Ben Campbell's battle to become only the second New Zealand golfer to win the Australian amateur competition has ended in defeat on the last hole of a tense final in Melbourne.
It's the second year in a row the Melbourne-based New Zealand number one, who's from Masterton, has finished runner-up.
He held a one-up advantage over Matt Stieger of New South Wales after the 18th hole of the 36-hole final at Victoria Golf Club.
Campbell led by up to three strokes during the first nine holes of the second round before Stieger won three in a row and went ahead by one with eight to play.
Campbell's 10th birdie, a two on the 34th, made it all square again, only for Stieger to go one up by birdying the 35th and stay there by halving the 36th.
So Michael Campbell's still the only the New Zealander to have won the Australian amateur championship in more than 100 years.
