Duncan adds his name

15/9/2009

Looking at the list of previous winners helps put Duncan Croudis’ victory in the New Zealand under-19 golf championships last week into perspective.

The Year 13 pupil joined an illustrious list which includes the likes of Grant Waite, Craig Perks, Michael Long, Adam Scott and Steven Alker when he shot 70 in the last round to become the first Otago winner of the Cobham Cup.

Duncan Croudis celebrates his Cobham Cup success

The tournament has helped launch careers and the 17-year old’s win has thrust him into contention for a place in the four-man New Zealand team to contest the world junior championship in China later this year.

The team is expected to be announced later this month and Duncan is keeping his mobile phone close, hoping for a call.

‘‘Hopefully I can make the team,’’ he said.

His final round of 70 may have clinched the title, but he set the win up with a solid 74 in difficult conditions on day two.

‘‘That second round was pretty good. Seventy-four doesn’t look that good, but it was windy and the course was playing quite tough.’’

Croudis was two shots back going into the final round and realised he was in with a chance of winning if he played well.

The Otago under-19 and under-23 champion started superbly with three birdies to take a share of the lead — not that he knew. Duncan decided not to look at the leader board during the final round and just concentrate on what he could control — hitting the ball cleanly and playing calculated golf.

‘‘I just wanted to play as well, and post as good a score as I could, so the leader board didn’t really matter.’’

The tactic paid off but once the crowd started following him around the course he knew he must be close to the lead.

Despite the gathering entourage, he kept his focus and played intelligently to shake off most of the other contenders except Waitemata’s Andrew Priestley.

The crucial break came when Priestley dropped a shot on the 16th to trail by one. The win capped off an impressive comeback after a first-round score of 71 left him in seventh place.

It is an exciting time for the teenager. As well as winning the Otago under 23 and under 19 winner titles, Duncan was the Otago senior club champion, was the senior player in the team which won the Otago Champion-of-Champions title, played in the five man team in the annual SBS tournament and has now been invited to a high performance weekend with New Zealand Golf.

But while he hopes to follow in the footsteps of some of the former winners and forge a professional career, his more immediate aim is to get a sporting scholarship in the United States.

‘‘I’ll stay at home next year and do commerce at Otago University, but I want to go to college in the States and hopefully get a golf scholarship.’’