New Zealand No 1 Vaughan McCall has finished as the leading
Kiwi at the Asia-Pacific amateur championship in Thailand.
The 21-year-old carded a three under par 69 in the final
round at the Amata Spring Country Club to finish on a three
under par total in a share of 14th place.
He was 12 shots back from China's Tianlang Guan, as the
14-year-old won by one shot to secure an invitation to the
2013 Masters at Augusta National.
McCall, who finished 13th on the individual standings at the
Eisenhower world amateur team's championship in Turkey, got
off to a fast start in the final round.
The Southland golfer birdied three of the opening six holes
to climb the leaderboard, before a double bogey on the eighth
saw him drop back and make the turn in one under par.
He added further birdies on the 15th and 17th to sign for a
69 and secure another top 15 finish in a quality
international field.
It continues McCall's fine year after he became the first
golfer in 24 years to win both the New Zealand stroke play
and amateur titles in the same year.
Ashburton golfer Daniel Pearce, who was second after round
one, shot even par in the final round to finish on a one
under total and claim a share of 18th place. Blair Riordan
was one shot further back after finishing with a
disappointing three over par 75.
Bay of Plenty golfer Peter Lee finished tied 29th, Compton
Pikari was tied 55th and James Beale finished in a share of
57th place.
New Zealand amateurs have previously come close to winning
the Asia-Pacific amateur and earning the right to play at the
Masters. In 2010 Peter Spearman-Burn finished fourth, and in
2011 Ben Campbell went one better.
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