Golf: Australian thrives in wind

Australian Melanie Holmes-Smith took advantage of the windy conditions to claim the New Zealand amateur women's title in Nelson yesterday.

She handled the difficult afternoon conditions superbly to win 5 and 4 over NZ representative Tina Howard, of Taupo.

The pair were all square and two-under after the first 18 holes in the morning, and Howard began the afternoon strongly by winning the 19th and 20th holes.

Holmes-Smith, the Australian junior representative, fought back with a birdie at the third and a par at the fourth to square the match.

A turning point came at the par-five fifth where Howard required a ruling on a ball that had moved on the exposed green. She became unsettled in the conditions and missed the putt to give the Australian the lead for the first time.

Howard dropped shots at the seventh and ninth to be three-down after 27 holes. Holmes-Smith birdied the 28th and Howard replied with a birdie at the 29th with a six-metre birdie putt.

The Australian responded with a 12-metre birdie at the 30th, and went five-up with a par at the 31st before wrapping up the championship 5 and 4 at the 32nd.

Auckland teenager Enu Chung upset New Zealand representative Hee-Jeong Chung from Wellington to win the New Zealand plate final 5 and 3.