For the second consecutive year, an Australian and a New Zealander will contest for the Men’s Australian Amateur Championship.
New Zealand’s Tyler Hodge and Golf Australia’s Cameron Davis will vie for the Australian Amateur title over 36 holes at The Australian Golf Club, while Australian’s Lizzie Elmassian and Shelly Shin will compete for the women’s title.
Hodge beat Kevin Yuan 3&2 to book his place in the final. Yuan took an early lead but by the 9th hole Hodge had all the momentum taking a 2up lead. In tough, gusty conditions, Hodge stretched the lead to four a few holes later and clinched the match at the 16th hole.
Tyler Hodge will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of fellow Kiwi Tae Koh who won the prestigious Australian Amateur title in 2014.
Big-hitting Cameron Davis had to rally back from three holes down early in his round to eventually beat Justin Warren in 19 holes.
Warren pulled his own bag around for the semi-final match and got off to a flying start and found himself 3up when Davis hit a tee shot into the water hazard on the sixth.
Davis settled and gained the momentum through the opening holes of the back nine and after a tap-in eagle at the 14th, the match was all square.
Both players wild second shots into the breeze at the tough, par-5 finishing hole. Cameron pulled his shot on to the hill next to the clubhouse, while Warren needed two chips to escape heavy rough behind the green. Both players conceded par putts with Davis then pipping Warren at the on the first extra hole.
Shelly Shin, a Golf Australia squad member, beat Becky Kay 3&2 to earn herself a place in tomorrow’s Women’s Australian Amateur Championship final. The Women’s World Cup winning team member is pleased to finally be playing in a final after being cruelly eliminated in 23 holes in the quarter finals last year.
The host golf course will have a representative in tomorrow’s final with 18-year-old Lizzie Elmassian beating Victoria’s Jo Charlton 3&2.
Elmassian has had a dramatic week, making headlines by mistakingly conceding a hole to her partner yesterday. There was no such drama today, with Elmassian crediting her improved short game for her great form, eventually clinching the match 3&2. The women’s final of Shelly Shin v Lizzie Elmassian will tee off at 8:30am tomorrow, followed by the men’s final, Cameron Davis v Tyler Hodge at 8:45am.
Live scores: http://www.golf.org.au/australian-amateur