Sherratt wins Master of the Amateurs Playoff
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (January 14, 2009)--Four days of consistent golf have paid off for 21 year old South Australian Jordan Sherratt who today won the 2010 NEC Master of the Amateurs Championship played at the YARRA YARRA Golf Club in Melbourne.
The title was decided after a play-off with American Bud Cauley who is ranked number six in the world. The two finished the tournament four over. The American teenager put his play-off tee shot into a bunker on the right hand side of the 18th fairway and from then it was an uphill battle. Sherratt's tee shot was up the middle and his putt was true.
“It was a tough day and I didn't play well … but I hung in there grinding it out and eventually got the job done,” he said. “It was great experience coming up against top international players” Four of the world's top ten played this tournament.
Sherratt plans to play amateur events in Australia before possibly heading overseas later in the year. Today's win gives him exemptions into some of the world's best amateur championships including the British Amateur and the Porter Cup, the Players Amateur and the Dogwood Invitational in the USA.
It has been a big week for the young South Australian …. he was the leading amateur finishing 30th in the Victorian Open which wrapped up on Sunday. Then on Monday it was straight down to Yarra Yarra for the NEC Master of the Amateurs Championship and a course record breaking opening round of 66 in the oppressive 43-degree (109 F) temperatures. He then held his cool right through to the play-off.
Bud Cauley's 69 was the second best round of the day. He started the day five shots behind Jordan Sherratt and reeled him in to force the play-off. But had to be content with second place. Australians Kieran Pratt (74) and Matt Jager (70) were next followed by Victor Dubuisson of France who with Matt Haines of England finished the tournament six shots behind the winner.
Tournament Director Peter Mann congratulated the winner who he said had been victorious over one of the stongest amateur field ever assembled in this country.
ABOUT THE Master of the Amateurs
The Master of the Amateurs, a 72-hole medal play
Championship,
has rapidly become one of the
elite championships in amateur golf. Like The
Masters, the champion
receives a Green Jacket. Contestants
participate in the first round of the
championship with professional golfers in a
unique Am-Pro Invitational.
The Master of the Amateurs winner gets an
invitation to the Porter
Cup in the U.S. Likewise the winners of those
two tournaments receive invitations to the
next Master of the Amateurs tournament.
A qualifying round (see tournament
website for date and handicap requirement)
allows
three non-exempt players to earn invitations
into the prestigious field.
View Complete Tournament Information