Picture Credit: Golf New Zealand
In a thrilling finish at Indooroopilly Golf Club, Cooper Moore from Golf New Zealand Academy captured the Australian Junior Boys Amateur championship after a tense three-hole playoff.
Starting the final round six shots behind, Moore fired a four-under 68 with five birdies to surge into contention. Meanwhile, Cooper Giddings from Dubbo Golf Club made a spectacular late charge, playing his final ten holes seven-under par, including an eagle on 16 and birdies on 17 and 18, to post a tournament score of five-under.
Moore, playing four groups behind, matched Giddings at five-under after sinking an 18-foot birdie putt on the par-three 17th. His birdie attempt on 18 fell just short, forcing a playoff.
After matching pars on the first two extra holes, drama unfolded on the third when Moore’s approach found the greenside bunker. With Giddings safely on the green, Moore produced a moment of magic—his bunker shot bounced once before rolling into the hole, sending Kiwi supporters into celebration.
“When I hit my approach into the short-side bunker, I thought it was over,” Moore admitted afterward. “I needed something special to extend the playoff, and when I holed it — wow. It was quite surprising.”
This victory puts Moore in elite company, joining Daniel Hillier as the only players to win both the Australian Junior Boys and New Zealand Amateur championships — a list that includes notable names like Jason Day, Adam Scott, and Grant Waite.
Gregg Thorpe, Golf New Zealand’s General Manager of High Performance & Talent Development, praised not only Moore’s clutch performance but the entire squad’s composure against strong international competition.
