Golf: NZ teen's win rewrites golfing history

SEOUL - Christchurch teenager Eddie Lee pulled off one of the biggest coups in New Zealand amateur golf when he won a major Asian professional title last night.

Lee, 18, fired a closing round of seven-under 65 to win the US$350,000 ($795,500) Maekyung Open in South Korea.

The field included many of the best players on the Asian PGA circuit, among them Thailand's Thammanoon Sriroj, who was second, one shot back, but inherited the winner's cheque of US$76,569 because of Lee's amateur status.

Lee ran down Thammanoon on the homeward nine yesterday when he completed the closing five holes in four under the card.

Lee's victory is the second big win for a New Zealander this year after Craig Perks' triumph in the $2.5 million Players Championship in March.

Lee, a certainty for this year's Eisenhower Trophy world championship teams event in Malaysia, finished second at the NZ amateur championship last month and fourth at last year's United States and Canadian amateur strokeplay championships.

He and his coach, Shane Scott, rushed to Seoul when he got an exemption to contest the Maekyung Open only 10 days ago.

It marked a return to the land of his birth for Lee, who moved to New Zealand with his family when he was 5.

New Zealand Golf Association operations manager Phil Aickin rated Lee's win as one of the greatest accomplishments in the history of the amateur game in this country.

It ranked alongside Sir Bob Charles winning the 1954 New Zealand Open as an 18-year-old amateur and New Zealand's one and only victory in the Eisenhower Trophy, in Canada in 1992.

"It's unbelievable, phenomenal ... [New Zealand amateur] Stuart Jones won a pro tournament or two 30 to 40 years ago but they were local New Zealand events.

"The field Eddie competed against was one of the strongest you could assemble on the Asian PGA Tour.

"What he's done would surpass whatever Stuart Jones did or what Gareth Paddison achieved last year when he won the Canadian amateur championships."

Mr Aickin played down any fears that yesterday's accomplishment might hasten Lee's progression from the amateur to paid ranks and deny New Zealand his services at the Eisenhower Trophy.

"He's committed to the Eisenhower, which is still 5 1/2 months away. He has talked about doing us proud in the Eisenhower."

But the Eisenhower's lure will surely serve only to delay Lee's anticipated switch.

"After that you'd have to think he'd be making a decision or two," Mr Aickin said.

A member of the Waitikiri club in Christchurch, Lee was joined in Seoul by fellow Waitikiri club player Craig Choi, who finished in a share of 21st place after shooting 69 yesterday.

Waitikiri club professional Peter Davis, who has known Lee since he first approached the club as a 7-year-old, said the 18-year-old had long shown uncommon ability.

Lee would have to decide whether to turn professional or take up one of a growing number of US college scholarship offers, Davis said. "He will have to decide in the next 12 to 18 months where his career is going."

Davis is confident Lee will succeed in whatever route he chooses to follow. "He has a big future and he will go a long, long way.

"His short game is quite sensational.

"He plays shots that most guys can only imagine they can play."

- NZPA