Final-Day Birdie Binge Secures Stunning Shinchi Success

Melbourne, Australia: Japanese teenager Mamika Shinchi produced a stunning final-day birdie barrage to claim a memorable come-from-behind victory in the adidas Australian Amateur.

The 16-year-old Shinchi made 10 birdies en route to a closing seven-under-par 66, overturning a six-stroke overnight deficit and equalling the course record at Yarra Yarra Golf Club.

With a 10-under-par aggregate of 282, Shinchi ended two shots ahead of 15-year-old Australian Amelia Harris, the runaway third round leader.

Harris signed off with a 74 to finish one stroke in front of Shinchi’s compatriot Aina Fujimoto and New Zealander Eunseo Choi in joint third.

Shinchi is the second consecutive Japanese winner of the women’s section of the Australian Amateur, following in the footsteps of Mizuki Hashimoto.

Shinchi made three bogeys on the front nine and was struggling, but picked up shots at eight, nine and 10 to get back in the mix.

At the par-five 13th, both players made good birdie putts and the Australian was still one shot ahead, but the turning point came at the par-four 14th.

There, Shinchi hit her short iron shot in close and holed for birdie; Harris hit the green but three-putted and the lead changed for the first time all day.

Harris then bogeyed 15 from the left trap and now was two behind. Although she hit beautiful iron shots into the last three holes and birdied all three, Shinchi showed her mettle by matching all those birdies to stay in front.

She had six birdies on a back nine of 31 and acknowledged it as her biggest win in golf. Shinchi began the week in 40th place in the World Amateur Golf Ranking but has been as high as 13th.

For her part, Harris was philosophical. She said: “Obviously it stings a bit. But I’m happy with how I finished. It’s my best finish.

“I missed a couple of short putts, on 14. I was kind of mad and I went in the bunker (on 15) and made another bogey.”

In the men’s category, victory went to Australian Quinnton Croker.

Starting the final round four shots clear of second, he ended the day five clear on 14-under 268 to be crowned the 2024 men’s champion.

The young Queenslander produced his third straight round in the 60s, a three-under 67, to make sure of the win that most would have predicted after witnessing his third round 64.

The win is Croker’s biggest to date, and is validation for his decision to remain in the amateur ranks despite some incredible results on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia this season.

Phoenix Campbell finished solo second at nine-under, after a valiant closing two-under 68. He finished strongly, with birdies on 15 and 17, but Croker already had one hand on the trophy by this point.

In addition to adding his name to the historic Australian Amateur trophy, Croker also gains a start in this year’s Australian Open, another chance to prove he is more than capable of mixing it with the pros.