Victorian teenager Amelia Harris has fallen agonisingly short of securing the biggest win of her amateur career, losing in a playoff at the USWING MOJING Junior World Championships at Torrey Pines in California.
Australia enjoyed solid representation in the championship, sending an eight-strong team of the best junior amateurs from around the country.
With rounds of 72-69-69 on Torrey Pines' South Course, Harris found herself tied with Japan's Anna Iwanaga at 6-under-par after three days, with two late birdies on 16 and 18 booking her ticket in the playoff.
The Yarra Yarra member was unable to survive the sudden-death playoff however, losing on the first extra hole.
“Playing for Australia and in a different country, it's always going to be great fun and a great learning experience,” the 17-year-old said.
“I really liked the course; I think it suited me. It's quite open, hard greens, but quite short, so I could get it out there and pitch it on.
“I knew that I was a couple behind the Japanese girl and then I ended up three-putting the 14th hole and I was pretty bummed about that.
“I got a few back though, and getting those couple of birdies late really got me hyped up.”
Harris has quickly established herself as one of Australia's most promising amateurs, notching up consistently strong results when competing against players from across the globe. She also finished runner-up in the 2024 adidas Australian Amateur.
Harris will take her form into next week’s U.S Junior Girls Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club in Georgia.
In the boys’ competition, Queenslander Chase Oberle played his way into the final group after opening rounds of 71 and 70.
Early bogeys in the final round at the third and seventh were followed by a birdie at the ninth to keep the Brisbane Golf Club member in touch. However, another dropped shot at the 10th and a double at the 14th dashed Oberle's chances.
He eventually signed for a 4-over 76 on the final day, finishing in a share for sixth at 1-over, three shots back of winner Dylan Boenning (US).
As one of this year's Cameron Smith Scholarship winners, Oberle is just getting started in the United States and will be looking forward to spending a week honing his skills and knowledge with the 2022 Open champion in August.
- Patrick Taylor
AUSTRALIAN SCORES
GIRLS
2 Amelia Harris 6-under
T17 Raegan Denton 1-over
T43 Grace Rho 6-over
T43 Rachel Lee 6-over
BOYS
T6 Chase Oberle 1-over
T22 Hamish Farquharson 6-over
T48 Spencer Harrison 10-over
DQ Ti Fox