25 Nov 2022 | Amateur golf |
Aussies claim historic double at APGC Senior Amateur
by Dane Heverin
Australia has become the first country to win both the men's and women's crowns at the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation Senior Amateur Championship at Kota Permai Golf & Country Club in Malaysia on Thursday.
Two-time Australian Senior Amateur champion Greg Rhodes claimed the men's individual title in the process of he, Ken Brewer, Ian Frost and Mark Allen sweeping to a seven shot victory, while three-time reigning Australian Senior Amateur winner Sue Wooster finished runner-up individually as her, Nadene Gole and Jacqueline Morgan won by four shots.
Rhodes, 63, began the final round of the 54-hole event one shot back but he stood firm as his rivals stumbled on another hot and humid day.
Eight pars and a bogey to the turn was enough to move the Coomealla Golf Club member - on the New South Wales side of the Murray River - two shots clear at the top of the leaderboard.
Rhodes' second dropped shot of the day at the 13th was quickly offset by a sensational birdie at the 15th - arguably the most difficult hole on the course - courtesy of a precise six-iron and a pinpoint putt from ten feet.
Two holes later, a brilliant up-and-down from the green side bunker at the 17th all but sealed victory.
Rhodes holed the 18-foot putt - his second of crucial par save of the day after draining a 25-footer at the ninth - and said his local caddie gave him the perfect read as they did all week.
"It’s been a fabulous week. I’ll remember the course, the hospitality and the good people we were able to meet and play with," Rhodes said.
"It’s always an honour to represent your country and always good to win a team event.
"It’s a magnificent course – although the greens are difficult to understand."
The women's event was played for the first time this year with Japan's Hiroko Oga winning the inaugural championship by five shots after Wooster began the final round with the lead.
The Japanese mounted a serious challenge to the Australian women, but Nadene Gole's final round of 75 was enough to hold off their rival's charge.
LEADING MEN'S INDIVIDUAL SCORES
224 – Greg Rhodes (Australia) 76-75-73 227 – Jimmy Aw (Singapore) 75-77-75 230 – Ken Brewer (Australia) 75-75-80 231 – Kim Yang-kwon (Korea) 74-84-73; Malcolm Gullery (New Zealand) 79-75-77 233 – Doug Williams (Hong Kong) 78-80-75; Michael Barltrop (New Zealand) 74-76-83 234 – Ajai Singh Sirohi (India) 78-75-81 235 – John Ball (Hong Kong) 83-76-76; Ian Frost (Australia) 75-78-82
MEN'S TEAM SCORES
688 – Australia 226-228-234 (Greg Rhodes 76-75-73; Ken Brewer 75-75-80; Ian Frost 75-78-82; Mark Allen 79-83-81) 695 – Korea 236-232-227 (Kim Yang-kwon 74-84-73; Jang Heong-seo 78-78-80, Lim Nae-rack 84-76-78; Hwan Chung 85-78-76) 708 – Hong Kong 235-238-235 (Syren Johnstone 76-92-85; Doug Williams 81-80-75; John Ball 83-76-76; Tony Taylor 81-82-84)711 – Singapore 234-234-241 (Jimmy Aw 75-77-75; Tim Pinnegar 78-83-83; Lai Chee Weng 81-76-85; Andrew Ng 82-90-83) 717 – New Zealand 239-237-241 (Michael Barltrop 74-76-83; Malcolm Gullery 79-75-77, William Houng-Lee 86-86-81) 725 – India 236-235-254 (Ajai Singh Sirohi 78-75-81, David D’Souza 78-81-85, Dilip Sharma 80-86-88; Lokendra Malik 83-81-90)
LEADING WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL SCORES
227 – Hiroko Oga (Japan) 78-74-75 232 – Sue Wooster (Australia) 75-76-81 234 – Nadene Gole (Australia) 84-75-75 235 – Tomoko Suzuki (Japan) 70-83-82 241 – Jacqueline Morgan (Australia) 76-81-84; Lam Kui Moi (Malaysia) 78-80-83 248 – Mayumi Tanaka (Japan) 80-86-82 250 – Felicia Louey (Hong Kong) 84-81-85 256 – Ireen Teng (Malaysia) 86-92-78
WOMEN'S TEAM SCORES
458 – Australia 151-151-156 (Sue Wooster 75-76-81; Nadene Gole 84-75-75; Jacqueline Morgan 76-81-84) 462 – Japan 148-157-157 (Hiroko Oga 78-74-75; Tomoko Suzuki 70-83-82; Mayumi Tanaka 80-86-82) 496 – Malaysia 164-171-161 (Lam Kui Moi 78-80-83, Ireen Teng 86-92-78; Doris Yee 88-91-88) 511 – Hong Kong 174-168-169 (Felicia Louey 84-81-82, Yvonne Wong 90-90-93; Cathy Chung 96-87-87)
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