John Gough and Yuna Araki cruise to Australian Master of the Amateurs titles

After setting course records in the first round on Tuesday, John Gough and Yuna Araki had targets on their backs all week long at the Australian Master of the Amateurs at Southern Golf Club in Melbourne.

Gough and Araki were both up to the challenge, as both players finished off impressive victories on Friday at Australia's premier amateur event.

Gough fired a 4-under 68 in his final round to finish at 15-under 273 and earn a four-stroke victory over Gregor Tait of Scotland, while Araki carded a final round 71 (-2) to complete a wire-to-wire title run.

Gough, who led after three of the four rounds at Southern Golf Club, began the day with a one-shot lead over Tait but quickly widened his lead after picking up five birdies in the first nine holes. The back nine proved nothing more to be a nice walk for Gough, who finished with a 4-under 68.

The Englishman's game travels well.

It was his fifth win on three continents in less than three years following his victories at the Palmetto Amateur (2021), English Amateur, Spanish International (2022) and Lytham Trophy (2022).

Gough is also the first Englishman to win the coveted green jacket.

Chi Chun Chen of Chinese Taipei, who matched Gough's course record with a 64 of his own in the second round, finished third at 10-under 278 while Nick Gabrelcik, who plays collegiately at North Florida, finished fourth at 7-under 281.

Araki came to Melbourne in good form after tying for third at the Asia-Pacific Amateur in November. Following an opening-round course record 67 (-6), the Japanese native never looked back, finishing at 12-under 280 (67-74-68-71) to earn a six-shot victory over countrywoman Mamika Shinchi.

Araki entered the final round with a comfortable five-shot lead over Shinchi and if the final round wasn't already a mere formality, she put an exclamation point on the biggest win of her career by reeling off six consecutive birdies from holes 7 through 12.