New Zealand Amateur: Sebastain May and Faith Vui win the titles

Sebastian May of Canterbury and Faith Vui of Samoa clinched the men’s and women’s New Zealand Amateur Championship titles at Hamilton Golf Club at St. Andrews in Hamilton, New Zealand.

From Hockey and Cricket to Golf

17-year-old May beat Auckland’s Steven Van Heerden 6&5 in the 36-hole final to clinch the title in the men’s division.

May defeated Glenn Solomann, Dominic Brettkelly, Harry Goakes, and Tom Lee to get to the final. The final kicked off as a tightly contested match, with both players frequently exchanging 1-up leads, a margin May maintained at the midway point.

May, who had previously shown an interest in sports such as hockey and cricket, delivered an impressive performance by carding four birdies in his last nine holes, establishing a substantial lead. The turning point came on the 31st hole when he sank a 15-foot putt to secure victory by 6&5 against Heerden.

During the strokeplay section, May carded impressive rounds of even par 72 and 3-under 69, finishing T6 at 3-under 141, thus earning a spot in the matchplay section of the tournament.

During the match play section, May continued his strong play by defeating Solomann with a score of 4&3 in the first round, Brettkelly by 3&2 in the second round, Goakes by 2&1 in the Quarter Final, and maintaining a 1-up lead against Lee in the Semi-Final, ultimately earning his place in the finals.

Vui enters her name into the history books

In the 36-hole final, 18-year-old Faith Vui triumphed over Amy Im with a score of 5&3, clinching the women's division title and making history as the first Samoan to secure the New Zealand Women's Amateur Championship.

Vui's remarkable journey to the championship included victories over Teresa Wang, Sumin Kang, Suwanna McPhee, and Chloe Lam, proving her mettle every step of the way. During the match play section, Vui secured a 2-up lead against Teresa Wang in the first round, a 1-up lead against Suming Kang in the second round, and a convincing 3&2 victory over Suwanna McPhee in the Quarter-Final. She sealed her path to the final with a 4&3 win over Chloe Lam.

In her final match, Vui maintained control from the outset, seizing an early lead with a victory on the first hole, which she never relinquished. She concluded the first 18 holes with a 3-up advantage before the lunch break, and after the brief intermission, she continued to win holes, extending her lead to 6-up with nine holes remaining.

Though Amy Im managed to narrow the gap to four with seven holes left, it was on the 33rd hole that Vui secured the championship with a commanding score of 5&3.