Crowe, a member at St Michael’s and still just 17, took down the new world No.6 with a quality 2&1 victory that belied his last-man-in status as No.64 seed.
“It feels amazing. I did fight towards the end to grind out a victory and a few birdies helped, so I’m rapt, yeah,” beamed Crowe, who’d amazingly been four shots adrift of the eventual cut line with just nine holes to play on Wednesday, contemplating an early flight home.
Since then, Crow, who is a New South Wales state team member, has done much to get back in the game. He made four birdies including one on the last hole to make the stroke-play playoff, a birdie on the first playoff hole to reach match play, then was nominally 3 under through 17 holes to take down the favorite a day after Micheluzzi had earned a share of the Woodlands course record.The king is dead. Long live the king! @HarrisonCrowe is all class after dropping the No.1 seed and assuming the prime spot in the #AusAm draw. @GolfNSW @sportandrecvic pic.twitter.com/pDDhplnizf
— Golf Australia (@GolfAust) January 16, 2019
“Towards the end (today on the 13th and 14th), I had a couple of birdies in a row to go `dormie (4) up’, then `Micha’ had a couple of birdies. I didn’t want to go up 17, but it’s good now,” said Crowe, who admitted his week had changed in a hurry, especially after assuming the prized No.1 slot in the match play draw. “100 per cent. I wouldn’t have thought about being here at all after 27 holes (of stroke play). But I still have to play good golf, it’s not just going to happen.”
Michleuzzi was humble in defeat, giving Crowe much credit for his victory.
“Harrison played really well the first three holes (par, eagle, birdie) so I was down early, tried my hardest to fight back but he made two or three birdies in the last five holes as well,” said Micheluzzi, who was a record 16 under par with two course record rounds of 8-under par. That earned him medalist honors by seven shots over compatriot Blake Windred, who advanced to the next round over fellow Australian James Conran.
