Koh tops Luck, wins Australian Amateur

SEATON, Australia (Jan. 19, 2014) -- New Zealand 19 year-old Tae Koh clinched the first major win of his amateur career on his first trip to Australia with a resounding 6&5 win over Western Australian Curtis Luck at The Australian Amateur Championship presented by Audi at The Grange Golf Club in Adelaide.

The Manukau Golf Club member and World Number 275 led 4up after the first 18 holes and said he was overwhelmed to clinch victory.

"It feels great obviously. Winning 6&5 was a pretty good effort I thought. I thought it was going to be a pretty tough match. You play pretty good players. To do it in that fashion is awesome," Koh said.

In doing so, Koh becomes the first New Zealand man to win the title since former U.S Open champion Michael Campbell did in 1992. Koh also earns an exemption into the Emirates Australian Open at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney later this year.

"That’s big – Michael Campbell won a major and was a great player. Hopefully I can follow in his footsteps. The Australian Open – wow. Big crowds, I’ll have to get used to that. Hopefully I get to play with some good pros and see what they do," Koh said.

Born in Korea, Koh moved to New Zealand at the age of six and began playing golf when he was seven after caddying for this father. He stopped playing golf for four years in his early teens to pursue cricket and soccer before returning to the golf course four and half years ago.

For Luck, from Cottesloe Golf Club, it was the end of a solid week and continues his good form in 2014 following his win at the Boys' Victorian Junior Masters earlier in January.