New Zealand representatives Sarah Nicholson, of Wellington, and Jenny Park, of Otago, will clash in today's 36-hole final of the national women's amateur championship in Wanganui.
Nicholson withstood a torrid battle with 13-year-old Haeji Kang, of Whangarei, to win 1-up and Park outlasted Espirito Santo representative Penny Newbrook 2-up in
the other semifinal yesterday.
It was the first time that any of the quartet had qualified for the semifinals at the amateur championship, played in fierce westerlies on the coastal Belmont course.
New Zealand's leading pair of Nicholson and Newbrook ousted Arrowtown's Hester Wallace and leading Australian Nikki Garrett respectively in the morning quarter-finals, and they may have felt the afternoon semifinals would not be so demanding.
But Park, who accounted for Taranaki's Sally Choi in her quarter-final, and Kang, an impressive victor over North Shore's Bobae Kim, had other ideas.
With the winds gusting in excess of 100km/h, the quartet produced some impressive golf, although putting proved a real test.
Newbrook, 20, was even with the card at the turn, holding a 1-up advantage over Park.
However, Newbrook struggled on the greens coming home, and missed excellent chances at the 14th, 16th and 17th, dropping five shots.
Park won the 10th and 12th holes, before losing the 13th and getting out of jail when Newbrook three-putted the 16th.
The Otago player made a splendid birdie at the par-four 17th, when Newbrook missed from a similar distance, and parred the last for the win.
Park, 17, made her New Zealand debut in the five-strong squad for the Commonwealth tournament in Auckland last December.
Her performances this week will strengthen her case for selection in the next five-woman team for the Tasman Cup in Auckland next March.
Newbrook will be comforted by her excellent performance in beating last year's beaten finalist and fourth-ranked Australian Garrett in the quarter-final.
Newbrook bounced back from 1-down after 13 holes to win two in a row, with pars into the fierce winds, and parred the rest to hold her advantage.
Nicholson had a real fight on her hands against Kang, a Whangarei Girls High School student, who held a one-hole advantage after 15 holes.
Nicholson showed her experience with an excellent par on the tough 16th to square the match, and went ahead for the first time since the opening hole with another clutch par at the 17th.
Both players pulled their drives into the rough, but Kang advanced her ball only a few metres while Nicholson was able to attack the green.
Kang saw her eagle opportunity slide by on the final green, with Nicholson making a key two-metre birdie putt to seal the match.
Earlier, Park was two-over par in easily accounting for Taranaki's Sally Choi 6 and 5.
Nicholson produced a superb effort to beat Wallace 3 and 2, reeling off four holes in a row to be four-up after 13 holes.
In the championship plate semifinals, Robyn Boniface (Southland) meets Karen Quinn (Australia) and Mi Kyung Kim (Pupuke) plays Jackie Shin (Rotorua).
- NZPA
New Zealand representatives Sarah Nicholson, of Wellington, and Jenny Park, of Otago, will clash in today's 36-hole final of the national women's amateur championship in Wanganui.
Nicholson withstood a torrid battle with 13-year-old Haeji Kang, of Whangarei, to win 1-up and Park outlasted Espirito Santo representative Penny Newbrook 2-up in
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