Hamilton, New Zealand: Faith Vui has written her name into New Zealand golfing history, becoming the first Samoan to win the New Zealand Women’s Amateur Championship.
Vui won the 36-hole final at Hamilton Golf Club – St Andrews Course 5&3 over Pupuke’s Amy Im, with her father and coach Gary caddying for the 18-year-old for every shot she hit over the entire week.
She beat Teresa Wang, Sumin Kang, Suwanna McPhee, and Chloe Lam to get to the big dance and proved she was up to the final challenge.
“Winning this event has been one of my biggest goals. My dream is to be the first Samoan to play on the LPGA Tour, and this is a stepping stone to that. I’m really happy and grateful to my father for giving me the opportunity to be here,” said Vui.
Vui’s father said: “I’m so proud to be a dad. I’m so proud to be the coach and caddie. I just love my kids.
“Her dream is to play professionally, and now that she’s achieved something as big as this, she believes in herself. I didn’t tell a lot of people back home that she was in the final because I didn’t want her to feel any extra pressure. I can tell them now though.”
Vui never trailed in her final match, winning the first hole to establish a lead she never relinquished. Three-up at lunch after 18 holes, Vui extended her margin to six-up following nine holes of the afternoon round.
The Royal Samoa Golf Club member’s advantage was reduced to four-up by Im with seven to play. However, with some outstanding putting and creativity around the greens, she sealed the championship on the 33rd hole.
“I’m trying not to cry. I’m just really happy – I can’t explain it. I’m extremely proud of myself, but I couldn’t have done it without my dad. He was probably the biggest reason why I won – he’s had such a positive influence on me and my golf. I’m grateful and happy to share the experience with him and my other family that came out.
“Hopefully, this will show people that even though we’re from Samoa, we can still achieve great things with hard work.”
She and her brother Leo will now prepare for this year’s Pacific Games, where they’ll be flying the Samoan flag.
Meanwhile, teenager Sebastian May stormed to a 6&5 triumph in the New Zealand Amateur Championship – the biggest title of his young career.
The 17-year-old Cantabrian beat Auckland’s Steven Van Heerden 6&5 to follow in the footsteps of Danny Lee, Stuart Jones, Walter Godfrey and Brian Silk, all of whom won the event when it was held at Hamilton Golf Club – St Andrews Course.
“I’m pretty speechless. It’s pretty unreal,” said the school student who beat Glenn Solomann, Dominic Brettkelly, Harry Goakes, and Tom Lee to reach the final.
In the final, May was one-up through 18 holes. After lunch, the former hockey player and medium-paced cricket bowler birdied four of the next nine holes to establish an insurmountable lead. Having moved to dormie-six, May rolled in a 15-foot putt to win on the 31st.
With school exams just around the corner, May admitted he had been unsure whether to compete in the tournament. As he hadn’t anticipated reaching the final, he and his mother needed to find new accommodation at the weekend.
“The goal was to make the top 32 for the match play when I decided to play. I have a couple of exams lined up next week. I wasn’t actually sure if I was going to play this week – I’m glad I did,” said May.
His mother followed him every day while his older brother and sister Zach and Maddie watched from afar, as they are in US college pursuing their own golf careers. He admits the victory still might not give him the ‘best golfer in the family’ title but says it’s a positive step in his development.
Jasper Stubbs, the defending champion and winner of the previous week’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Royal Melbourne, comfortably made it through the stroke play segment but was then eliminated in the second round of match play by fellow Australian Taylor Barr.
Barr went on to reach the semi-finals where he was edge in extra time by Van Heerden.
*Report by Golf New Zealand