Date: January 15, 2014
Author: Golf Australia

Australian Amateur: Evans and Lee top qualifiers

Qualifying Scores – Men Qualifying Scores – Women Despite three suspensions of play over the opening two days, England&aposs Ryan Evans and Korean So-Young Lee emerged as medalists following 36-hole qualifying at the 2014 Australian Amateur Championships presented by Audi at The Grange Golf Club in Adelaide. Play was suspended for 75 minutes on Wednesday afternoon as the apparent temperature at Adelaide Airport (the closest recording station) rose beyond 39 degrees. A wind change shortly after allowed play to recommence as the temperature dropped. Australian Men&aposs Amateur Championship Qualifying: Evans, from Wellingborough Golf Club near Kettering, finished with rounds of 68 and 67 to finish at 9-under par, three clear of Victorian Lucas Herbert (70, 68) and Japan&aposs Kazuki Higa (68, 70) who finished at 6-under par. American David Snyder fired the round of the day with a 6-under par 66 to finish fourth at 4-under par. Victorian Geoff Drakeford finished in fifth place with Queensland&aposs Damien Jordan sixth. Grange member Anthony Murdaca was the best of the locals, in a seven-way tie at 3-under par. The top 64 men will now contest elimination Match Play with the first round taking place at 7.00am on Thursday with a shotgun start. Australian Women&aposs Amateur Championship Qualifying: 16 year-old Korean So-Young Lee carded a second consecutive 69 to finish at 3-under par and finish the top qualifier by four strokes. From 88 Country Club, south east of Seoul, Lee finished ahead of defending champion and Western Australian Minjee Lee who rebounded from her opening round 73 to finish with a 3-under par 69. Victorian Su-Hyun Oh finished in a tie for third at 1-under par with Women&aposs British Amateur runner-up Luna Sobron from Spain. Western Australian Jayde Panos closed in a tie for fifth place with South Australian and 2013 runner-up Jenny Lee and New South Wales&aposs Shelly Shin at 2-over par. The top 32 women will now contest elimination Match Play with the first round taking place at 7.00am on Thursday with a shotgun start. The Amateur Championships are Australia s oldest golfing events, dating back to 1894. Past winners include Michael Clayton, Michael Campbell, Mathew Goggin, Brett Rumford, Kristie Smith, and Nikki Campbell, and with both champions receiving exemptions into the respective Australian Opens, they are the most prized titles in Australian amateur golf. Entry is free for spectators. The 36 hole men&aposs and women&aposs finals take place on Sunday 19 January.