NZ comes close at 42nd Queen Sirikit Cup

Eunseo Choi. Photo: Supplied.

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New Zealand has fallen just shy of winning the 42nd Queen Sirikit Cup, finishing second behind winners Japan.

The Kiwi side of Vivian Lu - Royal Auckland and Grange, Fiona Xu - Titirangi, and Eunseo Choi -Takapuna - were looking to get their hands on a trophy that hasn't been on New Zealand shores since 1999.

The side fought valiantly in today's final round, and unfortunately, couldn't recreate the same amazing play from moving day.

Choi and Xu had the two-counting scores, shooting even-par and one-over respectively, meaning New Zealand had a team score of one-over which meant they finished on 13-under. Japan shot five-under as a team to finish on 20-under-par.

Choi led the Kiwis out of the gate and played solidly on her front nine, making eight pars and a birdie at the par 5 seventh.

The New Zealand debutant opened with a couple of pars on the tenth and 11th before making a two on the par 3 12th. Choi then hit a couple of speed bumps, bogeying three of her next four holes to fall to one-over. However, she struck back at the 17th with another birdie and signed for a final round of even.

She finished 18th on the individual leaderboard after rounds of 72, 79, 71, and 72.

Fiona Xu. Photo: Supplied.

Xu followed off the first and got her round off to a fast start, making back-to-back birdies at the opening two holes. The reigning Australian Amateur Champion made a bogey at six and made the turn in one-under.

Xu bogeyed 11 and 13 to fall to one-over for the day, and Japan began to stretch their lead. Xu made a birdie at 17 and a bogey at 18. She finished in a tie for tenth at one-under, with rounds of 70, 69, 75, and 73.

Vivian Lu. Photo; Supplied.

Lu had the non-counting score of 81 today.

She was in contention for the individual honours after shooting 72 and a pair of 68s in rounds two and three to be at eight-under and share second. She will have learnt lots from today's final round and enjoyed the pressures of international golf once again

For full results, click HERE

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