Bay's Lee scorches home by 11 shots

Danny Lee was finally able to put his head down on his own pillow on Saturday night.

It was a small pleasure the now two-time New Zealand under-23 champion deserved after a week on the road, which culminated in winning at Bridge Pa in Hastings.

The Springfield and Bay of Plenty senior representative scorched home, firing eight birdies and an eagle during the final round of the annual New Zealand under-23 strokeplay event.

The Rotorua 16-year-old won by a massive 11 shots. James Gill, of Hamilton, tied with Leighton James, of Auckland, as the next best golfers, one shot ahead of Samuel Shin, of Gulf Harbour.

Lee become the first back-to-back winner and first repeat winner since Australian Nathan Green. The New South Welshman is a US PGA Tour touring professional who won the 2006 New Zealand Open at Gulf Harbour.

Astonishingly, Lee has now led the under-23 event from start to finish for the past eight rounds. His final round 63 put the perfect finish to his earlier 67, 70 and 70. Combined, the rounds added up to a staggering 20-under par on one of the country's top-ranked courses.

The Rotorua Boys' High School student told the Daily Post yesterday he had had a good feeling about the tournament.

"I like the Hastings Golf Club. The greens are so smooth and the fairways are so nice, it's one of my favourite courses," he said.

The New Zealand junior representative led from the opening round and felt he had it in the bag pretty early. "I didn't worry about the others. After the second round I knew I could win it when I was leading by three shots," he said.

Lee's final round was his best in the competition and it could have been even better but for a bogey on the 10th hole and four makeable birdie putts just sliding by their mark.

The teen described the shot of the day as his approach on the par 5 17th. He struck his rescue club some 200-plus metres before calmly slotting the 10-foot putt for eagle.

He had started the day with a three-shot buffer over Gill, with a further shot back to Shin. The margin remained three shots after the morning round, with Lee and Gill firing two-under 70 in the third round. However, when Gill missed a short par putt on the fifth hole, it sparked Lee into action and he made birdies at the next five holes.

* Lee's win now puts him 60th among the world's top amateurs.