Auckland’s Titirangi Golf Club saw plenty of resilience as Eunseo Choi and Cooper Moore emerged as champions of the New Zealand Amateur Championships.
Both players demonstrated incredible skill and determination throughout the intense 36-hole finals, securing their places in New Zealand’s golfing history.
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Choi, 18, made history by capturing the New Zealand women’s amateur title, adding it to her New Zealand women’s strokeplay championship win from earlier this year.
This remarkable accomplishment solidifies her place as New Zealand’s leading female amateur golfer.
Choi qualified second in stroke play with rounds of 71 and 75, trailing Yoonae Jong, who held the top qualifying spot after a hole-in-one on the fourth hole during her second round.
Both players advanced to the final, where Choi took an early lead and never looked back. She carried a 2-up lead into the afternoon and continued to apply pressure, ultimately sealing her victory with a birdie on the 31st hole for a 6&5 win.
“I won both the NZ strokeplay and NZ amateur this year, so I feel really great. Apparently, Lydia [Ko] didn’t get the two in one year, so I’m hoping I’m the only one in NZ history,” Choi said.
Choi attributed her success to her ability to “read the flow of the game” and remain composed, adding that her competitive mindset kept her fighting throughout the tournament.
The men’s final was a thrilling battle of two young talents, with 16-year-old Cooper Moore staging an incredible comeback to defeat 17-year-old Robby Turnbull on the final hole.
The match remained tightly contested in the morning, with neither player able to secure more than a one-hole lead.
Turnbull entered the afternoon with a 1-up lead, and by the 11th hole, he had built a seemingly comfortable 3-up advantage after Moore’s three-putt.
However, Moore’s resilience shone through. Determined not to give up, he responded with birdies on the 30th and 31st holes, narrowing the gap to just 1-down.
Riding this momentum, Moore won the 33rd and 34th holes, pulling ahead to a 1-up lead in a stunning turnaround. Turnbull fought back on the 35th hole, making a birdie to square the match, setting up a dramatic finish on the 36th.
On the final hole, Turnbull’s drive landed in the greenside bunker, while Moore executed a perfect approach shot, landing his ball three feet from the pin for what would be the winning shot.
“I had 92 metres in and knew it was going to spin back. I realised it was close when everyone started clapping,” Moore said.
After the victory, Moore admitted to being a bit surprised by his comeback.
“I’m kind of shocked a little bit. Being three down with seven to go, I didn’t really expect it, but I just kept on pushing to see what would happen, and yeah, it feels great.”
Moore’s hunger for victory drove him throughout the tournament, where he had also won previous matches on the 19th and 18th holes.
The victory marked his first major win since the New Zealand Age-Group Championships in 2022, a moment he had been eagerly awaiting after a recent playoff loss at the Canterbury matchplay championship.