Rotorua golfer Danny Lee has been rewarded for his consistently good form in the United States, after finishing in a share of ninth place in the Porter Cup.
The 17-year-old won the William C Campbell Award for the lowest aggregate score in three major US amateur events - the Northeast Amateur, Players Amateur and Porter Cup.
Lee, ranked No 7 in the world, finished nine shots behind the American winner Adam Mitchell at the Niagara Falls Golf Club in Lewiston, New York this week.
The New Zealander shot a one-over par 71 for a total of one-under 279 with his final round derailed by a triple bogey seven at the penultimate hole.
Fellow New Zealand international James Gill finished in a share of 36th place on six-over par following a final round six-over 76 after the St Andrews University graduate opened with a 67 in the weather-affected
tournament.
Mitchell fired a closing day 1-under-par 69 after a two-hour rain delay to finish the championship at 10-under-par.
Lee and Gill have now headed to Point O'Woods Golf Club in Michigan for the Western Open, ranked the number 2 amateur tournament in the world.