Eccles tops Moses at New South Wales Match Play finale
Ben Eccles
ELANORA HEIGHTS, Australia (Feb. 7, 2013) -- 18-year-old Victorian Ben Eccles has held on to win the 2013 New South Wales Amateur Championship after defeating Bonnie Doon’s Troy Moses 2/1 in the final today at Royal Sydney GC.
In a hotly contested 36-hole final Eccles jumped out to an early lead, at one stage leading 3up, before Moses mounted a challenge reducing the lead to just one through 27 holes. Both players showed their class and displayed a maturity beyond their years coming down the stretch, in the end the early lead proved decisive as Eccles triumphed 2/1 on the 35th hole.
The win topped an excellent few days for Eccles as he defeated the 2012 NSW Amateur Champion, Brett Drewitt and Canadian David Rose on his way to the final after qualifying in 11th place following the stroke rounds.
Despite the loss Moses will take a lot of confidence out of the event having finished the stroke rounds in 16th and defeating several representative players to make the final. At just 20 years of age he is sure to have a bright future in the game.
Eccles victory in the Amateur came after is fellow statesman Thomas Horan won the NSW Medal ensuring that not only both pieces of silverware, but also bragging rights, reside in Victoria for the moment.
ABOUT THE NSW Men's Amateur
The NSW Medal is played over two courses. It is
two rounds of 18-holes stroke play and then match
play.
The field is evenly divided between the two
venues for the first day’s play with players
changing venues for their second round. The winner
of
the 36 holes stroke play
section of the Championship is the winner of the
NSW Medal.
The leading 32 players from the NSW Medal
(who have nominated to play in the NSW
Amateur) will be eligible to compete in the NSW
Amateur Championship Match Play, with each
match played over 18-holes other than the Final
which is played over 36-holes. The match play is
seeded with ties determined by lot.
View Complete Tournament Information