Ben Ferguson
(Golf West Australia)
CANNING VALE, Australia (March 16, 2017) -- Ben Ferguson claimed back-to-back men’s Amateur Championship of Western Australia Medals after he fired a second-round 66 on Thursday to lead the tournament after the two rounds of stroke play.
Ferguson (The Vines) lit up Gosnells Golf Club with three birdies and an eagle, after he had started the day with his only dropped shot at the first, to clinch the title he won at Cottesloe last year.
Maddison Hinson-Tolchard made full use of her local knowledge around Gosnells with a three-under 69 as she claimed the women’s Medal by two shots from Victoria’s Montana Strauss (Long Island) and first-round leader Kirsten Rudgeley (Wanneroo).
Hinson-Tolchard’s stellar round included six birdies and was highlighted by a memorable tee shot at the par-three fourth that she left just inches from the pin.
It catapulted her ahead of playing partners Strauss and last year’s Medallist winner Kathryn Norris (Mandurah), who shot a second-round 74 to be equal fourth with Abbie Teasdale (Royal Fremantle) who signed for a 75 on Thursday.
The top-16 women’s players progressed to the match play phase of the tournament, which begins on Friday.
Ferguson will again be the top-ranked men’s competitor after he produced the round of the tournament so far to pull two hosts clear of the chasing pack.
Victoria’s Jack Murdoch also (Kingston Heath) climbed up the leaderboard after he shot a second-round 68 to be level in second place with Adam Hatch (Royal Perth).
Hatch fared the best of the four overnight leaders with a second successive 69, while Haydn Barron slipped back to sixth place after a 71.
Joseph Owen (Lake Karrinyup) produced the second-best round of the day with a 67, which included five birdies, to move up into a tie for third place alongside Kiran Day who carded a one-under 69 on Thursday.
US Junior Amateur champion Min Woo Lee fired a 73, to finished nine shots behind the leader, while playing partner and joint overnight leader Lucas Higgins registered a second-round 74.
It was easily enough, however, to ensure they would progress to the last-32 of the match play stage, which begins on Friday.
Stroke play facts:
--Youngest player in the field was 12-year-old Pantita Amie Phobubpa who was 46 years younger than the oldest players in the field.
--The hardest hole on the course for the men during the opening two rounds was the par-four 16th, which played at an average 4.69. The easiest hole for the men was the par-four first, playing at an average of 4.17 strokes.
--The most difficult hole on the course for the women was the par-four 17th, which played at 5.9 while the easiest was the par-three fourth, which played at 3.88.
ABOUT THE
Western Australia Amateur
The Western Australia (WA) Amateur is for men and
women amateurs of
any
age, and is played over 36-holes stroke play with
the
top 32 men and top 16 women qualifying for the
match
play rounds.
View Complete Tournament Information