It’s the battle of ‘the Doon,' David Versus Goliath with golf clubs. A big guy in Moses versus a small guy in Bautista, and on the line: the 2016 Golf NSW Amateur Championship.
Austin Bautista is a fighter in every sense. Small, determined, and not short on emotion, while Troy Moses is a giant amongst his peers, tall, powerful, yet quiet and measured.
Bautista got the most out of his game today with a couple of impressive wins, dispensing with Killara’s Dale Williamson 2 and 1 before taking on the Korean Young-woong Kim with the most impressive match play record in the tournament thus far. He walked away with the semi final against his Korean opponent 3 and 2.
“I played olid this afternoon. I made the shots your supposed to make at the time and it worked out really well.”
Despite his Korean opponent’s big 5 and 3 win in the morning quarter final, Bautista was never headed in the afternoon.
“I wanted to make birdies early on, get up and stay up. It’s hard playing international players like him. You’ve never met him, you’ve never heard of him and you don’t know what their game is like.”
I didn’t want to go out there and hit the middle of the green and make pars, I went full throttle straight away,” says Bautista.
Troy Moses made the most of his morning in a quality quarter-final battle against Jay Mackenzie of Ballina before winning 2 and 1. His afternoon Semi-final however was a classic battle all the way against Queenslander Steven Cox, with the big Bonnie Doon member taking the match on the 19th.
Cox looked like he had the match after a dramatic chip in on the 17th hole, however a missed putt for par on the last meant the match went into extra holes, and Moses was too good, sealing the win with a 1 metre par putt on the 19th hole.
“It was a little bit lucky, but you’ve got to take it when you get the chance,” smiled Moses after the win.
“He made a good chip-in on 17 which hurt a little bit but that’s golf. A par was good enough on 18 which it usually is because it’s a brutal hole,” Moses smiled.
Both players are ready for the club rivalry and the challenge of tomorrow’s championship final. Despite being Major Pennant team mates, club allegiance will be put to one side.
“Troy’s a team mate from Bonnie Doon and there’s a lot of good players from there. It will probably mean whoever wins this match will get the No. 1 spot for the Major Pennant team as well,” said Bautista.
“I’m pretty pumped for him ( Bautista) and the club that we're both in the final together. But tomorrow, no prisoners, no friends, let's have a good time and see what happens. I cant wait,” laughed Moses.
For Bautista, tomorrow will be his first Championship Final. In Moses' case however, it will be his fourth.
“I made the Semi-Final of the Aussie Amateur, and I won the Federal Amateur, but this is my first Final ever,” said Bautista.
“I’ve made the Final of the Victorian Amateur, the South Australian Amateur and the NSW Amateur. I was beaten by Ben Eccles at Royal Sydney in 2013,” said Moses. “Fourth time lucky this time I hope.”
The 2016 Golf NSW Amateur Championship Final will begin at 7.30am on the Bungool Course at Riverside Oaks Golf Resort. Entry is free.