Lim remains calm to record breakthrough victory

Auckland’s Carmen Lim has claimed a breakthrough victory at the 2019 New Zealand Stroke Play Championship in style by a monstrous seven-shots at the Christchurch Golf Club.

Lim has completed a near-perfect week with rounds of 72, 70, 69 and 69 (par 74) to enter the winners circle after many years of threatening at the top level.Starting the day four-shots ahead of runner-up and fellow Aucklander Vivian Lu, Lim never gave her a chance as they went shot for shot in the opening nine to both make the turn at four-under par.

Lim all but confirmed the win early in the back nine when she started with a birdie while Lu was unable to keep up with a double bogey, bogey start to end her run at the title.

“I feel like I’ve been waiting for this moment for some time now, so yeah it feels amazing,” beamed the 15-year-old.

She joins some big names in the world of golf, including her idol Lydia Ko who won back in 2011.

“It’s pretty cool to have your name on the same trophy as Lydia’s and it’s certainly a goal to join her on the LPGA Tour at some stage. It’s probably one of the best moments of my career and it hasn’t really hit home yet.”

“I didn’t really know what the score was and just focused on my own game and then at the end I was like, ‘seven shots – okay’ that’s awesome,” laughed Lim.

“I’m going to go home and share it with my little baby sister who is just five months old.”

 Lim doesn’t have much time to celebrate before heading back to school tomorrow morning to live a normal life with all her friends in Auckland.

Although Vivian Lu fell short it was another great week for the New Zealand Amateur champion who continues to show her growth, while Wellington’s Darae Chung, with a storming finish (7 birdies after a slow start) took out third place.

Women’s Leaderboard here