"Everyone was telling me I had it in the bag with that lead but it's golf and anything can happen," Every said.

Then former champion Reece Hodson made a remarkable comeback, shooting a two under par 69 in the final round.

Every's round of 79 saw the pair finish on level terms at three over par (287 strokes) and that sent them to a three-hole playoff.

Over the course of the playoff Every kept the nerves at bay to overcome Hodson by one stroke.

It's the first championship for the newcomer to Bathurst, who moved to the city after winning the past three editions at his old club, Glen Innes.

Every only needed two words to sum up his emotions at the end of a wild weekend.

"Very relived," he said.

"It was probably the most stressful round of golf I've ever played. It was so tense. I was thinking going into [first playoff hole] 10 that 'I can't believe I've blown a 10 shot lead and we're here'.

"I put my head down. I knew the playoff was over three holes, so I just wanted to try and make sure I was getting par on each hole and forcing him to get the birdie, and then wait for a mistake and try to capitalise on it."

Both players went through the opening playoff hole with a par, then moved across to hole 11 to see if someone could break the deadlock.

Every bogeyed the hole but Hodson's double bogey had the Bathurst club newcomer in the box seat.

The duo couldn't be split on the third playoff hole - hole 18 - as they both shot par, giving Every his first title.

Every (208 strokes through three rounds) was in a group with Hodson (218), Stephen McDonald (217) and Justin Sutton (218) for the final round.

It wasn't just Hodson applying the pressure - all three of Every's rivals chipped away at his lead over the course of the day.

By the end of the 72 holes Sutton had finish just one stroke off the lead and McDonald was just one shot further back.

"Reece played so good. He was holing everything," Every said.

"I definitely felt nervous. You don't want to be known as the guy who lost after having such a big lead. I just had the yips and could not putt at all.

"I had a three shot lead going into the second last hole but made a silly mistake from the bunker and ended up shooting seven."

Every has only had a little over six months to familiarise himself with the Bathurst course.

He's enjoyed his time in the new environment.

"This is my fourth club title in a row after winning the last three up at Glen Innes. I only moved down here August last year," he said.

"The Bathurst course is definitely more open. Glen Innes is rated the most beautiful course in the New England area, but the greens down here are so good and the fairways are like carpet."

In the other grades victories went to Graham Thorne (B grade, 327), Dylan Sargent (B1 grade, 330) and Albert Davis (C grade, 372 grade).