KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's Danny Lee reinforced his ranking as the world's No 1 amateur golfer when he cruised to victory at the Western Amateur championship in Michigan this morning (NZT).
Lee, 18, beat American collegiate champion Erik Flores in this morning's final 4 and 2 at Point O'Woods Golf
and Country Club to become the first winner since Bubba Dickerson in 2001 to take both medallist and match play honours.
The Rotorua player joins an elite group of dual winners that includes Phil Mickelson (1991), Scott Verplank (1985), Curtis Strange (1974) and Ben Crenshaw (1973).
"This is a huge event," Lee said after receiving the George R Thorne trophy from Western Golf Association chairman John Fix.
"It gives me so much confidence. This is the first time I played really well in the United States. It's special. It's the biggest win of my life," added Lee who was competing in this tournament for the second time.
Up against UCLA's Flores in the championship match, Lee struck early, dropping three straight birdie putts on the middle three holes of the front nine to forge a 4-up lead through six.
After moving to 5-up through 12, Lee and Flores matched birdies on the par-5 13th before Flores sank two straight birdie putts to cut Lee's lead to 3-up.
On the par-4 16th, Lee finally closed the match, 4 and 2, with an 8-foot conceded birdie putt after Flores failed to make his own birdie putt.
"I know Flores is a good player and was going to come back... I was thinking `Oh, he's going to come and get me'," Lee said.
"I was really nervous the last couple of holes. All I was thinking was don't make any mistakes and make pars."
Flores wasn't expecting Lee to fold.
"That guy's tough," said Flores, 21, who had hoped to provide a stronger challenge.
"I didn't play very well today. I just didn't hit my iron shots close."
Korea-born Lee who moved to New Zealand when he was nine, was fourth in the amateur players world rankings heading into the Western Amateur.
The Point O'Woods results this week moved him to the top of the rankings. Lee earned medallist honours on Friday with a 12-under-par 268 total in 72 holes of stroke play, beating Flores by three shots.
Lee said hard work before heading to the United States' amateur circuit this year had helped prepare him for success.
"I practised so hard - eight hours a day," he said.
"I expected to play really well in the United States. I think I've done a great job."
In semifinals earlier this morning, Lee and Flores both notched 4 and 2 victories on the strength of birdie binges on the back nine.
Lee defeated Conrad Shindler, 20, of Texas, with birdies on three of the final four holes. He never trailed after driving the green on the 370m par-4 eighth hole and draining a 10-foot eagle putt.
Flores beat France's Victor Dubuisson in their semifinal.
- NZPA
