Mount Maunganui golfer Mark Brown has clinched the Carrus Open, holding off the fast finishing pair of Doug Holloway and Richard Lee in the process.

The 39-year-old professional who was the talking point of the tournament when he shot an 11-under par 59 in round two, claimed his third Charles Tour title he carded an even-par 70 at the Tauranga Golf Club for a two stroke victory at the weekend.

Mount Maunganui's Mark Brown after winning the 2014 Carrus Open at Tauranga Golf Club.

The former European Tour player, who began with a six stroke lead, wasn't at his best on the closing stretch but did enough to sign for a 17-under par total and hold off Doug Holloway (65) and Lee (66).

Holloway, a five-time winner on the Charles Tour, had a putt from 12 feet on the 18th hole to get within one shot of the lead as Brown bogeyed the penultimate hole at the same time. But his putt stopped on the lip of the hole.

On the final tee, Brown was 17-under par and finished the job with one of his best approach shots of the final round to within six feet of the hole.

He two putted for par and in what was 'a really good feeling” to secure his first win in two years.

'It was a struggle,” says Brown.

'I played really nicely from tee to green for the first 13holes but didn't really get a lot out of it and then struggled coming home. I wasn't nervous as such, I just hit some really poor shots under pressure. I am lucky I had a bit of a buffer because things got a bit tight there for a while.”

The adopted local made birdies on 12 and 16 but believed his par save on the 15th from 15 feet was the defining moment of the final round.

'That was the turning point for me. It was just at that point where it could have gone either way. I wasn't completely comfortable with the way that I was playing and I just sort of hung in there with those couple of putts.”

Brown secured his third Charles Tour title, after winning the 2012 Carrus Open and the 2006 Taranaki Open, to become one of the most successful players in the history of the local series.

Brown says he will always remember the week and have fond memories of the day he shot golf's magical number.

'The 59 in the second round was obviously very special and the support of the members and locals here in Tauranga [was another special memory]. They have really made this feel like home for me in the golf club and in the community. I am really enjoying being here and it was great to do it in front of them.”

The history of the Charles Tour has shown that the winners tend to go on to achieve bigger and better things on the world stage.

Michael Hendry (Indonesian Open), Josh Geary (WA Open) and Brown (PGA Tour of Australasia events) all enjoyed success shortly after they won on the Charles Tour.

Brown hopes that this win is a good omen for his upcoming plans to get back on the European Tour.

'I am playing well enough. I just need to tidy up a couple of things under pressure. I am playing well enough to get into a position to win, I am just struggling on Sundays with my short game so I have really got to tidy that up over the next week. I am looking forward to the rest of the year.”

The NZ Open runner-up has a busy schedule on the PGA Tour of Australasia and OneAsia Tours coming up as he builds to Final Qualifying for the European Tour in December.

Brown is exempt to the final stage of Q School until 2018, 10 years following his win of the Johnnie Walker Classic in India.