Australian-free Amateur Championship final in Perth
IN: News | Australian Mens Amateur | Australian Amateur Championship (2003) | Final Round | by Bruce Young | 25 Mar 2003
For the first time in 40 years, two foreigners will fight out the Australian Amateur Championship final when New Zealander Bradley Iles takes on Scotland's Jack Doherty in the 36 hole final tomorrow.
Iles made it to the final after a 3&2 victory over Victorian Ben Bunny in one semi-final and Doherty is through following his narrow 1 up win over the leading qualifier Mitchell Brown of New South Wales.
Iles at nineteen and Doherty at twenty have shown, once again, that younger golfers now dominate the heights of amateur golf. Last year Kurt Barnes from Newcastle was just 21-years-old when he prevailed at Indooroopilly and in 2001 Andrew Buckle was just eighteen when he won the title at the Metropolitan Course in Melbourne.
Doherty plays out of the Vale of Glamorgan course in South Wales but is a Scot, representing that country at international level in recent years, in addition to playing collegiate golf in the US at Augusta State. Iles is a member of the Manor Park Golf Club in Wellington, although he played much of his early golf in the Bay Of Plenty. Iles is currently ranked the number three amateur in New Zealand behind Brad Shilton and Mathew Holten
The title is significant on the resume of any young golfer and amongst other benefits will see the victor teeing it up at the Australian Open later this year.
Final (36 holes) – Wednesday 26th March
9:00 am & 1:15 pm – Jack Doherty (SCO – 28) vs Bradley Iles (NZ – 14)
Photo Credit - Robert Ferris
