Golf: Champ battles against the wind

New Zealand representative Sarah Nicholson stood her ground to win the national amateur women's championship in difficult conditions in Wanganui yesterday.

She prevailed 2 up after holding off a rally by Otago's Jenny Park in the 36-hole final played in wild winds at the Belmont course.

Nicholson, 19, of Wellington's Hutt club, made a birdie at the last hole to seal the contest and become just the sixth New Zealander in 20 years to win the championship.

Her name goes alongside the likes of Lynnette Brooky, Gina Scott and Brenda Ormsby.

"It's pretty awesome to have your name on the same trophy as those players who have been my idols," Nicholson said. "I had no idea so few New Zealanders had won this over the last 20 years.

"To tell the truth I am absolutely exhausted. This has been the hardest two days of golf I've played. Today was the hardest conditions that I have ever played golf. I am so tired and mentally drained."

Nicholson said winds which gusted to more than 100km/h on the coastal course made playing more than demanding and at times she struggled to stay upright.

" ... putting was so tough ... the ball moved quite a bit on the greens so you had to be really careful."

Nicholson said the year had been the best of her short career, and she wanted to ensure she finished it on the best possible note.

She played excellently when shooting an even-par 73, including five birdies, to open up a telling four-hole lead over Park after 18 holes.

Park fought back with two early birdies and by the 23rd hole she had reduced the margin to just one.

Nicholson made some key pars in the toughest of the conditions to extend her lead to 3 up with five holes remaining.

But Park would not go away, with a birdie at the 32nd hole, and a Nicholson double bogey saw the difference trimmed to one with two holes remaining.

They shared pars at the 17th but Nicholson reached the par-five 36th green in two and calmly two-putted for birdie and victory.

Nicholson was part of the New Zealand side who finished in a share of ninth place at the world teams championships this year.

- NZPA