Rotorua golfer Penny Newbrook, fresh from her heroics in yesterday's Tasman Cup golf victory over Australia, will defend her New Zealand women's amateur strokeplay championship title starting in Auckland tomorrow.
Outgoing national coach Geoff Smart believes Newbrook will be a real factor in the championship at the Titirangi Golf Club.
The
Bay of Plenty No 1 has been out of form in recent times, which prompted team officials to leave her out of the foursomes combination for the Tasman Cup.
She responded with an unbeaten run in singles play at No 3, capturing the crucial win on the final hole of the deciding match to earn New Zealand their first victory for a decade in the international against Australia.
"Penny was the ideal person in that position," Smart said.
"She has had the experience and she is a real fighter. Penny just never gave up all day.
"She is definitely coming back into form right now and I think she will be a real factor in the strokeplay."
Newbrook, 21, won last year's strokeplay championship with a spectacular run of birdies in the final round at Ashburton.
The championship, which has attracted 75 of the country's best female golfers, includes the Australian team that took part in the Tasman Cup.
They are headed by Australian strokeplay champion Sarah Kemp and in-form Nikki Garrett, who won the Riversdale Cup in Melbourne two weeks ago.
The New Zealand team will also compete, consisting of Newbrook, New Zealand amateur champion Sarah Nicholson (Wellington), Jenny Park (Otago), Natasha Krishna (Auckland) and 14-year-old Sharon Ahn (North Harbour), who won three of her four matches on debut in the Tasman Cup.
The championship has also attracted the youngest player in memory, eight-year-old Lydia Ko of Pupuke, who is on an 11 handicap.
There is one round on Friday, two rounds Saturday with the final 18 holes on Sunday.
- NZPA
