All-Australian final in NZ Amateur Matchplay
IN: News | New Zealand Mens Amateur | New Zealand Amateur Championship (2005) | Round Three | 23 Apr 2005
It will be an all-Australian affair in the tomorrow's final of the New Zealand Amateur Championships in Palmerston North.
Australian representative Mitchell Brown (NSW) will take on Queensland's Andrew Dodt in the 36-hole final at the Hokowhitu course.
They won through to the final after Brown disposed of compatriot Tom Davis 6 and 4 with five birdies, while Dodt out-muscled outstanding Rotorua schoolboy Danny Lee 2up in the other semifinal.
Most interest centred on the performance of 14-year-old Lee, the only New Zealander in the semifinals. He displayed an immaculate ability around the greens, making three birdies to lead 1-up after nine holes against the big-hitting Dodt.
The Australian took advantage of mistakes from Lee at the 11th and 13th to grab the lead. Lee levelled the match with a birdie at the 14th before the Australian made two birdies in a row to close out the match 2 and 1.
Brown was never in any trouble, making three birdies in the opening nine to lead 3-up at the turn, and quickly closed out the match with birdies at the 12th and 14th.
It will bring together the two 19-year-old Australians who last met in the final of the Australian schools final two years ago, with Dodt was the victor.
Earlier the giantkilling run of Queenstown veteran Jim Lapsley came to an end when he was beaten by Dodt 3 and 1 in the morning quarterfinal. Lapsley had the early advantage in his quarterfinal before Dodt took a 1-up lead at the turn. They traded birdies at the 12th and 14th before the Australian closed out the match with birdies at the 15th and 17th to finish 3-under par.
However it proved a remarkable week for the 51-year-old Lapsley, who qualified in the last spot after a playoff and went on to dispose of strokeplay champion Michael Sim and New Zealand's No 1 amateur Josh Geary.
Lee held a one-hole lead after 10 holes in his quarterfinal against Cantabrian Andrew Searle who levelled the match at the 12th. The Rotorua student birdied both par-5s to take a two-up lead but required an excellent 2.5m par putt on the 18th to secure his 1-up win.
The much anticipated clash between the inform Brown and outstanding Kiwi Brad Iles did not reach the expected heights. Brown always ahead, taking full advantage of errors from the young Kiwi, who was three-over par when the match ended, his worst scoring of an otherwise impressive week.
Davis led 2-up after four holes against Taupo's Jason McIntosh in the final quarterfinal with the Bay of Plenty player reducing the margin to one with a birdie at the fifth. Davis extended the margin to two holes with a birdie on the 14th, with both players making birdies on the 15th and McIntosh fighting with a superb birdie at the 16th.
They traded pars on the 17th but McIntosh, who made a superb par to win his second round clash on the 18th yesterday, could not repeat the heroics when he drove into the fairway bunker and blasted over the green.
The 36-hole final is tomorrow.
Source - NZGA
Photo - Anthony Powter
