North Harbour’s Lydia Ko started and finished the year on a brilliant note – and the bits in between were outstanding as well.

The 13 year old wrapped up the Srixon Invitational at Gulf Harbour which was the finale to New Zealand Golf’s Srixon Academy Camp for the top amateurs in the country.

Just two weeks after being selected as the Toro Player of the Tournament at the Toro Interprovincials, Ko was the leading player at the Srixon Invitational. She fired a five-under par 68 at Gulf Harbour in a brilliant round that included six birdies and one dropped shot.

She finished five shots clear of Napier’s Kate Chadwick with a further two shots back to fellow internationals Emily Perry (Lochiel) and Cecilia Cho (Pakuranga) and highly promising Wellington teenager Julianne Alvarez (Manor Park).

Ko started the year with a brilliant seventh placing overall in the Pegasus New Zealand Open.

Tauranga’s Andrew Stewart led home the men’s competition with a two under par 70 that included four birdies and two dropped shots. He was a shot clear of Otago’s Duncan Croudis, who followed his strong form at the Toro Interprovincials where he won all of his games for Otago at No 2.

Third place was shared between Mat Perry (Hamilton, Simon Brownlee (Muriwai) and Tim Leonard (Timaru) who had just two pars in his first 10 holes before eight straight pars in his one-over 73.

The camp included sessions of preparation for national and international competition, fitness sessions and testing, course mapping, physical preparation, pre-round plans, game planning and Putt Lab re-assessments. There was also an introduction to some of the latest sports science aids and special guests including Steve Williams who imparted some of his in-depth knowledge of the game.

Leading scores, Srixon Invitational, Gulf Harbour, men, par 72:

70 Andrew Stewart (Omokoroa)

71 Duncan Croudis (Otago)

73 Tim Leonard (Timaru), Mat Perry (Lochiel), Simon Brownlee (Muriwai)

74 Sam An (Titirangi), Ryan Fox (Royal Auckland), Cameron Jones (North Shore), Ryan Chisnall (Greenacres), Jordan Green (Ashburton).

Women, par 73:

68 Lydia Ko (Gulf Harbour)

73 Kate Chadwick (Napier)

75 Julianne Alvarez (Manor Park), Cecilia Cho (Pakuranga), Emily Perry (Lochiel)