Live updates from Cottesloe Golf Club
Reporting by Neal Maidment, Neil Goddard and Katie Seol
WINNER: Georgia Garner-Dart defeats Amanda Gan 2&1
Georgia Garner-Dart has done it!
Despite a nervy drive, Georgia does what she does best and secures a steady par on the par-five 17th. It’s enough to secure her a 2&1 victory and is far and away the biggest title of the 22-year-old’s career to date. Lake Karrinyup will be very proud of her!
Commiserations to Amanda Gan, who, lest we forget, is in just her third competition back after a six-month injury layoff. She’s a great champion and a real fighter.
That’s all from the live blog! We hope you enjoyed it. We’ll be back with the official wrap-up and photo galleries later on.
PEACE OUT!
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Garner-Dart 2UP after 34
Amanda Gan is charging!
After a mammoth drive on the downhill 16th, she fires a dart to within three feet with her second.
Playing cautiously, Georgia finds the fairway off the tee but her approach into a strong breeze falls a good 40 feet short. She hits a good first putt but Amanda knocks in the birdie putt to win the hole and reduce Georgia’s lead to two holes.
It’s a genuine thriller out there and with the par-five 17th to come, big-hitting Amanda will fancy her chances.
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Garner-Dart 3UP after 33
Amanda Gan is still fighting!
The 2024 champion hits a wayward tee shot but recovers well to fire her second to within 30 feet of the hole.
After a terrific drive, Georgia catches the left greenside bunker and she sails her recovery long. Her par attempt becomes immaterial as Amanda drains her birdie putt to keep the match alive. Georgia is now 3UP with three to play.
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WINNER: Adam Baillie defeats Nate Johnson 3&1
It’s all over for the men!
A magnificent encounter full of swashbuckling golf has concluded in Adam Baillie’s favour after he scrambles a nervy par at the long 17th.
Nate was always struggling after a wild tee shot well left of the fairway gave him too much to do. It’s a disappointing finish for the 17-year-old, but he can feel proud of his week’s work.
It’s all smiles for Adam, though, as he savours the most significant amateur title of his career to date. We’ll catch up with him for a chit-chat later on. For now, it’s back to the women’s final.
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Garner-Dart 4UP after 32
Georgia Garner-Dart is oh so close to a famous victory now.
Both players find the front bunker with their approach shots to the par-five 14th. While Georgia safely extricates herself to about 20 feet, Amanda blades one over the green and leaves her recovery chip short. She concedes the hole, leaving Georgia 4UP with four holes of regulation play remaining.
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Baillie 2UP after 34
It’s getting tense out there!
With a stiff breeze in their faces, both men go with the driver on the short par-four 16th and both end up short.
From about 40m out, Nate undercooks his pitch, which pulls up about 18 feet short, but Adam can’t capitalise. From 35m out, he can’t get closer than 20 feet.
It’s yet another fine putt from Adam, though, who shaves the lip and makes his par. Nate’s birdie chance also stays up, so the hole is halved in fours and Adam remains 2UP.
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Baillie 2UP after 33
Nate Johnson is still in this!
The Joondalup teen produces some good, solid golf on the uphill 15th to make a two-putt par from around 25 feet.
Adam Bailey just missed the green with his approach and faces a relatively straightforward 30-foot putt, but he races his first effort four feet past and misses the return.
His lead is cut to 2 holes, so there’s still all to play for.
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Garner-Dart 3UP after 31
Has Georgia Garner-Dart got one hand on the trophy?
She finds the green on the par-three 13th, while Amanda misses short and chips to around six feet. Georgia’s 18-foot birdie putt doesn’t quite drop, but it’s the sort of rock-solid par you’d love to make at this stage of the championship.
It’s disappointment for Amanda as her par putt stays above ground. Georgia goes back to 3UP with just five holes to play.
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Garner-Dart 2UP after 30
Amanda bombs another drive and leaves herself with just 90m to the green on the par-four 12th. Georgia is about 35m behind her rival off the tee and comes up short with her approach, leaving herself a tricky little chip. While she finds the green with her second, Amanda has left herself with a 35-footer for birdie.
Georgia plays the chip well but there’s some meat left on that bone and she has a treacherous seven footer to save par.
Amanda lag putts nicely and gets the gimme before Georgia shows nerves of steel to hole her par putt and half the hole. She remains 2UP with six to play.
