Smith rapt to make semis

Former St Matthews Collegiate student Amy Smith admits to exceeding expectations when a beaten semi-finalist in the New Zealand amateur women's match play golf championships at Taupo earlier this month.
Smith, 20, who in 2007 will enter her final year of studies at Massey University where she is doing a double degree in business and science, had a low-key preparation for the event, caused by a mix of university examinations and work commitments in Wellington.
But the one handicapper got through to the semi-finals where she was eliminated by the eventual winner Larissa Eruera (Aviation) 3 and 1 after earlier beating Lydia Hall of Wales in the quarter-finals 2-up.
Smith, who retains membership of the Carterton club despite playing most of her golf out of the Manawatu club these days and is currently living in Masterton,, considered her lack of practice would be a stumbling block at Taupo.
"I'd probably done about half of what I would have liked but the time factor didn't allow," she said. "So really it was just a matter of hoping for the best."
Smith's quarter-final match with Hall went right to the last hole where Smith sealed victory. She finished on even par and was "happy" with her form.
"It was tight all through, she (Hall) was very competitive," Smith said. "We were both shooting around par through most of the game, it could have gone either way."
The semi-final with Eruera saw Smith on the back foot early in proceedings with Eruera rolling in two 20ft putts to win the first two holes with birdies.
"I could have done without that," Smith quipped. "It wasn't that I started badly, she was just hot right from the word go."
With four holes to play Smith was four down and an early finish seemed assured but she showed typical grit to win the next two holes and take the match to the 17 the where both players were putting for birdie. Smith missed and with Eruera needing only a par to close out the game she conceded the hole, and the match
Smith said it was a case of being beaten by a better player on the day. "She got the early break and was good enough to keep it going, she deserved the win"
Earlier in the year Smith herself experienced the thrill of success, taking out the women's stroke play title at the New Zealand University Games.
She then competed .again in stroke play, at the World Varsity Games in Italy where she finished 32nd with what she described as a "pretty average" effort.
"Quite honestly I could have played a lot better than I did, I just never got going and it was a struggle all the way," she said.
Next major assignment for Smith is the New Zealand amateur stroke play championships in February but even if she performs well there the former national under-18 rep doesn't see herself being in serious contention for a place in the New Zealand senior women's team, remarkably because at 20 she is too old!
"They seem to be going for the younger ones, I might be a bit past it now,' she said.
In any case Smith intends taking a year off golf after completing her degrees and then reassessing after that what her ambitions are in the game.