The last time Peter Senior won the Australian Open he had a full head of curly locks, he split fairways with a persimmon driver, nailed approach shots with Prosimmon-brand blades and used a boxful of Titleist balatas in a round.

He also used a broomstick putter … which just goes to show some things never change.

That was a tick over 23 years ago and came during a magical three weeks in which the Queenslander claimed three titles including the Australian Open and PGA championships.

“There’s been a lot of water under the bridge since then … it’s a different game these days,” Senior told Golf Australia with the Stonehaven Trophy wedged under his arm. “I’ve gone close a few times since then but I never thought I would win this trophy ever again.”

Senior gave his younger opponents a lesson in how to grind out a round and play smart golf in the wind en-route to winning his second Australian Open title by a stroke at The Lakes Golf Club.

The 53-year-old shot rounds of 75, 68, 69 and an exceptional even-par 72 to finish the A$1.5 million tournament at four under and grab the title on a day when winds gusting up to 90km an hour forced play to be suspended for nearly three hours and threatened to send the championship into an extra day.

In winning the title, Senior became the oldest ever winner of the Australian Open, a record formerly held by Peter Thomson, who won the 1972 championship aged 43. Senior also sets the mark for the longest period between first and second victories (23 years) in the 108-year history of the event.

Big-hitting Brendan Jones set the clubhouse lead at three under after closing with a one-under-par 71 and had to endure a nervous hour long wait to see if his mark could bettered. The wily Senior was the only one who could top him.

Senior said had the conditions been ideal for scoring the best players in the field would have made the final day their own, however, the windy conditions played right into his hands.

"It was one of the toughest days I have seen on a golf course," Senior said.

"I’m getting a bit long in the tooth now. If the conditions were good, the really good players would have shone this week. These are the conditions I thrive in where I just battle it out and I like being in contention. All the guys do.

“When I was playing my best golf through the late 80s, early 90s, I was one of those guys. Craig Parry was the same. Once we had a sniff, we hung on like rabid dogs. We hung on and hung on and hung on and at the end we sometimes came out on top. I have always been a fighter.

“When the conditions are tough I feel that half the guys are out of the competition because they think it is going to be too difficult. With me being as short as I am, I don’t feel too much wind out there,” Senior laughed.

He added that getting off to a good start was crucial.

“The biggest thing on a day like this is your start. I started with three pars. I played with Matty Jones who bogeyed the first two holes. That sort of sets the momentum for the rest of the day.

“I made a couple of errors in the middle of the front nine but I felt I was hitting it good enough to keep it in play. That is the hardest thing to do on a day like this, keep your ball in play and judge the wind. It is something I have been pretty good at over the years.”

The win was made even more special by the fact Senior had his 18-year-old son, Mitch, caddying for him. Of course, Mitch was five years away from being born the last time he claimed this title.

“This is the most special,” Senior said with a little emotion. “We’ve been close over in America. We’ve lost three play-offs and come pretty close in a few other events. Just once I would like to say, “Well done mate, we’ve done it.” At one o’clock today I did not even want to go out. It is amazing how this game turns around.”

Although he now plays mostly on the Champions Tour, Senior has found a second wind in recent years after putting golf on the back burner for a few years during his 40s. He puts that down to a love of the game and the work he has done with his coach Gary Edwin.

“It is a game I still enjoy,” he said. “I still give myself some uppercuts out there every now and then to gee myself up. I have always enjoyed the game.

“I took quite a bit of time off between 42 and 48 and spent quite a bit of time at home. I really felt like I wanted to play again. The kids were nearly out of school. I practised for a couple of years with Gary Edwin. He has given my longevity in this game.”

Two years ago Senior won the Australian PGA Championship for a third time, and he will be back at Palmer Coolum Resort this week to have another crack at the title.

John Senden, who took an overnight lead into the final round for a second year in a row, had a miserable time on Sunday, dropping two shots on the first hole and finishing with an 82.

Playing partner Justin Rose, the World No.4 and top ranked player in the field, saw his chances slip away with two bogeys in the last three holes.

Still, in victory, Senior, the World No.629, praised his younger competitors.

"Justin Rose and the other guys are great players. Not for one moment do I think I am as good as those guys," he said. "Winning golf tournaments, you need to have a good week at the right time. I’ve had a good week where I got it done."

Senior wasn't the only veteran to shine on Sunday. American Tom Watson, whose five Open Championships are testimony to the 63-year-old's ability to play in tough conditions, shot a 69 for the round of the day on what is likely to be his last tournament in Australia.

FINAL SCOREBOARD

284 - Peter Senior (AUS) 75-68-69-72.

285 - Brendan Jones (AUS) 68-71-75-71.

286 - Cameron Percy (AUS) 72-69-72-73.

287 - Kim Felton (AUS) 68-75-72-72, Kieran Pratt (AUS) 71-71-70-75, Justin Rose (ENG) 68-73-70-76.

288 - Michael Hendry (NZL) 72-71-74-71, Scott Gardiner (AUS) 76-71-68-73, Stuart Appleby (AUS) 70-73-70-75.

289 - Brett Rumford (AUS) 73-69-75-72, Nick O'Hern (AUS) 71-73-73-72, Rodney Pampling (AUS) 74-69-73-73, Matthew Jones (AUS) 71-72-69-77.

290 - Cameron Smith (am, AUS) 72-74-69-75, Steven Jones (AUS) 73-68-73-76, Mathew Goggin (AUS) 71-70-73-76, Adam Scott (AUS) 72-71-71-76.

291 - Nick Flanagan (AUS) 69-76-74-72, Jamie Arnold (AUS) 72-72-72-75, Matthew Stieger (AUS) 73-71-71-76, Nick Cullen (AUS) 70-70-74-77, John Senden (AUS) 66-73-70-82.

292 - Alistair Presnell (AUS) 75-72-71-74, Matthew Griffin (AUS) 75-69-71-77, Geoff Ogilvy (AUS) 74-71-70-77, Greg Chalmers (AUS) 71-75-69-77, Matthew Millar (AUS) 74-71-69-78.

293 - Tom Watson (USA) 78-68-78-69, Stephen Allan (AUS) 69-73-80-71, James McLean (AUS) 72-72-75-74, Rory Hie (INA) 73-69-75-76, David Bransdon (AUS) 74-73-70-76, Timothy Wood (AUS) 70-74-72-77, Liang Wenchong (CHN) 73-71-72-77, Scott Laycock (AUS) 76-69-71-77, Stephen Leaney (AUS) 75-69-71-78, Andre Stolz (AUS) 72-71-71-79, Kyle Stanley (USA) 72-71-70-80.