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Baillie 3UP after 32
The wind has shifted direction since this morning, meaning it’s now a very long approach shot to the gorgeous par-five 14th.
Adam is just short of the right-hand fairway bunker with his drive, but Nate bombs his straight in to end his hopes of making the green in two.
Nate lays up to 85m and hits a peach of a pitch just over the pin, which spins back to 10 feet. Adam, meanwhile, overshot the green with his approach from distance and has to chip from the rough to about 18 feet.
Neither player make their birdie putts and the hole is halved in fives. Adam now 3UP with just four holes to play.
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Garner-Dart 2UP after 29
Another momentum shift on a day of momentum shifts!
Georgia overshoots the pin by some 20 feet on the par three, while Amanda rips a beauty to five feet.
Georgia misses, Amanda holes, it’s game on again!
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Baillie 3UP after 31
Things are starting to look a little dicey for Nate. He finds the left greenside bunker on the par-three 13th and can only blast out to 10 feet.
Adam finds the green but leaves himself a long birdie putt of nearly 40 feet. His lag putting has been excellent all day, though, and it is again as he nudges one to two feet.
Nate skims the right edge with his par-saver, leaving Adam a simple par putt that he makes to move to 3UP.
The next hole could be critical for Nate’s chances.
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Garner-Dart 3UP after 28
Georgia refuses to yield!
Both players produce wonderful tee shots and approaches to the dogleg 10th, landing within 8 feet of the pin.
Amanda is fractionally further back and you feel that if she sinks this Georgia could be reeling. It’s not to be, though, as Amanda misses and Georgia holes her own birdie effort to win the hole and go back to 3UP.
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Baillie 2UP after 30
It’s all a bit messy from Nate on the 12th. He misses the fairway right and has a go at hooking it round the trees, but doesn’t get the result he wanted and he’ll be chipping on from about 30m well to the left of the green.
No such dramas for Adam, who splits the fairway and hits the green to leave himself with an 18-footer for birdie.
From right up against a tree, Nate hits a low wedge that pitches 10 feet short but scurries 20 feet past. He can’t convert the par putt, leaving Adam to reestablish a two-hole lead after a good lag putt to gimme range.
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Garner-Dart 2UP after 27
This is getting interesting!
After perfect drives apiece, Amanda finds the centre of the green while Georgia misses right. She faces a delicate chip, which she hits nicely but stalls six feet short.
Amanda’s birdie effort from 30 feet fails to reach gimme distance but when Georgia misses her par putt, Amanda makes no mistake. She’s now just 2 holes back and the momentum is definitely with her.
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Baillie 1UP after 29
Neither man gets close to the pin on the par-three 11th, with Adam a shade closer at around 30 feet from the hole.
Nate is first to putt and rolls it a couple of feet past. Adam goes even closer, missing just right, and the par putt is conceded.
No mistakes from Nate this time as he holes out with ease to remain 1 hole adrift.
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Baillie 1UP after 28
Having both split the fairway on the 10th, it’s wedge approaches for Adam and Nate and the sort of shots both should eat for breakfast.
It’s an uncharacteristic slip from Adam, though, who hits a loose one into the right-hand bunker. Nate plays it safe and finds the green, giving himself a realistic birdie putt from within 15 feet.
It’s a fine recovery from Adam, who splashes out to five feet. Nate misses his birdie attempt to the left and when Adam holes out for par, it’s a halved hole and Adam maintains his slender 1-hole advantage.
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Garner-Dart 3UP after 26
It’s greens is regulation for both players on the par-five 8th, but Amanda stiffs her third to five feet with Georgia at least 15 feet away.
Georgia’s birdie putt has a good look but doesn’t drop. Amanda capitalises by draining her putt to cut Georgia’s lead to three holes again.
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Baillie 1UP after 27
Maybe the adrenaline was pumping just too hard for Nate after that sensational eagle, as he carves his tee shot on nine a mile right and has a very difficult shot that he’ll need to keep low under the trees. Adam misses the fairway left, but has a good line to the pin.
It’s another fine recovery from Nate but he’s left with a 50-foot putt up two tiers of the green for an unlikely birdie. Adam, meanwhile, finds the middle of the green and has just one tier to negotiate from about half the distance.
