If you haven’t played golf on NSW’s number 1 regional golf course, then you haven’t experienced the Hunter Valley’s hidden golfing gem.

Ranked number 15 in Australia (Australian Golf Digest 2008), the Newcastle Golf Course is situated in the stunning Hunter Valley and offers golfers of all levels a spectacular and exciting challenge.

Just 2 hours north of Sydney, Newcastle’s historic golf course is also home to some of the world’s highest ranked holes. With holes described as ‘a touch of poetry’ and becoming an amphitheatre of native flora that is vibrant and alive, the picturesque Newcastle Golf Club is sure to impress.

Smith’s opening round was tough going. Bogeys on the second and fourth were the only blemishes on the front nine but the back nine proved a house of horrors.

The advantage of two early birdies at the 11th and 12th vanished after a vicious triple-bogey on the 15th left her with an opening round score of 6-over 78.

But to her credit Smith bounced back. Her second round included three birdies on the front nine and two on the way home to give her a 4-under score of 68 and a ten shot improvement on the previous day’s play.

Her final round included five birdies but a double bogey on the 14th and bogey on the 17th brought Smith back to a 1-under round of 71 and 1-over for the tournament.

She was joined at 1-over by fellow Australian Dana Lacey.

South Korean teenager Amy Yang won the event with a three round score of 14-under 202 including an extraordinary round of 9-under 63 to win by eight strokes from Finland’s Minea Blomqvist.

Host Annika Sorenstam finished in a group of four Swedes at 7-under.

Scorecard:

1.Amy Yang (KOR) 70-69-63- 202
T2.Minea Blomqvist (FIN) 74-71-63- 208
T2.Mélodie Bourdy (FRA) 71-71-66- 208
T2.Maria Hjorth (SWE) 72-64-72- 208
T2.Lill Saether (NOR) 71-64-73- 208
T13. Nikki Garrett (AUS) 74-67-70- 211
T28. Karen Lunn (AUS) 214
T30. Sarah Nicholson (AUS) 215
T40. Kristie Smith (AUS) 217
T40. Dana Lacey (AUS) 217