The twisting Moruya layout and superb greens provided a stern test for PGA Associates from around Australia all week, Carter’s four-round total of one-under 283 the only score in red figures by week’s end.
A week after blitzing the field by 15 strokes to win the South Australian PGA Associate Championship at Links Lady Bay, Carter found himself three-over at the halfway stage in pursuit of the NSW/ACT title.
He moved to within one of the lead with a round of three-under 68 on Wednesday and then closed with a one-under par round of 70 on Thursday to finish one clear of Toby Williams (St Michaels Golf Club) with Ben Paine (Rossdale Golf Club) third a further stroke back.
Completing the PGA Membership Pathway Program at The Stirling Golf Club near Adelaide, Carter made his move as he completed the front nine.
A double bogey by 54-hole leader Dale Crothers at the par-5 eighth issued Carter an invitation he gleefully accepted.
He birdied eight and nine to edge ahead of Crothers but found himself one shot off the lead held by Williams as he stood on the 16th tee.
A brilliant approach shot set up a birdie there and he backed that up with another at the par-4 17th to edge one clear.
Yet if he was feeling comfortable it wouldn’t last long.
His tee shot at the par-4 18th finished behind a tree, forcing him to play an all-or-nothing second over water to the back-right hole location.
“I absolutely hated that kind of shot but lucky enough I could hit it as far left as I wanted,” Carter said of his approach into the 72nd green.
“I managed to put a real good swing on it and hit it to a pretty nice sort of distance.
“I thought that putt was in too when I hit it.”
Although his two-putt par would ultimately seal the win, Carter credited the putts on the previous two holes for getting him across the line.
“They were absolutely huge,” he added.
“I was not aware of the leaderboard or anything like that.
“The game-plan on 16, a par 5, was just to trust my wedge game and it was nice to see that happen.
“But to hole that putt was a nice feeling and then the putt on the 17th was just a bonus.”
Second to Crothers at the VIC/TAS PGA State Associate Championship at Tocumwal Golf Club in May, Carter has now set his sights on the Queensland State Associate Championship at Windaroo Lakes in October.
“Probably try to win the third in Queensland. Really looking forward to playing those courses and getting right into it up there,” said Carter.
“I’d like to win three in a row, that would be great.”
Williams parred his final four holes to close with a 70 and claim outright second, Paine falling two shots short despite making birdies at both 16 and 18 in his round of 71.
Crothers (74) and Jack Harrison (72) finished tied for fourth at two-over for the championship.
Darcy Boyd earned a share of sixth alongside Aaron Walters but provided one of the highlights of the week, making a hole-in-one at the par-3 sixth, finding the cup with a 5-iron from 185 meters.
Click here for the final scores and prize money.