Nate chooses to chip and it’s a very decent effort to about four feet. Adam’s putt breaks hard off the left and nestles about three feet away, just outside gimme length.
However, both hole their par putts, so Adam remains 1UP with just nine holes remaining.
Thriller, anyone?
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Garner-Dart 4UP after 25
That’s a rarity! The women have halved a hole for the first time during their afternoon round.
Both make the green in regulation and walk away with two-putt pars. Georgia remains 4UP.
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Baillie 1UP after 26
This is golf of the highest standard!
Both men hit driver off the tee, but Adam pulls his slightly left and has a difficult lie next to the left-hand fairway bunker. He can only advance it 80 metres down the fairway.
Nate ripped his driver past the fairway bunker and proceeds to hit a career wedge from 136m to under three feet.
With the pressure on, Adam hits a wedge from 95m that pitches 15 feet past the spin and spins back to two feet. His birdie putt is conceded but he’s going to make Nate putt for his eagle… and Nate holes it!
What a fantastic way to win a hole. Nate is just 1 down again.
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Garner-Dart 4UP after 24
You can’t take your eyes off the action for a second here!
Amanda finds the fairway on the par-four 6th, while Georgia is in the left fairway bunker on a tough downslope lie. She splashes out well and nearly reaches the green.
Amanda has a chance to heap on some pressure here, but she also comes up just short. Both choose to putt and leave their birdie efforts seven feet short.
In another classic match play turn, Georgia holes her par putt and Amanda misses. Georgia goes back to 4UP.
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Baillie 2UP after 25
Nate’s drive leaks left of the fairway and he is forced to punch it out, which he does very nicely, but faces a 30 foot birdie putt to an uphill pin tucked on the top tier of the green.
Adam hit a ripping approach to five feet and Nate looks to be in trouble when he leaves his first putt 7-feet short. He promptly holes it to save par, but Adam rolls home the birdie putt to win the hole and get back to 2UP.
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Garner-Dart 3UP after 23
It’s cut and thrust in the women’s final this afternoon with momentum switching on every hole so far.
Amanda sticks her tee shot to four feet on the par-three 5th, while Georgia pushes hers right, leaving her a 30-footer putt.
She’s holed some monsters today and gives this one a good look, but it is fractionally off line and settles for par.
Amanda needs this one – and she gets it! Georgia is 3UP is chasing hard. This is shaping up to be a terrific battle.
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Baillie 1UP after 24
If Nate’s confidence took a knock on that last hole, he’s showing no sign of it here.
He misses the green in two, but flicks a wedge to within a few inches of the hole and the putt is conceded. Adam has a birdie chance to win the hole from 25 feet, but leaves it in the jaws.
Hole is halved in fours, Adam stays 1UP.
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Garner-Dart 4UP after 22
Both players bomb their drives down the middle of the fairway of the par five and Georgia’s second is safely on the fairway, short of the green.
The green is in reach for Amanda, but she agonisingly finds the left greenside bunker. Georgia’s third leaves her about six feet from the hole, but Amanda’s bunker shot rolls some 18 feet long and she misses the return putt.
Georgia doesn’t waste the opportunity, sinking her birdie putt to win the hole and get back to 4UP.
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Baillie 1UP after 23
This could be a pivotal moment!
Nate fires a delicious 7-iron to within three feet on the par-three fifth, while Adam is perhaps 20 feet short.
Adam’s birdie attempt lips out, so surely Nate will level the match? No! He misses a tiddler he’d expect to make 99 times out of 100 and the hole is halved in three.
This could represent a big momentum switch. Adam definitely got off the hook there.
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Garner-Dart 3UP after 21
After two good drives, neither player can find position A on the green.
Georgia’s approach falls about 25 feet short, while Amanda flies the green and chooses to putt, getting to within 12 feet.
Georgia’s first putt is a bit cautious and pulls up four feet short, while Amanda holes her tricky par putt to apply some pressure.
Georgia hasn’t missed much today, but her par putt stays up and Amanda wins the hole to close the deficit to three holes again.
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Baillie 1UP after 22
Nate is driving the ball very well at the moment. He carries the fairway bunkers on the par-five 4th, but Adam isn’t so lucky and finds the sand to give his opponent the advantage.
Adam has to be conservative and pops a mid-iron out to within 60 metres. Nate goes for it with a 7-iron but he’s found the left-hand bunker.
