Zunic carried a five-shot lead into the final day at Brisbane Golf Club, but had to fight tenaciously to take home the title. 

The right-hander was two-over on the final round to finish at 11-under for the tournament, a shot clear of fellow New South Welshman Rhein Gibson.

It allowed Zunic to claim his third win on the Tour of Australasia and comes less than a year after he suffered a heartbreaking playoff loss to Cameron Smith in the Australian PGA Championship.

“This one was a little different for me because I lost my grandma a couple of weeks ago and I told [my caddie and fiancé] Olivia that this week would be for her. It really meant a lot,” Zunic said.

“Funnily enough it was almost like the Happy Gilmore moment where he was saying grandma over the ball. 

“I literally said to myself to going into that par putt that this one was for her.”

Zunic had six bogeys and four birdies in the final round, but it was a vital birdie on the penultimate hole which provided him with a winning buffer.

He then sunk a nervy 10-foot par putt on the 18^th green to score a gutsy triumph. 

The win sees the 26-year-old rewarded with a tour card for next year’s Tour Of Australasia just a week before he plans to jet off to Europe to take part in the final stage of qualifying for the European Tour. 

“It is such a bonus for me this week because my New Zealand Open exemption was going to run out at the end of this year,” Zunic said.

“I had to keep my card and obviously missing the NSW Open and Australian Open in the next two weeks, it was going to be huge hit to me in the money list.

“Winning this week takes care of next year in Australia for me and now I can go and focus on Europe and hopefully come back with a card.

“That is what I’ve always dream of. Playing here and playing over in Europe and it is very much a possibility now.”