Despite a final-hole hiccup, Canberra’s Joshua Armstrong has retained the 54 hole lead at the Avondale Amateur.
On a day that saw the Men's course record equalled three times, it was drama on the final hole that had the Avondale gallery talking.
Armstrong needed to hole a testing 15 footer on the last to keep his head in front of the chasing pack after an errant tee shot ended up in the trees. His attempt to play out of the timber almost backfired when he was only able to move the ball forward 10 metres, and when his third found the front bunker, he looked likely to surrender the outright lead.
“I wasn’t too with it on the second shot. I was blemish free till then, but that’s golf,” a somewhat relieved Armstrong said.
Despite the drama, the Canberra Junior was pretty happy with his day’s play, carding a five-under par 66, his third round in the 60’s for the week.
“I’m playing solid. And I holed a few more putts today.”
Prior to the last hole dramatics, Armstrong had managed a trio of birdies on the 13th, 14th and 15th holes to build a handy three shot lead.
“It was a nice brace of birdies. The putt on 15 just rolled in. It was the cherry on top of the cake for me, a bit fortunate,” he smiled.
Sitting a shot behind Armstrong is Jack Singh Brar, who was one of three players to equal the course record of 64.
The Englishman was thrilled with his round.
“I Started off solid, with two pars and could’ve made birdies, I hit 16 greens in regulation, and most of them inside 15 ft so many chances to convert
“This is my second course record, had one back at home in a County event,
“I prefer parkland Golf courses, and out here the conditions were perfect for me today,” he smiled.
The 20-year old is prepared for the pressure of the final grouping tomorrow and is ready for the opportunity.
“I Just have stick to my processes, what I’ve been doing seems to be working, so, I won’t change anything,” he smiled.
In third place is the Medallist from last week’s Australian Amateur Championship, Kevin Yuan. The Australian Golf Club member managed to card a five under par 66 which included an impressive eight-metre birdie putt on the last that ensured his place in tomorrow’s final grouping.
“I was really happy with that putt, It was one of those putts where you see a line straight away, and I knew if I just hit it I would hole it,” A happy Yuan said.
In fourth place is Novocastrian Blake Windred, who set tongues wagging early when he also equalled the course record. The highlight of his round, an albatross two on the seventh hole that had his gallery jumping for joy.
“My first ever albatross,”
“I had 192, a perfect four iron draw. I started walking after it as soon as it landed soft, it rolled in the hole perfect pace. I didn’t sink in, to be honest, but Mum started yelling,” he grinned.
Earlier in the day, defending champion and Avondale Member Harrison Endycott played himself into the mix by equalling his own course record of 64. By the end of the day, 31 players in the men’s field had broken par, and 11 players sit within seven shots of the lead with one round to play.
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In the Women’s Division, Korean Ga Young Lee had a relatively quiet day by her standards, carding a five-under par 67 to retain a 12 shot lead over teammate Seoyun Kwon, who carded a ten under par 62. Korean girls sit in the first six positions of the leader board. With Taiwan’s Ho Yu-An in seventh place.
The best of the local contingent is the Australian Golf Club’s Amy Chu, who carded a respectable one-under par 71.