Seventeen year-old amateur Su-Hyun Oh put together a spectacular round today carding a score of seven under (67) to move from two over at the start of play to five under at the end of today’s round. With two eagles on the front nine, coming on holes 5 and 9, Oh made the turn with a full crowd behind her looking to carry the momentum into the back nine.
The Victorian fed off the crowd as she continued her chase of Western Australian Minjee Lee, who, at that point, was leading the tournament at nine under par. Oh birdied 16, and whispers of setting a new course record at Thirteenth Beach could be heard amongst the gallery.
On eighteen she crushed her drive off the tee leaving her with the chance to get onto the green in two and have the chance to stare down another eagle putt. However, Oh would come up short. With a wedge in her hand she stuck her third shot to four feet. Unable to capitalise on the birdie opportunity, she tapped in for par and the crowd surrounding the eighteenth green roared as she walked to the scorer’s tent to sign her card.
“I feel like seven under and three over yesterday weren’t that much different. I had some putts slide just past the hole, but today they dropped. Sometimes things go your way and you just go low and sometimes they don’t. I mean sometimes you hit perfect putts and they just go past the hole.”
Oh’s wedge play was a big part of her stunning round today.
“My wedges finally kind of went where the hole was which was nice. My ball striking was great today and I think my putting was the most improved part of my game.”
When asked if she felt comfortable around the pro’s, having performed so well in the last several events that she has played, Oh had the following to say.
“I think I had the privilege to play in a lot of the pro tournaments. It’s a different atmosphere but you are kind of used to it.”
The young amateur loves the crowds that are out supporting her at Thirteenth Beach.
“It was really nice. Everyone’s like yeah nice shot. I was like thank you. It was really nice. I like playing in front of crowds I guess. When you get to play in front of them I guess you don’t take it as an everyday thing.”
Western Australian amateur Minjee Lee, tops the leaderboard at ten under having carded a round of six under (68) today, with local girl Sarah Jane Smith having finished three back of Lee at seven under par for the tournament. Lee was last week’s top amateur at the 2014 ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open.
Having started the day at four under she certainly took it upon herself to widen the gap between her and the competition. With four birdies and an eagle on the front nine she was leaving nothing on the course. Going into Sunday, the 17 year old certainly has one hand on the 2014 Oates Victorian Open Women’s Championship trophy.
After her bogey early, Lee spoke about getting on a roll.
“I had a string of birdies and then going through nine I eagled it.”
Her game started to click after making the first birdie on the fourth.
“I just hit one close and then made the putt and got on a roll.”
Having led last week going into the final round at the Women’s Australian Open, Lee spoke about her approach for Sunday’s round.
“Just play steady and keep my head in the game. Just focus on every shot and take it as it comes.”
Defending champion Stacey Keating finished the day tied for fifth at two under for the tournament. Keating still has a chance to defend her title but accepts it’s a tall order when compared to how she went into the final round last year.
“It’s a lot different this year but I will still be trying my best out there and climb the leaderboard.”
Sarah Jane-Smith, born just fifteen minutes from Thirteenth Beach Golf Links, carded an even round today. While she wasn’t able to do a lot of moving in today’s round, she certainly fought off some early round jitters in order to bring herself back to within three shots of Lee. Her start was rocky, having bogeyed 4 holes on the front nine.
“It just sort of got a little bit out of control. I wasn’t making terrible decisions but every time I hit a bad shot it was compounded. You know, I hit a bunker on eight and it was plugged. Nothing was quite right when I got myself in trouble.”
From holes nine to eighteen she posted four birdies. She is definitely still in the conversation to lift the trophy.
Smith identified the ninth hole as the turning point in today’s round.
“Nine felt good. I didn’t hit a good drive off the tee but hit a nice shot in and made birdie. Then I had a couple good shots on ten and I felt comfortable. That settled me down.”
She did share her thoughts on how she would approach tomorrow’s final round.
“I think I just do my own thing. We know there are heaps of opportunities out there. And I just got to not get in trouble like I did today.”
The home town girl’s face lit up when asked if this tournament meant a bit more than the tournaments she plays in the states.
“Yeah absolutely. I was born 15 minutes from here and we have some family and friends who come out and we have some family close by. They are really enjoying the papers this week.”
ROUND 3 DRAW
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By: Michael Speakman (Golf Victoria Contributor)
Photo: Mitch Getson