John clinches Australian Open berth with dramatic title win

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Updated: April 8, 2017

VICTORIAN Cameron John sealed a dramatic Australian Boys’ Amateur Championship victory.

John had learnt from his state teammates that, after a tight final-round duel with Jordan Garner, his New South Wales rival had made a late bogey and that all he needed for victory was a par up the par-5 18th at Wollongong Golf Club.

With the chance not only to join an illustrious honour roll to have won the national title, but also nab a berth in November’s Emirates Australian Open, his lacklustre drive for safety up the adjacent first fairway suddenly left him a far more challenging lay-up than he’d bargained on.

“I actually stood over that shot and said to myself, `You have to hit this well if you want to play the Aussie Open’ and thankfully I managed to do it,” John told Golf Australia after his fifth and final year of eligibility for the junior title came to fruition courtesy largely of a 210m 3-iron that set up his chip and two putts for victory.

“I can’t wait to play in November and hopefully compare my game to some of the best professionals in the world – it’s going to be awesome.”

As it turned out, John had already played an even more important shot to keep at bay the rising Garner, of Castle Hill Golf Club in Sydney’s north-west.

With Garner’s one-under 68 being that left him at six under total after four rounds being ratified at score return, John made an error on the par-3 17th tee that threatened his one-shot lead before he knew he had it.

A tough chip for his second ran through the green and, while less than 5m from the flag, his par putt was from off the short surface.

“I knew it was important, but I didn’t know the scores at that time, so I just hit a really good shot and it dropped,” John said after his even-par 69 proved just enough at seven under.

“It turned out to be very important later, obviously.”