Final day wrap of the 2019 Australian Master of the Amateurs. Well done to the champions, Stephanie Kyriacou and Chun-An Yu! #amota #rmgc #golfing #nswgolf #golfnsw https://t.co/WEjla415HA
— AMOTA (@AusMotA) January 11, 2019
Chun An Yu started the final round in seventh place in Melbourne at the Master of the Amateurs, but with five birdies in first nine holes, he suddenly became hot on the trail of third-round leader current Australian Amateur champion Keita Nakajima. Once it reached a playoff, the two-time collegiate winner -- who entered the tournament tied for sixth in the Golfweek Amateur rankings -- needed three holes to win the prestigious event.
Congratulations to @kevingolfyu for winning the 2019 Australian Master of the Amateurs! pic.twitter.com/jqkTZKtUcn
— AMOTA (@AusMotA) January 11, 2019
Yu posted a 1-under 216 (73-69-73) through three rounds, while Japan's Nakajima was at 6-under 210 (66-74-70). Yu's 67 was among the best scores of the final round at Royal Melbourne.
A big day for @sundevilmgolf-er Chun-An Yu and @GolfAust's Stephanie Kyriacou at the @AusMotA https://t.co/LSxfKQJibb pic.twitter.com/zGO84ug923
— AmateurGolf.com (@amateurgolfcom) January 11, 2019
Yu qualified for the U.S. Open last summer and in 2017, made it to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur and has two collegiate wins.
The Master of the Amateurs has become one of the elite championships in amateur golf, as the champion receives a Green Jacket and gets an invitation to the Players Amateur and Porter Cup.
First played in 1997, this year's field featured world number one amateur Justin Suh (USC) as well as Oklahoma State's Matthew Wolff, the highest world ranked amateur and second highest ranked in this field, who had won his last three world ranking events.ICYMI (which you might have or you might have forgotten because freakin' Chez got three eagles) what a win for @kevingolfyu in Australia https://t.co/xqw7nZshEk @pac12 @Pac12Network pic.twitter.com/xra1Jb9FpN
— Sun Devil Men's Golf (@sundevilmgolf) January 12, 2019
The win follows junior teammate Alex del Rey putting his name among the heavy hitters on this summer in Ireland. Much like Jon Rahm did in 2014, del Rey entered the final round of the 215-player World Amateur Championship with a chance to win the Eisenhower Trophy. He came up big, posting eight birdies and no bogeys with a final-round 8-under 65 to win the title at 23-under 267 (70-64-68-65), one stroke better than Japan's Takumi Kanaya.
While you were sleeping @kevingolfyu was in Australia at Royal Melbourne shooting a final round 67 to with the prestigious Master of the Amateur event. Huge win. pic.twitter.com/1007MCUQNe
— Sun Devil Men's Golf (@sundevilmgolf) January 11, 2019
Nakajima was runner-up at the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship in Singapore in October and then finished fifth at the Australian Open in November. Australia's David Micheluzzi was the defending champion.
ASU golfer Chun An Yu realizes dream by qualifying for #USOpen https://t.co/G4EgCHWdtA
— azcentral sports (@azcsports) June 14, 2018
2018-2019 CHUN AN YU ROUND-BY-ROUND (JUNIOR SEASON)
Maui Jim Invitational (Sept. 21-23, 2018) 65-64-68=197/-13/2nd (78)
Tavistock Invitational (Oct. 21-23, 2018) 71-71-70=212/-4/T-10 (80)
2017-2018 CHUN AN YU ROUND-BY-ROUND (SOPHOMORE SEASON)
Gopher Invitational (Sept. 10-11) 76-78-71=225/+12/T-61 (87)
Maui Jim Intercollegiate (Sept. 22-24) 74-76-73=223/+7/T-33 (78)
Alister MacKenzie Invitational (Oct. 9-10) 66-70-72=208/-5/T-14 (88)
Amer Ari Invitational (Feb. 1-3) 73-67-69=209/-7/T-20 (114)
National Invitational Tournament (Feb. 25-26) 63-70-69=202/-14/T-2 (92)
Querencia Cabo Collegiate (March 4-6) 72-70-74=216/+3/T-20 (80)
Bandon Dunes Championship (March 11-13) 65-68-67=200/-13/1 (83)
The Goodwin (March 29-31) 71-69-71=211/-2/T-15 (135)
ASU Thunderbird Invitational (April 14-15) 66-73-69=208/-5/T-8 (85)
Pac-12 Championship (April 23-25) 69-69-71-77=286/+2/T-39 (72)
NCAA Raleigh Regional (May 14-16) 65-70-69=204/-9/T-5 (75)
NCAA Championship (May 25-28) 69-70-77-74=290/+2/T-21 (156)
2016-2017 CHUN AN YU ROUND-BY-ROUND (FRESHMAN SEASON)
Amer Ari Invitational 71-68-71=210/-6/T-20
The Prestige at PGA West 79-75-74=228/+15/T-63
National Invitational Tournament 68-67-64=199/-17/1
Southern Highlands Collegiate 77-75-74=226/+10/T-46
ASU Thunderbird Invitational 67-63-71=201/-12/T-2
Western Intercollegiate 74-66-79=219/+9/T-39
Pac-12 Championship 71-75-70=216/+6/T-14
NCAA Austin Regional 71-77-70=218/+5/T-28
NCAA Championship 69-73-73-73=288/E/T-19