push for victory off course right at the beginning.

“I was four under going into the round and then I embedded the ball behind the green on the second hole which was a bit of bad luck as I started off with a double (bogey),” Horgan explained.

“I was right next to the green but right down there in the dirt and right away went to three over to let everybody else back in the game.”

But when given a chance to make serious inroads, Hanefeld made a hash of it, bogeying at one and three before double-bogeying the par five sixth hole.

Doig fared no better. The 1984, ‘85 and ‘87 Invitational champion bogeyed the second hole and then made a triple bogey at the par four fifth hole. A double bogey on the 15th hole also didn’t help the Canadian’s cause. Doig (282) came in at two over for the round while Hanefeld (282) carded a four -over- par 74, each pocketing $6,500 for their efforts.

“It was really a comedy of errors today on the golf course. We were all doing silly things before I turned it around,” Horgan said.

Hanefeld agreed. “We were kind of feeding off each other in the wrong way,” last year’s champion said. “All kinds of bizarre things happened during the course of the round. PH (Horgan) got off to a bad start and then Ian (Doig) and myself had some problems. It was just a very poor day of golf and I think I played poorly right from the beginning.

“I didn’t play well at all and there’s really no redeeming qualities about today’s round.”

2004 Gosling’s Invitational champion Horgan birdied nine and ten to move back to one under for the tournament, but then three-putted for bogey at 11 and 14 allowing Doig to move to within one shot of the lead.

However, once again the Canadian let opportunity slip through his fingers as he dropped two more shots on the next hole.

And any chances of Doig making one last surge over the closing holes evaporated on the par three 17th hole where Horgan nailed a clutch six-foot putt to protect his three-shot advantage to all but carve his name on the prestigious Challenge Trophy heading towards the final hole.

“We all struggled today and when I look at my own game, other than a couple of holes, I thought I played fairly solid,” Doig commented afterwards.

“But I probably lost the tournament during the first round on the back nine where I went bogey, double, par, quadruple and still shot 73. I was four under and should’ve finished at least seven under that day. Unfortunately, though, I let a good round get away.”

Top local finisher Pearman struggled all week hitting off the tee.

“I haven’t hit the ball good all week. I putted good but my ball striking wasn’t solid at all this week,” the Ocean View pro lamented.

“I’ll take it ($6,500 and first place among the local field). But I really didn’t hit the ball that good, although it gets that way sometimes.”