Belmont Golf Club, NSW, Australia Host of the Lake Macquarie Amateur Championship
MARKS POINT, AUSTRALIA (January 24, 2010)--Twenty-one year old Victorian Kieran Pratt cruised to victory with 21-under in the Greater Building Society Lake Macquarie International golf Championships at the Belmont links today, setting a new tournament record.
Pratt finished the four-day event with an amazing 21-under par to break the record set by Peter O’Malley and Danny Lee of 20-under.
Yesterday, he equalled the course record set by Jason Day in 2003 with a brilliant 63.
The Commonwealth Club member went into the final day on 17 under with an eight stroke lead and was never threatened.
He had birdies at holes 4 and 6 to go out in two under 34 and came home with birdies on 10, 14 and 17 for another 34. His only blemish was on the last hole when he missed a hal
f metre putt for a par after being on for two, three metres away.
“I can’t quite believe that I’ve actually won it,” Pratt said as he walked away from the last green.
“When I made birdie on six I thought I was on track and all I had to do was stay in the game.”
He said he had no idea he had set a tournament record until he finished the round.
He hopes to turn professional within 12 months but his first goal would be to play in the Eisenhower Cup event if he can.
Local champion Brendan Smith’s challenge today faltered when he had three bogeys and a double bogey on the front nine to go out in one over 37.
But he fought back strongly on the back nine with an eagle 3 on the par 5 16th
and a great birdie on the last hole where he almost holed out for another eagle.
He finished second with 10-under, the same result he had in the tournament last year.
St Michaels player Matthew Stieger finished in third place with 281 when he had a 70 today.
He defeated Daniel Bringolf, of The Australian, who also had 281, on a count back.
Adelaide’s Jordan Sherratt finished in fourth place on 282 on a count back from James Frazer, of Wales, and Tommy Fleetwood, of England, who also finished on 282.
Stieger won the junior event from Avondale’s Matthew Wittenberg and South West Rocks schoolboy, Jamie Hook.
Lake Macquarie Amateur Golf Championship: Top Finishers
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International