Golf: Fast finish seals Newbrook NZ strokeplay title

Penny Newbrook justified her standing as the country's leading woman amateur golfer with a blistering finish to take victory in the New Zealand 72-hole strokeplay championship at Ashburton yesterday.

Just when it seemed the New Zealand title was destined to cross the Tasman for the third time in the past four years, Newbrook began a birdie burst that culminated in success when she sank a 7m birdie putt on the last hole to end any thoughts of a playoff.

The 20-year-old Springfield club golfer came to attention recently when she competed in the Bay of Plenty men's club pennants.

Newbrook wanted to let her clubs do the talking at the par-72 5524m Brandon course last week, and she did that by finishing on par 288 after rounds of 72, 73, 72 and 71.

At the turn in yesterday's final round, Newbrook, who had been one behind the overnight leader, North Shore 13-year-old Sharon Ahn, had dropped to five behind and she also was giving Australian internationals Dana Lacey and Sarah-Jane Kenyon four and three strokes respectively.

As well, Queenslander Heidi McCulkin was four ahead of her and last year's joint runner-up, Japanese Akane Iijima (Pakuranga Country), was three in front.

But in the closing holes Newbrook found the touch on the greens that had deserted her on the front nine and the plus two handicapper got the ball rolling with a birdie at the par-three 14th.

She birdied 15, parred 16, and birdied 17 to find herself one behind McCulkin and level with Lacey standing on the final tee.

The two Australians were ahead of her and McCulkin's title hopes disappeared dramatically at the last when she pitched over the par-four hole with her third, failed to get over the bank with her fourth and chipped and two-putted for a triple bogey.

Lacey, recent winner of the Riversdale Cup in Melbourne where Newbrook finished 20 shots behind over 54 holes, safely parred the last and knew Newbrook had to birdie it to prevent a playoff.

As usual, Newbrook hit a long drive and pitched to the green, 7m below the cup. She was unaware that she needed that putt to claim her first national strokeplay title and it may have been just as well.

She confidently stroked the ball at good pace into the middle of the cup for her fourth birdie in five holes and the good gallery enjoying the perfect conditions at Brandon acclaimed the new champion.

Apart from former Bay of Plenty team-mate, Brenda Orsmby, no New Zealander had won the title since Renee Fowler in 1997.

- NZPA