Peter Senior keeps blasting away age barriers but insists he surprised himself by storming home to win his third Australian Masters title at age 56.
The tenacious Queenslander held off a late challenge from unheralded Sydney-sider Andrew Evans to claim a two-shot victory at Huntingdale on Sunday 20 years after his last Masters win on the same course.
Senior can lay claim to a record that's unlikely to be matched.
He won all the Triple Crown titles - the Masters, Australian Open and Australian PGA - before turning 50 and he's now won them all again since passing the half century.
He becomes the oldest player to win the Australian Masters, eclipsing 50-year-old American Gene Littler in 1980 and has won a tournament every decade since the 1970s.
"You don't expect to win these events anymore," Senior said.
"I'm over the moon to win this tournament. the Open a few years ago (2012) and the PGA before that (in 2010), all over 50 years, that's a big thing for me."
He said he was inspired by Tom Watson almost winning the 2009 British Open as a 59-year-old as well as Davis Love III winning this year on the US PGA Tour aged 51.
Despite his years of experience, Senior, with 21-year-old son Mitchell on his bag, finally showed some nerves in the closing stretch, bogeying the 17th and then stumbling on the par-4 18th.
But he was able to salvage a par at the last with his "best putt of the day" and with Evans bogeying the final two holes, Senior finished at eight-under.
Evans, who is a pro at Sydney's Bexley club, and had to play qualifying to get into the tournament, ended up in a tie for second with American amateur Bryson DeChambeau and John Senden.
Tournament favourite Adam Scott finished fifth, four shots behind Senior.
World No.12 Scott said he was let down by a horror third round 77 that left his "head spinning".
Senior will now head to Sydney next week for the Australian Open before the Australian PGA at Royal Pines but typically played down his chances.
"Huntingdale isn't an overly long course but the next two weeks, the courses are a little bit longer than this one and I think I will have my work cut out for me but Huntingdale is right up my alley," he said.
Senior plans to play one more year on the Champions Tour in the US before calling time on his international career and was undecided if he would continue to play in Australia.
Befitting his age he planned some low-key celebrations.
"I might go to the buffet at the Langham (hotel), I think Mitch and I could destroy it.
"We will have a nice dinner and reflect on what's happened this week; it's been something special."
