Golf: Strong finish cements national strokeplay title for Australian

Australian Nadina Taylor delivered the knockout blow in the final 10 holes to win the New Zealand women's amateur strokeplay championships at Greenacres Golf Club near Nelson yesterday.

Taylor started the day three shots behind fellow Australian Tamara Hyett and looked out of contention when she slipped to six behind after seven holes.

However, she stormed home after capitalising on some missed putts and wayward driving by Hyett to win by three shots.

Taylor scored consistently well over the four rounds after shooting 74 on the opening day and followed with rounds of 75 and 70.

The 21-year-old from New South Wales shot another 70 in the final round, although it was her relentless finish that gave her the championship.

Taylor sank long putts for birdies on nine, 10 and 18, while a laser-accurate wedge spun to a halt within a metre of the pin to give her easy birdie putt on 16.

In between, she made a brilliant recovery on the par-five 11th, hitting her third shot out from under a tree on to the green.

She admitted she was resigned to finishing second when Hyett went out to a six-shot lead. But that changed quickly when Hyett bogeyed the eighth and then missed a metre-long birdie putt on the ninth.

In contrast to Taylor's strong finish, Hyett went from bad to worse. She narrowly missed straightforward par putts on 10 and 11 and then she hit under trees for bogeys on 15 and 16.

New Zealand's best performers were Brenda Ormsby, of Te Puke, and Anita Boon, of South Head, who finished third equal on 298.

Boon had a final round of 73 and Ormsby matched her opening round of 77.

- NZPA