Gough and Araki respective Master of Amateur Champions
Gough and Araki – Master of Amateurs Champions – photo Anthony Powter
England’s John Gough and Japan’s Yuna Araki have emerged as the winners of their respective Master of the Amateurs Championships at the Southern Golf Club in Melbourne, Gough home by four over Scotland’s Gregor Tait while Araki won by six over her fellow countrywoman, Mamika Shinchi.
Gough had led by just one entering today’s final round but six birdies in his first ten holes set up a comfortable victory especially when Tait and 3rd placed Chi Chun Chen faltered after they too had made fasts starts today.
Gough, the 2021 Men’s English Amateur Champion and brother of 2019 English Amateur Champion, Conor, played collegiate golf in North Carolina for five years but in 2022 has produced some excellent results in European Amateur golf and is currently 19th in the World Amateur rankings.
Araki is currently ranked 11th in the women’s world amateur rankings and recently finished 3rd at the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship in a year which included a win at the Japan Junior Championship.
Araki made a shaky start to her final round, after taking a five shot lead through 54 holes with three early bogeys, but with six consecutive birdies in the middle of her round it was a case of job done.
New Zealand’s Fiona Xu finished in 3rd place.
