KO ISSUES STANDING EIGHT TO OPEN FIELD AT OATLANDS

(28 January 2012 - Oatlands, NSW)

This time last year 14-year old Lydia Ko came so close to creating women’s golfing history. Twelve months later she may well write her name in the history books by winning the Bing Lee Samsung Women’s NSW Open at Oatlands Golf Club in Sydney, tomorrow.

The World No. 1 amateur is poised to become the youngest female to win a professional tournament on one of the five recognised women’s professional golf tours. The child prodigy posted a remarkable 8-under par 64 to sit on 11-under-par. This sees her take a four shot advantage into the final round, with Victoria’s Lindsey Wright on 7-under after a round of 66.

Ko’s round was almost without fault on an overcast but dry day. It started with a birdie, and then par, before another birdie on the par-4 3rd hole, followed by an eagle on the par-5 fourth. Ko, hit her second shot to 36-feet just in the fringe and holed her 9-iron chip. She commented, “I normally don’t hit a 9-iron from the fringe but I thought I might as well since I had birdied two out of the first three holes.”

Wright is leading the chasing pack at seven-under par after carding a bogey-free 6-under par 66, her best round in the past 15 months. The 32-year old said, “It’s the best I’ve struck the ball in 2 years, I’m just firing at the pin, instead of struggling.”

Frenchwoman Gwladys Nocera is outright third at six-under par, while West Australian Kristie Smith (67) is a further shot back.

Six players including first round co-leader Rachel Bailey (72) England’s Melissa Reid (70) and New South Wales’ Nikki Garrett (71) all share fifth position at four-under par.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL STORY. CLICK HERE FOR ROUND 2 SCORES.

CLICK HERE FOR FINAL ROUND DRAW.

CLICK HERE FOR ROUND 2 HIGHLIGHTS.

CLICK HERE FOR FEATURE INTERVIEWS WITH DAVIES, HULL AND REID

DAVIES GIVES MINISTER A LESSON!

(25 January 2012 - Oatlands, NSW)

On an overcast and wet day at Oatlands Golf Club, former World No.1 and ladies golfing legend, Laura Davies took time out from her pre-tournament preparations and busy schedule to share some time with NSW Minister for Sport and Recreation, Graham Annesley, and offer some valuable short game advice for his participation in the tournament Pro-Am.

Mr Annesley, who has tried to fit some practice into his demanding parliamentary duties, was grateful to be able to have a one-on-one clinic with one of the most recognisable golfers in the world and hopes he can take some of what he learnt into the afternoon’s Pro-Am.

“I’m really looking forward to playing but unfortunately I just don’t get too much of an opportunity these days, so the afternoon should be a bit of fun, but to have Laura offer some advice was a great experience,” he said before adding “I hope our groups’ professional, Lindsey Wright, has a lot of patience but the course and facilities here at Oatlands look wonderful”

Click here for full story and photos. Click here to see the lesson.

For the current CLUB CAR SERIES points table, click here.

HSBC COMES ON BOARD FOR LEADING AMATEUR

(25 January 2012 - Oatlands, NSW)

HSBC Bank Australia Limited has extended its support of encouraging children in sport when it came on board to provide a voucher to the top amateur at this week’s Bing Lee Samsung Women’s NSW Open.

40 amateurs from all around Australia, New Zealand and Japan will have an opportunity to win the voucher worth $1,000 in a HSBC Day to Day Account. The HSBC Day to Day Account will be administered by Golf NSW.

The $1,000 will directly contribute to the reimbursement of player expenses. This support will assist in covering competition travel and accommodation expenses which will allow the player to continue to fulfil their dream of becoming a professional player.

With 18 amateurs on a handicap of plus one or better, the competition amongst the amateurs will be fierce but friendly.

Leading the amateurs will be none other than the current World No. 1 amateur Lydia Ko. The 14 year old from New Zealand will be trying to secure the title she came so close to winning last year. She currently plays off +5 and is certainly in form coming into the week, as she became the first New Zealander, since Jan Higgins in 1989 to win the Australian Amateur title last Sunday, when she defeated Victorian Breanna Elliot in the final.

Elliot is another leading amateur likely to contend along with 15-year-old Minjee Lee from Western Australian who is off +3.9. Adriana Brent, leads the New South Wales contingent and plays off +3.6 at The Lakes Golf Club.

In Australia, the HSBC Group offers an extensive range of financial services through a network of 35 branches and offices. These services include retail and commercial financial services, financial planning, trade finance, treasury and financial markets, payments and cash management and securities custody.