Adam’s third finishes pin high, 15 feet right, but Nate conjures up a sensational sand save, which lips out and trundles to a halt about three feet from the hole.
Adam seems to misread his birdie putt which was never on target, while Nate does a Kevin Na and is reaching to scoop his birdie putt out of the hole before it drops. He’s now just 1 hole back.
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Garner-Dart 4UP after 20
CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!?
Georgia looks to be in all sorts of trouble as she leaves herself a putt of at least 50 feet on the par-three second, with Amanda about 18 feet away.
Incredibly, though, Georgia holes the putt! She’s been red hot on the greens today, but no one could have expected that!
Sadly for Amanda, she can’t hole her own birdie chance and she’s straight back to being 4 down. That could represent a huge blow to the 2024 champion’s chances.
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Baillie 2UP after 21
Adam misses the fairway to the right and has to shape a shot round the trees to a pin on the right side of the green. It’s a good effort and he’s on the green, about 30 feet from the pin. From the fairway, Nate fires a wedge to about 18 feet.
Adam’s putt needs a bit more pace as it pulls up four feet short. Nate, meanwhile, cosies his birdie attempt to the hole side and taps in for four. Unflustered, Adam strokes his par putt home to halve the hole and stay 2UP.
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Garner-Dart 3UP after 19
After missing a load of makeable putts during the morning round, Amanda Gan looks like she might have had a bit of a reset during her lunch break.
Both players find the heart of the green in two, with Georgia around 12 feet away and Amanda 15 feet. Amanda putts first and one finally drops! She looks pretty happy about that.
Georgia’s putt isn’t easy and it slides by the right edge. That’s just the start Amanda would have wanted and she’s now 3 down.
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Baillie 2UP after 20
It’s a rollercoaster start to the afternoon round for the men.
After playing the 1st like a boss, Adam overshoots the green on two and pitches back to seven feet. Nate misses the green to the right and pitches to within three feet and the putt is conceded.
Adam is facing the sort of putt that’s easy to miss… and he does miss on the high side! Nate wins the hole with a par and is now just two holes down.
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Baillie 3UP after 19
We are back in business after a sojourn for lunch and Adam Baillie clearly means business as he wins the first hole of the afternoon to go 3UP.
Both players went for the green with 3-woods off the tee. Nate missed just right of the green but Adam pures his to within 15 feet.
Nate hits an open-face 60 degree wedge to 8 feet and watches on as Adam just misses his eagle attempt. The putt is conceded but Nate fails to hole his birdie attempt and Adam immediately extends his lead to 3 holes.
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Garner-Dart 4UP after 18
It’s all a bit scrappy on the 18th with neither player finding the putting surface in regulation and neither getting close with their thirds.
Neither player converts their par putts either, so it’s halved in bogey fives and Georgia reaches the halfway stage 4UP.
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Garner-Dart 4UP after 17
Golf doesn’t get much better than this!
Two great drives were followed by two sublime approaches; Amanda’s to 10 feet and Georgia’s just inside.
Yet again, though, Amanda just can’t buy a putt. Another chance goes begging and Georgia makes it count by holing her own birdie attempt to go 4UP. It’s gripping stuff!
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Baillie 2UP after 18
Both players split the fairway on the 18th with glorious tee shots. Nate will play his approach shot first from 113m. It’s a decent effort but around 25-feet past the flag.
From bang on 100m out aiming at a tight front right pin, Adam goes pin high but about three feet left of the dance floor. He putts from there and the ball glides to a stop about 3 feet from the hole.
Nate reads his lengthy putt nicely and lags to gimme range before Adam rolls home to match his par and stay 2UP at the halfway stage.
They’ll have about 45 minutes downtime now before their second 18.
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Garner-Dart 3UP after 16
More drama on the short par-four 16th!
Georgia is short right of the green off the tee but overshoots her approach into a left-hand trap!
After missing the green to the right, Amanda chips to six feet only to see Georgia conjure up a magnificent recovery to gimme range. Perhaps rattled, Amanda misses her birdie attempt and the hole is halved in fours. Georgia stays 3UP.
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Baillie 2UP after 17
We lost contact with our man on the ground, Neil Goddard, during this hole but it was halved in par fives. Adam Baillie remains 2UP.
We’ll do better on the 18th, fear not.
