Golf: Perry claims title from Ko in a playoff

Emily Perry. Photo / Getty Images.

Not many amateurs beat Lydia Ko but Emily Perry did it when she sunk a six-foot birdie putt in the playoff to win the New Zealand women's stroke play championships in Hastings today.

The Waikato No 1 beat the World No 1 on the first hole of sudden death.

The final round was full of drama at the Hastings Golf Club as the best two amateurs in the country traded birdies in fine conditions to finish with scores of five under par 67 and share the clubhouse lead at 12 under par for the tournament.

With a good gallery around the 18th for the playoff, Ko found the greenside bunker and missed her birdie chance from seven feet. Perry held her nerve to make her clutch birdie and win the national title for the first time.

"It's amazing," said the 21-year-old from the Lochiel Golf Club, holding back tears. "That emotion had been building for a while so I was holding it in, it was good to let it out.

"I think the biggest thing is I have worked so hard for it. I feel like I really deserved it."

Perry also won the North Island stroke play last week by six shotsand today became the first golfer from the Lochiel Golf Club to have her name engraved in the Mellsop Cup in a championship that dates back to 1911.

The New Zealand representative, who began in a share of the lead with Ko, got off to a fast start when she was three under through four holes to claim a three-shot lead.

But the defending champion Ko rallied and made a three birdies in succession to claim the lead back. Perry, who has been working hard on her mental game for the past 12 months, responded.

"I had two or three holes where I didn't hole some short putts and I was getting a bit nervous. I thought on the ninth hole that if you are going to win you have to stay positive. And that is what I did I am so happy.

"It hasn't quite sunk in yet but I am really happy. It is a huge honour to add my name to the list of great New Zealand stroke play winners."

Ko was gracious in defeat and paid tribute to her New Zealand teammate for her win.

"I think you can definitely see an improvement in her game," said the 14-year-old. "She is much more consistent now and when she is playing well she is very hard to beat. She put me under pressure today and deserved to win. She played really well."

Chantelle Cassidy (Tokoroa) confirmed why she was selected in the Queen Sirikit team alongside Ko and Perry with a one under par 73 to finish in outright third place.