Vic Am: Michel takes down Micheluzzi

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Kyle Michel on his way to a semi-final upset today.

Defending champion David Micheluzzi today dropped out of the Victorian Amateur Championship in the semifinals to a well-known enemy – his state official Kyle Michel.

Meanwhile, Kirsten Rudgeley from Western Australia pulled the women aside and defeated the South Korean prodigy Min Yoon to set up a WA final against the 16-year-old Maddison Hinson-Tolchard.

The triumph of 24-year-old Michel put him on the verge of his biggest win, and came after a brilliant four-under par par nine, in which he Micheluzzi, his captain in Victoria's winning state team at the Interstate Series in Adelaide this year won.

Previously a two-time Victorian champion and medalist of Dunes, Michel stepped on the front with birdies on the 10th, 11th, 14th and 15th (from a chip-in), but had to be two-putt from long distance at the 18th hole to secure his place in the final. After Micheluzzi had missed his bird, he tried four meters, Michel made a nerve-racking putt of just over a meter to exclude him, one-on-one, six-under for the day in nice conditions.

"I have decided to make five birdies in the background nine," Michel said. "I could come across the letter."

The Victorian said he assumed an almost carefree attitude in the semi-finals. "I started to think that I had nothing to lose," he said. "He (Micheluzzi) has all the status at his rankings and everything, and he absolutely deserves it, I knew that I had to bring my best game to beat him and I was able to do it."

Michel, who comes from Shepparton, meets Andre Lautee of Kingston Heath in the men's finals of tomorrow.

Lautee, 19, made the semifinal last year but lost for the eventual winner, Micheluzzi. His best result this year is eighth in the Victorian PGA Championship, in which he was the leading amateur. Today he defeated Ben Henkel of Metropolitan five and three in a semi-final.

Kirsten Rudgeley is working on her first Victorian amateur final.

In the women's event it is the struggle of teenagers.

Rudgeley, 17, expelled the 15-year-old Yoon in their semi-finals and won five and three against the young woman who had won the stripping section and dominated her early match play rounds.

"I did not try to concentrate on winning the string," said Rudgeley, a member of Perth's Mt Lawley Golf Club. "I hit the ball well and on top of my game."

Tomorrow the teenager has a chance to increase the West Australian amateur title she won in 2016 against Hinson-Tolchard.

Rudgeley said that a recent change from coach to Craig Bishop had reversed her form. "That has made a difference," she said.

After completing her study of the year 12 a few weeks ago, she wants to focus on golf in 2019, including a trip to the UK, the country of her birth. She emigrated with her family when she was four.

Hinson-Tolchard is the reigning Australian girl champion from Gosnells Golf Club in Perth and coached by Ritchie Smith.

She defeated Yuka Saso of the Philippines at the 20th hole of the semi-finals of a marathon this afternoon.

At the decisive hole Hinson-Tolchard found trees on the tee and ended with a putt of 10 meters to save par. But she cured the putt, and Saso shot from behind the green and ended the game.

The final with 36 holes is tomorrow at Huntingdale.

VIC AMATEUR FINAL

Kyle Michel to Andre Lautee

Maddison Hinson-Tolchard against Kirsten Rudgeley

Vic Amateur scores, draw here

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