By JULIE ASH
With the hopes of her team resting on her shoulders, 15-year-old Enu Chung rose to the challenge yesterday, nailing a birdie on the last hole to secure New Zealand's second win in the Commonwealth women's tournament in Auckland.
The young New Zealand side edged out the fancied British
side 4-2 yesterday in the second-to-last day of play. But New Zealand's hopes of winning their first Commonwealth title were dashed when Australia beat Canada in their final round-robin match, 3 1/2-2 1/2 points.
Even with a win over South Africa today, the New Zealanders cannot topple Australia, who will add their name to the Commonwealth trophy for the third consecutive time.
New Zealand got off to a great start, winning one foursome match and squaring the other.
They were unlucky not to have claimed both matches after Sarah Nicholson chipped a 20-metre shot on the 18th to hit the flag and stop centimetres from the hole.
The British needed to sink a putt of about nine metres to square the hole and the match, which 24-year-old Shelley McKevitt did.
In the other match, which saw New Zealanders Chung and Penny Newbrook up against Anna Highgate and Kate Phillips, play also came down to the 18th hole.
With the match squared, Chung chipped on to the green superbly, leaving the putt just a couple of metres short of the hole. The British missed their putt and the New Zealanders sank theirs to take the hole, and match, 1 up.
In the singles, New Zealand No 4 Stacey Tate made a strong start but Highgate fought back to win 2 and 1.
Newbrook showed plenty of spirit in her clash with Britain's Lynn Kenny. Kenny had the edge for most of the match, but the 20-year-old New Zealander came back from being 3 down at the 11th to finish the match square.
New Zealand No 1 Nicholson led McKevitt from go to whoa, eventually winning 3 and 1.
Chung trailed her opponent Kate Phillips for most of the match, but left her best for last. She squared the match on the 17th before going 1 up on the 18th.
"I thought I was going to miss that last putt because I was shaking so much," Chung said.
New Zealand meet South Africa today and Great Britain face Canada. Australia have the bye. Play starts at 8am.
