Matthew McClean’s glorious run in the 121st Western Amateur Championship came to an end as he fell to a 6&5 defeat to New Zealand’s Kazuma Kobori.
It concludes the Malone man’s journey in North Shore Country Club which saw him finish in a share of third place after 72-holes of strokeplay qualifying and take out the world number 16 and 49 amateurs in the last-16 and quarter-finals.
Last year’s Western Amateur boosted the second strongest field in amateur golf which shows the pedigree of player that McClean was competing against.
McClean hasn’t found the front nine to his liking and having staged comebacks earlier in the week it eventually put paid to his chances.
Despite winning the first hole, McClean then lost the next four holes before New Zealander Kobori pulled away with wins on the seventh and ninth to turn five up.
McClean halved the next two holes before losing the twelfth. A half on the thirteenth was the last action of the match as Kobori ran out a 6&5 winner.
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