HUNTSVILLE- It’s been five years since Harrison Endycott last raised a tournament winning trophy when he was still an amateur. At the Huntsville Championship the 25-year old finally hoisted a championship trophy as a professional winning the second annual Huntsville stop on the PGA Korn Ferry Tour.

“I never thought I’d win over here. There was a time where I asked myself if I would ever win again,” said Endycott after his five stroke victory. “I’ve just worked so hard as I’ve had a lot of disappoints in my life. This is very special. I’ve been very frustrated at golf for a long time, and it finally happened.”

The Australian cared rounds of 63, 67, 64 and 70 over the par 70 Ledges Golf Course for a four-day total of 16-under par 264. His play put him in front by five strokes over Ben Taylor (269). Erik Barnes was third (270) while Kris Ventura and Quade Cummins tied for fourth (271).

Endycott built the five-stroke lead with an opening 7-under 63, tying an 18-hole tournament scoring record which held up the entire week, followed by a 3-under 67 and 6-under 64. Playing in the final group Sunday, Endycott opened with back-to-back two-putt pars and saw the lead grow to seven strokes as playing partners Ben Taylor (two bogeys) and Quade Cummins (bogey at No. 2) hit speed bumps.

Birdies at the par-4 14th and 16th pushed Endycott’s lead back to five strokes, and a meaningless bogey at the par-4 17th was negated with a birdie at the 18th.

“Sometimes it’s easier to chase,” Endycott said of playing the final round with a large lead. “I won an amateur event where I was four back and got it done. Sometimes that’s easier than having a five-shot lead or six-shot lead.”

The Sydney, Australia native tried to improve his status at Final Stage of the 2021 Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament, but finished T80 and failed to do so.

Endycott opened this season with a T19 at The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay, but finished T32 or worse the next five starts.

Even with a run of lackluster form coming into the Huntsville Championship, where Endycott finished T13 last year, he was not frustrated with the results, but the fact he played quality golf nearly all of 2022 and had nothing to show for it.

Losing his mother to ovarian cancer as a 15-year-old boy back in 2012 took a heavy toll on Endycott. For three to four years after her passing, Endycott struggled to comprehend the sudden loss. Two key figures who helped Endycott through one of the most difficult times of his life were Ben and Mark Patterson, a father-son duo who coach him and operate out of his home club in Australia, Avondale Golf Club.

“Sadly, life is just cruel. You’ve just got to embrace great moments,” Endycott said. “Hits home a little bit not being able to do it in front of my friends and family, but I’m very blessed to be able to get it done this week.”

To add to his mental-state, Endycott’s grandmother died the week before the tournament.

Endycott’s win launched him from 103rd to 12th on the 2022 Regular Season Points List. With 573 points, Endycott is primed for a legitimate run at his first PGA TOUR card, but the regular season is only through 10 of 23 events and he knows more first-time winners await their own moment atop the mountain.

Hoisting the championship trophy, which is made as a model to the Saturn V Rocket, Endycott stood atop Huntsville Mountain on top of the Korn Ferry Tour this week.