Lee captures Women's Aussie Amateur
BY Liz White | Australian Ladies Amateur Tour | 2009 Australian Women's Amateur | Grand Final | 25 Mar 2009
Justine Lee has won the Australian Amateur Championship 1 up over Taipei’s Wendy Tsai at the Royal Queensland Golf Club today.
One of the youngest ever to win the event, the 17-year-old played superb golf and finished even par after the 36 hole final.
It was the Sydneysider’s biggest amateur title.
“I was just happy to even get to the semi finals, so I am pretty stoked,” she said.
Today’s final was high quality and although Lee was out of the blocks early with a three up lead after ten holes, Tsai never let Lee get a stranglehold on the match.
“I tried but she just played smart, very much to a plan and not many mistakes,” said the vanquished Tsai.
After threatening to run away with the title following a birdie on the 405m par five 12th Lee, with a 4 up lead, lost a bit of concentration and Tsai took her opportunities.
Consecutive bogeys on the 343m par 4, 15th and the 439m par five 16th, and all of a sudden Lee was being mown down by 17-year-old Tsai.
A brilliant birdie by Tsai on the 18th meant Lee turned after 18 with a very shaky one up advantage.
Justine Lee Interview
Justine Lee has won the 2009 Women’s Australian Amateur Championship 1-up over Taipei’s Pei-Ying Tsai
At this stage Lee admitted she welcomed the break as she could see Tsai was gaining some momentum.
“I think so, for me to calm down a bit and get my head together,” she said.
While both girls parred the 19th, Lee then put her foot down with consecutive birdies on the 115m par three, 20th and the 260m par four 21st.
After 27 holes, Lee looked in control at 2up.
But again, Tsai fought back.
On the 405m par five 30th, Tsai won the hole in gutsy fashion to square the championship final.
It was a classic match play situation where Lee was in the box seat but let it slip. With her drive sitting in the middle of the fairway, Lee just had to put the ball up the middle of the fairway as Tsai’s second shot landed in a fairway bunker.
“I hit behind the ball quite a fair bit and the ball just went straight right about 20 metres, it was an embarrassing shot,” she said.
“I was just trying to get it up somewhere near the green to get a birdie at least.”
Tsai was able to land her third on the green while Lee overshot the green and into the back bunker for three.
Lee was forced to concede the hole and walked off the green rattled that she lost such a winnable hole.
“I was not thinking happy thoughts,” she said.
“Because the match was just square, I was trying to keep it together for the next few holes.
“I was saying to myself, ’don’t give any more shots.’”
Her dad, caddy and coach, Michael admitted he thought Justine had blown her chance at victory. A professional golfer in his native Korea, he then gave her some words of advice.
“I said just concentrate, back to work,” he said.
The talk clearly worked.
In what Lee senior described as his daughter’s shot of the match, Lee stiffed her four iron just 2 metres from the pin.
The birdie again gave her the one up edge.
Then Lee held a 2 up ascendancy after a birdie on the 318m par 4 32nd, only to have Tsai play some incredible approach shots on the 343m par 4 33rd and the par five 439m 34th to again level the match with just two holes to play.
“I knew she’s a fighter and that she comes back strong,” Lee said.
I just kept telling myself to fight back, if she brings it, I bring it back."
As the girls headed to the second last hole, the 170m par 3, the title was anyone’s.
Tsai blinked first putting her tee shot into the trap while Lee calmly landed her shot on the green. But again Tsai showed her never say die attitude and played a nerveless up and down to keep the match at square.
Hitting off first, Tsai put her tee shot into the fairway bunker. It gave Lee a sniff and she took it.
“I actually felt like I was chasing on the 18th,” Lee said.
“I just wanted to par or birdie the hole and then just see if I square it, go to the next hole.”
But the match ended on the 36th hole after Tsai was unable to pull out a miracle shot.
Lee’s victory was her biggest so far and she is hoping for more, but first there is the small matter of schoolwork.
A year 12 student at Strathfield Girls High, Lee has only attended nine days of school this year.
“Yeah I’ve got some homework to do,” she laughed.
Her dad agreed but at the moment he is too busy enjoying his young daughter’s brilliant victory.
“I didn’t expect this this early,” he said.
“I was thinking maybe next year or the year after, but anyway I am very proud.”
