Mountcastle Champion !!

Wellington’s Kerry Mountcastle and Canterbury’s Juliana Hung have claimed the biggest victory of their amateur careers to win the New Zealand Stroke Play Championship at the Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club.

After Saturday's stunning round of nine-under 62, the man from Masterton started the final day with a seven-stroke lead which he wouldn’t surrender to finish a whopping eight shots clear of Kevin Koong in second alone.The St Andrews Salver returns to Wellington for the first time since James Betts won the championship 10 years ago and Mountcastle was excited to see it in his hands.

“It’s amazing to play a tournament like this in your home region and get the win. It’s just awesome,” said Mountcastle.

“I was just trying to repeat what I have done over the past two days and just keep it simple and focus on my game. It wasn’t the easiest of conditions, but I managed to hold things together and get the job done.”

With a crowded Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club balcony, the walk down the 72^nd hole was an enjoyable one for the 22-year-old who made a stress-free birdie to close out his memorable week.

“It makes it a lot easier to hit the shots and to see everyone out there on the balcony also makes you feel a lot better.

“I’m definitely becoming more consistent and able to compete in more and more tournaments which builds confidence.”

 With this, he also takes home The Neil Woodbury, Te Mana A Toi trophy for the lowest round of the championship which was a record equalling nine under par 62.Not a single golfer fired a shot at either winner today in slightly tougher conditions, but with a two-under par round, Kevin Koong has come from nowhere to claim second place on his own. After qualifying for the New Zealand Open earlier this month, Koong is finding himself in a nice vein of form.

Juliana Hung has gone wire-to-wire to win her maiden women’s New Zealand Stroke Play title with a final round of even-par as she showed patience in difficult conditions to be crowned the country’s best and give Canterbury their second champion in as many years.

This two-shot victory (which was a seven shot lead with three to play) goes down as the 16-year-old’s biggest victory to date in what is shaping up to be a very promising career and she was unable to take the smile off her face.

“It definitely feels pretty good, I’m so happy that I won after playing solid all week and it’s easily the biggest win of my career,” grinned Hung.

“We have some pretty good players in Canterbury, including the guys, so it’s always nice to play well for the region.”

Hung has gained mountains of experience over the past year with international trips to both Singapore and Vietnam for the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific and the Faldo Series respectively. Also helping her links experience was a trip to Royal Melbourne for the Master of the Amateurs earlier this year.

“I didn’t play that well in Singapore, but after playing against some of the best in a few events, I have learnt heaps and was able to show that here this week.”

South Island Stroke Play champion Miree Jung enjoyed another good week to finish runner-up, while overnight co-leader Carmen Lim finished third

New Zealand  Stoke Play Championship

Men’s Scores  

201 Kerry Mountcastle (Masterton) 67 62 72

209 Kevin Koong (Muriwai) 71 69 69

212 Jordan Woodall (Cambridge) 68 72 72, Hiroki Miya (Russley) 66 72 74, Tom Parker (Christchurch) 70 68 74, James Hydes (Gulf Harbour Country Club) 67 70 75

213 Shaun Campbell (Omanu) 70 73 70, Charlie Smail (Walton) 70 72 71, Kit Bittle (Wainui) 73 67 73, Jang Hyun Lee (Maungakiekie) 70 70 73

214 Inia Logan (Cromwell) 76 67 71, Fraser MacLachlan (Millbrook Resort & Country Club) 66 72 76, Sam Nichols (Palmerston North) 68 68 78

215 Taylor Gill (Bay of Islands Kerikeri Inc.) 72 74 69, Matthew McLean (Harewood) 69 71 75, Johnny Tynan (Titirangi) 71 65 79

216 Aidric Jose Chan (Philippines) 68 75 73, Daniel Hillier (Manor Park Golf Sanctuary) 70 71 75, Jimmy Zheng (Howick) 69 71 76, Jonathan Cane (Manor Park Golf Sanctuary) 68 71 77

217 Chris Charlton (Riverside) 73 72 72, Reid Hilton (Russley) 72 72 73, Mark Hutson (Muriwai) 69 74 74, Harry Smith (Maniototo) 69 71 77

218 Trent Munn (Manawatu) 74 75 69, Mason Lee (Royal Auckland and Grange) 75 72 71, Sungwoo Han (Queenstown) 71 73 74

219 Jayden Ford (Judgeford) 73 72 74, Trey Shedlock (Titahi) 72 73 74, Liam Finlayson (Feilding) 72 71 76, Brad Rowland (Miramar) 69 74 76

220 Mako Thompson (Maraenui) 70 74 76, Frank Borren (Paraparaumu Beach) 67 75 78

221 Ben Slaven (Walton) 71 75 75, Mathew Tautari Jr (Invercargill) 69 77 75, Adam Church (Judgeford) 67 76 78, Jordan Loof (Royal Wellington) 68 74 79

222 Sung Jin Yeo (North Shore) 76 69 77

223 Kazuma Kobori (Rangiora) 73 76 74

224 Thomas Woods (Miramar) 72 75 77

225 Sanjay Modgill (New Plymouth Inc.) 71 73 81, Thomas Alderson (Hastings) 69 72 84

226 Nicolas Changarnier (Royal Wellington) 74 75 77, Joshua Bernhard Rookes (Waitemata) 72 75 79, Reid Perry (Manawatu) 70 76 80

227 Russell Mitchell (Maraenui) 72 76 79, Cameron Harlock (Remuera) 72 76 79, Oliver Barnsdall (Piopio Aria) 73 75 79

228 Ryan Steven (Titirangi) 73 76 79

229 Cameron Elers (Paraparaumu Beach) 73 76 80, Luke Kidd (Riverside) 75 74 80, Tommy Liu (Royal Auckland and Grange) 73 74 82

Women’s Scores

214 Juliana Hung (Russley) 68 72 74

216 Miree Jung (Titirangi) 72 74 70

217 Carmen Lim (Windross Farm Golf Course) 70 70 77

219 Brittney Dryland (Titirangi) 70 78 71, Marina Ito (Riverside) 74 69 76

221 Caryn Khoo (Pakuranga) 74 74 73

224 Vivian Lu (Royal Auckland and Grange) 75 77 72, Hitomi Tamura (Riverside) 78 71 75

225 Siyi Keh (Titirangi) 74 76 75, Darae Chung (Shandon) 74 75 76

228 Tara Raj (Wanganui) 74 76 78, Caitlin Maurice (Omokoroa) 71 75 82

229 Anna An (Muriwai) 75 77 77, Rose Zheng (Pakuranga) 73 78 78, Silvia Brunotti (North Shore) 76 72 81

230 Hillary O'Connor (Pegasus) 75 81 74, Subin Wui (Pupuke) 74 79 77

233 Yeonsoo Son (North Shore) 79 78 76

234 Jessica Green (North Shore) 84 72 78

238 Eujin Kang (North Shore) 79 77 82

158 Yoonjeong Huh (Gulf Harbour Country Club) 80 78, Grace Jung (Remuera) 77 81, Amy Weng (Russley) 76 82