Great victory for Keating at Canadian

BY Liz White | World Amateur Womens Tour | 2008 Canadian Women's Amateur | Round Four | 02 Aug 2008

Australia’s Stacey Keating has won the Royale Cup Canadian Amateur Championship shooting a final round two under 70 to win by a commanding three shots at Winnipeg today.

The 22-year-old became just the second Australian to take the title and as an added bonus will now be teeing it up at an LPGA event, The Canadian Open being played later this month.

“I didn’t know that until a minute ago,” she said.

“It is really exciting, I am now just trying to rearrange flights, it will be costly but I don’t care that’s what credit cards are for.”

The Victorian started the day in a three-way tie at the top and while defending champion Stephanie Sherlock and Mexican Alejandra Llaneza faltered, it was Keating who played nerveless golf.

“I missed the first couple of greens but I was able to make up and down so that gave me a lot of confidence early on,” she said.

“Even though I was leading, it didn’t really faze me at all. I think I learnt something from the Colorado stroke where I finished third.”

While both opponents bogeyed early today, Keating was patient, parring the first few holes and then jumping on her chance at the par five, the 481 yard fourth with a birdie.

Another birdie at the second par 5, the 406 yard 8th and it was Keating in control.

“That was my game plan today, just play par golf and birdie the par fives,” she said.

“I just felt really good out there today, I was calm.”

Keating made the turn at the Elmhurst Golf course at two under but knew her work wasn’t done.

“At one stage I was tied with another girl so I just concentrated on what I had to do,” she said.

“I got unlucky on the tenth when I put my shot into the greenside bunker and didn’t get up and down but I had a really solid par on the next so that helped me.”

Keating parred the 12th and by the time she approached the 13th the title was hers for the taking. At this stage Keating acknowledges the nerves did start to kick in.

“I have bogeyed the 13th all week and I will admit the thought did cross my mind but I put my shot within four feet and sunk the putt so that was nice.”

Keating tried to play par golf coming into the clubhouse but kept missing the greens.

“A couple of times I just couldn’t make up and down but I just stayed positive,” she said.

The last four holes of the tournament read birdie, bogey, par, birdie but Keating believed she had done enough.

“I knew walking up the 18th I was in the lead but I didn’t know it was by three,” she said.

“It was a great way to finish with a birdie and right now I am just so excited.”

Ontario’s Stephanie Sherlock gave it her best shot at defending her title but just couldn’t keep pace with Keating, shooting a one over par 73 for a total of 288 even par. Mexico’s Alejandra Llaneza fired a two over round of 74 today to finish third with one over par 289.

While it was all smiles for Keating today, fellow Australian Stephanie Na has not had the best of tournaments.

After making the cut on 6 over and T24th, the South Australian has struggled around the Donald Ross designed course.

Today she posted 12 over to finish the tournament with a four round total of 312, 24 over par.

The 18-year-old will be looking forward to a fresh start next week when she and Keating take on the worlds best at the US Amateur in Oregon.

Today’s win has given Keating a great boost for next week’s tournament.

The US Amateur is the premier event in the United States and attracts the top players from all over the world.

“Today’s win has helped me, to win while starting the day in the lead was good,” she said.

As well as receiving the silveware today, Keating is now the proud owner of a Tiffany bracelet.

“It’s a very nice engraved bracelet, pretty good to be owning a Tiffany, we don’t normally receive things like this as an amateur,” she laughed.

The history books show that Jane Lock is the only other Australian to have claimed the title, a feat that has made Keating proud.

“It’s pretty cool to be only the second Aussie to win the title. It’s been a great week.”