For the first time in a major tournament in Australia, Jarrod Moseley and Peter Lonard were declared joint winners of the Australian PGA Championship in Coolum yesterday.

Moseley and Lonard stood on the 18th green for the second time yesterday and agreed to create Australian golf history after finishing tied on 17 under par.

After parring the first sudden-death hole, officials gave the pair the option of playing the 18th again in fading light or returning in the morning.

"We couldn't have played (because of the light)," said Moseley, who started his final round with a five-shot lead. "One of us would have been shafted if we'd played another hole. You couldn't see the hole and it was dark.

"If we'd have come back in the morning it would have been an anti-climax with nobody here."

Lonard, who had eye laser surgery this year, said he couldn't play the last few holes.

"I'm as blind as a bat," said Lonard, who added he couldn't see where his tee and approach shots landed on the final regulation hole. His 20-metre putt on the 18th sent the championship into a play-off.

Moseley admitted his jaw "hit the ground" as he watched his rival's birdie disappear into the hole. Moseley had not won a tournament since his first victory, over South African Ernie Els, in the Heineken Classic in Perth in 1999.

Stuart Appleby staged a comeback after a two-over opening round to climb into third place on 14-under 274, one shot ahead of Greg Norman.

Youngster Aaron Baddeley had a sorry final round, finishing sixth with a closing round of 73 which included a missed tap-in putt on the sixth hole when he was still in contention at 14 under par.