Park, Lamb cruise to Qld junior titles

by Mark Hayes and Matt Field

Corey Lamb and Hye Park show off their new trophies.

There is perhaps only one thing hotter than Hunter Valley golfers in the Australian amateur scene – and that is Hye Park.

Queenslander Park, which won the Australian Junior title at Coolangatta Tweed Heads three months ago, today added the title of its state girls to its budding resume.

Despite a late indictment by the newly crowned World Champion and Queenlander Cassie Porter, Park continued its dominance south of Brisbane with an eight-fold havoc at Carbrook.

And in the same impressive way on the boys' side, Branxton Golf Club member Corey Lamb grabbed his own five-stroke wire-to-wire win.

Lamb, who also represents Concord in Sydney, continues the production line of Hunter Valley youngsters who leave their mark on the land, led by Australian No.2 Blake Windred.

Last year was the federal Open Amateur champion, Lamb blew the field away in the opening round and then made his 66 stand-up with 69-74-69 to finish to finish six under the finish and comfortably away from Queenslander Blaike Perkins in second place.

But it didn't start as a smooth pace for Lam, who started his lap very nervously on the 10th hole with a handy buffer for the night.

"Four shots is a nice lead, but not huge, so I knew I had to start well. But I was really lucky … when my (opening) ride hit the rocks and bounced out of the water," said Lamb, who the bogeyman had 13th on the heavy par-four.

"(NSW junior teammate Harrison Crowe) made a good start, but when I birdied 11 and 16, I knew that I just had to be stable because the front nine plays a little easier.

"I am very happy to win another victory in Queensland, this time individually – maybe it is the weather that suits me!"

Crowe, a member of St Michaels, closed for one of Perkins with a nice 68, but the Bargara club champion, whose title actually ends on the 18th with a double-bogey, finished strong with a birdie on the eighth hole to edge Crowe for the second.

Porter played her best golf for the week with an eagle on the 12th highlight of her four-under-par 68 to finish five under in total, eight free from Gold Coaster Shannon Tan in the third.

But in reality it was academically in pursuit for Park, whose remarkable week contained an extraordinary 20 birdies and two eagles in her 13-under total – even more stunning given the difficult conditions during the tournament.

"I wasn't really worried about the big lead and just tried to hit fairways and greens and make my putts," said Park, a 9-year-old student who is a member of RACV Royal Pines and is going to New South Wales next week. defend that state's crown.

"It was really wet and I had to drop a lot and so the course played much longer … (but) with a big lead I knew I had to miss par or one and I had one left."

The national title win in Park booked a place to play with her heroes on the LPGA Tour in the ISPS Handa Women & # 39; s Australian Open at Royal Adelaide in February.

LEADER OF GIRLS

THE LEADER OF BOYS