Golf: Cool Welsh takes matchplay title

ASHBURTON - Timaru and Aoraki interprovincial golfer Kyla Welsh showed a steely nerve over the back nine holes to win the New Zealand under-21 matchplay championship in Ashburton yesterday.

Welsh won the 15th and 16th holes before her opponent, Aimee Keelan, of Gisborne, conceded at the 17th to give Welsh a 2 and 1 victory.

The pair had battled over 14 holes and were square, though it was Welsh who excelled under pressure in the final three holes.

She made par on the 15th to go one up, and a birdie on the 16th stretched her lead.

Keelan needed to win the 17th to stay in the match, but a muffed approach shot saw her chances slip.

"I could have played better. I wasn't feeling pressured over the last few holes but it was just one of those days when you make a few mistakes," Keelan said.

Earlier, Welsh had gone 2-up after the fourth hole though the pair went virtually neck and neck until the game broke open again at the 15th.

"All day I was concentrating on putting the balls on the fairways and greens, but it was my short game that got me through," Welsh said. Off the card, Welsh's winning round was played at 7-over par.

Keelan had played some excellent golf to beat Otago's Selina Moon 1-up, as did Welsh to beat her opponent Natalie MacDonald in the semifinals.

The Southland team of Leanne Flynn, Annu Shanmuganathan and Rose Turnbill won the Waikato Salver for the best net aggregate score.

Flynn and Shanmuganathan recorded the best net scores in the first and second rounds respectively during qualifying play on Tuesday.

Penny Newbrook, of Rotorua, took out the strokeplay title on Tuesday.

- NZPA