Sometimes birdies just aren’t enough.
Queenslander Sarah Wilson discovered that the hard way in today’s Australian Amateur Championship Round of 32 as a swag of birdies couldn’t hold off power-packed Victorian Steph Bunque.
Bunque, a member at nearby Victoria Golf Club, had the upper hand for much of the match until a remarkable fightback from Wilson forced the contest to the very last putt.
“I was 3-up through nine holes and was like. `Yeah I’m going well, this should be a good game’,” Bunque said post-round.
“Then all of a sudden, Sarah turned it on.
“After I eagled nine, she birdied 10, then I birdied 11, and we both birdied 12, she birdied 13 – it was nuts.
Bunque was delighted with her ball striking, calculating a four-under round outside match play format.
“I wouldn’t have had the match any other way.”
But that was where the good news ended for the Victorians in the women’s draw.
Linley Ooi, Jessica Pickwick and Jeneath Wong all bowed out of the 2019 #AusAm, while New South Wales emerged as the dominant state with four of a possible five advancing through to tomorrow’s Round of 16 at Woodlands.
Much as in the men’s draw, upsets were in the air with recently crowned Australian Master of the Amateurs champion Steph Kyriacou dumped by Sanctuary Cove member Isabelle Taylor 4&3.
Becky Kay had no such luck and fell victim to No.6 seed Miyu Goto on the final hole, with the Japanese contingent waving their colours proudly with four of six starters today victorious.
Yuri Yoshida, one of three medallists, beat China’s Alice Fan 5&3, while Tsubasa Kajitani also wiped England's last hope, Emily Toy, 2&1.
Of her fellow medallists, Sydney’s Doey Choi advanced, but Japan’s Sae Ogura was wiped out 1-up in a tense match with Mollymook’s Kelsey Bennett.
Other winners were Queensland’s Cassie Porter and Hye Park, Jihye Park and Grace Kim of New South Wales, Japan’s Riri Sadoyama, New Zealand’s Darae Chung and Carmen Lim, and Min A Yoon and Hong Yaeeun, both of South Korea.
Women's matches begin at 12:35pm on Friday.