Golf: Peter Lee just fails in amateur finale

Rotorua's Peter Lee had six wins and a draw before losing in the final of the Toro Men's Interprovincial competition at North Shore Golf Club last week. Photo/ Photosport

Rotorua golfer Peter Lee fell just short of a perfect tournament during his last event as an amateur.

The talented 19-year-old from the Rotorua Golf Club has decided to join the professional ranks and will look to qualify for the PGA Tour of Australasia in Melbourne this week.

In his final tournament as an amateur, Lee helped guide the Bay of Plenty men's team to the final of the Toro Men's Interprovincial competition at North Shore Golf Club.

Bay of Plenty won the competition last year with Lee leading the way in the prestigious amateur event.

The Bay of Plenty No1 was undefeated in the matchplay competition last week heading into the final against Manawatu-Wanganui on Saturday.

However, he fell just short of a perfect tournament when he was beaten by Manawatu-Wanganui No1 Joshua Munn.

Bay of Plenty lost the final 4.5 to 0.5 in a rematch of last year's grand final in Dunedin.

Lee finished the tournament with six wins, a draw and one loss.

Bay teammate Victor Janin, also from Rotorua, said the Bay side wanted to send Lee off well.

"This is his last amateur event and that is a special thing. We never worry about Pete he always plays well and we try to back him up."

Lee, the current under-19 national champion and Rotorua Open champion, will be ineligible to play in the Rotorua Open and Springfield Open once he turns professional.

Waiariki Academy of Sport director of golf Gavin Holder, who attended the event last week, said Lee was in great touch for qualification school in Melbourne.

"He had a solid performance this week and when I was talking to him [before the final] he had played something like 92 holes of golf and he only had two bogeys," he said.

Holder said Rotorua's Janin and William Howard also played great golf for the Bay last week.

"They did both play well. Victor had a few little glitches early on but from the fourth round on he was undefeated and he was the only one not to get beaten in the final. And Willy played really well."

Holder said putts which had been dropping all week for the Bay side were not going in during the final.

He said Bay of Plenty golf was in a really strong position as seen by the Bay of Plenty team winning seven of the past 12 Toro Men's Interprovincial competitions.

Lee flew to Australia yesterday and could not be reached for comment.