AUSTRALIAN WOMEN S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP Women&aposs Match Play Draw and Results New Zealander and World Number 1 Lydia Ko has won the Australian Amateur Championship at Woodlands Golf Club in Melbourne. Ko, who won the Australian Women’s Stroke Play title in 2011, defeated Kingston Heath member Breanna Elliott 4&3 in the 36 hole final to be the first New Zealander to win the Amateur since Jan Higgins in 1989. It feels pretty amazing and it feels great that I came further than I did last year so I m pretty proud of myself, the 14 year old said. All the people that were supporting me all the boys and girls and our manager, I think because of them I got this far. Especially when you re in a different country and having people cheering for you is just great. Ko said she was enjoying the expectations of being the world s top ranked amateur. I ve worked hard to become world number one. It’s an honour to be up there and there are so many other good players. Some people say you re world number one and you should shoot under par every time and I don t think that s the case, I think it s more about consistency. She is also one of the youngest winners in the championship s history. Ko is the first international player to win since Great Britain s Julie Hall in 1995. Ko earns an exemption into next month s LPGA Tour season opening ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open at Royal Melbourne Golf Club. I saw the field for Melbourne and there are so many good players. Playing an LPGA Tour event is one of my dream goals and it s come really early. I m just going to do my best and learn as much as I can, Ko added. AUSTRALIAN MEN S AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP Men&aposs Match Play Draw and Results Germany s Marcel Schneider won the Australian Amateur Championship on the 37th hole in a hard fought match with Queensland s Daniel Nisbet. Schneider was four down in the match at various stages but rallied with birdies on four of his last six holes to reel in the Caboolture Golf Club member. It’s great, unbelievable it’s my first big success, the 21 year old from Stuttgart said. This ranks really, really high in my career so far. I played the BMW International on the European Tour last year and this is up there with that. Schneider said the Woodlands layout reminded him of home. I like courses with all the old trees around them and we have a few in Germany with difficult narrow fairways and perfect greens. Schneider, who took up the game properly at the age of 12, had to reel in Nisbet to clinch victory. It was a great match and I was always down. I started really badly and was always two down, three down, four down, three down and I said keep going and worked out when I had my chance. I told myself to stay focused and hit the greens and make putts the putter was good this week Schneider said. Schneider is the first German to win the title and the first international player since Norway s Anders Kristiansen in 2008. He earns an exemption into the Emirates Australian Open later this year.
Author: