Talk about stars for the future..... this is one
Auckland amateur golfer Lydia Ko has become the first female to hold both the New Zealand and the Australian strokeplay titles at the same time after an emphatic nine-shot win at the national championship in Christchurch today.
The world No 3 ranked amateur took a five-shot lead into the final round at Russley and was never in danger of losing the tournament to her rival Cecilia Cho, who posted a 76 in the closing round.
Ko, who turns 14 tomorrow, was seven ahead walking up the 18th fairway and added the exclamation mark to her performance with a great putt for eagle.
"I wanted to make that birdie putt on the 16th but I guess that one made up for it," said Ko, who carded a two-under-par 72.
"It seems like a lot to win by nine shots but it didn't feel that easy, especially after yesterday where I lost the lead and didn't play well.
"I played much better today and I felt really relaxed throughout the round," said Ko, who last month became just the fourth New Zealand female to win the equivalent Australian title.
"The win in Aussie was pleasing because it was a very international field and the competition was strong ad I am happy to win by so many here."
Today's success marked a continuation of a remarkable run for Ko, who won the Australian strokeplay title in Melbourne after a playoff with 16-year-old Cho before beating her fellow Aucklander at the North Island strokeplay event this month.
As well, she finished fourth in a field of professionals at the NMew Zealand Women's Open in Christchurch in February.
"It is nice to win against Cecilia again in a strokeplay event but I want to beat her in the matchplay, I would really like that," Ko said of the matchplay segment of the championship starting tomorrow.
Cho won the 36-hole in 2009 at the age of 14 but was not the youngest champion because another Aucklander, Larissa Eruera, was three weeks and three days younger than Cho when she won at Taupo in 2006.
Scores:
Scores after the final round of the New Zealand women's amateur strokeplay golf championship at Russley Golf Club in Christchurch today:-
289 Lydia Ko (North Shore) 70 73 74 72
