The trials and tribulations of international golf cruelled Australia's Nomura Cup chances before they had a chance to evolve today.
New South Wales star Harrison Endycott was taken to hospital and forced to withdraw, cutting the team's forces to just three players before a ball had been hit.
Importantly, Endycott was given the all-clear of any major damage, but he was diagnosed with an eye infection and instructed not to play given the conditions and his need to play in contact lenses.
Nevertheless, the remaining trio gave it everything they had and battled on gamely for seventh place in the team section.
Victorian Brett Coletta flew out of the blocks and was three under after four holes.
Coletta's goal had been to birdie at least one hole of each block of three, which he achieved in a superb final-round 64 — the best of the day and arguably the week given the pins were tucked on most holes making the course play at its most difficult.
It was a round that moved him up the individual leaderboard to fourth, a great achievement at his first open-age representative event.
Ben Eccles was again steady, shooting a one-under 71 to finish the tournament under par and in 12th.
The Victorian Interstate skipper was never in trouble during the tournament and only a lack of putts made prevented an even higher finish.
Unfortunately the consistency that Travis Smyth had displayed the first three rounds went missing and he battled for an 81, consigning Australia to seventh place as a team – not the desired result going in, but the team learnt a lot about playing in adverse conditions when things didn't go to plan.
Congratulations to the Japanese team which won for the first time since 1989 and their recently appointed coach, Australian Gareth Jones.