Boland threepeats at Lake Macquarie Am

BY Liz White | Australian Ladies Amateur Tour | 2010 Women's Lake Macquarie Amateur | Round Four | 17 Jan 2010

Julia Boland has created history by winning a rain interrupted Ladies Lake Macquarie Amateur for the third year in a row at Newcastle’s Belmont Golf Club.

“I am ecstatic,” she said.

“It is so great to come back and win it again.”

The 23-year-old started the final day two shots back from NSW’s Justine Lee but said she always felt she was in with a chance to win the title.

“I have played here so much, I think this is my tenth year here and I have seen it bite and I have had it bite me _ I had an eight on the second day so I know that you can have big swings out here,” she said.

“I was confident that at some point I would have the lead in the day, and I am just blessed that I managed to win it.”

Boland fired an impressive three under 70 today to finish on five under 217 for the championship, three shots ahead of good friend Stacey Keating who ended her tournament on two under 220. 16-year-old Chantal Hodson caught the eye scoring a one under 72 today while playing in the lead group with Justine Lee and Stacey Keating. She finished the amateur on an impressive one over 223.

West Australia’s Jessica Speechley finished in outright fourth on two over 224 while Australian Amateur champion Justine Lee would be disappointed with her final round three over 76 to end the week in fifth position.

Lee held the lead after the second and third days’ play but obviously found the going tough at the coastal Belmont Course today.

Victoria’s Stacey Keating said the wind was so strong heading into the back nine that it made club selection difficult.

“It was often a two club wind and you are always second guessing so that always makes it hard,” she said.

“But I actually prefer the tougher conditions, because I like to grind it out a bit.”

Keating knows Julia Boland’s game well and said she always felt the Tamworth native would be hard to beat today.

“I knew Julia really wanted the third in row so congratulations to her, I just couldn’t do enough in the end to catch her.”

Late in the afternoon the rain and lightning caused a weather delay and Julia Boland said she worked very hard to just stay relaxed during that time.

“I knew that with four holes to play I had a three shot lead, but I tried not to think about it,” she said.

“I had my nieces and nephews with me so they took my mind completely off golf, which was helpful.”

Boland said her plan over the final stretch was to just keep the game simple and not think about the leader board.

“My caddy and I talked about just keep hitting the greens in regulation and don’t make any bogeys, which I didn’t quite manage but overall I played quite solid this week.”

Boland was concerned at one stage the tournament would be forced into an extra day.

“I was hoping there wasn’t going to be a rain delay because I wasn’t sure if I could catch my flight back to the States tomorrow,” she said.

Boland has been a senior at the Texas A & M University and has been the team’s standout performer.

From five starts she has posted two wins, and a fourth place.

It’s a move Boland said has worked in her favour.

“I think I have improved overall so too has my consistency and also my confidence has improved,” she said.

“I have a tremendous amount of respect for the girls and the coaching staff over there.”

Boland was spotted by Texas A & M after winning the Trans Amateur tournament in Tennessee last July.

“If it wasn’t for me winning the Karrie Webb series I wouldn’t have been over there, so I owe Karrie a lot,” she said.

“I am enjoying the golf and actually enjoying getting back into study, it’s all going well.”

Boland will miss most of the Australian summer tournaments but is hoping to pre qualify for the Australian Open.

“If I don’t qualify then I would like to be back as a spectator, we’re just trying to work a few things out,” she said.

“But I would love to come back and play that’s for sure.”