Prugh celebrated the biggest win of his fledgling career when he claimed the $1.2 million New Zealand Open with a scorching final-round 64 at The Hills yesterday.
A week after New Zealanders dominated the PGA at Clearwater, Prugh (24) led home an American 1-2-3 in Arrowtown.
His four-round total of 19-under-par 269 was three strokes clear of third-round leader Martin Piller, with Jim Herman two shots further back.
Prugh hails from Spokane, Washington, and grew up playing golf on courses at altitude that were not totally dissimilar to The Hills.
"They're very similar. I feel right at home here," he said after his triumphant march up the 18th fairway.
"Where I grew up, right on the Idaho border, there are some pretty good mountain ranges.
"My folks had a lake cabin.
We also had a ski mountain and three or four nice resorts around the area.
"The town where we had a ski place reminds me a lot of Queenstown. I felt right at home here."
Prugh has his girlfriend and family back in the United States and has been away for three weeks on the Nationwide Tour's swing diwn under.
But he has not been lonely. His caddy is Zach Bixler, who played with him at the University of Washington.
Prugh said claiming his first significant tournament victory was a huge boost.
"It's going to move me forward and give me loads of confidence.
"It was very nice hearing all those people cheering for me. I've never really had that before."
Prugh became the first golfer from the United States to win the Open since Corey Pavin claimed the second of back-to-back titles in 1985.
Prugh met Pavin, following the 1995 US Open champion for nine holes when Pavin played in the Open at Shinnecock Hills in 2004.
"I was first alternate and one of my team-mates was playing a practice round with Corey.
"That was pretty special. It's a pretty good name to have your name by."
Prugh hit 62 of 72 greens throughout the New Zealand Open and his win was especially meritorious because he played in the worst of the wind on Thursday and Friday.
His 64 yesterday included two eagles and five birdies but Prugh worried he was falling back early in the round.
"The day got off to a very slow start. I was even par through the first seven holes and thought I was going to be lapped by everybody.
"My round really took a turn when I holed eight [an eagle two]. Then I made a great birdie on 16 and hit a couple of awesome shots on 17 and made a great putt to make eagle."
Prugh played a practice round with Herman on Monday and went out for dinner with his friend Piller, who is of a similar age, every night last week.
Piller fell back with a double-bogey on the second and a bogey on the fourth yesterday but came home strongly with four birdies on the back nine.
Herman led the tournament through 12 holes, when he was playing flawlessly, but bogeyed 13 and 16 and could not stop Prugh's charge.
Veteran Australians Craig Parry and Peter Senior both made moves but could not sustain them, and finished among six tied for fourth.