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Garner-Dart 3UP after 15
Georgia looks like she fancies this at the moment!
Amanda’s approach to the par four stops eight feet away, while Georgia’s doesn’t quite reach the green and her chip shot third pulls up short.
It’s a great chance for Amanda, but she again just misses and has to settle for par. It’s a real nerve shredder from six-feet for Georgia but she strokes the putt home to halve the hole and stay 3UP.
COOL AS ICE!
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Baillie 2UP after 16
Both players take 3-woods at the downhill par-four and it’s advantage Nate as he runs just off the back of the green, while Adam finds the front right trap.
Adam blasts out to six feet and Nate rolls his eagle putt just past the pin. It’s conceded for a birdie.
Adam hasn’t missed much today, but he’s pulled this one a fraction and Nate wins the hole to reduce the deficit to 2 holes.
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Garner-Dart 3UP after 14
Could there be an upset on the cards in the women’s final?
Georgia Garner-Dart goes 3UP on top seed Amanda Gan after draining a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-five 14th.
There’s still a lot of golf to play, though!
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Baillie 3UP after 15
The breeze is causing a few problems for both players here as their approach shots hold up and fall just short of the green.
They’re about the same distance away, but it’s Adam who goes first, pitching from about 25m to four feet. Decent effort there.
It’s a bit heavy-handed from Nate, though, who blows his chip 20 feet past and fails to hole the par putt. He’ll be disappointed with that.
Adam’s par putt curls home and he wins the hole with a par to go 3UP.
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Garner-Dart 2UP after 13
Rock-solid golf by both players as they find the heart of the green and two-putt for pars. Georgia remains 2UP.
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Garner-Dart 2UP after 12
Both players hit excellent shots on the par four. Georgia has about 140m remaining, while Amanda is slightly closer at around 125m out.
Great approach shots from both, though Amanda is closer as she has been for much of the day. Georgia’s putt follows a perfect line but comes up short. It’s a gimme. Amanda’s putt from 10 feet tracks well but slips just past the hole on the high side. Halved in fours, Georgia remains 2UP.
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Baillie 2UP after 14
Some great golf in evidence here!
Neither player can find the green in two on the par-five, but Nate feathers a lovely pitch to about 12 feet with his third from the rough about 50m short of the green. Adam his a chip shot for eagle from the edge of the green which almost drops. He settles for a birdie four.
Nate hasn’t holed much from this range today but he gets it this time to half the hole and stay 2 down.
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Baillie 2UP after 13
Another hole halved in pars after both players land their tee shots within 25-feet of the pin on the par three.
Two two-putts later and Adam remains 2UP.
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Garner-Dart 2UP after 11
Match play golf is so good!
Despite missing the green on the 125m par three, and seeing Amanda land her tee shot within 10 feet, GEORGIA CHIPS IN FOR BIRDIE!
Amanda, feeling the pressure, shaves the edge but it doesn’t drop. Georgia goes 2UP!
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Baillie 2UP after 12
Both players hit 3-wood off the tee, Adam’s approach from 160m ends up just a couple of feet right of the green, while Nate lands within 15 feet from 140m.
Amazingly, Adam holes his chip to take a two-hole lead! What a sucker punch!
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Garner-Dart 1UP after 10
Good drives all round, but Georgia finds the right-side bunker with her approach, while Amanda fires hers to within 10 feet of the pin.
It’s a lovely escape to four feet from Georgia, but Amanda can go level if this nine-footer drops… No! It stays up but is conceded. Georgia confidently strokes home her par putt and the hole is halved in fours.
This is turning into a terrific match!
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Baillie 1UP after 11
Adam with the honour on the par three, but he misses the green just to the left. It’s a tight lie but he’s got a lot of green to work with, so should get up and down OK. Nate plays it safe and lands on the front right of the green about 30 feet short of the pin.
Good work from Adam, who bumps that to about three feet past. Nate, meanwhile, leaves his first effort five-feet short but holes another confidence-boosting par putt from knee-trembling range. Adam safely follows him in, hole halved in threes.
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Garner-Dart 1UP after 9
After a few missed fairways, both players find the short stuff with gorgeous drives on the uphill par four 9th.
From about 130m, Georgia hits a beauty onto the back tier where the pin is but Amanda’s approach fades right, hits a tree and ends up off to the right side of the green amongst the trees.
