Golf: Five NZers into quarterfinals

Cecilia Cho. Photo / Getty Images

Five New Zealand golfers are through to the quarterfinals at the Australian amateur championships at Melbourne.

The glamour pair of world No 2-ranked amateur Cecilia Cho and No 3 Lydia Ko are safely through after two rounds of matchplay at Victoria Golf Club yesterday.

Both had battles, though, especially Cho, who took until the final green to quell the challenge of Japan's Saki Suzuki.

In the men's draw, last year's runner-up Ben Campbell and fellow internationals Ryan Fox and Mathew Perry are also into the quarterfinals.

In the morning both Fox and McCall won at the 17th hole while Campbell and Perry got home with two holes to spare.

Campbell was always in command in beating recent Riversdale Cup winner Nathan Holman, of New South Wales, 3 and 2 in the second round, while Perry impressed with his 6 and 5 blitz over Western Australia's Brody Ninyette and Fox was too tough for the well performed Australian representative Luke Humphries (New South Wales) 3 and 1.

In the women's first round Ko beat Emma Ash (South Australia) 3 and 1 while Cho disposed of Mexico's Joyce Trus 4 and 3.

It was a different story in the afternoon when Ko saw her early lead evaporate against Carly Beck, of New South Wales, but she recovered well to win 3 and 1.

Cho led 1-up at the turn against Suzuki, who levelled things at the 14th, but the New Zealander showed her experience to grab the vital 1-up win.

The New Zealanders face tough assignments in today's quarterfinals with Ko meeting 2009 Riversdale Cup winner Ashlee Dewhurst while Cho plays Queen Sirikit Cup representative Ebony Heard.

The semifinals are in the afternoon with the 36-hole final tomorrow.

- NZPA