TAUPO, New Zealand (Nov. 4, 2018) – Waikato's Charlie Smail has won the 2018 New Zealand Amateur Championship to claim the biggest win of his young career. He defeated Wellington's Kerry Mountcastle, 5 and 4, in the 36-hole final.
The 20-year-old has now achieved something his famous golfing father, David Smail was never able to, which was an extremely proud moment for the family at Wairakei Golf & Sanctuary Sunday afternoon.
After the match, Mountcastle had to rush home to pack his bags before heading off to Australia the next morning to play in the NSW Open alongside fellow amateur Daniel Hillier, who was also in the New Zealand field.
When 36 holes wasn't enough to find the New Zealand Women's Amateur Champion, Auckland's Vivian Lu made a clutch birdie on the first extra hole to claim the 2018 title.
Lu made a vital four birdies in five holes to close out the match in what was a seesaw affair against lead qualifier and hot favorite, Kum Kang Park who had a superb week at Wairakei Golf & Sanctuary.
At the age of only 14 years old, Lu got off to a great start as she built a 5-up lead through 14 holes against Park, but the Korean showed why she was the No. 1 seed and clawed her way back in the match.
Park made a crucial 30-foot par save on No. 15 to avoid going 6 down before winning the last three holes, all with birdies, to close the gap to only two down at lunchtime. Park then continued her charge back into contention, eventually squaring up the match with six to play.
As they traded birdies, it all came down to the last hole, where Park was in a spot of bother before her phenomenal chip shot rattled the pin and was enough to take the match even further, but she could not repeat the heroics with Lu having the final say.
On the 37th hole after an exhausting five days play Lu found the strength to nail a curling 18-foot birdie putt to claim the national title in style.
The majority of these players will now turn their attention to the Toro Interprovincials where it will be all match play in a search for the best district in the country in late November/December.
Match play championship of New Zealand for men and women. 36 holes of stroke play qualifying to determine the final 32 players for single elimination match play.