Amanda manages to find a line through the trees, but it carries past the green and into the rough. She chips on, leaving about a five-foot putt.
Georgia’s birdie putt stops about four-feet away. Amanda holes her bogey putt and Georgia responds, knocking in for par and re-taking the lead. Great stuff from the softly-spoken Lake Karrinyup member!
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Baillie 1UP after 10
It’s drivers all round on the dogleg par-four 10th and both men find the middle of the fairway. The swirling breeze catches them both out, though, and they leave their wedge approaches well short of the pin on very similar lines
It’s Nate to putt first from about 30 feet. It didn’t break as he expected and it goes three feet past. Adam got a good read off Nate’s putt and he leaves it about a foot shy and the putt is conceded. Nate confidently holes out. Hole is halved in fours and Adam remains 1UP.
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Gan vs Garner-Dart A/S after 8
Georgia finds the left rough off the tee on the par five, but there are no obstacles in her way and she’s in no real trouble. Amanda’s tee shot comes up short of the fairway bunker.
Both find the fairway short of the green with their second shots. Georgia has about 50 metres left, while Amanda is looking at a 20-metre chip.
On their third shots, Georgia’s ball goes past the hole, leaving a 15-foot putt, while Amanda’s comes to rest about nine feet away. Georgia steps up but bombs her putt comes six feet past the hole.
Amanda now faces her nine-foot putt she just misses, getting a gimme. Georgia calmly rolls in her second putt from six feet, and the eighth hole is complete.
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Baillie 1UP after 9
Adam again misses a fairway, this time left, and he punches out low to left side of green. Ninth green is huge, so he’s about 40 metres away. Nate flew the trap but just misses fairway on the right. Hits a wedge into 30 feet.
There’s an awful lot of break on this shot for Adam, who’ll chip and run this up the tier. He’s hit a beauty to three feet, ending up just behind the hole. Pressure? What pressure…
Nate also has a lot of break to deal with and his 30-footer stops a few feet short. They have to measure to see who’ll putt first and it’s Adam by a whisker.
It’s classic match play golf as ice-man Baillie strokes his putt in with confidence and Nate’s effort slides by! Adam leads by one hole at the turn, but there’s still 27 holes to play.
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Gan vs Garner-Dart A/S after 7
Excellent tee shots from both players on seven are followed by two superb approaches – Georgia’s to five feet and Amanda’s even closer.
It’s Georgia first to putt and she holes it for a fine birdie. Amanda rises to the challenge though and rolls home her three-footer for a half.
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Johnson vs Baillie A/S after 8
Both players hit driver on the par five. Nate finds the fairway but Adam’s hangs up in the breeze and finds the right-side fairway bunker, about 180m from the green.
His approach leaks a little right leaving into the rough. Not easy, but he’s got about 50 feet of green to work with. Nate, meanwhile, leaves his second short left of green but it looks like a straightforward up-and-down.
Oh dear, Adam’s overcooked his chip. It’s past the flag and and just off the front edge of the green, about 20 feet from the hole. Nate floats a 60-degree wedge to within a foot for a gimme. Great shot!
Adam has to hole this to maintain his lead – but it doesn’t drop. Nate wins the hole with a birdie four and we’re back level.
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Gan vs Garner-Dart A/S after 6
Georgia just clears the left bunker off the tee and that settles in the rough. She’s missed about as many fairways today than she has all week! Amanda finds the right rough. The ball is sitting up nicely, but the uneven lie could make her approach challenging.
Georgia’s approach falls a bit short of the green, while Amanda’s nestles about six feet from the hole giving her a great birdie chance. Georgia chips on, leaving herself a five-foot putt, but Amanda rolls in her birdie putt brilliantly to level the match.
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Baillie 1UP after 7
Nate hits a wild one off the tee on 7 – it’s miles right onto the sixth fairway! Adam also misses, this time left, and he’s in long grass. Neither approach shot will be easy.
Nate has to go over the trees lining the sixth fairway with his approach, but it flies the green a good 25m and is in a nasty downhill lie. That will be very difficult. Adam, meanwhile, plays it conservatively and finds the heart of the green about 30 feet from pin.
Yikes! As predicted, Nate has a very testing shot. He can’t get any spin on the ball and it careers past the pin, past Adam’s ball and rolls off the front of the green. He doesn’t look best pleased.
