Lee faces Tsai in Aussie Amateur final

BY Liz White | Australian Ladies Amateur Tour | 2009 Australian Women's Amateur | Semi-Finals | 24 Mar 2009

Justine Lee is on track to win her first Australian Amateur title when she takes on Taipei’s Wendy Tsai in tomorrow’s final at Royal Queensland Golf Club.

Lee defeated Malaysia’s Amanda Chin 1 up in her semi final, while Taipei’s Wendy Tsai ended the run of Julia Boland with a hard fought 3 & 1 victory in the other match.

17-year-old Lee has been the standout performer at the match play championships and is mentally fresh after several convincing wins.

Today was the first day Lee has been taken to the 18th after earlier recording three solid wins of 6 &5, 4& 2 and 4 & 3.

Malaysia’s Amanda Chin, a Year 11 student at the academically selective Hurlstone Agricultural High in Sydney’s south west, threw everything she could at Lee but was unable to make any headway.

Lee never held more than a 2 up advantage and every time it looked like she was set to post another runaway victory, the long-hitting Chin would hit back.

On the par 5 16th, with Lee 2up, both girls hit superb drives but then Lee faltered with her second shot and put it in the greenside bunker. Chin responded with a superb fairway wood to be on the green in two and staring at an eagle.

Lee was forced to concede after her long range putt for birdie sailed past the hole and all of a sudden it was only 1up with 2 to play.

At this stage of the match, Lee admitted she had lost focus.

Justine Lee Interview

“I was actually counting down the holes from the 15th and I shouldn’t have,” she said.

“Tomorrow, I think I will play the course not the player.”

While both girls bogeyed the 17th, Lee closed out the match with a wonderful 20 footer for birdie on the 18th.

She was relieved to have survived her two matches today.

“It is very tiring, 36 holes today,” she said.

A few putts didn’t drop for me but my shots were alright."

Her vanquished opponent, Chin, could only agree about the putting. She says her bad day with the blade cost her any chance of victory.

“I had too many putts today,” she said.

“I am not sure why, I think I wasn’t trusting myself. Also the greens are quite tricky, they are slopey everywhere but I should have done better.”

Chin was impressed with Lee’s play and says she will be hard to beat tomorrow.

“She is a strong and solid player and she doesn’t make many mistakes.”

Lee’s opponent tomorrow, Taipei’s Wendy Tsai says she is not bothered about the result in the 36 hole final. She’s too busy having fun.

“I am very relaxed and very comfortable, so I feel good,” she said.

“I think it doesn’t matter about the result now, I just hit every shot to my best and I can’t worry about the result.”

Today’s was Tsai’s lucky day and she will need plenty of it tomorrow to beat the consistent Lee.

Earlier in the quarter finals, Tsai was behind in her match against Queensland’s Bree Arthur until a stunning chip in on the par three 7th, levelled the match.

A clearly rattled Arthur overshot the green on the par five 18th and was unable to make up and down for par. Tsai played the hole in regulation and a solid two putt handed her the victory.

Her semi final against last week’s Australian Stroke Play Champion, Julia Boland was a case of see who blinks first.

Both girls let opportunities slip and Boland was annoyed at her inability to capitalise on some of Tsai’s mistakes.

“I had heaps of opportunities, particularly earlier. I gave her so many holes,” she said.

None more so than on the first hole of the day, a 458 metre par five.

Boland’s tee shot landed in the fairway trap while Tsai was straight up the middle. Boland was able to put her second shot on the fairway but still a long way from home.

Playing first for her approach shot, the 23-year-old hit a fairway wood, which was beautifully struck and landed about 15 metres from the pin.

Tsai’s 80 metre approach shot was well short into the prevailing breeze and landed in the greenside trap. While the 17-year-old was able to sink her putt for par, Boland three putted for bogey and handed the hole to Tsai.

“I tried to fight back but I just didn’t ever quite get the momentum going my way and if I did she would win back a hole and make a birdie,” Boland said.

Despite losing today, Boland is not too downcast with her efforts.

“I don’t feel out-golfed but I would have liked a day off somewhere probably, but I have achieved a lot of my goals so I am not disappointed in that.”

Tomorrow’s 36 hole final starts at 8:10am following the men’s and Lee has a simple battle plan.

“Play as well as I can and just hope it is good enough.”