Seventeen-year-old Manukau golfer Tae Koh rode a roller-coaster finish to victory in the Auckland Anniversary Tournament at Akarana yesterday.
Koh, in his final year at Rosehill College, began the final round of the 54-hole tournament one shot off the pace set by Heaven Jeon (Akarana) and John Campbell (Te Puke). He had a share of the lead with nine holes to play and when he eagled the 10th he seemed likely to canter to victory.
But he immediately bogeyed the 11th where he needed three to get down from the fringe and continued to mix bogeys with birdies before parring the last for a two-under 68 and a total of 209, one under.
Two groups ahead, Irishman Eugene Smith had birdied the last with a 3m putt for a 65 and a total of 210. He had begun his round with an eagle on the first and repeated the feat on the 10th but a late three-putt bogey on the 16th kept him out of a playoff.
After the tournament Koh was chosen with Josh Leitch (Maungakiekie) as the Auckland representatives at the Grant Clements tournament to be held at Mt Maunganui next month.