He putts from there to about six feet and gives Adam a good read. Adam duly lags to about a foot to take the hole and a 1UP lead.
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Garner-Dart 1UP after 5
The 4th is a par three playing to about 120 metres for the women today. Amanda finds the green, but the pin is at the back and her ball lands short, leaving her with a very lengthy birdie putt. Georgia’s tee shot finds the left rough. She’s normally extremely accurate from tee to green, so must still be feeling a few nerves.
Georgia chips on, leaving herself about a six-foot putt. Amanda long putt rolls it about the same distance past, but both players hole out to halve in threes. Great pressure putting!
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Johnson & Baillie A/S after 6
Both players miss the fairway off the tee and fire approach shots waaaay over the pin. Adam is a good 40-feet away at back left of green, while Nate is 10-feet closer. Both now face treacherous downhill putts.
That’s a lovely putt from Adam, who makes the difficult look easy and rolls it to two feet. The putt is not conceded, however, so he’ll have to sink it.
Nate proceeds to bomb his birdie attempt a good five feet past but he’s an excellent putter and tidies that up for par. Adam taps in safely. Hole halved in fours.
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Garner-Dart 1UP after 4
Georgia opts for a wood, while Amanda goes with the driver. Both hit solid shots, but Amanda drives it about 30 metres past Georgia.
Both players hit their second shots with woods. Georgia’s shot drifts slightly right but stops short of the bunker, while Amanda clears the bunker but doesn’t reach the green.
Georgia now plays her third a little short, leaving herself a 10-metre putt. Amanda chips on but comes up a bit short, leaving about a six-foot putt.
It’s a safe two-putt for par for Georgia, but Amanda can win the hole with a birdie putt. Alas, it stays up and Georgia remains 1UP.
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Johnson & Baillie A/S after 5
The fifth is an uphill par three with a tricky pin tucked away at the back. Adam is first up and leaves his 7-iron 25-feet short. Nate goes inside him to about 18-feet.
Adam feathers a lovely putt to gimme distance, which is conceded. Nate has a good long look at his birdie putt but it doesn’t drop! Hole halved in threes.
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Garner-Dart 1UP after 3
Both players miss the fairway off the tee, but Georgia finds the heart of the green with a good recovery shot. Amanda, however, finds bunker trouble again and faces a challenging up and down.
Amanda puts from the bunker and gets it close, about six feet from the hole. Georgia now has her long putt. It rattles the edge but lips out. She taps in for par. Amanda then rolls in her six-foot putt to halve the hole. That’s clutch!
***
Johnson & Baillie A/S after 4
These guys don’t hang around and are zipping round at a fair old clip. Both are on in three and Nate has a great look at birdie from six feet but it breaks sharply and races by beyond gimme distance.
Adam is in for par and makes Nate putt, but there’s no mistake from the Joondalup man. Hole halved in fives.
***
Johnson & Baillie A/S after 3
Solid golf all round as the par is halved in par fours. This is already looking like being an excellent clash between the two WA state representatives.
***
Garner-Dart 1UP after 2
Advantage Georgia! She finds the green on the 150m par-three, while Amanda is in the bunker.
Amanda plays out to about 10 feet, but misses the par putt. Georgia safely two-putts to take the lead!
***
Johnson & Baillie A/S after 2
Cool under pressure as always, Baillie makes a safe par on two, while Johnson bogeys. We’re back to level.
***
Gan & Garner-Dart A/S after 1
Solid golf all round. Despite some first-tee nerves the hole is halved in pars. Georgia was just short of the green in two but chips to gimme distance.
Amanda is just off the back after two but coaxes a 15-metre putt right to the edge of the hole to halve in four.
***
Johnson 1UP after 1
Morning campers! We’re live-blogging the finals of the Amateur Championships of WA and will do our best to convey the excitement of the day’s golf as it unfolds.
Your team for the day is GolfWA’s Neal Maidment in the tournament office, and Neil Goddard and WA state golfer Katie Seol on the course at sunny Cottesloe Golf Club.
Injury prevented Katie from competing at her home club this week, but she’s sure to make a memorable contribution to today’s coverage.
Keep up with the latest WA golf news news via the GolfWA news section and our Facebook and Insta accounts. You can also subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter here.
