Windred learns to roll with good and bad

Blake Windred on the 18th green on Sunday at the AAC 2019. (Photo: Golf Australia / Justin Falconer)

The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship 2019 was up for grabs on Sunday, but a series of missed birdie chances in the back nine ended Blake Windred's chances of winning.

The New South Welshman started the day in a tie for the lead but fell no less than five shots from the pace after his first double bogey of the week on the par-5 8th.

From that moment on, Windred continued to fight bravely, creating birdie opportunities at 9, 10, 11, 13, 14 and 15, and produced a bunker explosion on par-3 12 that crashed into the pin but did not fall for a two.

Defending champion Takumi Kanaya, playing alongside Windred and in the group behind AAC winner 2017, Yuxin Lin, rose the scoreboard with six birdies for the day, missing what the winning putt on the 72nd hole would have been in a play-off with Lin to end.

Both players made tough birdies on the first sudden death trip over the par-18, Kanaya pulled the first blood up the hill with a 20-footer, before Lin took his second AAC title on the second play-off hole.

Windred finally signed for a 4-over 76 to slip to 4-under for the tournament, six times behind the 18-year-old double champion, in what would be his last outing as an amateur.

"I've been putting on so well today, the best I've done all week, the best I've felt all week, and they just didn't go in when I needed them," said Windred.

“So much has been learned this week. I was there so it's not all bad. "

Windred carried a lot of expectation after the historic 63 of Thursday, but could not keep the field at arm's length.

He is going to European Tour Q-School next month with a head full of confidence and a renewed look at what it takes to close the biggest tournaments.

"This is what I want to do for a career, so I have to pick up the bad times because I was on the wave early this week and really benefited from the good times," Windred said.

"The 9-bottom, still memories I will never forget. So many things I can get out of this week."

The shining light on the weekend came from the youngest member of the team, with 18-year-old Karl Vilips with a few 69 & # 39; s to finish as the best Australian.

Four birdies on the day, including hits on 16 and 18, helped Vilips to an impressive total of 7 under for the tournament.

Although Vilips will be able to build on his T8 result in 2020, World Man 4 Dave Micheluzzi is a man who will not be in Royal Melbourne.

Sunday's final round also marks the end of his brilliant amateur career, the 23-year-old who retired with his own 69 to climb to 2-under and T15.

That was also where Nathan Barbieri of Monash CC, the 22-year-old, merged a great week in his debut in green and gold.

Fellow Aussie debutant Jack Thompson finished two strokes farther back on even-par in a 21st share. The South Australian ran out of gas on Sunday 74, but he will also be looking forward to Royal Melbourne next year.

The amateur career of Kyle Michel ended with a 78 in the final round, the local Shepparton now with his sights on the second leg of the European Tour Q-School next month.

Australia will have ten players in the field next year based on playing host.