Golf: History to be written at amateur champs

Lydia Ko, 14, says she intends to make the most of her finals meeting with Cecilia Cho. Photo / Brett Phibbs

History will be made at the New Zealand amateur golf championships in Christchurch today as either the youngest champion will be crowned or a woman will win the title three times in succession for the first time in more than a century.

The two Auckland wonder teens, Lydia Ko and two-time champion Cecilia Cho, won their semifinals easily in miserable conditions at Russley yesterday to set up a rematch of the 2009 final won by Cho.

The men's title will be fought out between Russley's Steven Heyes and Mathew Perry, of Hamilton, who have both reached the final for the first time.

But it is the rematch of Ko and Cho which has most people's attention.

Victory would see Ko, who turned 14 on Sunday, become the youngest champion in history, surpassing Larissa Eruera, who won in 2006 at the age of 14 years, nine months.

"I am relieved to make the final and I want to make the most of this opportunity," said Ko, who advanced to the title decider after brushing aside Filipina Chihiro Ikeda 7 and 6 in the semifinals and seeing off Ikeda's compatriot Love Lynn Guiguio 4 and 2 in the quarter-finals.

Cho, 16, remains on target to complete a unique hat-trick of titles after seeing off Arrowtown's Laura Hoskin 2 and 1 in the last eight before proving too good for her Pakuranga clubmate Caryn Khoo 5 and 4 in the semifinals.

"It is not easy winning this title for three years in a row. You have to play well in each match and I am happy that I have a chance to do it," she said.

Cho said she knew she was in for a battle against her national teammate.

"We know each other's game really well, which is an advantage, but this morning with Laura I didn't know her at all and I was quite shocked.

"With Lydia there are no surprises so I know what I am playing."

Both of the men's semifinals went the distance, with 19-year-old Heyes edging Castlecliff's Munn at the 19th hole and Perry, 24, overcoming Blair Riordan, of Takaka, at the 20th.

Heyes was buoyed by his second round win over top seed Ryan Fox yesterday and a great par save on the 18th to eliminate North Shore's Cameron Jones in the quarter-final.

He went the distance with Munn and came up with the putts when it mattered.

"That putt I made to beat Cameron and then the one on the 19th to win in the playoff against Josh were big moments to decide two tough matches," Heyes said.

Mathew Perry came up with two big shots on the 16th and 17th holes to take the advantage from Riordan after 10 successive pars from the sixth to the 15th.

- NZPA