Date: April 16, 2010
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Choi and Murdaca crowned junior champions

AUSTRALIAN BOYS AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP, LAUNCESTON GOLF CLUB, FINAL ROUND South Australian Anthony Murdaca became the youngest ever winner of the Australian Boys Amateur Championship with a two stroke victory at Launceston Golf Club on Friday. Murdaca fired a third round 4-under par 68 in the morning and became the only player to fire three consecutive sub-par rounds before an afternoon even par 72 handed him the title. NSW Amateur champion Jake Higginbottom finished in second place despite closing rounds of 4-under par 68 and 3-under par 69. Higginbottom finished with a four stroke gap to Queensland s Maverick Antcliff who finished in third place at 2-under par following his final round 71. Ricky Kato (NSW) and Cameron Smith (QLD) finished in a tie for fourth place at 1-over par following their closing rounds of 72 and 73 respectively. Jarrod Freeman (NSW) finished in outright sixth at 2-over par, two strokes ahead of Josh Cabban (NSW) at 4-over for the championship. Sam Daley (QLD) and Luke Turner (WA) finished two strokes further back at 6-over par. AUSTRALIAN GIRLS AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP, ULVERSTONE GOLF CLUB, FINAL ROUND Fourteen year old Korean Annie Choi held off Japan s Saki Suzuki for a two stroke win at the Australian Girls Amateur Championship at Ulverstone Golf Club. Choi, who was in third place overnight, overcame overnight co-leader Suzuki with her final round with a 1-over par round of 74 to finish at 3-over. I m very happy with how I played, Choi said. The course was quite difficult and the greens were very fast so it s great. The Korean said she was nervous in Thursday s second round but managed to compose herself. I was two-over par on the front nine but I had three birdies on the back nine and I felt like that helped me to get back into a good position, Choi said. After a difficult opening round 81, Western Australia s Jayde Panos fought back to finish in a tie for third place with Cathleen Santoso (NSW) at 6-over par for the championship. Overnight co-leader Chantal Hodson (NSW) finished in outright fifth place and three strokes behind Panos and Santoso at 9-over par. Claudia Lim (NSW) and Su-Hyun Oh (KOR) finished tied in sixth place at 10-over for the championship. The action continues with the Australian Boys Interstate Teams Matches held at Launceston Golf Club from 18-21 April and the Australian Girls Interstate Teams Matches held at Ulverstone Golf Club from 18-21 April.